SciAm Daily Digest

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NEWS
Are the Brains of Reckless Teens More Mature Than Those of Their Prudent Peers?
Countering conventional wisdom, a brain-imaging study finds that, in risk-taking teens, the brain's white matter looks like that of an adult

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
More than half of U.S. may get H1N1 this fall and winter
The pandemic could kill as many as 90,000 Americans and land up to 1.8 million in the hospital, a White House science panel says

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
MIND on Pain: The Psychology of Pain (Preview)
Our expectations, mood and perspective on pain powerfully influence how much something actually hurts--and the decisions we make every day
> Related: Social Saviors, a Special Section on Pain, and Other Stories from MIND

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
Orangutans illegally killed in the past decade: 20,000--Prosecutions: 0
It's not the orangutans themselves that have commercial value. Rather, it's the land that they live on, which is being burned down to make room for massive palm oil plantations

NEWS
Researchers Spawn a New Breed of Robotic Fish
A sleeker robo-fish made from a flexible polymer better mimics the mechanics of natural fish

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Inherit the emissions: Industry wants to put climate change on trial
But the U.S. Chamber of Commerce might do well to remember the outcome of the Scopes trial. Although the creationists won the court battle, they lost the culture war for a generation

ASK THE EXPERTS
Can Oil Be Recycled?
A new facility aims to test the market for recycled oil

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Tour Our Oblate Spheroid with The Geek Atlas
The Geek Atlas describes 128 mostly out-of-the-way tourist destinations for people who love science, technology and their history

GREENWIRE
Report Predicts Urban Meltdown from Heat Waves
Climate change will bring more heat waves to U.S. cities, upping risk to poor and elderly, a new report argues

60-SECOND SOLAR
Invert your thinking: Squeezing more power out of your solar panels
The auxiliary equipment that connects the panels to your household wiring or the electrical grid is just as important as the panels themselves

SCIENCE TALK PODCAST
Colony Collapse and Ruptured Ribosomes; Minding Darwin's Beeswax
John Williams, the beekeeper at Down House in England, talks about Darwin's bees. And May Berenbaum, entomologist at the University of Illinois, talks about the latest publication related to colony collapse disorder and ribosome damage
> Related: Disappearing Bees Have Devastated Ribosomes

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Semi-sweet: Americans should cut sugar consumption by more than half, says AHA
The biggest cloying culprit in the U.S. is soft drinks, which account for a third of the added sugars people consume

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Will watermelon rejects be the next biofuel?
Twenty percent of watermelons never make it to the picnic table

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Radio for Responders: Public Safety Bandwidth Goes Unused
As multiband radio for public safety proceeds, the digital spectrum for it still lags

NEWS
How Will Warmer Oceans Affect Sea Life?
Experiments show that microscopic ocean plants and animals--the base of the food chain--will be impacted

IMAGE GALLERY
Eye Cells from Stem Cells

EARTHTALK
Eco-Volunteerism: How You Can Get Involved
Directories of environmental groups and jobs to help save the planet

VIDEO
Lethal dose of propofol killed Jackson
Los Angeles chief medical examiner finds Michael Jackson died from a lethal dose of propofol

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NEWS
Waiting for Next-Gen Anti-Mosquito Chemicals with Bated Breath
Novel natural compounds may lead to safe and inexpensive repellents that undercut skeeters' ability to sense their human prey

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
New Exoplanet Shouldn't Exist
A report in the journal Nature cites the discovery of a new planet, WASP-18b, which challenges assumptions about tidal interactions--it's too close and orbiting too fast not to have collided with its star, according to current knowledge

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
MIND on Pain: Why People Experience Pain Differently (Preview)
Researchers are unraveling why some people are more sensitive to pain than others. Their efforts could lead to more accurate diagnoses, better pain prevention and safer, more powerful painkillers
> Related: Social Saviors, a Special Section on Pain, and Other Stories from MIND

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
New solar-cell efficiency record set
Spectrolab announced that its newest triple-junction solar cells had achieved the world record in efficiency, converting 41.6 percent of specially concentrated sunlight into electricity
> Related: Celebrating the birth of the solar cell

