More Stories from the July 27, 2013 issue
- Archaeology
Ancient Siberians may have rarely hunted mammoths
Occasional kills by Stone Age humans could not have driven creatures to extinction, researchers say.
- Astronomy
Hubble finds hints of a planet oddly far-flung from its star
If confirmed, the dark gap in space debris will challenge astronomers' theories.
- Health & Medicine
Ebola thwarted in mice by drugs for infertility, cancer
Extensive search of existing medicines turns up two that seem to fend off deadly virus.
- Life
Cabbage circadian clocks tick even after picking
Daily cycles in vegetables help ward off hungry caterpillars.
- Particle Physics
First four-quark particle may have been spotted
If confirmed, the tetraquark could shed light on how atomic nuclei are held together.
- Earth
Cleaner air may have brought more storms
Pollution during the 20th century appears to have suppressed North Atlantic hurricanes.
- Astronomy
Cradled galaxies betray violent past
Hubble snaps ‘the Penguin’ and its egg-shaped companion.
- Animals
Elephant diets changed millions of years before their teeth
The animals fed on grasses long before their molars could grind the tough plants.
- Health & Medicine
A wobble of the noggin reveals the workings of the heart
Pulse can be measured by examining a video of subtle head motions.
- Animals
Lemurs’ group size predicts social intelligence
Primates that live with many others know not to steal food when someone is watching.
- Life
Ancient horse’s DNA fills in picture of equine evolution
An entire genome compiled from a 700,000-year-old bone yields new information about equine history.
- Health & Medicine
No link found between vaccines and nerve-damaging condition
Recently immunized people are not at an increased risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nerve-damaging condition.
- Life
Genes in wheat relatives help stave off stem rust
Wild and obscure species provide resistance to deadly fungus.
- Tech
Twisted light transmits more data
Spiral beams allow multiple information streams in one cable.
- Earth
Faults can reseal months after quakes
Measurements in southern China find quick healing of fractured rock.
- Archaeology
Pre-Inca empire tomb found untouched in Peru
Gold jewelry, bronze axes and dozens of bodies were among the contents of the Wari empire ceremonial room.
- Physics
Particles defy gravity, float upstream
Inspired by tea leaves’ reverse route into a kettle, physicists demonstrate that water’s surface tension allows unexpected movement.
- Health & Medicine
People may have evolved to fight cholera
People in Bangladesh have genetic variations that might defend against the disease.
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- Neuroscience
Finding the brain’s common language
Erich Jarvis dreams of creating a talking chimpanzee. If his theories on language are right, that just might happen one day.
- Health & Medicine
Permanent Present Tense
The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Suzanne Corkin.
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- Neuroscience
Memories lost and found
Drugs that help mice remember reveal role for epigenetics in recall.
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Letters to the editor
European family ties are knotty I have trouble understanding “Europeans are one big family” (SN: 6/15/13, p. 8). It says that every person living in Europe today shares a common set of ancestors. First, what does “set” mean? “Set” implies there are certain common characteristics of the members, but people living in Europe 1,000 years […]
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