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"Long
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June 06, 2013
RETURN
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PAST
NEWS - 2007
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Most
popular
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Science gives beauty some of its mystery back
There may be more to good looks than averageness, after all.
(Dec. 22, 2007)
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Google’s kinship with the mind
Thinking and using a Web search engine might seem to be very different activities. But a study suggests they draw on similar principles.
(Dec. 5, 2007)
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Drastic diet may extend human life: study
Researchers knew it worked in animals, but whether we’d get the benefits has been unclear.
(Nov. 15, 2007)
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Genes affecting generosity may be found
One gene underlying altruism is an evolutionarily ancient strip of DNA also found in rodents, a study indicates.
(Oct. 31, 2007)
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Probing ancient shipwrecks with DNA
DNA can help tell what long-sunken transport jars contained, say scientists studying a Greek wreck.
(Oct. 15, 2007)
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Other
universes may be detectable, published study claims
If there are other universes, then one or more of them might leave a mark on
ours, a study suggests. (Oct. 11, 2007)
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Built-in
brain “templates” may clue tots to threats
Do babies know something about spiders before ever seeing one? (Sept. 18, 2007)
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What?
Where? When? Some animals may know
New findings may bear on debates over whether animals are conscious. (Aug. 12, 2007)
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Dolphin
braininess due to social life, studies suggest
Dolphins and their kin are widely thought to be among the cleverest creatures.
But what might have made them so? (May 30, 2007)
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What
is consciousness? Study aims to settle debate
Researchers also propose to subject claims of “out-of-body experiences”
to a strict test. (May 20, 2007)
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“King”
of star explosions seen
Astronomers report what could be a new type of supernova, the death blast
of a massive star. (May 7, 2007)
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Distant
planet judged possibly habitable
Astronomers report finding the most Earth-like planet outside our
Solar System to date. (April 23, 2007)
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Human
evolution, radically reappraised
Our evolution has been speeding
up tremendously, a study contends. (March 26, 2007)
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Chimps found using spears
Chimps in Senegal were reported making sharpened sticks to hunt other, small primates.
(Feb. 22, 2007)
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On African Island, women choose the spouses
Traditionally, once a woman proposes on Orango island, the man has no say in the matter.
(Feb. 3, 2007)
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Additional News
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“Youth”
pills, hawked online, win over top scientists
A company selling pills with
“youth-prolonging” molecules has snagged a leading biologist
and a Nobel laureate as customers. (Feb. 9, 2007)
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Anthrax
may be ally in cancer war
Few people would consider anthrax helpful. But its toxin might
someday be a cancer therapy, scientists claim. (Dec. 29, 2007)
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Humor tied to male aggression?
A doctor’s hobby of unicycling turned into a study of human nature that
offers a new perspective on why we joke. (Dec. 21, 2007)
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Small asteroids may do big damage
A new look at a 1908 event suggests disaster from space could be more common
than once thought. (Dec. 21, 2007)
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Whales evolved from raccoon-sized creature, study finds
The “missing link” for whales and dolphins was a small hoofed mammal,
researchers say. (Dec. 20, 2007)
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Galaxy
seen blasting neighbor
A jet from a galaxy’s giant, central black hole is pummeling a
nearby galaxy, according to astronomers. (Dec. 17, 2007)
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Famed wreck reported found, “untouched”
Remains of a ship linked to the scandalous 17th century “pirate,”
Capt. Kidd, could shed light on a pivotal era, archaeologists say. (Dec. 14, 2007)
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Global
warming to worsen malnutrition: report
Amid rising concern over climate change, three U.N. agencies issued a
stark new warning. (Dec. 12, 2007)
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Why we feel “slow motion” during crisis
Why does “time fly” as you get older—or seem slower during accidents?
Scientists say they have an answer. (Dec. 11, 2007)
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Life’s
building blocks formed on Mars: study
Organic molecules might be able to form on any cold, rocky planet, researchers
claim. (Dec. 11, 2007)
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Did “dark stars” reign in early time?
Stars powered by dark matter might still exist, some scientists propose.
(Dec. 6, 2007)
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Honey
may be best for cough, research finds
Some cultures have long used honey for cough relief. (Dec. 5, 2007)
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Fitness predicts longevity better than fat: study
Fat but fit may be OK, researchers say. (Dec. 5, 2007)
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Flu mystery may be cracked
Influenza spreads in winter because the virus thrives on cold, dry air, researchers
have found. (Dec. 5, 2005)
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Humans lose to chimps in number memory game
Young chimps have an “extraordinary” ability to remember numerals,
researchers report. (Dec. 3, 2007)
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Dino “mummy” has fossilized skin
A startlingly well-preserved dinosaur may have had stripes and the ability
to outrun T. rex. (Dec. 3, 2007)
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First reversal of aging in an organ claimed
A short-term success in rejuvenating the skin of mice points the way
to future progress against aging, scientists say. (Nov. 29, 2007)
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Antarctic
image map to “revolutionize” research
A new map of the frozen continent, in unprecedented detail, is
free on the Web. (Nov. 27, 2007)
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Scientists hope to give artificial limbs “feelings”
New findings point to a way amputees could gain sensation in their
prostheses, allowing more control, researchers say. (Nov. 26, 2007)
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A “Big Bang” of plant evolution
Scientists are shedding light on what Charles Darwin called an “abominable mystery”: how flowers evolved.
