On the Scene

Anthropology

Genome of a chief

Ancient DNA experts say they are analyzing a lock of Sitting Bull's hair.

Climate

New carbon data should produce better climate forecasts

BLOG: More refined measurements for carbon dioxide input by plants and carbon dioxide released during respiration will help models, Science News editor in chief Tom Siegfried reports from the Euroscience Open Forum 2010 in Turin, Italy.

Astronomy

The universe according to Planck

Science News editor in chief Tom Siegfried reports on a new image of the early cosmos from the Euroscience Open Forum meeting in Turin, Italy.

Earth

Loop Current will determine spill’s ultimate fate

Oceanographers track a newly formed eddy in the Gulf of Mexico and where it might carry oil.

Humans

Young scientists and engineers get inspired

As I walked around the convention center in San Jose, Calif., last week talking with students at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, I was struck by how many of the projects were inspired by something personal. These young scientists noticed that something was wrong, and then—here’s the best part—they actually tried to fix it.

Physics

Army takes gun acoustics beyond ‘bang’

Dissecting the sound of weapon fire may give soldiers an edge.

Tech

Smokin’ entrees: Charcoal grilling tops the list

At the American Chemical Society meeting, earlier this week, I stayed at a hotel that fronted onto the kitchen door of a Burger King. This explained the source of the beefy scent that perfumed the air from mid-morning on – the restaurant’s exhaust of smoke and meat-derived aerosols. A study presented at the meeting confirmed what my nose observed: that commercial grilling can release relatively huge amounts of pollutants.

Ecosystems

Athlete’s foot therapy tapped to treat bat-killing fungus

Over the past four years, a mysterious white-nose fungus has struck hibernating North American bats. Populations in affected caves and mines can experience death rates of more than 80 percent over a winter. In desperation, an informal interagency task force of scientists from state and federal agencies has just launched an experimental program to fight the plague. Their weapon: a drug ordinarily used to treat athlete’s foot.

Chemistry

Cool roof coating: Mechanism kept under wraps

The American Chemical Society held a news briefing March 21 to feature a new energy-saving technology. It’s an ostensibly “smart” coating for roofing materials that knows when to reflect heat, like in summer time, and when to instead let the sun’s rays help heat a structure.