Science News / September 13th, 2008

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In This Issue

Sequencing the dead to save the living: Reviving ancient genomes of long-extinct creatures offers a window into past extinctions—and may help prevent future die outs
No gene is an island: Even as biologists catalog the discrete parts of life forms, an emerging picture reveals that life’s functions arise from interconnectedness
The decider: Informing the debate over the reality of ‘free will’ requires learning something about the lateral habenula
This week's table of contents

September 13th, 2008

Potent Promise: Essential Stemness

Scientists move closer to understanding the dual fates of embryonic stem cells — to divide or develop
Potent Promise: Back to the Womb

Reverting adult cells to an embryonic state without creating embryos is a tricky business
It’s Likely That Times Are Changing

A century ago, mathematician Hermann Minkowski famously merged space with time, establishing a new foundation for physics; today physicists are rethinking how the two should fit together
Heart to heart

Successful heart transplant experiment in infants draws attention to debate on defining death of organ donors.
FBI reveals more details of anthrax investigation

A panel of scientists involved in the anthrax investigations released new details.
Carcinogens from car exhaust can linger

Free radicals similar to those in cigarette smoke may form when car exhaust cools off, and may persist indefinitely in the air.
I, Magpie

Some magpies recognize themselves in mirrors, indicating that a basic form of self-recognition evolved in one family of birds.
Slave ants rebel

Species vulnerable to enslavement may evolve ways to fight their captors.
Dopamine fends off zzzzz’s

A reward chemical in the brain helps keep sleep-deprived people awake.
Stars ablaze in other skies

A new study suggests that a surprising number of universes, even those with laws of physics different from those in our universe, can still support stars.
Tiny object points to remote solar system reservoir

Possible comet may be distant visitor from the innermost region of the Oort Cloud, the proposed comet reservoir of the outermost solar system.
Firm evidence that Earth’s core is solid

Faint yet distinct ground motions recorded by a large network of seismic instruments in Japan in early 2006 are the strongest, most direct evidence that Earth’s inner core is solid.
Compass creatures

Herds of grazing and resting deer and cattle tend to align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field, a hint that the large mammals can somehow sense the invisible field.
Popular plastics chemical poses further threat

The chemical bisphenol A may raise the risk of heart attacks and type 2 diabetes by suppressing a protective hormone.

Blogs:

Science & the Public Is Your Fish Oil Polluted?
By Janet Raloff Nov 20th 2008

Columns:

Comment Debates over definition of planet continue and inspire
By Alan Stern Nov 21st 2008

Math Trek How to (really) trust a mathematical proof
By Julie Rehmeyer
Mathematicians develop computer proof-checking systems in order to realize century-old dreams of fully precise, accurate mathematics. Nov 14th 2008

Bulletin Board: