The Why Files

Gene therapy: Success at last!

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:33:59 +0000

After decades of effort, gene replacement brings eyesight to the blind. How did it work? What does animal research say about gene therapy for curing cancer, reducing pain or reversing muscular dystrophy? Why has gene therapy taken so long?

Learning to read mouse pee

Fri, 02 May 2008 01:42:23 +0000

Mice can tell the sex, mating status and identity of another mouse — all from sniffing urine. A new study of how mice read pheromones also gives insight into the human sensory apparatus…

Hungry? History has lessons for improving farm productivity.

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:16:49 +0000

After World War II, the “green revolution” sparked an explosion in farm output in developing countries. With soaring food prices and spreading food riots, what can we learn from the green revolution?

Testosterone: New key to Wall Street success?

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:37:29 +0000

Financial traders make more money when their blood has more testosterone. Is this another arena where the male hormone leads to success, or could success raise the hormone level?

Antibiotic brainstorms

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:48:30 +0000

As pathogenic bacteria advance, scientists are desperately scrounging around for new ways to fight them. But would you believe healing clay, gator blood, honey and crushed leaves?

Science Education 101

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:25:30 +0000

Don’t know much about Science Education: A new survey shows three out of every four US adults do not feel they have a good understanding of science.

Bring in the clones: Sand dollars make small change

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:58:10 +0000

Minute sand dollar larvae, tasty morsels in a sea of famished fish, have a clever way to help ensure their genes are passed to the next generation.

Diabetes epidemic expands: Blame “metabolic syndrome”?

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:31:43 +0000

Before type 2 diabetes or heart disease comes “metabolic syndrome,” a devil’s-brew of high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, a big waist and insulin resistance. Want to stop the slide - without drugs?

Measuring invading trees: New system tested in Hawaii

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:56:52 +0000

Hawaii is the world’s capital of biological invasions. A new airborne gadget measures how bad the situation has become; offers aid in fighting weedy trees.

Reprocessing nuclear fuel: A cure that’s worse than the disease?

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:04:38 +0000

With the Nevada waste dump 20 years late, deadly radwaste still piles up. Would removing the plutonium for new fuel aid proliferators or help with waste storage? The debate continues.