News
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HumansUSDA proposes an office of science
The Bush administration's proposed 2007 farm bill would merge two existing U.S. Department of Agriculture research agencies into a single office of science.
By Janet Raloff -
Planetary ScienceSolar craft reaches a new low
The Ulysses spacecraft passed directly below the sun on Feb. 7, looking up at its south pole, a feat the craft has done only twice before.
By Ron Cowen -
AnimalsPerils of Migration: New evidence that bats stalk birds
Big Mediterranean bats snatch migrating songbirds out of the night sky in spring and fall.
By Susan Milius -
Bridging the Divide? Technique sheds light on cleft palate gene
A new approach has enabled researchers to prevent cleft palate in mice genetically engineered to develop that birth defect.
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EarthStroke of Good Fortune: A wealth of data from petrified lightning
The lumps of glass created when lightning strikes sandy ground can preserve information about ancient climate.
By Sid Perkins -
Health & MedicineTaking Cancer’s Fingerprint: Rapid genetic profiling for personalized therapy
A new, faster way to identify cancer-causing mutations in the DNA of tumor cells may pave the way for the next generation of custom-tailored cancer therapies.
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AstronomyOn the Trail of Dead Planets: Dust ring around a white dwarf
Infrared observations have depicted the dusty vestiges of a planetary system dancing around a dead star.
By Ron Cowen -
Health & MedicineClear the Way: Stenting opens jammed arteries in the brain
Using a tiny mesh cylinder called a stent, doctors can prop open narrowed arteries in the brain much as they do in the heart.
By Nathan Seppa -
AnthropologyChimpanzee Stone Age: Finds in Africa rock prehistory of tools
Researchers have uncovered evidence of a chimpanzee stone age that started at least 4,300 years ago in West Africa.
By Bruce Bower -
Planetary ScienceTitan’s organic cloud
The Cassini spacecraft has imaged a huge cloud that engulfs most of the north pole of Saturn's icy moon Titan and could be a source of the moon's hydrocarbon lakes.
By Ron Cowen -
Health & MedicineSmall tweaks prevent 1918-flu transmission
Just a couple of small genetic changes in a pandemic flu virus prevented it from passing efficiently between lab animals.
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Health & MedicineOrexin-blocking pill speeds sleep onset
A new compound that inhibits the activity of the alertness-promoting brain peptide orexin shows promise as a potential sleeping pill.
By Ben Harder