All Stories by Science News
-
19090
A pet dog doesn’t have to be hungry to enjoy chewing on a bone. Perhaps dire wolves did enjoy a “glorious paradise” 15,000 years ago. Without other predators to chase them away from a kill, they had more leisure time to hang about and chew the bone. Matt FenskeSpokane, Wash. From 15,000 to 12,000 years […]
-
19022
All of the characteristics the researchers ascribe to sexual abusers–hostile masculinity, penchant for impersonal assembly-line sex, sexual preoccupation, emotional callousness, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder–prevent them from forming enduring emotionally intimate attachments. Perhaps abusers turn to domination sex in the vain attempt to relieve their frustration through an imposed physical intimacy they control. Marilyn M. KramerWausau, Wis. […]
-
From the July 23, 1932, issue
DROP OF OIL ATOMIZED INTO 100,000,000 PARTICLES A tiny drop of fuel oil no larger than the head of a safety match has been torn into 100,000,000 particles at the research laboratory of the General Electric Co., Schenectady, N.Y., it is announced. Intensely hot combustion results at high efficiency. Engineers are expected to apply the […]
-
Follow that Fossil!
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers an introduction to the process of finding fossils and learning from them about the past. The museum’s Web site describes the prospecting, excavation, preparation, and exhibition of various types of plant and animal specimens. Go to: http://www.dmns.org/denverbasin2/fossil/
-
19089
As I recall, neural networks also require, from time to time, periods of very low input in order to maintain their learning efficiencies. Neural-network researchers call these periods sleep, yet these networks obviously don’t require glycogen to function. Thus, it always seemed to me that sleep is probably more of a requirement of the neurons’ […]
-
19088
This article touches on one of the dirty little secrets of beauty products: By and large, they are a chemical stew with ingredients that would require EPA warnings if used in industrial settings. I’m amazed that EPA doesn’t regulate the volatiles in nail salons. Steve SchlosserSaratoga, Calif.
-
19087
While reading that the cranial crest of the pterosaur Thalassodromeus helped regulate body temperature, I pondered another potential use. While gliding near the water, its crested head might act as a rudder for the large-wingspan animal. Perhaps the crest also included nerves that allowed Thalassodromeus to sense fleeing fish. Steve M. AdamsPlano, Texas Perhaps the […]
-
19086
This article says that the water drop is added to the back of the paper “as a wall against which the metal plume could push.” It seems more likely that the heat of the laser would even more violently vaporize the water, creating a small explosion that would drive the plane forward via the relatively […]
-
19085
Regarding this article, I live close to Mendota, Calif., the site of the photo depicting ground subsidence due to overpumping of groundwater. Though I have only lived here for two summers, I am surprised at the amount of water wasted daily by agriculture and residential users in this area. A casual observer would not know […]
-
19084
This article confirms what food-allergic persons have known for quite awhile, that food allergy reactions are not provoked only by ingestion. Another kind of kiss can cause reactions. My food-allergic daughter reports that “kisses” from pets may or may not cause hives, depending on the animal’s diet. Diane SmithOakton, Va.
-
19021
As stated in the article, nitric oxide is a recognized and commonly monitored pollutant. It would be of interest to see the incidence of sickle-cell disease plotted against NO pollution levels for similar populations. Sufficient data are probably already available. Ken MartwickFall Creek, Ore.
-
19078
I was saddened to see that water conservation received such short shrift in this article. The easiest, cheapest way to conserve water supplies is simply not to use them. Instead of figuring out how to put blankets on snowdrifts, why not just focus on turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving? Alan […]
