Science news

• Private Cygnus Spacecraft Launch Thursday May Be Visible from US East Coast

  02-12-2015 23:57
  
  People in the eastern United States might be able to see a private cargo spacecraft launch toward the International Space Station on Thursday evening (Dec. 3). Orbital ATK's uncrewed Cygnus freighter is scheduled to blast off atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Thursday at 5:55 p.m. EST (2255 GMT). Thursday's launch will be the first for Cygnus since Oct. 28, 2014, when its Antares rocket exploded just seconds after liftoff.
  
  Read more

• Satellite photos show North Korea digging new nuclear tunnel - report

  02-12-2015 23:15
  
  Satellite photographs from October and early November indicate North Korea is digging a new tunnel for nuclear testing, but there are no signs that a such a test is imminent, a U.S. research institute said on Wednesday. A report on 38 North, a North Korea monitoring website run by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, said the images showed significant construction since April at Punggye-ri, on North Korea's east coast, where three previous nuclear te
  
  Read more

• Why this week's gravitational wave announcement could be a big deal

  02-12-2015 23:03 via cbc.ca
  
  Scientists will make a much-anticipated announcement Thursday about the hunt for gravitational waves, ripples in space time predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity 100 years ago, but not yet found. Here's why it might be a really big deal.
  
  Read more

• How a new spacecraft will help detect black holes' ripples in space-time

  02-12-2015 23:03 via cbc.ca
  
  A satellite launches tonight that will test technology to detect ripples in space-time left by colliding black holes. Why are scientists so excited about gravitational waves and how will they be detected? Here's what you need to know.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Virus spread by mosquitoes linked to rare birth defect

  02-12-2015 23:00
  
  In addition to fever, rash and vomiting, Zika virus may cause rare birth defect.
  
  Read more

• Modern science detects disease in 400-year-old embalmed hearts

  02-12-2015 22:59
  
  By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the ruins of a medieval convent in the French city of Rennes, archaeologists discovered five heart-shaped urns made of lead, each containing an embalmed human heart. It turns out three of them bore tell-tale signs of a heart disease very common today. "Every heart was different and revealed its share of surprises," anthropologist Rozenn Colleter of the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research said on Wednesday.
  
  Read more

• Weird prehistoric beast conjures up images of 'Star Wars' queen

  02-12-2015 22:58
  
  By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - What does a strange giraffe-like animal with three horns atop its head and a set of fangs that roamed Europe about 15 million years ago have in common with a pretty young queen from the "Star Wars" movies? The peculiar shape of Xenokeryx's largest horn was "extremely similar to one of the hairstyles that Amidala shows off in 'Star Wars' Episode 1 when she is the queen of her home planet Naboo," said paleontologist Israel Sanchez of the National Museum of Nat
  
  Read more

• Brazil scientists discover three new toad species

  02-12-2015 22:48
  
  Brazilian scientists announced Wednesday the discovery of three previously unknown species of poisonous toads in the fast-shrinking Atlantic forest of southern Brazil, an area dubbed an "incubator" of new life forms.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Google shuts Songza, unveils free version of Google Play Music

  02-12-2015 22:44 via cbc.ca
  
  Google is shutting down its Songza music service, but making a free, ad-supported version of its Google Play Music service available in Canada.
  
  Read more

• Orbital to fly first space cargo mission since 2014 explosion

  02-12-2015 22:30
  
  Orbital ATK on Wednesday counted down to its first space launch since a sudden explosion last year destroyed its Antares rocket and cargo craft bound for the International Space Station.
  
  Read more

• Highlights of the Paris climate conference

  02-12-2015 21:48
  
  These are highlights of day three of UN climate talks in Paris, where 195 nations are battling for a deal to protect humanity from a global warming disaster:
  
  Read more

• Cygnus Spacecraft Hauling Science to Space Station on Return-to-Flight Mission

  02-12-2015 21:37
  
  The first launch of the private Cygnus cargo spacecraft since an October 2014 rocket explosion aims to deliver a wealth of science equipment and experiments to the International Space Station. The uncrewed Cygnus, which is built by the aerospace company Orbital ATK, is scheduled to blast off Thursday (Dec. 3) at 5:55 p.m. EST (2255 GMT) atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. You can watch the broadcast of the launch here on Space.com, courte
  
  Read more

• Pregnancy hormone could keep multiple sclerosis at bay

  02-12-2015 21:21
  
  A small trial hints that pregnancy hormone can reduce MS flare-ups.
  
  Read more

• Europe's prototype gravity wave detector reset for Thursday launch

  02-12-2015 21:16
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The launch of a prototype satellite to look for ripples in space and across time is back on track for Thursday following a day’s delay to review a potential technical concern with Europe’s Vega rocket, officials said on Wednesday.
  
