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Subcategory: General Science
Home Flu Cures: Bad Medicine?
Nov 3 2009 - The Wall Street Journal
Heard the one about the raw onion? With concerns over the H1N1 flu rising and supplies of vaccine running scarce, it's no surprise that alternative remedies are circulating on the web.
Social Status as a Teen Predicts Health as an Adult
Sep 29 2009 - Healthday.com
New Swedish research suggests that social standing as a teenager has long-term health consequences.
Watching TV: Even Worse for Kids Than You Think
Aug 6 2009 - Time
Researchers in the U.S. and Spain collaborated on the study of 111 children ages 3 to 8 and found that of all the forms of inactivity they examined, television-viewing was the worst. It was linked to significantly higher blood pressure in children.
Survey Shows Gap Between Scientists and the Public
Jul 10 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
When it comes to climate change, the teaching of evolution, and the state of the nation's research enterprise, there is a large gap between what scientists think and the views of ordinary Americans, a new survey has found.
Longer Life Linked to Specific Foods in Mediterranean Diet
Jun 25 2009 - ScienceDaily
Some food groups in the Mediterranean diet are more important than others in promoting health and longer life according to new research published on the British Medical Journal website.
China Relocates Last Pandas from Quake-Hit Habitat
Apr 27 2009 - Yahoo! News
China has moved the last batch of pandas still living in a world-famous preserve badly damaged in last year's devastating earthquake to a nearby facility, state television reported Sunday.
Kids Who Lack Self-Control More Prone to Obesity Later
Apr 8 2009 - Time
In two papers published this week, scientists found that preschool-age children who had trouble with self-control and the ability to delay gratification gained more weight by the time they were preteens than those who were better at regulating their behavior.
How to Predict What You'll Like? Ask a Stranger
Mar 20 2009 - Time
To figure out whether you'll like the restaurant around the corner or that new guy in accounting or a vacation in Madrid, or just about anything else you've never personally experienced, try asking a stranger who has. That person is more likely to predict—more accurately than you—your future reaction, according to a new study published in the March 20 issue of Science.
Number of U.S. Births Breaks Record
Mar 18 2009 - CBS News
More babies were born in the United States in 2007 than any year in the nation's history, topping the peak during the baby boom 50 years earlier, federal researchers reported Wednesday.
Doodling May Help Memory Recall
Feb 27 2009 - BBC News
Doodling may look messy, but it could in fact be a sign of an alert mind, a study suggests.
Building Green Houses for the Poor
Feb 17 2009 - Time Magazine
Green is not just for the wealthy. Nationwide, low-income green housing projects show that eco-friendly buildings save more money—and energy—for those who need it most.
Are the Wrong Kids Taking Multivitamins?
Feb 3 2009 - Time Magazine
Results of a national survey of more than 10,000 children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 show that those who were most likely to take vitamin and mineral supplements were those who needed them least—in other words, youngsters in higher income families, who ate consistent and nutritious meals.
Mammoths Wiped Out by "Perfect Storm?"
Jan 5 2009 - MSNBC
A team of researchers believes that the hearty mammoths were much tougher than we give them credit for. They say that the extinction of the giant animals cannot be attributed to humans or climate change alone, but to a "perfect storm" of factors.
67 Percent Say They Understand Their Pets
Dec 18 2008 - CBS News
Sixty-seven percent of pet owners surveyed say they understand their animals' barks, purrs, and other sounds. In a finding many parents of teenagers might envy, 62% percent of owners say that when they speak their pets get the message.
No Batteries Required
Dec 11 2008 - U.S. News & World Report
A dying battery on a cell phone or iPod is usually a simple inconvenience, but it can potentially ruin lives. Research now shows that high-tech devices will be able to power themselves in the future by converting pressure waves into energy. No recharge needed.
Slender in the Grass
Dec 5 2008 - Time Magazine
A new study found that inner-city kids living in neighborhoods with more green space gained about 13% less weight over a two-year period than kids living amid more concrete and fewer trees. Such findings tell a powerful story.
In Bias Test, Shades of Gray
Nov 18 2008 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Are there problems with the way researchers have been using split-second reactions on a computer test to diagnose an epidemic of racial bias?
Efficiency’s Mark: City Glitters a Little Less
Nov 3 2008 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Gone are the days when cheap electricity, primitive lighting technology, and landlords' desire to showcase their skyscrapers kept floor after floor of the city's highest towers glowing into the night. Now, rising energy costs, conservationism, stricter building codes, and sophisticatedlighting systems have conspired to slowly, often imperceptibly, transform Manhattan's venerable lightscape into one with a gentler glow.
Halloween Facts: Costumes, History, Urban Legends, More
Oct 31 2008 - National Geographic News
Get the facts on Halloween history, today's most popular costumes, record-breaking pumpkins, and more in National Geographic News's Halloween roundup.
Five Fallacies of Grief: Debunking Psychological Stages
Oct 23 2008 - Scientific American
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. So annealed into pop culture are the five stages of grief—introduced in the 1960s that they are regularly referenced without explication. According to researchers, however, no study has ever established that stages of grief actually exist, and what are defined as such can’t be called stages.
Junk Food Causes a Third of Heart Attacks
Oct 21 2008 - ABC News
Diets heavy in fried foods, salty snacks, and meat account for about 35% of heart attacks globally, researchers report. The study of 52 countries showed that people who ate a "Western" diet based on meat, eggs, and junk food were more likely to have heart attacks, while those who ate more fruits and vegetables had a lower risk.
Web Surfing Could Keep Dementia at Bay
Oct 15 2008 - MSNBC
For middle-aged and older adults, searching the internet could be a boost to the brain, a new study suggests. In recent years, several studies have showed a link between pursuing activities that keep the mind engaged, such as crossword puzzles and memory games, and a lowered risk of cognitive decline later in life.
"Uncontacted" Tribes Fled Peru Logging, Arrows Suggest
Oct 8 2008 - National Geographic
Arrows and abandoned camps found in remote western Brazil are fresh evidence of isolated Amazon tribes fleeing Peru to escape the encroachment of illegal loggers, indigenous rights groups say. The tribes have been described as "uncontacted"—so remote that they may have had little or no substantive contact with the developed world.
Your Body Holds Clue to Political Views
Sep 19 2008 - WebMD
Whether you've got Barack Obama posters in your yard or John McCain stickers on the back of your car, your strong beliefs may be linked to your physiology. A new study shows that one's physical reaction to threatening images may hold the key to strong opinions.
Accolades for Mediterranean Diet
Sep 12 2008 - WebMD
More accolades are being heaped on the Mediterranean diet. This time, researchers say the diet may actually help prevent certain chronic diseases.
Delayed Gratification, Intelligence Linked
Sep 11 2008 - WebMD
Delaying gratification can be hard, but studies show it is a sign of intelligence. Researchers concluded it has to do the anterior prefrontal cortex; this part of the brain helps people to manage complex problems and deal with simultaneous goals, leading to better self-control.
Fingering What Make Us Human
Sep 5 2008 - ScienceNow Daily News
What makes us so different from our primate relatives, when we share so many of the same genes? Scientists have found a tantalizing clue in a short sequence of DNA, which may have given us our human limbs and hands.
Wrinkle Removers, Backed by Science
Aug 19 2008 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Nostrums that promise to smooth wrinkled skin are a staple of snake-oil salesmen everywhere, but now there is strong evidence that certain kinds of treatment are effective. Over the past decade, researchers have been learning which treatments work, and why.
