The National Science Board has approved new criteria for evaluating funding proposals, clearing the way for the first change in NSF's merit review process since 1981. The new criteria aim to better reflect the agency's strategic plan and incorporate feedback from the science and engineering community.
Researchers found that 15% of obese people carry antibodies to Ad-36, a virus known to induce obesity in animals. Antibody-positive individuals had lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than antibody-negative counterparts.
A recent study by American Heart Association found that risk of stroke after heart attack is highest within five days. The research highlights atrial fibrillation and ST elevation as key factors increasing likelihood of a heart attack-related stroke.
A new American Academy of Pediatrics study reveals that girls in the US are entering puberty earlier than previously thought, with black girls beginning around age 9 and white girls at 10. By their ninth birthday, 48% of black girls and 15% of white girls have begun breast or secondary hair development.
Astronomers have found similarities between the composition of Comet Hale-Bopp and what appear to be similar-sized comets in other solar systems. The team used infrared observations of evolving solar systems to identify patterns in star-grazing comets, suggesting a common origin for planets.
Cornell University psychologist Romi Nijhawan's experiment shows that the brain can decompose yellow into its constituent red and green based on motion of the stimulus. Human retinas cannot sense motion on their own, but the brain uses a process called motion extrapolation to correct for this delay.
Research suggests that dietary levels of nutrients during formative months and years are important determinants of blood pressure. Studies found that children who consumed more calcium and fiber had lower diastolic blood pressure, while eating more fat was linked to higher diastolic pressure.
A University of Washington researcher found that the US Forest Service and Wilderness Society's conflicting old-growth forest estimates in the Pacific Northwest stem from differing mapping methods, technologies, and definitions. The study highlights how cultural and financial pressures influenced the final numbers.