Science news

• Wolverines can be taught to sniff out avalanche survivors, trainer says

  29-04-2016 23:04 via cbc.ca
  
  It has long claws and razor-sharp teeth. And it stinks. So the wolverine, solitary and ferocious, might seem unsuited for role of hero.
  
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• Japan abandons unresponsive $450 million space telescope

  29-04-2016 21:26 via cbc.ca
  
  Japan's space agency has abandoned its efforts to restore the operations of a multimillion-dollar satellite featuring Canadian technology that was to probe the mysteries of black holes using X-ray telescopes.
  
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• Huge, hidden coral reef found near mouth of Amazon River

  29-04-2016 21:26 via cbc.ca
  
  Scientists have discovered a huge, coral reef hidden in a place they didn't think coral reefs could live – under the muddy waters at the mouth of the Amazon River.
  
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• Coral reef at Amazon River's mouth surprises scientists

  29-04-2016 21:26 via cbc.ca
  
  Scientists have discovered a huge, coral reef hidden in a place they didn't think coral reefs could live – under the muddy waters at the mouth of the Amazon River.
  
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• One of the world's biggest science experiments has been halted temporarily - by a weasel

  29-04-2016 21:19
  
  A tiny weasel set off an electrical outage after entering a transformer that powers the huge machine.
  
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• Tim Peake Controls UK-Based Rover From Space

  29-04-2016 21:12
  
  British astronaut Tim Peake has successfully taken control of a robot on Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). Major Peake, 44, piloted the rover - named Bridget - through a simulated Martian landscape at Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage. But it was not all plain driving - at one point Bridget got stuck on a large rock and its signal was lost for around 10 minutes.
  
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• U.S. says working with Russia to revive Syria ceasefire

  29-04-2016 20:51
  The United States said on Friday it was in discussions with Russia about trying to renew the cessation of hostilities in Syria following the deadly bombing this week of a hospital in Aleppo. "Our hope is by refreshing this agreement ... we can build momentum again toward a broadly observed cessation of hostilities," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a briefing. A senior State Department official said the United States was seeking to halt fighting in Latakia and eastern Ghouta near Damascus
  
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• Weird Tailless Comet, First Ever Seen, Is a Building Block of Earth

  29-04-2016 20:06
  
  The new comet recently returned from the edge of the solar system but may have originated much closer to the sun, scientists say. Comets grow more active when they approach the sun and their ice heats up, becoming the gas making up a comet's tail.
  
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• A weasel has shut down the Large Hadron Collider

  29-04-2016 20:00
  
  A tiny furball brought Earth’s most powerful particle accelerator to its knees this morning.
  
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• VIDEO: Tim Peake drives remote Mars rover

  29-04-2016 19:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  UK astronaut Tim Peake has performed a challenging remote control experiment on the International Space Station.
  
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• Pop went the weasel and down went the Large Hadron Collider

  29-04-2016 19:42
  
  GENEVA (AP) — It's one of the physics world's most complex machines, and it has been immobilized — temporarily — by a weasel.
  
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• HPV infection can be identified in self-collected vaginal swabs

  29-04-2016 19:35
  High risk, potentially cancer causing human papillomavirus infections are common among women in Papua New Guinea. But self sampling with vaginal swabs may provide materials that screen as accurately as the more labor-intensive approach using cervical samples obtained by clinicians. This finding is critical to developing same day screening and treatment, which is key to ensuring that women with precancerous lesions are treated in this largely unconnected (electronically) country, and in others li
  
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• Astronaut Moviemakers Share Their Views of a Beautiful Planet

  29-04-2016 19:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  The newest IMAX movie filmed in orbit highlights Earth’s precariousness
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• White House says U.S. working to refresh Syria ceasefire

  29-04-2016 19:29
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday that the United States and Russia have been working to renew the cessation of hostilities in Syria, despite the deadly bombing this week of a hospital in Aleppo. "Our hope is by refreshing this agreement ... we can build momentum again toward a broadly observed cessation of hostilities," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. (Reporting by Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; writing by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Alistair Bell)
  
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• Small, furry animal shuts down world's largest atom smasher

  29-04-2016 19:15 via cbc.ca
  
  It's one of the physics world's most complex machines, and it has been immobilized — temporarily — by a weasel.
  
