Uncategorized
- Astronomy
Black Hole Bully: Galaxy blasts its smaller neighbor
A distant galaxy is shooting a deadly jet of radiation at a neighboring galaxy, astronomers have observed.
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Limiting Damage: Fragile X symptoms modulated in mice
Reducing activity of a gene in mice alleviates many of the symptoms of fragile X syndrome, a genetic defect that causes mental retardation in people.
- Earth
Portrait of a Meltdown: Many factors led to 2007’s record low in Arctic sea ice
A variety of climatological factors converged in a perfect storm that melted the Arctic Ocean's ice cover to a record low in 2007. It could be a harbinger of ice-poor summers for decades to come.
By Sid Perkins -
New clue to Down syndrome, leukemia link
One-fifth of people with Down syndrome who also have acute lymphocytic leukemia harbor a mutation in their JAK2 gene.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Immune cells to fight leukemia
A cancer vaccine against leukemia helps some patients avoid a relapse for months or years, but only if given early in the course of the disease or when a patient is in remission.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
In search of safer marrow transplants
A synthetic antibody called ACK2 that targets certain bone marrow cells may make marrow transplants a possibility for people with severe autoimmune disease.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Novel fused protein quells inflammation
A new compound called GIFT-15, made from the fusion of two proteins, stops inflammation in mice.
By Nathan Seppa -
It’s a Small World
The apparently fictitious “Institute for the Promotion of the Less than One Millimeter” offers a visual smorgasbord of microbiological images. Wim van Egmond describes his “Micropolitan Museum” as portraits of what he can scoop up with a pipette or tweezers. He’s got marine and freshwater collections, a botanical garden, and an insectarium. The latter two […]
By Science News - Math
Questionable Numbers for a Questionable Remedy
Echinacea might be useful as a cold remedy or preventative, but science hasn't shown it yet.
- Humans
Letters from the December 22 & 29, 2007, issue of Science News
Amylase with your veggies Your article (“Advantage: Starch,” SN: 9/15/07, p. 173) notes how groups of people may have different numbers of copies of the amylase gene. Is it correct then that individuals have varying numbers of the gene as well? If so, would this explain why some people don’t like meat and become vegetarians […]
By Science News - Health & Medicine
Vitamin D: Blacks need much more
To achieve healthy concentrations of vitamin D, many African-Americans may need hefty daily supplementation.
By Janet Raloff - Humans
Fishing curbs can lead to profit
New economic models suggest that fishing crews that cut back long enough to let stocks rebound will find compensation in higher profits later.
By Susan Milius