(Nov. 26, 2007)
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Site tied to Rome’s legendary founding
Archaeologists revealed a site said to have been venerated as the cave where, by legend, a she-wolf raised Rome’s twin founders.
(Nov. 22, 2007)
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Breakthrough may let scientists make stem cells on demand
Researchers say they appear to have turned human cells into powerful stem cells.
(Nov. 22, 2007)
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“Noah’s flood” spread farming, researchers say
A prehistoric deluge—controversially linked to ancient flood myths—kick-started European agriculture, a study claims.
(Nov. 19, 2007)
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Robot infiltrators sway roach group decisions
They don’t look like cockroaches—but they smell and act enough like them.
(Nov. 16, 2007)
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Monkey embryos reported cloned
The work could lead to a way to produce patient-specific stem cells for curing disease, researchers say.
(Nov. 14, 2007)
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What’s in a name? Studies link initials to success
If you like your name too much, even unconsciously, you might be in trouble, scientists suggest.
(Nov. 14, 2007)
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Alzheimer’s “vaccine” seen to aid mice
Immunization might blunt or even prevent the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers say.
(Nov. 13, 2007)
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Cosmic mystery “solved” after decades
Ultra-energetic cosmic rays probably come from supermassive black holes, a study concludes.
(Nov. 8, 2007)
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Why poor kids may make sicker adults
Scientists believe they’re starting to understand why the poor suffer worse health and shorter lives than the rich.
(Nov. 7, 2007)
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Solar system “packed with planets” looks like our own
Astronomers report finding a solar system that resembles ours more than any other known.
(Nov. 6, 2007)
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Think food, not nutrients, researchers advise
The key to a healthy diet may be not so much focusing on specific nutrients as eating varied, healthy foods.
(Nov. 6, 2007)
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Even monkeys rationalize, study finds
After we make a questionable choice, we often think up—or make
up—new reasons to believe it was right after all. (Nov. 6, 2007)
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Gene tied to lower cognitive function in kids
The research raises new possibilities for therapies targeting cognition, researchers say.
(Nov. 5, 2007)
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Competition drives forward
robo-car technology
A university team won $2 million for its entry in a government-sponsored competition for self-driving cars.
(Nov. 5, 2007)
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Study suggests how DNA building block might have formed
Researchers say the work could help understand how DNA originated on early Earth.
(Nov. 2, 2007)
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At 400, clam may be longest-lived animal known
A venerable mollusc could shed light on the mysteries of aging, researchers say.
(Oct. 30, 2007)
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Majority found willing to consider cosmetic surgery
The widespread appeal of plastic surgery surprises a scientist studying the issue.
(Oct. 28, 2007)
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Humans go into heat after all, strip club study finds
Mammals go into heat. Except humans—it’s just for animals, right? Wrong, a study has found.
(Oct. 28, 2007)
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Watson retires after race flap
Controversial
comments brought down Nobel prize-winning geneticist James Watson. (Oct. 25, 2007)
* Related:
Nobel scientist suspended over race comments
*
Take
poll
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Cosmic anomaly could point to ultimate realities
A new proposal for the possible cause of a strange “cold spot” suggests profound implications.
(Oct. 25, 2007)
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Scientists report flipping worms’ sex preferences
Research suggests human sexual orientation may be genetic, as with roundworms, scientists say.
(Oct. 25, 2007)
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Researchers: warming could cause mass extinction
Predicted climate change could kill off more than half of animal and plant species, a study warns.
(Oct. 24, 2007)
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A predisposition to pedophilia?
Male pedophiles are shorter than average, hinting at biological factors in pedophilia, researchers say.
(Oct. 23, 2007)
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Aspirin against heart disease: just for men?
First it was an apple; now a small aspirin a day is thought to keep the doctor away, or at least heart attacks. But women might benefit less.
(Oct. 18, 2007)
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Study: Neanderthals had “language gene”
The only gene known to date to underlie language was present in our stocky cousins, scientists say.
(Oct. 18, 2007)
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Elephants tell human friends from foes, study finds
Elephants are remarkably perceptive in distinguishing ethnic groups, research suggests.
(Oct. 18, 2007)
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Trip to beach a milestone in human evolution: study
The discovery of coastal living may have put our forbears on the road to
modernity, according to researchers. (Oct. 17, 2007)
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Making
light bend backwards
An unusual material could help usher in new electronic devices and
ultra-potent microscopes, engineers say. (Oct. 17, 2007)
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“Most complete” giant dino,
a new species, reported found
A dinosaur with a huge neck is part of a bonanza of newly described fossils.