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• Weasel shuts down Large Hadron Collider

  29-04-2016 19:09 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator in Switzerland is offline after suffering a short circuit - caused by a weasel.
  
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• Replica on the Runway: Mock Orbiter Lands on Real Space Shuttle Strip

  29-04-2016 18:56
  
  The model orbiter "Inspiration" was rolled out to Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility on Wednesday (April 27), where it will be rebuilt into a traveling exhibit. LVX System, which acquired the 122-foot-long (37 meter) shuttle replica from NASA, moved the Inspiration from the Hall to a work yard in January. The company, which has an agreement with NASA to study visual light communication for deep space missions, intends to use the space shuttle as a vehicle for both educational outreach and market
  
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• This week in Zika: Haiti hit early, possible monkey hosts, and more

  29-04-2016 18:54
  
  A new test for Zika, how Haiti fits into the outbreak timeline, a look at monkeys that can carry the virus, and more in this week’s Zika Watch.
  
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• Rocky road for Tim Peake as UK astronaut pilots robot rover

  29-04-2016 18:38
  
  Tim Peake has become the first person to manoeuvre a rover robot through a darkened, simulated Martian landscape while orbiting the Earth from space.
  
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• Tim Peake drives remote robot on Earth

  29-04-2016 18:18 via bbc.co.uk
  
  UK astronaut Tim Peake controls a robot vehicle on Earth from the space station, simulating how humans could one day remotely command vehicles on other worlds.
  
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• 10 things to know about Bridget, the Mars rover

  29-04-2016 18:18
  
  Here’s what you need to know about the rover set to travel to Mars in 2018.
  
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• Spanking Makes Kids More Defiant, Studies Suggest

  29-04-2016 18:17
  
  In fact, kids who were spanked were more likely to defy their parents, have mental health problems and be anti-social, the research finds. "Our analysis focuses on what most Americans would recognize as spanking and not on potentially abusive behaviors," Elizabeth Gershoff, an associate professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a statement. A 2014 UNICEF study found that about 80 percent of parents spank their children worldwide.
  
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• 'Lost' Medieval Music Performed for First Time in 1,000 Years

  29-04-2016 18:16
  
  The language of music is universal, but can be lost over time. After a 20-year reconstruction effort, a researcher and a performer of medieval music have brought "lost" songs from the Middle Ages back to life. The "Songs of Consolation" were recently performed at the University of Cambridgein the United Kingdom.
  
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• Power Up with Pee: New Fuel Cell Could Generate Cheap Electricity

  29-04-2016 18:15
  
  Researchers have developed a way to create affordable and renewable electricity with a fuel cell that runs on urine. The new device relies on natural biological processes of so-called electric bacteria, essentially living cells that eat and breathe electricity. "These electric bacteria are a fascinating type of bacteria that are capable of transferring electrons generated by the breaking down of organic compounds extra-cellularly," said study co-author Mirella Di Lorenzo, a professor in the Depa
  
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• Simulating Mars exploration, British astronaut guides rover from space

  29-04-2016 18:11
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - British astronaut Tim Peake drove a rover on Mars on Friday -- or at least pretended to by test-driving the exploration vehicle on earth remotely from space.
  
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• Kenyan call to stamp out ivory trade

  29-04-2016 18:02 via bbc.co.uk
  
  President Kenyatta of Kenya urges action to end Africa's illegal trade in ivory as he prepares to host a summit on saving elephants from extinction.
  
