NYT > Science

Theory Ties Radio Signal to Universe’s First Stars

By DENNIS OVERBYE — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:41:26 GMT

A mysterious radio static that seems to pervade the universe has astronomers theorizing as to its source.

Japan Seeks Australia’s Help to Thwart Whaling Opponents

By MERAIAH FOLEY and MARK McDONALD — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:01:29 GMT

Japan said Tuesday that it would formally ask Australia to keep anti-whaling activists and their ship, the Steve Irwin, from refueling at Australian ports.

Dot Earth: Whale Wars and Bison Burgers

By ANDREW C. REVKIN — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:08:15 GMT

Whale wars heat up but hide bigger questions.

Scientist at Work | Rob Holman: So Much to Learn About the Oceans From Sand

By CORNELIA DEAN — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:58:18 GMT

Rob Holman’s collection of sand from around the world is a valuable teaching tool for how the oceans operate.

Basics: A Large-Size Focus on Life Lived Small

By NATALIE ANGIER — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:44:39 GMT

The Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans is the largest museum in the nation devoted solely to insects and their arthropod relations.

Orbiter, Finishing a Mission, Offers a Peek at Mars’ Wrinkles

By KENNETH CHANG — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:55:33 GMT

Last month, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter wrapped up its two-year primary science phase, and Mars geologists are wallowing in a bounty of data.

Data Uncover Bigger Galaxy in Cosmos, and It’s Ours

By KENNETH CHANG — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:30:30 GMT

Astronomers said Monday that the Milky Way is more massive than previously thought, expanding Earth's galaxy to roughly the heft of Andromeda.

Food Dance Gets New Life When Bees Get Cocaine

By PAM BELLUCK — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:06:25 GMT

To learn more about the biochemistry of addiction, scientists are giving bees cocaine and have found the insects react much like humans do.

At the Stove, a Dash of Science, a Pinch of Folklore

By KENNETH CHANG — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:22:59 GMT

Shirley O. Corriher, a biochemist turned folksy food scientist, helps answer some kitchen curiosities.

Second Opinion: Should Patients Be Told of Better Care Elsewhere?

By DENISE GRADY — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:18:01 GMT

The quality of cancer care at different hospitals is uneven and raises thorny questions about what informed consent should mean.

Mind: Some Protect the Ego by Working on Their Excuses Early

By BENEDICT CAREY — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:38:54 GMT

Recent research has helped clarify not just who is prone to self-handicapping but also its consequences -- and its possible benefits.

Cases: The Instincts to Trust Are Usually the Patient’s

By SANDEEP JAUHAR, M.D. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:07:05 GMT

Doctors can’t explain it, but every day in medicine there are people who know they are near death, no matter what the tests show.

Blood Sugar Control Linked to Memory Decline, Study Says

By RONI CARYN RABIN — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:06:44 GMT

As the body loses its ability to regulate glucose, parts of the brain involved in memory lose blood flow, researchers find.

Observatory: For a Bacterial Species, ‘Sibling’ Competition Can Turn Deadly

By HENRY FOUNTAIN — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:25:26 GMT

Among the bacterial species Paenibacillus dendritiformis, sibling colonies take competition to a deadly level.

Global Update: Hemorrhagic Fever Reappears in Congo

By DENISE GRADY — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:27:50 GMT

The Ebola virus, which causes a deadly hemorrhagic fever, has surfaced for the second time in less than two years in south-central Congo.

Vital Signs: Gasping Misunderstood in Heart Attacks

By ERIC NAGOURNEY — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:39:12 GMT

A new study reports that the heart attack victims who gasp are more likely to survive -- especially if they are given chest compressions right away.

Observatory: To Assist in Fusion, Researchers Arrange for Cells to Meet Cells

By HENRY FOUNTAIN — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:26:54 GMT

New technology may make cell fusion, which is an important tool in biological and biomedical research, more efficient.

Bush to Protect Vast New Pacific Tracts

By JOHN M. BRODER — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:31:33 GMT

The action will protect vast tracts of American-controlled islands, reefs, surface waters and sea floor from fishing, mining, oil exploration and other commercial activity.

Observatory: Pink Iguana Is Distinct in Other Ways Too

By HENRY FOUNTAIN — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:09:44 GMT

The pink iguana of the Galápagos was seen for the first time in 1986. Now researchers have shown that it is a distinct species.

Q & A: Microwaves and Leaks

By C. CLAIBORNE RAY — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:35:32 GMT

Could cooking oil, spices or canned foods stored next to a microwave oven be receiving unhealthy doses of microwave emissions?

Personal Health: More Isn’t Always Better in Coronary Care

By JANE E. BRODY — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:34:16 GMT

Ira’s story is a classic example of invasive cardiology run amok.

Really?: The Claim: Some Men Are More Likely to Father Boys

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:06:14 GMT

Men who want to know whether they’re more likely to father a boy or a girl may garner clues from their family tree.

Well: With the Right Motivation, That Home Gym Makes Sense

By TARA PARKER-POPE — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:08:36 GMT

Behavioral scientists are fascinated by why people buy exercise machines, only to let them rust.