More Stories from the June 10, 2006 issue
- Earth
Deep-sea action
Scientists using remotely operated vehicles have reported the first close-up observations of a deep undersea volcano during its eruption.
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Zits in tubeworms: Part of growing up
Young tubeworms pick up the live-in bacteria they need for nutrition in a rite of passage that starts with a skin infection.
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Chimps lead way to HIV birthplace
A viral analysis confirms that the global AIDS epidemic originated in chimpanzees living in southeastern Cameroon.
- Health & Medicine
For women, weight gain spells heartburn
A study of more than 10,000 women suggests that weight gain is associated with heartburn.
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Hand gels falter
Alcohol-based gels may not effectively eliminate from people's hands a type of virus that causes millions of cases of diarrhea worldwide each year.
- Health & Medicine
Dive suits could spread disease
Divers' wetsuits can harbor bacteria that cause diseases in coral and people.
- Health & Medicine
Can supplements nix kidney stones?
The majority of commercially available probiotic supplements don't degrade the compound that forms kidney stones.
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Cooked garlic still kills bacteria
Cooked garlic can kill bacteria, but less efficiently than raw garlic does.
- Health & Medicine
Homegrown Defender: Urinary infections face natural guard
Specialized peptides produced by cells lining the urinary tract stand guard as the first line of defense against bacterial infection.
- Astronomy
Mini Solar Systems? Astronomers find disks around planet-size objects
Disks with the potential to form planets, or at least moons, have been found orbiting objects outside the solar system that themselves are no heftier than planets.
- Animals
Walking on Water: Tree frog’s foot uses dual method to stick
The tree frog can cling to both wet and dry terrains, despite its permanently lubricated foot.
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All the Rage: Survey extends reach of explosive-anger disorder
A mental disorder that encompasses a wide range of recurring, hostile outbursts, including domestic violence and road rage, characterizes considerably more people than previous data had indicated.
- Health & Medicine
Ancient Wisdom: Chinese extract may yield diabetes treatment
A plant extract used in traditional Chinese medicine could form the basis for new treatments for type 2 diabetes.
- Animals
Leggiest Animal: Champ millipede located after 79-year gap
A millipede species that can grow up to 750 legs has turned up in California after decades with no sightings.
- Earth
Toxic Tides: Another reason to worry about hurricanes
The hurricanes that struck Florida in the summer of 2004 also may have triggered an intense, widespread, and long-lasting red tide that afflicted the state's west-central coast throughout 2005.
- Math
Springfield Theory
Over many years, the popular animated TV series The Simpsons has included numerous references to mathematics on the show.
- Chemistry
Gritty Clues
Archaeologists are tying chemical signatures found in the soil to past human activity.
- Humans
Letters from the June 10, 2006, issue of Science News
Know the drill Could it be that the ancient teeth discovered with drill marks but no signs of fillings (“Mystery Drilling: Ancient teeth endured dental procedures,” SN: 4/8/06, p. 213) were drilled to relieve abscesses? On a long holiday weekend years ago, a dentist opened and drained an abscess for me until I could get […]
