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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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PaleontologyNew dinosaur species is titanic
Titanoceratops may be the oldest known member of the triceratops group.
By Susan Milius -
EarthUnderstanding storm spin-offs
Meteorologists seeking to better predict tornadoes probe the differences between tempests that spawn twisters and those that don't.
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EarthGreat quake one of the biggest ever in Japan
BLOG: Magnitude-8.9 tremor will go down in seismology’s record books
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PhysicsSoot hastens snowmelt on Tibetan Plateau
Black carbon pollution is a more potent driver of melting in the region than increases in carbon dioxide, a new computer simulation suggests.
By Janet Raloff -
EarthEarth/Environment
The carbon footprint of Brazilian beef, plus the health effects of pollution and electrification in this week's news.
By Science News -
EarthLow sperm counts linked to fetal effects
Low male fertility may partly stem from chemical exposures in utero, an anatomical study suggests.
By Janet Raloff -
EarthPCBs may impair fertility
A study of women undergoing in vitro fertilization finds reduced embryo implantation among women with higher levels of one type of the banned chemicals.
By Janet Raloff -
EarthEarth/Environment
Scientists discover what causes the rumbles before a volcano erupts, plus more in this week’s news.
By Science News -
EarthAncient fossil sheds light on early evolution of body armor
A relative of today’s crabs and insects, the 10-legged, 520-million-year-old find may be the earliest known example of its kind with protected, jointed limbs.
By Susan Milius -
MicrobesGulf floor fouled by bacterial oil feast
Observations may explain the widespread mortality of sediment-dwelling animals.
By Janet Raloff -
EarthEarth/Environment
Research links pesticides to Parkinson’s disease, plus more in this week’s news.
By Science News -
LifePacking away the poison
A genetic adaptation in a Hudson River fish species allows it to simply store toxic pollutants in its fat.
By Janet Raloff