Study: Runners Live Longer, Stay Healthier
Aug 13 2008 - MSNBC
A new study shows middle-aged members of a runner's club were half as likely to die over a 20-year period as people who did not run. Running reduced the risk not only of heart disease but also of cancer and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, researchers found. The study also showed that people cannot use the risk of injury as an excuse not to run—the runners had fewer injuries of all kinds, including to their knees.
Men Become Happier Than Women by Midlife
Jul 31 2008 - ABC News
Women start out as happy young adults but by midlife wind up the sadder sex, says a new study on satisfaction related to financial circumstances and family life, which past research has shown play a significant role in well-being and happiness.
FDA: OK to Eat Tomatoes Again
Jul 18 2008 - MSNBC
It's OK to eat all kinds of tomatoes again, the U.S. government declared Thursday--lifting its salmonella warning on the summer favorites amid signs that the record outbreak, while not over, may finally be slowing. Hot peppers still get a caution.
Secondhand Smoke Inhalation Down
Jul 11 2008 - Time Magazine
Nearly half of nonsmoking Americans are still breathing in cigarette fumes, but the percentage has declined dramatically since the early 1990s, according to a government study.
How Switching Language Can Change Your Personality
Jun 25 2008 - NewScientist
Bicultural people may unconsciously change their personality when they switch languages, according to a US study on bilingual Hispanic women. It found that women who were actively involved in both English- and Spanish-speaking cultures interpreted the same events differently, depending on which language they were using at the time.
The Salmonella Culprit: Cold Water?
Jun 25 2008 - Time Magazine
Too big of a temperature difference can make a tomato literally suck water inside the fruit through the scar where its stem used to be. If salmonella happens to be lurking on the skin, that's one way it can penetrate and, if the tomato isn't eaten right away, have time to multiply. That doesn't mean people shouldn't wash their tomatoes; they should, just probably not in cold water.
Can You Become a Creature of New Habits?
May 5 2008 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel synaptic paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks. In fact, the more new things we try--the more we step outside our comfort zone--the more inherently creative we become, both in the workplace and in our personal lives.
Charity Makes You Feel Better
Mar 21 2008 - BBC News
It is not having lots of money that makes us happy--it is spending it on others, Canadian researchers suggest.
Nice Guys Do Finish First, Study Confirms
Mar 19 2008 - MSNBC
Screaming sports coaches and cutthroat tycoons have it all wrong; it's actually better for your own self-interest to cooperate, a new study suggests.
Scientists Create Darkest Material
Jan 15 2008 - Space Mart News
A Texas engineering professor has created the darkest known material. Pulickel Ajayan developed a carpet of carbon nanotubes that reflects 0.045% of light. The previous darkest known material, a nickel and phosphorus alloy, reflected 0.16% of light. Ajayan noted the material’s ability to absorb light could be beneficial to solar panels. It could also minimize the scattering of light, which could help telescope manufacturers.
More Sun Exposure May Be Good for Some People
Jan 8 2008 - Science Daily
A new study suggests that the benefits of moderately increased exposure to sunlight (namely the production of vitamin D) may outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer in populations deficient in vitamin D. Researchers used a model incorporating information on solar radiation intensity and a vertical cylinder shape to represent the human body’s skin surface to calculate the relative production of vitamin D via sunlight as a function of latitude. The scientists also examined the incidence of and survival rates for various forms of cancer by latitude. The findings will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Scientific Balloons Achieve Antarctic Flight Record
Jan 7 2008 - Terra Daily
NASA and the National Science Foundation have launched three balloon flights. Launched in December 2007, the payloads will ride the stratospheric winds in the polar vortex, a persistent low-pressure system above the Antarctic continent that will enable the balloons to fly for six weeks. Scientists are using the balloons to investigate the nature of ultra high-energy cosmic rays and search for anti-matter. Observers note having three balloons fly simultaneously is a record-setting event.
Top 10 Advances in Materials Science in the Last 50 Years
Jan 3 2008 - Space Mart News
The editors of Elsevier’s Materials magazine have compiled a list of the top 10 most significant advances in materials science during the past 50 years. Examples of advances on the list include carbon nanotubes, metamaterials, and scanning probe microscopes. The editors note that some of the advances have completely changed the research arena while others have opened new possibilities and capabilities.
Scientists: We've Entered a New Epoch, the Anthropocene
Jan 2 2008 - ABC News
Columnist Lee Dye writes that with a major human impact on the planet, some scientists believe the current era needs a new name. Researchers say humans are now living in the Anthropocene era. Nobel laureate Paul J. Crutzen coined the term during a science meeting in 2000 and has written a report that begins with the following question: Are humans now overwhelming the great forces of nature? Published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the report appears in the journal Ambio.
Top 25 Science Stories of 2007
Dec 27 2007 - Scientific American
Whether it was a news story discussing E. coli, the North Pole melting, or the controversy over embryonic stem cell research, various topics generated headlines in Scientific American. The editors and reporters of this publication have selected their top 25 science stories for 2007. Click on the link above to see which stories made the list.
Giant Rat and New Possum Found in Indonesia
Dec 17 2007 - NewScientist.com
Conversation International and Indonesian scientists have found two mammals that are new to science. A Cercartestus pygmy possum and a Mallomys giant rat were found by both groups during an expedition to Papua’s Foja Mountains in June. Scientists are studying both mammals. In addition to the two finds, scientists video-recorded the mating displays of several rare and little-known birds with the help of a film crew.
Top Ten News Stories for 2007
Dec 14 2007 - National Geographic News
A monster glowing squid filmed for the first time and the discovery of a dinosaur mummy with intact skin and tissue were among the stories covered by National Geographic News this year. Click on the link above to see what other stories made the publications’ top 10 list for 2007.
Boo! Scientists Strike Back at Fear
Oct 31 2007 - CBS News
As people engage in scary activities on Halloween, scientists say they better understand what is taking place inside our brains when a spook jumps out and scares us. “We’re making a lot of progress,” said University of Michigan psychology professor Stephen Maren. “We’re taking all of what we learned from the basic studies of animals and bringing that into the clinical practices that help people. Things are starting to come together in a very important way.” Researchers explain understanding how fear rules the brain should lead to treatments for people who have irrational fears that go haywire.
Crocodile Tears are Real
Oct 25 2007 - NSTA News
When someone feigns sadness they “cry crocodile tears,” a phrase that comes from an old myth that the animals cry while eating. Researchers have concluded that crocodiles really do bawl while banqueting. However, it is for physiological reasons, rather than rascally reptilian remorse.
Engineered Egg Shells Help Make Hydrogen Fuel
Oct 15 2007 - NSTA News
Engineers at Ohio State University have found a way to turn discarded chicken egg shells into an alternative energy resource. The patented process uses egg shells to soak up carbon dioxide from a reaction that produces hydrogen fuel. It also includes a unique method for peeling the collagen-containing membrane from the inside of the shells, so that the collagen can be used commercially.
Ancient Fashion Explains Snail Mystery
Sep 20 2007 - MSNBC.com
Scientists have solved a mystery over how Tahitian tree snails moved from Tahiti to two Polynesian islands. For centuries, scientists have been puzzled over the snails’ movement and why the snails sport an all-white shell. Researchers explain the answer is all about fashion among ancient Polynesians.
