All Stories
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EcosystemsFrogs leapt before they landed
Jumping preceded mastery of the touchdown in amphibian evolution, a new study suggests.
By Sid Perkins -
Among stars, heavyweight champ
Stellar record-holder weighs in at 265 times mass of sun.
By Ron Cowen -
PaleontologyOldest dog debated
A fossil jaw may, or may not, come from the oldest known example of man’s best friend.
By Bruce Bower -
Health & MedicineCoffee perks up memory and balance in geriatric animals
Millions of Americans start their day with a cup of coffee and then reach for refills when their energy or attention flags. But new research in rats suggests that for the aging brain, coffee may serve as more than a mere stimulant. It can boost memory and the signaling essential to motor coordination.
By Janet Raloff -
Planetary ScienceHole from on high
Researchers discover a fresh meteorite impact crater using Google Earth.
By Sid Perkins -
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AnimalsFearless tadpoles give invaders the edge
Clueless larvae don’t heed the scent of nonnative turtles, giving newcomers an edge over native species, a European study finds.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineDiet and behavior changes may slow Alzheimer’s
A new study in dogs finds that antioxidants and enriched lifestyle can ward off symptoms, and suggests brain plaques may not be the cause of the disease.
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Health & MedicineSeparating wheat from chaff in celiac disease
Three partial proteins may trigger the T cell immune reactions that cause the symptoms of this intestinal ailment, new research shows.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineGood vibrations: A greener way to pasteurize milk
Many people like the taste of raw – as in unpasteurized – milk. The problem, of course, is that germs may infect raw milk, so food safety regulations require that commercial producers heat-treat their milk. But food scientists at Louisiana State University think they’ve stumbled onto a tastier way to sterilize milk. They bombard it with sound waves.
By Janet Raloff -
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TechNano-scale additives fight food pathogens
Nano products are all the rage, even in food science. Here at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting, on July 18, scientists described dramatic success in fighting food-poisoning bacteria by doctoring foods or their packaging with microbe-killing nanoparticles – sometimes along with natural anti-bacterial agents.
By Janet Raloff