Vol. 189 No. 7
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More Stories from the April 2, 2016 issue

  1. Microbes

    Missing gut microbes linked to childhood malnutrition

    The right mix of gut microbes could prevent kids from succumbing to malnutrition.

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  2. Climate

    20th century sea level rose at fastest rate since founding of Rome

    Sea levels rose more rapidly in the 1900s than during any other century in at least 2,800 years, with global warming causing at least half that rise.

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  3. Animals

    Rock ant decisions swayed by six-legged social media

    When rock ants start influencing each other with one-on-one social contact, a colony’s collective decisions can change.

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  4. Planetary Science

    Charon’s surface cracked when ancient subsurface sea froze

    A subsurface ocean on Charon, Pluto’s largest moon, might have once frozen and cracked the moon’s surface, creating some of the ridges and valleys seen today.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Explaining Henry VIII’s erratic behavior

    Researchers say Henry VIII suffered several traumatic brain injuries that may explain his explosive outbursts and memory problems.

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  6. Archaeology

    11,000-year-old pendant with etched design found in England

    Stone artifact with design etched on it comes from a transitional time in England 11,000 years ago.

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  7. Oceans

    3.5 billion years ago, oceans were cool, not hot

    Extensive new evidence from South Africa suggests that 3.5 billion years ago, Earth was locked in a cold spell, with isolated blasts of hydrothermal heat that may have helped incubate life.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Scientists probe Zika’s link to neurological disorder

    The link between the Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome is growing stronger.

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  9. Astronomy

    Repeating fast radio bursts recorded for the first time

    Until now, ephemeral blasts of radio waves from other galaxies have never repeated; this one erupted 10 times last year.

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  10. Psychology

    Psychology’s replication crisis sparks new debate

    Controversy flares again about whether psychology studies survive further scrutiny.

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  11. Genetics

    Missing genes not always a problem for people

    Humans have ways to make up for missing genes, study suggests.

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  12. Animals

    Is Amy Tan actually ‘thrilled’ a leech is named after her?

    Novelist Amy Tan answers a lingering question about celebrities honored in scientific names of new species — her namesake is a leech.

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  13. Paleontology

    Lizards locked in amber provide clues to reptile evolution

    Amber-encased lizard remains that date to 99 million years ago may shed light on the evolution of geckos and chameleons.

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  14. Climate

    Hurricane frequency dropped during 17th century ‘Little Ice Age’

    Atlantic hurricane activity fell around 75 percent when the sun dimmed from 1645 to 1715, a new analysis of shipwrecks and tree rings suggests.

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  15. Health & Medicine

    ‘Cancer moonshot’ launch prep under way

    Details are trickling out for the president’s proposed “cancer moonshot,” but plan for launch is still months off.

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  16. Anthropology

    H. erectus cut, chewed way through evolution

    A diet that included raw, sliced meat changed the face of early Homo evolution, scientists say.

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  17. Health & Medicine

    Molecules found to counter antibiotic resistance

    Molecules made in a lab can foil antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

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  18. Climate

    Antarctic history suggests ice sheet ‘danger’ threshold

    Carbon dioxide levels during the Antarctic ice sheet’s formation 34 million years ago suggest that Earth could soon enter “danger zone” for ice sheet’s demise.

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  19. Planetary Science

    Wandering Jupiter could have swept inner solar system clean

    If Jupiter formed close to the sun and then wandered out, that might explain why there are no planets interior to Mercury’s orbit.

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  20. Health & Medicine

    Three big reasons why U.S. men have a shorter life expectancy

    U.S. men’s lives are two years shorter than men in other rich countries for three reasons: guns, drugs and cars.

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  21. Astronomy

    Quasars’ distance no longer in question

    Astronomers now know quasars live around black holes in remote galaxies, but 50 years ago, one researcher argued they were much closer.

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  22. Health & Medicine

    Microbes can play games with the mind

    Our bodies are having a conversation with our microbiome that may be affecting our mental health — for better or worse.

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  23. Science & Society

    See life in a cubic foot, visit Roman artifacts, and more to do

    New and upcoming exhibits celebrate biodiversity, birds’ dinosaur origins, opulence in ancient Rome, and more.

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