Techniques for Better Learning Illuminated
Aug 27 2007 - Science Daily
Researchers are studying various strategies that can enhance people’s comprehension of texts. New studies show that rereading or summarizing texts can improve people’s ability to accurately evaluate how well they are learning those texts. In addition, techniques that focus people’s attention only on the most important details of a text can also help them to evaluate their learning.
Monkeys, Humans Share Similar Learning Style
Aug 15 2007 - NSTA News
A new study suggests that monkeys appear to learn the same way humans do. “Like humans, monkeys benefit enormously from being actively involved in learning instead of having information presented to them passively,” says Nate Kornell, a University of California, Los Angeles, postdoctoral scholar in psychology and lead author of the study. “The advantage of active learning appears to be a fundamental property of memory in humans and nonhumans alike.”
Gestures Convey Message: Learning in Progress
Aug 6 2007 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Research has shown that teachers who use gestures as they explain a concept are more successful at communicating their ideas. Previous studies have also shown that students who spontaneously gesture as they work through new ideas tend to remember them longer than those who do not move their hands. But new research with elementary students is helping scientists to discover whether the gesturing performed by many quick learners is simply a reflection that they are understanding concepts or is actively helping them learn.
Insects Give Science Clues to Anti-Social Problem
Aug 3 2007 - Canada.com/Reuters
Australian scientists report that the movement of ants could help solve traffic jams and crowd congestion. “Ants do tend to work in a communal way with the wider good associated with what they are trying to do and that tends to add some order about how they approach problems,” explained Graham Currie, a professor at Melbourne’s Monash University. Currie and colleague Martin Burd, an associate professor at the university, note the findings could help with future town planning systems.
Dinosaurs Shared Earth with their Ancestors
Jul 20 2007 - CBS News
Dinosaurs shared the Earth for millions of years with the species that were their ancestors, according to a new study. Scientists had thought the dinosaurs rapidly replaced their ancestor species. Indeed, until 2003, when a creature called Silesaurus was discovered in Poland, no dinosaur precursors had been found from the Late Triassic. But researchers report in the journal Science they have evidence from northern New Mexico that dinosaurs and their precursor species coexisted for tens of millions of years.
New Research Explores Listening and Comprehension
Jul 17 2007 - Science Daily
The ability to listen to two things at once, while comprehending both, is primarily an inherited skill, according to a new study. Published in the August issue of the journal of Human Genetics, the new research might help scientists enhance their understanding of auditory processing disorders, in which people with otherwise normal hearing ability have trouble making sense of the sounds around them.
Study Explores Perception of Color
Jul 9 2007 - Scientific American
The colors of some liquids apparently depend on how much of them people see, according to a new study. The research also shows the colors of these liquids are also affected by how people’s eyes perceive color. The research, performed at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, sought to answer the long-standing question of why pumpkin seed oil, traditionally used in Eastern Europe as a salad dressing, looks red in a bottle, but green on a plate. The answer has to do with the amount of oil a person is looking at or the oil’s depth. “When the layer of oil is less than 0.7 millimeter thick,” the study noted, “the oil appears bright green, and in (a) layer thicker than this, it appears bright red.”
Sneak Veggies Into Kids' Diet
Jun 4 2007 - NSTA News
Parents who want their kids to consume fewer calories and eat more vegetables might find a healthy solution with “stealth vegetables.” A new study by researchers at Penn State University shows that decreasing the calorie density of foods by adding vegetables and other lower-calorie ingredients leads to a reduction in children’s calorie intake and an increase in vegetable consumption.
New Limbless Lizard Species Discovered
May 29 2007 - CBS News
An Indian zoologist claims to have found a new species of limbless lizard in a forested area in India's east section. “Preliminary scientific study reveals that the lizard belongs to the genus Sepsophis,” said Sushil Kumar Dutta, who led a team of researchers from “Vasundhra,” a nongovernmental organization, and the North Orissa University. The newly found seven-inch lizard looks like a scaly, small snake. “The lizard is new to science and is an important discovery. It is not found anywhere else in the world,” Dutta told the Associated Press. Dutta is head of the zoology department of the North Orissa University in the eastern Indian town of Baripada.
Rare Turtle Discovered in Cambodia
May 16 2007 - CBS News
A rare soft-shell turtle thought to be on the brink of extinction has been discovered in Cambodia in a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, conservationists report. The turtle, known for its rubbery skin and jaws powerful enough to crush bone, was captured and released by researchers in March, the Conservation International (CI) and World Wildlife Fund said in a statement. “We thought it might be almost gone, but found it in abundance in this one pristine stretch of the Mekong, making the area the world’s most important site for saving this particular species,” David Emmett, a CI wildlife biologist, said in the statement.
Language Might Have Evolved from Gestures
May 11 2007 - Science News
Chimpanzees and bonobos can communicate with greater flexibility using hand gestures than they can with facial expressions or vocalizations, new research shows. Their use of hand motions to convey different meanings in different circumstances suggests that gestures may have played an important part in the evolution of language.
Bats Fly Like a Bee
May 10 2007 - Nature News
A new video study reveals that bats and birds use their wing-flapping powers differently. Bats leave a more complicated pattern of swirling vortices in their wake, and work harder on their upstroke than birds. Researchers say this may be the secret to their super-maneuverability, and it means they fly a bit like a bee.
Too Much Television May Result in Academic Failure
May 8 2007 - NewScientist.com
Teenagers who watch several hours of television a day do worse at school and are less likely to graduate than their peers, a new study suggests. The 20-year study involving nearly 700 families in upstate New York found that those watching more than three hours of television a day were twice as likely not to continue their education past high school. The researchers say their study is the first to show that attention problems linked to television viewing could be the cause of academic failure, since they controlled for learning difficulties and behavioral problems at the start of the study. But other experts say the link is unclear, noting teenagers with learning disorders might simply be more likely to watch many hours of television because they find activities such as reading textbooks too challenging.
Seeing the Blues
May 1 2007 - Nature News
The language you speak may influence how you perceive colors, according to new research.
Tricky Spelling Drains the Brain
Apr 27 2007 - NewScientist.com
Spelling tricky words, such as “yacht”, is no day at the beach. New brain scan images have shown how our minds struggle when the sound of the word does not closely match its spelling. Rebecca Treiman of Washington University in St. Louis was not involved in the study, but noted “this is the first evidence we have from looking at the brain about how it processes different types of words.”
Taken for a Spin
Apr 16 2007 - Science News
Research into the roles that different silks play in spiders' lives may offer scientists the best chance of replicating these creatures' strong, tough threads.
Time in the Animal Mind
Apr 3 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
New studies suggest that the two directions of temporal travel are intimately entwined in the human brain. A number of psychologists argue that re-experiencing the past evolved in our ancestors as a way to plan for the future and that the rise of mental time travel was crucial to our species’ success. But some experts on animal behavior do not think we are unique in this respect. They point to several recent experiments suggesting that animals can visit the past and future as well.
Researchers Create World's First Anti-Reflection Coating
Mar 30 2007 - NSTA News
A research team from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has created the world’s first material that reflects virtually no light. The research appears in the journal Nature Photonics.
Paying Attention to Not Paying Attention
Mar 21 2007 - CBS News
Researchers are studying a pervasive psychological phenomenon in which oh man we've got to finish doing the taxes this weekend ... C'mon, admit it. Your train of thought has derailed like that many times. It's just mind wandering. We all do it, and surprisingly often, whether we are struggling to avoid it or not. Mainstream psychology has not paid much attention to this common mental habit. But a spate of new studies is chipping away at its mysteries and scientists say the topic is beginning to gain visibility.
