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“Long before it’s in the papers”
September 04, 2008
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= EXCLUSIVES =
CONTENTS
Washington’s doctors absolved Dolphins and the evolution of teaching “Extreme” rain follows global warming Drug may trick body into “thinking” you worked out Tit-for-tat: birds found to repay wartime help Eat the parents Martian “Yellowstone” might have nourished life Dip in brainpower may follow drop in real power Musical genes may be coming to light The inbred—betrayed by scent? The evolution of drug abuse After jeers, some recognition for “reverse evolution” theorist Moon systems, not planets, may be place to find aliens A function for “gay genes” after all? Claim of alien cells in rain may fit historical accounts: study Study gives beauty some of its mystery back Google’s kinship with the mind Drastic diet may extend human life, study finds Genes affecting generosity may be found Other universes may be detectable, published study claims Built-in brain “templates” may clue tots to threats Sunless but livable planets may be detectable What? Where? When? Some animals may know
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Washington’s doctors absolved
The statesman was beyond help when his much-maligned doctors found him one fateful morning, a study concludes.
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Dolphins and the evolution of teaching
Some dolphins seem to teach their young to forage, by repeating actions many times and “pointing” at things, scientists report.
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“Extreme” rain follows global warming
Heavy rain is coming unexpectedly more often as global warming continues, researchers say.
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Drug may trick body into “thinking” you exercised
A new study is creating both hope, and worries that a remarkable substance could be ripe for abuse.
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Tit-for-tat: birds found to repay wartime help
Pied flycatchers and red-winged blackbirds share two traits, studies suggest: they’re feisty defenders and shrewd account keepers.
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Eat the parents
In a practice thought to be over 100 million years old, some creatures feed on their mothers’ skin.
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Tests back up theory of hot springs on Mars
Mars may have experienced life-giving processes similar to those that occur at Yellowstone National Park, researchers say.
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Dip in brainpower may follow drop in real power
Researchers say lack of status seems to erode mental function—with complicated implications for society.
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Musical genes may be coming to light
Musical ability seems to share genetic roots with language, scientists report.
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The inbred—betrayed by scent?
Female mice can sniff out inbred males, and the same might be true of other species, researchers say.
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The evolution of drug abuse
New research challenges traditional explanations of why we wallow in chemical gratification.
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After jeers, some recognition for “reverse evolution” theorist
A leading scientific journal is set to publish genetic findings by a researcher of people who walk on all fours.
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Moon systems, not planets, may be place to find life
Alien life might be both easier and more interesting to discover through a new strategy, a study suggests.
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A function for “gay genes” after all?
Studies of some unusual men in the remote Pacific have led scientists to surprising conclusions.
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Study revisits bizarre
theory
of alien cells in rain
A controversial claim concerning recent strange, red rains may fit with some historical accounts, a study concludes.
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Science gives beauty some of its mystery back
There may be more to good looks than averageness, after all.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Built-in brain “templates” may clue tots to threats
Do babies know something about spiders before ever seeing one?
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Sunless but livable planets may be detectable
They drift through deep space alone, studies suggest—lightless, but perhaps not lifeless.
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What? Where? When? Some animals may know
New findings may bear on debates over whether animals are conscious.
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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.
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=
MORE NEWS =
CONTENTS
“Junk DNA” key to human evolution? Robotic helicopters teach themselves stunts Cancer cells may “prepare” earlier than thought Why are flies so hard to swat? Chalk it up to good planning Scientists report converting cells to new type directly A surprising new way to discourage risky behaviors? New collider promises to transform physics Scientists: century-old drug might cure Parkinson’s, more Computer helps reassemble a lost past Stone-Age graveyard reveals life in a “green Sahara” A bit of “dazzle” to throw off predators Mass extinction going on, researchers say Pride and shame displays “universal” Martian salt not bad for life: scientists U.S. understated HIV infection rate Road to obesity may start by age two NASA confirms water on Mars Revealing a world of hidden paintings Diamonds may have best friend to earliest life Earth filmed as “alien” world Single atoms viewed thanks to super-material Baby penguins found dead by the hundreds Robotic mini-snowmobiles ply the Arctic Tweaking quantum force lowers barrier to tiny devices Smog may boost storms, NASA finds Atoms found to interact unexpectedly Study finds lasting benefit in banned mushroom drug Secret of the great violins? The wood, study suggests Penguin populations falling steeply: biologist Red wine may mitigate red meat’s dangers
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Cancer cells may “prepare” earlier than thought
New research on mice suggests disturbing conclusions but also could inspire new therapeutic strategies, researchers say.
