News

  1. Planetary Science

    A different view of Uranus’ rings

    The rings of Uranus are now tilted edge on to Earth, revealing small, inner rings made of fine dust.

    By
  2. Bipolar Express: Mental ailment expands rapidly among youth

    Diagnosis of bipolar disorder in kids and teenagers has dramatically increased since 1994, raising concerns that this severe mood disorder is being overdiagnosed.

    By
  3. Earth

    Sonic Sands: Uncovering the secret of the booming dunes

    The age-old mystery of sand dunes that produce loud, thrumming noises is explained by a new theory that involves a resonant layer of dry sand.

    By
  4. Role Change: Mast cells show an anti-inflammatory side

    Cells that cause inflammation in allergic skin reactions to poison ivy also produce a protein that subdues the reaction a few days later.

    By
  5. Live Wires: Axons can influence nerve impulses

    Axons are not simply passive carriers of electrical signals in the brain, but influence how neurons fire.

    By
  6. Astronomy

    Killer Collision: Dino demise traces to asteroid-family breakup

    The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was a wayward fragment from a violent collision in the asteroid belt.

    By
  7. The Venter Decryption: Biologist decodes his own genome

    For the first time, one man's genome, including both sets of chromosomes, has been decoded.

    By
  8. Animals

    Hive Scourge? Virus linked to recent honeybee die-off

    A poorly understood virus seems to have a connection to the recent widespread demise of honeybees.

    By
  9. Health & Medicine

    Bad Bug: Microbe raises stomach cancer risk

    A gene in some strains of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori may greatly increase the risk of stomach cancer.

    By
  10. Astronomy

    Dawn of a Disk: Water vapor pours down on embryonic star

    Infrared observations show water vapor pouring down on a planet-forming disk around a young star.

    By
  11. No-Fight Zones: School programs reduce violence in all grades

    A variety of school-based programs succeed in reducing students' violent and disruptive behavior.

    By
  12. Earth

    Oxygen Rocks: Volcanoes spurred early atmospheric change

    Earth owes its oxygen-rich atmosphere to a change in volcanic activity about 2.5 billion years ago.

    By