Mathematicians Finally Map 248-Dimension Structure
Mar 19 2007 - NewScientist.com
Mathematicians have finally conquered a fiendishly complicated mathematical challenge. “E8 was discovered over a century ago, in 1887, and until now, no one thought the structure could ever be understood,” explains team leader Jeffrey Adams of the University of Maryland, College Park.
Study Uncovers Memory Aid: A Scent During Sleep
Mar 9 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Scientists studying how sleep affects memory have found that the whiff of a familiar scent can help a slumbering brain better remember things that it learned the evening before. The smell of roses, delivered to people’s nostrils as they studied, and, later as they slept, improved their performance on a memory test by 13%. The new research is the first rigorous test of the effect of odor on human memory during sleep.
Scientists Unlock Major Number Theory Puzzle
Mar 7 2007 - NSTA News
Mathematicians have finally solved the legendary mystery surrounding an elusive group of numerical expressions known as the “mock theta functions.”
Turning Sweat into Light
Mar 2 2007 - Nature News
The California Fitness Club in Hong Kong is among the first to jump onto a new trend that consists of taking gym equipment and wiring it to the building’s lighting system. If other gyms follow suit, it could kick off a new motivational craze, in which sweat equals glow. For more information on Energy, NSTA members can refer to the March 2007 issue of Science & Children.
Lack of Sleep May Impact Moral Judgment
Mar 1 2007 - NewScientist.com
A new study shows that a lack of sleep can affect people’s moral judgment. The findings could have implications for people in positions of responsibility and whose decisions often have life or death consequences, such as overworked medical professionals and sleep-deprived soldiers.
Scientists Build a Better Rocket Engine
Feb 23 2007 - Science Daily
U.S. rocket scientists say they have developed a prototype engine that allows satellites to take off carrying up to 40% less fuel.
Geometry Meets Arts in Islamic Tiles
Feb 23 2007 - CBS News
A Harvard University researcher argues that more than 500 years ago, math whizzes met with the artists who made tile mosaics that adorn medieval Islamic architecture, and began creating far more complex tile patterns that culminated in what mathematicians today call “quasi-crystalline designs.” For more information on Math and Science Connections, NSTA members can refer to the February 2007 issue of The Science Teacher.
While You Slumber, Your Brain Puts the World in Order
Feb 22 2007 - NewScientist.com
Ever wondered why sleeping on a problem works? It seems that as well as strengthening our memories; sleep also helps us to extract themes and rules from the masses of information we soak up during the day.
Cranberry Leftovers May Be Good for Gardens
Feb 20 2007 - CBS News
They are a favorite Thanksgiving side dish, praised for their health benefits, and are a roughly $70 million industry in the United States. Now, cranberries are being lauded for something far less glamorous: the part of the plant that juice producers throw out.
Americans Cooked With Chili Peppers 6,000 Years Ago
Feb 16 2007 - National Geographic News
Domesticated chili peppers started to spice up dishes across the Americas at least 6,000 years ago, according to new research tracing the early spread of the crop. Scientists note the peppers quickly spread around the world after Christopher Columbus brought them back to Europe at the end of the 15th century, but their ancient history had been poorly known until now. The new research is based on the discovery that domestic chili peppers leave behind telltale starch grains.
Scientists Study Rattles and Squeaks
Feb 9 2007 - Science Daily
Scientists are studying rattles and squeaks to eliminate one of the most common consumer complaints: automobile noises. Purdue University engineering researchers are focusing on car seat headrests. The researchers have applied mathematical models that simulate rattling headrests for analyses aimed at reducing vibration and enabling designs that eliminate the annoyance. For more information on Math and Science Connections, NSTA members can refer to the February 2007 issue of The Science Teacher.
Longevity by a Nose
Feb 8 2007 - NSTA News
Researchers have discovered that fruit flies can live longer if they can’t smell their food.
Are Anti-Bacterial Soaps a Good Idea?
Jan 29 2007 - MSN.com
Is it true that anti–bacterial soaps are bad? Learn Bill Nye’s surprising answer in this article.
Scientist Develops Caffeinated Doughnuts
Jan 26 2007 - CBS News
Is your cup of coffee just not getting the job done anymore? How about a Buzz Donut or a Buzzed Bagel? That's what Robert Bohannon, a North Carolina molecular scientist, has come up with. Bohannon says he has developed a way to add caffeine to baked goods without the bitter taste of caffeine. Each piece of pastry is the equivalent of about two cups of coffee.
Do You Believe in Magic?
Jan 23 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Scientists are trying to figure out why even the skeptics among us cling to lucky numbers, special game–day clothing, and other odd rituals.
Social Status Helps You Live Longer
Jan 17 2007 - NewScientist.com
Scientists who have won a Nobel Prize live nearly two years longer than those who were merely nominated, according to a new study. The findings suggest that social status confers “health giving magic,” according to researchers.
Top Ten Stories of 2006
Dec 29 2006 - National Geographic News
A biblical figure gets a controversial image makeover. A stingray kills a famous television personality. A far–flung planet gets a demotion. These are just a few of the big stories covered this year by National Geographic News.
Social Relationships Affect Personality of Fish
Dec 29 2006 - NSTA News
University of Liverpool researchers say fish that display bold or shy personality traits are influenced by watching the behavior of others.
Science Stops for No Holiday
Dec 27 2006 - Washington Post
For many dedicated scientists, working on a holiday gives them a chance to do what they love almost completely on their own. Despite all the high-tech gadgetry that hums and buzzes in a modern biotech company's laboratory, projects depend on a human being to be there to administer solutions, measure reactions, or just plain wait. This is the painstaking, sometimes monotonous, early stage work that one day--perhaps a decade away--will produce a drug.
"You feel the pressure of people dying, so it's not something you can just put away for the holiday," said Carol Nacy, founder and chief executive of Sequella, a Rockville biotech company that is working on tuberculosis treatments and diagnostics. "Christmas is a very special holiday, but it doesn't mean that the world stops."
Practice May Not Make Perfect After All
Dec 21 2006 - NewScientist.com
Endless hours spent perfecting your golf swing or basketball shot could be a waste of time, according to a new study, which shows that practice does not always make perfect. Mark Churchland and colleagues at Stanford University made this discovery after training macaque monkeys to repeat a simple reaching task thousands of times.
Live Science: "Weirdest Stories of 2006"
Dec 19 2006 - Live Science
Live Science lists its choices for the most unusual science stories of 2006; the list includes whales speaking in dialect and the Red Sea parting again.
Scientists Study Human Olfactory Ability
Dec 17 2006 - CBS News
By studying blindfolded college students who crawled through grass to sniff out a chocolate-scented trail, scientists say they have found evidence of a human smelling ability that experts thought was impossible. The study indicates the human brain compares information it receives from each nostril to obtain clues about where a smell is coming from. The study also suggests dogs, mice, and other mammals do the same thing, contrary to what most scientists have thought.
Elephant Self-Recognition
Dec 1 2006 - NSTA News
Elephants have joined a small, elite group of species, including humans, great apes, and dolphins, that have the ability to recognize themselves in the mirror, according to a new study by researchers at Emory University, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York.
Elephants Not Fooled by Mirrors
Oct 31 2006 - Nature News
Scientists have found elephants possess the highly cerebral ability to recognize their own jumbo reflections in mirrors. Researchers suspect elephants might possess the capacity for self-recognition and self-awareness because of their highly developed social behavior. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science documents the evidence for three elephants named Happy, Maxine, and Patty.
