All Stories by Science News
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19755
In this article on rogue waves, you make no mention of the use of satellite data, which is ideal for this sort of study. Two projects, in particular, are of great relevance: the European Union’s MaxWave study and the subsequent WaveAtlas project. The former, with just 3 weeks’ data, identified 10 rogue waves above 25 […]
- Humans
Letters from the November 18, 2006, issue of Science News
Sunny side heads up “Rare Uranian eclipse” (SN: 9/9/06, p. 166) tells us, “Because the moons of Uranus orbit at the planet’s equator, the sun seldom illuminates them directly.” I think what you mean is that the moons seldom pass directly between Uranus and the sun. But surely the sun still illuminates them, even when […]
- Humans
From the November 7, 1936, issue
A tree's age, testing flu vaccine, and the polar ozone layer.
- Humans
Protecting Consumers
The Federal Trade Commission has launched a blog associated with its public hearings on “Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-ade,” held Nov. 6-8, 2006. The hearings examined how evolving technology will shape and change the habits, opportunities, and challenges of consumers and businesses in the coming decade. It featured experts from the business, government, and […]
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19754
The idea of Pleistocene rewilding in North America is provocative, but it need not be treated only in the abstract. The return of beavers (Castor canadensis) to almost every region of the continent has shown us that the behavior of these creatures was, in many ways, originally responsible for the contours of the landscape and […]
- Humans
Letters from the November 11, 2006, issue of Science News
The Carolinas to New Jersey “Bad-News Beauties: Poison-spined fish from Asia have invaded U.S. waters” (SN: 9/9/06, p. 168) cites evidence of a severe genetic bottleneck, suggesting that perhaps no more than three pregnant females launched the expanding western Atlantic red lionfish population. How can there be “pregnant females” in an animal with the external […]
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19753
This article reminds me that in preantibiotic days, tuberculosis patients were put on a fresh-air-and-sunshine regimen. Could the vitamin D so acquired account for the cures this system sometimes produced? Nancy AxfordSacramento, Calif. Researcher John J. Cannell points to TB sanitariums as anecdotal evidence that sunlight fights infections. —J. Raloff Does the vitamin D in […]
- Humans
From the October 31, 1936, issue
Ancient Egyptian tombstones, political party preferences, and a new record for starvation.
- Humans
Thinking Math and Science
This site describes itself as the online community for academically talented youth. Developed by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, it provides timely news articles about scientific advances, profiles of researchers, information on summer programs and academic competitions, book reviews, and even a humor section, with items gathered from a wide variety of […]
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19752
One solution to global warming suggested in the article is stretching Mylar across the ground. How about designing reflective concrete to aid in this endeavor? We are already covering a large amount of Earth with pavement. Tom E. KlassenIndianapolis, Ind.
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19751
As a computer scientist, I appreciate that increased layers of hidden complexity only increase vulnerability to both innocent error and fraudulent manipulation. As a voter, I thoroughly understand how to indelibly mark a paper ballot. The ballot can be machine read and tabulated even before I leave the precinct. It is as nearly perfect a […]
- Humans
Letters from the November 4, 2006, issue of Science News
Twisted logic? I have a question concerning “The Sun’s Halo in 3-D” (SN: 8/19/06, p. 120). It says, “As the sun rotates, its polar regions make a complete circle in about 34 days, compared with the 25 days required by its equator.” I was wondering how it’s possible to have two points on a rotating […]
