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SN Online
ENVIRONMENT Plastics sloughed off clothing can pollute coastlines. See “Synthetic lint ends up in oceans.” G.D. Rak et al/PLoS Biology 2011 Arctic sea ice this year was near its smallest extent on record. Read “Summer Arctic melt among worst ever.” GENES & CELLS Natural killer cells are caught in the act of feeding poison pills […]
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Science Future for October 8, 2011
October 16Comet Elenin comes its closest to Earth and may be visible with binoculars. See NASA’s FAQ at 1.usa.gov/oeX6hP October 31Deadline for middle schoolers to enter the Future City engineering competition. Learn more at www.futurecity.org October 18Get hands-on at the American Museum of Natural History’s Family Party in New York City. See amnh.org/familyparty
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Science Past from the issue of October 7, 1961
CHEAPER WATER FROM SEA — Lower cost conversion of undrinkable sea or brackish water to potable fresh water will come closer to practicality through use of $75,000,000 appropriated by Congress for the next six years. Lowest cost achieved so far is one dollar per thousand gallons compared with the cost from ordinary sources of 30¢ […]
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The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World by David Deutsch
A physicist explores the elaborate relationship between science and other realms of human endeavor, with a focus on physical, biological and social phenomena. Viking, 2011, 487 p., $30
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Brain Bugs: How the Brain’s Flaws Shape Our Lives by Dean Buonomano
A neuroscientist gives an entertaining look into the brain’s hardware and software flaws and how they affect everyday life. W.W. Norton & Co., 2011, 310 p., $25.95
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The Exquisite Butterfly Companion: The Science and Beauty of 100 Butterflies by Hazel Davies
This guide to 100 butterfly and moth species comes with a set of butterfly-shaped illustrations to use in craft projects. Sterling Signature, 2011, 88 p., $14.95
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Cosmos Close-up by Giles Sparrow
A collection of astronomical images taken by telescopes and spacecraft of all kinds gives brief explanations of the science behind each highlighted object. Firefly Books, 2011, 320 p., $29.95
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The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us by Jeffrey Kluger
A review of recent research shows how siblings affect each other, covering topics such as birth order, blended families and parents who play favorites. Riverhead Books, 2011, 320 p., $26.95
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BOOK REVIEW: Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World by Emma Marris
Review by Janet Raloff.
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BOOK REVIEW: Epigenetics: The Ultimate Mystery of Inheritance by Richard C. Francis
Review by Tina Hesman Saey.
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Genes & Cells
How nanotubes trigger a cell’s gag reflex, the skulking 1918 flu and more in this week’s news.
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