Vol. 190 No. 7
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More Stories from the October 1, 2016 issue

  1. Genetics

    Thank (or blame) your genes for ability to handle java jolt

    A gene involved in caffeine processing may control coffee consumption.

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  2. Earth

    Wave-thumping ‘weather bomb’ storms send elusive S waves through Earth

    A rare type of deep-Earth tremor called an S wave generated by a rapidly strengthening storm could help scientists map the planet’s mantle and core.

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  3. Physics

    Bacteria-sized molecules created in lab

    Cesium atoms with high-energy electrons pair up to form giant molecules.

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  4. Neuroscience

    GluMI cells are anything but

    GluMI cells are no downers in the retina.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Tasmanian devils evolve resistance to contagious cancer

    Tasmanian devils are evolving resistance to a deadly contagious cancer.

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  6. Paleontology

    Greenland may be home to Earth’s oldest fossils

    Dating to 3.7 billion years ago, mounds of sediment called stromatolites found in Greenland may be the oldest fossilized evidence of life on Earth.

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  7. Neuroscience

    New Alzheimer’s drug shows promise in small trial

    A much-anticipated Alzheimer’s drug shows promise in a new trial, but experts temper hope with caution.

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  8. Materials Science

    High-tech cloth could make summer days a breeze

    A plastic material like kitchen cling wrap may be the next big thing in high-tech clothing. The fabric lets heat pass through, but blocks visible light, making it opaque enough to wear.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Bacterial weaponry that causes stillbirth revealed

    Vaginal bacteria may cause stillbirth by deploying tiny weapons

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  10. Planetary Science

    Juno transmits first intimate snapshots of Jupiter

    Hurricane-like clouds spiral over Jupiter’s poles, new photos taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft reveal.

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  11. Particle Physics

    Supersymmetry’s absence at LHC puzzles physicists

    Accelerator experiments find no evidence to support popular particle physics theory known as supersymmetry.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Panel outlines research priorities for ‘Cancer Moonshot’

    Recommendations for President Barack Obama’s Cancer Moonshot include improved data sharing, focus on immunotherapy and commitment to patient engagement.

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  13. Neuroscience

    Jessica Cantlon seeks the origins of numerical thinking

    Cognitive neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon wants to find out how humans understand numbers and where that understanding comes from.

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  14. Neuroscience

    Jeremy Freeman seeks to simplify complex brain science

    As a group leader at the Janelia Research Campus, Jeremy Freeman is equal parts neuroscientist, computer coder and data visualization whiz.

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  15. Computing

    Shayan Oveis Gharan finds the shortest route to success

    Theoretical computer scientist Shayan Oveis Gharan has identified connections between unrelated fields to tackle the traveling salesman problem.

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  16. Materials Science

    Qian Chen makes matter come alive

    Materials scientist Qian Chen is coaxing nanomaterials to self-assemble in new and unexpected ways.

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  17. Humans

    Lawrence David’s gut check gets personal

    Computational biologist Lawrence David regularly opens himself to new scientific challenges, including tracking his own microbiome.

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  18. Life

    Aneil Agrawal unites math and mess

    Evolutionary geneticist Aneil Agrawal is equally at home with real and hypothetical fruit flies.

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  19. Oceans

    Melissa Omand’s clever tech follows the fate of ocean carbon

    Drawn to the water early, oceanographer Melissa Omand now leads research cruises studying how carbon and nutrients move through the seas.

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  20. Health & Medicine

    Phil Baran finds simple recipes for complex molecules

    Chemist Phil Baran draws on artistry and creativity to efficiently synthesize molecules that could improve people's lives.

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  21. Physics

    Tenio Popmintchev fits X-ray laser on a tabletop

    Laser physicist Tenio Popmintchev has created a Swiss-army-knife tool made of light.

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  22. Astronomy

    Anna Frebel digs a young universe

    Astronomer Anna Frebel has discovered record-breaking stars, including the most pristine in the galaxy.

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  23. Genetics

    To study Galápagos cormorants, a geneticist gets creative

    To collect DNA from four cormorant species, this scientist called in bird scientists far and wide.

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  24. Astronomy

    Old-school contraptions still work for weighing astronauts

    To weigh themselves, astronauts still use technology invented about 50 years ago.

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  25. Planetary Science

    Water plays big role in shaping dwarf planet Ceres

    Findings from the Dawn spacecraft turn up cryovolcanoes, ice patches and hydrated minerals on Ceres, supporting the idea that water helped shape the dwarf planet.

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  26. Animals

    Bonobos adept at nut cracking

    Bonobos demonstrate their overlooked nut-cracking skills in an African sanctuary.

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  27. Planetary Science

    Philae lander spotted on comet 67P

    Missing since November 2014, the Philae comet lander has been found lurking in the shadows on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

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