Vol. 201 No. 10

Science Visualized

Notebook

Features

More Stories from the June 4, 2022 issue

  1. meteorite
    Space

    All of the bases in DNA and RNA have now been found in meteorites

    Scientists have detected adenine and guanine in meteorites for decades and seen hints of uracil. But cytosine and thymine had remained elusive.

    By
  2. a coral reef teeming with fish and a diver in the background
    Oceans

    How some sunscreens damage coral reefs

    In lab experiments, sea anemones and coral turned oxybenzone into a toxin activated by light. But helpful algae may provide a layer of protection.

    By
  3. microscope image showing brain cells with dopamine in green and active AGTR1 gene in magenta
    Neuroscience

    A very specific kind of brain cell dies off in people with Parkinson’s

    Of out 10 kinds of dopamine-making nerve cells, only one type is extra vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease.

    By
  4. photo of the remains of an Inca child bundled in a textile and wearing a ceremonial headdress
    Archaeology

    A special brew may have calmed Inca children headed for sacrifice

    The mummified remains contained a substance that may reduce anxiety and is found in ayahuasca, a psychedelic ceremonial liquid still drunk today.

    By
  5. six nesting dolls at different distances, all in focus
    Tech

    This camera lens can focus up close and far away at the same time

    Inspired by the eye of an extinct trilobite species, the large depth of field can help with imaging techniques to create 3-D photos.

    By
  6. the city of Otsuchi, Japan after a devastating earthquake
    Earth

    Machine learning and gravity signals could rapidly detect big earthquakes

    Large earthquakes make speed-of-light adjustments to Earth’s gravitational field. Researchers have now trained computers to detect the signals.

    By
  7. Myotis myotis bat hanging from the ceiling of a cave
    Life

    These bats buzz like wasps and bees. The sound may deter hungry owls

    Researchers have identified what may be the first known case of a mammal mimicking an insect.

    By
  8. a blue burst of light from a volcanic eruption can be seen on the surface of Io
    Planetary Science

    Lava and frost may form the mysterious lumps on Jupiter’s moon Io

    Jets of gas released when hot meets cold on the volcanic moon Io could generate sprawling fields of dunes, a study finds.

    By
  9. image of a pipe organ
    Physics

    Here’s why pipe organs seem to violate a rule of sound

    Why reedless wind instruments’ fundamental tones are lower than expected is an 160-year-old mystery. Physicists have now solved it.

    By
  10. black and white photo of water poured from above splashing on raw chicken
    Health & Medicine

    How to wash chicken in the kitchen more safely, according to physics

    Despite the advice of health experts, most people who cook chicken at home wash it. New research offers ways to reduce spreading dangerous germs.

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  11. image of an object glowing blue from Cerenkov light
    Particle Physics

    A new nuclear imaging prototype detects tumors’ faint glow

    Nuclear imaging that relies on Cerenkov light could supplement standard-of-care technology for identifying location of tumors.

    By
  12. Astronaut Donald Slayton embraces cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov
    Space

    50 years ago, the United States and Soviet Union joined forces for science

    In 1972, U.S. and Soviet leaders agreed to work together on science. Now, Russia’s war in Ukraine is straining that decades-long partnership.

    By