(Oct. 15, 2007)
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Feminists are sexy, study finds
Stereotypes of feminists as sexually unappealing are wrong: in
fact, feminism may improve romance, researchers say. (Oct. 15, 2007)
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Hormone
found to predict mother-child bonding
Levels of a hormone in a pregnant woman predict how closely she’ll
bond with her baby, scientists report. (Oct. 15, 2007)
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Genes for overeating?
People driven to eat may need to eat more than others do to get the same rewarding
feeling, researchers say. (Oct. 14, 2007)
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Oldest
wall painting said found
Archaeologists report finding an 11,000-year-old mural in Syria.
(Oct. 11, 2007)
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When our vices get the better of us
What happens in the brain when we just can’t say no? (Oct. 11, 2007)
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“Megadroughts” may have driven human evolution
Extreme droughts parched tropical Africa as early humans evolved, researchers
report. (Oct. 8, 2007)
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Could
you eat this? Hunt for better fertilizer leads to human urine
Healthy people’s urine is nutrient-rich and virtually sterile, scientists
say. (Oct. 7, 2007)
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What lies beneath? Possible Mars caves found
A discovery is fueling interest in searches for caves that could shelter
Martian life, or human explorers. (Oct. 7, 2007)
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Technique lets scientists see brain in full color
(Nov. 6, 2007)
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Pain
relief without the numbness
Scientists say they finally can knock out pain without disabling other
sensations. But there may be a catch. (Oct. 3, 2007)
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Craft lifts off to asteroid belt
In a mission astronomers are hailing as an historic first, a
NASA spacecraft is on its way to study asteroids. (Sept. 27, 2007)
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Arctic ice disappearing
Arctic sea ice extent just hit a low that shattered previous records, researchers
report. (Sept. 20, 2007)
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Age
of “personal genomics” coming
The ethical and clinical implications must be carefully considered,
experts say. (Sept. 20, 2007)
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A language dies every two weeks, researchers say
With the demise of each obscure language somewhere on Earth goes centuries
of tradition, culture and thought. (Sept. 18, 2007)
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Worrisome “quiet” in genes may predict lung cancer
When it’s quiet—almost “too quiet”—in movies, it’s a sign something
may be about to go wrong. (Sept. 18, 2007)
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Good
fences make good neighbors, scientists find
Could the cold reasonableness of math prevent the burning irrationality
of ethnic strife? (Sept. 13, 2007)
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Tailored
virus kills brain cancer cells in mice
A customized virus killed stem cells that cause a highly aggressive, tenacious
brain cancer, researchers report. (Sept. 11, 2007)
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Cold probably didn’t
end Neanderthals: study
What caused the demise of Neanderthal people, around 28,000 years ago
in Europe? (Sept. 12, 2007)
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Sunless but livable planets may be detectable
They drift through deep space alone, studies suggest—lightless, but
perhaps not lifeless. (Sept. 10, 2007)
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Report:
Most polar bears to die out by 2050
Global warming will kill off two-thirds of polar bears by 2050, U.S. government
scientists forecast. (Sept. 8, 2007)
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Researchers cracking case of the vanishing bees
A virus may explain a mysterious syndrome in which bees abandon their
hives, investigators say. (Sept. 6, 2007)
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Asteroid
“crime family” blamed in dino wipeout
Scientists say they’ve learned where the thing that killed the dinosaurs
probably came from. (Sept. 5, 2007)
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“Spooky” atomic links could lead to “quantum
internet”
Physicists report making two atoms seemingly communicate across space.
(Sept. 5, 2007)
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“Lean gene”
may help keep you trim
Future weight-control treatments may involve stimulating an ancient
gene, researchers say. (Sept. 4, 2007)
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Rockers
really are more likely to die young
The adage “live fast and die young” seems to be true for rock and pop stars,
a study finds. (Sept. 4, 2005)
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Surge in youth bipolar diagnoses seen
A study notes a 40-fold rise over a decade in the number of visits to doctors
leading to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in U.S. youths. (Sept. 4, 2007)
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Finding
said to show “race isn’t real” scrapped
Famed geneticist Craig Venter withdrew a claim that all people have 99.9
percent identical DNA, but he still says race doesn’t exist. (Sept. 3, 2007)
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Reports of dolphin’s demise
premature
A businessman has spotted a Yangtze River dolphin weeks after it
was reported probably extinct, scientists say. (Aug. 31, 2007)
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Some gene damage from smoking is permanent: study
New research may help explain why former smokers are still more cancer-prone
than those who have never smoked. (Aug. 30, 2007)
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“Spiderman
suit” may be coming
Using technology adapted from gecko and spider feet, we could climb
walls and ceilings, a study predicts. (Aug. 28, 2007)
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Scientists:
ancient Mars microbes might still live
Some microbes can live for more than half a million years by repairing
their DNA, a study indicates. (Aug. 27, 2007)
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“Out of body” research attacks philosophical questions
Researchers say they have induced in healthy people the sensation of
leaving their own bodies. (Aug. 24, 2007)
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Monkeys
“baby talk” young
Rhesus monkeys make special calls to infants—but surprisingly,
not their own, research has found. (Aug. 24, 2007)
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Gaping “hole” in
universe detected
Astronomers say they have come across an empty zone of stupendous
size. (Aug. 23, 2007)
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Free
Google program brings heavens to Earth
It’s like having a planetarium on your desktop, an astronomer
says. (Aug. 22, 2007)
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We’re
not just “big-brained apes”: scholar
Contrary to fashionable ideas, new studies show humans really are unique,
a psychologist argues. (Aug. 22, 2007)
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Behind school shootings, rejection and anger
In a study, psychologists offer an assessment of why some students go
on killing sprees. (Aug. 20, 2007)
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Drug found to erase memories in rats
Memory erasure is a recurrent theme in science fiction, but until
recently it has stayed in that realm only. (Aug. 16, 2007)
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Star
with vast tail astonishes scientists
The object is in a sense a real shooting star, unlike most “shooting
stars” which are rocks in the sky, astronomers say. (Aug. 15, 2007)
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Alien
life… from dust particles?