Scientist Finds 100 Million-Year-Old Bee
Oct 30 2006 - CBS News
A scientist has found a 100 million-year-old bee trapped in amber, making it possibly the oldest bee ever found. “I knew right away what it was, because I had seen bees in younger amber before,” explains George Poinar, a zoology professor at Oregon State University. The bee is about 40 million years older than previously found bees. The discovery might help explain the rapid expansion and diversity of flowering plants during that time.
Even Black and White Bananas Look Yellow
Oct 15 2006 - Nature News
Psychologists at the University of Giessen in Germany report in Nature Neuroscience that our perception of an object’s color depends on our memory of its typical color.
Black Tea Soothes Away Stresses
Oct 13 2006 - NSTA News
Daily cups of tea can help you recover more quickly from the stresses of everyday life, according to a new study by University College London researchers.
Beauty and the Brain
Oct 10 2006 - NSTA News
The phrase “easy on the eyes” may hit closer to the mark that we suspected.
Research led by Piotr Winkielman of the University of California, San Diego, suggests that judgments of attractiveness depend on mental processing ease or being “easy on the mind.”
Sense of Justice Discovered in the Brain
Oct 5 2006 - NewScientist.com
Scientists have identified a region of the brain that curbs our natural self–interest. Researchers say the studies could explain how we control fairness in our society.
On the Horizon
Sep 29 2006 - Christian Science Monitor
Science teachers who might have missed some of this week’s important science news stories can catch up on their reading with this article.
Animal "Speech" Project Aims to Decode Critter Communication
Sep 27 2006 - National Geographic News
Researchers from several universities and institutions are working on the Dr. Dolittle Project, which aims to crack the code of animal communication. The scientists’ work could help people gain a better understanding of animal behavior and hopefully allow researchers to improve care for wild and captive animal populations.
Six Debates at the Frontier of Science
Sep 25 2006 - Scientific American
What are some of the most popular debates in the world of science? Writer JR Minkel provides information on six of these debates in this article, noting that textbooks will one day present them as “cut and dried.”
Socialites Need More Sleep
Sep 21 2006 - Nature News
A hectic social life makes a fruit fly take longer naps, according to a new study. This simple finding could prove important in helping to understand why we sleep, and what effect socializing has on our brain circuitry.
An Inventive Solution to Save Home of Bell Labs
Sep 20 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Scientists worldwide have gone online in the last few months to publish their thoughts about what it was like to work in the former home of Bell Labs. Word got out in June that the 44–year–old building in Holmdel, New Jersey, would be demolished. The Holmdel facility is the birthplace of the cell phone. It has also been home to the work of several Nobel Laureates, according to one of more than 300 e-mails written about the building.
Birds Tune in to Keep Their Songs Note Perfect
Sep 20 2006 - NewScientist.com
Bird songs are so distinctive they are often used by ornithologists to identify individual birds. Now a new study shows that birds are not preprogrammed to sing their song, instead birds listen closely to their tune to keep their songs note perfect. Researchers explain that the same mechanism may operate in humans, which could shed light on speech disorders.
Switch off Television and Switch on Your Memory
Aug 28 2006 - Scientific American
Turning off the television, working on a crossword puzzle, and eating more fish could be the keys to a better memory, according to an Australian survey. The online poll of 29,500 people also found respondents who read fiction compared to those who don’t had better memories. Dubbed the National Memory Test, the survey was conducted as part of Australia’s science week.
Scientists Look at Worms for 'Wine Nose'
Aug 11 2006 - MSNBC.com
Australian scientists have started examining smell sensors in worms and insects to help them build a “cybernose.” A cybernose could one day be capable of measuring aromas and flavors in wine. Scientists note that a cybernose might also be used to check passengers for traces of explosives at the final ground check before boarding planes or trains. The cybernose project is collaboration between the Australian government’s chief science body, the Australian National University, and Monash University.
How Spiders Travel Such 'Epic' Distances
Jul 12 2006 - NewScientist.com
Scientists have developed a new model that might help explain how spiders can use silk parachutes to carry themselves hundreds of miles. The insects typically crawl up to the edge of a blade of grass, stick their backside in the air and release a thin line of silk, similar to the silk used to build their webs. This dragline silk is so fine that it encounters an unusual amount of friction and acts like a parachute. Researchers previously used mathematical models to estimate how far spiders could travel using dragline silk. However, these simulations could not explain the long distances traveled by spiders.
Study Says Spider Web Developed Just Once
Jun 23 2006 - ABC News
A research team from the University of California, Riverside, report that a comparison of spider genes related to web making shows that the orb web was developed just once instead of by two groups of spiders. The orb web, the general circular style spun by two major types of spiders, had raised the possibility of the two groups evolving this form separately. More information about the study can be found in the journal Science.
Scientists Identify Brain Region Responsible for Calculating Risk versus Reward
Jun 15 2006 - Scientific American
For the first time, neuroscientists have identified different regions of the brain associated with investigating the unknown. The research, published in the June 15 issue of the journal Nature, suggests that in order to explore new and potentially rewarding options, the brain must override the desire for immediate profit. Scientists note these types of decisions can play an important role in an organism’s survival ability.
New Nanomaterial Fuses Spider Silk and Silica
Jun 14 2006 - Scientific American
Researchers from Tufts University have created a new nanomaterial that could help in the fabrication of replacement bones. The new material combines the strength of spider silk with the rigidity of silica. Researchers are conducting initial tests of the material’s medical potential in vitro, but also hope to try it out in animals as a way to guide the growth of a hip replacement, for example. More information about the research can be found online in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Apes Able to Think Ahead
May 19 2006 - Scientific American
Humans can show remarkable foresight. From storing food to carrying tools, we can imagine, prepare for, and ultimately steer the course of the future. Although many animals hoard food or build shelters, there is scant evidence that they ponder the long-term ramifications of their actions or the future more generally. But new research suggests that our ape brethren may share our ability to think ahead.
Eight New Frog Species Discovered in Laos
May 4 2006 - MSNBC.com
Scientists working with the World Conservation Society have discovered eight new species of frogs in the southeast Asian nation of Laos. Among the discoveries is a male frog that is half the size of a female frog. “Nobody has really paid much attention to Laos in terms of amphibian and reptile research,” explains Bryan Stuart, whose team made the discoveries. “So the amphibian fauna of Laos is much more poorly understood compared with neighboring countries. Almost everyone of my field trips has yielded species unknown to science,” Stuart said.
Controversial Theory Linking Reading Ability to Specific Brain Region Gets a Boost
Apr 21 2006 - Scientific American
More than a century ago, a French neurologist suggested that a specific region of the brain processes the visual images of words. Without it, the scientist concluded, people could not read except by laboriously recognizing letter after letter, rather than whole words. Yet humans have only been able to read for several thousand years, perhaps not enough time for such a trait to evolve, some scientists have argued. New research, however, supports the idea that reading does rely on a localized set of neurons.
Fossil Suggests Snakes Evolved on Land
Apr 19 2006 - CBS News
A fossil discovery has provided new evidence that snakes evolved on land rather than in the sea. Snakes are thought to have evolved from four-legged lizards, losing their legs over time. But scientists have long debated whether those ancestral lizards were land-based or marine creatures. The new find reveals a snake that lived in the Patagonia region of Argentina about 90 millions years ago. The size of the snake is unknown, but it was not more than three feet long, noted Hussam Zaher of the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, who describes the find in the journal Nature. For more information on Creepy, Crawly Science, NSTA members can refer to the April/May 2006 issue of Science & Children.
