More Stories from the December 3, 2005 issue
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Insomniac brains are both asleep and awake
Brains affected by sleep-induced insomnia function as if both asleep and awake.
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Spurned lovers’ brains reflect risk evaluation, pain
Using scanning technology, scientists can see the feelings of hurt, longing, and craving associated with a bad breakup reflected in the brains of recently rejected lovers.
- Health & Medicine
Pomegranate juice could fight Alzheimer’s
Drinking pomegranate juice, already linked to a host of positive health effects, may also slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
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Cognition down in apple-shaped seniors
Weight gain around the waist could go hand in hand with decreasing cognitive function as people age.
- Paleontology
New View: Fossil offers novel look at an ancient bird
A newly described specimen of an ancient creature that most scientists consider the oldest known bird is posed in a way that provides new viewing angles for several body features.
- Chemistry
Multitasking Miniatures: Tailor-made particles are versatile
A new class of tiny particles fashioned from metal and organic building blocks may lead to novel catalysts and sensors.
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Arbiter of Taste: Energy molecule transmits flavor to brain
The energy molecule ATP may play a pivotal role in conveying information about foods' taste to the brain.
- Computing
Network Inoculation: Antivirus shield would outrace cyber infections
As a new way to protect a computer network from viruses, an epidemic of antiviral protection could theoretically propagate faster through the network than the virus itself, thanks to a novel topological twist.
- Anthropology
Waves of Grain: New data lift old model of agriculture’s origins
A new analysis of the locations and ages of ancient farming sites reinforces the controversial idea that the groups that started raising crops in the Middle East gradually grew in number and colonized much of Europe.
- Health & Medicine
Rare but Fatal Outcome: Four deaths may trace to abortion pill
In the past 5 years, four healthy women taking the abortion pill mifepristone have died of toxic shock syndrome.
- Animals
Face Time: Bees can tell apart human portraits
Honeybees will learn to zoom up to particular human faces in a version of a facial-recognition test used for people.
- Chemistry
A Skunk Walks into a Bar . . .
Research into the chemistry behind unpleasant beer flavors may someday lead to a more flavor-stable brew.
- Ecosystems
Valuing Nature
With help from ecotourism-oriented commerce, the threatened birds of Uganda's Mabira Forest Reserve might just save themselves and set an example for conservationists elsewhere.
- Humans
Letters from the December 3, 2005, issue of Science News
Eye on energy “Cosmic Ray Font: Supernova remnants rev up ions” (SN: 10/1/05, p. 213) is unfortunately murky. It’s confusing to state that accelerating charged particles to high speeds “therefore” produces cosmic rays. And what “charged particles”? Is the “energized” gas in fact “ionized”? “Energized” is too general a word. Finally, why are high-speed particles […]
