Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Humans

    Letters from the July 3, 2004, issue of Science News

    Whale, of an annoyance In “Din among the Orcas: Are whale watchers making too much noise?” (SN: 5/1/04, p. 275: Din among the Orcas: Are whale watchers making too much noise?), Rus Hoelzel states, “One thing I want to make clear is that I think whale watching is a good thing.” He then states that […]

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Cancer with a Twist: Protein instrumental in breast-cancer metastasis

    A protein called Twist, which orchestrates gene activity in cells, facilitates the spread of some breast cancers.

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  3. Anthropology

    Stone Age Ear for Speech: Ancient finds sound off on roots of language

    Ancestors of Neandertals that lived at least 350,000 years ago heard the same range of sounds that people today do, suggesting that the ability to speak arose early in the Stone Age.

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  4. Humans

    From the June 23, 1934, issue

    Young desert hawks in their nest, properties of newly found element 93, and the effect of high pressure on phosphorus.

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  5. Humans

    Letters from the June 26, 2004, issue of Science News

    Theory and practice Like physicists, mathematicians have always been divided into theorists and experimentalists (“Math Lab: Computer experiments are transforming mathematics,” SN: 4/24/04, p. 266: Math Lab). And, as with the physicists, the two groups of mathematicians have not gotten along very well. Still, in physics, there has always been an understanding that both groups […]

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Fish toxin stops cancer pain

    An experimental drug fashioned from the toxin of the puffer fish can suppress pain in cancer patients.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    New diabetes drug passes early tests

    The drug exenatide stabilizes and can reduce blood sugar in diabetes patients.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Mutation linked to sinus infections

    People who have frequent sinus infections are more likely on average to carry one copy of the same genetic mutation that causes cystic fibrosis, even though they don't have that disease.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Colonoscopy screening would avert cancer

    Increased use of colonoscopy could significantly reduce the number of colon cancer deaths and wouldn't cost much more overall than other tests.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Vitamin E targets dangerous inflammation

    Megadoses of vitamin E may reduce the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes and other conditions that produce chronic, low-grade inflammation.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    New test may spot colon cancer early

    An experimental test for colon cancer may detect the disease at a treatable stage more accurately than current, noninvasive screening techniques.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Malaria vaccine waylays parasite in liver

    A new malaria vaccine tested in chimpanzees spurs an immune response against the parasite as it passes through the liver, halting it in most cases before it can get into the bloodstream and cause symptoms of the disease.

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