| State Avoids Shutting More Than a Third of Its Parks In the face of a sustained outcry, the Schwarzenegger administration backpedaled on the way it would cut the state parks budget. nytimes.com |
Risk-Taking Teens Have More Mature Brains Editor's note: The orignal online version of this story was previously posted. We often hear that teens are irresponsible because their brains are immature. But, contradicting that idea, teen turmoil is completely absent in more than 100 cultures around the world [see “ The Myth of the Teen Brain ,” by Robert Epstein; Scientific American Mind , April/May 2007]. Nevertheless, neuroscience studies do indeed suggest that the gray matter in the frontal cortex of teens, as compared with adults, is not fully developed. [More] rss.sciam.com |
It's in the Details: For Ecofriendly Auto Detailing, Do-It-Yourself Is the Only Way to Go Dear EarthTalk : I recently got my car detailed at a local place and then gasped at the chemical fumes when I got inside. Are there green detailers out there, or products that I could use myself to keep my vehicle clean and my family out of harm’s way? --David Berkowitz, Newton, Mass. [More] rss.sciam.com |
Urban Camping, Bargemusic, Museum Mile Festival A few interesting ways to spend the weekend in New York City without spending a lot. nytimes.com |
A View to a Kill: New Imaging Watches How Mitochondria Change During Disease The most powerful machines are also the most destructive, a rule that applies even in the confines of the body’s cells. Mitochondria, the cell’s energy powerhouses, can fuel the development of many chronic and poorly understood conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and neuro­de­generative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The disease process starts when environmental factors such as polluted drink­ing water or cigarette smoke perturb mitochondria, causing cellular levels of high-energy molecules called reactive oxygen species to spike.Until now it has been unclear exactly how this destructive cascade unfolds. But researchers have developed an imaging technique that shows, in real time, what happens when things start going awry--a tool that could help doctors diagnose mitochondrial injuries before they have the chance to do serious cellular damage. [More] rss.sciam.com |