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Conflicted Conservation: When Restoration Efforts Are Pitted against Human Rights
Saving Earth might mean trampling indigenous societies

NEWS
Listening for Gravity Waves, Silence Becomes Meaningful
The ripples in spacetime predicted by general relativity remain one of the most sought-after prizes in physics, and new research narrows estimates of their prevalence

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
400 years ago, Galileo's telescope was ready for prime time
Before long, the Italian scientist started to characterize the surface of the moon, discovered a quartet of Jupiter's moons, and revolutionized our view of Earth's place in the universe

NEWS
Cancer in Wildlife May Signal Toxic Dangers
Cancer in wild animals may be triggered or accelerated by environmental contaminants, some researchers argue

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Check please: Can the din of a restaurant help Parkinson's patients with speech troubles?
Purdue University is developing a device that could help Parkinson's sufferers articulate their thoughts more audibly by exploiting a reflex in which people automatically speak louder in the presence of background sound

GREENWIRE
Could Battery Advances Mean a Better Robot?
It's the limited life span of batteries that keeps robots from being more widely available

NEWS
EPA: Chemicals Found in Wyoming Drinking Water Might Be from Natural Gas Drilling
Federal environment officials investigating drinking water contamination have found that at least three water wells contain a chemical used in the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing

60-SECOND PSYCH PODCAST
In Defense of Evolutionary Psychology
Lisa DeBruine of the University of Aberdeen proposes that the value of evolutionary psychology lies in its ability to inspire new questions about human behavior

VIDEO
Wheelchair of the future gets moving
A Japanese company is using its robotics experience to create better transport for the less mobile

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FEATURES
The Mysterious Downfall of the Neandertals: The Video
A video exploration of the factors that led to the demise of our extinct human cousin

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
How fast are humans mutating?
Humans seem to have accelerated the pace of just about everything, but the rate of our genetic mutation remains slow and steady

FEATURES
Blood Not So Simple: Controversial Hemoglobin Substitutes on Life Support
Once-promising biotechs pursuing a safe solution that could mimic blood's oxygen-carrying characteristics and treat wounded soldiers and trauma patients are falling by the wayside

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
MIND on Pain: When Pain Lingers (Preview)
Researchers are revealing the biological basis of persistent, pathological pain—and providing clues to better treatments
> Related: MIND on Pain: Why People Experience Pain Differently
> Related: Social Saviors, a Special Section on Pain, and Other Stories from MIND

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Fido's Fur Fated by 3 Genes
A study in the journal Science finds that just three genes control the wide variety of fur types found on all different breeds of dogs

BERING IN MIND
Breasts in Mourning: How Bottle-Feeding Mimics Child Loss in Mothers' Brains
After a successful birth, opting not to breast-feed may trigger evolved mourning behaviors

60-SECOND EARTH PODCAST
Laughing Gas No Laughing Matter in Atmosphere
Nitrous oxide is damaging the ozone layer and the climate

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
FCC vows to increase scrutiny of the wireless industry
The feds will investigate various aspects of the wireless industry with several new inquiries aimed at consumer protection

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
"Green" propellant could give rockets--and the environment--a boost
The simple solid rocket fuel composed of fine-grained aluminum and water ice could provide a cleaner alternative to propellants now in use, researchers say

FEATURES
A Decade of New Species Discoveries in the Himalayas [Slide Show]
The remote eastern Himalayas--home to tiny deer and big vipers--have offered enterprising researchers a wealth of new species to document and describe

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Whither the Oil Age?
150 years of black gold

GREENWIRE
Wanted: A Geothermal Pump That Can Handle the Heat
What will it take to develop a pump that can operate miles underground in superhot fluids while maintaining constant power?

NEWS
Should Doctors Disclose Conflicts of Interest to Trial Patients?
Research shows that clinical trial participants want to know if an investigator stands to profit from the outcome of a study, even though such disclosure not currently required. But some think that's just signing off on a larger problem

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Is the death of the telephone directory imminent?
When was the last time you opened a phone book?

