Science news

• 12 amazing fossil finds of 2015

  29-12-2015 23:30
  
  From an ancient sponge ancestor to the Carolina Butcher, scientists learned a lot about life on Earth this year.
  
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• 'Pre-historic' animal shell found in Argentina

  29-12-2015 23:16
  
  A passer-by on Christmas Day found a meter-long shell on a riverbank in Argentina which may be from a glyptodont, a prehistoric kind of giant armadillo, experts said Tuesday.
  
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• British couple pays $137K to clone their dead dog

  29-12-2015 22:39 via cbc.ca
  
  A British couple who paid more than $137,000 to clone their dead dog has just celebrated the birth of two puppies born using Dylan the boxer's DNA, the Guardian reports.
  
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• British couple pay $137K to clone their dead dog

  29-12-2015 22:39 via cbc.ca
  
  A British couple who paid more than $137,000 to clone their dead dog have just celebrated the birth of two puppies born using Dylan the boxer's DNA, the Guardian reports.
  
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• As suicide rates rise, researchers separate thoughts from actions

  29-12-2015 21:54
  
  Advances in suicide research and treatment may depend on separating thoughts from acts.
  
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• Saturn's Geyser Moon Enceladus Amazes in Final Flyby Photos

  29-12-2015 21:39
  
  Saturn's geyser-spurting moon Enceladus received its last close-up from NASA's Cassini mission, and the results are stunning. Cassini made its final close flyby of the moon on Dec. 19, when it passed within 3,106 miles (4,999 kilometers) of the surface. "This final Enceladus flyby elicits feelings of both sadness and triumph," Cassini project manager Earl Maize at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California said in a statement.
  
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• Mysterious Pulsar and Jellyfish Nebula Share Explosive Birth (Photo)

  29-12-2015 21:37
  
  An explosion in space may have created not only a brilliant nebula but also a rapidly spinning neutron star, according to new data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Observations of the Jellyfish Nebula, the remnant of a supernova 5,000 light-years from Earth, show an unusual object located on the southern edge of the nebula. When a massive star implodes, the outer layers of the star collapse inward, exploding into a supernova and leaving behind a dense core called a neutron star.
  
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• British Astronaut Tim Peake to Run London Marathon in Space

  29-12-2015 21:37
  
  One astronaut is about to bravely go where no man has gone before: for a 26-mile (42 kilometer) run aboard the International Space Station. Tim Peake, a British astronaut with the European Space Agency, announced plans to run the London Marathon while he is on the space station in April of next year in order to raise awareness of The Prince's Trust — a nonprofit in London that aims to help people 13 to 30 get jobs, education and training. As other marathoners run through the streets of Lon
  
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• Trail from Ship Exhaust Leaves 'A' in the Sky

  29-12-2015 21:22
  
  You may not have seen it, but in July there was a large "A" written in the sky over the ocean near the Kamchatka Peninsula, in far-eastern Russia. The image of the A, published on Sunday (Dec. 27) on NASA's Earth Observatory website, shows how ocean-going ships produce a stream of exhaust gases that leaves tracks across the sky behind them, called ship tracks. A camera aboard NASA's Aqua satellite took the image on July 27.
  
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• Smart wheelchair moves by pacifier sucks

  29-12-2015 20:17
  
  A Barcelona-based disability foundation has created an intelligent chair so that severely disabled children can better explore their surroundings. Previous models of wheelchair were usually joystick-operated and were unusable for children without the necessary motor skills or with limited awareness of their environment.
  
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• The Most Intriguing Environmental Stories of 2015

  29-12-2015 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  A terrible earthquake, massive drought and nuclear power captured the imagination this year
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Iraq's Abadi plants flag in Ramadi to mark Islamic State defeat

  29-12-2015 19:26
  By Ahmed Rasheed and Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi planted the national flag in Ramadi on Tuesday after the army retook the city centre from Islamic State a day earlier, a victory that could help vindicate his strategy for rebuilding the military after stunning defeats. If the Anbar provincial capital can be fully secured and re-populated, it would be the first major success for the U.S.-trained force that fled 18 months ago as jihadist Islamic State mili
  
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• French companies tapped to study Nile dam project

  29-12-2015 19:08
  
  Two French engineering companies were chosen Tuesday to carry out environmental impact studies on Ethiopia's planned Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile River, at a meeting in the Sudanese capital.
  
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• Russia to rewrite space program as economic crisis bites

  29-12-2015 17:51
  
  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is to revise its space program, the national space agency said on Tuesday after a newspaper published a report that billions of dollars of cuts may be afoot including to ambitious Moon exploration plans.
  
