News
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Putting Out the Welcome Mat: Chemical guides germ cells to gonads
A chemical made in the gonads attracts the embryonic cells that will one day form eggs or sperm.
By John Travis -
Health & MedicineDeadly Stowaways: Seeds of cancer in transplant recipients are traced back to donors
Precancerous cells that grow into Kaposi's sarcoma are sometimes introduced into a person in an organ transplant.
By Nathan Seppa -
AnthropologyCannibalism’s DNA Trail: Gene may signal ancient prion-disease outbreaks
Cannibalism among prehistoric humans may have left lasting genetic marks.
By Bruce Bower -
EcosystemsAt a Snail’s Place: Rock climbing cuts mollusk diversity
As rock climbing soars in popularity, some cliff-side snail populations may be crashing.
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AnimalsCostly Sexiness: All that flash puts birds at extra risk
Distinctive his-and-her plumages increase the chance that a bird species will go extinct locally, according to an unusually far-ranging study.
By Susan Milius -
AstronomyOnce 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 -
PhysicsRare 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 -
ChemistryContacts could dispense drugs
Novel contact lens materials use nanoparticles to dispense drugs.
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ChemistryMatcha green tea packs the antioxidants
A green tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies contains much more of a beneficial antioxidant than ordinary green tea.
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ChemistryNuclear-waste monitoring gets close to the source
A new prototype device may make monitoring of radioactive contamination cheaper and easier.
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ChemistryCatnip repels pest
Known to repel cockroaches and mosquitoes, catnip oil also works against termites.
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Health & MedicineDanes 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