News
- Astronomy
Planet-making disk has a banana split
Two banana-shaped arcs of gas and dust face each other within a newly discovered planet-forming disk that surrounds a young, nearby star.
- Health & Medicine
Measuring Stick: Spinal tap test tracks Alzheimer’s compound
A new test is the first to measure production and clearance of amyloid-beta in the cerebrospinal fluid of people, enabling scientists to track this Alzheimer's disease peptide.
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Getting Back at Celiac: Enzyme treatment might stem wheat intolerance
A combination of two enzymes could eventually treat celiac disease, an inherited digestive disorder.
- Tech
Hot Prospect: Simple burner keeps pollution counts down
A new type of combustion chamber reduces pollution with less complexity and a safer, more reliable design.
- Paleontology
Sight for ‘Saur Eyes: T. rex vision was among nature’s best
A study of dinosaur eyes finds that Tyrannosaurus rex had very sophisticated vision that may have helped its predatory abilities.
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Gay Males’ Sibling Link: Men’s homosexuality tied to having older brothers
Birth order may steer some men toward homosexuality in a process that perhaps begins before birth.
- Tech
Blinding spies’ digital eyes
To prevent unauthorized picture taking, an automated antispy system spots digital cameras and zaps them with confounding flashes of light.
- Materials Science
Seeing the light
Researchers have developed a smart petri dish that signals cell death with intense light.
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Mammalian ear cells can regenerate
The cells responsible for hearing in mammals may be capable of regeneration, just as those of birds and other vertebrates are.
- Tech
Humanlike touch from chemical film
A nanoparticle-laden, pressure-detecting membrane feels textures with about the same sensitivity as human skin.
- Humans
With permission to nap, doctors stay more alert
Allowing doctors-in-training who are on call to hand off to another doctor the pager that summons them to the next patient increases the amount of sleep they get and reduces their fatigue.
- Health & Medicine
Pregnancy risk from blood pressure drugs?
Babies exposed in the first trimester of their mother's pregnancy to blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors are at an increased risk of birth defects.
