Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Chemistry
Fighting flames with greener materials
New, nano-thin coatings for fabrics and plastics are relatively nontoxic flame retardants.
- Earth
Earth & Environment
BPA triggers gene changes in people, cleaning drain waters and more in this week's news.
- Climate
El Niños may inflame civil unrest
Weather extremes associated with this climate phenomenon appear to double the risk that conflict will erupt in any given year.
- Earth
Magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits Virginia
The region's largest tremor in recent history hit northwest of Richmond, felt over much of the East Coast.
- Earth
Earth & Environment
Antarctic ice flows, atmospheric response to nuclear fallout and more in this week's news.
- Earth
Stature’s heightened risk of cancer
My daughter is always shopping for 4-inch heels or other elevating footwear to make her appear taller. But a new study suggests that diminutive stature has at least one major perk: a lower risk of cancer.
- Tech
Growing need for space trash collectors
On April 2, for the fifth time in less than three years, the International Space Station fired its engines to dodge a piece of orbital debris that appeared on a collision path. Other spacecraft also regularly scoot out of the way of rocket and satellite debris. Such evasive action will be needed increasingly frequently, a new study finds.
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- Humans
Big fish return to Mexican marine park
Most effects of overharvesting reversed within a decade.
- Tech
Sparing the rare earths
Potential shortages of useful metals inspire scientists to seek alternatives for magnet technologies
- Humans
Bag lunches invite disease, study finds
“Sack” lunches often pose a ticking bacterial bomb, a new study indicates. And including an ice pack or two — ostensibly to keep perishables at safe temperatures — won’t necessarily eliminate the risk.
- Earth
Earth/Environment
Ancient monster eruption found, plus balancing sea ice, Bt-resistant beetles and more in this week’s news.