It’s not what life is supposed to be made of. It’s not where life is supposed
to exist. Yet it looks alive, some scientists say (Aug. 14, 2007).
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Pollution
blamed for four in 10 deaths
Water, air and soil pollution are behind some 40 percent of deaths globally,
a study claims. (Aug. 14, 2007)
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Mom’s junk food
could put babies at risk
Eating junk food while pregnant and breastfeeding could lead to overeating,
obese kids, a study suggests. (Aug. 14, 2007)
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Animated fluids getting fancy
Beer pours, and waves roar, in a video illustrating the latest efforts
to make computer-simulated liquids better and cheaper. (Aug. 14, 2007)
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Facial
attraction: how sexual choices shaped the face
Men with large jaws, wide cheeks and big eyebrows are sexy—or at least were
to our evolutionary ancestors, researchers say. (Aug. 13, 2007)
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Study: ancient microbes may revive as glaciers melt
Ancient organisms and their DNA have been locked in ice that scientists
say is melting due to global warming. (Aug. 12, 2007)
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Perseid
meteor shower enlivens sky
The shower becomes visible in all its glory tonight for northern
hemisphere sky watchers. (Aug. 12, 2007)
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First human-caused
dolphin extinction reported
China’s Yangtze River dolphin was a victim of fishers, and its perilous
situation was long known, according to researchers. (Aug. 11, 2007)
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Giant
galaxy pileup seen
Four galaxies are merging in one of the largest cosmic smash-ups ever
observed, astronomers say. (Aug. 7, 2007)
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Dark
matter doubters not silenced yet
Growing “proof” that an unseen, exotic substance pervades space
still hasn’t won over a core of skeptics. (Aug. 2, 2007)
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Brain stimulation “awakens” near-unconscious patient
A new brain stimulation treatment awakened a patient from a near-vegetative
state, researchers report. (Aug. 1, 2007)
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Orangutan communication resembles “charades”
Captive orangutans use gestures not unlike humans do in the parlor
game, researchers say. (Aug. 1, 2007)
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Scientists
recreate “Hydra” of myth, in miniature
In the ancient Greek tale, the hero Hercules kills a many-headed monster
that could regrow its heads. (Aug. 1, 2007)
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Ancestor
of the “living fossil” sheds new light
Zoologists called it the find of the century in 1938: a fish thought
to have been extinct since dinosaurs roamed. A new discovery may help
complete the story. (Aug. 1, 2007)
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Blacks
who kill whites likeliest to be executed, study finds
Bias in the U.S. justice
system
continues
even after
sentencing,
a sociologist
says. (July 30, 2007)
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Pot could boost psychosis risk,
research suggests
A study finds a link between marijuana
use and eventual loss of contact with reality.
(July 27, 2007)
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Sabotage,
drinking reports shake NASA
America’s space agency was shaken Thursday by two startling and unrelated
reports.
(July 27, 2007)
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Obesity
found to spread socially
Your chances of becoming obese almost triple if a close friend is that
way, research suggests. (July 25, 2007)
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“Itch gene”
found
Are you scratching yourself to distraction? Relief may come soon, scientists
predict. (July 25, 2007)
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Renewable energy wrecks
environment, scientist claims
“Renewable” energy isn’t green, says a researcher who played
an early role in publicizing the issue of global warming. (July 24, 2007)
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Surprising
chemicals found among stars
Discoveries are adding to the known ways in which life’s ingredients
could form, astronomers say. (July 23, 2007)
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Climate change behind U.K. floods?
Severe flooding hitting England may stem from global warming, according
to some scientists. (July 23, 2007)
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Computers
can play “perfect” checkers game
Computers have played every possible checkers move and solved the
game once and for all, scientists report. (July 23, 2007)
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Species hiding in plain sight
New species are evading detection using an almost foolproof disguise—their
identical appearance to other, known species. (July 19, 2007)
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Little protection from cold seen in Vitamin C
Taking extra vitamin C daily won’t help most people avoid common
colds, a report says. (July 17, 2007)
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How fear memories take hold
Scientists have uncovered a molecular mechanism that they say governs the formation of fears stemming from traumatic events.
