News
- Health & Medicine
Statins defend against fungus-caused sepsis
Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins might reduce the risk of dying from sepsis triggered by a fungal infection.
-
Hotel-room surfaces can harbor viruses
Rhinovirus, which is responsible for roughly half of all common colds, survives on surfaces in hotel rooms for hours and can be transferred from there to people.
- Health & Medicine
Novel approach fights leprosy
An antibiotic typically used to fight sinus infections shows remarkable potency against leprosy.
- Materials Science
A nanotechnology report card
Research on how nanotechnology affects human health and the environment must be expanded, a National Research Council report concludes.
-
Right brain area linked to fairness
The ability to control selfish impulses in order to reject an unfair deal depends on a specific right brain area.
- Earth
Ancient hot spell is linked to copious carbon dioxide
A mineral that formed in some lakes during a lengthy and particularly warm period in Earth's past suggests that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide were at that time at least triple those found in today's air.
- Planetary Science
Web Special: Welcome to Mars’ Victoria Crater
With stunningly powerful vision, the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken a remarkable picture that shows the exploration rover Opportunity poised on the rim of Victoria Crater on Mars.
-
Wasting Deer: Deer saliva and blood can carry prions
Saliva alone can transmit a brain-destroying disease from one animal to another.
- Humans
Nobel prizes recognize things great and small
The 2006 Nobel prizes in the sciences were announced this week, and all five winners are U.S. scientists.
- Earth
Hot, Hotter, Hot: Climate seesawed during dinosaur age
The climate during the time of the dinosaurs varied far more than scientists had previously thought.
- Astronomy
Jet Set: Astronomers identify the makeup of quasar streams
Astronomers have identified the particles in jets emanating from supermassive black holes as electrons and protons, which carry much more energy than some computer models had suggested.
-
Shop Until You Can’t Stop: Compulsive buying affects both men and women
A national telephone survey indicates that nearly 6 percent of adults find themselves unable to resist frequent shopping binges that leave them saddled with debt, anxiety, and depression.
