News
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Health & MedicineLow-Fat Diet Falls Short: It’s not enough to stop cancers, heart disease
Reducing fat consumption after menopause offers women little if any protection against breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or heart disease, according to reports from a massive, 8-year trial.
By Ben Harder -
AnimalsMales as Nannies? First test for wasps’ hidden baby-care skills
Young male wasps, in the absence of females, can care for larvae.
By Susan Milius -
Combat Trauma from the Past: Data portray Civil War’s mental, physical fallout
A new analysis of 19th-century medical records indicates that U.S. Civil War soldiers who experienced considerable combat trauma but survived the war developed more than their share of mental and physical ailments later in life.
By Bruce Bower -
TechBeyond Bar Codes: Tuning up plastic radio labels
Electronic labels made from plastic semiconductors can now pick up and respond to radio signals at a frequency suitable for use on products.
By Peter Weiss -
PaleontologyAncestor of Kings: Early progenitor of T. rex had a crest
Paleontologists have unearthed remains of the oldest known dinosaur of the tyrannosaur clan.
By Sid Perkins -
Chimps creep closer yet
Humans evolved most slowly of all primates, with chimps a close second.
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Health & MedicineMouth cancer data faked, journal says
A study by a Norwegian researcher claiming that anti-inflammatory drugs reduce the risk of mouth cancer in smokers was based on faked data.
By Nathan Seppa -
Finding a face place in monkeys’ brains
Monkeys recognize a wide variety of faces thanks to a brain area that specializes in face perception.
By Bruce Bower -
TechVirus has the Midas touch
Researchers have recruited a stringlike virus to carry nanoscale loads of gold that could serve as imaging agents in cancer diagnosis.
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EarthPrions’ dirty little secret
The malformed proteins responsible for mad cow disease bind tightly to clay, a finding that points to farm soil as a potential long-term reservoir for these infective agents.
By Janet Raloff -
Depression’s rebirth in pregnant women
Expectant mothers who temporarily stop taking their antidepressant medication stand a good chance of sinking back into depression while pregnant.
By Bruce Bower -
Health & MedicineNewborn head size linked to cancer risk
Healthy newborns with big heads face an increased risk of brain cancer.
By Nathan Seppa