Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
Much that glitters is really old
New isotopic analyses of rock samples from one of the world's richest gold-mining regions suggest that the flecks of gold in those ores are more than 3 billion years old.
- Agriculture
A Dairy Solution to Mildew Woes
Milk may prove the savior of some organic wines. Gray areas on these untreated grapes at Temple Bruer Wines reflect heavy powdery mildew damage. The grapes show splitting and “are useless,” notes Peter Crisp. Crisp This vine, treated with whey sprays, shows minimal mildew. Its grapes are acceptable for winemaking. Crisp This milk-sprayed vine also […]
- Earth
Cancer Causer? Researchers zero in on leukemia risks
Researchers add to mounting evidence that household pesticide exposure may be a significant risk factor for childhood leukemia.
- Earth
Leaden impacts of gum disease, smoking
Subtle bone loss associated with advanced gum disease can be linked to elevated lead concentrations in the blood.
- Agriculture
Afghanistan’s Seed Banks Destroyed
On Sept. 10, scientists in Kabul reported the loss of Afghanistan’s principal agricultural insurance policy: two stores of carefully collected seeds, materials selected to represent the genetic diversity of native crops. Here, some of the wheat seed brought into the country by a convoy, this spring, is being stored pending redistribution to Afghan farmers. USAID […]
- Earth
Chinese records show typhoon cycles
Historical records compiled by local governments along China's southeastern coast during the past 1,000 years suggest that there's a 50-year cycle in the annual number of typhoons that strike the area.
- Earth
Cave formations yield seismic clues
Analyses of toppled stalagmites and other fallen rock formations in two Israeli caves may provide hints about the rate of ancient earthquakes in the area.
- Earth
Uncertainty returns over sex-change fish
Scientists question whether a potentially gender-bending hormone found in polluted Florida streams is responsible for masculinized female fish.
- Earth
Global Impact: Space object may have spread debris worldwide
Sediments laid down about 3.47 billion years ago in what are now western Australia and eastern South Africa contain remnants of what may have been an extraterrestrial-object impact large enough to disperse debris over the entire planet.
- Earth
2002’s tornado tally well below average
As of August 1, barely half the usual number of tornadoes had struck the lower 48 states of the United States.
- Earth
Cigarette smoke can harm kitty, too
Compared with animals living in smokefree homes, cats who lived for some time with a smoker at least doubled their risk of developing the feline analog of the cancer non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Earth
Nature’s Own: Ocean yields gases that had seemed humanmade
Chemical analyses of seawater provide the first direct evidence that the ocean may be a significant source of certain atmospheric gases that scientists had previously assumed to be produced primarily by industrial activity.
