News
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Health & MedicineStudy challenges surgery for lung disease
Patients with the most severe emphysema shouldn't undergo major surgery that removes part of their damaged lungs.
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Health & MedicineWalking and eating for better health
A low-fat diet and regular exercise can ward off diabetes in people at high risk of developing the disease.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineGene implicated in deadly influenza
A strain of influenza virus that struck in Hong Kong in 1997 got some of its lethality from a mutation in the gene encoding an enzyme called PB2.
By Nathan Seppa -
EarthAntarctic sediments muddy climate debate
Ocean-floor sediments drilled from Antarctic regions recently covered by ice shelves suggest that those shelves were much younger than scientists had previously thought.
By Sid Perkins -
Glutamate paths surface in schizophrenia
Three new studies indicate that altered transmission of glutamate, a key brain chemical, plays an influential role in the severe mental disorder known as schizophrenia.
By Bruce Bower -
AnimalsEven deep down, the right whales don’t sink
A right whale may weigh some 70 tons, but unlike other marine mammals studied so far, it tends to float rather than sink at great depths.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineArteries may be vulnerable to HIV attack
HIV may directly interact with cells in arteries, predisposing people to heart attacks.
By John Travis -
ChemistryFeline stimulant fends off mosquitoes
Preliminary results suggest that catnip may be more effective at repelling mosquitoes than the widely used chemical DEET.
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AstronomyGalaxy’s Black Hole: X Rays Mark Spot
An X-ray outburst from the center of our galaxy is providing compelling new evidence that a monster black hole lurks at the Milky Way's core.
By Ron Cowen -
EarthAircraft spies on health of coral reefs
Marine ecologists report the development of a new remote-sensing system that can assess the health of coral reefs from planes.
By Janet Raloff -
A tip of the tongue to the brain
Researchers have identified several brain areas that together underlie the experience of feeling certain that a piece of forgotten information is nonetheless on the tip of one's tongue.
By Bruce Bower -
Audiovisual aids may lessen dyslexia
A short training course in matching sound sequences with visual patterns shows promise as a way to boost reading skills in children with dyslexia.
By Bruce Bower