Science News

All Stories by Science News

  1. Humans

    From the March 9, 1935, issue

    How early fish learned to swim, a long-distance record for short radio waves, and tidal effects inside Earth.

  2. Ospreys in the Classroom

    The University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center offers a set of multidisciplinary lesson plans introducing students from grades four through eight to raptors. Topics range from predator-prey relationships and habitats to environmental sampling. The lessons focus mainly on learning about ospreys. Go to: http://www.cvm.umn.edu/depts/raptorcenter/education/lessonplans/

  3. 19527

    Regarding the therapeutic effects of sunflower-seed oil on infants, has any research been done as to the health benefits of the oil in any other age group? Yael LevyNew York, N.Y. Research to date has focused on newborns, says researcher Gary L. Darmstadt of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. However, a few studies have suggested […]

  4. 19526

    This article includes three images of the Arches cluster near the center of the Milky Way, each taken with a different telescope. I’d be interested to know what the three telescopes are. John McKeeBrunswick, Maine In the trio of progressively sharper (left to right) images, the leftmost one was taken in 1994 with a 3-meter […]

  5. 19525

    Evidence of animals sensing where people are looking and what they’re seeing is interesting yet hardly new. For years, I have observed that wild rabbits will remain motionless as long as I stare in their direction. But as soon as I avert my eyes or turn my head, the rabbit is gone. Clearly, they correctly […]

  6. Humans

    Letters from the March 12, 2005, issue of Science News

    Cheaters like us? The model for the emergence of a population of “cheaters” out of a population of “cooperators” described in “When Laziness Pays: Math explains how cooperation and cheating evolve” (SN: 1/15/05, p. 35) gives a fresh viewpoint on existing ecosystems—and much more. Might the evolution of asymmetric modern sex from symmetric DNA exchange […]

  7. From the March 2, 1935, issue

    A new telescope nears completion, a new therapy for heart disease succeeds, and a new low temperature is reached.

  8. Earth

    What’s in the Dirt?

    Curious about the abundance of various chemical elements in the area where you live? The U.S. Geological Survey offers a database of more than 60,000 chemical analyses of stream sediment and soil in different parts of the United States. Color-coded maps provide county-by-county data on the concentrations of such elements as mercury, arsenic, selenium, and […]

  9. 19524

    The many reports of the explorations of Mars looking for water seem to be motivated by mere curiosity. Even if water is found on Mars, the lack of a Martian magnetic field would expose any life on Mars to the ravages of radiation from space. The high-velocity sandstorms would also be adverse to any life […]

  10. 19523

    Your article didn’t specify how strong the ultrasonic waves were or if any special conditions were required for these bubbles to form. I am curious to know if there’s a difference between the ultrasonic waves mentioned in your article and those in ultrasound exams of pregnant women. Andrea BikfalvyDowagiac, Mich. The article made me wonder […]

  11. Humans

    Letters from the March 5, 2005, issue of Science News

    Way-up wander? It seems interesting that undersea flows have at least one characteristic different from rivers: “While river floods on land can create natural levees a few meters tall, the levees formed by [undersea] turbidity currents can grow up to 100 m[eters] high” (“Hidden Canyons,” SN: 1/1/05, p. 9). There are several sites on Mars […]

  12. 19522

    I’m sure you published this article in good faith, but I believe that claims for shark cartilage are not made seriously by anyone who studies the role of natural substances in cancer prevention. It was proved ineffective long ago. I think your article does a disservice to honest people who are trying to fight the […]