Vol. 160 No. #10
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More Stories from the September 8, 2001 issue

  1. Geneticists define new elephant species

    A new study of the genetics of African elephants shows that forest dwellers differ so much from those roaming the savannas that the two may be separate species.

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  2. Seabird makes citrusy bug repellant

    Auklet feathers carry a cocktail of citrus-smelling chemicals, including compounds that squashbugs secrete to repel predators.

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  3. Audiovisual aids may lessen dyslexia

    A short training course in matching sound sequences with visual patterns shows promise as a way to boost reading skills in children with dyslexia.

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  4. A tip of the tongue to the brain

    Researchers have identified several brain areas that together underlie the experience of feeling certain that a piece of forgotten information is nonetheless on the tip of one's tongue.

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  5. Earth

    Aircraft spies on health of coral reefs

    Marine ecologists report the development of a new remote-sensing system that can assess the health of coral reefs from planes.

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  6. Astronomy

    Galaxy’s Black Hole: X Rays Mark Spot

    An X-ray outburst from the center of our galaxy is providing compelling new evidence that a monster black hole lurks at the Milky Way's core.

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  7. Chemistry

    Feline stimulant fends off mosquitoes

    Preliminary results suggest that catnip may be more effective at repelling mosquitoes than the widely used chemical DEET.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Arteries may be vulnerable to HIV attack

    HIV may directly interact with cells in arteries, predisposing people to heart attacks.

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  9. Animals

    Even deep down, the right whales don’t sink

    A right whale may weigh some 70 tons, but unlike other marine mammals studied so far, it tends to float rather than sink at great depths.

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  10. Glutamate paths surface in schizophrenia

    Three new studies indicate that altered transmission of glutamate, a key brain chemical, plays an influential role in the severe mental disorder known as schizophrenia.

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  11. Earth

    Antarctic sediments muddy climate debate

    Ocean-floor sediments drilled from Antarctic regions recently covered by ice shelves suggest that those shelves were much younger than scientists had previously thought.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Gene implicated in deadly influenza

    A strain of influenza virus that struck in Hong Kong in 1997 got some of its lethality from a mutation in the gene encoding an enzyme called PB2.

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  13. Health & Medicine

    Walking and eating for better health

    A low-fat diet and regular exercise can ward off diabetes in people at high risk of developing the disease.

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  14. Health & Medicine

    Study challenges surgery for lung disease

    Patients with the most severe emphysema shouldn't undergo major surgery that removes part of their damaged lungs.

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  15. Chemistry

    Tiny spheres may deliver oral insulin

    Researchers have developed microscopic spheres that can sneak insulin past the stomach so it can be absorbed in the small intestine.

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  16. Chemistry

    Argon keeps chips and lettuce crisp

    A new technique replaces the air in food packages with argon instead of widely used nitrogen, improving taste and shelf life.

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  17. Chemistry

    Novel material fights against cavities

    A new material that dentists might eventually put under fillings and braces secretes calcium and phosphate ions to rebuild teeth as cavities form.

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  18. Health & Medicine

    Immunity’s Eyes

    Proteins called toll-like receptors allow human immune cells to detect microbes.

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  19. Chemistry

    Faster, Better, Cleaner?

    Chemists have found that a new class of compounds, called ionic liquids, can substitute for widely used, messy organic solvents while also performing better and producing new products of interest to industry.

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