News

  1. Earth

    When the Great Lakes were lower

    New archaeological evidence shows signs of prehistoric hunting and other human activities on now-submerged portions of Lake Huron.

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  2. Physics

    Friction gives snakes a smooth slither

    Combination of friction and push propels snakes forward on flat surfaces.

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  3. Humans

    Children get social with virtual peers

    Life-size 3-D versions of children can draw kids with autism into social encounters and more news from the annual meeting of the Jean Piaget Society in Park City, Utah, June 4-6.

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  4. Humans

    Autism care takes biological toll on mothers

    Caring for teens and young adults with autism not only creates intense psychological pressure on mothers but may promote sharply decreased production of a crucial stress hormone, a long-term study suggests.

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  5. Ecosystems

    From sea to squid, thanks to slime

    Scientists have revealed new details about the genes — and the goo — that enable luminescent bacteria to colonize their symbiotic marine partner.

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  6. Chemistry

    Protein caught in the act

    Researchers have developed a new way to see where the molecules are active.

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  7. Earth

    Unexplained atmospheric chemistry detected

    A field study in China reveals an unusually high and unexplained production of hydroxyl radicals.

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  8. Life

    Huntington’s protein may have a crony

    The mutant protein implicated in Huntington’s may rely on a second protein. The finding could help explain why only some neurons are vulnerable to the disease.

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  9. Life

    Tickling apes reveals laughter’s origins

    Roots of laughter go back at least 10 to 16 million years, study of romping apes suggests.

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  10. Physics

    Mechanical systems all tangled up

    Researchers link the motion of two ion pairs through “spooky action at a distance.”

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  11. Alpine Antarctica, before the ice

    A new survey may have unveiled the birthplace of the world’s largest ice sheet.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Nicotine’s role in SIDS

    New study in rats explains how smoke exposure may increase risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

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