Uncategorized
- Earth
Some temblors probably were triggered by tides
Detailed analyses of large earthquakes suggest that some of them may have been triggered by strong tides in Earth's crust.
By Sid Perkins -
Clock genes regulate blood sugar
Circadian-clock genes may play an important role in governing the body's metabolism of dietary sugars and fats.
- Earth
Inhaled particles damage vascular lining
Airborne soot and other pollutant particles can impair the ability of tiny vessels in the body to properly regulate blood flow, an animal study finds.
By Janet Raloff - Math
Take a Chance
Researchers are helping to turn the art of generating randomness into a precise science.
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19487
Wasn’t Einstein so irritated at the thought of randomness in the universe that he said, “God does not play dice with the universe”? Your article seemed to suggest that Einstein endorsed quantum physics, which I was under the impression he didn’t. Andrew AlexanderToronto, Ont. Einstein did loathe the idea that physical processes could be random. […]
By Science News -
DNA Bar Codes
Scientists are using a small piece of DNA as a molecular bar code, a unique identifier to separate organisms into species.
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19486
In this article, it strikes me as strange to project the cost of collecting DNA samples from the “estimated 10 million animal species” on Earth when at least 90 percent of that probable fauna has yet to be discovered and, at current extinction rates, probably never will be. Kevin LumneyPorter Township, Ohio
By Science News -
- Humans
From the November 24, 1934, issue
The 1934 Nobel Prize in chemistry is awarded, Jupiter's great red spot is explained, and a polar ice cap shivers in the wind.
By Science News - Humans
Imagination Factory
Looking for creative ways to recycle materials? This imaginative Web site for kids focuses on how to make art using materials that most people throw away. The activities include drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, and crafts. A “Trash Matcher” section links various types of solid waste with appropriate activities. Go to: http://www.kid-at-art.com/
By Science News - Math
Con Artist: Scanning program can discern true art
A new mathematical tool distills painting style into an array of statistics as a potential means to spot forgeries.
- Astronomy
Extrasolar Planet News: Superplanet or brown dwarf?
New observations of an oddball planetary system 150 light-years from Earth suggest that some planets either are superheavy, more than 17 times as massive as Jupiter, or that they form from disks of gas and dust that encircle not just a single star, but two starlike objects.
By Ron Cowen