Science News
Podcast: The 2014 Flame Challenge Winner
Physics Buzz - 6 Aug 2014 20:01
Alan Alda started the Flame Challenge in 2012 to get scientists and science enthusiasts to explain complex topics to 11-year-olds. "What is a Flame?" was the first question, followed the next year by "What is Time?" T...
Hobbit-Like Humanoid Found In Indonesia Not New Species, Suffered Down Syndrome
IBTimes - 6 Aug 2014 07:34
The skeletal remains found in Indonesia initially thought to be a new species of human likened to a Hobbit actually was a deformed individual who likely suffered from Down syndrome, U.S., Australian and Chinese researche...
New Pee Test Could Tell If People Have Human 'Mad Cow' Disease
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 23:46
People with a type of rare and fatal brain disorder linked to the consumption of tainted beef have prions -- infectious proteins that cause the disease -- in their urine, a new study finds.
Discharging Ebola survivors makes the pain worthwhile
New Scientist - 6 Aug 2014 23:00
As well as a flood of patients, the only working Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone has to deal with rumours of organ harvesting, says doctor Anja Wolz
Why Smiling Too Much May Be Bad for You
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 22:53
Sometimes a smile could backfire and make a person feel worse, suggests a new study showing that people who grin a lot even though they are feeling down may see a dip in well-being.
Toxic Toledo Algae Bloom Seen from Space (Photo)
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 22:43
An algae bloom that turned Toledo's water supply toxic is seen in Lake Erie in new satellite imagery. A ban on drinking the city's water was lifted Monday (August 4).
Fighter Jet Captures Towering 'Fire Clouds' Over California (Photos)
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 22:16
Wildfires raging over northern California have created huge pyrocumulus clouds.
Experimental Ebola Treatment: Panel to Discuss Ethics
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 22:15
A panel of experts will assemble next week to discuss the ethics of using experimental treatments for Ebola during the current outbreak in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization.
Cold potatoes could counter health effects of red meat
New Scientist - 6 Aug 2014 22:00
A diet supplemented with digestion-resistant starch, found in cold potatoes and bananas, could reduce the risk of colon cancer for meat-eaters
Who's flying this thing? End in sight for pilots
New Scientist - 6 Aug 2014 21:00
Autopilots react faster than humans and have a better safety record. But would you get on a plane with a computer instead of a captain? (full text available to subscribers)
Discovery about wound healing key to understanding cell movement
Phys.org - 6 Aug 2014 19:48
Research by a civil engineer from the University of Waterloo is helping shed light on the way wounds heal and may someday have implications for understanding how cancer spreads, as well as why certain birth defects occur...
Twilight Zone: Glow-in-the-Dark Sharks Need Special Eyes to See
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 19:41
In the "twilight zone" of the deep ocean, strange glowing sharks have evolved eyes that are adapted for seeing complex patterns of light in the dark, new research reveals.
Penn Museum Scientists Rediscover 6,500-Year-Old Human Skeleton Stored In Coffin
IBTimes - 6 Aug 2014 19:34
Scientists at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, said on Tuesday that have rediscovered a rare 6,500-year-old human skeleton in one of the museum's storage rooms. The skeleto...
Saudi Arabian Man Dies In Suspected Ebola Case, First Death Outside West Africa?
IBTimes - 6 Aug 2014 19:34
A Saudi Arabian man suspected of having the Ebola virus died in a hospital in Jeddah on Wednesday, the Saudi Arabia Health Ministry says.
Winter Weather 2014: Why El Nino May Save The Central, Eastern US From A Frigid Forecast
IBTimes - 6 Aug 2014 19:34
During most summers at Cleveland's public swimming pools, the demand for a refreshing dip is so high that lines form outside the gates. But this year it's been relatively quiet, with lower-than-normal temperatures hamper...
Rosetta Comet Rendezvous: Lander Mission In November And Year-Long Ride Await Spacecraft
IBTimes - 6 Aug 2014 19:34
The Rosetta comet rendezvous is a success after the European Space Agency guided the spacecraft to its target. From its launch in 2004 to hibernation in 2011 to waking up in January 2014, Rosetta has spent more than a de...
Interactions.org Newsdigest 6 August 2014
Interactions - 6 Aug 2014 19:30
AURA awarded support by the National Science Foundation to begin constructing LSST -- Unusual new telescope gets green light -- Massive neutrinos may not bring about cosmological concordance after all -- China's JUNO lau...
The Deep Ocean Traps Mercury, Study Finds
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 19:03
An international team of scientists has announced a breakthrough in understanding how toxic mercury disperses in the ocean.
Ion duet offers tunable module for quantum simulator
Phys.org - 6 Aug 2014 19:00
Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated a pas de deux of atomic ions that combines the fine choreography of dance with precise individual control.
Missing mercury pollution is enough for mass poisoning
New Scientist - 6 Aug 2014 19:00
Thousands of tonnes of mercury have been emitted by industry but now cannot be found, suggesting the lethal pollutant is lurking somewhere
Ebola 'Experimental Serum' in Limited Supply, CDC Says
Live Science - 6 Aug 2014 18:58
The 'experimental serum' that doctors gave to two American patients who contracted Ebola is in very limited supply, and it will not be available for general use, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventio...
Navigate Robotic Smog In City Of Drones
Popular Science - 6 Aug 2014 18:45
Screenshot From City Of Drones Pictured: ambient drones, ambient skyscrapers. Not pictured: ambient sounds. Liam Young, City of Drones It's a weird sensation, being born in midair. Within seconds, users exploring Liam Yo...