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Edible Compound Mimics Insulin
A compound extracted from a tropical fungus works like insulin when
fed to mice, and it may be developed into an oral diabetes drug.
Altered buckyballs go straight to bone
Molecules of carbon known as buckyballs, being designed to encapsulate
and deliver drugs, can directly target diseased tissues.
Pollutant waits to smite salmon
at sea
Freshwater exposure to estrogen-mimicking pollutants may leave young,
migratory fish unable to adapt to life at sea.
Dam the bacteria, drugs and vaccines ahead
A protein called Dam (DNA adenine methylase) helps make bacteria virulent,
a finding that may lead to new antibiotics and vaccines.
Seattle's soft spot boosts power of quakes
The soft sediment underlying Seattle can amplify shaking during earthquakes,
which can arise from a still-active fault there.
Land mines may set off little buzzers
Honeybees that pick up explosive residues while foraging may serve as
a new way to locate hidden land mines.
Fossil may expose humanity's hybrid
roots
The 24,500-year-old skeleton of a young child, discovered in Portugal
last November, may be evidence of prehistoric interbreeding between
Neandertals and Homo sapiens.
Knotting weakens a polymer molecule
Computer simulations reveal that, like a tightly knotted rope, a knotted
polymer molecule is weakest and most likely to break next to the knot.
Ready, Aim, Squirt
With atom lasers, physicists seek better measurements and new
ways to manipulate matter
New atom lasers that shoot instead of drip may help scientists gain
unprecedented control of atom flows, build more precise measuring instruments,
and develop more effective ways of fabricating nanometer-scale structures.
Spider Solidarity Forever
Social spiders create the communes of the arachnid world
By banding together in large colonies, social spider species defy traditional
arachnid temperament.
Biomedicine
Most cancers less common, less deadly
The incidence and death rates of most cancers declined steadily between
1990 and 1996.
Portrait of the artery as a motivator
People who often viewed an image of one of their arteries were more
likely to reduce their risk factors for heart disease than those who
saw such an image just once.
Computers
Looking beyond the Melissa virus
Exploiting a vulnerability of small computer programs called macros,
the computer virus known as Melissa was notable for the extraordinary
speed with which it spread throughout the world.
Developing digital fluency
A national report recommends steps to help college students learn how
computers work and master basic technologies for information processing,
communication, and problem solving.
Physics
Electrons hop; current and heat drop
A novel digital circuit that moves only two electrons discards transistors
in favor of voltage-sensing units for processing bits.
