Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Searing the heart for the better
Electrode-tipped catheter destroys heart tissue to stifle atrial fibrillation, sometimes performing better than meds, study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Millions of women at risk of malaria during pregnancy
Potential problems include undetected illness and anemia in mothers, stillbirth and low birth weight in newborns,
By Nathan Seppa - Humans
Teacher anxieties may subtract from girls’ math scores
In first and second grade, female teachers’ insecurity with numbers may correlate to some girls’ doing poorly in math.
By Bruce Bower - Climate
IPCC’s Himalayan glacier ‘mistake’ not an accident
A London newspaper reports today that the unsubstantiated Himalayan-glacier melt figures contained in a supposedly authoritative 2007 report on climate warming were used intentionally, despite the report’s lead author knowing there were no data to back them up.
By Janet Raloff - Humans
Common stain repellent linked to thyroid disease
Long-term health study shows connection with blood levels of perfluorooctanoic acid.
- Earth
Tsunamis could telegraph their imminent arrival
Telecommunication cables could give early warnings of giant waves.
- Math
Slime mold is master network engineer
Single-cell organism develops food distribution system that is as efficient as the Tokyo rail system; inspires new math model for designing dynamic systems.
- Life
MRSA bacterial strain mutates quickly as it spreads
Antibiotic-resistant microbe's detailed family tree reveals roots of the global infection.
- Life
Protein may be new target for obesity, diabetes therapies
Molecule regulates flip of a metabolic switch, helps determine how the body uses glucose.
- Earth
Feds propose banning giant snakes
Today, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced plans to ban the importation and interstate transport of nine species of giant snakes. It’s a good idea, but a little like closing the barn door after the horse — or in this case, the pythons and anacondas — got loose.
By Janet Raloff - Humans
Minor air traffic delays add up to big costs
On average, the economic impact of late flights exceeds that of hurricanes
By Sid Perkins - Climate
IPCC admits Himalayan glacier error
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change acknowledged today that it had erred in projecting the rate and impacts of retreating Himalayan glaciers in a 2007 report.
By Janet Raloff