VIDEO
Powers tussle over Caspian oil
Geology and climate are not the only challenges facing oil companies developing Kazakhstan's vast Kashagan oilfield in the Caspian Sea--the world's single-biggest untapped oil reserve

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60-SECOND PSYCH PODCAST
Predictors of Preschool Depression
A five-year study followed more than 1,700 children and found that depression in preschoolers is primarily predicted by two factors

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
How the Brain Localizes Sounds
Specialized neurons sort out overlapping sounds

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
An Update on C. P. Snow's "Two Cultures"
A new column that examines the intersection between science and society provides an update on the historic essay

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Astronauts Rose from Humble Starts
Astronauts Kevin Ford, Jose Hernandez and the rest of the STS-128 Discovery space shuttle crew have fascinating life stories and solid science and engineering educations

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
The population of a unique Mexican amphibian drops 90 percent in four years
Only an estimated 700 to 1,200 axolotls now remain

NEWS
Strategically Placed Obstacle Near an Exit Can Speed Evacuations
Limiting the number of pedestrians that approach an exit at once can have beneficial effects, a study finds

NEWS
Did Lactose Tolerance First Evolve in Central, Rather Than Northern Europe?
Tolerance for cow's milk may have arisen in the Neolithic period among the Linearbandkeramik culture of central Europe, not with the Lutefisk-lovers of Scandinavia

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
NASA tries to end glitchy August on a high note with shuttle launch tonight
It hasn't been the best of times for NASA in recent days

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Research teams spend the summer picking through the "Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch"
It isn't the most picturesque of locations, but a number of scientists spent their summer taking in the 25.9-million-square-kilometer oval located about 1,600 kilometers off California's coast

VIDEO
Fires threaten 10,000 homes in California
A wildfire raging in a long stretch of the heavily populated Los Angeles foothills threatens 10,000 homes

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IN-DEPTH REPORT
Robotic Exploration of the Solar System
Five decades after the U.S.S.R.'s Luna 2 moon probe became the first spacecraft to land on another celestial body, we look at the past accomplishments and tantalizing future of unmanned space exploration
> Related Feature: Salvaging NASA's Planetary Grand Tour: Sending Voyager 2 Where No Probe Had Gone Before--Or Since
> Related Feature: Phobos-Grunt Probe to Put Microbial Life in Mars Orbit
> Related Feature: Target Europa: Ambitious Plans Aim for Jupiter's Ocean Moon
> Related Slide Show: 5 Future Robotic Expeditions and What They Could Reveal [Slide Show]

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Conspiracy theory: Could the president take over the Internet?
The answer is no, at least not based on the Cybersecurity Act of 2009

NEWS
How Sunlight Controls Climate
New computer models begin to suggest how changes in the sun's strength might change weather patterns

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Recession: Just What the Doctor Ordered?
A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal finds that recessions in wealthy countries can lead to better health habits, as people spend less on alcohol, tobacco and rich food

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Faster, harder, louder
Are primitive grunts and futuristic gear changing the game of tennis?

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
Are Our Big Brains the Reason Newborns Can't Walk?
John Bock, an anthropologist at California State University, Fullerton, provides a reply

MIND MATTERS
What Is It Like to Be a Baby?
Alison Gopnik investigates the infant mind

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
World's largest bat being hunted into extinction
With a wingspan of more than 1.5 meters, the flying fox is the world's largest bat. But size has not helped it

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Role of physicians and psychologists in interrogation of terrorism suspects reexamined
"Health professionals were involved at every stage in the development, implementation and legitimization of this torture program," according to a report

SCIENCE TALK PODCAST
Origins of Everything: The September Scientific American Magazine
Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina discusses the September special single-topic issue of Scientific American magazine, which covers origins, from the universe to the horse stirrup

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Quantum Entanglement, Photosynthesis and Better Solar Cells
Quantum details of plants' food-making ability could improve photovoltaic technology

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
A tree grows in Vietnam... and another is lost in Burma
Although overall forest cover in Vietnam has increased, so have its exports of wood goods made from forests felled elsewhere, often illegally

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
India's first moon mission ends prematurely with spacecraft communications failure
India's space program joined an elite group last year when its first lunar probe entered orbit around the moon and began taking detailed observations

