Some Political Views May be Related to Physiology

People who react more strongly to bumps in the night, spiders on a human body or the sight of a shell-shocked victim are more likely to support public policies that emphasize protecting society over preserving individual privacy. That's the conclusion of a recent study by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Their research results appear in the Sept. 19 issue of Science magazine.The study, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), tested 46 people ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112246&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

From Sugar to Gasoline

Following independent paths of investigation, two research teams are announcing this month that they have successfully converted sugar-potentially derived from agricultural waste and non-food plants-into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and a range of other valuable chemicals.Chemical engineer Randy Cortright and his colleagues at Virent Energy Systems of Madison, Wisc., a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research awardee, and researchers led by NSF-supported ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112256&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

NSF, NIH Award Ecology of Infectious Disease Grants

Unprecedented changes in biodiversity have coincided with the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases around the world. To address this problem, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have announced $16 million in funding for eight projects under the Ecology of Infectious Diseases (EID) program, a multi-year, joint-agency effort now in its ninth year of funding."In a time of rapid global change, the one certainty is that ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112249&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

Walnut Trees Emit Aspirin-Like Chemical to Deal With Stress

Walnut trees respond to stress by producing significant amounts of a chemical form of aspirin, scientists have discovered. The finding, by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo., opens up new avenues of research into the behavior of plants and their impacts on air quality, and also has the potential to give farmers an early warning signal about crops that are failing."Unlike humans, who are advised to take aspirin as a fever ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112252&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.