All Stories by Science News
- Humans
Letters from the July 22, 2006, issue of Science News
First, count all the lawyers The study in “Legal Debate: Assumptions on medical malpractice called into question” (SN: 5/13/06, p. 291) fails to address the more disturbing issue: Most of the insurance money (apparently) goes to lawyers (both sides), and very little to those injured. Peter WilsonSimi Valley, Calif. The numbers in the story pose […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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19708
On this article, real cats do this too. I have observed many adult cats teaching kittens (not necessarily theirs) to hunt. People who receive “presents” from their cats are not being gifted. The cats are trying to teach them how to hunt, but the cats probably think we are pretty dumb. Emily JohnstonWestminster, Md.
- Humans
Letters from the July 15, 2006, issue of Science News
People want to know “Sharing the Health: Cells from unusual mice make others cancerfree” (SN: 5/13/06, p. 292) reported that years ago it was discovered that certain male mice eradicate cancer cells and that white blood cells from these mice make normal mice cancer resistant. It also reported that it is superpremature to look forward […]
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19707
Scientists seek environments that are weightless, near-perfect vacuums in which to conduct experiments. If genuine cloaking were achieved, I would expect there would be a host of experiments that might be conducted in “perfect darkness”—environments free of various energy wavelengths. Bernard RiceHinsdale, Ill.
- Earth
Visiting RadTown
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched an interactive Web site that uses an animated town to provide basic information on radiation in the environment—from lasers in a stadium light show to x rays at the dentist’s office. This virtual community shows the wide variety of radiation sources commonly encountered in everyday life. The site […]
- Humans
From the July 4, 1936, issue
Tiny stratosphere probes, neutron rays for medicine, and secrets of ancient bones.
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19706
It seems more likely that a decline of total precipitation and humidity would be the direct cause of both temperature and fire incidence. It is fashionable to blame every weather problem on greenhouse gases and global warming, but in this case doing so may lead to false conclusions. Paul BadeMankato, Minn. Neither the study nor […]
- Humans
Letters from the July 8, 2006, issue of Science News
The grammar gene? While reading that starlings may be capable of discerning grammatical patterns (“Grammar’s for the Birds: Human-only language rule? Tell starlings,” SN: 4/29/06, p. 261), I recalled the FOXP2 gene. The gene seems to be involved in the development of areas of the brain involved in speech in humans. Variants of FOXP2 were […]
