[News of the Week] Random Sample
Record low numbers of monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico have researchers worried that the stunning annual migration is dwindling. And in an effort to track the changing habits and diet of polar bears, Quinoa the Dutch shepherd applies his scat-sniffing prowess. (Source: Science: This Week)
Source: Science: This Week - February 7, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Stewart Wills (mailto:swills at aaas.org) Source Type: research
[News of the Week] Around the World
In science news around the world, European research organizations lobby against E.U. data privacy laws, the avian flu H10N8 emerges as a threat in China, the U.S. National Institutes of Health launches a new partnership with drug companies, and more. (Source: Science: This Week)
Source: Science: This Week - February 7, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Stewart Wills (mailto:swills at aaas.org) Source Type: research
[News of the Week] This Week's Section
Follow the links below for a roundup of the week's top stories in science, or download a PDF of the entire section.
Around the WorldFindingsRandom SamplesNewsmakers (Source: Science: This Week)
Source: Science: This Week - February 6, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Stewart Wills (mailto:swills at aaas.org) Source Type: research
[News Focus] Cryptography: Quantum Spy Games
When the news broke earlier this month that the U.S. government is trying to build a superfast quantum computer, reports suggested the demise of private information as we know it. The end may not be so nigh, however. A full-fledged quantum computer is likely decades away. More important, even if a quantum code cracker can be built, it might be defeated by encryption algorithms already in the works—or by another technology, called quantum key distribution, that relies on quantum mechanics itself for security. Such countermeasures could rob a quantum computer of its widely perceived killer app before building one is even p...
Source: Science: This Week - January 31, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Adrian Cho Tags: Cryptography Source Type: research
[News Focus] The Dangerous Professor
British drug researcher David Nutt is often at the center of controversy. His proposals for more rational, evidence-based drug policies have triggered angry reactions, and he was fired as a top U.K. government adviser in 2009 for criticizing a new cannabis policy. Nutt believes society should focus more on reducing harm from drugs; among his own projects is a safer substitute for alcohol, which he considers one of the most dangerous drugs around. Nutt has identified several molecules that he says may provide the same pleasant feeling as alcohol but without the risks.
Author: Kai Kupferschmidt (Source: Science: This Week)
Source: Science: This Week - January 31, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Kai Kupferschmidt Source Type: research