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Why are flies so hard to swat? Chalk it up to good planning
Fast, high-resolution video imaging is revealing secrets of the wily insects.
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Scientists report converting cells to new type directly
Research described as a major advance sidesteps previous complications with the production of stem cells for medical treatment.
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New collider promises to transform physics
A massive particle smasher to start operation next month will reveal deeper laws, physicists say.
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A surprising new way to discourage risky behaviors?
Linking an unhealthy behavior with groups of “other” people is an effective way to discourage it, researchers claim.
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Scientists: century-old drug might cure Parkinson’s, more
A study with mice suggests a century-old drug could slow or even cure Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, researchers say.
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Computer helps reassemble a lost past
Rebuilding shattered artifacts can be like solving jigsaw puzzles of bewildering proportions.
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Stone-Age graveyard reveals life in a “green Sahara”
Scientists in Niger report having found the Sahara Desert’s largest known Stone-Age graveyard.
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A bit of dazzle to throw off predators
Bright patterns may really work to protect animals from becoming a meal, researchers say.
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Mass extinction going on, researchers say
Great die-offs of amphibians are one sign that a catastrophe is underway on Earth—brought on by us, some scientists argue.
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Pride and shame displays “universal”
In both victory and defeat, athletes blind from birth behave much like their sighted counterparts, psychologists have found.
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Mars salts not bad for life: scientists
A finding of perchlorate salts is leading researchers to “reassess” the planet’s habitability.
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Nature’s mightiest bites calculated
The great white shark’s bite—the hardest of any living species known—is a nibble compared to that of an extinct shark, a study finds.
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U.S. understated HIV infection rate
Many more Americans pick up the AIDS virus yearly than past official estimates showed, authorities said.
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Road to obesity may begin by age two
Children often become overweight by their second birthday—thereby hitting a “tipping point,” scientists report.
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Revealing a world of hidden paintings
Researchers unveiled a new technique for seeing what lies beneath visible layers of paint.
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NASA confirms water on Mars
The agency’s robotic Phoenix Lander “touched and tasted” the Red Planet’s frozen water, a mission scientist says.
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Diamonds may have best friend to earliest life
The surfaces of gems may have provided the conditions for life to evolve, scientists say.
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Earth filmed as “alien” world
The first spacecraft from Earth to have studied a comet up-close has taken on a new project.
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Single atoms viewed thanks to super-material
A recently discovered substance may be both the strongest known, and the first to allow the imaging of small atoms.
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Robotic mini-snowmobiles ply the Arctic
Researchers are developing the devices in a bid to better understand effects blamed on global warming.
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Baby penguins found dead by the hundreds
The news comes weeks after a report claimed penguin populations are being devastated globally.
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Tweaking quantum force lowers barrier to tiny devices
Cymbals don’t clash on their own—in our world, anyway.
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Smog may boost storms, NASA finds
Pollution is being called a likely reason why summer storms in the southeastern U.S. are worst at midweek.
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In mice, “youth” drug seen prolonging vigor but not life
A red wine ingredient can ward off many ill effects of aging in mice who start taking it at midlife, researchers have found.
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Atoms found to interact unexpectedly
A surprising process may change our understanding of chemical reactions in the atmosphere and our bodies.
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Study finds lasting benefit in banned mushroom drug
The compound psilocybin may bring psychological benefits, but also harm if taken without proper supervision, researchers say.
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Secret of the great violins? The wood, study suggests
The elusive key to the unmatched sound of Stradivari may lie in uniformity of density, a scientist claims.
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Penguin populations falling steeply: biologist
Like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, penguins are sounding the alarm for possible environmental disaster, an expert warns.
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Red wine may mitigate red meat’s dangers
Chemicals in wine may thwart formation of harmful substances during digestion of fat in meat, scientists say.
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| World
Science Archive
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"Cosmic
Ghost"
surprise A Dutch amateur astronomer has found a new class of astronomical object. Researchers are calling the strange, gaseous glob in the middle of the photo
simply a Voorwerp (Dutch for "object.") Scientists from Yale and Oxford universities believe it consists of hot gas of temperature about 10,000 Celsius. What lights it up is a mystery, since it appears to contain no stars. Researchers are guessing that the galaxy above it,
IC 2497, was much brighter long ago. The illumination of the Voorwerp would then be due to leftover light from that distant past, only just reaching the Voorwerp. Dutch schoolteacher Hanny van Arkel found the object in archived images of the night sky as a volunteer with GalaxyZoo.org, a project that allows members of the public to take part in astronomy research. (Photo credit: Dan Smith, Peter Herbert, Matt Jarvis & the ING).
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