HS-LS1-2
Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
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Health & MedicineExplainer: What is a hormone?
Various tissues secrete special chemicals, known as hormones. They travel, usually in blood, to a particular distant site where they tell certain cells it’s time to go to work.
By Janet Raloff -
GeneticsExplainer: How CRISPR works
Scientists are using a tool called CRISPR to edit DNA in all types of cells.
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AnimalsBeware the tap of the narwhal’s tusk
A new video shows narwhals using their tusks to tap fish before eating them. They might be stunning their prey — or just playing with their food.
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AnimalsHow a flamingo balances on one leg
Flamingos are so good at balancing on just one leg that they can snooze that way with little effort.
By Susan Milius -
EarthTiny air pollutants inflame airways and harm heart
New studies show how tiny bits of air pollution, called particulate matter, can lead to health problems ranging from chronic runny noses to heart disease.
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PlantsScientists Say: Guttation
When water vapor can’t escape a plant, it might force its way out through a process called guttation.
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AnimalsFrog’s gift of grab comes from saliva and squishy tissue
What puts the grip in a frog’s high-speed strike? Quick-change saliva and a super-soft tongue, scientists find.
By Susan Milius -
GeneticsHow to make a ‘three-parent’ baby
Scientists combined an egg, sperm and some donor DNA: The end result: what appears to be healthy babies.
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AnimalsHow birds know what not to tweet
How do birds perfect their pitches? The chemical dopamine spikes when they sing right, and dips when they drop a note, new data show.
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BrainExplainer: What is dopamine?
Dopamine is a chemical messenger that carries signals between brain cells. It also gets blamed for addiction. And a shortage of it gets blamed for symptoms of diseases such as Parkinson’s.
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BrainExplainer: What is neurotransmission?
When brain cells need to pass messages to one another, they use chemicals called neurotransmitters. This sharing of chemical secrets is known as neurotransmission.
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Health & MedicineScientists Say: Bruxism
Some people clench their jaw when their stressed. People who do it a lot may have bruxism.