Science World articles from February 2003

Science World archives from February 2003

Teen evolution.
February 7, 2003... It's hard to imagine, but your parents may have once have used the excuse, "The dog ate my homework." That's because they used to be teens, too. While homework, zits, and body image remain constant teen themes, many facets of adolescent life...

Hyper for life? ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is the most common behavioral disorder among teens. What is it, and can it be cured? (Mental Health/Brain Chemistry).
February 7, 2003... It's hard not to pay attention to Sam: He never can seem to sit still. Nervous energy jolts through his body, making it intensely difficult for him to focus on schoolwork, keep track of assignments, and not speak out of turn. Other times he's...

Blue jeans: bacteria.(E. coli used to dye denim )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... American teens share one fashion obsession: blue jeans. The typical U.S. consumer averages 7 pairs, says industry group Cotton Inc. Denim may be stylish, but there's an unexpected downside: Blue dye may pollute the planet. In 2002,...

Computers: technology.(virtual keyboard by VKB)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Your computer keyboard is probably a magnet for spilled soda, crumbs, dust, and other unsavory debris. Dump enough junk between the keys and the circuit board below--a "mini-computer" equipped with hundreds of pulsing electric circuit...

Dissection: debate.(options for students who do not wish to dissect animals in classroom)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Jennifer Watson is a straight-A honor student at Kenwood High School in Baltimore, Maryland. So imagine the shock when classmates and parents learned she'd been kicked out of anatomy class last September. The reason? Watson refused to dissect a...

Exercise: health.(Gyrotonic Expansion System machine)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Medieval torture rack or hot exercise trend? Take a one-hour workout on this contraption and you be the judge. Juliu Horvath--inventor of the Gyrotonic Expansion System insists his machine will pump up your health. Like any weight-machine...

Close-up: ecstacy: "E" is for empty: ecstacy use left Daniel feeling worthless and alone. (Heads Up Real News About Drugs And Your Body).
February 7, 2003... Daniel Oerum, 17 of San Clarita Valley California, wanted prom night to be special. So, he reached into his tuxedo pocket and took out pills stamped with images of Tweety Bird and Buddha. Ecstasy (also called E, X, XTC, Adam, hug, love drug,...

Fear factors: everyone reacts to fear differently. Scientists are beginning to understand why. (The Brain/Genetics).
February 7, 2003... Thirty thousand slimy yellow wax-worm maggots (baby worms) squirm over the contestant's face into her mouth. Their manure-like stench is stifling, and she gags while using her lips to rummage inside a box. Her challenge: Retrieve as many...

Grandparents: genetics/health.
February 7, 2003... Ever wonder why humans form such strong attachments to relatives, when dogs, cats, and goldfish often seem to care little about theirs? Biologists puzzle over the same question, and now they suspect one answer might be found in... grandma! In...

Hygiene: immune system.
February 7, 2003... Pigs have known for a long time what doctors and scientists have just learned: Dirt is good for you. Well, at least some dirt. One recent Swiss study of 800 children found that kids who grow up on a farm are less susceptible to asthma and other...

Instant messaging: behavior.
February 7, 2003... Are cell phones changing your life? New research suggests teens' extensive practice of phone-number punching and text messaging is giving them particularly dexterous, or agile, thumbs. Now, many teens even use the big digit, instead of the...

Jokes: hormones.
February 7, 2003... Two hydrogen atoms are walking down the street. The first one stops and says: "Wait, I think I lost an electron." "Are you sure?" says the second. "Yeah," says the first, "I'm positive." There's nothing better than a good...

Kissing: fast facts.
February 7, 2003... * The science of kissing is called philematology. * A one-minute kiss burns 26 calories measuring energy-producing potential of food). * Kissing releases the same neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) as intense...

Young & the lonely: a team of top experts answers your questions about loneliness and depression.
February 7, 2003... Do you often feel lonely? Irritable, angry, or with-drawn? "It's just a phase," a parent may counsel. "You'll get over it," advises a friend. After all, says conventional wisdom, you're an adolescent--and stormy emotional ups and downs come...

Music: brain.
February 7, 2003... Wonder why you can tell when a singer is off-key? Researchers at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., have found one brain area responsible: rostromedial prefrontal cortex, located just behind the forehead. "People have long suspected the...