VIDEO
Hurricane Jimena churns toward Baja Peninsula
Hurricane Jimena is churning toward the upscale resort town of Los Cabos in Mexico's Baja Peninsula

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NEWS
Building a Better Flu Vaccine--And Giving Chickens a Rest
Scientists move a step closer to making a seasonal flu preventative that can be produced quickly and does not require adapting a live flu virus seed to grow in eggs

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Is geoengineering humanity's last hope to avoid catastrophic global warming?
The deliberate large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment to stave off global warming is feasible and worth studying--but probably not something we want to get involved in, a Royal Society report says

NEWS
Sore Throat on Aisle 4: Retail Clinics Match Quality of Doctor's Office
Nurse-only medical clinics in stores do just as well treating minor afflictions as visits to a full-fledged physician--and boast lower costs and no need for appointments

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Making Music for Monkey Minds
A study in the journal Biology Letters finds that music based on monkey's own calls has similar effects on them that human music has on us
> Related: Music to Monkeys' Ears? Try Metallica, or the Metro

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
When Does Consciousness Arise in Human Babies?
Does sentience appear in the womb, at birth or during early childhood?

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Sick mobile app tracks H1N1, other outbreaks near you
Users can set a notification on their phones to be alerted if a local outbreak is reported

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Southern California fire threatens historic Mount Wilson Observatory
At one point, the Station Fire also threatened NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which now appears to be out of harm's way

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
100 Years Ago: Punch Cards and the Census
Innovation and discovery as chronicled in past issues of Scientific American

GREENWIRE
EPA Draft Greenhouse Gas Rule Focuses on Large Emitters
Proposed rule would shield small sources of the greenhouse gases contributing to climate change

VIDEO
Astronauts start first of three spacewalks
NASA astronauts Danny Olivas and Nicole Stott began the first of three spacewalks to help ready the $100-billion International Space Station for full-time science operations

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NEWS
The Real Sea Monsters: On the Hunt for Rogue Waves
Scientists hope a better understanding of when, where and how mammoth oceanic waves form can someday help ships steer clear of danger

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
How to Get Humans on Mars: Make It a One-Way Trip
We could send senior-citizen volunteers to the Red Planet, where they could spend their final months conducting experiments, laying the groundwork for future permanent settlements, and digging their own graves

NEWS
Astronomical Survey Reveals Andromeda's Galaxy-Gorging Past
Scraps of devoured dwarf galaxies surround the Milky Way's sister galaxy

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Body clock linked to weight gain
That midnight trip to the fridge might be doing double damage

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Why not spend $21 billion on solar power from space?
With four kilometers of panel surface, Japan's space solar power station would orbit some 36,000 kilometers above Earth and transmit power via microwave or laser beam

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
First gray wolf legally killed in U.S. after nearly 40-year ban
Idaho hunters this summer have snapped up nearly 11,000 tags to hunt the 850 or so gray wolves that now live in the state

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
Kids' Smiles Predict Their Future Marriage Success
Childhood photos reveal happiness levels later in married life

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Whistle While You Wing
A study finds that pigeon wing-flapping produces distinct whistles, which can warn flock-mates, when merely taking off or when actively escaping predators

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
Experts on the saola: The "Last chance" to save one of the world's rarest mammals
Discovered by science in 1992, the mammal exists only in a small section of the Annamite Mountains, which straddle the border between Laos and Vietnam

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Readers Respond on "Global Famine"
Letters to the editor on big government and big pharma

VIDEO
For L.A.'s Fires, a Healthy Dose of Humidity
Firefighters say they are starting to gain ground against the enormous wildfire burning for a week above Los Angeles

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NEWS
Divide to Conquer: Infection-Specific T Cells Multiply to Fight Infection
A new method of DNA tagging and tracking individual virus-attuned T lymphocytes shows the body to be incredibly efficient in recruiting just the right 10 cells out of a million

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
MIND Reviews: Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility
In her new book, "Counterclockwise," Harvard University psychologist Ellen J. Langer presents a thoughtful and thorough look at the power of mindful thinking: "the simple process of actively drawing distinctions"

