A Danish study -- by far the largest on the controversial topic -- indicates that abortion does not raise the risk of breast cancer for most women -- except, perhaps, for a small group of women who have abortions after 18 weeks of pregnancy.

Satellite gets a kick out of photons

Uneven reradiation of solar photons by the Lageos 1 satellite explains much of its mysterious drifting in the last 8 years.

Sound waves may drive galactic structure

Sound waves generated in the early universe may have organized galaxies into the large-scale structures of huge clusters separated by giant voids seen in the sky today.

Uncovering traits of effective therapists

Psychotherapists treating depression may be particularly effective thanks not to the therapeutic techniques they wield but to their ability to form a collaborative bond with clients and their focus on psychological factors.

New heart risk from too much coffee?

Drinking too much java may cause the toxic buildup of an amino acid in the blood.

Earth's poles feel warmth of the full moon

Temperature measurements over the last 17 years reveal that Earth's poles are warmed by the full moon and cooled by the new moon.

Stopping malaria before it starts

An experimental vaccine and injections of interleukin-12, a powerful immune system molecule, are two promising strategies under study to protect people from malaria.

Controlling the molecular weight of bacterial polymers could make biodegradable plastics practical for a wide range of applications.

Research Notes:

Biology:

Measuring the metal of mussels

Scientists are using mussels to provide information on pollutants in both water and tiny aquatic plants.

Chemistry comes to lobster guards' aid

Lobster inspectors have a new test for detecting the chlorine some lobstermen use to clean up their illegal catch.

Biomedicine:

Rhythmic ear growth...

Men's ears increase in size according to a 7-year cycle.

Gray hair from smoking

Prematurely gray hair and baldness are linked to the smoking habit.

Color of medicine

The color of pills influences the effects experienced by the people who take them.

Earth Science:

A dusty way to break the ice age spell

Dust in the atmosphere may have helped bring the ice age to a close.

The tropics throw their weight around

Changes in tropical ocean circulation during the ice age may have caused huge numbers of icebergs to sail across the North Atlantic.

Nutrition:

Alcohol's electric effects

Drunkenness may be caused by break-down products of alcohol. .

Neural tube defects: B-yond folate

A second B-vitamin may curb the development of some birth defects not triggered by folate deficiency.

Articles:

Banking on Blood Conversion

New technology may change the character of the U.S. blood supply

Converting all donated red blood cells to the universal type O could avert deadly transfusion mistakes and make more efficient use of the nation's blood supply.

Bombs Away!

Reforesting inaccessible regions from on high

Technologies developed by the military are being harnessed to sow trees from planes.

Departments:

Our Weekly Listing of New Publications

Letters:

A Selection from Letters to the Editor

Further Readings People to Contact