Новости науки и техники в "Scientific American"

Melding superb research and the extraordinary expedition photography of Frank Hurley, The Endurance by Caroline Alexander is a stunning work of history, adventure, and art which chronicles "one of the greatest epics of survival in the annals of exploration." Setting sail as World War I broke out in Europe, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by renowned polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, hoped to become the first to cross the Antarctic continent. But their ship, Endurance, was trapped in the drifting pack ice, eventually to splinter, leaving the expedition stranded on floes - a situation that seemed "not merely desperate but impossible."

SKEPTICISM TOWARD THE SKEPTICAL ENVIRONMENTALIST

In its January 2002 issue, Scientific American published the feature "Misleading Math about the Earth," in which four environmental experts charged statistician BjЬrn Lomborg with being out of touch with the facts. They criticized the arguments on global warming, energy, overpopulation and biodiversity that he makes in his book, The Skeptical Environmentalist. Lomborg has since written a detailed online rebuttal to our feature. Visit ScientificAmerican.com this week to read his response to the criticism, readers' reactions to the original article and replies from author John P. Holdren and Scientific American editor in chief John Rennie.

STUDY FINDS ST. JOHN'S WORT INEFFECTIVE AGAINST DEPRESSION

The herbal supplement St. John's wort is no more effective at treating moderately severe depression than a placebo is, according to a new study. The findings indicate that patients suffering from depressive symptoms should not substitute the herbal remedy for clinical care.

RESEARCHERS UNVEIL NEW APPROACH TO CLEANING FUEL

By 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency aims to have lowered the sulfur standards for gasoline and diesel fuel to less than a tenth of the current standards. Now new research could help fuel producers meet those new requirements more easily. Scientists report that they have developed a low-temperature, low-pressure process that removes sulfur from liquid fuel without need for any additional reactive gases.

JOURNAL RETRACTS SUPPORT FOR CLAIMS OF INVASIVE GM CORN

The journal Nature has announced that a report claiming that genetically engineered DNA had found its way into wild Mexican corn should not have been published. The announcement came with two critiques of the study and a rebuttal by its authors. Although it is not retracting the original article, the journal has decided to make the circumstances surrounding it clear and "allow our readers to judge the science for themselves."

SATELLITES SPY CHANGES TO EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD

Though the process can take nearly 5,000 years, the earth's magnetic field periodically reverses. Now results from satellite data analyses suggest that scientists may have detected the beginning of the field's next such reversal.

TECHBIZ CHANNEL: SCIENTISTS CREATE POLYMER MATERIAL THAT MENDS ITSELF

Polymers can fulfill a wide variety of functions thanks to properties such as high strength, solvent resistance and insulation. Now scientists have manufactured a polymer that seems to have an additional and unique attribute: it can mend itself without outside help. The researchers report that cracks in the material can be repaired indefinitely through relatively simple heating and cooling conditions.

ASK THE EXPERTS: HOW DO VOLCANOES AFFECT WORLD CLIMATE?

Karen Harpp, an assistant professor of geology at Colgate University, explains.