News
- Earth
Cleaning up pollution, whey down deep
Lab and field tests hint that dairy whey, a lactose-rich by-product of the dairy industry, could be used to clean up underground water supplies tainted by the solvent trichloroethylene.
By Sid Perkins - Earth
Subglacial lakes may not be isolated ecosystems
Large volumes of water may occasionally flow between the lakes that lie deep beneath Antarctica's kilometers-thick ice sheet.
By Sid Perkins - Health & Medicine
Inactivity, not altitude, is probably behind blood clots
Low cabin pressure aboard aircraft is not to blame for the rare but dangerous blood clots that some passengers get during long flights.
By Ben Harder - Astronomy
Not a planet?
New observations add to the evidence that an image of a planetary-mass object discovered beyond the solar system is not that of a bona fide planet.
By Ron Cowen - Anthropology
Variety spices up Neandertals’ DNA
A surprising amount of genetic diversity characterized Neandertals.
By Bruce Bower -
Sharp rise noted in meds for youths
Antipsychotic-drug treatment of children and teenagers seen by office-based physicians increased dramatically between 1993 and 2002.
By Bruce Bower - Earth
Gasp! Ozone limits don’t protect babies
In healthy infants, even ozone concentrations well below those allowed by federal law trigger asthmalike symptoms.
By Janet Raloff - Astronomy
Spewing superdust
Astronomers have identified a type of supernova as the main source of space dust.
By Ron Cowen - Earth
Toxic Tides: Another reason to worry about hurricanes
The hurricanes that struck Florida in the summer of 2004 also may have triggered an intense, widespread, and long-lasting red tide that afflicted the state's west-central coast throughout 2005.
By Sid Perkins - Animals
Leggiest Animal: Champ millipede located after 79-year gap
A millipede species that can grow up to 750 legs has turned up in California after decades with no sightings.
By Susan Milius - Health & Medicine
Ancient Wisdom: Chinese extract may yield diabetes treatment
A plant extract used in traditional Chinese medicine could form the basis for new treatments for type 2 diabetes.
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All the Rage: Survey extends reach of explosive-anger disorder
A mental disorder that encompasses a wide range of recurring, hostile outbursts, including domestic violence and road rage, characterizes considerably more people than previous data had indicated.
By Bruce Bower