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Sailors who traditionally dumped barrels of oil into the sea to calm stormy waters may have been on to something, a new study suggests. The old practice reduces wind speeds in tropical hurricanes by damping ocean spray, according to a new mathematical “sandwich model”. As hurricane winds kick up ocean waves, large water droplets become suspended in the air. This cloud of spray can be treated mathematically as a third fluid sandwiched between the air and sea. “Our calculations show that drops in the spray decrease turbulence and reduce friction, allowing for far greater wind speeds – sometimes eight times...

Instead of pitchers and catchers, the opening of baseball's spring training seemed preoccupied by syringes and steroids. One day after stores began selling former American League MVP Jose Canseco's book of doping allegations, the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and Cincinnati Reds opened their training camps. In his first press conference, Yankees manager Joe Torre faced a torrent of questions about the proliferation of performance-enhancing drugs in America's pastime, with the subject taking the first half-hour of the 45-minute session: "It doesn't go away, unfortunately." In light of the quick sales of Mr. Canseco's new book, Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant...

SEATTLE -- Three generations of the George Sisler family came to Safeco Field on Friday to witness -- and applaud -- the end of an 84-year-old Major League record dear to their hearts. The family patriarch set the all-time single-season hit record in 1920 when he had 257 hits for the St. Louis Browns. Bill Terry challenged the record in 1929 with 254 hits and Lefty O'Doul made a run the following year, also ending up with 254 hits. But Sisler's record has rested comfortably ever since -- until this season. Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki used speed, bat control,...

Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners has set the all-time single season hits record with two singles in his first two at bats tonight against Texas. He now has 258 for the season. The last year that any player reached 250 hits was 1930!

Politically, the Mariners bat from the right. In a completely unscientific poll with a margin of error of 100 percent, we polled Mariners who are U.S. citizens and were handy, and asked who they supported for president. The results: Bush 13, Kerry 2, undecided 2. "A lot of it is money, taxes, and I think most ballplayers are conservatives," Scott Spiezio said. "I think if I were making $50,000 a year, I'd still be a conservative, though." Taxes are certainly an issue for major league baseball players, who make an average of about $2.5 million a year. Athletes also tend...

Court battle resumes between tribes, scientists over ancient remainsWILLIAM MCCALL; The Associated Press PORTLAND - The definition of "Native American" is at stake in deciding whether the 9,300-year-old skeleton known as Kennewick Man belongs to scientists or Indian tribes, lawyers for both sides told a federal appeals court Wednesday. The Interior Department has fought with scientists since the bones were discovered in 1996 along the banks of the Columbia River near Kennewick. A group of eight anthropologists who want to do research on the skeleton went to court to seek permission. But then-Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt ruled three years ago...

As they get closer to their season opener in Japan, the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners are jittery. They're not the only ones - with war possible, major league baseball is wondering whether now's the time to play ball so far from home. There were no plans Monday for the teams to call off their trip to Tokyo. The A's and Mariners are supposed to leave in a couple of days and scheduled to play a two-game series beginning March 25. But commissioner Bud Selig and baseball officials were busy talking to the State Department, the FBI and other government...

SEATTLE -- Police and firefighters responded to a hazardous material scare at Safeco Field after a low-flying airplane dropped a box of powder on the Seattle ballpark. Police spokesman Duane Fish says the powder was determined to be the cremated remains of a person who had requested that the ashes be scattered there. Fire Lieutenant Harold Webb says a box carrying the ashes hit the roof of Safeco Field shortly after ten o'clock. He says the haz-mat crew wasn't sure about the powder until they heard through the F-A-A what the pilot was doing. The incident was over in about...

SEATTLE (AP) -- There was a no-no at Safeco Field this weekend and it had nothing to do with New York pitcher Ted Lilly's near feat. This one was a scolding. Seattle Mariners fans who tried to wear ``Yankees Suck'' T-shirts during a three-game series against New York were told to turn their shirts inside out, take them off or leave. ``We may lead the league in ejections from the ballpark, but not because fans are misbehaving more here but because we don't tolerate much,'' team spokeswoman Rebecca Hale said. ``This is about appropriate behavior. We have a code of...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Edgar Martinez will undergo a relatively new surgery this morning to remove a ruptured hamstring tendon from behind his left knee. The Mariners learned that last night, shortly after a 7-3 victory over Texas that was fueled by Martinez's replacement as the team's designated hitter, Ruben Sierra. What the Mariners haven't learned is just how long they will be without Martinez. They should have that information today after Rangers team orthopedist John Conway performs the surgery. The surgery is past the experimental stage, but Conway, one of the leaders in the field, has done perhaps 10 of...