Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
Unexplained atmospheric chemistry detected
A field study in China reveals an unusually high and unexplained production of hydroxyl radicals.
- Agriculture
Pesticide may seed American infant formulas with melamine
An insecticide may underlie traces of melamine, a toxic constituent of plastics and other materials, now being found in infant formulas.
- Climate
Cultivation changed monsoon in Asia
The loss of forests in India, China during the 1700s led to a decline in monsoon precipitation.
- Health & Medicine
Pancreatic cancer linked to herbicides
Featured blog: Some weed killers may need to be treated with more respect.
- Earth
Phytoliths as climate clues
Tiny silica plant structures from soil could track temperature changes.
- Earth
Bricks, mortar and magnetism
Medieval French castle, churches yield new data about Earth’s changing magnetic field.
- Earth
A more organic meteorite
Some meteorites may contain a higher concentration of organic chemicals than previously thought.
- Health & Medicine
Air pollution makes chromosomes look older
Traffic exhaust appears to shorten telomeres, a sign of cellular aging.
- Life
Life on Earth took a licking, kept on ticking
Earth's early organisms may not have had to restart after a long spell of asteroid impacts.
- Chemistry
BPA: On the way out? Sort of
Half-hearted bans won't really protect babies, much less the rest of us.
- Psychology
School-age lead exposures most harmful to IQ
New studies find lead exposure has greater potency in school-age children than in infants and toddlers, including effects on brain volume.
- Chemistry
Nonstick chemical pollutes water at notable levels
Residues of nonstick chemicals — from unknown sources — appear to be approaching concentrations associated with adverse effects in laboratory animals.
