Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for March 21, 2002


Magnetism to its lowest terms

An international team observed ferromagnetism in one-dimensional cobalt chains, which exhibit both short- and long-range magnetic order. The chains' localized orbital magnetic moments are much larger than those in thin films or bulk crystals, opening up new possibilities for nanoscale magnetic structures.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature·DateMar 21, 2002

Brains rush to judgment: U-M study

A University of Michigan study found that brains detect wins and losses within a third of a second, triggering subsequent decision-making. The research suggests that losses loom larger than gains in the brain's neural activity, influencing future choices.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalScience·DateMar 21, 2002

Students may be learning more about avoidance strategies than arithmetic in math class

A new study found that classrooms where students used fewer avoidance strategies were more likely to have teachers who emphasized understanding, effort, and enjoyment. Teachers in these 'mastery-oriented' classrooms helped students build understanding, provided motivational support, and modeled their own thinking processes.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Educational Psychology·DateMar 21, 2002