News

  1. Humans

    Sweeps weak in human evolution

    Contrary to conventional wisdom, the rapid spread of beneficial mutations has been relatively rare in the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, a new study shows.

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  2. Life

    Packing away the poison

    A genetic adaptation in a Hudson River fish species allows it to simply store toxic pollutants in its fat.

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  3. Life

    Hibernation mystery

    Somehow overwintering bears slow their metabolic rates far more than their slightly decreased body temperatures would predict.

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  4. Physics

    Antilaser sucks up light

    A new technology could be used in optical computing.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Saving preemies’ vision

    A drug designed to fight cancer also may thwart aberrant blood vessel growth in the eyes of babies born preterm, a study finds.

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  6. Humans

    Ice Age cups crafted from crania

    An English cave serves up the oldest known vessels made from human skulls

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  7. Humans

    Human ancestors have identity crisis

    Fossils heralded as the remains of 4- to 7-million-year-old hominids might actually come from apes.

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  8. Space

    ‘Deep Impact’ comet revisited

    NASA takes pictures of Tempel 1 five years after shooting it with a probe.

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  9. Life

    Carnivorous bladderworts suck up prey

    High-speed movies confirm that bug-eating plants are vacuum feeders.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Brain cells start sending signals early

    Fetal neurons show firing patterns similar to those seen in sleeping adults.

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  11. Humans

    2012 budget offers pain and gain for R&D

    In a year of federal belt-tightening, the administration prioritizes basic research, education, clean energy and environmental science.

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  12. Life

    How cuts can spur tumor growth

    Cancerous cells flock to wounds, a study in mice finds.

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