News
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HumansWake-up call for sleep apnea
A large, long-term study of sleep apnea links the breathing disorder to increased risk of death.
By Nathan Seppa -
ChemistrySmall steps toward big energy gains
New studies with different fuel cell catalysts show promising results.
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SpaceHow a star is born
Researchers have developed a new and accurate simulation of the birth of the first stars in the universe.
By Ron Cowen -
LifeFish lie
No, really. I like the other girl better. Really. Science reveals a fish dating scene worse than junior high school.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineDopamine could help the sleep-deprived still learn
Sleep loss impairs fruit flies’ ability to learn, just as it does in people. But boosting dopamine in the flies can erase these learning deficits.
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AstronomySave the date: solar eclipse
NASA will broadcast and webcast the next total solar eclipse Aug. 1, live from China
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Health & MedicinePromising HIV gel fails in latest trial
Halted in trials, an anti-HIV gel is ineffective, but may not add to risk of infection, as previously thought.
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ArchaeologyGreeks followed a celestial Olympics
A Greek gadget discovered more than a century ago in a 2,100-year-old shipwreck not only tracked the motion of heavenly bodies and predicted eclipses, but also functioned as a sophisticated calendar and mapped the four-year cycle of the ancient Greek Olympics.
By Ron Cowen -
Planetary ScienceCassini finds liquid ethane on Titan
After years of speculation, planetary scientists have now confirmed that Titan has at least one lake made of liquid ethane.
By Ron Cowen -
LifeHow the snake got its fangs
A study of snake embryos suggests that fangs evolved once, then moved around in the head to give today’s snakes a variety of bites.
By Amy Maxmen -
Health & MedicineCalcium’s possible role in Alzheimer’s
A new study in mice finds that plaques associated with Alzheimer’s wreak havoc on calcium’s role in cell signaling.
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PaleontologySoft tissue in fossils still mysterious
New research suggests modern biofilms could contaminate ancient fossils.
By Sid Perkins