  Read more

• U.S. rejects Russian charge that Turkey involved in Islamic State oil smuggling

  02-12-2015 20:21
  
  The United States on Wednesday flatly rejected Russian allegations that the Turkish government was in league with Islamic State militants to smuggle oil from Syria. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing that U.S. information was that Islamic State was selling oil at the wellheads to middlemen who in turn were involved in smuggling the oil across the frontier into Turkey. "We reject outright the premise that the Turkish government is in league with ISIL to smuggle oil across
  
  Read more

• India 'will cut coal for climate cash'

  02-12-2015 20:21 via bbc.co.uk
  
  India will cut back its skyrocketing use of coal if sufficient cash for renewables emerges from a Paris deal, says a senior negotiator.
  
  Read more

• How Radioactivity Can Benefit Your Health [Video]

  02-12-2015 20:15 via rss.sciam.com
  
  A live webcast Wednesday evening will demonstrate how radioactive chemicals can provide a window on disease within the body
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Capitol Hill Buzz: Astronauts testify from Space Station

  02-12-2015 19:47
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — On his 249th consecutive day in space, astronaut Scott Kelly told Congress that what he misses most is his friends and family on Earth and the chance to experience nature.
  
  Read more

• Personal info of 6.4 million children exposed in VTech hack

  02-12-2015 19:33 via cbc.ca
  
  A cyberattack on digital toymaker VTech Holdings Ltd exposed the data of 6.4 million children, the company said on Tuesday, in what experts called the largest known hack targeting youngsters.
  
  Read more

• New U.S. force for Iraq to number around 100 - U.S. military

  02-12-2015 19:27
  
  A new force of special operations troops being deployed by the United States to Iraq will likely number around 100, U.S. Army Colonel Steve Warren said on Wednesday. "It will be ... probably around 100, maybe a little bit less," said Warren, a spokesman for the U.S.-led military campaign against Islamic State. A cap on the number of U.S. forces authorized to operate in Iraq, currently at 3,550, would be raised by about 100, Warren said.
  
  Read more

• Scientists consider new genetic power and its impacts

  02-12-2015 19:18
  Thanks to CRISPR, scientists’ plans for effective use of gene drives suddenly look feasible.
  
  Read more

• Gravity, acceleration and more reader feedback

  02-12-2015 19:16
  Readers get a grip on gravity and more.
  
  Read more

• Canada slipping behind on innovation, says advisory council

  02-12-2015 19:11 via cbc.ca
  
  Canada is slipping behind its global competitors on innovation, as business investment in research and development fails to keep up, according to a group that advises government on science and innovation.
  
  Read more

• Spooky quantum connection quantified for multiple particles

  02-12-2015 19:00
  
  Physicists have measured quantum entanglement between several particles rather than just two.
  
  Read more

• New RCMP cyber unit to target global hackers, online scammers

  02-12-2015 19:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The RCMP is setting up a new, highly specialized unit to fight the rapid spread of domestic and global cybercrime.
  
  Read more

• Mysterious cosmic signals carry a clue to their origins

  02-12-2015 19:00
  
  A burst of radio waves from another galaxy ran into a dense magnetized plasma while en route to Earth, hinting at an origin near a population of young stars.
  
  Read more

• Fast Radio Bursts Mystify Experts—for Now

  02-12-2015 19:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Astronomers are closing in on the origins of baffling radio flashes from deep space
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Fast Radio Bursts Mystify Experts — for Now

  02-12-2015 19:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Astronomers are closing in on the origins of baffling radio flashes from deep space
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• VIDEO: Seeking gravitational waves in space

  02-12-2015 18:48 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Dr Harry Ward of Glasgow University shows off the instrumentation for the Lisa Pathfinder's gravity experiment.
  
  Read more

• Investors flee fossil fuels, but many banks still back coal: reports

  02-12-2015 18:36
  
  Institutional investors are fleeing fossil fuels even as many major banks continue to pour money into coal, according to reports released at a UN climate conference Wednesday.
  
  Read more

• US space station delivery on tap after 8-month stoppage

  02-12-2015 18:33
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA hopes to resume commercial shipments this week to the International Space Station, following months of frustrating delay.
  
  Read more

• Safe Sleeping Is Just 1 Part of Preventing SIDS

  02-12-2015 18:14
  
  A safe sleeping environment is crucial for preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but it is not the only factor that determines the risk of the syndrome in babies, according to a new study. The rates of SIDS in the United States have decreased dramatically since 1992, when the American Academy of Pediatrics first recommended placing babies on their backs to sleep, instead of on their tummies, and since the importance of reducing suffocation hazards, such as soft bedding in cribs, has be
  
  Read more

• Top health officer put on leave during glyphosate study

  02-12-2015 18:12 via cbc.ca
  
  New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health was working on a study of the controversial herbicide glyphosate when she was put on leave, CBC News has learned.
  
  Read more

• Indigenous people could be key to storing carbon in tropical forests, new report concludes

  02-12-2015 17:45
  
  Data highlights need for stronger land rights, authors argue
  
  Read more

• Chennai floods: Heaviest rainfall in a century brings India's Tamil Nadu state to a standstill

  02-12-2015 17:26
  
  The heaviest rainfall in more than a century has caused massive flooding across the eastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thousands of people have been driven from their homes in the state capital Chennai. Weeks of torrential rains have forced the airport in Chennai to close, as well as cutting off several roads and highways.
  
