Science News
Norse legend? The Viking 'GPS' that relied on crystals
New Scientist - 22 Mar 2015 22:00
Nearly 50 years on, there's still no consensus on the intriguing theory that Viking sailors navigated by viewing the sky through crystal slabs (full text available to subscribers)
Hashtag election: Will it be Twitter wot won it?
New Scientist - 22 Mar 2015 17:00
More and more politicians are using social networks to engage with voters. What is the impact of the digital campaign, wonders Carl Miller
New processing technology converts packing peanuts to battery components
e! Science News - 22 Mar 2015 16:01
Researchers have shown how to convert waste packing peanuts into high-performance carbon electrodes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that outperform conventional graphite electrodes, representing an environmentally...
Rush to crush risks medicine effectiveness
EurekAlert! - 22 Mar 2015 06:00
(Queensland University of Technology) People who take more than four doses of medicine a day appear more likely to crush tablets or open capsules potentially reducing their effectiveness, QUT research has found.
Does The United States Need a Science Laureate? (Op-Ed)
Live Science - 22 Mar 2015 02:41
Akin to the poet laureate position, the honorary one-year laureate appointment would give a respected scientist an official national platform to enhance the public understanding of science and attract students to STEM fi...
Air pollutants could boost potency of common airborne allergens
Science Daily - 22 Mar 2015 14:02
A pair of air pollutants linked to climate change could also be major contributors to the unparalleled rise in the number of people sneezing, sniffling and wheezing during allergy season. The gases, nitrogen dioxide and ...
Special microbes make anti-obesity molecule in the gut
Science Daily - 22 Mar 2015 14:02
Microbes may just be the next diet craze. Researchers have programmed bacteria to generate a molecule that, through normal metabolism, becomes a hunger-suppressing lipid. Mice that drank water laced with the programmed b...
Opossum-based antidote to venom from snake bites could save thousands of lives
Science Daily - 22 Mar 2015 14:02
Scientists have turned to the opossum to develop a promising new and inexpensive antidote for venomous snake bites. They predict it could save thousands of lives worldwide without the side effects of current treatments.
Vitamin D may keep low-grade prostate cancer from becoming aggressive
Science Daily - 22 Mar 2015 14:01
Taking vitamin D supplements could slow or even reverse the progression of less aggressive, or low-grade, prostate tumors without the need for surgery or radiation, scientists say.