Early Humans Were Prey, Not Predators, Experts Say
Mar 7 2006 - National Geographic News
Prehistoric people were cooperators, not fighters. That’s the new theory proposed in two recent books and at a recent scientific meeting. The theory is part of a movement to debunk a long-running scientific bias that early humans were warlike. “Humanity evolved much more by helping each other rather than by fighting with each other,” explains Agustin Fuentes, a researcher from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. “We shaped the environment and changed how other organisms interacted with it.”
World's Largest Scientific Society to Meet
Feb 16 2006 - ABC News
Thousands of scientists, journalists, policymakers, and citizens have convened in St. Louis to discuss various science topics as part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) annual meeting. Topics up for discussion include evolution, Hurricane Katrina, stem cell research, and global warming. Gilbert Omenn, president of AAAS, said the public’s understanding of science is a crucial element of heated political, social, religious, and technical debates. “Scientific thinking is absolutely essential to preserving democracy,” Omenn added.
Sit Up and Smell the Roses
Feb 14 2006 - ABC News
As Valentine’s Day sweethearts unwrap and enjoy their fragrant bouquets this year, scientists report they will want to sit up to really enjoy those buds. Researchers have discovered that our sense of smell is not as keen when we are lying down. The findings are the first of their kind and have even surprised the scientists who made the finding.
Instant Replay May Help to Mould Memories
Feb 12 2006 - Nature News
Idlers, loafers, and layabouts, listen up. A new study suggests that the times when we sit around twiddling our thumbs could be vital for learning. The idea stems from experiments conducted by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The scientists eavesdropped on the brains of rats as they explored their environments. They found the rats’ brains “replay” their experiences in reverse when the animals pause briefly to rest. If this idea proves true in people, it could have many implications for human learning.
Tall Men Get Better Education
Feb 1 2006 - MSNBC.com
A new study shows that taller men receive a better education, according to researcher Finn Rasmussen of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute. Rasmussen studied 950,000 males in the Swedish army born between 1950 and 1975 and their education for up to 27 years after their height was measured at the age of 18. Rasmussen discovered that men taller than six feet four inches were two-to-three times more likely to obtain a higher education when compared with men shorter than 165 centimeters. Variables such as social background or intelligence slightly altered the outcome, but a clear link between height and educational attainment remained, the study said.
Big Brains are Not Crucial to Teaching
Jan 11 2006 - New Scientist.com
Animal behaviorists in the United Kingdom believe they have found the first evidence of two-way teacher and student communication between ants, suggesting that teaching behavior may have evolved according to the value of information rather than brain size.
The Cute Factor
Jan 3 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Scientists who study the evolution of visual signaling have identified a wide and still expanding assortment of features and behaviors that make something look cute: bright forward-facing eyes set low on a big round face, a pair of big round ears, floppy limbs and a side-to-side, teeter-totter gait, among many others. Cute cues are those that indicate extreme youth, vulnerability, harmlessness and need, scientists say, and attending to them closely makes good Darwinian sense.
Scientists Predict What You'll Think of Next
Dec 22 2005 - MSNBC.com
To recall memories, your brain travels back in time via the ultimate Google search, according to a new study in which scientists found they can monitor the activity and actually predict what you'll think of next. The work bolsters the validity of a longstanding hypothesis that the human brain takes itself back to the state it was in when a memory was first formed. The psychologist Endel Tulving dubbed this process "mental time travel."
Earth Changes is Top Science Story
Dec 16 2005 - CBS News
Global warming and its possible connection to the record-breaking 2005 hurricane season is the number one science story of the year, according to Discover magazine. The magazine’s editors have published a list of the top 100 science stories of 2005 in the latest edition of the publication. Also making the list, is avian flu and the work by scientists to prevent or at least diminish the possible effects of a pandemic, should the virus become transmissible from human to human. The possible return of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker also made the list.
Everyone's Eyes are Wired Differently
Nov 28 2005 - MSNBC.com
After capturing images of the thousands of cells responsible for detecting color in the deepest layer of the eye, scientists have discovered that our eyes are wired differently. Yet we all—with the exception of the colorblind—identify colors similarly. The results suggest that the brain plays an even more significant role than previously thought in deciding what we see.
Study Assesses Impact of "Superspreaders" of Disease
Nov 17 2005 - Scientific American
Every human being is unique. But some are more unique than others, especially when it comes to spreading contagious diseases like SARS or Ebola. They are what epidemiologists term “superspreaders.” In a report published in the latest issue of the journal Nature, researchers describe how they combined statistical studies with a mathematical model to determine how superspreaders affect the emergence of new diseases.
Sweet Snacks May Slacken Stress
Nov 16 2005 - Scientific American
Rats, like humans, love sugar. So it comes as no surprise that during two weeks of training for a recent lab experiment, the rodents queued up twice daily for small doses of sugar water. What researchers did not anticipate was the apparent effect of the sweet stuff on their stress levels: when they placed the rats in stressful circumstances at the end of those two weeks, the animals were less agitated than expected. The ongoing research will now look at exactly how sweets decrease glucocorticoids or impact the brain and may prove that fruit or vegetables are just as effective.
Darwin's Body of Work Evolves Into Online Archive
Oct 26 2005 - Nature News
The complete works of Charles Darwin will be made available online for the first time, thanks to funding from Britain’s Arts and Humanities Research Council. The archive will consist of 42 volumes written or edited by Darwin and hundreds of shorter publications such as journal articles. Darwin's private notebooks, in which he recorded the observations and thoughts that led to his theory of evolution, will also be digitized. The University of Cambridge will launch the website in December.
E-mail and Letter Writing Share Fundamental Pattern
Oct 26 2005 - New Scientist.com
Both Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein relied on pen, paper, and the postal service to communicate with correspondents around the world. But researchers have now found the pattern of their replies is the same as that of computer users answering e-mail today, with both following the same mathematical formula. The pattern could reflect some basic biological encoding that shows up in everything from humans at work to birds foraging for food, according to University of Notre Dame physicist Albert-Laszlo Barabasi.
Science & Technology Web Awards 2005
Oct 3 2005 - Scientific American
The editors of Scientific American showcase 25 of their favorite websites, including a lively "virtual tavern" for discussing and combating the antievolution movement; a blog written by a collective of maverick neuroscientists with more than just neurons and synapses on their minds; a virtual trip through the solar system, compliments of NASA; and a site that promises to teach the finer points of relativity in less time than it takes to eat a sandwich.
Scientist Finds Secret Renaissance Ingredient
Aug 25 2005 - MSNBC.com
How did paintings by Tintoretto and other Venetian Renaissance artists get their special glow? The artists used tiny bits of glass mixed with pigments, according to Barbara Berrie, senior conservation scientist with the National Gallery of Art who made the discovery. “By looking beyond the limits of their usual practice and transforming materials from other trades to their painting, the great artists of the Renaissance created a palette that gave them an immediate and lasting reputation as brilliant colorists,” Berrie explains. For more information on Science and Art, NSTA members can refer to the September 2005 issue of Science & Children.
Americans and Chinese Differ in Their World View-Literally
Aug 23 2005 - Scientific American
Chinese and American students observe scenes in photographs in distinct ways, according to a study published in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings indicate that previously observed cultural differences in judgment and memory between East Asians and North Americans derive from differences in what they actually see.
