From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Sat Dec 13 2003 - 04:02:51 PST
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From: e-LETTER_at_lists.sciencenews.org
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 3:44 AM
Subject: Science News e-LETTER
WEEKLY e-LETTER from SCIENCE NEWS
December 13, 2003
Subject: Science News Weekly e-letter
This week's cover story spotlights plants that warm their own flowers to compensate for chilly conditions. News articles report a new technique for tracking emeralds to their source, indications that blood can reveal signs of pancreatic cancer, a study that finds that novelty-averse lab rats die at an earlier age than their more adventurous siblings do, evidence that magnetic links between sun and Earth can last hours, and more. Food for Thought ponders the dangers of eating grass peas in drought-stricken Africa. MathTrek makes some tricky crossings.
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Science News is an award-winning weekly newsmagazine covering the most important research in all fields of science. Published since 1922, its 16 pages are packed with short, accurate articles that appeal to both general readers and scientists.
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To subscribe to Science News magazine, go to www.sciencenews.org
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NEW: Science News for Kids
Go to http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org
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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED ARTICLES:
[Earth Science]
Gemstone Geography: New technique discerns emeralds' beginnings
Water molecules trapped inside the minuscule channels of an emerald harbor telltale signs of the gem's geographic origin.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob1.asp
[Behavior]
Worried to Death: Lifelong inhibitions hasten rodents' deaths
In rats with a fear of novel situations, an exaggerated hormonal response to minor types of stress adds up to a shorter life than that of bold rats.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob5.asp
[Botany]
Warm-Blooded Plants? OK, there's no blood, but they do make their own heat
Research heats up on why some flowers have the chemistry to keep themselves warm.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/bob9.asp
THIS WEEK'S ONLINE FEATURES:
[MATHTREK]
Tricky Crossings
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/mathtrek.asp
[FOOD FOR THOUGHT]
When Drought Reigns, Diets Can Turn Poisonous
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/food.asp
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To subscribe to Science News magazine, go to www.sciencenews.org
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Week of December 13, 2003; Vol. 164 No. 24
THIS WEEK'S TABLE OF CONTENTS: http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/toc.asp
References and sources for all articles are available online at www.sciencenews.org
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REGISTERED SUBSCRIBERS to the print edition of Science News also have online access to the full text of the following articles:
[Biology]
Model Mice: Blood reveals signs of pancreatic cancer
Mice that develop pancreatic cancer show signs of the disease long before malignant tumors arise, just as people with this type of cancer do.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob2.asp
[Astronomy]
Breach of the Shield: Magnetic links between sun and Earth last hours
Once breaches have formed in Earth's protective magnetic field, they persist for many hours, allowing charged particles from the sun to gush through and create electrical disturbances.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob3.asp
[Environment]
Slowing Puberty? Pesticide may hinder development in boys
Long-term exposure to the pesticide endosulfan may delay the onset of puberty in boys.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob4.asp
[Biomedicine]
Risk Profile: C-reactive protein may presage hypertension
High concentrations of the inflammatory compound C-reactive protein may signal an elevated risk of high blood pressure.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob6.asp
[Botany]
Sweet Lurkers: Cryptic fungi protect chocolate-tree leaves
A whole world of fungi thrives inside tree leaves without causing any harm, and researchers now say these residents may help fight disease.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob7.asp
[Biomedicine]
Ketones to the Rescue: Fashioning therapies from an adaptation to starvation
Medical researchers are investigating a slew of possible applications for acids called ketones, which the body produces naturally when deprived of carbohydrates and protein.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/bob8.asp
[Physics]
Hints emerge of a four-quark particle
Previously observed only in twos, threes, and perhaps in fives, quarks and antiquarks in a newfound particle may have glommed together to form a never-before-seen foursome.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note10.asp
[Biomedicine]
Nanoparticles hunt down and kill tumors
Gold nanoparticles, injected into mouse tumors and exposed to light, have been found to destroy cancer cells, a treatment approach that may one day offer an alternative to surgery.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note11.asp
[Astronomy]
Alien stars pass close to home
Stars from an alien galaxy are raining down on our own Milky Way and passing just a few hundred light-years from Earth.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note12.asp
[Science & Society]
Panel turns critical eye on testosterone
Existing evidence does not justify claims that testosterone treatments can relieve or prevent age-related problems in men, a panel of medical experts has concluded.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note13.asp
[Astronomy]
Spying a planet in star's dusty veil
Astronomers blocked out the light of a nearby star and found hints of an orbiting planet.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note14.asp
[Biology]
Genome made quickly from scratch
Scientists have synthesized a viral genome in record time.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note15.asp
[Science & Society]
Letters
Letters from the Dec. 13, 2003, issue of Science News.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/note16.asp
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To subscribe to Science News magazine, go to www.sciencenews.org
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NEW: Science News for Kids!
Go to http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org
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