News
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9/11 attacks stoked U.S. heart ailments
People who experienced serious stress reactions shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks also displayed markedly elevated rates of new heart and blood vessel ailments over the next 3 years.
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Antidepressants get overly positive spin
Studies finding beneficial effects of antidepressant drugs for depressed patients get published far more often than do studies that uncover no antidepressant benefits.
- Paleontology
Life explodes twice
The Ediacaran fauna were as varied as all animals in existence today and, more impressively, as in the Cambrian, report paleontologists.
- Animals
Fenced-off trees drop their friends
Protecting acacia trees from large, tree-munching animals sets off a chain of events that ends up ruining the trees' partnership with their bodyguard ants.
- Astronomy
X-raying a galactic jet set
The deepest X-ray portrait ever taken of the galaxy Centaurus A highlights its jets and activity around its supermassive black hole.
- Anthropology
Infectious Voyagers: DNA suggests Columbus took syphilis to Europe
A genetic analysis of syphilis and related bacterial strains from different parts of the world fits the theory that Christopher Columbus and his crew brought syphilis from the Americas to Renaissance Europe, where it evolved into modern strains of the sexually transmitted disease.
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When Mice Fly: Bat DNA leads to longer limbs in mouse embryos
Mice with a stretch of bat DNA grow longer limbs, a possible step in the evolutionary path to wings.
- Astronomy
Second Time Around: Some old stars may make new planets
Two old stars appear to have been rejuvenated and may be undergoing a new wave of planet formation hundreds of millions to billions of years after young stars normally do.
- Humans
A Thirst for Meat: Changes in diet, rising population may strain China’s water supply
Rapid industrialization, an increase in population, and a growing dietary preference for meat in China are straining the country's water resources to the point where food imports probably will be needed to meet demand in coming decades.
- Physics
Dusty Fireball: Can lab-made blob explain ball lightning?
Artificial cousins of ball lightning contain microscopic particles, just like a model says they should. With video.
- Health & Medicine
Phoenix Heart: Replacing a heart’s cells could ease transplants
Scientists removed all the cells from a dead rat heart, injected new heart cells, and produced a beating heart, paving the way for eventually growing organs for transplantation in humans.
- Health & Medicine
Getting the Red Out: Drug improves kids’ psoriasis symptoms
The rheumatoid arthritis drug etanercept clears up psoriasis in children and may become the first systemic medication for the ailment in youngsters.
