On the Scene
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
-
The carbon footprint of industrial whaling
Blog: Over the past century, whale hunting released 128,000 Hummers’ worth of carbon into the atmosphere
- Health & Medicine
Healthy teeth, healthy people
Talk leaves journalists flossing for details on oral health.
- Health & Medicine
Lunch time for stem cells
Kristen Brennand is trying to tease out how the cells in brains of healthy people differ from those in schizophrenic patients. The problem: No one wants to give up a chunk of brain for her to study. So she’s fashioning her own clumps of brain cells from tissue people willingly part with – skin.
- Quantum Physics
Higgs and his particle prove elusive
Peter Higgs and colleagues receive particle theory prize; scientists still hunting the proposed boson
- Astronomy
Black hole as a peephole
The galaxy’s central supermassive black hole could smear light to reveal extra dimensions.
- Agriculture
How better weather models can save peanut farmers money
Better weather forecasts could help farmers avoid unnecessary pesticide spraying.
-
Milius versus the bed bugs
Science News writer Susan Milius experiences the perils of knowing what bed bug scientists do in their own hotel rooms.
- Space
Not too soon to announce possible earliest galaxies known
BLOG: Press briefing fails to announce preliminary findings of what could be the most distant galaxies seen yet.
-
Charles Bolden on moon landings
Ron Cowen reports from the American Astronomical Society meeting in Washington, D.C.
- Earth
Danish sustainability: From coats to undies
The United Nations climate change conference may be over, but Denmark’s interest in climate-protection issues isn’t. Case in point: an exhibit at the Danish Design Center. Across the street from Copenhagen’s famed Tivoli Gardens, local fashion-design students are showcasing their idea of another type of greens – fashion-forward clothes that are kind to Mother Nature.
- Earth
Mistletoe leaves a big carbon footprint in Yellowstone
Earth sciences reporter Sid Perkins blogs on new research from the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.
- Climate
Obama: Climate’s rock star
A little over a half-hour ago, President Barack Obama wrapped up a stirring pep talk to his fellow world leaders attending the United Nations climate change meeting. He didn’t promise the world. Only that the United States could be depended upon to do its part in helping stem global greenhouse gas emissions and to fund measures that would help fund the world’s poorest and climate-beleaguered nations adapt. But what was especially interesting was to watch how the whole climate conference has waited with baited breath to learn what Obama would say: Could our President make promises that would at last galvanize action in the United States and accord among countries whose views, even yesterday, seemed poles apart?
