Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Agriculture
Fighting fungal weapons, not fungi
Scientists have engineered several compounds that target an enzyme that blackleg and black spot fungi use to thwart plant defense systems. The selective compounds are designed not to harm beneficial species while still protecting valuable crops.
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- Earth
Vitamin E shields lungs from smog effects
The "other" vitamin E shows promise in being able to shield the lungs and nasal passages from ozone damage.
- Earth
North America’s smallest dino predator
A new fossil analysis uncovers what may have been North America’s tiniest dino predator.
- Earth
Pushing back an oxygen-rich atmosphere
Hematite crystals in Australian rocks hint that Earth’s atmosphere was oxygenated earlier than previously thought.
- Earth
Goo gives eels just the right buoyancy
Scientists survey the specific gravity of 25 marine critters.
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- Planetary Science
Seeing the future hot spells
Satellite data could help scientists better predict killer heat waves, such as the one that hit Europe in 2003.
- Health & Medicine
Bottled water may contain ‘hormones’: Glass
Some mineral water appears to have been tainted prior to bottling.
- Chemistry
Bottled water may contain ‘hormones’: Plastics
New concerns arise over the presence of hormonelike pollutants in plastic food packaging.
- Earth
Effects of the weather, underground
Sudden changes in air temperature in the stratosphere that can ultimately steer major storm systems can also influence the number of subatomic particles slamming into detectors located hundreds of meters below ground, a new study reveals.
- Tech
Whiz Kids: The Movie
New independent film showcases the arduous path by which extraodinary high school researchers reach the Science Talent Search competition in Washington, D.C.
