Uncategorized
- Math
Playing Pig, Optimally
The simple dice game Pig is surprisingly complex when you're trying to find an optimal strategy for playing it.
- Humans
From the May 26, 1934, issue
Extracting bromine from the sea, a new treatment for cancer, and a novel altimeter.
- Chemistry
Chemical Knot: Scientists assemble legendary symbol by interlocking molecules
Chemists have constructed a molecular version of a Borromean knot.
- Paleontology
Crawling through Time: Fish bones reveal past climate change
The timing of ancient migrations of snakehead fish from the Indian subcontinent into Europe, Asia, and Africa tells scientists about temperature and humidity changes in those locations.
- Animals
Red Sweat: Hippo skin oozes antibiotic sunscreen
The hippo version of sweat, which is red-orange, contains pigments that can block microbial growth and some ultraviolet light.
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19425
The Japanese researchers who dubbed a pachyderm secretion to be “hipposudoric acid” seem to know more about biochemistry than about etymology. The word hippopotamus is a synthesis of Latin hippo (horse) and potamus (river), apparently because of the resemblance of the face of a submerged hippopotamus to the head of a horse. Hipposudoric implies a […]
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Sexing Brains Down and Up: Early aspirin dose hits male rats below the belt
Prenatal exposure to a certain class of drugs, which includes aspirin and acetaminophen, leads to adult sexual difficulties in male rats, raising concerns about the use of such drugs by pregnant women.
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19424
This article seems to use “aspirin” and “acetaminophen” interchangeably. Aspirin is acetyl salicylic acid, not acetaminophen (better known as Tylenol). Tom WarmMustang, Okla.
- Tech
Groovy Pictures: Extracting sound from images of old audio recordings
To preserve songs and words on antique vinyl records and wax cylinders, a new scanning technique maps their grooves, then simulates a stylus moving along those contours to extract high-quality sound.
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19423
I don’t want to downplay genuine discovery, but your story about optically reading old records left me a little underwhelmed. The optical playing of records has been available in the commercial market for several years. Just do an Internet search for “laser turntables.” Jerry BoehmSchenectady, N.Y. This is not an especially new invention. A commercial […]
- Astronomy
Cosmic Push: X-ray study confirms universe’s dark side
Culling clues from X rays emitted by distant clusters of galaxies, astronomers report new evidence that some mysterious force overcame gravity's tug about 6 billion years ago and ever since has been pushing galaxies apart at an accelerating rate.
- Earth
Big Thaw Coming: Climate change may slam Arctic
If the changes in climate predicted for this century come to pass, the people and creatures of the Arctic will face some of the largest challenges.
