Science News

All Stories by Science News

  1. Humans

    From the January 26, 1935, issue

    A giant turbine flywheel, high-altitude plane flights, and high-energy cosmic rays.

  2. Archaeology

    Chaco’s Past

    Explore the intersection of modern science and ancient cultures at a Web site about New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon, launched by the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The site includes a look at connections between celestial alignments of prehistoric buildings in the canyon and recent solar research. It also contains a teacher’s guide to classroom activities for […]

  3. 19509

    According to your article, exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus in early life produces only flu-like symptoms but exposure at adolescence or later often results in mononucleosis, which is a possible precursor of multiple sclerosis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. It seems to me that much human misery could be eliminated by developing a […]

  4. Humans

    Letters from the January 29, 2005, issue of Science News

    Check it out In “Profiles in Melancholy, Resilience: Abused kids react to genetics, adult support” (SN: 11/20/04, p. 323), you report on a study in which it was found that female monkeys raised in a stressful situation drink alcohol to excess only if they possess just the short serotonin-transporter gene. If a positive correlation were […]

  5. Humans

    Letters from the January 22, 2005, issue of Science News

    Timely comments The researchers featured in “Summer births linked to schizophrenia” (SN: 11/6/04, p. 301) suggest that a higher incidence of schizophrenia may be due to summer-related infections “or other seasonal factors.” June and July births would have been in early gestation during late fall and winter, when there is increased incidence of depression among […]

  6. Humans

    From the January 19, 1935, issue

    Unusual twin girls, recording brain waves, and making heavy hydrogen.

  7. Planetary Science

    A Year on Mars

    Catch up with the amazing, ongoing adventures of the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, still ticking on the surface of Mars. These multimedia pages provide maps and routes, images, and accounts of discoveries as the two vehicles explored the Red Planet. Go to: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/mer-year/

  8. 19508

    Plastic solar cells may indeed be gaining in efficiency, but here in the Southwest, anything plastic left out in the sun quickly clouds, desiccates, and cracks. Can the new polymer-based material protect against this destruction? It would certainly be cost prohibitive to replace the cells every year. Stephen WustSanta Fe, N.M. Researchers are well aware […]

  9. 19507

    Titan may represent conditions that existed on Earth when life arose. One important difference is the extremely cold temperature on Titan. However, the known life cycle of stars predicts that, at some time in the far distant future, our sun will gradually expand. As that happens, Titan will heat up, and that may be sufficient […]

  10. 19506

    This article attributes behaviors of earlier bedtime, longer sleeping, and earlier weaning to “greater personal independence” in children who sleep alone. It is equally possible that these behaviors are due to something else. Research predicting which children and families will benefit from co-sleeping or alone sleeping would be more useful. Heather Kuiper and Loren RauchOakland, […]

  11. 19505

    Your article reports that left brain areas normally associated with language comprehension are activated in shepherds who communicate in a whistled language. I wonder if the same brain regions would respond similarly in people who “speak” American Sign Language or Morse code. Lisa LincolnBrooklyn, N.Y. In 2000 , Science News reported that this area of […]

  12. Humans

    From the January 12, 1935, issue

    A Mayan figurine, star composition, and gene locations.