Pentagon's New Goal: Put Science Into Scripts
Aug 4 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Tucked away in the Hollywood hills, an elite group of scientists from across the country and from various disciplines have gathered to plot a solution to what officials call one of the nation’s most vexing long-term national security problems. The scientists are learning how to write and sell screenplays, thanks to the American Film Institute and $25,000 in Pentagon research grants. Experts note that unless careers in science and engineering become more popular among American students, officials will have a crisis on their hands.
Allegations of Fake Research Hit New High
Jul 10 2005 - Yahoo! News - AP
Allegations of misconduct by US researchers reached record highs last year as the Department of Health and Human Services received 274 complaints - 50 percent higher than 2003 and the most since 1989, when the federal government established a program to deal with scientific misconduct. Research suggests this is but a small fraction of all the incidents of fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. In a survey published June 9 in the journal Nature, about 1.5 percent of 3,247 researchers who responded admitted to falsification or plagiarism. (One in three admitted to some type of professional misbehavior.)
Journal Ranks Top 25 Unanswered Science Questions
Jun 30 2005 - National Geographic News
What is the universe made of? How long can the human life span be extended? These are two of the 25 unanswered scientific questions listed in a special issue of the journal Science. The journal’s editor-in-chief and news editor asked staff reporters to list the most challenging questions in science today and then narrow that number to 25, as a way to mark the journal’s 125th anniversary.
Scientists Study Scientists Behaving Badly
Jun 8 2005 - MSNBC
A survey of more than 3,000 scientists shows a third engaged in at least one form of misconduct during the past three years. Examples included circumventing minor aspects of rules for conducting research on people and overlooking a colleague’s use of flawed data or questionable interpretation of data. Such behaviors are “primarily flying below the radar screen right now,” observed Brian C. Martinson of HealthPartners Research Foundation in Minneapolis, the report's authors. A spokesman for the Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law program at AAAS, noted the results are not surprising, but added the survey sampled only a slice of the scientific community.
National Academy of Sciences Elects 19 Women, a New High
May 4 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
The National Academy of Sciences has elected the highest number of women among its new membership this year. Nineteen females will be a part of the organization’s 72 new members. Women rarely made up more than 10 percent of the new membership each year. However, that number increased to 24 percent in 2003 and 2004. Dr. John I. Brauman, a Stanford University chemistry professor who oversees the academy’s selection process, said the increase is primarily a result of “changes in demography,” noting there are more women scientists now than in the past.
$1 Million Science Awards Created
May 3 2005 - MSNBC
Nobel science prizes will face a “more daring” rival beginning in 2008. Physicist Fred Kavli wants to establish three prizes for astrophysics, neuroscience, and nanotechnology. Kavli already funds 10 science institutes, nine of them are located at American universities with one in the Netherlands. Three scientists connected with the institutes won Nobel prizes in 2004. “We want to spread the word of science and get more students interested. …In many parts of the world that’s a problem, from Norway to the United States,” observed Kavli.
Scientists Say It's Time to Redefine the Kilogram
Apr 25 2005 - MSNBC
For 115 years, the “gold standard” of mass has been a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of platinum-iridium alloy, specially housed outside of Paris. A group of scientists, however, is arguing the artifact is archaic. They say the time has come to redefine this most basic measuring unit. Researchers have offered two suggestions for a new kilogram standard. One idea would be to use a watt balance, in which a magnetic force levitates an object. Another idea is to count the number of atoms in a silicon crystal using X-ray imaging.
To Know Science Is To Love It
Feb 22 2005 - Nature News
An analysis of studies in 40 countries proves a long-standing assumption: the more a person knows about science, the more he or she tends to support scientific endeavors, regardless of other factors such as age, nationality, and education. But British sociologist Nick Allum says now that this belief has been confirmed, researchers must begin to tackle more pressing questions such as: can a better science education improve general support for the field?
Chimps' Sense of Justice Found Similar to Humans'
Jan 26 2005 - Scientific American
Inequities big and small can lead people to believe that life is unfair. But how humans respond to unfair situations depends on social circumstances. The results of a new study to be published indicate the same is true for chimpanzees. Scientists working at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta discovered this after working with capuchin monkeys who disliked being subjected to unfair treatment. Further experiments to investigate reactions to unfair situations continue at the center in hopes of learning why humans make the decisions they do.
Novel Calendar System Creates Regular Dates
Jan 3 2005 - New Scientist.com
An American physicist is trying to drum up support for a new calendar. Dick Henry of Johns Hopkins University has designed a calendar that consists of every date falling on the same day of the week each year. The calendar would also use 364 days, which breaks down evenly into 52 weeks. Henry has received mixed reaction to his plan. But he hopes to gain enough support for the new calendar so that it can be implemented on Jan. 1, 2006.
Martian Water Top Science Story
Dec 16 2004 - CBS News
What was the most important scientific achievement of 2004? The conclusive discovery by a pair of wheeled robots that Mars had vast pools of water and possibly could have sustained life, according to the editors of the journal Science. NASA’s two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, landed on the Red Planet earlier this year and have since found evidence that Mars had a watery surface. Nine other scientific achievements, including discovery of another species of human, were selected as runners-up.
Electric Currents Boost Brain Power
Oct 26 2004 - Nature News
Connecting a battery across the front of a human head can boost verbal skills, according to a team of scientists from the National Institutes of Health. Meenakshi Iyer, who conducted the experiment on more than 100 nervous volunteers, noted a current of two thousandths of an ampere applied for 20 minutes is adequate to produce a significant improvement in verbal skills. Iyer noted, however, that more work needs to be done to explain this effect.
Study: Sleep Essential for Creative Thinking
Jan 22 2004 - Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia)
German scientists have proved what creative minds have known all along: answers to difficult questions might come more easily after a good night’s rest. Scientists made their discovery after giving volunteers a math test and comparing the results with those who were well rested and sleep-deprived. The German study is considered to be the first piece of evidence that creativity and problem-solving are linked to adequate sleep.
The Top Science Stories of 2003
Dec 24 2003 - Scientific American
What were the top science stories of 2003? Scientific American has compiled their list of favorites into this article. The editors note this past year contained a mix of disasters and successes ranging from the break up of the space shuttle Columbia to the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA.
Scientists Find New Species of Whale
Nov 19 2003 - Yahoo-Associated Press
Japanese scientists have discovered a new species of whale, according to a report in this week’s issue of the journal Nature. The animal is a type of baleen, a family of whales that strain tiny plankton and other food from seawater. Some of America’s scientists, however, are skeptical about the finding. Researchers claim there are at least seven other whale species with similar traits, and a more careful comparison is needed before a new species is accepted.
Brain Images Highlight How People Feel Pain
Jun 24 2003 - Scientific American
Do you ever wonder why some people are tougher than others when it comes to experiencing pain? According to a new study, how people perceive pain, results from differences in brain activity. Robert C. Coghill of Wake Forest University, the study’s author, notes this finding should help guide future treatments of pain.
Vocal Learning Similar in Humans, Birds
Jun 3 2003 - Scientific American
Human babies and baby birds have something in common, according to a new report published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study found that human babies who babble respond to social cues from their mothers in the same way that baby birds do. Scientists note this finding “shows that social learning is a crucial part of vocal development.”
Scientists Struggling to Make the Kilogram Right Again
May 27 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration)
A weight change in the kilogram has prompted two teams of scientists to redefine this unit of measurement. A team of researchers based in Germany is attempting to redefine the kilogram as a number of atoms of a selected element while scientists in America are developing a competing technology to define the kilogram using a watt balance. The International Committee on Weights and Measures will make a final recommendation on the new definition.
