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Health & MedicineCluster Buster: Might a simple sugar derail Huntington’s?
A study in mice with a disease resembling Huntington's shows that a simple sugar impedes the protein aggregation that kills brain cells.
By Nathan Seppa -
PhysicsWet ‘n’ Wild
Scientists have tracked the weirdness of water to microscopic arrangements of molecules and perhaps to the existence of a second, low-temperature form of the familiar substance.
By Peter Weiss -
19372
John Harris is quoted as saying that the absence of opossums is a “curious exception” to the list of current mammals of the Los Angeles Basin preserved in the La Brea tar pits. But the presence of opossums on the West Coast is well documented to be very recent. All current California opossums derive entirely […]
By Science News -
PaleontologyL.A.’s Oldest Tourist Trap
Modern excavations at the La Brea tar pits are revealing a wealth of information about local food chains during recent ice ages, as well as details about what happened to trapped animals in their final hours.
By Sid Perkins -
Reef Relations
The discovery of humanlike genes in coral means that the common ancestor of both humans and coral was more complex than previously assumed.
By John Travis -
19371
One of your sources in this article claims, “After all, even the sacred first law’s conservation of energy breaks down in the quantum realm, albeit in a limited way, he notes. That’s because Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle allows energy momentarily to appear from nothing, although it must be quickly paid back.” This claim is heard occasionally, […]
By Science News -
MathExtreme Tides
If Earth had been somewhat larger, it’s possible that it would not have survived tides induced by its moon or even by an encounter with a passing asteroid. That’s one scenario suggested by a recent investigation of a venerable equation that serves as a model for planetary tidal effects. Tidal effects are caused by the […]
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HumansFrom the January 13, 1934, issue
alt=”Click to view larger image”> PROVING THAT BABY CAN SEE “Can he see me?” This is often the first question asked by the young mother when she looks at the depths of solemn mystery in the eyes of her newborn baby. The answer has heretofore always been “No.” Until now, it has been generally thought […]
By Science News -
HumansTime Warp
Curious about the household technology that you might have seen in a typical home in 1970? In 1900? The Time-Warp Project is dedicated to preserving information about the advance of technology. The site lets visitors go decade by decade through illustrations of living rooms and other home settings, with a focus on recorded media, calculating […]
By Science News -
AnimalsCheap Taste? Bowerbirds go for bargain decor
When male spotted bowerbirds collect sticks and other doodads to wow females, they don't search for the rare showpiece but go for the cheap trinket.
By Susan Milius -
19295
In this article, it was assumed that people who switched from planes to cars after the terrorist attacks did so because of fear. However, many people who switched probably did so because of the inconvenience of added airport security. But before these extra deaths can be blamed on fear, security, or something else, it is […]
By Science News