More Stories from the February 25, 2006 issue
- Earth
Finding dirty diesels
Just a few diesel-fueled vehicles account for much of traffic-related soot.
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Transplant reroutes cells from sperm to eggs
Fish cells destined to become sperm can become eggs when transplanted into larvae.
- Chemistry
Membrane purifies gas
Researchers have synthesized a membrane that may purify hydrogen more efficiently than conventional chemical methods do.
- Health & Medicine
Study upgrades protons’ risk to DNA
Proton radiation causes worse breaks in DNA than researchers had expected.
- Earth
Species-aid budget looks fishy
State and federal governments spent $1.4 billion in 2004 on conserving endangered and threatened species, with one-third of that sum going to protect fish.
- Astronomy
Tiny planet orbits faraway star
Taking advantage of some gravitational sleight of hand, astronomers have found indirect evidence of the smallest planet known to exist outside the solar system.
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Smart shoppers use unconscious tactics
Consumers make better decisions about major purchases if they heed the power of their unconscious minds.
- Health & Medicine
Saw palmetto flunks prostate exam
An herbal supplement used by 2.5 million men in the United States has failed to outperform a dummy capsule taken for urinary problems.
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Degrading a Defense: Bacteria use enzyme to escape trap
Some bacteria have evolved an enzyme that enables them to escape the body's defenses.
- Earth
Rome at Risk: Seismic shaking could be long and destructive
If a large earthquake struck Rome, ground motions could rock the city for up to a minute, threatening many of the city's ancient landmarks.
- Anthropology
Big Woman with a Distant Past: Stone Age gal embodies humanity’s cold shifts
A 260,000-year-old partial skeleton previously found in China represents the largest known female among human ancestors and underscores the ancient origins of large, broad bodies adapted for survival in cold conditions.
- Health & Medicine
Birth Deterrent: Stress hormone cited in early miscarriages
High levels of a stress hormone in newly pregnant women might make them more likely to have miscarriages.
- Physics
Easy Answers: Quantum computer gives results without running
Quantum physics enables a computer to arrive at correct answers without actually running, a new experiment shows.
- Materials Science
Busy Little Recyclers: Chemical process, microbial metabolism transform trash-bound plastics
A two-step approach that converts a common plastic into a biodegradable polymer may cut the number of packing peanuts and Styrofoam cups that end up in landfills.
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Hunger for Knowledge: Appetite hormone may stimulate memory
A hormone that's been tied to promoting hunger may also play a pivotal role in creating and retrieving memories, according to a new study in mice.
- Planetary Science
Eyeing a Saturn storm
The Cassini spacecraft recently captured an image of the most powerful storm ever seen on Saturn.
- Humans
Evolution in Action
Debates on the conflict between evolution and intelligent design are taking place not only in the courts but also in state legislatures and even among members of local school boards, where topics include curricula, textbooks, and the definition of science itself.
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Buff and Brainy
Physical exercise encourages brains to function at an optimum level, even if they're damaged or diseased.
- Humans
Letters from the February 25, 2006, issue of Science News
A squirt could hurt The fine piece about invasive sea squirts (“Squirt Alert,” SN: 12/24&31/05, p. 411) states that the critters maintain an unappetizing surface pH of 2. Does this make these mats harmful to touch? Andrew J. DolsonRichmond, Va. Robert Whitlatch of the University of Connecticut, who grows Didemnum in the lab, says it’s […]
