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  1. From Science News Letter, August 30, 1958

    NO “SAFE” RADIATION DOSE — There is no period of safety after exposure to harmful radiation, a geneticist reports. Radiation has been found to affect the primitive germ cell from which the sperm develops. Chromosome abnormalities may be transmitted to offspring in dangerous numbers for a long time after irradiation of the male. This also […]

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  2. Physics

    A difficult breakup

    By identifying a new way to wrestle fluorine from carbon compounds, chemists may now be able to break down certain types of greenhouse gases before they reach the atmosphere.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    A-beta on the brain

    A study of 18 comatose patients finds that as brain activity increases, concentrations of a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease also increase.

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  4. Earth

    Past gasps

    Earth’s atmosphere during some past geological ages wasn’t as oxygen-deprived as previously thought, new experiments suggest.

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  5. Life

    Pollinator manipulators

    Manipulating floral chemistry of a type of wild tobacco reveals push-and-pull strategy.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Eye protection

    A variant form of a gene called TLR3 offers some protection against the eye disease known as dry macular degeneration.

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  7. Space

    Clashing clusters

    Two space telescopes capture the titanic collision of galaxy clusters in an image that shows dark matter separating from normal matter.

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  8. Alarming sex appeal

    Hens may find there’s just something about a guy that squawks at danger.

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  9. Humans

    Little big people

    New fossil discoveries elevate ancient Pacific islanders, with disputed implications for controversial hobbit remains in Indonesia.

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  10. Space

    GLAST good to go

    Gamma-ray telescope sees first light and gets a new name.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    It’s all just roughage

    People at risk of the colon disorder known as diverticulitis don’t need to avoid nuts, corn and popcorn, as previously recommended.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Amniotic sac not so sacrosanct

    Infections found in amniotic fluid may be more common than thought and may cause premature birth.

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