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• Syrian rebels shell Shi'ite villages after truce evacuations, residents say

  29-12-2015 17:30
  Syrian rebels shelled two Shi'ite villages in the northwest of the country on Tuesday, killing at least one person, residents said, a day after pro-government fighters and civilians left the area for Turkey under a local ceasefire agreement. Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed insurgents had shelled near the two villages, al Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province, but gave no initial death toll. Under the U.N.-backed agreement more than 300 pro-government
  
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• Major NYC hotels pledge to go green, cutting emissions over 10 years

  29-12-2015 17:10 via cbc.ca
  
  The Waldorf-Astoria New York, the Lotte New York Palace, the Pierre-A Taj Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Times Square are among the 16 city hotels whose owners have agreed to cut greenhouse gases from their buildings by 30 per cent or more in the next decade.
  
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• Turning a Sci-Fi Series into a TV Epic: Q&A with 'The Expanse' Authors

  29-12-2015 16:35
  The duo behind "The Expanse," the space adventure series turned newest Syfy epic, sat down with Space.com to discuss the story's creation, its many different forms, working on the show and writing space's biggest threat. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the authors of the book series, go by the pseudonym James S. A. Corey. Space.com: I've read that the initial concept for the books was actually a video game.
  
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• Those calling for bigger flood defences don't understand the complexity of UK flooding

  29-12-2015 16:35
  The deluge has spread from the Lake District, badly hit during Storm Desmond, to Lancashire and Yorkshire during Storm Eva. The impact has been felt widely across Wales, northern England and parts of Scotland. Shap in the Lake District measured 65% of its usual annual rainfall in December alone.
  
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• "The Expanse" Authors Talk Space's Epic Size and Crazy Sci-Fi Tech

  29-12-2015 16:35
  
  The two authors of "The Expanse" book series, now a new Syfy TV show, were deeply involved with the look, feel and script of the new TV epic. Space.com talked with Abraham and Franck about their favorite technology in the show, how different kinds of gravity feel (and which are worst) and how they portrayed the vast distances of space. Franck: In the book series, when we were coming up with the visuals for the ships and stuff, I was talking to a guy I know who works out of Los Alamos Labs.
  
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• Algeria's Bouteflika approves constitutional reform proposal

  29-12-2015 16:22
  Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has approved a long-awaited constitutional reform package, state media reported, part of measures he pledged after taking office for a fourth term last year. The draft constitutional revision, approved at a "restricted" cabinet meeting late on Monday, will be submitted for final approval next month to parliament, where Bouteflika's allies have an overwhelming majority. Bouteflika, who had a stroke in 2013 and has not been seen in public since the election,
  
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• Where to Land SpaceX's Recovered Falcon 9 Rocket Stage for Display

  29-12-2015 16:17
  
  SpaceX intends to refurbish and re-fly its stages, ultimately getting to when it can simply refuel and launch them again, significantly reducing the cost of access to space. Three days after it touched down on SpaceX's "Landing Zone 1," a converted Air Force launch pad, the stage was lowered onto its side and loaded onto a multi-wheeled flatbed for the short trip to NASA's Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
  
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• The Biggest Spaceflight Moments of 2015

  29-12-2015 16:17
  
  NASA spacecraft got up close and personal with two different dwarf planets, for example, and two private spaceflight companies pulled off rocket landings, suggesting that the long-sought dream of resuable launch vehicles could become a reality relatively soon. Pluto had remained largely mysterious since its 1930 discovery, because it's relatively small and orbits so far away (39 times farther from the sun than Earth does, on average). For instance, the best Pluto images taken by NASA's famous Hu
  
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• Fire Breaks Out in Converted Saturn V Stages at Rocket Center

  29-12-2015 16:17
  
  A fire broke out at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama on Saturday (Dec. 26), damaging an out-of-use ride building that was formed from converted Saturn V rocket segments. The fire inside the former Mission to Mars facility broke out sometime after 2 p.m. CST (2000 GMT) and was brought under control by the Huntsville Fire Department less than hour later. "The fire was in a periphery older building, apart from any main building at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center," stated
  
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• Germany's Steinmeier warns Ukraine ceasefire is fragile

  29-12-2015 16:12
  German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned on Tuesday that the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists was becoming more fragile. Steinmeier, in a statement, condemned violations of the ceasefire over the Christmas holiday. "I urgently call on all sides to strictly adhere to the ceasefire in the interests of people in the conflict areas," he said.
  
