All Stories by Science News
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19646
Perhaps in addition to using a friendly strain of Clostridium difficile to crowd out the disease-causing variety in the gut, other species of benign bacteria could be reintroduced at the same time. This might be done inexpensively using “probiotic” bacterial cultures already being sold by some health food companies. Michael DunphyNaperville, Ill. Researchers have tested […]
- Humans
From the February 8, 1936, issue
The flowers of trees, fuel-saving storm windows, and making radium in the laboratory.
- Ecosystems
Forest Field Trip
Take a hike in the woods of Kentucky in this electronic field trip. The site offers an overview of forest ecology and management for grades 4 to 8. It includes video clips, an interactive game, a slideshow about the American chestnut, information about forest careers and tree products, activity pages, and a teacher’s guide. Go […]
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19645
There are several problems with the popular-press interpretation of the study described in this article. The study saw a reduction to only 29 percent of calories from fat, which is still far above the 20 percent-or-less advocated by dietary and cardiovascular experts. Also, no one in the field of heart disease prevention would advocate solely […]
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19644
With reference to this article, some scientists say that bonobos are genetically closer to humans than to chimps. How did they compare in the referenced study? Dick MedvickCleveland Heights, Ohio Bonobos are indeed as genetically close to humans as are chimps, but there wasn’t enough genomic data available for bonobos to include them in the […]
- Humans
Letters from the February 11, 2006, issue of Science News
Preventive measure? Regarding “Rare but Fatal Outcome: Four deaths may trace to abortion pill” (SN: 12/3/05, p. 358), would it be possible for an antibiotic to be included with the RU-486 package to prevent a Clostridium sordellii infection? Like millions of other people, I have to take an antibiotic prior to dental procedures to prevent […]
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19643
Some of the descriptions about confusion of self contained in your article were very reminiscent of the confusion I often sense in dreams. I even recognize in some dreams the sensation described in the article about various body parts not being part of “me.” I wonder if this aspect of normal (I assume) dreaming has […]
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19642
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 high-energy gamma rays beyond a detector’s energy range would get shifted into the detectable range by cosmic expansion, while slower-energy […]
- Animals
Cyber Salmon
To learn about chum, chinook, and coho salmon, try this Web site from the Alaska Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn about the people of Alaska, several salmon species, and salmon habitat. The site includes salmon-related activities and lesson plans for various grade levels. Go to: http://cybersalmon.fws.gov/index.html
- Humans
From the February 1, 1936, issue
Groundhog Day, a new dental pain-killer, and a glarefree optical material dubbed polaroid.
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19641
After reading about the use of electrons in a particle accelerator to “cool” the antiprotons in a secondary ring, I have a question. Is it possible to make a long straight stretch of the main ring feed high-energy electrons in at an oblique angle to a deflection magnet and thereby bend the electrons into the […]
- Humans
Letters from the February 4, 2006, issue of Science News
Double trouble? “Sleep apnea could signal greater danger” (SN: 11/26/05, p. 349) says that “twice as many … with sleep apnea had a stroke or died of that or another cause. …” This sounds serious, but your readers can’t correctly assign importance to “twice as many” because you omit numbers of deaths. David KollasTolland, Conn. […]
