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		MathTricky Crossings
Have you heard the one about an itinerant entertainer traveling with a wolf, a goat, and a basket of cabbages? E. Roell The showman comes to a river and finds a small boat that holds only himself and one passenger. For obvious reasons, he can’t leave the wolf alone with the goat, or the goat […]
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		From the December 9, 1933, issue
BABY SKATES Psychologists were amazed by a motion picture film given a private showing for them recently in Chicago. The film showed a little baby less than a year and one-half old doing the most surprising feats of muscular skill. He roller-skated like a miniature master of the art. He climbed off stools of much […]
By Science News - 			
			
		PlantsSweet Lurkers: Cryptic fungi protect chocolate-tree leaves
A whole world of fungi thrives inside tree leaves without causing any harm, and researchers now say these residents may help fight disease.
By Susan Milius - 			
			
		Health & MedicineRisk Profile: C-reactive protein may presage hypertension
High concentrations of the inflammatory compound C-reactive protein may signal an elevated risk of high blood pressure.
By Nathan Seppa - 			
			
		19364
The conclusion does not follow from the data in this article. The possibility was not ruled out that the same inborn trait that causes fear of novelty also hastens aging. A cohort of novelty-averse rats should have been left stressfree to answer this important question. Tom PaskalMontreal, Quebec
By Science News - 			
			
		Worried to Death: Lifelong inhibitions hasten rodents’ deaths
In rats with a fear of novel situations, an exaggerated hormonal response to minor types of stress adds up to a shorter life than that of bold rats.
By Bruce Bower - 			
			
		EarthSlowing Puberty? Pesticide may hinder development in boys
Long-term exposure to the pesticide endosulfan may delay the onset of puberty in boys.
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		AstronomyBreach of the Shield: Magnetic links between sun and Earth last hours
Once breaches have formed in Earth's protective magnetic field, they persist for many hours, allowing charged particles from the sun to gush through and create electrical disturbances.
By Ron Cowen - 			
			
		Model Mice: Blood reveals signs of pancreatic cancer
Mice that develop pancreatic cancer show signs of the disease long before malignant tumors arise, just as people with this type of cancer do.
By John Travis - 			
			
		EarthGemstone Geography: New technique discerns emeralds’ beginnings
Water molecules trapped inside the minuscule channels of an emerald harbor telltale signs of the gem's geographic origin.
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		Genome made quickly from scratch
Scientists have synthesized a viral genome in record time.