News
- Astronomy
Once Upon a Time in the Cosmos: Using distant galaxies to study the early universe
Peering far back in time, two teams of astronomers report that they have found some of the universe's earliest galaxies.
By Ron Cowen - Physics
Rare Events: Exotic processes probe the heart of matter
Physicists have for the first time unambiguously detected and measured the rates of certain reactions among protons, neutrons, and simple atomic nuclei.
By Peter Weiss - Chemistry
Contacts could dispense drugs
Novel contact lens materials use nanoparticles to dispense drugs.
- Chemistry
Matcha green tea packs the antioxidants
A green tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies contains much more of a beneficial antioxidant than ordinary green tea.
- Chemistry
Nuclear-waste monitoring gets close to the source
A new prototype device may make monitoring of radioactive contamination cheaper and easier.
- Chemistry
Catnip repels pest
Known to repel cockroaches and mosquitoes, catnip oil also works against termites.
- Health & Medicine
Danes keeping drugs out of livestock
Reducing the amount of antibiotics given to livestock in Denmark has lowered the amount of drug-resistant Enterococcus faecium bacteria in the meat of these animals.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Indian encephalitis is traced to measles
An outbreak of fatal encephalitis in India appears to have been caused by a strange form of rashless measles in a majority of the sick children tested.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
New Australian virus infects people
Australian scientists have identified a new virus, apparently spread by fruit bats, that causes birth defects in pigs and severe illness in some people exposed to infected pigs.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Venison can contain E. coli bacteria
Escherichia coli, which causes severe diarrhea in people, may be widespread in deer, a finding that raises concerns about preparation of wild-game meats.
By Nathan Seppa - Earth
Death for the killer seaweed
Biologists have launched a campaign to eradicate the first infestation in open American waters of an invasive mutant algae.
By Janet Raloff - Earth
Estrogen effects linger in male fish
Male fish can inappropriately make egg yolk protein, even when only intermittently exposed to water tainted with an estrogenic pollutant.
By Janet Raloff