NYT > Science

• Six Killers: Alzheimer’s Disease: Finding Alzheimer’s Before a Mind Fails
  Alzheimer’s seems to strike suddenly in old age, but scientists believe it begins long before symptoms occur.
• Both Sides Cite Science to Address Altered Corn
  A proposal to ban the planting of a genetically modified corn strain sets up a bitter war within the European Union.
• A Conversation With Harindra Joseph S. Fernando: On the Ground and in the Water, Tracing a Giant Wave’s Path
  Dr. Harindra Joseph S. Fernando studies the human activities that make a natural disaster even more deadly.
• Brain Cells, Doing Their Job With Some Neighborly Help
  How does the brain process all of the information being taken in by our senses every second of every day?
• Books: The Lure of Treatments Science Has Dismissed
  Exploring the reasons people swear by treatments that have no scientific evidence backing them.
• When the Senses Become Confused
  After a stroke, the brain tries to reorganize itself. However, sometimes this process goes awry, leaving one woman to feel sounds on her skin.
• Conserving Cuba, After the Embargo
  Environmentalists are thinking ahead to the effect of tourists and investors on a landscape of crucial habitats.
• Basics: Birds, Bugs Named as Steroid Users!
  Baseball players may not be the only animals looking to gain an advantage by using steroids.
• A Question of Blame When Societies Fall
  Who or what is to blame when a once-powerful society collapses?
• Personal Health: On the Same Wavelength With the Doctor
  Feel like going to the doctor is a waste of time? With a little preparation, your next doctor’s visit can be a lot more productive.
• Really?: The Claim: Calories From Alcohol Go to Your Midsection
  But do calories from alcohol congregate at the midsection at a greater rate than others?
• Q & A: The Silent Scream
  Can your hearing be harmed by a loud, high-frequency noise you cannot hear?
• Vital Signs: Birthing: Elective Caesareans Tied to Breathing Problems
  Babies delivered by elective Caesarean sections are significantly more likely to have respiratory problems than those delivered vaginally or by emergency surgery, a new study finds.
• Vital Signs: Hazards: More Transfusions Mean More Risk for Women
  Women are more likely than men to die after heart surgery, and one reason may be the use of a common medical procedure: blood transfusions.
• Vital Signs: Insights: Clinical Trials May Not Represent Population
  The randomized clinical trial, widely considered the most reliable biomedical research method, can have significant drawbacks, a new study suggests.
• Vital Signs: Treatments: Talking Out the Choices for Breast Cancer Surgery
  Most surgeons fail to mention the possibility of breast reconstruction before their patients choose between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery, researchers have found.
• Observatory: Even Top Performers Have Flaws, and That Might Be a Good Thing
  A virtuoso musician may seem to nail every note, but actually there are tiny variations in even the most skilled performance.
• Observatory: Researchers Find Animal That Links Whales to Land
  Researchers think they have found the modern whale’s closest evolutionary ancestor.
• Observatory: Arecibo Radio Telescope Is Back in Business After 6-Month Spruce-Up
  After a fresh coat of paint, the most sensitive radio telescope on the planet should be good for 30 or 40 more years.
• Pope Makes Appeal to Protect the Environment
  In the traditional midnight Christmas Mass, the pope bemoaned an “ill-treated world” in a homily given to thousands of pilgrims.