Science news

• Brazil study strengthens link between Zika virus, birth defects

  04-03-2016 23:49
  
  In a study of pregnant women in Brazil, nearly 30 percent of those infected with Zika virus had babies with fetal abnormalities.
  
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• Sore -- but no taller -- astronaut Scott Kelly adjusts to Earth

  04-03-2016 23:43
  
  US astronaut Scott Kelly said Friday he is battling fatigue and super-sensitive skin, but is back to his normal height after a year spent testing the effects of long-term spaceflight ahead of a future mission to Mars.
  
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• Scientist George Washington Carver's fungi found in Wisconsin

  04-03-2016 23:38
  
  MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - U.S. inventor George Washington Carver, known for his creativity with the peanut, has excited modern scientists with an unexpected find: century-old specimens of fungus.
  
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• Studies add more evidence of Zika's risk to pregnant women

  04-03-2016 23:02
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Zika virus may be linked to a wider variety of "grave outcomes" for developing babies than previously reported — threats that can come at any stage of pregnancy, researchers reported Friday.
  
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• These beetles use surface tension to water-ski

  04-03-2016 22:40
  
  Waterlily beetles are in for a fast and bumpy ride as they fly across ponds, researchers find.
  
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• Revamped satellite data shows no pause in global warming

  04-03-2016 22:37
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Climate change doubters may have lost one of their key talking points: a particular satellite temperature dataset that had seemed to show no warming for the past 18 years.
  
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• Vint Cerf: Do Not Fear Failure, The Lessons are Important (Op-Ed)

  04-03-2016 22:25
  
  Vinton G. Cerf is the vice president and chief Internet evangelist for Google. Cerf is the co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet. U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Cerf to the National Science Board in 2012.
  
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• 1-year spaceman: Tired, joints ache, can't sink basketball

  04-03-2016 21:17
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Fresh from a year in space, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly says his muscles and joints ache. His skin is so sensitive it burns when he sits or walks. And he can't sink a basketball shot.
  
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• VIDEO: Can scientists clone extinct cave lion?

  04-03-2016 21:06 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists from South Korea and Russia want to clone an extinct cave lion from its DNA.
  
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• SpaceX rocket fails to land on barge

  04-03-2016 21:00 via cbc.ca
  
  SpaceX has another launch under its belt, but not another rocket landing.
  
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• Amber fossils reveal 'lost world'

  04-03-2016 20:50 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Lizards locked in amber for 99 million years give a glimpse of how chameleons and geckos evolved, scientists say.
  
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• Orangutan population up - threats remain

  04-03-2016 20:34 via bbc.co.uk
  
  There are more Sumatran orangutans in the wild than previously believed, according to a new survey.
  
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• System may forecast tornadoes weeks away; Test it next week

  04-03-2016 20:15
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Researchers say they've come up with a way to predict the likelihood of tornadoes two or three weeks in advance — a step toward better warnings of storms that kill an average of 80 Americans each year.
  
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• Lizards locked in amber provide clues to reptile evolution

  04-03-2016 20:13
  
  Amber-encased lizard remains that date to 99 million years ago may shed light on the evolution of geckos and chameleons.
  
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• In dangerous tradeoff, birds ally with alligators: study

  04-03-2016 20:09
  
  In the swampy Florida Everglades, egrets and herons build nests that hang precariously close to alligators swimming beneath, ready to swallow any weak chicks that fall into the murky waters.
  
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• The paralysed man who can ride a bike

  04-03-2016 19:28 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Darek Fidyka, who was paralysed from the chest down after a knife attack in 2010, can now ride an adapted tricycle.
  
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• Aurora Flight Sciences wins $89 million contract for X-plane

  04-03-2016 19:27
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aurora Flight Sciences has been awarded a contract for more than $89 million for the vertical take off and landing X-plane, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
  
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• Tony Dyson, robotics expert who built R2-D2, dead at 68

  04-03-2016 19:01 via cbc.ca
  
  Tony Dyson, the robotics expert who brought R2-D2 to life in the original Star Wars films, has died at his home in Malta, where the 68-year-old robotics technician, SFX supervisor, designer and professor had lived for decades.
  
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• Microcephaly: Building a case against Zika

  04-03-2016 18:43
  
  Zika virus is the prime suspect for Brazil’s recent surge in birth defects. New evidence in human cells strengthens the case, but more definitive proof could come this summer from Colombia, where thousands of pregnant women have been infected.
  
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• Lab study supports linking Zika virus to brain birth defect

  04-03-2016 18:22
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — A lab study has found that Zika can infect embryonic cells that help form the brain, adding to evidence that the virus causes a serious birth defect.
  
