Science news

• Cruz’s Birthplace Debated: Here’s Where Most US Presidents Were Born

  15-01-2016 23:42
  At the Republican debates last night, Donald Trump argued that fellow Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz might be ineligible to be U.S. president, given that the Constitution requires the president to be a "natural born citizen" of the country. One man, Houston attorney Newton Schwartz Sr., has even filed a suit against Cruz, aiming to settle the question before the primaries or party conventions get under way, Bloomberg Business reported. Whatever your opinion may be, it is true that al
  
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• Spacewalk suspended after leak in U.S. astronaut's helmet

  15-01-2016 23:20
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA cut short a spacewalk on Friday at the International Space Station after one of the astronauts reported a leak in his spacesuit helmet, the U.S. space agency said.
  
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• Largest Giraffe Relative Found

  15-01-2016 22:46
  
  "This is certainly the largest giraffid [a member of the giraffe family] that ever existed," said study lead author Christopher Basu, a doctoral student in the Structure and Motion Laboratory at the Royal Veterinary College in London.
  
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• Tim Peake spacewalk ends early

  15-01-2016 22:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Nasa has ended the spacewalk involving British astronaut Tim Peake after his US colleague reported water in his helmet.
  
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• Real Heavy Metal: Fans Want Motörhead Singer on Periodic Table

  15-01-2016 22:44
  Motörhead fans still mourning the death of the band's singer, songwriter and bassist, Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister, in December are seeking commemoration for the rock icon in an unusual location — the periodic table. A petition launched on Change.org by John Wright of York, United Kingdom, proposed "Lemmium" as a name for element 115, quickly gathering thousands of signatures. The element holds the cumbersome temporary working name "ununpentium" and the temporary symbol Uup, according to a s
  
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• Tim Peake posts selfie of 'exhilarating' spacewalk

  15-01-2016 22:38
  
  Tim Peake said he will never forget his "exhilarating" first walk in space as he posted a space selfie of his historic feat.
  
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• Baby Chasmosaurus skeleton helps Alberta scientists understand dinosaur evolution

  15-01-2016 22:30 via cbc.ca
  
  Alberta researchers' latest find helps solve mystery on how dinosaurs age.
  
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• Video captures wild Asian elephants roaming in Cambodian forest

  15-01-2016 22:03
  
  Wild Asian elephants roam through the forest in the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia is a video released on Friday by the environmental group Conservation International.
  
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• Why can't Netflix just chill?

  15-01-2016 21:45 via cbc.ca
  
  If you’re like many Canucks, you haven’t let being north of the U.S. border stop you from watching your favourite TV shows and movies on Netflix. But now the service is cracking down on users who disguise their location.
  
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• Hurricane Alex first January hurricane since 1938

  15-01-2016 21:38 via cbc.ca
  
  The remnants of El Nino may have contributed to a highly unusual weather system in the mid-Atlantic, but don't expect any more hurricanes until the summer.
  
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• Low-fiber diets make gut microbes poop out

  15-01-2016 21:14
  
  A low-fiber diet makes for low bacterial diversity in mice. A new study shows those mice can then pass a denuded microbiome on to their offspring.
  
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• Money troubles may delay Europe-Russia Mars mission

  15-01-2016 20:57
  
  Part of a joint European-Russian mission to search for signs of life on Mars may be delayed due to cash flow problems, the European Space Agency said Friday.
  
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• SpaceX success launches space startups to new heights

  15-01-2016 20:48
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - SpaceX's successful landing of a reusable rocket booster last month opens a new frontier for commercial space startups by offering tremendous cost savings and attracting venture capitalists who once shied away from spatial ventures.
  
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• Alberta grizzly bears seek out old mine sites, U of A researchers find

  15-01-2016 20:40 via cbc.ca
  
  In their search for safe habitat, some grizzly bears in the foothills west of Edmonton have moved into former open-pit mine sites, according to a new study done by researchers at the University of Alberta.
  
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• Europe excited by cargo mini-shuttle

  15-01-2016 20:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The European Space Agency is eager to develop its interest in a robot mini-shuttle just selected by Nasa to help ferry cargo to the space station.
  
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• Water Leak in Astronaut's Spacesuit Helmet Halts Spacewalk

  15-01-2016 20:13
  
  For the second time in less than three years, a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station has been cut short because of a water leak in an astronaut's helmet. A spacewalk involving NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and British colleague Tim Peake was called off about 2 hours early today (Jan. 15) when Kopra noticed some water inside his helmet. The incident was reminiscent of a similar one involving Italian spaceflyer Luca Parmitano in July 2013, but was not nearly as dramatic or severe, NASA
  
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• Digital distraction in class is on the rise

  15-01-2016 20:05
  A survey of 675 students at colleges in 26 states found a growing percentage are using smartphones and other digital devices for non-class purposes. Most students indicate no intention of stopping.
  
