All Stories by Science News
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19607
I was wondering if researchers have given any thought to the idea that in the same way that disease devastated human populations after the European discovery of the Americas, perhaps disease was a contributing factor in the demise of much of the fauna of the Western Hemisphere. Could domesticated animals traveling with the humans, or […]
- Humans
Letters from the October 29, 2005, issue of Science News
Food for thought I note that pleasure activates the neurobiological response that fuels addictive behavior (“Food Fix: Neurobiology highlights similarities between obesity and drug addiction,” SN: 9/3/05, p. 155). It has long been a tenet of the 12-step programs that there is no pleasure greater than to use one’s talents to help others similarly afflicted. […]
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19606
In the article, cleanup of radioactive particles that have seeped into porous building materials such as brick and marble appears to be difficult and expensive, even given the described breakthroughs. Perhaps a more proactive measure would be to require these materials to be impregnated with a stable polymer or similar compound that precludes the “soaking […]
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- Humans
Misleading Numbers
The “Number Watch” Web site focuses on “misleading” numbers that appear in the media and are often used to promote specific causes, as compiled by retired engineering professor John Brignell of the University of Southampton. Brignell also offers online resources on statistics and statistics education. The FAQ section includes answers to such questions as “Is […]
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19605
This article describes an inorganic solar cell prototype utilizing two types of cadmium nanocrystals. Do we really need to aim toward mass-producing more items that contain cadmium? This heavy metal is a toxin and carcinogen that is known for fast uptake in plants and buildup in animals’ fat. Risks associated with such a solar cell’s […]
- Humans
Letters from the October 22, 2005, issue of Science News
Smell the birdie I wonder if any of the researchers had a pet bird (“Myth of the Bad-Nose Birds,” SN: 8/20/05, p. 120). My Alexandrine parakeet can smell beer or ice cream from two rooms away—She screams for her share. Bruce DowRidge Manor, Fla. Brainstorm The research into placebos’ pain relief (“Placebo reins in pain […]
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19604
I very much enjoyed this article. What struck me, however, was a passage that mentioned the “bird’s resistance to the bends” and the researchers’ alleged inability to explain that. As a scuba diver, I know that the bends, or decompression sickness, is caused by breathing compressed air underwater. More nitrogen is absorbed in body tissue […]
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- Earth
Iceberg Thrills
The Ocean World Web site offers lessons devoted to icebergs, accompanied by dramatic images. Students can learn about the different colors of icebergs, their classification, and their life cycle. The Web site also presents the dangers that icebergs pose to people as well as their potential benefits to desert dwellers. It includes a glossary and […]
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19603
The discovery of the early raptor Buitreraptor may resolve one puzzle of the dinosaur-bird relationship. The late-Jurassic “first bird,” Archaeopteryx, seems closely related to dromaeosaurids, yet those animals appear to have lived later, in the Cretaceous. The realization that raptors were around much earlier makes the dinosaur-bird link even clearer. John DavisJackson, Miss.
- Humans
Letters from the October 15, 2005, issue of Science News
Sun, sky, or slather? “Sun Struck: Data suggest skin cancer epidemic looms” (SN: 8/13/05, p. 99) gives the impression that the increase in skin cancer among young people is caused by tanning in the sun. Environmental factors such as ozone depletion should have at least been referenced in the article. Cathy Hodge McCoidSacramento, Calif. In […]
