Новости науки и техники в "Scientific American"

CLAIM OF NONHUMAN-INDUCED GLOBAL WARMING SPARKS DEBATE

In a contretemps indicative of the political struggle over global climate change, a recent study suggested that humans may not be warming the earth. Greenhouse skeptics, pro-industry groups and political conservatives have seized on the results, proclaiming that the science of climate change is inconclusive and that agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol, which set limits on the output of industrial heat-trapping gases, are unnecessary. But mainstream climatologists, as represented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are perturbed that the report has received so much attention; they say the study's conclusions are scientifically dubious and colored by politics.

NICOTINE BY-PRODUCT REDUCES ALZHEIMER'S TELLTALE PLAQUES

The downsides of smoking are plentiful, ranging from stained fingers and teeth to an increased risk of lung cancer. But one potential upside was discovered recently when research suggested that cigarette smoking may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. New findings indicate that nornicotine, a by-product of nicotine, could be responsible for this protective effect.

BOOKSTORE: NATURE VIA NURTURE : GENES, EXPERIENCE, AND WHAT MAKES US HUMAN by Matt Ridley

Ridley presents a history of the long debate over genes versus the environment as the dominant influence on human behavior. He asserts that "versus" is wrong. His point of departure is the recent identification of the full sequence of the human genome. "The discovery of how genes actually influence human behaviour, and how human behaviour influences genes, is about to recast the debate entirely. No longer is it nature-versus-nurture, but nature-via-nurture. Genes are designed to take their cues from nurture.... My argument in a nutshell is this: the more we lift the lid on the genome, the more vulnerable to experience genes appear to be." Ridley is a skillful writer who holds the reader's attention all the way.

DECAF COFFEE PLANTS DEVELOPED

For many coffee lovers, their precious beverage comes with an unwanted ingredient: caffeine. Processes have been developed to remove the compound, but current methods are expensive and sometimes compromise flavor. Now scientists may have come up with a way to get decaffeinated coffee straight from the plant. Researchers report that their genetically modified coffee plants have 70 percent less caffeine than regular plants do.

BRAIN ACTIVITY REVEALS ROOTS OF SHYNESS

Even if a shy child comes out of his shell as an adult, his brain will still reveal his bashful roots, a new study suggests. Adults who had been classified as inhibited at the age of two exhibited greater brain activity when exposed to unfamiliar faces than did people who had been uninhibited at a young age.

SCIENTISTS IMAGE SUN'S SURFACE IN 3-D

Astronomers have taken the most detailed pictures yet of the edge of our sun. The images are twice as clear as previous images and reveal the sun's surface to be a landscape of peaks and valleys.

ASK THE EXPERTS: IS THERE ANY SCIENTIFIC VALIDITY TO THE SAYING "RED SKY AT NIGHT, SAILORS' DELIGHT; RED SKY IN THE MORNING, SAILORS TAKE WARNING"?

Joe Sienkiewicz, chief of the Ocean Applications Branch and a science and operations officer with the NOAA/NWS Ocean Prediction Center, explains.