News
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LifeDaytime bites for zombie ants
The living dead of the insect world show an unexplained sense of timing: a surge of strange activity in the a.m. followed by a final death grip at midday.
By Susan Milius -
Microbial mats may have given early animals breathing room
Early animals survived poor marine conditions by inhaling oxygen from bacterial "mines" at the bottom of the ocean.
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ChemistryMelting icebergs fertilize ocean
Releasing extra iron into the water boosts carbon dioxide uptake by plankton.
By Janet Raloff -
Science & SocietyYouthful ingenuity honored at Intel ISEF
Young scientists receive awards for insights applicable to cancer treatment, homeland security, water supplies and more.
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PhysicsNew laser is from the birds
Inspired by an optical trick that colors feathers without pigment, physicists come up with a cheap, practical design.
By Devin Powell -
EarthOzone hole on the mend
Researchers claim to see atmospheric healing more than a decade earlier than a detectable uptick was expected.
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LifeBody attacks lab-made stem cells
In mice, the immune system targets and destroys reprogrammed adult skin cells, raising questions about their medical potential.
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Health & MedicineGravely damaged brains have ‘bottleneck’
A failure in electrical signaling may distinguish patients in vegetative states.
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HumansStone Age cold case baffles scientists
Stone-tool makers who hunkered down near Arctic Circle left uncertain clues to their identity.
By Bruce Bower -
LifeNew fungi the dark matter of mushrooms
Scientists see the first images of an ancient lineage of microbes that can’t be grown in the lab.
By Susan Milius -
HumansNetworks dominated by rule of the few
Certain systems, including social hubs like Facebook, can be directed from relatively few control points.
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Humans‘Bonding hormone’ linked to post-baby blues
Low oxytocin levels in pregnant women may help predict whether they will have postpartum depression.