(July 16, 2007)
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“Clear signs” of water on foreign solar system
Researchers say they have the best evidence to date that planets outside our solar system have water.
(July 11, 2007)
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How Roman farmers left their mark on nature
Recently unearthed, ancient settlements are found to have had
surprising effects on the landscape above. (July 9, 2007)
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In
a first, probe to focus on Martian
ice
Frozen water is at the center of scientists’ hopes for detecting the possibility of
Martian life. (July 9, 2007)
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Do women really talk more than men?
New research challenges the popular idea that women are the big chatters.
(July 5, 2007)
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New cancer
mutation found
Biologists say they have found a mutation implicated in at least four types of cancer.
(July 4, 2007)
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Cops
racist in shooting? Not as much as many of us
A study has found little evidence that police shoot black people particularly
readily. But it did turn up a surprise. (July 3, 2007)
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Poor smell sense could signal
early Alzheimer’s
Difficulty identifying common smells may be the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study.
(July 2, 2007)
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First baby born from eggs matured in lab, frozen
Experiments are leading to novel fertility treatments, scientists
report. (July 2, 2007)
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Universe “forgets” its past
Another universe may have preceded ours—but its exact properties may
be unknowable, some physicists have concluded. (July 1, 2007)
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Warm rock keeps North America from drowning, geologists say
Much of the continent would sink were it not for heat that makes rock buoyant, research
has found. (June 28, 2007)
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Kitty’s family tree analyzed
Housecats trace their ancestry back to Near Eastern wildcats, a study
indicates. (June 28, 2007)
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Archaeologists think they have mummy of Queen Hatshepsut
Some researchers believe Hatshepsut, the most famous queen to
rule ancient Egypt, has been found. (June 28, 2007)
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Human-like altruism
claimed in chimps
Scientists often assume that purely unselfish behavior, if it exists,
is unique to people. (June 26, 2007)
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Ancient giant
penguins liked it hot
New finds shed light on the world of ancient penguins, some of which were as tall as many humans.
(June 25, 2007)
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Intelligence favors first-borns, study finds
Eldest siblings score slightly higher on intelligence tests than
younger ones, a study has found. (June 21, 2007)
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Ancient
wolves had bone-crushing teeth, scientists say
A specialized breed of gray wolves once roamed Alaska’s icy expanses, a
study indicates. (June 21, 2007)
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Humiliation takes harsh health toll, report says
Past studies have looked at the health effects of social exclusion or
prejudice, but not those of outright debasement. (June 20, 2007)
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The
perks and pitfalls of pride
What is the origin and purpose of this complex emotion? (June 20, 2007)
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New World’s first gunshot victim identified
An Inca rebel of the 1500s is the first documented gunshot victim in the
Americas, archaeologists say.
(June 20, 2007)
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Power goes wireless
Researchers hope to banish the tangle of cables that keep alive our cell phones, laptops and other
small devices. (June 19, 2007)
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Gigantic, bird-like dinosaur reported
Remains of a colossal, surprisingly bird-like dinosaur have been
found in China, scientists say. (June 13, 2007)
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Rome reborn in virtual glory
Experts have recreated ancient Rome in a three-dimensional computer simulation.
(June 12, 2007)
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Doctors investigate why man bled green
A report in a medical journal describes an unusual case. (June 7, 2007)
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First patent claimed on man-made life form, and challenged
A research institute is seeking a patent on what could be the first largely
artificial organism. (June 7, 2007)
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Stem cells from anyone?
Patients could one day get new organs and other treatments using cells
drawn from their own bodies. (June 6, 2007)
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Abnormal sex acts linked to array of sleep disorders
Sexual behaviors during sleep may be more common than was once
thought, researchers say. (June 1, 2007)
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T. rex, the clumsy giant?
A study challenges the idea that the “tyrant” dinosaur
Tyrannosaurus rex could turn quickly and run down nimble prey.
(June 5, 2007)
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Lessons from orangutans:
upright walking may have begun in trees
A new theory suggests our two-legged walk first arose in ancient,
tree-dwelling apes. (May 31, 2007)
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Dump the “ethnic cleansing” jargon, group implores
A team of scholars wants doctors and scientists to lead the world in consigning
the phrase “ethnic cleansing” to history. (May 31, 2007)
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Deer moms come to the
rescue—sometimes
Mothers in one deer species seem quite generous in defending other parents’ kids, a study has
found. Not so another species. (May 30, 2007)
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The evolution of animal personalities
Personality differences have been documented in dozens of species.
What produces the variations?
(May 30, 2007)
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Radio “screams” portend
nasty space weather
Bursts of radio waves can provide advance warning of hazardous radiation storms,
astronomers say. (May 30, 2007)
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Monster black holes, quietly cruising the cosmos?
Research suggests
some galaxy
mergers
can spit giant black holes into
space, for good. (May 30, 2007)
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Genes
may influence our language: researchers
Differences in our genes may affect the type of language we speak, linguists report.
