News
- Paleontology
Tusk analyses suggest weaning took years
Changes in the proportions of various chemical isotopes deposited in mammoth tusks as they grew have enabled scientists to estimate how long it took juvenile mammoths to become fully weaned.
- Paleontology
Mmmm, that’s crunchy
Isotopic analyses of the teeth of otters and mongooses from Africa have led one paleontologist to suggest that some of humanity's ancient kin shared those modern animals' preference for shelled prey such as freshwater crabs and snails.
- Physics
Revisiting Einstein’s incomplete theory
New, ultraprecise measurements of single-particle trajectories confirm that there's something missing from Einstein's mathematical model for Brownian motion.
- Health & Medicine
A toast to thin blood
Moderate consumption of alcohol may make a person's blood less likely to clot.
- Earth
Volcanic Suppression: Major eruptions can reduce sea level
Although scientists have known for years that major volcanic eruptions can temporarily cool Earth's climate, a team now suggests that such outbursts can temporarily cause sea level to drop for a while as well.
- Materials Science
Up to Snuff: Nanotube network fights flames
Researchers have found that infusing plastics with a network of carbon nanotubes reduces their flammability.
- Animals
Beyond Falsetto: Do mice sing at ultrasonic frequencies?
Male mice may serenade prospective mates at pitches about two octaves higher than the shrillest sounds audible to the human ear. With Audio.
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Bad Readout from DNA: Genes that act on brain may promote dyslexia
Studies conducted in the United States, Germany, and England indicate that two genes, both located on chromosome 6 and involved in orchestrating neural migration in developing brains, contribute to the severe learning disorder known as dyslexia.
- Physics
Light Pedaling: Photonic brakes are vital for circuits
A novel silicon microchip device slows and varies light-pulse speeds—a function considered critical for the development of photonic circuits based on light instead of electrons.
- Health & Medicine
More Than an Annoyance: Breathlessness could be sign of bigger problems
People who have dyspnea, the sensation of being frequently out of breath, may have an increased risk of dying from heart problems.
- Planetary Science
New Partners: Hubble finds more moons around Pluto
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have spied two tiny moons orbiting Pluto, giving this planet a total of three satellites.
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Dopamine gene ups schizophrenia risk
A long-term study of children with a rare chromosome deletion indicates that those who have a single copy of a gene that promotes a dopamine overload in the brain have an above-average risk of developing schizophrenia later in life.
