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HumansFrom the May 24, 1958 issue
Ancient Skull Puzzles — The 45,000-year-old Neanderthal skull recently assembled from fragments found in Shanidar Cave in Iraq presents a real scientific puzzle to anthropologists because, although his face was very primitive, the back of his head was more like modern man. The description of Shanidar Man as a being who appeared to be a […]
By Science News -
SpaceMartian sands
Sandy soil on the Red Planet hints at an ancient mix of volcanic activity and water, a potent breeding ground for life.
By Tia Ghose -
SpaceGamma-ray bling!
A recent, unusually luminous gamma-ray burst is shedding new light on these stellar explosions and the visible light they produce.
By Ron Cowen -
Health & MedicineVacillating stem cells
Unsuspected, ever-changing variation among stem cells in bone marrow helps determine the development path the cells will follow during differentiation.
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HumansButting out together
Cigarette smokers who know one another tend to kick the habit all at once, highlighting the importance of social forces in smoking-cessation treatment.
By Bruce Bower -
ChemistrySlippery when dry
Surfaces that mimic the back of an African beetle can collect water from fog.
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Health & MedicineTrust again
The ability to trust others even after violations of trust is regulated by the hormone oxytocin.
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EarthAsbestos-like nanotubes
Some carbon nanotubes show signs of asbestos-like toxicity.
By Janet Raloff -
SpaceSupernova Outbreak
Thanks to a lucky break and an overactive galaxy, astronomers report the earliest detection yet of a normal supernova—the explosive death of a massive star.
By Ron Cowen -
Health & MedicineNonstick toxicity
By mimicking the action of estrogen, a widely used nonstick chemical promotes cancer development in animals.
By Janet Raloff -
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LifeThese colors don’t run
A chameleon employs different color-changing defenses depending on its predator.
By Susan Milius