All Stories
- Health & Medicine
How the body rubs out West Nile virus
Tests in mice show how the immune system tracks down cells infected with West Nile virus, findings that might explain why some old people fare worst from the virus.
- Health & Medicine
Melamine-tainted infant formula linked to kidney stones
Three new studies link the melamine tainting of infant formula in China with a greatly elevated risk that babies will develop potentially dangerous, symptom-free kidney stones.
- Chemistry
New money for undergraduate research
A new program will foster interdisciplinary physical-science research at predominantly undergraduate colleges.
- Earth
Animal ancestors may have survived ‘snowball Earth’
Chemical fossils in Precambrian sedimentary rock push back the first date for animal life.
- Space
Early galaxy bulges in the middle
By tracing star birth in a galaxy that existed when the universe was less than 1 billion years old, researchers have captured what appears to be the formation of a key galactic component — a central concentration of stars known as the bulge.
- Life
Earliest whales gave birth on land
Recently discovered fossils of a protowhale help fill in gaps in the land-to-water transition.
- Humans
On Science & the Fearsome OMB
President Obama has directed federal budget masters to put public interests first when they review proposed regulations.
- Space
Smallest known transiting planet discovered
Astronomers have found the smallest known extrasolar planets that is blocking light from its parent star. The discovery could help reveal information about the structure of planets that may resemble Earth.
- Health & Medicine
Needles can stick it to pain
Acupuncture lessens pain, but so do needles randomly stuck in the skin, a new analysis shows.
- Chemistry
Nonstick chemicals linked to infertility
Featured blog: Infertility doubled in women who had high concentrations of commercially produced nonstick chemicals polluting their blood.
- Life
Nemo could get lost again as seawater approaches acidity
Reef fish raised at a seawater pH expected for the year 2100 don't smell their way around normally.
- Health & Medicine
Chocolate may have arrived early to U.S. Southwest
A new study suggests that people in America’s Southwest were making cacao beverages as early as A.D. 1000.
