Letters.Listen up there The article "A dozen new planets ... and still counting" (SN: 9/26/98, p. 197) indicates that the scientific community is getting increasingly more adept at locating planets around stars similar to our own. If this is the case, would it not make sense to coordinate the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with the search for new planets? In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , as more and more stars like our own are located with planets, should not the search focus on possible communication originating from those planets? Robert E. Panoff Miami, Fla. Some of the stars examined in searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are the same ones thought to have planets. --R. Cowen Use it, don't abuse it I would be inclined to think that there is a commercial use for Caulerpa taxifolia ("Rogue Algae algae (ăl`jē) [plural of Lat. alga=seaweed], a large and diverse group of primarily aquatic plantlike organisms. These organisms were previously classified as a primitive subkingdom of the plant kingdom, the thallophytes (plants that ," SN: 7/4/98, p. 8) that is perhaps being overlooked: cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, or food. What I'm saying is that uses for the plant should be studied before yet another alien is introduced into this sea. James R. Durham Colorado Springs, Colo. Some light on dark matter Your article on the source of cosmic rays ("Birth zone shrinks for top cosmic rays," SN: 8/15/98, p. 101) doesn't mention dark matter. Is it a possible source? Ann Morgan Manzanita manzanita: see bearberry. , Ore. The hypothetical superheavy particle mentioned in the article would be a form of cold dark matter at least 10 trillion times more massive than a proton. This type of particle might inhabit a spherical region known as the galactic halo, encompassing our galaxy. If it exists there in sufficient numbers, decays of the particles could have produced the rare, ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray strikes that have been detected, some theorists contend. --P. Weiss What you see is what you get (jargon) What You See Is What You Get - (WYSIWYG) /wiz'ee-wig/ Describes a user interface for a document preparation system under which changes are represented by displaying a more-or-less accurate image of the way the document will finally appear, e.g. when printed. Regarding "Why Guys Get Fancy" (SN: 8/29/98, p. 141), could it be that female choice prevails for those male parts which the female can be aware of prior to insertion of the male organ? Lock and key may predominate for male physical sexual characteristics that are not observable by the female prior to insertion. Lamar Robert Chiang Mai, Thailand Selenium selenium (səlē`nēəm), nonmetallic chemical element; symbol Se; at. no. 34; at. wt. 78.96; m.p. 217°C;; b.p. about 685°C;; sp. gr. 4.81 at 20°C;; valence −2, +4, or +6. as an antioxidant antioxidant, substance that prevents or slows the breakdown of another substance by oxygen. Synthetic and natural antioxidants are used to slow the deterioration of gasoline and rubber, and such antioxidants as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), butylated hydroxytoluene In the article "Can selenium avert prostate cancer?" (SN: 9/19/98, p. 188), it is stated that "... how it might work against cancer remains unclear." However, selenium is known to be a powerful antioxidant. Since free radicals are suspected as a leading cause of cancer due to DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. damage, it should not be surprising that the protection offered by selenium is due to the prevention of damage to DNA in prostate cells. H.H. Denman Wayne State University Wayne State University, at Detroit, Mich.; state supported; coeducational; established 1956 as a successor to Wayne Univ. (formed 1934 by a merger of five city colleges). Detroit, Mich. |
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