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• National Geographic Photo Contest 2015: Dramatic Colorado tornado wins grand prize

  29-12-2015 16:04
  A photo of a tornado in Colorado has been chosen as the grand prize winner of the 2015 National Geographic Photo Contest. Selected from more than 13,000 entries, the photo, titled Dirt, was shot by James Smart of Melbourne, Australia. On the last day, Smart ended up outside of Simla, Colorado, where he shot the winning photo.
  
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• Syrian rebels shell Shi'ite villages, killing one, after local truce, residents say

  29-12-2015 15:53
  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels shelled two Shi'ite villages in the northwest of the country on Tuesday, killing at least one person, residents said, a day after pro-government fighters and civilians left the area for Turkey under a local ceasefire agreement. Under the U.N.-backed agreement, rebel fighters holed up in the town of Zabadani near the Lebanese border were simultaneously allowed safe passage to Beirut on Monday. The ceasefire has been violated several times by both sides, but largel
  
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• UK floods: Photos of historic city of York after rivers Ouse and Foss burst their banks

  29-12-2015 14:26
  The Environment Agency says Britain needs a 'complete rethink' of its flood defences after towns, cities and countryside across northern England were inundated when rivers broke their banks. Local authorities said around 500 properties were flooded in the historic city of York, and 2,000 homes and 400 businesses in Leeds. Flood defences have been bolstered in recent years, but that has not been enough to prevent some residents of northern England, including the scenic Lake District, from having
  
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• Beijing pollution soars but no red alert

  29-12-2015 14:25
  
  Parts of China's capital Beijing suffered air pollution more than 20 times recommended levels on Tuesday, but authorities refrained from issuing the highest smog alert.
  
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• Cartilage grown to rebuild body parts

  29-12-2015 14:15 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Patients needing surgery to reconstruct body parts such as noses and ears could soon be able to have treatment using cartilage which has been grown in a lab.
  
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• HyQ2Max: the robot you can't keep down

  29-12-2015 13:58
  
  Robots that can venture into disaster zones in place of humans need to be tough enough to cope in hazardous environments. So far, the only viable robots are wheeled or tracked vehicles but these cannot cope with many terrains and situations.
  
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• Ebola outbreak declared over in Guinea

  29-12-2015 13:52 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, two years after the epidemic began there.
  
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• Ram Statue Unearthed on Christmas Eve May Represent Jesus

  29-12-2015 13:41
  
  A hand-carved marble statue of a ram that was uncovered last week along Israel's Mediterranean coast has archaeologists guessing about who carved the creation. Archaeologists found the statue on Thursday (Dec. 24), but they say its unclear whether it was carved by Byzantine artisans, or if it was made by Romans and then later repurposed by the Byzantine church, the Israel Antiquities Authority said. The researchers found the statue during the excavation of an ancient church in Caesarea Harbor Na
  
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• New Kind of Hydrothermal Vent Forms Ghostly Chimneys

  29-12-2015 13:39
  
  Deep in the Caribbean Sea, researchers have discovered a new type of hydrothermal vent unlike any seen before, with huge, ghostly mounds formed from an ingredient common in baby powder. Typical hydrothermal vents consist mostly of sulfide minerals, but these vents in the Von Damm Vent Field south of the Cayman Islands are made mostly of talc, a magnesium-silicate mineral. "This vent site is home to a community of fauna similar to those found at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Atlantic Ocean," stud
  
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• Iraq's Abadi visits Ramadi to celebrate Islamic State defeat

  29-12-2015 13:25
  Iraq's prime minister visited Ramadi on Tuesday, a day after the army took back the western city from Islamic State in the first major success for the U.S.-trained force that fled in the face of the militants' advance 18 months ago. Security sources said Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who arrived by helicopter with a top military officer at the Anbar University complex in the city's southern outskirts, would meet commanders from Iraq's army and counter-terrorism forces, which had spearheaded th
  
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• Social, telepresence robots revealed by scientists

  29-12-2015 13:07
  Say hello to Nadine, a "receptionist" at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She is friendly, and will greet you back. Next time you meet her, she will remember your name and your previous conversation with her. She looks almost like a human being, with soft skin and flowing brunette hair. She smiles when greeting you, looks at you in the eye when talking, and can also shake hands with you. And she is a humanoid.
  
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• Iraq's Abadi visits Ramadi after Islamic State defeat - security sources

  29-12-2015 12:45
  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited Ramadi on Tuesday, security sources said, a day after declaring the recapture of the western city from Islamic State following a months-long siege. The sources said Abadi, who arrived by helicopter with the province's top military commander at the Anbar University complex in the city's southern outskirts, would meet with army and counter-terrorism commanders. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Stephen Kalin; editing by John St
  
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• Astronomical milestones of 2015

  29-12-2015 12:00
  
  The New Horizons mission to Pluto was the No. 1 science story of the year. Here some other notable space missions.
  
