Science News of the Year: 1998
Back to Science News of 1998
Chemistry
- Chemists found that pregnant women who smoke transmit a potent
cancer-causing substance to their babies in the womb (Aug.
29, vol. 154: p. 133*).
- A fullerene molecule smaller than the buckyball made its debut (June
27, vol. 153: p. 406).
- Carbon nanotubes emit light when a current is passed through them
(Aug. 22, vol. 154: p. 116); their electrical conductivity depends on their spiraling
lattice structure (Jan. 10, vol. 153: p. 22).
- Half of every dose of the drug Ritalin, used to treat
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, may contribute nothing to its therapeutic
activity while possibly adding to its side effects (April 4,
vol. 153: p. 213*).
- A cluster of six water molecules exhibits properties of the bulk
liquid, making it the smallest possible drop of water (March 21, vol. 153: p. 180).
- The three-dimensional structure of a receptor protein revealed how it
allows cold-causing viruses to enter cells (April 25, vol. 153: p. 263).
- Scientists identified the compound in grapefruit juice that increases
the potency of many drugs (May 9, vol. 153: p. 295).
- A new compound appeared to provide the therapeutic benefit of aspirin
without the drug's side effects (May 23, vol. 153: p. 327).
- A scientist debunked the notion that antique windows are thicker at
the bottom because glass flows slowly downward (May 30, vol.
153: p. 341*).
- A replacement blood vessel made entirely of cultured human cells has
the strength of a natural artery (Jan. 17, vol. 153: p. 38).
- Researchers synthesized proteins able to survive boiling-hot
temperatures (May 9, vol. 153: p. 296).
- The protein coat of a virus was used as a mold for inorganic crystals
(May 30, vol. 153: p. 351).
- A vanadium compound inactivates sperm by shutting down the molecular
motors that turn their whiplike tails (June 6, vol. 153: p.
359*).
- A newly synthesized substance was expected to promote wakefulness by
turning off production of the sleep hormone melatonin (July 4, vol. 154: p. 6).
- Under high pressures and low temperatures, oxygen was shown to become
a superconductor (July 18, vol. 154: p. 47).
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