Nose job: anatomy.
February 7, 2003... In 2001, 79,501 Americans under age 18 underwent cosmetic surgery--according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). And rhinoplasty, or nose-reshaping surgery, topped the list with 43,615 procedures. One surgical method: The...

Organic food: health food labels.
February 7, 2003... Does "organic" mean totally natural? Not exactly. In recent years, food labeled "organic" has flooded supermarkets. "The problem was, nobody knew what organic meant," says Joan Shaffer, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

Puppies: behavior.
February 7, 2003... Puppies are adorable... and good mentors? A high school teacher in Akron, Ohio, paired five Labrador retriever puppies and their father with her behavioral problem-prone students. Each week, a dog trainer showed students a new trick to teach...

Quesadilla challenge: nutrition.
February 7, 2003... Fast food may be big on taste, but it's also often packed with fat and calories. For example, www.tacobell.com shows that its steak quesadilla contains 550 calories and 31 grams of total fat--48 percent of your Daily Value (%DV) based on a...

Romance: Pheromones.
February 7, 2003... What do penguins have to do with your love life? Scientists' biggest clue yet: airborne chemical signals called pheromones, which help these chicks recognize their dads among thousands of other icebound penguins. As University of Toronto...

Stress: hormones.
February 7, 2003... Exams, homework, zits--the sources of stress are endless. A moderate dose of tension--from a growling dog, say, or fear of test-flunking--helps you skirt trouble. But long-term or chronic strain can sabotage your health, say experts. When...

Test taking: mental health.(tips for taking tests)
February 7, 2003... Does the idea of taking a test give you the sweats? Chill with these five tips from expert Jeff Rubenstein of The Princeton Review: * DON'T CRAM. Study 15 to 30 minutes a day instead of three hours the night before. You'll be much better...

Uniforms: psychology.(dress codes in public schools)
February 7, 2003... If choosing what to wear to school is the choicest part of your morning, this news may blacken your mood: Strict dress codes are a hot new trend in public schools. Twenty states now experiment with uniform policies. The idea: Uniforms create a...

Vision: infections.(preventing eye infections from contact lenses)
February 7, 2003... For shock value, nothing may beat flame-red or zebra-striped contacts. But if you buy cosmetic contacts from an unlicensed vendor--such as the clerk at your local video store or hair salon--you're risking your eyes, says lens manufacturer CIBA...

Weight wars: hormones/metabolism.
February 7, 2003... Want biceps to rival The Rock's? You're not alone. The thirst for bulging muscles is on the rise--and so is the use of anabotic steroids, illegal and dangerous muscle-building drugs. "More than 500,000 eighth-and tenth-graders now use...

Yoga: the secret to a great body...and better test scores?? (Lymphatic System/Blood Pressure).
February 7, 2003... X CHROMOSOME: GENETICS/ REPRODUCTION The X chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes--gene-containing chemical structures--that determine whether you're born male or female. In humans, females possess two X chromosomes; males have one X and...

Zits: diet.
February 7, 2003... Contrary to researchers' long-held Belief, a ssurprising new study suggests chocolate may in fact cause zits--as might gummy bears, crackers, bread, and other foods high in simple carbohydrates, or easily digested refined sugars. "Bread, cakes,...

Zzzzz: sleep/health.
February 7, 2003... If you're like most American teens, you probably catch just six or seven hours of sleep a night. But for healthy growth and development, "the average teen needs about nine hours of sleep," says Mary Carskadon, a Brown University sleep expert....

Teen health resources from A to Z.
February 7, 2003... A Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder For articles, book suggestions, resources, and forums on ADHD, visit the ADHD Parent's Place, an online community: www.adhd.com/ Check out the National Institute of Mental Health's Web site on...

Ecstasy: key info: warning signs, resources, and a word search. (Heads Up Real News About Drugs and your Body).
February 7, 2003... Warning Signs Do you suspect that a friend may be using ecstasy or other club drugs? Here are some of the signs. * Confusion * Depression * Headaches, dizziness * Muscle tension * Panic attacks * Paranoia *...

E for empty.(teaching students about drug addiction)
February 7, 2003... Objective: Daniel's story will help students understand the physical, mental, and emotional effects of ecstasy abuse. Discussion Questions: Drug addiction may be defined as a compulsion to take drugs, even in the face of extremely...