Earth
- Humans
Bt: The lesson not learned
The more things change, the more they stay the same, as a Dec. 29 Associated Press report on genetically engineered corn notes. Like déjà vu, this news story on emerging resistance to Bt toxin — a fabulously effective and popular insecticide to protect corn — brings to mind articles I encountered over the weekend while flipping through historic issues of Science News. More than a half-century ago, our magazine chronicled, real time, the emergence of resistance to DDT, the golden child of pest controllers worldwide. Now much the same thing is happening again with Bt, its contemporary agricultural counterpart. Will we never learn?
By Janet Raloff - Humans
Fewer fires in Africa these days
How flames spread, not how frequently people start them, controls burning on the continent.
- Life
BPA sends false signals to female hearts
The ingredient of some plastics and food packaging can interfere with cardiac rhythm at surprisingly low concentrations.
By Janet Raloff -
- Earth
Acid test points to coming fish troubles
Young fish can suffer severe damage from the ocean acidification expected within this century.
By Janet Raloff -
- Chemistry
Deep-sea battery comes to light
Microbes fuel a weak electrical current at hydrothermal vents.
By Devin Powell - Earth
Weather affects timing of some natural hazards
Seasonal patterns in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can be linked to rain and snow in certain locations.
- Earth
Dead Sea once went dry
The Holy Land’s salt lake ran out of water during a warm spell about 120,000 years ago, which suggests it could disappear again.
By Devin Powell - Health & Medicine
E. coli evade detection by going dormant
When stressed, bacteria can temporarily turn comatose and dodge germ-screening tests.
By Janet Raloff - Earth
Arctic has taken a turn for the warmer
Northern climate has changed substantially in the last five years, and the shift is probably permanent.
By Janet Raloff - Earth
Polar ice sheets are synchronized swimmers
Glaciers in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres advance and retreat together.
By Nick Bascom