(May 28, 2007)
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Study: stereotypes alone can hurt female performance
A stereotype that boys outperform girls in math causes anxiety that undercuts
women’s work—in math and other areas, researchers report. (May 28, 2007)
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“Definitive” evidence of dinosaur
swimming found
A trackway with 12 claw marks is the best evidence to date that some dinosaurs swam,
scientists say. (May 25, 2007)
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Finger length linked to exam scores
Measurements of children’s finger lengths appear to predict their scores on math and literacy tests, researchers have found.
(May 24, 2007)
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Antibiotic resistance genes in our food?
The food we eat could be fueling the disturbing spread of antibiotic-resistant infections, scientists warn.
(May 23, 2007)
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Saturn rings found clumpier,
heavier than thought
Saturn’s largest, most compact ring consists of clumps of particles separated by gaps, findings
indicate. (May 23, 2005)
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Sex-free shark birth startles scientists, and worries them
A female hammerhead shark was found to have given birth without having
sex. (May 22, 2007)
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Heavy multivitamin use linked to cancer in men
Millions of Americans take multivitamins because of a belief
in their potential health benefits. (May 18, 2007)
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Morality:
where it came from, where it gets us
Morality is an evolved system, not quite equipped to deal with global-scale
clashes of values, a scientist says. (May 17, 2007)
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Antarctic depths called possible “cradle of life”
Scientists have found hundreds of new sea creatures in a vast, dark deep
surrounding Antarctica. (May 16, 2007)
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Biodiversity
good for mental health, scientists find
Species-rich parks may provide more peace of mind than big green spaces
alone can, a study suggests. (May 16, 2007)
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Roots of “free will” seen in flies
Insects, with their blank eyes and stiff little frames, often seem to epitomize
the idea of lower animals as robot-like. Not so, researchers say. (May 15, 2007)
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The
galaxy next door—our destined home?
New simulations predict what could happen when our galaxy, as expected,
runs into a neighboring one.
(May 10, 2007)
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First map of planet outside our system
Astronomers plan someday to map continents and oceans on distant
planets. (May 9, 2007)
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Mutation may contribute to human uniqueness
Scientists have identified a gene that they say could help account for
our distinctive cognitive abilities. (May 8, 2007)
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Herod’s tomb reported found
King Herod is said in the Bible to have ordered a slaughter of babies
in order to be rid of the newborn Jesus. (May 8, 2007)
|
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Global warming could shorten day, report predicts
Earth’s familiar 24-hour cycle may become a hair shorter due to human
activities, scientists say. (May 7, 2007)
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Ripples on Sun may be found, after 30-year search
Findings could help understand the Sun’s core—hub of the original,
spinning cloud that became our Solar System. (May 3, 2007)
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New
“longevity gene” spurs hopes of long life
Findings could lead to new anti-aging treatments, scientists say (May 2, 2007).
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Female duck anatomy evolves to block “rape”
Male and female ducks are evolving in a sexual arms race, according to
a study (May 1, 2007).
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Clues
to language origins seen in ape gestures
Scientists have found what they call new evidence for an old theory
that language began with gestures (April 30, 2007).
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Is reality a misunderstanding?
Several physicists say they’ve confirmed strange predictions of
modern physics that flout our most basic ideas of reality. (April 29, 2007)
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Internet-controlled robots anyone can build
New research is touted as bringing robotics to an unprecedented
level of public usability. (April 26, 2007)
|
|
City-sized
fossil forest found
A “spectacular” discovery in a coal mine is said to transform our understanding
of the first rainforests. (April 23, 2007)
|
|
Origin of brain lies in a worm, scientists say
Surprising findings also suggest we’ve flipped over during the
course of evolution. (April 23, 2007)
|
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Black
holes may scatter “seeds of life” through cosmos
Black holes aren’t the all-consuming monsters they’re often portrayed
as, new research has found. (April 22, 2007)
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Ape facial expressions foster group harmony, study finds
Facial expressions may have evolved as a sort of social glue in our
ape-like ancestors, researchers say. (April 20, 2007)
|
|
Robotic arm to conduct brain surgery
The machine will give surgeons an unprecedented degree of fine control,
the designers say. (April 18, 2007)
|
|
Grow
a garden to fire kids’ veggie-ardor
Homes with fruit and vegetable gardens see healthier eating among
youth, a study finds. (April 18, 2007)
|
|
Swarms of dust-sized particles would explore planets
Engineers are working on a new breed of planetary probes: tiny devices
that ride the wind. (April 18, 2007)
|
|
Study: ethanol vehicles pose health risks
Ethanol is touted as a clean, eco-friendly fuel, but new research challenges that view.
(April 18, 2007)
|
|
Findings
uphold “Standard Model” of physics, for now
Researchers presented long-awaited initial data from tests on ghostly particles called neutrinos.
