Science news

• 'Last Man on the Moon' Shares Astronaut's 'Epic Tale' in New Documentary

  25-02-2016 23:24
  
  As the new documentary "The Last Man on the Moon" opens, the camera pans across a crowd at a rodeo until it finds an older gentleman taking his seat. In fact, as that scene was shot, only one person, out of the thousands surrounding him, recognized Gene Cernan. "Just one — the man sitting next to him," said Mark Craig, director of "The Last Man on the Moon," which is openingin select U.S. theaters on Friday (Feb. 26).
  
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• SpaceX calls off rocket launch at last minute

  25-02-2016 23:16 via cbc.ca
  
  The rocket maker was all set to launch a commercial broadcasting satellite Thursday. But with just one minute, 40 seconds remaining in the countdown, flight controllers called for an "abort."
  
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• Colorful baby lobster photo wins award for Maine biologist

  25-02-2016 22:58
  
  ORONO, Maine (AP) — A University of Maine graduate student's picture of a colorful tiny larval lobster has won a National Science Foundation award.
  
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• Scott Kelly: 'I Could Go Another Year' Aboard Space Station

  25-02-2016 22:28
  
  Scott Kelly is about to head home after 11 months aboard the International Space Station, but the astronaut says he could have stayed in orbit for another year if NASA had so desired. Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will come back to Earth Tuesday (March 1), wrapping up an unprecedented 340-day stay on the orbiting lab. The nearly yearlong mission has been challenging in a number of ways, Kelly said, citing the extended isolation from loved ones as the hardest part.
  
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• Astronaut Scott Kelly: 'I Could Go Another Year' Aboard Space Station

  25-02-2016 22:28
  
  Scott Kelly is about to head home after 11 months aboard the International Space Station, but the astronaut says he could have stayed in orbit for another year if NASA had so desired. Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will come back to Earth Tuesday (March 1), wrapping up an unprecedented 340-day stay on the orbiting lab. The nearly yearlong mission has been challenging in a number of ways, Kelly said, citing the extended isolation from loved ones as the hardest part.
  
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• Charon’s surface cracked when ancient subsurface sea froze

  25-02-2016 22:11
  
  A subsurface ocean on Charon, Pluto’s largest moon, might have once frozen and cracked the moon’s surface, creating some of the ridges and valleys seen today.
  
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• Record 6,250 manatees spotted in Florida waters

  25-02-2016 22:09
  The number of manatees in the waters around Florida have reached a new peak of at least 6,250, conservationists said Thursday, a record reflecting years of efforts to protect the marine mammals.
  
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• Just before Oscars, plant named for hero of "The Martian"

  25-02-2016 21:46
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Damon may not win the Oscar for best actor on Sunday, but the character he played in "The Martian" has gotten its own recognition.
  
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• Inventions deliver cleaner copper, energy capture

  25-02-2016 21:39
  A toxin-free method for extracting copper from raw ore and other procedures using molten salts represent an opportunity for a sizable impact in both mining and energy storage.
  
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• Mental abilities are shaped by individual differences in the brain

  25-02-2016 21:38
  Everyone has a different mixture of personality traits: some are outgoing, some are tough and some are anxious. A new study suggests that brains also have different traits that affect both anatomical and cognitive factors, such as intelligence and memory.
  
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• California blowout led to largest U.S. methane release ever

  25-02-2016 21:38
  The Aliso Canyon natural gas well blowout, first reported on Oct. 23, 2015, released over 100,000 tons of the powerful greenhouse gas methane before the well was sealed on Feb. 11, according to the first study of the accident published. The results confirm that Aliso Canyon is the largest methane leak in U.S. history.
  
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• Tests show no specific gastrointestinal abnormalities in children with autism

  25-02-2016 21:36
  Children with autism have no unique pattern of abnormal results on endoscopy or other tests for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, compared to non-autistic children with GI symptoms.
  
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• Synchronized leaf aging in the Amazon responsible for seasonal increases in photosynthesis

  25-02-2016 21:36
  High-tech photography in the Amazon reveals that young leaves grow in at the same times as older ones perish, in strong contrast to temperate forests in North America or Europe, resulting in seasonal increases in photosynthesis that must be taken into account to build more accurate climate models.
  
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• Proofreading molecules tug on RNA to ensure protein production accuracy

  25-02-2016 21:36
  Scientists have discovered how two enzymes play a critical role in ensuring quality control during splicing. In a new study, they found these molecules most likely apply physical tension to RNA to keep wrong sites from being cut. This action not only prevents splicing errors, it also enables the selection of alternative splicing sites.
  
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• Potential diagnostic for dengue fever outcomes based on metabolomic profiles

  25-02-2016 21:36
  Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease that can develop into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome. There are currently no standard biomarkers or algorithms for the prognosis of the progression to hemorrhagic fever or potentially fatal shock syndrome. Scientists are exploring the use of small molecules in patient serum for diagnosis of dengue fever and potentially predicting progression to the severe disease.
  
