 22 December 2009
In case you missed it: 2009's most interesting science news
Here's what made us go WTF? in 2009 - a recap of the most interesting research news from the past twelve months...
|
21 December 2009
Tantalizing hint of dark matter's existence
An international team of scientists conducting experiments in a disused iron ore mine have announced that they have detected two weakly-interacting massive particles – the very stuff that is thought to make up dark matter...
|
18 December 2009
Fertilizer run-off disrupting food chain in unexpected ways
While human-induced nutrient enrichment in stream systems is causing a steady increase in numbers of organisms lower on the food chain, numbers of organisms at the top of the food chain are not changing...
|
17 December 2009
Bacteria used to crank-up tiny machines
Scientists have created hybrid biomechanical systems driven by bacteria and controlled by manipulation of oxygen levels...
|
16 December 2009
Do antidepressants work through personality change?
New evidence suggests that popular SSRI antidepressant medications can substantially change patients’ personalities; and researchers speculate that it is these changes in personality – rather than the supposed alleviation of depressive symptoms – that are responsible for improvements in mood...
|
15 December 2009
No end in sight for Alaskan coastal erosion
The northern coastline of Alaska is disappearing at 30 to 45 feet a year thanks to a triple whammy of declining sea ice, warming seawater and increased wave activity...
|
14 December 2009
Switch that turns male fertility on-and-off discovered
By manipulating testicular hormone receptors, researchers were able to turn male fertility on and off, opening the door for "the pill" for men and novel techniques to boost male fertility... |
11 December 2009
Carbon impacts get major revision
The climate may be up to 50 percent more sensitive to atmospheric carbon dioxide in the long term than previously thought and climate projections over the next hundreds of years will likely need to be adjusted to reflect this higher sensitivity...
|
10 December 2009
Scientists ponder global change in whale song
The pitch of the songs that blue whales sing across vast expanses of ocean to attract mates has been steadily creeping downward for the past few decades and scientists think it may indicate that numbers of the endangered marine mammal are increasing...
|
9 December 2009
Stem cells engineered to kill HIV
UCLA researchers have shown for the first time that human stem cells can be engineered into a genetic vaccine that can target and kill HIV-infected cells - a technique that could potentially be used against a number of other viral diseases...
|
8 December 2009
Lightning unleashes radiation cocktail for air travelers
Physicists have estimated that airplane passengers could be exposed to a radiation dose equal to that from 400 chest X-rays if their plane happens to be near a lightning discharge...
|