IMAGE GALLERY
Los Angeles County's Station Fire visible from space
Southern California's Station Fire is nearing 150,000 acres in size. The blaze, as pictured by NASA's Terra satellite on Wednesday, is still far from tamed

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
"P" is for plants: Human urine plus ash equals tomato fertilizer, study says
Gardeners, take note: the secret to growing hearty tomatoes is remarkably close at hand. Look no further than your fireplace and, er, your bladder

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Will a speed bump power the grid?
A newly installed, mechanized speed bump at a Burger King in New Jersey is being tested as a way to harvest some of that coasting energy

60-SECOND EARTH PODCAST
World's Craziest Geoengineering Scheme
From mimicking a volcanic eruption to mirrors in space, some geoengineering schemes are pretty far out there. David Biello reports

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
Can Google's page-rank algorithm help save endangered species and ecosystems?
Google's search engine relies on a proprietary algorithm called PageRank™ to determine the order of the sites that show up in search results. Now, two researchers say a similar algorithm can be used to determine which species are critical to the preservation of ecosystems

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Record Pfizer $2.3 billion fraud settlement, windfall payout to states
Pfizer executives have again promised to play by the rules after a record-setting $2.3 billion settlement announced Wednesday for fraudulent drug marketing, and the upshot could be a windfall of millions of dollars for state Medicaid programs

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Freeing the Mind to Forget
Young brains can forget painful memories, but old ones tend not to. An animal study in the journal Science finds that it may be possible to restore the old brain to its younger, more pliable state. Karen Hopkin reports

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Academic researchers receive on average $33k a year from the medical industry
Researchers in the ivory towers—and labs—of U.S. universities receive an average of $33,417 of funding a year from medical industry companies, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Common good is best achieved through rewards, not punishment
To promote the common good, should helpers be rewarded, or should free riders be punished? Although the bulk of previous research has fingered punishment as the best enforcer, a new study published online in Science found that rewards are more effective

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MIND MATTERS
Girl Brain, Boy Brain?
The two are not the same, but new work shows just how wrong it is to assume that all gender differences are "hardwired"

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
Don't Know Much Biology: Our Trouble Classifying the Living World
Learning to categorize the life on our planet is surprisingly difficult for the human mind

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Lie Detection With Handwriting
A study in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that handwriting tests could give polygraphs a challenge for lie detection. Cynthia Graber reports

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Scientific American Travel: Caribbean Conference Cruise

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Airlines & Recycling: The Not-So-Green Skies
New calls for the U.S. airline industry to take recycling seriously

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Mighty microbes might help clean up oil extraction and radioactive wastes
The most extreme microbes thrive almost everywhere scientists look. And now microbiologists have added two more energy-related tricks to the microbial arsenal

NEWS
Retrovirus Linked to Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Possibly joining the ranks of virus-linked cancers, virulent prostate cancers have shown a common thread: the XMRV gammaretrovirus

FEATURES
Evil Ink: A Robot Impersonator Opens a Blog to Post Spam From the Future
The growing problem of spammers who use the names of real Web writers to create bogus blogs

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Tuning in to the Insect Philharmonic
Allison Beall of the Marshlands Conservancy in Rye, NY, led a twilight walk on September 5th to tune in to the insect sounds of the evening. Become more aware of the nocturnal symphony and, in the New York metropolitan area, help scientists count the insects during the "Cricket Crawl" on September 11th. Steve Mirsky reports

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Are firefighters raising healthcare costs?
Firefighters responded to at least 10 times more medical emergencies than fire-related calls across the U.S. last year, a newspaper reported

NEWS
Researchers Claim to Cook Up Isolated Magnetic Poles
A family of rare-earth compounds called spin ices appears to harbor a form of long-sought magnetic monopoles, if not their theoretical ideal

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Going the 'last mile' to deliver better health to villages in the developing world
A small Seattle-based non-profit is proving it is possible to help transport medical supplies across the final seemingly short distances to villages in Mozambique and Malawi that had initially lacked the infrastructure to do the job on their own

NEWS
Global Warming Reverses Long-Term Arctic Cooling
Humans and climate change can take credit for a much warmer Arctic, according to new research

