All Stories by Science News
- Humans
Puzzle of the Week
Eager to exercise your mind and join in a friendly puzzle-solving competition? Try the weekly challenge at the new PuzzleUp Web site, created by Emrehan Halici, a software and game developer in Turkey. Go to: http://www.puzzleup.com/
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19504
I was disappointed in news coverage of this dinosaur find in China. Science News and others ran an illustration with an obvious mistake. Unless the newly discovered mammal, Repenomamus giganticus, and its smaller cousin, Repenomamus robustus, were unique animals, they did not have legs that emerged from their sides giving them a sprawling, reptilian body […]
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19503
The model for the emergence of a population of “cheaters” out of a population of “cooperators” described in this article gives a fresh viewpoint on existing ecosystems—and much more. Might the evolution of asymmetric modern sex from symmetric DNA exchange (like that practiced by paramecia) have been one special case of this emergence? If so, […]
- Humans
Letters from the January 15, 2005, issue of Science News
Maybe a smoky card game I’m a veterinarian, and, here in west Texas, we see a high occurrence of parvovirus infection in young dogs. It destroys the intestinal villi, allowing gastrointestinal bacteria and their toxins to enter the bloodstream (“Nicotine’s Good Side: Substance curbs sepsis in mice,” SN: 11/6/04, p. 291). I would be very […]
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19502
As an occasional betel nut chewer, I note that this report doesn’t touch on possible positive aspects of the habit. Chewing sapari (coarsely powdered, sweetened, and clove-flavored areca nut) at the end of a meal leads to a sense of satisfaction and well-being, induces salivation, and freshens the mouth. Areca nut also contains lots of […]
- Humans
Letters from the January 8, 2005, issue of Science News
Below the surface I would suggest that the Italian hydrologists cited in “Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice” (SN: 10/30/04, p. 277: Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice) consider the law of unintended consequences. Similar actions begun in 1978 at an […]
- Humans
From the January 5, 1935, issue
Karl T. Compton, Einstein explains relativity theory, and controlling cancer cells.
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Tsunamis and Other Natural Hazards
The “Natural Hazards” section of NASA’s Earth Observatory Web site has many orbital images of tsunami damage resulting from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that occurred near Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004. The site also has links to orbital images of wildfires, floods, and erupting volcanoes. Go to: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/
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19501
It should be noted that DDT was a poor example to use as an enantiomeric insecticide in this article, since that chemical doesn’t have an asymmetric carbon and therefore can’t exist in “mirror forms.” Gordon W. GribbleHanover, N.H. DDT is a mixture of three forms of the chemical, one of which has enantiomers—not due to […]
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19500
In light of the findings reported in this article, it seems obvious that there’s a need for anthropologists to revisit the records of local “legends” as they study human development in any area. Doesn’t it seem absurd that anyone studying human history would discard actual reports from humans about their own history? Elizabeth BolltPotsdam, N.Y.
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19499
Your article has a graphic that appears to show an area that lifted by up to 5 meters and a vaguely equal area that was depressed by up to 2 m. This suggests an average increase in the distance of mass from the center of Earth. Yet a researcher claims that Earth’s rotation time has […]
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19498
I wonder if the upsurge in alien, invasive species in real estate boom areas is, at least in part, because of careless gardening. Many people introduce non-native plants into their landscape without regard to the potential for domination of these pretty plants over native species. Carol SenskeGreen Lane, Pa.
