Say What?
zwitterion \tsvih-tehr-EYE-ahn\ n. A molecule with no
overall electric charge but which has positive and
negative charge at distinct locations within itself. The
term comes from the German Zwitter for “hybrid”
(some prefer “mongrel” or “hermaphrodite”)
and ion, a charged atom or atoms. Amino acids
are often zwitterionic; the zwitterionic form of proline
is shown. German researchers report online March 18 in
Environmental Science & Technology that two zwitterionic
compounds commonly used to control pH levels in experiments with
ferrous iron, which is important in the breakdown of pollutants in aquatic
environments, may in fact influence the chemical reactions being studied.
The authors suggest that such compounds may help control the reactivity
of mineral surfaces in aquatic environments.
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SN Online
www.sciencenews.org
ATOM & COSMOS
Researchers finally detect
muon neutrinos switching
to electron neutrinos, plus
more updates in “News in
Brief: Atom & Cosmos.”
GENES & CELLS
Triggering sleep in fruit
fly brains turns the bugs’
short-term memories
into long-lived ones. Read
“From Z’s to A’s.”
Science Past | FROM THE ISSUE OF JULY 15, 1961
CERAMICS PROVED BEST FOR POWER GENERATORS —
Ceramics have proved to be the best material for check-
ing the white-hot stream of gases in a new kind of
electric power generators. Westinghouse
Electric Corporation scientists, Pitts-
burgh, Pa., believe ceramics will be
superior to iron and steel for magneto-
hydrodynamic (MHD) electric power
generators. They found that ceramics,
relatives of those widely used for making
bricks, tile and pottery, could be used to line the walls
of the MHD generators and to project into the stream
of gas that provides the electric power. Magnetohydro-
dynamic is one of the newest methods for direct gen-
eration of electricity without using a steam turbine or
rotating electric generator.
Science Future
LIFE
Male cleaner fish punish
females when they scare big
clients away (two cleaners
and their client shown). Go
to “News in Brief: Life.”
July 23 – 24
Learn the secrets of bubbles at
the 6th Annual Bubble Days at
Baltimore’s Maryland Science
Center. Go to www.mdsci.org
July 27
Explore the science behind
athletics from basketball and
cycling to ballet’s toe balancing,
in Portland, Ore. Ages 21+. See
www.omsi.edu/afterdark
July 30
Stargaze with Smithsonian
and amateur astronomers near
Paris, Va. Go to www.nasm.
si.edu/events
Tropical forests
in Latin America,
sub-Saharan Africa
and southeast Asia
contain about 250
gigatons of carbon in
their biomass, scien-
tists estimate as part
of ongoing efforts to
curb deforestation.
Total carbon (gigatons C)
250
200
150
Total
tropical
Sub-Sah.
Africa
Latin
America
EARTH
Japan’s monster wave also
sent glowing air ripples
over Hawaii. Read “
Tsunami lit up the heavens.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BEN MILLS/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; JOÃO PAULO KRAJEWSKI; T. DUBÉ
For Daily Use
Babies may be predisposed to ear infections if they’re
exposed to certain combustion and industrial by-products while in the womb. The results come from Japanese
researchers reporting in the May Environmental Research
who have linked prenatal exposure to dioxin-like compounds — chemicals coming from sources such as forest fires
and waste burning — to an increased risk of ear infections,
particularly among boys. Of the 364 children the scientists
followed from before birth to 18 months of age, kids in the
highest exposure group had five times the risk seen among
the least exposed infants, the scientists report. All the babies
were born in the city of Sapporo, where environmental pollution levels are deemed relatively low.