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• Researchers study hospital readmissions from post-acute care facilities

  15-01-2016 20:01
  Better coordination between hospitals and post-acute care facilities could reduce patient readmission to hospitals and mortality rates, according to a new study of risk factors. In a review of more than 3,200 hospitalizations followed by stays in post-acute care facilities, the researchers found specific risk factors that may contribute to the need for readmission to the hospital.
  
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• Researchers identify process that causes chronic neonatal lung disease

  15-01-2016 20:01
  A key component of the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a devastating and sometimes fatal lung disease that affects premature infants, has been uncovered by researchers.
  
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• Fast, accurate DNA sequencing through graphene nanopore

  15-01-2016 20:01
  A new concept has been developed for rapid, accurate gene sequencing by pulling a DNA molecule through a tiny, chemically activated hole in graphene -- an ultrathin sheet of carbon atoms -- and detecting changes in electrical current.
  
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• Water in US astronaut's helmet cuts short Briton's 1st spacewalk

  15-01-2016 19:52
  
  The discovery of water in a US astronaut's helmet brought an early end Friday to the first ever galactic walkabout by his British colleague, astronaut Tim Peake, NASA said.
  
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• Researchers confirm site of hangings for Salem witch trials

  15-01-2016 19:43
  SALEM, Mass. (AP) — A team of researchers using historical documents and 21st-century archaeological techniques has confirmed the exact site where 19 innocent people were hanged during the Salem witch trials more than three centuries ago.
  
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• US freezes new coal mine permits in environmental review

  15-01-2016 19:05
  
  The US government announced Friday a freeze on issuing permits for new coal mines on government land, in a review of the environmental impact of federal coal policy.
  
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• Spacewalk aborted after water leaks into astronaut's helmet

  15-01-2016 18:54
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two spacewalking astronauts — including Britain's first — successfully restored full power to the International Space Station on Friday. But the spacewalk was cut short after water leaked into one of the men's helmets in a scary repeat of a near-drowning 2½ years ago.
  
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• It's your last chance to see Comet Catalina

  15-01-2016 18:52 via cbc.ca
  
  Your only chance to see a green, two-tailed comet named Catalina is almost over, as the dusty space snowball makes its closest approach to Earth this weekend.
  
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• Comet Catalina makes closest approach this weekend

  15-01-2016 18:52 via cbc.ca
  
  Your only chance to see a green, two-tailed comet named Catalina is almost over, as the dusty space snowball makes its closest approach to Earth this weekend.
  
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• Spacewalk Ends After Water Found In Helmet

  15-01-2016 18:45
  
  Briton Tim Peake's spacewalk has ended after a water bubble was reported in the helmet of his fellow astronaut. NASA tweeted that the mission had been terminated due to a "small amount of water" in Tim Kopra's helmet. The two astronauts had already successfully restored full power to the International Space Station (ISS) by replacing a broken electronic box.
  
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• Why competition is good for the space race: Bob McDonald

  15-01-2016 18:40 via cbc.ca
  
  Space flight is in a transition from hugely bureaucratic, over-budget government contracts in the past, to private companies that must deliver a product efficiently or they are out of business. Competition keeps the costs down and will make space flight more widely available.
  
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• Water bubble halts Tim Peake's historic spacewalk

  15-01-2016 18:21
  
  Tim Peake's historic first walk in space was ended early after a water bubble was detected in the helmet of his colleague Tim Kopra.
  
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• Astronauts fix space station power grid; water in helmet

  15-01-2016 18:17
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two spacewalking astronauts — including Britain's first — successfully restored full power to the International Space Station on Friday after replacing a broken electronic box.
  
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• Britain's Tim Peake Takes Spacewalk

  15-01-2016 18:14
  
  Tim Peake said it was a "privilege" when he became the first Briton to walk in space after venturing outside the International Space Station (ISS) to fix a broken power unit. As he prepared to exit the air lock, one of Major Peake's colleagues, Commander Scott Kelly, remarked it was "really cool" to see the Union flag outside. Major Peake replied: "It's great to be wearing it.
  
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• White House - IAEA report on Iran nuclear deal is more than technicality

  15-01-2016 18:05
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Friday said it will rely on international experts to ensure that Iran is living up to its commitments to curtail its nuclear programme. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) report on Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement is more than a technicality and there is ample reason to distrust Iran. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Eric Walsh)
  
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• How Hunger for Shrimp and Slavery Destroy Mangroves [Excerpt]

  15-01-2016 18:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Shrimp demand satisfied with slave labor is also driving an environmental disaster in Southeast Asia
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• White House says Iran's progress on nuclear deal must be verified

  15-01-2016 17:35
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran has made important progress in its effort to implement the international agreement to curtail its nuclear programme, but its actions must still be independently verified, the White House said on Friday. "We want to make sure they don't cut any corners," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a briefing. He said Iran would not receive sanctions relief until the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms it has complied with the agreement. Earnest said he had n
  
