Immune system, white-nosed bats, lasers and the hottest places on Earth – This eclectic assortment is a sample of current Scinews stories that should interest your students.
SciNews is published every Monday and Thursday. Stay tuned for more
Biology
Environment, not genes, dictates human immune variation, study finds. Science Daily
A study of twins shows that our environment, more than our heredity, plays the starring role in determining the state of our immune system, the body’s primary defense against disease. This is especially true as we age, the study indicates. Read more…
Picture This: Winter brings white noses. Science News for Students
Bat populations in the eastern United States and parts of Canada are plummeting. Every winter, large numbers of these flying mammals hibernate in caves. While there, a large share can become infected with a fungus. It triggers a disease known as white-nose syndrome. During the summer, new data show, some bats seem to be able to fight their way free of the disease. The new study points out just how dramatically white-nose infections can emerge and then disappear again over the course of a year. Read more…
Chemistry
What to expect in 2015. Nature
Nature looks at what the New Year holds for science. Read more…
Physics
Rice-sized laser, powered one electron at a time, bodes well for quantum computing. Science Daily
Researchers have built a rice grain-sized microwave laser, or ‘maser,’ powered by single electrons that demonstrates the fundamental interactions between light and moving electrons. It is a major step toward building quantum-computing systems out of semiconductor materials. Read more…
For sea turtles, there’s no place like magnetic home. Science Daily
Adult sea turtles find their way back to the beaches where they hatched by seeking out unique magnetic signatures along the coast, according to new evidence. Read more…
Earth and Space Science
Hottest Year Ever: 5 Places Where 2014 Temps Really Cooked. Scientific American
Though the official numbers aren’t in for December, it’s likely that 2014 will go down as the planet’s hottest year on record, at least since scientists started keeping tabs on global temperature. Read more…
B.C. students’ science project finally launches successfully into space. Globe and Mail
A science project that a group of B.C. students dreamed of launching into space was finally on its way to the International Space Station on Saturday.
Four boys from McGowan Park Elementary School in Kamloops, B.C., celebrated after the rocket their project was aboard successfully launched early Saturday. Read more…