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Science News for August 5, 2005


Which it is it?

A study found that grammatical thought processes significantly affect ambiguous pronoun resolution, with the grammatical aspect being more important than order-of-mention. The results suggest our brains infer meaning from parts of speech and think in grammatical terms, supporting the importance of learning grammar rules.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateAug 5, 2005

MRI is better than SPECT in assessing heart damage in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

A recent study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that MRI is more comprehensive than SPECT in assessing heart damage in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. MRI was able to detect small areas of heart damage and provide important data on cardiac function, whereas SPECT only became relevant if no abnormaliti...

SourceAmerican College of Radiology·JournalAmerican Journal of Roentgenology·DateAug 5, 2005

Say again?

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that speakers use disambiguating words to avoid confusion for listeners. Acting as a listener with ambiguous instructions makes participants more aware of speaking ambiguously, prompting them to adjust their language.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateAug 5, 2005

Ovarian cancer risk and consumption of milk products and lactose

A meta-analysis of epidemiological studies found a positive correlation between milk consumption and an increased risk of ovarian cancer. High intakes of dairy foods and lactose may contribute to this association, with a 13% increase in risk seen for every 10 grams of lactose consumed daily.

SourceWiley·JournalInternational Journal of Cancer·DateAug 5, 2005

New technology shows our ancestors ate…everything!

Researchers used new software to analyze fossilized tooth surfaces, revealing that early humans like Australopithecus africanus ate tougher leaves and Paranthropus robustus ate harder foods. The study also showed unexpected variability in the samples, suggesting both species relied on less preferred foods during periods of scarcity.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalNature·DateAug 5, 2005