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Obscure Drugs Cure Malaria in Mice
A little-used drug and one of its derivatives, both known to destroy an
essential enzyme in some algae, bacteria, and plants, can cure mice of
malaria.
Keen-sighted X-ray telescope debuts
Fiery, X-ray–spewing gas hurtles outward from a suspected supernova in
an image demonstrating the exceptionally keen vision of the newly launched
Chandra X-Ray Observatory.
Gene tinkering makes memorable
mice
The addition of a single gene boosts the memory and learning skills of
mice.
Gene tinkering hikes fear and
anxiety in mice
Mice missing a gene that helps with transmission of GABA, a
neurotransmitter, may represent a model for anxiety-predisposed people.
Is alcohol the key to the French paradox?
Acetaldehyde, a chemical resulting from the normal metabolism of alcohol,
may explain why having a drink or two each day lowers the risk of heart
disease.
Weather balloons deflate climate blow-up
Earth’s atmosphere is warming more slowly than the surface.
A first: Scientists oust a marine
invader
California scientists claim the first successful eradication of a
well-established nonnative marine pest.
Threatened mothers have tougher offspring
Radishes and water fleas that soup up their defenses as needed pass down
weaponry to their offspring even when the world has become safe again.
Rarest of the Rare
Remote-camera images and dung-heap data give a portrait of Vietnam’s
rhinos
Scientists are mining data from hoofprints, remote cameras, and dung for
clues on how best to save the world’s most endangered rhino.
On the Origin of Circuits
In software and silicon, machines guided by Darwinism seize the
reins of design
Now that powerful strategies for developing and testing novel circuit
designs can be executed on special reconfigurable microchips, machines can
independently rewire their internal electronic circuits to adapt to new
circumstances.
Astronomy
A clearer view of Titan
A new map, the sharpest ever generated of Saturn’s moon Titan, reveals
dark regions of this haze-shrouded body that could be oceans of
hydrocarbons.
Sunrise, sunset...
The fastest spinning object so far discovered in the solar system is a
tiny asteroid that measures only 30 meters across.
Biomedicine
Common virus seen in breast tumors
Epstein-Barr virus, a common herpes agent, shows up most often in breast
cancers with the poorest prognosis.
Raloxifene hikes bone density in women
The drug raloxifene decreases the risk of broken vertebrae among
postmenopausal women.
Chemistry
Vitamin C lowers stress hormone in rats
High doses of vitamin C lead to lowered concentrations of corticosterone—a
compound related to the human hormone cortisol—in rats under stress.
Roaches don’t go crazy over catnip
A compound in the catnip herb could form the basis of new insect
repellants.
Sugar-based antifreeze for icefree planes
An antifreeze derived from simple sugars may provide an environmentally
friendly way to prevent ice buildup on airplane wings.