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• Mexico: Rare albino whale spotted off Pacific coast

  04-03-2016 18:14
  A rare, albino grey whale has been spotted off Mexico's Pacific coast. The bright white whale, which actually belongs to the grey whale species, or Eschrichtius robustus, has been given the nickname Gallon of Milk.
  
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• Peeple app revised so you can stop bad comments from appearing

  04-03-2016 18:10 via cbc.ca
  
  The controversial social networking app developed in Calgary has been reimagined so people can still rate you, but you can decide if that rating goes public.
  
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• Peeple app revised but 'truth licence' subscription will still allow bad comments

  04-03-2016 18:10 via cbc.ca
  
  The controversial social networking app developed in Calgary has been reimagined but negative comments will still be available soon, for a fee.
  
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• Zika virus, mosquitoes, gene drives: Ask us anything

  04-03-2016 17:38
  
  Three Science News reporters answer questions about zika virus, genetically engineered mosquitoes, mosquito biology and more in a Reddit AMA on Friday, March 4.
  
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• Sentinel takes first ocean height data

  04-03-2016 17:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Sentinel-3a, the EU's latest Earth observer, uses its altimeter for the first time to gather information about ocean height.
  
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• What's it like to spend 340 days in space? Astronaut Scott Kelly talks ISS mission

  04-03-2016 17:19 via cbc.ca
  
  NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is scheduled to give a news conference in Houston on Friday to discuss his 340-day mission aboard the International Space Station — the longest U.S. space mission on record.
  
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• Going to Mars? 'Yeah, that's doable,' says astronaut Scott Kelly

  04-03-2016 17:19 via cbc.ca
  
  After returning from the longest U.S. space mission, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly says he feels confident human beings are capable of someday making the long journey to Mars.
  
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• Facebook to pay more U.K. taxes after criticism of hiding profits

  04-03-2016 17:17 via cbc.ca
  
  Social media giant Facebook, which has been under fire in Britain for its tax arrangements, says it will stop routing its British sales through Ireland — a practice that had kept its U.K. tax bill at just over $8,000 for the year.
  
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• Quieter Supersonic Jet Is on the Horizon with New NASA Program

  04-03-2016 17:12
  
  A new passenger jet that can fly at supersonic speeds without the distinctive but earsplitting sonic "boom" generated when these superfast planes travel faster than the speed of sound is one step closer to getting in the air. NASA has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to come up with a preliminary design for the supersonic jet. The company will receive $20 million over 17 months to come up with a preliminary design, according to NASA.
  
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• Tornado Clusters Becoming More Deadly And More Common

  04-03-2016 17:11
  
  One terrifying example is the April 25-28 outbreak in 2011, when some 350 tornadoes ripped across the south-central United States, killing more than 300 people. Outbreaks are responsible for 79 percent of tornado-related fatalities, said Michael Tippett, a climate and weather researcher at the School of Applied Science and Engineering and the Data Science Institute, both at Columbia University in New York. The researchers analyzed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tornado re
  
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• Psychosis Plus Pot Could Mean More Hospital Time

  04-03-2016 17:02
  People who have certain psychiatric disorders and also use marijuana may spend more time in the hospital for their conditions, a new study from England suggests. Marijuana users in the study who were diagnosed with a psychotic illness for the first time were 50 percent more likely to be admitted to the hospital and also had longer hospital stays compared with people who suffered a first episode of psychosis and did not use weed, according to the findings, published today (March 3) in the journal
  
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• Obesity's Toll: 11 Million Doctor's Visits Yearly

  04-03-2016 17:02
  American adults may make 11 million visits to the doctor in a single year because of obesity, according to a new government report. Researchers analyzed information about doctor's office visits in the United States in 2012, focusing on visits in which the doctor listed obesity among the conditions that were the reason for the visit. The researchers found that for every 1,000 Americans age 20 and over, there were 49 doctor's visits for obesity that year.
  
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• Another Coffee Perk? Reduced Risk of MS

  04-03-2016 17:02
  "We observed a significant association between high consumption of coffee and decreased risk of developing MS," the researchers, led by Anna Hedström, a doctoral student in environmental medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden wrote in the meta-analysis study, published today (March 3) in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. The results of the study were previously presented in February 2015 at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, but this is t
  
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• Mistaken Dengue Diagnoses Hamper Treatment, Prediction

  04-03-2016 17:01
  Some people who are infected with the mosquito-borne virus chikungunya may be misdiagnosed as having dengue, a different mosquito-borne virus, because the two diseases cause similar symptoms, according to a new study. Although there are no specific treatments for either viral disease — people with either one are usually just given fluids and pain relievers — there are differences in which pain relievers are recommended for each. But this misdiagnosing may also lead researchers to mis
  
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• Oil Spills Stain Peruvian Amazon

  04-03-2016 17:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  The recent leak of 3,000 barrels of oil in Peru’s Amazon jungle will cause incalculable damage, according to scientists
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• US Government Invites Hackers to 'Hack the Pentagon'

  04-03-2016 16:52
  The Pentagon is about to pay hackers to break into government security systems. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced yesterday (March 2) that it plans to launch the first "cyber bug bounty program" in the history of the federal government. The so-called Hack the Pentagon program, which is slated to begin in April, will allow vetted hackers to find weaknesses in the department's public websites, applications and security systems, according to defense officials.
  
