All Stories by Science News
- Humans
From the April 11, 1936, issue
Spring flowers, alcohol's effect on the liver, and tapping into brain waves.
- Humans
Sculpting Life’s Machinery
Sculptor Julian Voss-Andreae creates novel artworks inspired by the three-dimensional structures of proteins. His latest work, “Unravelling Collagen,” goes on display next month in the City of South San Francisco’s Orange Memorial Sculpture Park. Now based in Portland, Ore., Voss-Andreae had started out as a quantum physicist. Go to: http://www.julianvossandreae.com/
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It seems that each of the moons of all of the planets within our solar system—and even some moons outside of our solar system—are named. However, it strikes me as remarkable and ironic that our own moon is the only moon that is unnamed. I think we should have a naming contest for our moon. […]
- Humans
Letters from the April 15, 2006, issue of Science News
Light shift Regarding “Blasts from the Past: Astronomers begin to go the distance with gamma-ray bursts” (SN: 2/11/06, p. 88), why is it that visible light is shifted to lower frequencies but gamma rays aren’t? Shouldn’t they have become X rays after all that distance? Stephen WoodOrlando, Fla. All wavelengths are redshifted. That means that […]
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Although I love finding out about how traits supposedly unique to humans are shared by animals, I don’t see how the experiment in this article demonstrates episodic memory in hummingbirds. How is this not the simple sensing (smelling) of the sugar drink in the syringes? Yvonne LyerlaSonoma, Calif. Researcher T. Andrew Hurly says that his […]
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A great earthquake occurs on average every 130 years in the southern part of the San Andreas fault, so Los Angeles is long overdue. Make no mistake, loss of life, injuries, and damage will be on an apocalyptic scale. The government may take days or weeks to bring in help. You must take responsibility for […]
- Humans
From the April 4, 1936, issue
Hidden blossoms of spring, postponing old age, and the future of atomic energy.
- Math
Math Focus on Internet Security
Internet security is the theme for this year’s Mathematics Awareness Month, highlighting the crucial role that mathematics plays in the development of cryptosystems. This Web site provides information and resources for celebrating Mathematics Awareness Month. Go to: http://www.mathaware.org/mam/06/
- Humans
Letters from the April 8, 2006, issue of Science News
Hot and cold “Warming climate will slow ocean circulation” (SN: 2/4/06, p. 77) makes me wonder, Does continental drift cause occasional changes to the ocean’s currents? Would major reorganizations of ocean currents tend to cause ice ages by temporarily disrupting the flow of warm water that normally keeps the ice at bay? Would simulations of […]
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Could it be that the ancient teeth discovered with drill marks but no signs of fillings were drilled to relieve abscesses? On a long holiday weekend years ago, a dentist opened and drained an abscess for me until I could get back home to my regular dentist. It relieved the pain almost instantly. David WattGlasgow, […]
- Math
The Mandelbrot Monk
In the 13th century, Udo of Aachen wasn’t merely a minor poet, copyist, and theological essayist. A new study of his work reveals that this medieval Benedictine monk was an outstandingly original and talented mathematician. He not only devised the rules for complex arithmetic but also pioneered the iterative process for displaying the famous fractal […]
- Humans
From the March 28, 1936, issue
A flooded Washington, D.C., a giant stellar explosion, and three new nebulae.
