All - By Theme

  • Pitching the biomechanics
    Pitching the biomechanics The fate of baseball teams valued at hundreds of millions of dollars and followed by millions of rabid fans can come down to the elbow ligaments of a handful of young men who can throw a ball nearly 100 mph. But that doesn’t mean the best science guides their training.
    Thursday, May 17th, 2012
  • Dunewatching, Martian style
    Dunewatching, Martian style

    New pix from Mars show sand dunes on the move. Mars has been dry for 1.5 billion years; could massive erosion be due to wind? Yes, says a new report that tracked dunes with precise new images. Surprise: dunes move as fast on Mars as on Earth!


    Thursday, May 10th, 2012
  • Rennaissance man wonders: Denial of science, science of denial ... Why do so many doubt evolution, warming?
    Denial of science, science of denial Tobacco and cancer. CFCs and ozone. Vaccines and autism. And evolution through natural selection, acid rain and global warming. Why do the facts get lost in a cacophony of argument, falsehood and outright denial? A conference looks at why the media get taken for a ride, and how they can improve.
    Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
  • Patent wars!
    Patent wars!

    As high-tech giants buy patents and launch lawsuits. How does the patent system work? Why does it fail? What does it mean to be “new, non-obvious and useful”? What will be the impact of the new patent law — the biggest change in 60 years? Why should we care?


    Thursday, April 19th, 2012
  • Bird migration: Key explanation skewered!
    Bird migration: Key explanation skewered!

    How do homing pigeons find their way on their amazing migrations? For a decade, scientists thought iron-bearing nerve cells in the beak can detect Earth’s magnetic field. But those iron granules are in immune cells. So how do the birds do it?


    Thursday, April 12th, 2012
  • Farming, Native American style
    Farming, Native American style

    Native agriculture could be a sophisticated response to a challenging environment. What were the secrets of permaculture, companion cropping and corn farming? Could these techniques contribute to modern farming?


    Thursday, April 5th, 2012
  • Honeybees getting lost?
    Honeybees getting lost?

    As colony collapse disorder continues to attack honeybee hives, a new study shows that a common insecticide interferes with their return flights. Although the disorder probably has many causes, agricultural chemicals have long been key suspects, and this study adds to the suspicion!


    Thursday, March 29th, 2012
  • Shaking it up: Maverick scientist dies
    Shaking it up: Maverick scientist dies

    Sometimes, scientists feel the need to leave the lab and warn the public about onrushing hazards. Rowland warned about ozone, but others are warning about warming. Does scientific culture encourage or hinder going public? Does the helpful response to ozone depletion suggest we’ll succeed in confronting global warming?


    Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
  • Know thy genes, know thyself?
    Know thy genes, know thyself?

    Advances in genetics raise the stakes in genetic counseling, but the genetic role in disease can be complicated, elusive. What role do faith, personality and knowledge play in the complex discussions over genetic disease?


    Thursday, March 15th, 2012
  • Putting the brakes on fish invasions
    Putting the brakes on fish invasions

    As Asian carp approach the Great Lakes, ecologists seek to forestall a devastating invasion. Electric fish barriers on Chicago’s canals — built to dump wastewater into the Mississippi — are blocking carp from reaching Lake Michigan. Many scientists prefer closing the canals, but the shipping industry objects. Who’s right?


    Thursday, March 8th, 2012


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