Uncategorized
- Animals
Tail singers
The male Anna's hummingbird impresses females and intimidates other males by making a whipping sound with its tail feathers.
- Tech
Fire Inside
The events of 9/11 put new urgency into efforts to design buildings able to withstand the structural damage that fire can cause.
-
19873
This article ignored important research by David Tilman and Jason Hill of the University of Minnesota. They found that planting a crop of 18 different native prairie plants grown in highly degraded and infertile soil with little fertilizer or chemicals yielded substantially more bioenergy than a single species in fertile soil. In fact, their crops […]
- Earth
Cellulose Dreams
Turning cellulose from plants into ethanol for fuel could help lower greenhouse-gas emissions—but the conversion is far from straightforward.
- Humans
From the August 14, 1937, issue
Trees inspire a new kind of architectural support, a university sophomore finds the first mosasaur fossil west of the Rockies, and an oilman scoffs at fears over increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide due to industrial activity.
- Animals
Worm Lovelies
Polyclad flatworms are soft, juicy, and delicate coral-reef dwellers. To avoid predation, many have evolved brilliantly hued coloration. It’s a trait that often signals a critter is toxic, as many of these worms indeed are. Alas, their bright skins are likely not well appreciated by members of their own species, owing to very poor eyesight. […]
- Physics
Road Bumps: Why dirt roads develop a washboard surface
Experiments and a computer simulation show why dirt roads develop a washboard surface, and indicate the only way to prevent it: Drive very slowly.
-
19872
The research described in this article draws sound conclusions. However, the context suggests the tests were done at constant speeds. I submit there is yet another cause. It has been my observation that washboarding occurs initially and primarily at areas where there is acceleration, such as coming out of curves and starting up inclines. Don […]
-
Depression Defense: Sick elderly get mood aid from home treatment
Instructional therapy to promote coping strategies helps elderly people with incipient blindness ward off depression—at least in the short run.
-
Protein Lineages: Randomness was crucial to ancient genetic changes
Reconstruction of an ancient protein shows how seemingly unimportant mutations paved the way for its evolution into a molecule with an essential modern role.
- Materials Science
Shocking Sheets: Power paper packs a punch
Ultrathin sheets made from cellulose and carbon nanotubes could serve as flexible, versatile batteries.
- Tech
A Moment in the Life of a Cell: Microscopic scan images without intruding
A laser technique similar to a CAT scan produces 3-D images of living cells without the need for chemical staining.