BERING IN MIND
"So Then I Said to Roger Federer . . .": The Tricky Business of Name-Dropping
Psychologists examine how name-dropping can backfire on those poor at the craft

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NEWS
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Created From Fat Cells
An unlikely team of cardiologists and plastic surgeons have found a way to make adult induced pluripotent stem cells quickly and easily from a readily available resource--fat

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
The U.S. Must Prioritize Its Carbon Strategy [Extended version]
The Obama administration needs an energy strategy alongside the ambitious climate bill

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
The ultimate hack: reverse engineering the human brain
Neuroscientists now say that within a decade it will be possible to create a digital model that replicates all functions of the human brain

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
Groups as Therapy? Socializing and Mental Health (Preview)
Membership in lots of groups—at home, work, the gym—makes us healthier and more resilient. Here's how—and why

60-SECOND PSYCH PODCAST
Where the Desire for Change Resides
Scientists have found an area of the brain that becomes highly active when we finally decide to explore the unknown. Christie Nicholson reports.

FEATURES
Endangering Species: Listing Can Make Animals Valuable Black Market Commodities [Slide Show]
By certifying species as endangered, government programs can backfire

SCIENCE TALK PODCAST
Where There Was Smoke There's Science
Wake Forest University School of Medicine neuroscientist Dwayne Godwin talks about the the Winston-Salem area's adoption of biomedical research, as well as meetings with Congress about science funding and his comic strip contributions to Scientific American Mind. Plus we'll test your knowledge of some recent science in the news.

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
New genetic associations for Alzheimer's disease
The long and winding journey to the roots of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, has turned up three new genetic clues

GREENWIRE
Is That Species Endangered?
The Obama administration is moving to speed up endangered species decisions as nearly 100 species have been awaiting a decision for more than a decade.

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
On-The-Job Chimps Use Multiple Tools
A study in the <i>American Journal of Primatology</i> found that chimps will different tools, each with a specific purpose, when attempting to catch tasty ants. Karen Hopkin reports.

NEWS
Threat Down Below: Polluted Caves Endanger Water Supplies, Wildlife
Caves are home to some of the planet's most unusual creatures and important drinking water supplies. Now these underground resources are being polluted by surface activities, ranging from sewage spills to old factories.

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
Last chance to save the Christmas Island bat fails; species doomed to extinction?
The critically endangered Christmas Island bat now appears to be doomed to impending extinction as last-gasp efforts to capture the few remaining bats and place them in a captive breeding program have failed

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SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
Early Risers Crash Faster Than People Who Stay Up Late
Night owls belie slacker reputation by staying alert longer

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Expedition Finds World War II Navy Wreck
A National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration expedition has located a naval vessel lost off North Carolina during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic

NEWS
Japanese Lunar Mission Provides a Glimpse at How the Moon Took Shape
Data from the recently retired Kaguya spacecraft support the notion that the moon's crust congealed from an ocean of magma

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Feds push new national identification card program after "Real ID" flops
After the 2005 Real ID Act alienated state governments and privacy advocates, the U.S. is considering a replacement called Pass ID that it hopes will improve national security and be less expensive and less intrusive

IMAGE GALLERY
Refurbished Hubble Space Telescope returns new images
NASA released a suite of photographs from the newly revitalized Hubble Space Telescope, including a planetary nebula roughly 3,800 light-years away

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
FDA panel approves Gardasil HPV vaccine for males, and competing Cervarix might hit shelves soon
Prevention of genital warts would be Gardasil's primary target for use in males

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Why People Believe in Conspiracies
A skeptic's take on the public's fascination with disinformation

GREENWIRE
Less Is More for Designers of "Right-Sized" Nuclear Reactors
Are smaller nuclear reactors a better choice for future power generation?