  Read more

• COP21: How an unhealthy and greedy diet causes climate change, natural disasters and hunger

  02-12-2015 17:18
  
  Diets are changing globally and have done so rapidly in most high-income countries, like the UK, over the past 50 years. This dietary transition is now happening in most cities of the global south, the nations of Africa, Central and Latin America and most of Asia, where people's habits are changing from a traditional plant-based diet (which is healthier and lower in greenhouse gas emissions) to a diet that is high in processed, energy dense convenience foods (rich in fat and sugar, but poor in n
  
  Read more

• Churchill's polar bears are feeling the no-ice impact of climate change

  02-12-2015 17:12 via cbc.ca
  
  The waters of Hudson Bay are warming fast, and climate scientists and residents in Canada's sub-Arctic are doubtful the UN's Paris summit will come up with a deal hearty enough to stop the impact of climate change.
  
  Read more

• Weird Alien Planets Star in 'Extreme Solar Systems' Conference

  02-12-2015 17:11
  
  The sunny shores of Hawaii are currently hosting a small swarm of planetary scientists, who have gathered to discuss the most surprising and extreme planets that lie outside Earth's solar system. The Extreme Solar Systems III conference, hosted by the American Astronomical Society, is the third meeting of its kind held since 2007, and has gathered about 350 scientists to the island of Hawaii.
  
  Read more

• Yahoo shares jump as report says it may sell internet business

  02-12-2015 17:05 via cbc.ca
  
  The Yahoo Inc. board of directors is considering a plan to sell off the company’s troubled internet business, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
  
  Read more

• Photos show Patagonia's massive, melting glaciers

  02-12-2015 16:59 via cbc.ca
  
  The Perito Moreno glacier, in Los Glaciares National Park, is part of the Southern Patagonian Icefield, the third-largest in the world.
  
  Read more

• Rare mark from biblical king's seal found in Jerusalem

  02-12-2015 16:48
  
  Israeli archaeologists have discovered a mark from the seal of biblical King Hezekiah, who helped build Jerusalem into an ancient metropolis. The circular inscription, on a piece of clay less than a centimetre (0.4 inches) long, may very well have been made by the king himself, said Eilat Mazar of Jerusalem's Hebrew University who directed the excavation where it was uncovered. Hezekiah ruled around 700 BC and was described in the Bible as a daring monarch - "There was no one like him among all
  
  Read more

• Google's Chromebook computers rigged to track students, EFF says

  02-12-2015 15:56 via cbc.ca
  
  Google is being accused of invading the privacy of elementary and high school students using laptop computers powered by the internet company's Chrome operating system.
  
  Read more

• Erdogan says no one can 'slander' Turkey over Islamic State oil claims

  02-12-2015 15:53
  
  DOHA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday no one had the right to "slander" Turkey by accusing it of buying oil from Islamic State, and that he would stand down if such allegations were proven to be true. Erdogan, who was speaking at a university in the Qatari capital of Doha, also said he did not want relations with Moscow to worsen further. Russia's defence ministry said it had proof that Erdogan and his family were benefiting from the illegal smuggling of oil from Is
  
  Read more

• Hawaiian high court blocks construction of giant telescope

  02-12-2015 15:30
  
  Decision leaves TMT in limbo
  
  Read more

• Hawaii's high court blocks construction of giant telescope

  02-12-2015 15:30
  
  Decision leaves TMT in limbo
  
  Read more

• Investors flee fossil fuels as some banks back coal: reports

  02-12-2015 15:06
  
  Institutional investors are fleeing fossil fuels even as some major banks continue to pour money into coal, according to reports released at a UN climate conference Wednesday.
  
  Read more

• World's Oldest Peach Pits Reveal Juicy Secrets

  02-12-2015 14:56
  
  The world's oldest peach fossils have been discovered in southwestern China, according to a new report. "If you imagine the smallest commercial peach today, that's what these would look like," Peter Wilf, a professor of paleobotany at Pennsylvania State University, said in a statement. In 2010, Wilf's colleague Tao Su, an associate professor at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in China's Yunnan province, collected eight peach fossils that were exposed during the construction of a new road
  
  Read more

• Hundreds of whales die in one of biggest ever mass strandings

  02-12-2015 14:56 via cbc.ca
  
  The coast of southern Chile has become a grave for 337 sei whales that were found beached in what scientists say is one of the biggest whale strandings ever recorded.
  
  Read more

• Doctors Could 3D-Print Micro-Organs with New Technique

  02-12-2015 14:56
  
  Gone are the days when 3D printers merely built plastic trinkets — scientists say 3D-printed structures loaded with embryonic stem cells could one day help doctors print out micro-organs for transplant patients. Embryonic stem cells, obtained from human embryos, can develop into any kind of cell in the body, such as brain tissue, heart cells or bone. Scientists typically experiment with embryonic stem cells by dosing them with biological cues that guide them toward developing into specific
  
  Read more

• China vows massive clean-up of power plants: Xinhua

  02-12-2015 14:56
  
  China will upgrade its coal-fired power plants to reduce the discharge of pollutants by 60 percent before 2020, top officials said Wednesday.
  
  Read more

Follow @ScienceUKnews on Twitter!