Popular media has been promising the world a pandemic for some time now. But here’s a frightening thought: What if the real threat isn’t a genetically engineered superbug or an ambitious avian virus that makes the jump to humans? What if, instead, something neutralizes our most basic defenses so that, for example, strep throat becomes […]
science
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Sight without light
Most people would likely agree that humans cannot see in total darkness. But spelunkers, people who study and explore caves, have made anecdotal observations for years disputing that assumption. And they may now have data on their side. A new University of Rochester study shows that some people have the ability to see their own […]
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Paper details plastics pollution in several Great Lakes
Researchers have released a new paper on microplastics in the Great Lakes and in it they say that the concentration of plastic fragments in many cases exceeds that of the world’s oceans. The paper was written by researchers from the 5 Gyres Institute and SUNY Fredonia and covers samples from Lakes Superior, Huron, and Erie. […]
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Study: woodpeckers are eating ash borers
The emerald ash borer has devastated ash tree populations in some states and is expected to do some serious damage in other areas. Part of the reason is because, as as invasive, non-native insect, it lacks predators. But apparently, woodpeckers have developed a taste for the ash borer, according to a new study — “Effects of […]
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Hurricane Sandy and climate change: It’s complicated
The entire northeast is preparing for the onset of the Hurricane Sandy. Or more specifically, people in the northeast are preparing for the Frankenstorm: Hurricane Sandy mixed with a winter storm coming from the north. That combination of a hurricane and a nor’easter is weird. And it’s the latest example of weird or abnormally severe […]
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Leading scientist says he underestimated climate change
This is not the kind of headline that inspires confidence or optimism: “Climate change is here — and worse than we thought.” The accompanying op-ed was written by James Hansen, a top scientist at NASA and a leading climate-change researcher. And in the second paragraph, he says his earlier projections for what climate change will […]
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Bending science into art
After a long, harsh winter, the April ice storm was enough to leave most Upstate New Yorkers exasperated. But scientific photographer Ted Kinsman was having the time of his life. “I shot 60 images on Friday morning; then I went out and shot another 200,” Kinsman says. “It was very good. A lot of […]
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The organ gap
There was a time when the idea of transplanting human organs was the stuff of science fiction and cheesy horror films. Today, organ transplants are a standard feature of the medical landscape. But out of success has come crisis. Would-be transplant recipients in Rochester and throughout the country face a disparity of supply and demand […]
