May 17, 2024
The latest breast cancer screening guidelines move the recommended age to start mammograms from 50 down to 40. How are these decisions made? Plus, early data from the DESI collaboration suggests that dark energy, which powers the universe’s accelerating expansion, may evolve over time. And, scientists are breeding wine grapes that will grow in Iowa’s climate in hopes of expanding the state’s wine industry.
Desktop Diaries: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson takes us into his office at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City for a tour of his office, in the fourth of Science Friday’s Desktop Diaries series.
Reaching For The Limits of Tiny Transistors
Researchers have created a working transistor out of just one phosphorous atom.
Weaving Around Web Privacy Controls
Privacy researcher Lorrie Cranor discusses recent evasions of privacy controls in web browsers.
Imagining A More Active Moon
New research says that our moon may be more geologically active than once thought.
Secret Life Of Ice
Photographer Edward Aites zoomed in on ice and found a beautiful and foreign landscape.
Mild Winter May Be Keeping Flu Bugs At Bay
This year’s flu season is off to a later start than any other year on record, according to the CDC.
Genetic Test Reveals Unexpected Data
A look at one reporter’s personal journey to understand the risks and benefits of DNA. mapping.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Tuberculosis’
Why did we stop calling the disease ‘consumption’?
Powering Up…With A Microbial Fuel Cell
Researchers used river mud–and the bacteria that live in it–to power a fuel cell.
Desert Military Bases Could Be Boon To Solar
Bases in California could host seven gigawatts of solar power farms, according to a new report.
Should Sugar Be Regulated Like Alcohol?
Pediatrician Robert Lustig says fructose can be as harmful as alcohol, if taken in large quantities.
Air Pollution Ups Risk Of Stroke, Impaired Memory
Exposure to smog may trigger strokes and accelerate cognitive declines, two new studies say.
Where’s The Cuttlefish
Biologist Sarah Zylinski studies how cuttlefish see the world by looking at their skin.
Approved Reactors Could Power Up Nuclear Industry
Federal agency approves a license to build two nuclear reactors designed to provide cooling in absence of electricity.
Concrete’s Role As A Building Block In History
A look at concrete — from its use in the Paleolithic Age to today’s greener alternatives.
Digital Tools Help Document Vanishing Languages
A linguist unveils thousands of audio recordings of words and sentences from dying languages.
Where’s the Cuttlefish?
Cuttlefish change the patterns on their body for courtship rituals, when they eat a snack, and most famously when they want to blend in.
Drug Rapidly Counters Effects of Alzheimer’s In Mice
A drug given to mice with Alzheimer’s quickly improved memory deficits and behavior resulting from the disease.
The Science Of Yoga: The Risks And The Rewards
New York Times science writer William Broad’s book investigates popular health claims about yoga.
Next Supercontinent Could Form At The North Pole
A study in Nature challenges existing theories on where the next supercontinent will form.