Uncategorized
-
Poseidon’s Steed: The Story of Seahorse, from Myth to Reality by Helen Scales
A marine biologist distinguishes fact from fiction about these famous and elusive fish. Gotham Books, 2009, 254 p., $24. POSEIDON’S STEED: THE STORY OF SEAHORSE, FROM MYTH TO REALITY BY HELEN SCALES
By Science News -
What Bluebirds Do by Pamela F. Kirby
Young readers can learn basic facts about the life history and ecology of these familiar backyard birds. Boyds Mill Press, 2009, 48 p., $18.95. WHAT BLUEBIRDS DO BY PAMELA F. KIRBY
By Science News - Humans
New genes give gut bacteria antibiotic resistance
Scientists find new genes for antibiotic resistance in common bacteria in the human gut.
- Life
Domesticated silkworms’ secrets
After mapping the genetic book of instructions for wild and domesticated silkworms, scientists identify changes associated with the taming of these caterpillars.
- Humans
Girls have head start on snake and spider fears
At 11 months of age, girls quickly learn to associate fearful faces with images of snakes and spiders, a new study suggests.
By Bruce Bower - Animals
Fruity whiff may inspire new mosquito repellents
Odors from ripening bananas can jam fruit flies’ and mosquitoes’ power to detect carbon dioxide, a new study finds.
By Susan Milius - Life
Mitochondrial DNA replacement successful in Rhesus monkeys
New procedure may halt some serious inherited diseases, a study suggests.
- Space
Particle imbalance may upset the apple cart
An asymmetry that the standard model of particle physics may not account for hints at the existence of a new and massive elementary particle.
By Ron Cowen - Chemistry
Leptin leads to hamster baby boom
High levels of leptin may tell mother hamsters to invest in larger litters, a new study suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Vitamin D may be heart protective
Vitamin D limits arterial plaque buildup in people with diabetes, early tests suggest.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Excess folic acid sits idle
Humans metabolize folic acid at a slow rate, suggesting that additional folic acid may yield no more benefits than recommended doses do, researchers report.
- Space
Extrasolar planets at full tilt
Violent interactions between planets may have played a key role in shaping the architecture of many extrasolar planet systems. The sun’s planetary system may have escaped or recovered from such a catastrophe.
By Ron Cowen