(April 13, 2007)
|
|
Dinosaur molecules decoded
Researchers have analyzed molecules from soft tissue of a T.
rex, a feat once thought impossible. (April 12, 2007)
|
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Gene study finds “clearest link yet” to obesity
U.K. scientists say they have identified the clearest genetic link yet to obesity in the general population. (April 12, 2005)
|
|
“Space tsunamis” investigated
New findings are shedding light on celestial storms that help create dramatic light
shows. (April 12, 2007)
|
|
Catching suicide bombers
U.S. researchers say they have developed a way to defeat a key edge that suicide bombers possess.
(April 10, 2007)
|
Plague as a weapon
Scientists worry that a disease tied to medieval epidemics may re-emerge as a bioterrorism tool.
(April 10, 2007)
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Climate
report charts “highway to extinction”
A new international report on global warming makes dire predictions.
(March 31, 2007)
|
|
Even after dino
dieoff, our mammal forebears laid low: study
The dinosaurs’ extinction wasn’t the direct cause of the great flourishing of mammals, research indicates.
(March 28, 2007)
|
|
Hexagon on Saturn mystifies astronomers
An odd, six-sided feature encircles Saturn’s north pole. (March 27, 2007)
|
|
The next great quake
A geophysicist warns that seemingly innocuous geological structures may be “locked, loaded, and dangerous.”
(March 22, 2007)
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|
“Emotional
eavesdropping” seen in toddlers
Toddlers eavesdrop
on adults’ emotional
communications,
researchers
say. (March 26, 2007)
|
|
Could self-moving objects explain away “dark matter”?
Each year, four points on Earth could witness a bizarre phenomenon,
a study claims. (March 20, 2007)
|
|
Brain mishaps
lead to “cold” morality
A study at the crossroads of philosophy and neuroscience probed
the ingredients of ethics. (March 21, 2007)
|
|
Traditional plant knowledge
found to give health boost
Globalization can strip indigenous peoples of valuable botanical
knowledge, researchers say. (March 19, 2007)
|
|
Rats can reflect on their knowledge, study finds
New research was touted as the first to find this ability in animals
other than primates. (March 8, 2007)
|
|
~ Focus on
Robots ~
|
Robot walks and swims
A new device demonstrates that nature often offers the best solutions for robot design, researchers say.
(March 8, 2007)
Probe to explore deepest known sinkhole
A robotic sub explores and maps unknown, subterranean waters—a possible prelude to a probe on a distant
moon. (March 8, 2007)
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Little genomes for big dinosaurs
They might be giants, but many dinosaurs apparently had genomes no larger than that of a modern hummingbird.
(March 7, 2007)
|
|
Therapy for traumatized Iraq vets:
Iraq again, virtually
An unusual treatment has worked for a few troubled war veterans, psychologists report.
(March 6, 2007)
|
|
Unifying principle said to govern all galaxies
The discovery could say something deep about the cosmos, astronomers claim.
(March 6, 2007)
|
|
“Mafia” behavior
noted in birds
Researchers have found a new low in the ways of some parasitic birds, which impose their progeny on other birds.
(March 5, 2007)
|
|
“Wound” in seafloor to be probed
Scientists plan to set sail to study a strange geological finding in the depths of the Atlantic.
(March 2, 2007)
|
|
Seeing red affects achievement
Just a flash of red is enough to impair performance on tests, psychologists have found.
(March 2, 2007)
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|
Inching closer to regrowing spinal tissue
Researchers have regrown a tadpole tail in what they say could be a stride for regenerative medicine.
(Feb. 28, 2007)
|
|
Angry
God, angry people
Scriptures portraying a vengeful Lord may encourage their readers
to behave in kind, a study reports. (Feb. 28, 2007)
|
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Mystery illness killing honeybees
A mysterious illness is killing many honeybee colonies across the U.S., threatening honey production and possibly crops.
(Feb. 28, 2007)
|
|
~ Spotlight:
radiation from space ~
|
Death
from across the galaxy
Gamma-ray bursts could beam lethal radiation across a galaxy, frying
life forms in the path, a study finds. (Feb. 27, 2007)
Milky
Way’s black hole seen as particle smasher
The center of our galaxy acts as a juiced-up version of the particle
accelerators we build on Earth, physicists say. (Feb. 27, 2007)
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Story of first Americans being rewritten
An anthropologist says new evidence could spell the demise of traditional views on America’s peopling.
(Feb. 22, 2007)
|
|
Birds found to plan future meals
Western scrub jays seem to be acquainted with the concept of diet planning, scientists report.
(Feb. 21, 2007)
|
|
Video games may boost
surgical skill, tests find
A small study has linked video game savvy to skill in simulated laparoscopic surgeries.
(Feb. 19, 2007)
|
|
Sun’s “twin” found, as embryo
It’s one of four newfound “proto-stars” that are probably the youngest imaged by astronomers, researchers said.
(Feb. 16, 2007)
|
|
Origami
technology
Folding a piece of paper can yield a virtually endless array of shapes. Scientists are taking advantage of that.
(Feb. 16, 2007)
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|
Cleopatra no beauty? Judge for yourself
An Egyptian queen’s vaunted looks got an unkind, Valentine’s day reassessment from archaeologists.
