Science News of the Year: 1998
Back to Science News of 1998
Biology
- Confirming that Dolly the sheep wasn't a fluke, scientists cloned
cows, including a rare breed (July 11, vol. 154: p. 21; Sept. 5, vol. 154: p. 152), and
mice (Aug. 1, vol. 154: p. 74).
- Contradicting conventional wisdom, adult human brain and heart cells
can divide (July 25, vol. 154: p. 54*; Oct. 31, vol.
154: p. 276).
- Sparking a debate on medical ethics, researchers finally isolated
embryonic human cells that can diversify into many different cell types (Nov. 7, vol. 154:
p. 293).
- Scientists unveiled full DNA sequences for a multicellular
organism—the worm Caenorhabditis elegans (Dec.
12, vol. 154: p. 372*)—and the bacteria that cause chlamydia (Oct. 24, vol. 154:
p. 261), syphilis (Aug. 1, vol. 154: p. 79), and tuberculosis (June 13, vol. 153: p. 375).
- Engineering cells to keep producing an enzyme called telomerase,
which rebuilds chromosome ends, makes the cells immortal (Jan. 17, vol. 153: p. 37).
- A private company announced plans to sequence the human genome
earlier than the federally funded U.S. effort (May 23, vol. 153: p. 334).
- Clear evidence emerged that women produce pheromones that can alter
the menstrual cycles of other women (March 14, vol. 153: p.
164*).
- X-ray snapshots revealed how enzymes make DNA (Feb. 14, vol. 153: p.
106) and how the AIDS virus gains access to immune cells (July 25, vol. 154: p. 56).
- Subtle gene variations distinguish people who rise early versus late
(Sept. 26, vol. 154: p. 196) and worms that eat alone from those preferring to eat in
groups (Sept. 12, vol. 154: p. 167).
- DNA analyses supported the oral tradition of how the Jewish
priesthood originated (Oct. 3, vol. 154: p. 218) and rumors that Thomas Jefferson had a
son with his slave Sally Hemming (Dec. 12, vol. 154: p. 379).
- Light shone on the back of people's knees resets their biological
clocks, adding to the mystery of how such internal clocks sense light (July 11, vol. 154: p. 24*).
- An ancient infection may have been the origin of the sophisticated
immune system in all vertebrates (Nov. 7, vol. 154: p. 302).
- Scientists detected a gene mutation that prevents all hair growth in
some people (March 7, vol. 153: p. 159), and other researchers created mice that grow new
hair follicles throughout life (Nov. 28, vol. 154: p. 340*).
- Genetically engineered mosquitoes offered hope of stemming malaria by
replacing disease-bearing insects (April 4, vol. 153: p. 213*).
- Bacteria that thrive on aluminum were found in hot springs (May 30, vol. 153: p. 341*).
- Preventing normal growth of butterfly wings and beetle horns
increases the size of other developing body parts (April 11,
vol. 153: p. 231*).
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