Tanning Roundup
UV light improves mood, making tanning feel good, and a new drug induces tanning without sunlight.
Two Kidneys
Why do we have two kidney but only one liver? (Evolved bilateral symmetry, and kidneys are less protected so need a spare)
CD Testing
Miniaturizing a common biochemical test and putting it on a CD makes it fast and cheap.
Lost Ants
What happens when an ant is separated from its colony? (It dies -- can't join another colony.)
Surgery Roundup
A new surgical technique goes in through the stomach and leaves no scars, and functioning kidneys can be grown in rats from embryonic tissue.
Mission to Mercury
The MESSENGER space probe to Mercury will be launched in early August.
Amorphous Steel
Non-magnetic steel that has the structure of glass is strong, lightweight, and corrosion resistant.
Robot Farmers
Small robots could be used to automate farming tasks, like scouting for weeds.
Cough Medicine
The ingredients in cough syrups don't help children stop coughing.
Alien Species
Releasing tropical saltwater pet fish into the wrong ocean disrupts coral reefs, and a new USDA guide helps people identify invasive plants.
Thick and Thin Foods
Rats ate more and gained more weight when eating a thin, milk-like treat than when eating a thick, pudding-like treat.
Artificial Sweeteners
Eating artificial sweeteners causes rats to lose the cues for feeling full, leading to overeating.
Genetics and Stress
A gene for a brain receptor can make people more or less vulnerable to stress.
Fungus Roundup
Adding fungi to soil helps plants grow better, and a good fungus protects cacao trees from a bad fungus.
Cocaine-Blocking Virus
A virus engineered with antibodies to cocaine gives rats a temporary resistance to the drug's effects.
Dog Seizure Alert
A survey of families whose dogs can anticipate seizures in their epileptic children .
Bee Language
Competition for food sources may have pressured honeybees to evolve dance language.
Hearing Roundup
A new hearing aid with three microphones enhances party conversation, and growing up in a quiet environment can hurt your hearing.
P.O.W. Memory
People interrogated under high-stress conditions cannot reliably identify their attackers.
Tongue Sensor
A device transmits camera images via electrical pulses on the tongue.