More Stories from the April 9, 2005 issue
- Planetary Science
Dusty rejuvenation
The Mars rover Spirit recently had its dirty solar arrays cleaned off, possibly by a dust devil, allowing the craft to generate nearly as much energy as it did when it first landed on the Red Planet in January 2004.
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Plants fix genes using copies from ancestors
Some plants can reinstate genes missing from their own chromosomes but that had been carried by previous generations.
- Astronomy
Moon story waxes fuller
A new analysis may have put the final piece in the puzzle of how the Moon formed.
- Earth
Lightning creates radiation-safe zone
A relatively safe region within the seas of radiation that surround Earth owes its existence to lightning storms.
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Phages take breaks while ejecting DNA
Bacterial viruses, or phages, inject DNA into their prey in a way that is more complicated than researchers had previously thought.
- Animals
DNA tells pigs’ tale of diverse ancestry
A genetic study indicates that pigs were domesticated in at least seven different parts of Asia and Europe, not in just two regions, as many researchers had assumed.
- Health & Medicine
Detecting cancer in a flash
Instant identification of cancer cells may become possible following experiments demonstrating that healthy and cancerous cells alter laser light in different, and distinguishable, ways.
- Physics
Tense encounters drive a nanomotor
Exploiting the relative strength of surface tension forces in the world of tiny objects, a novel type of nanomotor creates a powerful thrust each time molten metal droplets merge.
- Physics
Lone protein molecule could tip this scale
A scale-on-a-chip capable of weighing individual, biologically active proteins took a step closer to reality as a minuscule, vibrating bridge detected the mass of a mere 30 xenon atoms.
- Anthropology
Untangling Ancient Roots: Earliest hominid shows new, improved face
New fossil finds and a digitally reconstructed skull bolster the claim that the oldest known member of the human evolutionary family lived in central Africa between 6 million and 7 million years ago.
- Health & Medicine
Molecular Switch: Protein may influence chronic-pain disorder
A cell-surface protein found in the nervous system may play a central role in a chronic-pain condition known as neuropathy.
- Astronomy
Stellar Question: Extrasolar planet or failed star?
A tiny dot of light next to a young, sunlike star might be the long-sought image of an extrasolar planet.
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Remote Control Minds: Light flashes direct fruit fly behavior
Researchers have exerted a little mind control over fruit flies by designing and installing genetic 'remote controls' within the insects' brains.
- Tech
Open Sesame: Portable devices may achieve magnetic resonance views
Top-notch magnetic resonance sensing now found only in hospitals and chemical labs may become available in portable devices, thanks to a new type of magnetic sensor.
- Animals
Fish Din: Reef clamor attracts young fish settlers
When looking for a home, young fish seem to prefer a reef that's alive with the sounds of shrimp and fish rather than a quieter environment.
- Chemistry
Color Trails: Natural dyes in historic textiles get a closer look
A new chemical technique for extracting natural dyes from ancient textiles could help identify the plant species from which the colorants came.
- Math
Manuscripts as Fossils
A new mathematical model estimates how many medieval manuscripts have survived to the present.
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Code of Many Colors
Researchers have yet to find markers for race in the genome, but understanding the biology underlying perceptions of race could have dramatic social and personal consequences.
- Humans
Letters from the April 9, 2005, issue of Science News
Big ideas Your article “Life on the Scales” (SN: 2/12/05, p. 106) reminded me that taking a bird’s song and transposing it down four octaves makes it sound like a whale’s song. The opposite is also true. To hear this, go to http://www.mind.net/music/birdwhaleDemo.mp3. Todd BartonAshland, Ore. The article would imply that the only anomaly to […]
