News
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Golden Eggs: Engineered hens lay drugs
Researchers have genetically engineered hens that can not only produce useful drugs in their eggs but also reliably pass on this characteristic to new generations of chickens.
- Health & Medicine
Gene variant shapes beta-blocker’s effectiveness
A medication widely used for heart failure may be most effective in people who have a common variant of a particular gene.
By Ben Harder -
Salmonella illnesses traced to pet rodents
Hamsters and other pet rodents are probably underappreciated spreaders of salmonella bacteria.
By Ben Harder - Earth
2006: Hottest year in U.S. history
Preliminary analyses of weather data gathered from more than 1,200 sites across the continental United States indicate that last year was the warmest on record.
By Sid Perkins - Paleontology
Of penguins’ range and climate change
Variations in the range of Adélie penguins along one section of Antarctica's coast during the past 45,000 years are a keen indicator of climate change there.
By Sid Perkins - Health & Medicine
Nanoparticles find tumors, form clumps
Newly designed nanoparticles could have dual benefits in the fight against cancer.
- Earth
Mercury pollution settles in hot spots
Certain areas of North America are particularly susceptible to environmental accumulation of mercury.
By Ben Harder - Chemistry
Switch Hitters: Antibacterial compounds target new mechanism to kill microbes
Recently discovered ribonucleic acid segments, called riboswitches, may become prime targets for new antibacterial drugs.
- Materials Science
Electrode Enhancements: New materials may boost fuel cell performance
Two teams have independently discovered ways to dramatically improve the materials used in the electrodes of fuel cells.
By Sid Perkins - Plants
Biggest Bloom: Superflower changes branch on family tree
The plants with the world's largest flowers, the rafflesias, need to be moved closer to poinsettias on the family tree of plant life.
By Susan Milius - Health & Medicine
No Fluke: New weapon against tropical parasite
An experimental drug shows potential against schistosomiasis.
By Nathan Seppa - Ecosystems
Alien Alert: Shrimpy invader raises big concerns
A shrimplike European invader just discovered in the Great Lakes could prove ecologically disruptive to populations of native lake animals.
By Janet Raloff