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Science News Archive May 2011


Page 28 of 28

Child malnutrition caused by more than lack of food

A new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics reveals that improving living conditions, sanitation, and community organization can significantly reduce child malnutrition rates. In rural Guatemala, families who received non-agricultural land and housing experienced a decline in malnutrition rates, while those who remained in squatt...

US EPA joins alliance to curb global e-waste

The US EPA is collaborating with the United Nations University to develop strategies for managing electronic waste (e-waste) in Africa and Asia. The five-year agreement will support research, tracking, data collection, analysis, and information sharing to improve e-waste refurbishment and disposal.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Movement + academics = success

A daily physical activity program that incorporated classroom lessons resulted in improved test scores for students at an elementary school. The percentage of students reaching their goal score increased from 55% to 68.5% after the program was initiated.

New material could improve safety for first responders to chemical hazards

Researchers have developed a new material sensor that can detect when carbon filters in respirators become saturated with toxic vapors, providing a more accurate warning for emergency workers. The sensor uses photonic crystals made of carbon nanofibers, which change color as the filter absorbs chemicals.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Study is the first to link sleep duration to infant growth spurts

A new study published in the journal Sleep has found that infants who experience irregular bursts of sleep have significant growth spurts in their body length. The study suggests that longer sleep corresponds to greater growth, and that increased sleep episodes increase the probability of a growth spurt by up to 43%.

Solar-thermal flat-panels that generate electric power

Boston College and MIT researchers created high-performance nanotech materials on a flat panel platform, demonstrating seven to eight times higher efficiency than previous solar thermoelectric generators. The innovation enables the simultaneous generation of hot water and electricity, potentially shortening payback time by one-third.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Smoke-exposed children with flu more likely to need ICU care

Researchers found that exposed children were almost five times more likely to need intensive care and more than 11 times more likely to need intubation. Children's length of stay in the hospital was significantly associated with smoke exposure and chronic conditions.

BPA exposure may be associated with wheezing in children

Researchers found that higher BPA concentrations at 16 weeks of pregnancy were associated with wheezing in children, while effects diminished as they aged. More research is needed to confirm the correlation between BPA and wheezing in children.

Hard to arouse, hard to calm down

A new scale used to assess newborn behavior may help identify children who were exposed to methamphetamine prenatally and are at risk of developing problems later in life. The Infant Development, Environment, and Lifestyle (IDEAL) Study found that these children were hard to arouse but had difficulty calming down once awakened.