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• Lasers unveil secrets and mysteries of Angkor Wat

  29-04-2016 18:00
  
  The world’s largest temple, Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, was revealed by laser and radar studies to be part of a sprawling medieval metropolis.
  
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• Theorists perplexed by hints of unexpected new particle

  29-04-2016 17:30
  
  Hints of a potential new particle at the LHC have scientists excited, and theoretical physicists are beginning to converge on explanations.
  
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• Saudi builder Binladin terminates 50,000 jobs - newspaper

  29-04-2016 17:08
  Construction company Saudi Binladin Group has laid off 50,000 staff, a newspaper reported on Friday, as pressure on the industry rises amid government spending cuts to survive an era of cheap oil. The total workforce at Binladin, one of Saudi Arabia's biggest firms and among the Middle East's largest builders, is around 200,000, according to its LinkedIn page. Saudi newspaper al-Watan, citing unnamed sources, reported that the group has terminated the contracts of 50,000 workers - apparently all
  
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• Did Opioids Kill Prince? Why It's So Easy to Overdose

  29-04-2016 17:04
  Exactly what caused Prince's sudden death last week is still unknown, but there have been reports that prescription painkillers were found with the singer-songwriter when he died. Experts say there are a number of ways in which prescription opioids can be lethal, particularly if they are taken in combination with other drugs, or if someone starts using the drugs again after a period of sobriety. What's more, people are often not aware of just how easy it can be to overdose on these drugs, said D
  
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• Teens Who Do Jell-O Shots More Likely to Binge Drink

  29-04-2016 17:03
  About 20 percent of underage drinkers in the United States consume alcoholic Jell-O shots, and these youth are also more likely to engage in binge drinking and other risky behaviors, a new study finds. On average, Jell-O shot users consumed 31 alcoholic drinks per month, compared with 19 alcoholic drinks among nonusers. About 73 percent of Jell-O shot users were binge drinkers, meaning they consumed five or more alcoholic drinks in a row, compared with 48 percent of nonusers.
  
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• Having More Friends May Mean Feeling Less Pain

  29-04-2016 17:03
  People in the study who had larger social networks appeared to have a higher tolerance for pain, according to the findings, which were published today (April 28) in the journal Scientific Reports. In the study, the researchers wanted to see if people with larger social networks had higher levels of chemicals in the brain called endorphins. Endorphins are linked to feelings of pleasure, as well as reduced feelings of pain.
  
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• Sleep Problems Linger After Head Injury

  29-04-2016 17:02
  
  In the study, researchers looked at 31 people who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Scientists investigated how long the individuals slept, whether their sleep was fragmented and how rested they felt while they were awake. A TBI is a brain injury resulting from traumatic impact, in which the brain's day-to-day function is disrupted, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  
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• Salt-inducible kinases may have therapeutic potential for autoimmune diseases

  29-04-2016 16:55
  A new research report suggests that specific enzymes, called 'salt-inducible kinases,' may be able to help curb runaway inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases like Crohn's disease, arthritis, and psoriasis.
  
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• Birds of prey constrained in the beak evolution race

  29-04-2016 16:55
  How birds' beaks evolved characteristic shapes to eat different food is a classic example of evolution by natural selection. However, new research found this does not apply to all species, and that raptors in particular have not enjoyed this evolutionary flexibility.
  
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• Benefits of stem cells for treating spinal cord injuries assessed

  29-04-2016 16:55
  Stem cell therapy is a rapidly evolving and promising treatment for spinal-cord injuries. According to a new literature review, different types of stem cells vary in their ability to help restore function, and an ideal treatment protocol remains unclear pending further clinical research.
  
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• Tim Peake takes command of Mars-bound robot from space

  29-04-2016 16:54
  
  Tim Peake has successfully taken control of a UK-based robot while orbiting the Earth from space in a pioneering experiment.
  
