Uncategorized
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Role Change: Mast cells show an anti-inflammatory side
Cells that cause inflammation in allergic skin reactions to poison ivy also produce a protein that subdues the reaction a few days later.
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Live Wires: Axons can influence nerve impulses
Axons are not simply passive carriers of electrical signals in the brain, but influence how neurons fire.
- Astronomy
Killer Collision: Dino demise traces to asteroid-family breakup
The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was a wayward fragment from a violent collision in the asteroid belt.
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The Venter Decryption: Biologist decodes his own genome
For the first time, one man's genome, including both sets of chromosomes, has been decoded.
- Animals
Hive Scourge? Virus linked to recent honeybee die-off
A poorly understood virus seems to have a connection to the recent widespread demise of honeybees.
- Humans
Letters from the September 8, 2007, issue of Science News
Patent pending If Drs. Glass and Venter succeed in assembling a viable synthetic bacterial genome (“Life Swap: Switching genomes converts bacteria,” SN: 6/30/07, p. 403), will the genome or the new life form itself be patentable? Virgil H. SouleFrederick, Md. The team that performed this work stirred controversy when it applied for a patent on […]
- Humans
From the August 28, 1937, issue
Trying to revive an ancient Australian tree called Great-Grandfather Peter, first report of the eerie light known as Cerenkov radiation, and the discovery of a new vitamin.
- Animals
Cicada Serenades
One sound that characterizes American summers is the cicada chorus. The insects’ long, drawn out serenades can be loud and ethereal, reminiscent of some cross between the sounds of rustling and scraping. Half a world away, Borneo’s cicadas belt out very different melodies. Although some sound fairly familiar, one available at this German site is […]
- Health & Medicine
Bad Bug: Microbe raises stomach cancer risk
A gene in some strains of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori may greatly increase the risk of stomach cancer.
- Astronomy
Dawn of a Disk: Water vapor pours down on embryonic star
Infrared observations show water vapor pouring down on a planet-forming disk around a young star.
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No-Fight Zones: School programs reduce violence in all grades
A variety of school-based programs succeed in reducing students' violent and disruptive behavior.
- Earth
Oxygen Rocks: Volcanoes spurred early atmospheric change
Earth owes its oxygen-rich atmosphere to a change in volcanic activity about 2.5 billion years ago.
