Science Quickly

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Active Duty Army Suicide Attempts Analyzed Jul 15, 2015

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Researchers gathered data from various Army databases to analyze nearly 10,000 attempted suicides of active duty personnel. Cynthia Graber reports

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Rain and Irrigation Can Make Crops Temporary Bacteria Farms Jul 14, 2015

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Researchers suggest farmers should consider harvesting when fields are dry, to prevent dangerous bacteria blooms from contaminating food. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Hitchhiking Worms Survive Slug Guts Transport Jul 13, 2015

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Nematode worms hitch rides inside the guts of slugs and other invertebrates, and emerge alive and well after exiting with the rest of the digestive track's products. Karen Hopkin reports

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Roman Builders May Have Copied Volcanic "Concrete" Jul 09, 2015

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The rock of the Campi Flegrei Caldera, west of Naples, Italy, has an intricate network of mineral fibers—just like the famed Roman concrete. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Dark Matter Dominates Just-Discovered Galaxies Jul 08, 2015

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Astronomers have discovered more than 800 so-called "ultradiffuse galaxies" that are virtually invisible because they have relatively few stars and are mostly dark matter. Clara Moskowitz reports

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Best Male Nightingale Vocalists Make Best Fathers Jul 06, 2015

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Male nightingales use singing virtuosity to signal prospective mates that they will be the most doting dads. Sabrina Imbler reports

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Improved Solar Storm Tracking Lengthens Prep Time for Tech Disruption Jul 02, 2015

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We currently have a maximum of about 60 minutes to prepare for tech disruptions on Earth due to coronal mass ejections from the sun, but an improved forecasting system could lengthen that lead time by hours. Maria Temming reports

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Marijuana Muddies Memory and Mixes with Alcohol to Make Trouble Jul 01, 2015

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People who smoke pot and drink are twice as likely to do both at the same time than to do just one, with the combo associated with bad decision-making; and chronic pot smokers who had not indulged in a month were still more likely to have faulty memories than were nonsmokers. Erika Beras reports

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Bird Literally Weighs Its Food Options Jun 30, 2015

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Mexican Jays compare peanuts to determine which one has the most meat inside before choosing one for a meal. Karen Hopkin reports

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Noses Agree When Genes See Eye to Eye Jun 29, 2015

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We all perceive smells differently—and two people’s preferences may give clues to their degree of genetic similarity. Christopher Intagliata reports

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