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Dogs: Domestication and the Development of a Social Bond by Darcy F. Morey
An anthropologist describes the evolution of the dog and explores how this creature became man’s best friend. DOGS: DOMESTICATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIAL BOND BY DARCY F. MOREY Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010, 356 p., $45.
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Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell
Kids can learn about this special set of numbers from color nature photos. GROWING PATTERNS: FIBONACCI NUMBERS IN NATURE BY SARAH C. CAMPBELL Boyds Mill Press, 2010, 32 p., $17.95.
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Letters
A placebo’s true nature There is a serious misconception put forth in the letter from William Davis (Feedback, SN: 5/22/10, p. 31). The placebos used for placebo-controlled, double-blind studies of pharmaceuticals are not “sugar pills.” These placebos are made from the same inactive ingredients in the same proportions used to make the dosage form containing […]
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A university strives for the high road to sustainability
Many universities are trying to bring sustainability to campus through measures such as serving organic food in dining halls, using carbon-neutral power sources and constructing buildings that qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Yet some institutions have expressed concern that some of these efforts […]
- Life
Animal sperm arose once
A gene governing production of male reproductive cells goes back to a common ancestor that lived about 600 million years ago, a study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Genetics may underlie some kidney failure in blacks
Gene variants that offer protection against African sleeping sickness may also put carriers at renal risk, a new study finds.
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A violent tail
The MESSENGER spacecraft finds powerful magnetic storms on Mercury, along with signs of surprisingly recent volcanic activity.
- Chemistry
Smelling the menu
Mouse breath triggers special cells in the nose that help send a safe-to-eat message.
- Health & Medicine
Everyone poops his or her own viruses
The viral denizens of a person’s intestines are unique and don’t change much over time, a study suggests.
- Earth
New ‘walking’ fishes discovered in Gulf oil-spill zone
Pancake batfishes may be getting oiled before they get named.
- Paleontology
Apes and Old World monkeys may have split later than thought
A 29- to 28-million-year-old primate fossil found in Saudi Arabia assists scientists in timing a major evolutionary transition.
- Health & Medicine
Body shape may affect mental acuity
Among women 65 to 79, big apples performed better than plump pears on tests of memory and reasoning.
