Science & Society

  1. Science & Society

    Old periodic table could resolve today’s element placement dispute

    A little-known genius figured out where all the elements in the periodic table should be placed long before some of them were discovered.

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  2. Environment

    Stinkin’ rich

    Researchers work out the hidden value of sewage sludge.

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  3. Chemistry

    Shipwrecked bubbly gives chemists a taste of the past

    Champagne preserved at the bottom of the Baltic Sea for 170 years has given chemists a glimpse of past winemaking methods.

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  4. Plants

    Bits of bacterial DNA naturally lurk inside sweet potatoes

    Samples of cultivated sweet potatoes worldwide carry DNA from Agrobacterium cousin of bacterium used for GMOs.

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  5. Planetary Science

    Before moon landings, scientists thought dust or crust might disrupt touchdown

    Moon dust didn’t swallow spacecraft as was suggested in the 1960s. Successful exploration since that has changed our view of the moon.

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  6. Science & Society

    Expedition’s plants illustrated, build your own robot, and more

    Three museum exhibits allow visitors to explore 18th century botanical art, natural disasters and robots.

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  7. Animals

    Tales of the bedbug, one of the world’s most reviled insects

    ‘Infested’ captivates with stories about the bloodsucking insects. Resurgent in many areas in the United States, bedbugs are the fastest-growing moneymaker in pest control.

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  8. Science & Society

    Unbiased computer confirms media bias

    A computer algorithm can identify a media outlet’s bias just by the quotes it chooses from political speeches, surrounding context aside.

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  9. Plants

    Plants suck in nicotine from nearby smokers

    Peppermint plants can build up nicotine from tobacco dropped on their soil or smoked indoors.

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  10. Science & Society

    The Angelina effect should be about knowing your cancer risk

    Angelina Jolie’s public message about her medical decisions related to cancer is about knowing your risks for disease, not hers.

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  11. Science & Society

    Top 10 science anniversaries of 2015

    From genes and dreams to gravity and Kevlar, 2015 offers plenty to celebrate.

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  12. Animals

    Dealing with droughts, museums going digital and more reader feedback

    Readers share their experiences with dry weather in the U.S., discuss how humans mentally sort quantities and more.

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