News
- Psychology
Gene makes kids more vulnerable to bullying’s effects
Kids who get bullied a lot can develop serious emotional problems, especially if they possess a certain gene.
By Bruce Bower - Space
Herschel telescope unveils icy debris ringing sunlike stars
New infrared images may reveal analogues of the solar system’s Kuiper belt.
By Ron Cowen - Life
Genome from a bottle
Cells switch species when given synthetic DNA, an advance that could lead to designer organisms.
- Physics
Some ‘ball lightning’ reports may be hallucinations
Magnetic fields generated by real bolts could trigger visual effects in the brain.
- Chemistry
Exposure of moms-to-be to hormone-mimicking chemical may affect kids years later
In mice, BPA can cause pregnancy complications that can also trigger later metabolic effects in both moms and grown male offspring.
By Janet Raloff - Space
Matter beats out antimatter in experimental echo of creation
A larger-than-expected imbalance could presage major physics breakthroughs.
By Ron Cowen - Climate
Oceans warmed in recent decades
Measurements show a trend of rising temperatures along with a leveling off since 2003.
By Sid Perkins - Animals
Argonauts use shells as flotation devices
The octopus relatives create their own buoyancy devices by gulping and hoarding air from the surface.
By Susan Milius - Health & Medicine
Behavioral therapy can help kids with Tourette disorder
A ten-week course of practicing techniques to countermand tics works better than counseling.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Cell phone-cancer study an enigma
An epidemiological study of a link between cell phone usage and brain cancer proved inconclusive.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Caring for a spouse with dementia leaves caregiver at risk
Wives and husbands who attend to mates have greater chance of developing problems themselves, a new study finds.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Light shows fMRI works as advertised
Optogenetic method validates assumption underlying brain imaging technique.