All Stories
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Ebola protein explains deadly mystery
The infamous virus called Ebola has a surface protein that kills cells in blood vessels.
By John Travis - Astronomy
Evidence grows for nearby planetary system
Astronomers have found the nearest known planet that lies outside the solar system, a mere 10.5 light-years from Earth.
By Ron Cowen - Chemistry
Crystal Reveals Unexpected Beginnings
For the first time, researchers have directly observed a protein begin to crystallize, and they've found it has a peculiar shape.
- Health & Medicine
A Make-Time-For-Sex Diet?
We’re slaves to our hormones. Teenagers and pregnant women are experts on that topic. Both ride an emotional roller coaster as their bodies produce vacillating amounts of sex hormones. In fact, behind the scenes of all human biology–from conception to death–a delicate interplay of hormones drives everything from the expression of our gender to regulation […]
By Janet Raloff - Humans
From the April 8, 1933, issue
MT. WASHINGTON COLDER THAN THE ANTARCTIC Rigor of winter at the summit of Mt. Washington is graphically pictured on the cover of this week’s Science News Letter. As early as October 15 of last year, when this picture was taken by Harold Orne of Melrose Highlands, Mass., ice and snow has wrought curious shapes upon […]
By Science News -
Micro Burgers ‘n Fries
For an intimate peek at an all-American meal, this Web page from Florida State University’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory offers microscopic views of the basic ingredients that go into a serving of burgers and fries. See colorful slices of a wheat kernel, cooked meat, onion tissue, cheese proteins, starch granules, and lettuce cells. Go […]
By Science News - Astronomy
Cosmic Blowout: Black holes spew as much as they consume
Supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies can blow out as much material as they swallow, creating high-speed winds that may seed the universe with oxygen, carbon, iron, and other elements essential for life.
By Ron Cowen - Earth
Wrong Number: Plastic ingredient spurs chromosomal defects
The primary chemical in some plastics causes female mice to produce eggs with abnormal numbers of chromosomes.
- Materials Science
A New Cool: Prototype chills fast and electrifies, too
Researchers have incorporated an efficient thermoelectric material into a prototype device that can cool or produce electricity.
- Math
Zeroing In on Catalan’s Conjecture
Fermat’s last theorem is just one of many examples of innocent-looking problems that can long stymie even the most astute mathematicians. It took about 350 years to prove Fermat’s scribbled conjecture, for instance. Now, Preda Mihailescu of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has proved a theorem that is likely to lead to […]
- Math
Zeroing In on Catalan’s Conjecture
Fermat’s last theorem is just one of many examples of innocent-looking problems that can long stymie even the most astute mathematicians. It took about 350 years to prove Fermat’s scribbled conjecture, for instance. Now, Preda Mihailescu of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has proved a theorem that is likely to lead to […]
- Math
Zeroing In on Catalan’s Conjecture
Fermat’s last theorem is just one of many examples of innocent-looking problems that can long stymie even the most astute mathematicians. It took about 350 years to prove Fermat’s scribbled conjecture, for instance. Now, Preda Mihailescu of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has proved a theorem that is likely to lead to […]