Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Surgery Guide
Designed for patients and their families, physicians, and students, this Web site provides detailed information about a variety of common surgical procedures, ranging from hernia repair to LASIK for vision correction. Illuminating diagrams and cutting-edge animation accompany each description of a type of surgery. Go to: http://yoursurgery.com/index.cfm
- Humans
From the August 27, 1932, issue
DEDICATE WORLD’S LARGEST POWER PLANT IN RUSSIA Dneprostroy was dedicated on August 25. This hydroelectric power project exceeds similar undertakings in size and difficulty of accomplishment. It is on the Dnieper river in the U.S.S.R. From an installed capacity of 756,000 horsepower, abundant electricity will be available to smelt iron and other metals and to […]
- Humans
From the August 20, 1932, issue
HYDROGEN REMAKES PETROLEUM INTO MORE USEFUL PRODUCTS Hydrogen, lightest of the elements, is a wonder-worker in industrial chemistry. The pushing of more hydrogen into substances, called hydrogenation, makes fluid vegetable oils into synthetic hard fats, carbon monoxide into useful methanol or “wood alcohol,” coal into lubricating oil and gasoline, and poor lubricating oil into superior […]
- Health & Medicine
Tracking signs of memory loss
A new imaging agent may allow researchers to detect the plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease before symptoms are present, when therapies may be most effective.
- Health & Medicine
Cooking Up a Carcinogen
The discovery that acrylamide—a known animal carcinogen—forms in many foods as they fry or bake has prompted the development of an international research network to investigate whether it poses a threat.
- Health & Medicine
Pancreatic enzymes may play role in shock
Pancreatic enzymes used for digestion may cause shock when they leach out of the small intestine and form a substance that activates white blood cells.
- Humans
From the February 15, 1930, issue
ACRES OF PENGUINS IN ANTARCTICA Penguins by the acre are among the profusion of water animals inhabiting the regions adjacent to the desolate lands of Antarctica that help make its exploration of value, Dr. Isaiah Bowman, director of the American Geographical Society, told the American Philosophical Society. Dr. Bowman spoke in the 141-year-old hall of […]
- Health & Medicine
Budding Tastes: Higher blood pressure in newborns links to salt preference
Babies who tolerate a salty flavor have higher blood pressure on average than their less tolerant counterparts do.
- Health & Medicine
Toxin Trumped: New malaria vaccine protects mice
An experimental vaccine neutralizes a toxic molecule made by malaria-causing parasites.
- Health & Medicine
Fruit: Towards Virtual Taste Tests
When it comes to fresh fruit, looks can be deceiving. The prettiest apples may be tasteless or their texture mealy. Intact, ruby-hued skin may hide a large, mushy bruise. As a result, each purchase becomes somewhat of a gamble. Federal engineers with the Agricultural Research Service hope to up a buyer’s odds with a system […]
- Humans
From the August 13, 1932, issue
ONLY HALF OF LIGHTNING FLASH IS SEEN BY OBSERVERS Not many years ago, a thunderstorm often meant that the supply of electricity would be interrupted. But now, lightning does not cause power line failures nearly as frequently as it used to; it has been tamed by engineers. Laboratory artificial power lines that duplicate actual conditions […]
- Health & Medicine
One more reason to worry
A single dose of the AIDS drug nevirapine, given to mothers to help prevent them from infecting their children during birth, may be enough to prod the virus to develop drug resistance.
