Santa Barbara Reshifts, Now Opposing Drilling

By FELICITY BARRINGER

Michael A. Mariant/Associated Press

With offshore oil drilling platforms in the distance, children played in the surf early this year in Santa Barbara County, Calif.

Six months after it dropped its opposition to offshore oil drilling, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors reverted to its traditional stance against drilling in federal waters.

Space Tourist Returns From Space Station

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 8:00 AM ET

A Russian spacecraft carrying a crew of three, including the U.S. billionaire Charles Simonyi, landed safely in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, officials said.

Oil Giants Loath to Follow Obama’s Green Lead

By JAD MOUAWAD

The Obama administration wants to spend $150 billion to diversify energy sources by encouraging more renewable sources, but oil giants are hanging back.

Times Topics: Oil and Gasoline

Science Times: April 7, 2009

Findings

Public Policy That Makes Test Subjects of Us All

By JOHN TIERNEY

The effects of reducing salt intake are unclear, but that won’t stop New York City.

TierneyLab: Hold the Salt? | Post a Comment

Mind

When All You Have Left Is Your Pride

By BENEDICT CAREY

Keeping up appearances, psychologists say, is about much more than appearance.

Q&A;: 'Questioning Pride.' Post your questions here.

SAFE? Computer simulations can help teams make decisions on plays like stealing bases.

Answering Baseball’s What-Ifs

By ALAN SCHWARZ

For the science of baseball strategy, one game teaches precious little but a thousand seasons can take a while. Thank goodness for quad-core processors.

SIGNALS TO CELLS A color-enhanced photo of a 30-day-old human embryo, with arm and leg buds visible. The rules for limb-building also apply to other parts of the embryo.

From Developing Limbs, Insights That May Explain Much Else

By CARL ZIMMER

Future treatments for injuries and birth defects may be possible.

Graphic: Rules for Limb Building

DNA Test Outperforms Pap Smear

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.

Gynecologists hope that a new test for cervical cancer will replace Pap smears in countries that can afford it.

Health Guide: Pap Smear »

Scratching Relieves Itch by Quieting Nerve Cells

By BENEDICT CAREY

The reason scratching helps relieve an itch has long been a biological mystery, but a new study may have some clues as to how it works.

REACTION In Dr. Daniel G. Remick's study, mice had asthma attacks when exposed to a protein from roaches, whose exoskeletons and droppings became airborne after death.

House Dust Yields Clue to Asthma: Roaches

By ELISSA ELY, M.D

Dust bunnies from real homes suggest a cause for allergies in poor children.

Health Guide: Asthma »

Cases

HIS OWN WAY Jonah Lehmann, 25, who has autism, with the manager of his group home, Darlene Manuta.

A Roller Coaster to Acceptance of a Son’s Autism

By ANNIE LUBLINER LEHMANN

When told their son’s autism was “untreatable,” two parents stepped into action.

Health Guide: Autism »

FACES Dr. Yehonatan Turner, a radiologist, found that putting patient photos on files led to more thorough reports.

Radiologist Adds a Human Touch: Photos

By DINA KRAFT

A doctor makes a personal connection to scans and X-rays.

Empire State Building Plans Environmental Retrofit

Hal, Call Your Office: Computers That Act Like Physicists

Global Update: Aids Relief: U.S. Initiative Is Found to Reduce Deaths From AIDS, but Not New Cases, in Africa

Children: Early Swim Lessons May Reduce Drowning

Vital Statistics: U.S. Still Struggling With Infant Mortality

Regimens: Tai Chi Shows Promise as a Stroke Therapy

Exercise: Windmill Pitch Is High Stress for Arm

Multimedia

Interactive: Quiz: Test Your Estimation Abilities

How many times a year does the average American teenager say the word “like”?

Slide Show: Inside Art

An artist-turned-medical-student is using CT scanners to peer into the meat and guts of cultural icons like the Big Mac, Barbie and the iPhone.

Audio Slide Show: A Slow Comeback for the Right Whale

Cornelia Dean describes how conservationists are working to sustain and increase North Atlantic right whale populations.

Audio Slide Show: Inside Ward 2

Twenty women and girls suffering from fistulas, an internal injury from prolonged labor, went to Dodoma, Tanzania, for surgery to try to repair the damage.