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• Policeman wounded in Saudi roadside bomb attack - SPA agency

  29-04-2016 16:24
  DUBAI (Reuters) - A roadside bomb attack on a police patrol car in al-Ahsa in east Saudi Arabia wounded a policeman on Thursday evening, Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Friday. The attack was in a parking lot and in caused damage to five cars, SPA reported, citing a statement by an interior ministry spokesman. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the attack resembled previous ones by Islamic State on security forces or Shi'ites, who the jihadist group considers to be hereti
  
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• Repairs to keep ULA rocket grounded until summer, company says

  29-04-2016 16:17
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - United Launch Alliance's workhorse Atlas 5 rocket will remain grounded until this summer while engineers fix a problem that triggered an early engine shutdown during its last flight, the space venture said on Friday.
  
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• Touring the Stars of Mid-Spring

  29-04-2016 16:15
  
  As we arrive at the midpoint of the spring season, we examine some of the prominent stars and constellations (and planets) that are visible on these balmy spring evenings. From New York City, for instance, the sun has been setting slightly more than a minute later each evening during April. This changing time of evening twilight causes an effect that many constellation watchers notice only subconsciously.
  
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• Huge trove of Roman coins unearthed in Spain

  29-04-2016 16:09 via cbc.ca
  
  Workers laying pipes in a southern Spanish park have unearthed more than half a tonne of Roman coins in what culture officials say is a unique historic discovery.
  
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• Detecting minute nano amounts in environmental samples

  29-04-2016 16:00
  It is still unclear what the impact is on humans, animals and plants of synthetic nanomaterials released into the environment or used in products. It’s very difficult to detect these nanomaterials in the environment since the concentrations are so low and the particles so small. Now scientists have developed a method that is capable of identifying even minute amounts of nanomaterials in environmental samples.
  
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• A spoonful of sugar? Swapping sugary drinks for water and dairy seems the best medicine

  29-04-2016 16:00
  New research may have an impact on the sugar tax debate. The research team observed overall changes in dietary patterns in overweight children, including a decrease in consumption of sugary drinks, when additional water or milk is added to their diet.  
  
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• Glucose as a new energy source for pacemakers

  29-04-2016 15:58
  Researchers are working on the creation of a bio-battery that uses blood glucose to produce energy. Such a battery would cut down on the number of surgical interventions a pacemaker user must undergo.
  
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• Trauma in a bee: Entomologists shed light on bizarre mating mechanisms of native twisted-winged parasites

  29-04-2016 15:50
  Twisted-winged parasites of the species Stylops ovinae reproduce using so-called traumatic insemination. To inseminate the eggs, the males injure the endoparasitic females with their hook-shaped penis and inject the seminal fluid directly into their body cavity.
  
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• Spintronics: Spin currents in topological insulators controlled

  29-04-2016 15:50
  Scientists have shown how spin-polarized currents can be initiated in a controlled manner within samples of topological insulator material. In addition, they were able to manipulate the orientation of the spins of these currents.
  
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• Chances are you don’t remember what you just retweeted

  29-04-2016 15:50
  Research finds retweeting or otherwise sharing information creates a 'cognitive overload' that interferes with learning and retaining what you've just seen. Worse yet, that overload can spill over and diminish performance in the real world.
  
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• Tim Peake is going to steer a robot rover on 'Mars' from space

  29-04-2016 15:44
  
  Science Minister Jo Johnson has landed on the simulated Martian landscape in Stevenage.
  
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• Successor to the Hubble telescope faces daunting challenges: Bob McDonald

  29-04-2016 15:39 via cbc.ca
  
  The James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble, will launch in 2018. But it will be too far away to be repaired, so everything has to go right, Bob McDonald writes.
  
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• FBI paid less than $1M to unlock iPhone of San Bernardino shooters

  29-04-2016 15:28 via cbc.ca
  
  The FBI paid under $1 million for the technique used to unlock the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters - a figure smaller than the $1.3 million the agency's chief initially indicated the hack cost, several U.S. government sources said.
  
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