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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Climate
On federal science — and science spending
Things you might have gleaned at the AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy.
By Janet Raloff - Astronomy
They’re calling Obama the ‘science guy’
Speakers at a science forum offered support for the thesis that researchers have found a big ally in the new president.
By Janet Raloff - Life
Expansive genetic diversity in Africa revealed
Largest genetic study of African populations yields clues about the origin of modern humans and the ancestry of African-Americans
- Health & Medicine
World Health Organization raises swine flu alert level
The World Health Organization announced April 29 that is has raised the alert level for swine flu from Phase 4 to Phase 5, which suggests that a pandemic is imminent.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Brain reads word-by-word
The brain reads words as whole units and processes the information quickly, two studies suggest.
- Health & Medicine
New weapon fights hepatitis C
Taking the experimental drug telaprevir with standard medications for hepatitis C clears the virus from patients’ blood better than the standard combination alone.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Institute of Medicine takes on conflicts of interest
The Institute of Medicine seeks to divorce medical research from undue influence by the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries.
By Janet Raloff - Life
Connectivity may play role in autism
Large studies of autism suggest connections between neurons are the culprit.
- Humans
Obama pledges 3 percent of GDP for research
BLOG: Highlights of what the president announced to the National Academy of Sciences.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Swine flu outbreak likely to continue, officials say
Even as public health data on the new outbreak change daily, biological information on the mysterious virus remains scant.
By Nathan Seppa - Physics
Obama pledges 3 percent of GDP for research
Pledges for big budget increases for research, permanent tax credits for reseach by industry and more were announced today.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Obama on the swine flu epidemic
New swine flu is "cause for concern," the President acknowledged this morning.
By Janet Raloff