As a journalist I have seen many misunderstandings not only in the field of science. The relationship between journalists and other kind of professionals, for example medics professionals, is…

Below is a detailed response to my latest post, which Ken graciously sent me for publication here. After that, you will find a few additional notes from yours truly. Dear Massimo, Thanks, of course,…

Titan's vast dune fields, which may act like weather vanes to determine general wind direction on Saturn's biggest moon, have been mapped by scientists who compiled four years of radar data collected…

A study in the March 1 issue of  SLEEP suggests the presence of an intrinsic sleep problem specific to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and supports the idea that children with…

Puny Crayfish may have big claws for show but they can't really use them - their muscles are actually weaker than females with smaller claws. So why does it work?  A group of scientists writing…

"Psychedelica" seems the perfect name for a species of fish that is a wild swirl of tan and peach zebra stripes and behaves in ways contrary to its brethren, says University of Washington’s Ted…

What use is half a wing? When Charles Darwin unleashed his revolutionary theory of evolution in the mid-1800s, one of the first questions doubters nailed him with went something like ; you have the…

An immune system response that is critical to the first stages of fighting off viruses and harmful bacteria comes from an entirely different direction than most scientists had thought, according to a…

Tomorrow is Sunday, and as I prepare to mount my plastic pulpit I will take as my text the introduction to Chapter 5 (Complex Numbers) of A Survey of Modern Algebra by Birkhoff&Mac Lane. …

The Solar core is truly dynamic.  It has been jetting twin jets, which are possitioned diametrically opposite each other,  since it formed  some billions of years ago.  These jets…

You are probably addicted right know, it's O.K. everyone else is also. This experiment has been on the American food consumers without prejudice to religion, status, or race. It is a complete success…

Unique fractures in lavas on ancient Mars suggest water occasionally flooded portions of the planet's surface.   The fractures, known as "columnar joints," are the first that have been observed…

The agglutination and accumulation of proteins in nerve cells are major hallmarks of age-related neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. Cellular survival thus depends on a…

Geothermal energy is increasingly contributing to the power supply where it is affordable and efficient. Iceland is world-leader in expanding development of geothermal utilization: in recent years…

We hear a lot from various advocacy groups that modern lifestyle is the worst thing that can happen to us.    Indeed, some won't be happy until we get back to the sustainable, renewable…

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) announced the winners of its 2008 Science Writing Awards today. The winners -- two scientists, a journalist, a children's book author, and a public television…

Internet phenomena has long been used by advertisers to gather data, form hypotheses, and test them in the form of ad serving—science is starting to get smart to the data-gathering possibilities…

To the historian, English is a fascinating language.  Unlike most of the languages of Europe, it underwent an almost complete makeover following the Norman invasion (1066 and All That).  As…

My grandfather had a special room in his cellar for the various presses and casks he used to make his notoriously mouth-wrenching red wine.  I have friends whose microbrew apparatus takes up the…

Astronomy as a profession is hyper-specialized.  What do you study-- planets, stars, galaxies, clusters, cosmology? Oh, if only it were that simple.  Say you study stars.  It doesn't…