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• Beautiful, bizarre shrimp found in Alberta prairie puddles

  29-12-2015 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Thanks to photographer Ian Gardiner of Calgary, you'll know how to spot shrimp while hiking through the grasslands of southern Alberta this spring. Gardiner's detailed portrait of a clam shrimp was recognized in the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.
  
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• Turtles' Wayward Travels May Mean BP Oil Spill's Impact Was Global

  29-12-2015 07:40
  
  The far-flung journeys of juvenile sea turtles could mean that the impact of 2010's Deepwater Horizon oil spill was global. More than 300,000 sea turtles were likely in the region of the Gulf of Mexico affected by the oil spill, according to a new computer simulation. Others hailed from South America, Costa Rica and as far away as western Africa.
  
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• From Blood Rain to Green Poo: 10 Weirdest Science Stories of 2015

  29-12-2015 07:39
  
  The rain in Spain seemed to turn a gory shade of blood red. Last fall, residents of several villages in northwest Spain were alarmed when the water in their local fountains turned an unsettling shade of crimson. A study published in September 2015 found that Spain's bloodbaths were teeming with the microscopic freshwater algae Haematococcus pluvialis, which produce a red pigment when they're stressed.
  
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• 2015 was the year our robot revolution fears got real

  29-12-2015 06:02 via cbc.ca
  
  Evidence of humans fearing technology dates back to the Industrial Revolution, when the term technophobia was coined. The year 2015 is when we started fearing the robot revolution – for real this time.
  
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• UW center receives $16M to work on first implantable device to reanimate paralyzed limbs

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (University of Washington) The University of Washington-led Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering has received a $16M NSF grant to develop the first implantable device to reanimate paralyzed limbs and restore motor function in stroke or spinal cord injury patients.
  
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• UW center receives $16 million to work on first implantable device to reanimate paralyzed limbs

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (University of Washington) The University of Washington-led Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering has received a $16 million NSF grant to develop the first implantable device to reanimate paralyzed limbs and restore motor function in stroke or spinal cord injury patients.
  
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• The chemistry of hangovers (video)

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (American Chemical Society) It's almost New Year's Eve, and many will be ringing in 2016 with champagne, wine, beer and cocktails. But for those who overindulge, the next day is accompanied by another tradition: the New Year's Day hangover. In this episode of Reactions, we look at the chemistry behind the lousy effects of a hangover, and offer some tips to limit its symptoms. Check it out here and impress your friends this New Year.
  
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• Temple study finds opioid prescribing guideline significantly decreases prescription rates

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (Temple University Health System) Emergency medicine physicians at Temple University Hospital have found that an opioid prescribing guideline had an immediate and sustained impact on opioid prescribing rates for minor conditions and chronic noncancer pain in an acute care setting. The results of the study are published in the January 2016 Journal of Emergency Medicine.
  
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• Technology aids kidney transplant patients

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (Medical University of South Carolina) Mobile technology helps kidney transplant patients adhere to a rigorous schedule of medications and monitor their own blood pressure.
  
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• Study ties insurgency phase of Iraq War to higher PTSD rates

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (Veterans Affairs Research Communications) Guerilla tactics such as suicide attacks and roadside bombs may trigger more post-traumatic stress than conventional warfare, suggests a Veterans Affairs study of 738 Iraq veterans. The study was led by VA's National Center for PTSD.
  
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• St. Jude researchers develop powerful interactive tool to mine data from cancer genome

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has developed a web-based application to advance pediatric cancer research, collaboration and clinical care through enhanced exploration of the pediatric cancer genome
  
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• Scientists variable vectoring technique for propeller powered unmanned aerial vehicles

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (Science China Press) The maneuverability of unmanned aerial vehicles can be greatly enhanced through the use of variable vectoring technique. The current research developed a novel variable thrust direction mechanism, which provides the normal propeller UAV with the capability of directional force control. The newly developed VTD UAV was applied to implement plateau missions, which demonstrates the usefulness of the proposed technique.
  
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• PRO as a sustainable energy production system is crippled by biofouling

  29-12-2015 06:00
  
  (American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) According to the new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers at the Zuckerberg Institute and Yale University found that, 'power generation by PRO produces little and next to nothing due to biofouling caused by bacteria that clog the membrane structure and the feed channel.' Prior to this study, researchers from Yale reported that this technology is thermodynamically challenging and is hardly viab
  
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