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• Worst Middle East drought in centuries caused by humans: NASA

  04-03-2016 16:48 via cbc.ca
  
  A recent, 14-year dry spell in the Middle East was the worst drought in the past 900 years, according to a new NASA study released this week.
  
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• What Caused This Man's Bladder to Be Encased in Calcium?

  04-03-2016 16:33
  A man in Qatar who had blood in his urine and pain for more than a month when he peed found out that his symptoms were caused by his body's attempt to fight off a parasitic worm infection, a new case report reveals.
  
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• How to Cope with Stress During Pregnancy

  04-03-2016 16:31
  There's no doubt that pregnancy can be a stressful time in a woman's life.
  
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• How a trip to Mars will challenge our minds as well as our bodies: Bob McDonald

  04-03-2016 16:03 via cbc.ca
  
  We can adapt our bodies to the challenging environment of a long trip to Mars, but adapting our minds will be a bigger challenge.
  
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• U.N. team calls destruction in Iraq's Ramadi 'staggering'

  04-03-2016 16:00
  Destruction in Ramadi is "staggering" and worse than anywhere else in Iraq, a U.N. team concluded this week after making the first assessment visit to the city since its recapture from Islamic State. Iraqi forces declared victory over the jihadist group in Ramadi in December and has since cleared most of the western Iraqi city. Islamic State fighters still hold pockets in the northern and eastern outskirts.
  
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• When it comes to predicting depression, race may matter more than was thought, study suggests

  04-03-2016 15:34
  Depression can strike anyone, taking a toll on mental and physical health, friendships, work and studies. But figuring out who’s at risk for it is still a murky task. A new study suggests that standard ways of looking for depression risk may not work as well among blacks as they do among whites. But listening to how blacks describe their own mental health could help.
  
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• Four ways inheritance is more complex than Mendel knew

  04-03-2016 15:32
  This year marks the 150th anniversary of Gregor Mendel's publication that--after sitting ignored for a few decades--helped launch the field of modern genetics. Today, we know that inheritance is far more complex than what Mendel saw in his pea plants. Now scientists who track progress in genetics research share some of the things researchers have learned about how traits are passed from one generation to the next.
  
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• No Man's Land: Where on Mars Should Astronauts Go?

  04-03-2016 15:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Inside the first meeting of the committee to colonize the Red Planet
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Dysfunction of cellular powerplant shakes B-vitamin metabolism, causes genetic damage

  04-03-2016 15:27
  A mechanism underlying a severe progressive children’s brain disease and adult’s muscle disease has been clarified by a new study. The results indicate for the first time that the energy-metabolic defect in a cell can shake its B-vitamin balance and lead to genetic changes.
  
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• Female heart reacts more sensitively to stress

  04-03-2016 15:22
  While the number of men dying from a heart attack has been constantly decreasing during the past twenty years, the fatal risk particularly in young women has increased significantly. Gender medicine has already demonstrated that women exhibit different symptoms. A new insight shows that stress in the daily routine has particularly adverse effects on the hearts of women.
  
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• Women need more of the HIV drug Truvada than men to prevent infection

  04-03-2016 15:20
  Women need daily doses of the antiviral medication Truvada to prevent HIV infection while men only need two doses per week due to the way the drug accumulates in different body tissues, according to a new study from pharmacy researchers.
  
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• Clean energy could stress global water resources

  04-03-2016 15:20
  Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector could lead to greater pressure on water resources, increasing water use and thermal water pollution. Dedicated adaptation measures will be needed in order to avoid potential trade-offs between the water and climate change impacts of the energy system.
  
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• What influences 11-year-olds to drink?

  04-03-2016 15:19
  Around one in seven 11-year-olds in the UK have had at least one drink of alcohol, according to a new study, which analyzed data from 10,498 children aged 11.
  
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• Dietary glycemic index linked to lung cancer risk in select populations

  04-03-2016 15:19
  Consuming a diet with a high glycemic index, a classification of how rapidly carbohydrates elevate blood sugar levels, was independently associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer in non-Hispanic whites, according to a new epidemiologic study.
  
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