(Feb. 14, 2007)
|
|
Study: Naps may cut heart deaths
Naps may do your heart good, researchers have found. (Feb. 12, 2007)
|
|
Pot found to
ease HIV-linked pain
Smoked marijuana reduced severe foot pain associated with HIV by a third, researchers report.
(Feb. 12, 2007)
|
|
Plans for “Noah’s Ark” seed vault unveiled
A “Doomsday” seed vault would protect today’s seeds for a post-apocalyptic future.
(Feb. 9, 2007)
|
|
Parents blind to their children’s weight, study finds
Many parents don’t notice their children’s excess weight—bad news amid an obesity boom, researchers warn.
(Feb. 9, 2007)
|
|
Action video games sharpen vision, researchers say
A shoot-em-up game improved students’ visual acuity 20 percent, according to scientists.
(Feb. 8, 2007)
|
|
Cosmic blasts re-evaluated
They spit out as much energy in seconds as our Sun does in 10 billion years, but no one knows quite why.
(Feb. 8, 2007)
|
|
Next-generation particle collider planned
A proposed accelerator would recreate conditions in the cosmos a trillionth of a second after its birth.
(Feb. 8, 2007)
|
|
For some species, an upside to inbreeding
While not recommending it for humans, researchers found inbreeding may make for better parents in some animals.
(Courtesy Cell Press)
|
|
Report spurs
backing for global body on warming
Fear of runaway warming pushed over 40 countries to support a bid for a body that could single out, and perhaps police, polluting nations.
(Feb. 3, 2007)
|
|
How drugs cause hallucinations
Scientists say they have partly explained what causes the mind-bending effects of substances such as LSD.
(Jan. 31, 2007)
|
|
Huge settlement unearthed near Stonehenge
The dwellings housed those who built the U.K.’s fabled stone monument, archaeologists say.
(Jan. 30, 2007)
|
|
Dig deeper for Mars life, scientists urge
Probes haven’t drilled deep enough to find the living cells that might lurk within the red planet, according to new research.
(Jan. 29, 2007)
|
|
Fish logic surprises researchers
A type of fish can rank potential rivals from strongest to weakest just by watching fights, scientists report.
(Jan. 24, 2007)
|
|
Most horrible sound: vomiting, study finds
In an online experiment, a retching sound won over nails scraping a blackboard as the worst sound ever.
(Jan. 24, 2007)
|
|
Family
loyalty driving sperm teamwork?
The promiscuity of rats and mice may lead to partnerships among their sex cells.
(Jan. 23, 2007)
|
|
Cancer killed Napoleon, study concludes
Anew investigation may put to rest nearly 200 years of lingering mysteries, a scientist reports.
(Jan. 23, 2007)
|
|
Dino flew like a “biplane”
The Wright brothers weren’t the
first to come up with their trademark, double-decker design for aircraft
wings, if two scientists are correct.
(Jan. 21, 2007)
|
|
Black
diamonds come from space, scientists claim
Rare, dusky gems were once parts of massive asteroids
that struck Earth, scientists say.
(Jan. 21, 2007)
|
|
Activation of brain
area found to predict altruism
A study might help reveal how the desire
to help others takes root in the brain.
(Jan. 21, 2005)
|
|
Study:
Nobel Prize may add two years to life
Fame alone, independently of wealth,
seems to give a life-extending boost, two economists report.
(Jan. 20, 2007)
|
|
Mother ducks cooperate on parenting
For eider ducks, parenting is a negotiated
joint venture, researchers say.
(Jan.11, 2007)
|
|
Earliest
evidence of modern humans in Europe reported
Modern humans who first arose in Africa
moved into Europe as early as about 45,000 years ago, a new study indicates.
(Jan. 11, 2007)
|
|
Homer’s Ithaca possibly
found
British researchers say they may
have solved a centuries-old mystery.
(Jan. 10, 2007)
|
|
“Superstrings”
could raise cosmic clatter
Physicists are looking for huge, flopping loops of energy in space that could
point the way to a theory of everything. (Jan. 8, 2007)
|
|
How
the body becomes asymmetric
Tiny molecular motors in cells might help
determine which organs go on which side, scientists claim.
(Jan. 5, 2007)
|
|
Brain’s
“shopping circuitry” mapped
Researchers say they can now predict whether someone will buy a product
by checking their brain activity. (Jan. 3, 2007)
|
|
First stars may have been supergiants, researchers say
New observations are being cited to support a claim that astronomers
have seen the universe’s first bright objects. (Jan. 3, 2007)
|
|
Nightmares,
suicidal tendencies linked
Astudy has found that nightmares are associated
with suicidality. (Jan. 2, 2007)
|
|
Scans pinpoint brain regions that “see the future”
Psychologists say they have found that the brain draws heavily on the past to
imagine the future. (Jan. 2, 2007)
|
|
Genome scan finds new genetic links to autism (Feb. 18, 2007)
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Archive
2006
2005
2004
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