VIDEO
Jellyfish numbers rise
Climate change is being blamed for an increase in jellyfish swarms found along Spain's coastline

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60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Review panel deems NASA to be "on an unsustainable trajectory"
Among the issues: the impending retirement of the space shuttle, the oft-delayed and much criticized shuttle replacement known as Constellation, and whether to keep the International Space Station aloft

NEWS
Earlier Model of Human Brain's Energy Usage Underestimated Its Efficiency
A long-held model of the brain's efficiency crumbles as researchers find that one function of mammals' brains consumes a lot less energy than previously assumed. Now, basic measurements of neural activity--from brain energy budgets to fMRI results--may have to be reassessed

NEWS
The Climate's Warm Future Is Now in the Arctic
A new survey reveals just how far and how fast global warming is altering the Arctic

EXTREME TECH
Underwater Rover Searches the Ocean Floor for Signs of Climate Change
Scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute sent an aquatic robot on a test run deep below the Pacific Ocean this summer

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Colorful 32,000-year-old fibers prove to be some of the world's oldest
The find consists of tiny bits of flax that had been spun--and in some cases dyed--by upper Paleolithic hunters

NEWS
The Answer to China's Future Energy Demands May Be Blowing in the Wind
Wind power is growing by leaps and bounds in China and might one day supply a significant portion of the country's electricity needs--but not until it surmounts a host of challenges

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
DNA bar codes, a new tool for tracking illegal wildlife trade
The worldwide market for these illegal products reached an estimated $5 billion to $8 billion in 2008

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
MIND Reviews: The Philosophical Baby: What Children's Minds Tell
Recommendations from Scientific American MIND

GREENWIRE
How Will Global Warming Change Your Electricity?
A national push to curb greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy technologies is creating an unusual business challenge for electric utilities

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
Groups as Therapy?--Socializing and Mental Health (Preview)
Membership in lots of groups--at home, work, the gym--makes us healthier and more resilient. Here's how--and why

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
The U.S. Must Prioritize Its Carbon Strategy [Extended Version]
The Obama administration needs an energy strategy alongside the ambitious climate bill

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
On-the-Job Chimps Use Multiple Tools
A study found that chimps wield different tools, each with a specific purpose, when attempting to catch tasty ants

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FEATURES
Single Vaccine Dose, Even One from 1976, Could Protect against the H1N1 Swine Flu
The "fiasco" of 1976, which saw the launch of a national vaccination program for an epidemic that never emerged, may be paying off today

60-SECOND EARTH PODCAST
Climate Forecasts for All
International agencies are coming together to provide climate forecasting to countries without it, particularly because they may be hardest hit

NEWS
Electron Bolts: Even Deeply Bound Electrons Can Escape Molecules via Quantum Tunneling
The intriguing quantum-mechanical property is looking less conventional all the time

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Tree Electricity Runs Nano-Gadget
A report in the journal IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology shows that maple trees generate a small, but measureable amounts of electricity, which can power tiny devices

NEWS
NO Good: Nitric Oxide May Be Key to Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance
Recent discoveries have shown how some bacteria use a form of nitric oxide to launch more effective attacks on their hosts. Can the new knowledge be translated into better drugs to beat antibiotic-resistant MRSA or anthrax?

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Prehistoric Human-Fashioned Fibers Found
A report in the journal Science announces the finding of the oldest known human-fashioned threads, left in a cave by the Caucasus Mountains about 34,000 years ago
> Related: Colorful 32,000-year-old fibers prove to be some of the world's oldest

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
NASA picks a moon crater for LCROSS probe's double smash landing
Cabeus A was chosen both for its potential for harboring water ice and for its location, which will allow Earth observers to track the plumes thrown up by the LCROSS impacts

BERING IN MIND
Why We Blush: The Social Purpose of Showing Embarrassment
Evolutionary psychologists examine the adaptive function of blushing in social situations

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Sniffing out toxic chemicals--With colors
In labs or factories with toxic chemicals, there has long been a need for practical sensors to warn workers when chemical concentrations get dangerous

GREENWIRE
Is Mountaintop Removal Mining a Threat to Watersheds?
The EPA will review again whether mountaintop removal mining poses a threat to mountain watersheds and streams

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
What will it take to produce "A Sea Change" in public opinion on ocean acidification?
A new documentary about ocean acidification, the other offspring--along with global warming--of the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Cache and Carry: A Humorous Review of the Kindle
The best answer yet to what's black and white and read all over

