Uncategorized
- Health & Medicine
Palm-Nut Problem
The ancient custom of chewing areca nuts is getting more popular as young Asians take up the habit, but betel-nut chewing has been linked to several types of oral cancer.
-
Proteins in the Stretch
Scientists are for the first time getting a feel for how proteins fold and unfold.
-
- Humans
Letters from the January 8, 2005, issue of Science News
Below the surface I would suggest that the Italian hydrologists cited in “Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice” (SN: 10/30/04, p. 277: Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice) consider the law of unintended consequences. Similar actions begun in 1978 at an […]
- Humans
From the January 5, 1935, issue
Karl T. Compton, Einstein explains relativity theory, and controlling cancer cells.
-
Tsunamis and Other Natural Hazards
The “Natural Hazards” section of NASA’s Earth Observatory Web site has many orbital images of tsunami damage resulting from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that occurred near Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004. The site also has links to orbital images of wildfires, floods, and erupting volcanoes. Go to: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/
- Animals
Mixing Genes: Bird immigrants make unexpected differences
A pair of decades-long studies of birds moving into other birds' neighborhoods show that immigration can have a quirkier effect than predicted by the usual textbook view.
- Physics
Twinkle Toes: How geckos’ sticky feet stay clean
Besides allowing geckos to cling to walls and ceilings, the millions of tiny fibers on the undersides of these lizards' toes clean themselves with each step.
- Health & Medicine
Bad Combo? Some antidepressants may hamper breast cancer drug
Certain widely used antidepressants and a woman's own genes might diminish the effect of tamoxifen, a frontline breast cancer drug.
-
19501
It should be noted that DDT was a poor example to use as an enantiomeric insecticide in this article, since that chemical doesn’t have an asymmetric carbon and therefore can’t exist in “mirror forms.” Gordon W. GribbleHanover, N.H. DDT is a mixture of three forms of the chemical, one of which has enantiomers—not due to […]
- Earth
Reflections on Insecticides: Mirror forms of agrochemicals set risk
The toxicity of an insecticide or how long it persists in the environment depends on which mirror-image form of the chemical is present.
-
19500
In light of the findings reported in this article, it seems obvious that there’s a need for anthropologists to revisit the records of local “legends” as they study human development in any area. Doesn’t it seem absurd that anyone studying human history would discard actual reports from humans about their own history? Elizabeth BolltPotsdam, N.Y.