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• Machine learning at arraignments can cut repeat domestic violence

  25-02-2016 21:36
  Researchers have found that using machine learning at arraignments can cut repeat domestic violence.
  
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• Antidepressant may improve cognitive symptoms in people with HIV

  25-02-2016 21:36
  The antidepressant paroxetine modestly improves decision-making and reaction time, and suppresses inflammation in people with HIV-associated cognitive impairment, physicians report at the conclusion of a small, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
  
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• Zika virus linked to stillbirth, other symptoms in Brazil

  25-02-2016 21:34
  In January, a pregnant Brazilian woman infected with the Zika virus had a stillborn baby who had signs of severe tissue swelling as well as central nervous system defects that caused near-complete loss of brain tissue. It is the first report to indicate a possible association of congenital Zika virus and damage to tissues outside the central nervous system, say researchers.
  
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• Water-cleaning chemical made 'on-demand' with new group of catalysts

  25-02-2016 21:34
  A quick, cheap and highly efficient method for producing a water-purifying chemical has been developed by researchers. The work opens up the possibility of manufacturing the chemical in some of the poorest, remote and disaster-stricken areas of the world.
  
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• Source of cells used to generate new tissue may be important to personalized medicine

  25-02-2016 21:34
  New insights suggest that the source of human cells used to generate new tissues and organs may be an important consideration in personalized medicine. Medical researchers released the results of a study highlighting molecular differences in cells that are gaining traction in the field of personalized medicine.
  
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• Experimental Ebola antibody protects monkeys

  25-02-2016 21:34
  Scientists have discovered that a single monoclonal antibody isolated from a human Ebola virus disease survivor protected non-human primates when given as late as five days after lethal Ebola infection. The antibody can now advance to testing in humans as a potential treatment for Ebola virus disease. There are currently no licensed treatments for Ebola infection, which caused more than 11,000 deaths in the 2014-2015 outbreak in West Africa.
  
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• Chagas disease: A wake-up call to accelerate the diagnosis, treatment and research

  25-02-2016 21:34
  Without a more efficient treatment, more than 200,000 people living with Chagas disease will die from heart disease in the next five years.
  
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• Bacteria take 'RNA mug shots' of threatening viruses

  25-02-2016 21:34
  Scientists have discovered that bacteria have a system that can recognize and disrupt dangerous viruses using a newly identified mechanism involving RNA. It is similar to the CRISPR/Cas system that captures foreign DNA. The discovery might lead to better ways to thwart viruses that kill agricultural crops and interfere with the production of dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
  
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• California gas blowout was largest US methane release

  25-02-2016 21:08
  
  A natural gas well in California that spewed more than 100,000 tons of the harmful greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere was the largest methane leak in US history, researchers said Thursday.
  
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• Astronaut heading home next week after record-long U.S. spaceflight

  25-02-2016 20:59
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who returns next week after nearly a year aboard the International Space Station, said on Thursday the secret to enduring the longest U.S. spaceflight is marking individual milestones, not ticking days off the calendar.
  
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• Apple Defiant as FBI iPhone Deadline Approaches

  25-02-2016 20:50 via rss.sciam.com
  
  The company is standing firm against the U.S. Justice Department as other iPhone-related cases wait in the wings
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• Stillbirth offers another clue to possible damage from Zika

  25-02-2016 20:39
  WASHINGTON (AP) — A stillbirth in Brazil is offering another clue to possible health effects of the Zika virus, this time beyond the developing brain.
  
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• Weather wreaks havoc on French truffles

  25-02-2016 20:22
  
  The key Tricastin market for black truffles in southeastern France is closing two weeks early because of "catastrophic" underproduction blamed on a hot summer and a mild winter, the industry said Thursday.
  
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• Accused Star Found Innocent of Cosmic Explosion

  25-02-2016 20:08
  
  A star thought to be responsible for the puzzling supernova SN 2008S may have been falsely accused. Following a spectacular explosion in the so-called Fireworks Galaxy, astronomers rushed to identify the source, settling on a likely star. If the explosion came from a massive supernova, the star responsible would have been obliterated.
  
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• Study: California leak was top methane release in US history

  25-02-2016 20:07
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — A natural gas leak that sickened Los Angeles residents and forced thousands from their homes was the largest known release of climate-changing methane in U.S. history, scientists reported Thursday.
  
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• Chinese scientists make sperm from mouse stem cells

  25-02-2016 19:46
  
  Using embryonic stem cells from mice, Chinese scientists reported Thursday they have created functioning sperm, which was injected into female mice eggs and resulted in normal, fertile offspring.
  
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• Reactor data hint at existence of fourth neutrino

  25-02-2016 19:20
  
  A nuclear reactor experiment in China is providing new hints that a fourth type of neutrino, one more than the standard model of physics allows, may exist.
  
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• US space-endurance champ says he could do another year

  25-02-2016 19:15
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After nearly a year in orbit, America's space-endurance champ, Scott Kelly, is just a few days away from returning to Earth — and he can't wait.
  