NEWS
Hispanics Face Higher Cancer Risk from Breathing Household Chemicals
Hispanics face a cancer risk from air pollutants as much as five times the rate of others living in the same cities thanks to inexpensive deodorizers and moth repellents

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Amateurs report "common true katydid" throughout NYC
None of the green, winged bugs had been documented in the New York City area for the past 100 years,

VIDEO
Maldives cllimate plea
Maldivian president calls on world leaders to reach an agreement to counter climate change saying the problem in the Maldives is a snapshot of what will happen in low lying areas in the world

[Gawdzilla Sama]

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60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Staph makes a splash: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found at public beaches
A trip to the beach could yield more than a damaging sunburn

NEWS
Navy Green: Military Investigates Biofuels to Power Its Ships and Planes
The U.S. Navy will begin testing biofuels from camelina and algae

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Norman Borlaug: Wheat breeder who averted famine with "Green Revolution"
Norman Borlaug went from a small farm in Iowa to feeding half the world, thanks to a lifelong interest in tinkering with the genetic design of wheat

MIND MATTERS
Why Does Music Make Us Feel?
A new study demonstrates the power of music to alter our emotional perceptions of other people

60-SECOND SCIENCE PODCAST
Hairdressers Hear Health Secrets
A report shows that elderly people often discuss health issues with hairdressers, who could encourage clients to seek medical attention

NEWS
Open-Access Flu Research Web Site Is Relaunched Amid Controversy
A legal battle is brewing in the scientific community over control of a free, publicly available source of influenza gene sequence data

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
More Animals Seem to Have Some Ability to Count
Counting may be innate in many species

GREENWIRE
When an Electric Car Dies, What Will Happen to the Battery?
Can millions of lithium ion batteries be recycled?

60-SECOND EXTINCTION COUNTDOWN
Rare plant worthy of Endangered Species Act protection--But won't get it
A plant that only exists in a 25-square-kilometer area straddling the borders of Idaho, Nevada and Utah is not listed because other species have higher priorities

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Recession layoffs may threaten blood bank reserves
With high unemployment rates there are fewer workers available to give blood at on-the-job drives

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Tails win: Gecko tails dance to avoid predators
When geckos abandon their tails a network of neurons guides it to flail about, even after it has lost its connection to the brain

[Gawdzilla Sama]

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60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
FDA approves H1N1 swine flu vaccines
It is expected to be available in a month at about 90,000 locations nationwide
> Related Video: U.S. clears H1N1 vaccine

NEWS
Drilling Project Pulls Up Evidence for Early Oxygen in the Oceans
The timeline of oxygen's appearance is a contentious point in Earth sciences

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Gene therapy: An Interview with an Unfortunate Pioneer
Lessons learned by James M. Wilson, the scientist behind the first gene therapy death

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Scientists targeted by opponents of animal research speak out
Commentaries recommend a three-pronged approach to ensuring continued and humane research: university support, increased security and improved communication

NEWS
iSniff: Pocket-Size Pollution Sensors Promise Big Improvement in Monitoring Personal Environment
Scientists are employing improved monitors in efforts to pinpoint air pollutants that cause childhood disease

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Bacterial casualties: U.S. soldiers in Iraq continue to battle drug-resistant bacteria
The spectrum of bugs harkens back to infections that were common during the Vietnam War, and doctors today are still using the same antibacterial arsenal

EXTREME TECH
A 360-Degree Virtual Reality Chamber Brings Researchers Face to Face with Their Data
Scientists can climb inside the University of California, Santa Barbara's three-story-high AlloSphere for a life-size interaction with their research

60-SECOND SCIENCE BLOG
Jupiter borrowed a passing comet to make a moon for 12 years
The gas giant looks to have nabbed a comet called 147P/Kushida-Muramatsu to form a temporary satellite in the mid-20th century, holding onto it for two orbits

GREENWIRE
EPA Unveils New Emissions Standards for Cars
The new rules will boost fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
A New Vision for Teaching Science (Preview)
Recent studies from neuroscience and psychology suggest ways to improve science education in the U.S.

60-SECOND PSYCH PODCAST
Detecting Digitally Altered Video
A study in Applied Cognitive Science finds that we're likely to believe a doctored video over own memories of an event