News

Physics

Test puts pedal to heavy metal

Stellar explosions forge heavy elements such as gold more quickly than scientists had predicted, as indicated by the first measurement of the half-life of a rare form of nickel that's a key link in the chain of element formation.

Chemistry

Crystal clear

Growing drug crystals on different polymer surfaces could improve a critical step in the development of pharmaceuticals.

Earth

Air pollution linked to wheat diseases

The abundance of the air pollutant sulfur dioxide appears to influence which of two fungal pathogens plague more wheat plants.

Health & Medicine

Waking up that lazy eye

Wearing an eye patch can improve vision in children with amblyopia, or lazy eye, up to age 17.

Archaeology

Ancient Mariners: Caves harbor view of early Egyptian sailors

Archaeologists working near the Red Sea have discovered remains of an Egyptian port that emerged around 4,000 years ago, including two caves used by mariners for storage and for religious ceremonies.

Health & Medicine

Microwavable Cancers: Heat plus radiation shrinks some tumors

Heat along with radiation treatment shrinks some tumors faster than does radiation alone.

Earth

Mind the Gap: Inadequate monitoring at many U.S. volcanoes

A report just released by the U.S. Geological Survey ranks the threats posed by the nation's volcanoes.

Earth

Nanowaste: Predicting the environmental fate of buckyballs

The potentially harmful effects of buckyballs in aquatic environments could vary depending on the chemistry of the water.

Astronomy

Planetary Picture? Criteria for planethood cloud object’s identity

Astronomers are debating whether an image of a planetary-mass object orbiting a brown dwarf qualifies as the first image of an extrasolar planet.

Animals

Alive and Knocking: Glimpses of an ivory-billed legend

New observations confirm that the famed ivory-billed woodpecker has not gone extinct after all.