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When volcanoes erupt, they can release ash, chunks of rock and torrents of lava. Now scientists have found that eruptions also can spew massive amounts of a chemical called bromine. This gas helps destroy the ozone layer, a segment of the upper atmosphere that protects life on Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

Flying predators probably gobbled up the biggest of the large flying insects 150 million years ago About 300 million years ago, long before the first dinosaurs appeared, a different type of oversized critter inhabited Earth: giant insects. Scientists suspect bugs grew bigger then because the atmosphere contained more oxygen than it does now.

Lead poisoning stymies condor recovery Iconic species may not stand on its own without complete shift to nontoxic ammunition Web edition : Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 The California condor's return to flying free in the wild after a close brush with extinction may be an illusory recovery.

Dinosaur debate gets cooking Researchers deflate evidence for cold-blooded dinosaurs Web edition : Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 Life stories written in mammal bones are being used to debunk a key argument for cold-bloodedness in dinosaurs.

Credit: iStockphoto/Thinkstock The vast majority of adults have had a sore back at some point in their lives. If they're lucky, the pain subsides after a few days or weeks. But for some, whose initial injuries appear no different than the fortunate ones, back pain lasts for years.

Sugar-free sweeteners fool the body's internal computer Diet soft drinks usually have no sugar, but that doesn't mean they're not sweet. These beverages often contain ingredients that mimic sugar's sweetness without the big calorie count. In a new study, psychologists from San Diego report that the sugar-free sweeteners confuse not only taste buds but also the brain.

Treatment helps paralyzed rats walk Combination of drugs, electrical stimulation and therapy restores lost connections Web edition : Thursday, May 31st, 2012 Scientists have trained paralyzed rats to walk, run and even climb stairs. Weeks of rigorous practice coupled with an electrochemical spine-stimulating regimen allowed the animals to overcome devastating spinal cord injuries that immobilized their rear legs, Swiss scientists report in the June 1 Science.

If aliens ever sent us a message, scientists hope to pick it up in a remote part of northern California. There, in a clearing nestled amid the volcanoes of the Cascade Range, 42 radio dishes point together at the sky. The dishes, each 20 feet across, form a single, giant scientific instrument called the Allen Telescope Array.