News
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AstronomyThe supernova that wasn’t
A brilliant stellar outburst once thought to be a supernova explosion actually left the star intact.
By Ron Cowen -
AstronomyAndromeda gets bigger
A new study reveals that the diameter of the Andromeda galaxy's disk spans some 220,000 light-years, three times as big as had been estimated.
By Ron Cowen -
PaleontologyNewfound dinosaur wasn’t sticking its neck out
Fossils of a new, 10-meter-long sauropod species excavated in South America suggest that, unlike most of its massive kin, the creature had a relatively short neck.
By Sid Perkins -
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TechSlick trick snags catalyst
A costly type of catalyst sticks to Teflon, suggesting a new way to recover these chemicals from solutions.
By Peter Weiss -
AnthropologyClimate shift shaped Aussie extinctions
Stone Age people lived virtually side-by-side with now-extinct animals in western Australia for 6,000 years.
By Bruce Bower -
EarthFarmers without Fungus: How to store peanuts to reduce toxins
African peanut farmers can more than halve their exposure to a class of harmful fungal toxins called aflatoxins by adopting several simple measures after harvest.
By Ben Harder -
Materials ScienceMicropower Heats Up: Propane fuel cell packs a lot of punch
Portable electronic devices such as laptops and MP3 players could soon run on miniature fuel cells that consume propane.
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EarthIcy Heat: Satellites look at heat flow through Antarctica’s crust
Using satellite observations of Earth's magnetic field, scientists can estimate the amount of heat flowing upward through Earth's surface under kilometers-thick ice.
By Sid Perkins -
Health & MedicineBack to Genetics: DNA variant may code for lumbar pain
An inheritable gene variation may increase susceptibility to lumbar-disk disease.
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AstronomyPeering into a disrupted stellar nursery
A new infrared portrait of the Carina nebula star-forming region shows a clutch of baby stars tucked inside pillars of thick dust.
By Ron Cowen -
Disorderly Conduct: U.S. survey finds high rates of mental illness
Nearly half of all adults in the United States develop at least one mental disorder at some time in their lives, although most cases aren't serious enough to require treatment.
By Bruce Bower