As scientists continue to decode the human genome and the information becomes publicly available, private companies that offer online genetic testing are multiplying. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health were concerned that perhaps these tests posed a risk. They evaluated responses to an online test among smokers who did or did not have a common genetic variant associated with risk for lung cancer. The results raise a new set of questions, but also allay some of the early concerns.

Children and adults who build castles and dig in the sand at the beach are at greater risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases and diarrhea than people who only walk on the shore or swim in the surf, according to researchers.

As the 40th anniversary of the moon landing approaches, a new report finds that overwhelming majorities of Americans believe that science has had a positive effect on society and that science has made life easier for most people. The public also rates scientists highly and believes government investments in science pay off in the long term.

The tight cluster of stars surrounding a supermassive black hole after it has been violently kicked out of a galaxy represents a new kind of astronomical object and a fossil record of the kick. A new article discusses the theoretical properties of "hypercompact stellar systems" and suggests that hundreds of these faint star clusters might be detected at optical wavelengths in our immediate cosmic environment.

Through a recent modeling experiment, researchers have found that future concentrations of carbon dioxide and ozone in the atmosphere and of nitrogen in the soil are likely to have an important but overlooked effect on the cycling of water from sky to land to waterways.

Approximately ninety-one percent of dentists say patients complaining about dry mouth are taking multiple medications, according to a nationwide survey.

An implanted electronic ion pump in organic material can be used to carry signals to specific cells in the nervous system and in this way treat various illnesses. In a unique study, researchers have used the pumps to successfully manipulate the hearing in laboratory animals. The technique represents a breakthrough for the machine-to-brain interface, with opportunities for greater symbiosis between electronics and biological systems.

Looking at photos on a cellphone display can be somewhat arduous. A new mini beamer will make it easier. The beamer is so small that it can be integrated in a cellphone or a PDA. As it does not need an extra light source it also conserves the battery.

[Below is the original script. But a few changes may have been made during the recording of this audio podcast.]

El Niño has arrived. With a 1 degree Celsius increase in a band of the eastern Pacific Ocean, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration made the announcement yesterday. The climate phenomenon, El Niño–Southern Oscillation or ENSO, that warms the eastern Pacific waters, decreases trade winds, and shows up every three to seven years, last came in 2006.

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Scientists took an important first-step toward the development of new treatments to help people with HIV battle Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. HIV interferes with the cellular and molecular mechanisms used by the lungs to fight TB infection.