Uncategorized
- Animals
Stilts for ants make case for pedometer
Changing the leg length of desert ants upsets their ability to judge distance, providing the first evidence in any animal of a built-in odometer based on stride.
- Planetary Science
Some deadly monikers
Two recently found small moons orbiting Pluto have now been officially dubbed Nix and Hydra.
- Math
Chaotic Chomp
A new, physics-based approach to analyzing simple games, such as Chomp and Nim, reveals changing geometric patterns reminiscent of crystal growth.
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Bringing Up Baby’s DNA
Researchers are developing ways to harvest babies' genes in less invasive ways.
- Math
Flirting with the Impossible
A new book champions the importance of imagination and fantasy in mathematics.
- Health & Medicine
Statins might lower risk of cataracts
Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins might slow the formation of certain types of cataracts in the eye.
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- Astronomy
A Meteoroid Hits the Moon
This NASA Web page describes observations of a recent meteoroid impact on the moon, which created a new crater. It includes audio and a remarkable video of the impact. Go to: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/13jun_lunarsporadic.htm?list43643
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19710
I live in Northern California, where forest-biomass power plants are common. One power plant takes the ashes that result and places them where cows forage. I’m wondering to what level of concentration this process will accumulate the cesium in organic dairy products. Jesse NoellEureka, Calif. The amount of radioactive cesium-137 taken up by trees is […]
- Earth
Radiation Redux: Forest fires remobilize fallout from bomb tests
A sensor installed to monitor fallout from modern nuclear tests has detected small amounts of radioactive cesium produced by bomb tests decades ago and sent skyward by forest fires.
- Health & Medicine
Keep on Going: Busy seniors live longer, more proof that it pays to stay active
Healthy elderly people who burn a lot of calories each day may be gaining extra years of life.
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19709
I was surprised to see in Science News, conclusions about causation made on the basis of correlational research. The variance in activity levels may have been a consequence of differing levels of energy among the participants at the outset of the study, perhaps due to differences in general health. We should be careful about this […]
