Uncategorized
- Humans
Letters from the January 8, 2005, issue of Science News
Below the surface I would suggest that the Italian hydrologists cited in “Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice” (SN: 10/30/04, p. 277: Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice) consider the law of unintended consequences. Similar actions begun in 1978 at an […]
- Humans
From the January 5, 1935, issue
Karl T. Compton, Einstein explains relativity theory, and controlling cancer cells.
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Tsunamis and Other Natural Hazards
The “Natural Hazards” section of NASA’s Earth Observatory Web site has many orbital images of tsunami damage resulting from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that occurred near Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004. The site also has links to orbital images of wildfires, floods, and erupting volcanoes. Go to: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/
- Animals
Mixing Genes: Bird immigrants make unexpected differences
A pair of decades-long studies of birds moving into other birds' neighborhoods show that immigration can have a quirkier effect than predicted by the usual textbook view.
- Physics
Twinkle Toes: How geckos’ sticky feet stay clean
Besides allowing geckos to cling to walls and ceilings, the millions of tiny fibers on the undersides of these lizards' toes clean themselves with each step.
- Health & Medicine
Bad Combo? Some antidepressants may hamper breast cancer drug
Certain widely used antidepressants and a woman's own genes might diminish the effect of tamoxifen, a frontline breast cancer drug.
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19501
It should be noted that DDT was a poor example to use as an enantiomeric insecticide in this article, since that chemical doesn’t have an asymmetric carbon and therefore can’t exist in “mirror forms.” Gordon W. GribbleHanover, N.H. DDT is a mixture of three forms of the chemical, one of which has enantiomers—not due to […]
- Earth
Reflections on Insecticides: Mirror forms of agrochemicals set risk
The toxicity of an insecticide or how long it persists in the environment depends on which mirror-image form of the chemical is present.
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19500
In light of the findings reported in this article, it seems obvious that there’s a need for anthropologists to revisit the records of local “legends” as they study human development in any area. Doesn’t it seem absurd that anyone studying human history would discard actual reports from humans about their own history? Elizabeth BolltPotsdam, N.Y.
- Anthropology
Temples of Boom: Ancient Hawaiians took fast road to statehood
A boom in temple construction on two Hawaiian islands around 400 years ago marked the surprisingly rapid formation of an early political state.
- Health & Medicine
Beat Generation: Genetically modified stem cells repair heart
Tissue engineers have for the first time used genetically modified human stem cells to repair damaged hearts in guinea pigs.
- Earth
Tsunami Disaster: Scientists model the big quake and its consequences
Scientists are modeling the immediate and long-term effects of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck west of Indonesia the morning of Dec. 26, 2004, and triggered tsunamis that killed tens of thousands of people.