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• Environmentalists sue for more rules to protect sage grouse

  25-02-2016 18:59
  BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Environmental groups sued Thursday to force the Obama administration to impose more restrictions on oil and gas drilling, grazing and other activities blamed for the decline of greater sage grouse across the American West.
  
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• Incredible New View of the Milky Way Revealed (Video)

  25-02-2016 18:43
  
  An incredible new picture of the Milky Way shows our home galaxy glowing eerily in wavelengths that are invisible to the human eye, revealing zones of hidden star birth. Shining in submillimeter wavelengths (between infrared light and radio waves), the Milky Way stretches across the new image, which was taken using the APEX (Atacama Pathfinder Experiment) telescope in Chile.
  
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• Lab-grown sperm makes healthy offspring

  25-02-2016 18:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Sperm have been made in the laboratory and used to father healthy baby mice in a move that could lead to infertility treatments.
  
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• Cold collection: Ice archive moves to Edmonton

  25-02-2016 17:44 via cbc.ca
  
  An impressive archive of ancient ice cores representing 40 years of research by government scientists in the Canadian Arctic will soon be housed in Edmonton.
  
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• Wolverines are dedicated dads and moms, new doc shows

  25-02-2016 17:32 via cbc.ca
  
  Wolverines are known for their elusiveness, their fearlessness and their powerful bite. But a new documentary featuring rare footage of wild wolverine families reveals some surprising new insights about their lives and relationships.
  
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• Fukushima nuclear plant operator admits it delayed report of meltdown

  25-02-2016 17:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The operator of Japan's damaged Fukushima nuclear plant acknowledged Thursday it failed for two months to announce that meltdowns had occurred in the cores of three of the reactors.
  
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• Fukushima nuclear plan operator admits it delayed report of meltdown

  25-02-2016 17:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The operator of Japan's damaged Fukushima nuclear plant acknowledged Thursday it failed for two months to announce that meltdowns had occurred in the cores of three of the reactors.
  
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• World's first thermal imaging phone camera

  25-02-2016 16:51
  
  While most exhibitors at this week's Mobile World Congress (MWC) are focused on products for personal consumers, a British company has launched a rugged handset aimed at tradespeople.
  
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• How European waters soak up CO2

  25-02-2016 16:09 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The seas around the UK and other parts of northern Europe take up about 24 million tonnes of carbon a year - the mass equivalent to two million double-decker buses.
  
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• The dodo was no dummy

  25-02-2016 16:00
  
  Dodos may have been quite smart, 3-D skull scans suggest.
  
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• Food for Thought: Human Teeth Likely Shrank Due to Tool Use

  25-02-2016 15:48
  
  Wisdom teeth may have shrunk during human evolution as part of changes that started with human tool use, according to a new study. The research behind this finding could lead to a new way of figuring out how closely related fossil species are to modern humans, scientists added. Although modern humans are the only surviving members of the human family tree, other species once lived on Earth.
  
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• Baby Gorilla Thriving After Rare C-Section Delivery

  25-02-2016 15:46
  
  A baby gorilla was recently delivered by a rare emergency caesarean procedure, after her mother developed a potentially life-threatening condition, according to officials at the Bristol Zoo Gardens in the United Kingdom. The baby western lowland gorilla was born on Feb. 12, weighing in at 2 pounds and 10 ounces (just over 1 kilogram), and zoo officials said she initially needed help breathing on her own. Animal keepers are now hand-rearing the baby gorilla and report that she is doing well, thou
  
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• Disordered Pairs: People More Likely to Find a Mate with a Similar Psychiatric Condition

  25-02-2016 15:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  New research provides evidence that partners are more similar in psychiatric status than chance would predict
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Boston Dynamics' New Atlas Robot Can't Be Pushed Around (Video)

  25-02-2016 15:17
  
  Robotics company Boston Dynamics released a new video yesterday (Feb. 23) showcasing its upgraded Atlas robot, and the footage features a slew of impressive (and somewhat unsettling) new capabilities. The humanoid Atlas robot, which has been overhauled with a sleeker design, can be seen at the beginning of the video walking around untethered before it opens the front door to Boston Dynamics' office and steps outside. The new-and-improved robot is "designed to operate outdoors and inside building
  
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• Presidential Candidates Give Voters Big Choices on Energy Plans

  25-02-2016 15:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  From Trump to Sanders, the 2016 White House hopefuls emphasize different strategies, from wind power to oil drilling. As Super Tuesday primaries loom, here is a comparison
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Woman bites rare pearl while dining at Italian restaurant

  25-02-2016 14:59 via cbc.ca
  
  A woman bit down on a rare pearl while eating a meal of clams and other seafood at an Italian restaurant in Washington state.
  
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• France's oldest 'Muslim burials' found

  25-02-2016 14:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Researchers have identified what may be the earliest Muslim burials in France.
  
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