Digital Noah's Ark Launched
May 21 2003 - BBC News
Scientists and science educators can check out a new website that contains information about endangered plants and animals. ARKive, described as a modern day “Noah’s Ark,” is divided into two sections: a British chapter that celebrates the country’s natural heritage and a section on endangered species from around the world. Visitors to the site have free access to audio and video clips of endangered animals.
Getting Inside Einstein's Head
May 19 2003 - Wired News
Science educators can now find more than 900 scientific documents and personal papers detailing the thoughts and emotions of Albert Einstein at Einstein Archives Online. The new website also contains 40,000 documents, images, and research on Einstein’s life and work, as well as digitized copies of Einstein’s professional and personal correspondence and pages from his notebooks and travel diaries.
Migrations May Make Birds Brainier
Apr 29 2003 - Scientific American
Birds who take longer trips may be smarter and have better long-term memories, according to a new online report published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Claudia Mettke-Hofmann and Eberhard Gwinner of the Max Planck Research Center for Ornithology in Germany studied 131 birds from two similar species to discover their findings. The scientists said their work provides the first evidence that memory duration may be related to migration.
Most People Kiss the Right Way
Feb 13 2003 - Nature News
Most people turn their head to the right compared to the left when they kiss someone, according to a study performed by neuroscientist Onur Gunturkun of Germany. Gunturkun recorded 124 kissing couples for more than two years in public places, including airports, railway stations, beaches, and parks across the United States, Germany, and Turkey to gather his data. Gunturkun’s study also revealed that people have a tendency to use their right foot, eye, and ear more often, and that this habit develops in the final weeks in the womb.
The Top Science Stories of 2002
Dec 23 2002 - Scientific American
From sequencing key genomes to investigating the outer reaches of the solar system, 2002 has been a productive year in the world of science and technology. Teachers interested in taking a look back at some of the discoveries made during the past year can click on the following link, which contains a list of the top 25 stories authored by Scientific American.
Scientists Puzzle Over Whales' Deaths
Dec 2 2002 - Yahoo-Associated Press
Scientists are trying to figure out why three cargo ships recently pulled into Northwest ports unaware of dead fin whale draped over their bulbous bow, a fuel conserving device that projects below the waterline into a ship’s path. “To have three come in so close together is something we’ve not seen before,” said Brent Norberg, marine-mammal coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service. Scientists believe the whales may have changed their feeding patterns and moved into “traffic lanes” in search of prey.
Freeing Information: Is It Time to Make Peer-Reviewed Research Free?
Aug 7 2002 - ABCNEWS.com
Traditionally, scientists have reported their research findings in professional journals that charge a hefty subscription fee. But "why shouldn't scientific research be available to anyone anywhere in the world, free of charge?" science writer Lee Dye asks in his weekly column. Dye notes that with the rise of the Internet, a handful of journals have taken steps toward providing free online content. Now the question is: What will it take for others to follow suit?
Scientists Worry Journals May Aid Terrorists
Jul 29 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
As a rule, scientists who publish their findings in major journals are required to include enough data for others in the field to reproduce their results. But what if certain information could aid terrorists or countries contemplating biological warfare? Should it be withheld? And if so, how would colleagues validate the authors' findings? As the above article reports, these are questions that some members of the scientific community find themselves struggling to answer.
Blinded by Science: The Impossible Isn't What It Used to Be
Jul 15 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
"Not so long ago, the realms of science fact and fiction seemed worlds apart," the above article muses. But lately, real-life breakthroughs in science -- from teleportation to silk-producing goats to tooth-sized phones to cloning --"suggest a bewildering telepathic collision between fact and fantasy." All of which raises the question: Is our sense of the impossible becoming passé? Click above to read more...
Scientific Sleuthing: A Look at Forensics
Jun 5 2002 - ABC News.com
A crime has been committed. Police detectives are stumped. Who are you going to call? If you're wise, you might start with a forensics expert. From DNA testing to bloodstain analysis, forensics scientists have developed an array of high-tech methods for finding and analyzing clues. Click above to learn more about how they go about their work...
Commentary: When Backyards Were Laboratories
May 20 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
As a recent National Science Foundation report showed, scientific illiteracy in the United States is an ongoing and widespread problem. But while K-12 education may deserve part of the blame, "perhaps the problem goes beyond the classroom, to what happens when school is out," the above commentary suggests. After all, the article continues, children seem to have less time these days for "backyard tinkering," which "can often lead to a career in science...or at least to continued informal pursuit of science as an adult hobby." So what are some ways we can encourage more amateur scientists? Click above to read more...
Revisiting "Star Wars" Science
May 16 2002 - MSNBC
While we may not be zooming along in weightless hovercrafts any time soon, scientists say there's still a lot to be learned from the "Star Wars" sagas, even if the science isn't quite right. For example, NASA researchers are already investigating ways to circumvent the light speed barrier, and technologies such as laser weapons aren't completely out of the question either. In what other ways does "Star Wars" reflect known science, and when does it veer off into the world of make-believe? The above article takes a look...
Research Takes on a New Dimension
May 13 2002 - MSNBC
Boston University announced last week that it would soon open its new "virtual reality chamber," a 12-foot by 12-foot room that will generate interactive, 3-D depictions of science's great phenomena. Designed for both scientists and students, the room will be put to use in some 180 research projects, including explorations into solar flares, earthquakes, the human genome, and Alzheimer's. "It is fascinating, it is beautiful, and it is very powerful," one BU professor said. "Not all scientists fully grasp how much visualization can teach you."
President Bush Announces Top Science, Technology Awardees
May 10 2002 - MSNBC
President Bush announced yesterday that 19 individuals -- and one corporation -- would receive the 2001 National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology, considered the nation's highest awards for scientists and engineers. "Their contributions have touched all our lives and will continue to do so," Bush said of the recipients. Click above for a list of the winners -- and descriptions of their achievements. For more information on the National Medal of Science, including a list of recipients since 1962, click here.
Americans Lack Scientific Literacy, NSF Survey Shows
May 1 2002 - CNN -- AP
Seventy percent of American adults do not understand the scientific process, and many subscribe to "pseudoscience," says a survey by the National Science Foundation that quizzed Americans on their knowledge of and attitudes towards science. The survey was part of NSF's biennial report, released yesterday, on the state of science understanding, research, education, and investment. Click above for the AP news article, or click here to go to the full NSF report, "Science and Engineering Indicators 2002."
To Scientists, Simple Things Not So Simple
Mar 25 2002 - ABC News.com
Are your students considering careers in science? They better be, because there's a lot left about the natural world to find out. As the above article points out, humans can split the atom, decipher the genome, and estimate the age of the universe, but remarkably, many everyday phenomena -- such as why a flag waves in the breeze -- remain mysteries. Click above to learn about some of the other everyday occurrences that have scientists utterly perplexed...
Magical Numbers in Nature
Dec 5 2001 - Nature
In an interview with Nature Science Update, mathematician Ian Stewart
talks about snowflakes, sticklebacks, and a new kind of science. "One of the most interesting areas for the next 100 years or so," he says, "will be the linking of the mathematical ideas ... with the information that comes out of genetics, biochemistry and DNA." This will "forge a new kind of science, and a new kind of mathematics," which won't be "a bit of maths and a bit of biology, it's what happens when you let maths and biology talk to one another for 25 years, and see what comes out of that interaction."
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