Fossil mayflies can be used to 'weigh' ancient atmospheres
...ally measuring air's density and leaving barometer readings in the fossil record, according to a Cornell University geologist. Because that insect -- the common mayfly -- has persisted with little change since its appearance some 300 million years ago, scientists can use it to estimate the mass and compositi...UMass virologist publishes book on "The Real Science Behind 'The X-Files'"
...d Morning America" onOct. 22. Several Amherst-area readings and booksignings are scheduled, includingat Beyond Words in Northampton, Oct. 20; the University Store Oct. 26; and theJeffery Amherst Bookshop on Oct. 30, all at times to be announced. Simon is alsoscheduled to give a lecture on "The Science of the ...UT Southwestern researchers create mice with narcolepsy
... waves, muscle activity and behavior. The animals' readings matched thoseof humans with narcolepsy, Yanagisawa said. The mice manifested the sameabnormalities of sleep patterns, including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep at thebeginning of a sleep period instead of after a normal period of non-rapid eyemovement......merican men and women who had normalblood pressure readings (less than 140/90 mm Hg). They found that the systolicblood pressure -- the upper number on a blood pressure reading -- rose sharplyin those who consumed sodium and had the ACE gene variant when compared to thosewho did not have the variant. The ass...Substance Abuse May Curb Body's Stress Reactions
...the young men respondedwith lower skin conductance readings than when the noise blast wasunpredictable. These ...n the noise waspredictable, their skin conductance readings were higher than when the noise wasunpredictable. These "poor modulators" were the most likely to re...Study Associates Asteroid Or Comet Impact With Extinctions In Argentina
...sin the glass, and by comparing the magnetic readings of the glass layer topublished records of magnetic-field changes over the eons, the researchers date theglass as 3.3 million years old, just prior to the extinctions. Using research by other scientists that compared heavy to light...West Coast Measurements Confirm Asian Air Pollution Can Travel To U.S.
...ly traceable to a large area ofeastern Asia. Those readings showed carbon monoxide levels 10 percent higherthan normal marine air, a nearly 100 percent rise in PAN, and a 50 percentincrease in particulates. "In this suite of measurements, we don't yet have enough data to say it's coalburning in China or an oi...Duke Researchers Finds That Moderate Caffeine Use Boosts Blood Pressure, Potential For Heart Disease
... levels. By correlating the blood pressure readings with the subjects'self-reports of their activities and moods throughout the day, the Dukeresearchers were able to rule out the possibility that caffeine was simplyacting through a stress response or burst of physical activity. "Essentially, w...Researchers Unable To Document Existence Of Transient HIV Infection In Infants
...hers concluded that laboratoryerrors created false readings when the specimens were initially tested. "The study of transient HIV-1 infection draws attention because of cluesit might give to development of a vaccine," said principal investigator Dr. LisaM. Frenkel, associate professor of pediatrics an...... on low-fat diets. Participants' blood cholesterol readings ranged from 155 to 271 milligrams perdeciliter (mg/dL) at the start of the study. Average levels were considered tobe about 218 mg/dL; below-average was about 184 mg/dL; and above-average levelswere about 253 mg/dL. Each underwent an ultraso...Ameriflux Network Will Track CO2 Transfer In Forests
...he local ecosystem and the atmosphere. Instrument readings will berecorded about 10 times per second, 24 hours a day for several years. "Legislators and policy makers want scientists to predict what's going to happenin the future as people continue to burn coal, oil and other fossil fuels whichpump more carb...Smog Spreading To South Pacific
...f smog about 500 miles north of Fijiin which ozone readings reached 131 parts per billion (ppb). The pollution hadtraveled over Australia, with the major contributors of ozone likely coming fromas far away as Africa. Yet, by the time it reached the south seas, Rowlandsaid, "its ozone concentration was high ...Pet-Owning Couples Are Closer, Interact More Than Pet-Less Couples, UB Study Shows
...etween spouses showed that systolic blood-pressure readings of couples with pets were lower at baseline, rose less in response to stress and returned to baseline quicker than in couples without pets. Pet-owning couples also had more frequent contacts with each other and with others, and those most atta...Remote Cloud Observatory Tracks El Niño Changes
...th sea surface and air/sea atmospheric temperature readings collectedfrom ocean buoys set out by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agencywill help meteorologists and climatologists recognize the onset of El Niño. The observing station monitors water vapor and liquid water in theatmosp......e with pets had significantly lower blood pressure readings than those without pets. Among elderly women... but little human companionship had blood pressure readings nearly as low as young women with many supportive friends or family. "These findings indicate...