Uncategorized
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19931
This article shows the formula for sodium hydrosulfide as NaH2S. Would it not be more accurate to present it as NaHS? G. David GrubbsCorinth, Texas The reader is correct.
- Humans
Letters from the March 8, 2008, issue of Science News
No cure yet “Growing Up to Prozac: Drug makes new neurons mature faster” (SN: 2/9/08, p. 83) suggests that growth of new brain cells, along with increasing connections, may mediate some of the effect of some SSRIs. Since these new cells would likely persist significantly longer than the drugs themselves, do we see a “cure” […]
- Astronomy
Urgently Wanted—Star Counters
Through March 8, an organization known as GLOBE at Night is asking for help tallying celestial bodies in the constellation Orion. Designed as a teaching aid, this star-counting program aims to emphasize the loss-of-darkness throughout the globe, a problem which hinders ground-based astronomy. Students, families, and the general public can report their results online by […]
- Humans
From the February 26, 1938, issue
Evidence of religious head-hunting in ancient Peru, the link between climate and body size, and chest pain tied to obesity.
- Animals
Hidden Depths: Antarctic krill startle deep-ocean scientists
The first camera lowered 3,000 meters to the seabed off the coast of Antarctica videoed what biologists identify as the supposedly upper-ocean species of Antarctic krill.
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19930
I feel that Rachel Ehrenberg was entirely too glib in this article. The description of an ancient Mayan religious ritual as “plucking the hearts from humans and tossing the bodies into the sacred cenote” is disrespectful. I am sure that Science News would never describe any contemporary religious rituals in this manner. Here is hoping […]
- Anthropology
Digging that Maya blue
The unusual pigment Maya blue was probably made over an incense fire as part of a ceremony honoring the rain god Chaak, a new analysis of a pot reveals.
- Health & Medicine
Pinning down malaria’s global reach
A new survey and map of malarial areas worldwide show 2.4 billion people at risk.
- Earth
Greener Green Energy: Today’s solar cells give more than they take
With new production techniques, the total emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants from making and using solar panels are now only one-tenth as high as those of conventional power generation.
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Drug or No Drug: Placebos may be more than appeasing
A new analysis of FDA data concludes that placebo pills generally offer almost as much symptom relief to depressed patients as antidepressant medications do, raising questions about physicians' antidepressant-prescription practices.
- Astronomy
Hefty Find: Density has starring role in making stars massive
Astronomers find new insights into how massive stars form.
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True Blue: Electron jumps make protein shine like an LED
A protein thought to be fluorescent instead emits light the way an LED does, suggesting that some living things might do the same.
