News
- Health & Medicine
Marijuana ingredient slows artery hardening
Low doses of the chemical that causes marijuana's high can slow the progression of atherosclerosis.
- Humans
Change of fuel could extend lives in Africa
By switching from biofuels such as wood and charcoal to kerosene or other fossil fuels, people in many parts of Africa could significantly trim indoor air pollution, thereby delaying millions of premature deaths from pulmonary disease over the next 25 years.
- Health & Medicine
Surgical risk from painkiller may be brief
A new study suggests that patients might safely use painkillers such as ibuprofen up to 24 hours before surgery.
- Materials Science
Shape shifter
Scientists have created a polymer that, after being deformed, will revert to its original shape when exposed to ultraviolet light.
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Goal-Oriented Brain Cells: Neurons may track action as a prelude to empathy
Nerve cells located toward the back of a monkey's brain appear to assist in discerning the goals of specific actions.
- Ecosystems
Where Tuna Go: Atlantic fish mix for feeding, not spawning
The largest high-tech tag study yet of Atlantic bluefin tuna suggests that two groups mix on feeding grounds but spawn on opposite sides of the ocean.
- Astronomy
Shell of a finding
A new X-ray portrait of a supernova remnant suggests that this shell of hot gas may be hard to discern if the interstellar medium around the exploded star has extremely low density.
- Earth
Bed of Armor: Large rocks hold fast in flooding streams
The relative proportions of rocks of various sizes in gravel-lined streams remain constant, even during substantial floods.
- Chemistry
The Proper Popper: Corn kernel’s chemistry is key to its ka-pop
The secret to better popcorn popping is the crystalline structure of the kernel's hull.
- Agriculture
Insecticide Inside: Gene-modified rice cuts chemical spraying in China
In the hands of Chinese farmers, varieties of rice genetically modified to fend off insects reduce pesticide use and increase crop yields.
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Losing Sleep: Mutant flies need less shut-eye
The ability to get by on little sleep may have a strong genetic component, according to a new study in fruit flies.
- Health & Medicine
Neuron Savers: Gene therapy slows Alzheimer’s disease
Putting extra copies of the gene for a cellular growth factor into the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease appears to slow the degenerative condition.
