Cognition
Human Ears Can Hear Better-Than-CD Quality (Just Barely)
Listeners can tell the difference between CD-quality music and better-than-CD quality—but only if they train their ears first. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
Environment
City Lights Trick Trees into an Earlier Spring
Urban light pollution in the U.K. is pushing tree springtime behavior a full week earlier than usual. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Space & Physics
Chocolate Makers Cut Fat with Electricity
Reducing fat from chocolate can gum up manufacturing equipment, making low-fat chocolate hard to produce—but an electric field can help. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Public Health
Viruses Hijack the Body's Response to Mosquito Bites
When immune cells rush to the site of a mosquito bite, viruses hijack the cells and turn them into viral factories—in mice, at least. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Weather
Air Pollution Gives Storm Clouds a Stronger, Longer Life
More particulate matter in the air can build stronger, longer-lasting thunderstorms over the tropics, leading to more extreme storms. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Biology
Microbes May Contribute to Wine's "Character"
The microbes found in crushed grapes were linked to certain chemical fingerprints in the finished wine. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Space & Physics
Go to the (White) Light
An energy-efficient alternative to LEDs has greater focusing power, for microscopes and spotlights. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Public Health
Bigger Glasses Rack Up More Wine Sales
Serving wine in larger glasses boosted sales 10 percent in an English bar, possibly because customers think they're imbibing less per glass. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Evolution
From Wolf to Woof Twice
Dogs may have been domesticated from wolves twice, first in Europe, and again in Asia. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Chemistry
Extreme Life-Forms Could Complicate Carbon Sequestration
Researchers say carbon storage sites should be tested for microbial life, which could potentially convert CO2 to methane—a more potent greenhouse gas. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Biotech
Knee Sounds Give Docs a Leg Up
A wearable device records the sounds of knees cracking, which could reveal clues about the condition of the joint. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Behavior
Candidates Tend to Not Dodge Questions
In an analysis of 14 presidential debate transcripts, two thirds of accusations of question-dodging had no merit. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Evolution
Alliance of Bacterial Strains Disables Antibiotics
Two different antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains have a protective relationship in which each disables a different antibiotic, allowing both to thrive. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Environment
Saharan Dust Brings Bacterial Blooms to the Caribbean
Dust clouds from the Sahara reach the Caribbean—and fertilize waters there when they arrive. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Evolution
Microbe Breaks the Powerhouse Rules
A single-celled organism discovered in chinchilla droppings is the only known eukaryotic organism that lacks mitochondria-like organelles. Christopher Intagliata reports.
EARTH
Farm Fields Release Carbon Mist during Rainstorms
Raindrops eject carbon-based blobs of soil material from wet fields, creating a mist of organic compounds above the soil. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Climate Change
Feed Additive Squelches Ruminants' Methane Belches
A chemical compound can cut a cow's methane emissions by 30 percent—and help the animal get more energy from its food. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Policy
Photos Tagged as Art Linked to Rising Property Prices
Researchers found that neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Flickr photos tagged "art" saw a higher spike in property prices. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Conservation
Traces of Pharmaceuticals Dwell in Wastewater-Grown Veggies
Volunteers who ate veggies grown in wastewater had higher (but still safe) levels of an epilepsy drug in their urine, compared with subjects who ate freshwater-grown veggies. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Behavior
Lower Your Voice Pitch to Persuade
Study volunteers whose voices deepened during a group debate tended to be more influential and convincing. Christopher Intagliata reports.
