Clark Science Center - Smith College

Calculators Okay In Math Class, If Students Know The Facts First, Study Finds
Calculators are useful tools in elementary mathematics classes, if students already have some basic skills, new research has found. The findings shed light on the debate about whether and when calculators should be used in the classroom.

Can Biofuels Be Sustainable?
With oil prices skyrocketing, the search is on for efficient and sustainable biofuels. Research published this month in Agronomy Journal examines one biofuel crop contender: corn stover. Corn stover is made up of the leaves and stalks of corn plants that are left in the field after harvesting the ed...

Silver Is Key To Reducing Pneumonia Associated With Breathing Tubes
People have long prized silver as a precious metal. Now, silver-coated endotracheal tubes are giving critically ill patients another reason to value the lustrous metal. Researchers now report that the silver-coated tubes led to a 36 percent reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Researchers Uncover Attack Mechanism Of Illness-inducing Bacterium
An infectious ocean-dwelling bacterium found in oysters and other shellfish kills its host's cells by causing them to burst, providing the invader with a nutrient-rich meal, researchers have found.

Critical Protein Complex In Formation Of Cell Cilia Identified
Scientists have identified a protein complex that regulates the formation of cilia, which are found on virtually all mature human cells and are essential to normal cell function.

Key Advance Toward 'Micro-spacecraft'
Fleets of inexpensive, pint-sized spacecraft are one giant leap closer to lift off. Researchers describe a new, razor thin temperature-regulating film that brings this sci-fi vision of "micro-spacecraft" weighing barely 50 pounds and 10-pound "nano-spacecraft" closer to reality.

'Point Of Care Diagnostics' In The Starting Blocks
Tracking down cancer at a very early stage, studying cell growth, developing new medicines: future lab-on-a-chip systems will use nanoscale electrical fields to enable the detection and manipulation of cells and biomolecules.

Heads-up Study Of Hair Dynamics May Lead To Better Hair-care Products
From frizzy perms to over-bleached waves, "bad hair days" could soon become a less frequent occurrence. Chemists report the first detailed microscopic analysis of what happens to individual hair fibers when they interact with each other, an advance in knowledge key to the development of improved sha...

Bacterial Pneumonia Caused Most Deaths In 1918 Influenza Pandemic
The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers. Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection. The pneumonia was caused when bacteria that normally inhabit the nose...

Greenland Ice Core Reveals History Of Pollution In The Arctic
New research, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that coal burning, primarily in North America and Europe, contaminated the Arctic and potentially affected human health and ecosystems in and around Earth's polar regions.

Magician's Hand: How Humor And Misdirection Can Manipulate Levels Of Attention
Two neuroscientists have studied how magicians mix humor into their performances because a laughing audience is unable to pay attention to the magician's hand. The study also determined that there are various levels of misdirection that magicians use to trick an audience. These insights, which were ...

New Speed Record For Magnetic Memories
An experiment carried out at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has realized spin torque switching of a nanomagnet as fast as the fundamental speed limit allows. Using this so-called ballistic switching future non-volatile magnetic memories could operate as fast as the fastest non-volat...

More Than 10 Percent Of Older Americans Suffer Mistreatment, Study Finds
About 13 percent of elderly Americans are mistreated, most commonly by someone who verbally mistreats or financially takes advantage of them, according to a University of Chicago study that is the first comprehensive look at elder mistreatment in the country.

Green Catalysts Provide Promise For Cleaning Toxins And Pollutants
Tetra-Amido Macrocyclic Ligands are environmentally friendly catalysts with a host of applications for reducing and cleaning up pollutants, and a prime example of "green chemistry." Carnegie Mellon University's Terry Collins, the catalyst's inventor, believes that the small-molecule catalysts have t...

Alexander Technique Offers Long-term Relief For Back Pain
Alexander technique lessons in combination with an exercise program offer long-term effective treatment for chronic back pain, according to a new study.

Cataloguing Invisible Life: Microbe Genome Emerges From Lake Sediment
Scientists have taken a sample of Lake Washington mud and successfully sequenced a complete genome for an unknown microorganism. Their method provides a way to discover new microscopic life in complex communities.

Are Your Eyes A Window To Diabetes-related Health Issues?
Scientists are carrying out a unique study using the eyes to detect early signs of health problems which could lead to diabetes, and they?re looking for volunteers to help.

Novel Method To Grow Human Embryonic Stem Cells Developed
The majority of researchers working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) use animal-based materials for culturing the cells. But these materials could transmit viruses and other pathogens to the hESCs, making the cells unsuitable for medical use. Now a biochemist has devised a method of growing h...

Obesity Raises Risks Of Serious Digestive Health Concerns: Incidence Of GERD,...
The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the ...

New Reasons To Avoid Grapefruit And Other Juices When Taking Certain Drugs
Scientists and consumers have known for years that grapefruit juice can increase the absorption of some drugs, causing potentially toxic effects. Now, researchers in Canada report new evidence that drinking grapefruit and other common fruit juices, including orange and apple, also can substantially ...