Research News

When Flu Pandemics Hit, Closing Schools Can Slow Spread

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:22:00 -0500

When schools in Alberta, Canada, closed for summer in 2009, it put the breaks on the swine flu outbreak in the province, says research from McMaster University. But authorities have to weigh the costs and benefits of preemptive closure, and there isn't always a clear answer.

International Meeting On Controversial Bird Flu Research Draws Near

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:42:00 -0500

The scientists, journal editors and others who attend are expected to review the facts and the most pressing issues related to this specific work, rather than have a broader discussion about the possibility of international oversight of potentially worrisome biological research.

Drilling Team Finally Hits Antarctica's Liquid Lake

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:00:00 -0500

After years of trying, Russian scientists say they have drilled into an Antarctic lake that is buried beneath more than two miles of ice. They are looking for signs of life that haven't been exposed to sky in 20 million years.

Does Offering Smaller Portions At Restaurants Help People Eat Less?

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:12:00 -0500

Asking for less food isn't something most people think about when ordering from a menu. A new study suggests that asking people if they want less food and, in turn, fewer calories, before they order is key.

'Amasia': The Next Supercontinent?

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:02:00 -0500

More than 100 million years from now, the Americas and Asia might fuse together, squishing the Arctic Ocean shut in the process. That's according to a new model that predicts where the next supercontinent may form. But don't worry: Humans will likely be long gone by then.

Addicts' Brains May Be Wired At Birth For Less Self-Control

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:01:00 -0500

A study of cocaine addicts finds that they have abnormalities in areas of the brain involved in self-control. And these abnormalities appear to predate any drug abuse.

Tick Tally Reveals Lyme Disease Risk

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0500

Researchers counted more than 5,000 ticks to calculate the risk of Lyme disease in the Eastern U.S. Turns out the risk is high in the Northeast and nearly zero in the South.

New Silica Rules Languish In Regulatory Black Hole

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:01:00 -0500

Last year it looked like stricter controls would be put in place to limit workers' exposure to dangerous silica dust. But for almost a year, the proposed regulations have been stalled at the White House Office of Management and Budget. Worker safety advocates are growing frustrated, but industry stakeholders say current regulations are sufficient.

'I Wanted To Live': New Depression Drugs Offer Hope For Toughest Cases

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0500

The anesthetic and club drug ketamine seems to lift depression symptoms in a matter of hours. But how does it work? Researchers are searching for the answer in an attempt to make a new class of depression medications. "We can take care of a migraine in hours," one researcher asks. "So why do we have to wait weeks or months with depression?"

Invasive Pythons Put Squeeze On Everglades' Animals

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:31:00 -0500

Burmese pythons have been slithering around south Florida for decades, but scientists now say the invasive constrictors are so bad, they're eating their way through the swamps. The snakes have decimated populations of mammals like raccoons, possums and white-tailed deer.

Native Americans As Slaves, Slave Owners In North

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500

MacArthur 'Genius' Tiya Miles does pioneering research on the relationship between Cherokee Indians and African-Americans. She speaks with host Michel Martin about shedding light on the unexplored history of Native American and African-American slavery in Michigan.

Could A Club Drug Offer 'Almost Immediate' Relief From Depression?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0500

Currently, there's no quick fix for severe depression. Antidepressants usually take weeks to work, if they work at all. But patients who received experimental doses of ketamine — long used as an anesthetic, and an illegal club drug — report an astounding relief from their symptoms in less than a day.

Scratching An Ankle Is Hard To Beat

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:25:00 -0500

Scratching an itchy ankle is more satisfying than relieving an itch on your back or arm. Even if you thought you knew that, scientists now have evidence to back up your hunch.

Magnetic Soap May Help Clean Up Spilled Oil

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 -0500

BP released millions of gallons of dispersants to break up oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. But what if dispersants could be sucked up again after doing their job? Chemist Julian Eastoe talks about an iron-containing soap he's created that can be recaptured using a magnet.

Ode To Ice

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 -0500

Discover the secret life of ice--what makes it cloudy or clear, why cracks form on ponds. Science Friday visited Queens ice sculptor Shintaro Okamoto in his studio and spoke with ice researcher Erland Schulson, of Dartmouth University, to find out why ice is an interesting subject for artists and scientists.

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