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Science Friday
March 17th, 2001
issue

  • Arsenic Pollution Disrupts Hormones
    Researchers have found that arsenic thwarts the action of glucocorticoid hormones, suggesting a possible explanation of how long-term exposure to the metal in drinking water could cause cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. (p. 164)
  • Repression tries for experimental comeback
    A laboratory experiment finds that people have difficulty remembering words that they have intentionally tried to forget, providing support for Sigmund Freud's controversial concept of repression. (p. 164)
  • Science Talent Search winners shine bright
    Science Service and Intel announced the winners of the 2001 Science Talent Search. (p. 165)
  • Satellites verify greenhouse-gas effects
    Comparisons of data obtained from instruments that orbited Earth more than 25 years apart provide direct evidence that the planet's greenhouse effect increased significantly between 1970 and 1997. (p. 165)
  • Chemical SOS not just for farm, lab plants
    The chemical screams for help that scientists have detected from agricultural plants under attack by pests in lab settings have now been heard in the wild. (p. 166)
  • Narcoleptic dogs still have their day
    Evidence from studies with dachshunds and poodles is suggesting that these small breeds may serve as better models than larger dogs, such as Labrador retrievers, for the more genetically complex narcolepsy in people. (p. 166)
  • Some swell materials give up their secret
    The discovery of a previously overlooked crystal structure in the best so-called piezoelectric materials may explain their remarkable amount of swelling when zapped by an electric field. (p. 167)
  • Drug helps against certain breast cancers
    In some patients, the drug trastuzumab, also called Herceptin, slows breast cancer that has spread to other organs. (p. 167)
  • Errant Texts
    New studies lambaste popular middle-school science texts for being uninspiring, superficial, and error-ridden. (p. 168)
  • Learning in Waves
    Learning plays a largely unappreciated role in mental development, according to researchers who examine the variety of tactics children adopt as they attempt to solve problems in mathematics and other areas. (p. 172)
  • Consumer survey: Caged mink value water
    Even after 70 generations in captivity, caged American mink still seem to miss the swimming they would do in the wild. (p. 174)
  • Phew! Orchid perfume turns revolting
    Orchids that can smell so alluring that bees try to mate with them can also smell repulsive to the insects. (p. 174)
  • Gene links eyelids and early menopause
    A gene that orchestrates ovary and eyelid development may be the key to early-onset menopause. (p. 175)
  • Cancer cells have a ticket to ride
    Cancer cells may spread using the same system that immune system cells use to move through the body. (p. 175)
  • SQUID can catch concealed corrosion
    A new technology that can detect corrosion deep within aluminum aircraft parts has revealed that high concentrations of salt don't corrode hidden joints any more than low levels of salt. (p. 175)
  • Crystals step up to a new surface
    Researchers have made crystals that reversibly change their surface shape when hit by light. (p. 175)
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