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• Tim Peake: Watch astronaut become first Briton to perform spacewalk

  15-01-2016 17:35
  Tim Peake has become the first British astronaut to conduct a spacewalk, after he left the International Space Station (ISS) to carry out maintenance work on 15 January. The 43-year-old former army major blasted off to the ISS as part of a six-month mission for the European Space Agency (ESA) in December, becoming the first Briton in space since Helen Sharman travelled on a Soviet spacecraft for eight days in 1991 and the first to do so under a British flag. Stepping outside the ISS Quest airloc
  
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• Live: Britain's Tim Peake On Spacewalk

  15-01-2016 17:35
  
  Tim Peake said it was a "privilege" when he became the first Briton to walk in space after venturing outside the International Space Station (ISS) to fix a broken power unit. As he prepared to exit the air lock, one of Major Peake's colleagues, Commander Scott Kelly, remarked it was "really cool" to see the Union flag outside. Major Peake replied: "It's great to be wearing it.
  
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• Britain gets 1st spacewalker; station power grid gets fixed

  15-01-2016 17:03
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two spacewalking astronauts — including Britain's first — successfully restored full power to the International Space Station on Friday after replacing a broken electronic box.
  
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• Torrent frog flirting is complicated

  15-01-2016 17:01
  
  The courtship displays of Brazilian torrent frogs entail a subtle but sophisticated slew of songs and movements.
  
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• Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan Show Brain Changes Related to Explosion Exposure

  15-01-2016 16:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Researchers pinpoint the cerebellum as particularly vulnerable to blast injury
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Brightest star explosion ever spotted revealed by astronomers

  15-01-2016 16:29 via cbc.ca
  
  Astronomers have discovered the brightest star explosion ever, a super supernova that easily outshines our entire Milky Way.
  
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• Magnetic Device Lets Smartphones Test Your Blood

  15-01-2016 16:24
  
  Smartphones equipped with portable devices that magnetically levitate cells might one day help diagnose diseases in the home, clinic or lab, researchers say. Nowadays, smartphones are incredibly powerful portable computers that include handy devices such as multimegapixel cameras, and they can be found in both developing and developed countries. Increasingly, researchers are exploring ways for smartphones to be used not only for posting selfies and playing video games, but also to help save live
  
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• European space boss has 'crazy' Moon Village plan

  15-01-2016 16:14
  
  The European Space Agency's new boss elaborated Friday on his vision for a multinational research village on the Moon -- a leading contender for a project to succeed the International Space Station.
  
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• Ferroelectricity: Ambiguity clarified, and resolved

  15-01-2016 16:10
  A detailed assessment called into question the previous identification of ferroelectric materials based solely on scanning probe microscopy
  
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• Weather-worn lizards might adapt to new climates

  15-01-2016 16:09
  Lizards exposed to rain, hail and shine may cope better with extreme weather events predicted as a result of climate change than their fair-weather cousins, suggests new research.
  
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• Researchers show how mother-of-pearl is formed from nanoparticles

  15-01-2016 16:09
  Materials scientists have shown for the first time that the mother-of-pearl in clam shells does not form in a crystallization process but is a result of the aggregation of nanoparticles within an organic matrix. This could lead to a better understanding of the structure of biomaterials which may be useful in the development of new high-performance ceramics.
  
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• Researchers investigate how light behaves in curved space

  15-01-2016 16:09
  To investigate the influence of gravity on the propagation of light, researchers usually have to examine astronomical length scales and huge masses. However, physicists have shown that there is another way. In a recent study, they find the answers to astronomical questions in the laboratory, shifting the focus to a previously underappreciated material property -- surface curvature.
  
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• Psychology study explains when and why bystanders intervene in cyberbullying

  15-01-2016 16:09
  People on social media are often unsupportive of cyberbullying victims who have shared highly personal feelings, psychologists report. In a new study, the researchers created a fictitious Facebook profile of an 18-year-old named Kate, who received a mean comment -- 'Who cares! This is why nobody likes you' -- that gets six likes.
  
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• Mentally challenging activities key to a healthy aging mind

  15-01-2016 16:09
  One of the greatest challenges associated with the growing numbers of aged adults is how to maintain a healthy aging mind. Taking up a new mental challenge such as digital photography or quilting may help maintain cognitive vitality, say researchers.
  
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• Brothers-in-arms: How p53 and telomeres work together to stave off cancer

  15-01-2016 16:09
  New research shows that p53 is able to suppress accumulated DNA damage at telomeres. This is the first time this particular function of p53 has ever been described and shows yet another benefit of this vital gene.
  
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• Autism-linked protein lays groundwork for healthy brain

  15-01-2016 16:09
  Scientists uncover pathway in highly suspect disease gene also tied to schizophrenia and bipolar disease.
  
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