Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Letters from the December 9, 2006, issue of Science News
War is not the answer “U.S. Population to surpass 300 million” (SN: 10/7/06, p. 238) concludes with the interesting fact that the only annual drop in U.S. population during the past century “occurred between July 1917 and July 1918, when the country was at war,” implying a military cause for the decline. Indeed, the honored […]
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- Humans
Artistic Artificial Life
This Web-based project represents the work of three Calgary artists: Vera Gartley, Arlene Stamp, and Mary Shannon Will. These artists use computers and other technology to generate designs that simulate growth patterns found in nature, explore image and text relationships by engaging viewers in movement and drawing, and combine layers of color and pattern with […]
- Anthropology
Stone Age Role Revolution: Modern humans may have divided labor to conquer
A new analysis of Stone Age sites indicates that a division of labor first emerged in modern-human groups living in the African tropics around 40,000 years ago, providing our ancestors with a social advantage over Neandertals.
- Health & Medicine
A Toast to Healthy Hearts: Wine compounds benefit blood vessels
Researchers have identified a class of compounds in red wine that might be responsible for much of the beverage's cardiovascular benefit.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer Link: Gene regulates progesterone effect on breast cells
The BRCA1 protein regulates the effect of pro-growth progesterone, which could explain why having a mutated BRCA1 gene predisposes a woman to breast cancer.
- Health & Medicine
Test identifies people at cardiac risk
Measurement of an electrical abnormality in the heart aids doctors in determining who is most at risk for cardiac arrest.
- Health & Medicine
Belated angioplasty saves no lives
A common heart procedure called angioplasty doesn't save lives if it is performed more than a couple of days after a heart attack.
- Humans
Letters from the December 2, 2006, issue of Science News
Concerns vented “Venting Concerns: Exploring and protecting deep-sea communities” (SN: 10/7/06, p. 232) barely scratches the surface of the problem. What is stopping someone from gene splicing the disease of choice onto heat-loving bacterium? Something that can live near the 600°F of melting lead will certainly survive the standard hospital-sterilization process. D.J. KavaBeaumont, Texas The […]
- Humans
From the November 21, 1936, issue
Wild turkeys, a life-extending diet, and seeing through fog.
- Health & Medicine
Ticking toward Trouble: Long-term rise in heart rate portends death
Men whose hearts beat faster over time are likely to die earlier than those whose hearts keep an unchanging cadence year after year, according to a 20-year study.
- Health & Medicine
Kidney Progress: Drug slows cyst growth
The trial drug roscovitine has been shown to reverse polycystic kidney disease in mice.
