Science news

• Deloitte agrees to pay $11 million for alleged false claims: U.S. Justice Dept.

  31-05-2016 23:46
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Deloitte Consulting LLP has agreed to pay $11.38 million to resolve allegations it submitted false claims under a U.S. government contract, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday. Deloitte, a New York-based consulting company, allegedly failed to comply with a price reductions clause in a contract awarded in 2000 by the General Services Administration for information technology services, the department said in a news release. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Eric
  
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• 50-foot-long replica of Bruce the mosasaur coming to Morden

  31-05-2016 23:10 via cbc.ca
  
  The bones from a massive 80-million-year-old marine reptile unearthed on the Prairies inspired a Manitoba museum to commission a life-sized replica of the former aquatic beast.
  
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• Hurricane 2016 Forecast: A 'Near-Normal' 10 to 16 Storms

  31-05-2016 22:52
  
  Hurricane season officially kicks off tomorrow (June 1), and forecasters expect the Atlantic Ocean will spawn a near-average number of hurricanes in 2016. "Near-normal may sound relaxed and encouraging, but we could be in for more activity than we've seen in recent years," warned Kathryn Sullivan, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Officials with NOAA issued the forecast at a news conference Friday (May 27) in Suitland, Maryland.
  
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• Wolf manoeuvres through traffic to take down young bighorn on Alberta highway

  31-05-2016 21:46 via cbc.ca
  
  A Calgary woman captured a rare event on her iPhone of a wolf killing a young bighorn sheep in broad daylight on a highway in the Alberta Rockies.
  
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• [Research Article] The 4E-BP-eIF4E axis promotes rapamycinsensitive growth and proliferation in lymphocytes

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Lymphocyte reliance on 4E-BP2 and eIF4E for growth and proliferation underlies their exquisite sensitivity to the drug rapamycin.
  
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• [Research Article] Protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation stimulates the transcriptional activity of hypoxia-inducible factor 1

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Activation of PKA in cancer cells or cardiomyocytes results in the increased expression of HIF-1 target genes.
  
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• [Research Article] Identification of a small-molecule ligand that activates the neuropeptide receptor GPR171 and increases food intake

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Stimulation of the receptor GPR171 with a small-molecule ligand results in hyperphagia and weight gain in mice.
  
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• [Focus] Hydroxylation-independent HIF-1α stabilization through PKA: A new paradigm for hypoxia signaling

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  PKA-mediated stimulation and stabilization of HIF-1α may promote adaptive and anti-inflammatory tissue responses.
  
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• [Focus] 4E-BP2 hardwires lymphocytes for rapamycin sensitivity

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  A study reveals how lymphocytes are so sensitive to the immunosuppressant rapamycin.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Understanding hygrosensation: How flies sense changes in humidity

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Members of the IR family of ionotropic channels enable fruit flies to distinguish between small differences in humidity.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Swelling to attract leukocytes

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Nuclear swelling triggers the production of chemoattractants to recruit leukocytes to injured or dead tissue.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] New connections: From virtual screening to biological reality

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Screening compounds by computer modeling reveals endogenous signaling molecules and potential therapeutic avenues.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Astrocytes help make memories

  31-05-2016 21:19 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Astrocytes participate in neuronal circuit in the hippocampus activated by new experiences.
  
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• 'Jurassic Park' paleontologist retiring from museum he built

  31-05-2016 21:08
  BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Jack Horner, the paleontologist who discovered the world's first dinosaur embryos and found that dinosaurs had nests and cared for their young, is leaving the Montana museum he spent decades filling with fossils from across the globe.
  
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• Planets Postage: US Postal Service Issues New Solar System, Pluto Stamps

  31-05-2016 20:32
  
  You can now embark on a tour of our solar system — from the innermost planet Mercury to the dwarf planet Pluto — just by visiting your local United States Post Office. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is issuing Tuesday (May 31) two sets of postage stamps depicting the eight planets that circle the Sun and the icy world that orbits out beyond them. "The 'Views of Our Planets' and 'Pluto—Explored!' stamps begin their own journeys today — on letters and packages to millions o
  
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• Ohio Airport Renamed for Original Mercury Astronaut John Glenn

  31-05-2016 20:32
  
  The United States' second international airport to be named for a NASA astronaut honors the first American to orbit the Earth. Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday (May 25) voted to rename the Port Columbus International Airport for astronaut John Glenn. "I believe it is only fitting to rename the [airport] after John Glenn for his countless contributions to space exploration and to Ohio's rich aviation history," said the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Clifford Rosenberger, in a statement.
  
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• Amazing Pluto Shines in Best Close-Up Views Yet (Photo, Video)

  31-05-2016 20:32
  
  Pluto's exotic and incredibly varied landscapes dazzle in the sharpest views of the dwarf planet released to date. The images, which feature a resolution of about 260 feet (80 meters) per pixel, were captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its epic flyby of Pluto on July 14, 2015. Mission team members have stitched the photos into a high-resolution mosaic and used them to create a stunning new video of Pluto that highlights the dwarf planet's towering water-ice mountains and
  
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• Hate online ads? U.K. carrier will block them from reaching your phone

  31-05-2016 20:22 via cbc.ca
  
  A cellphone company in the U.K. plans to take ad blockers to the next level with a controversial new technology called Shine. CBC Radio technology columnist Dan Misener explains how it works.
  
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• 'Star Trek' dark goggles allowing bionic vision to be tested on patients

  31-05-2016 19:31
  
  The Iris II system stimulates a retinal implant which sends image signals to the brain.
  
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• Pandas have ultrasonic hearing

  31-05-2016 19:00
  
  Giant pandas hear very high frequencies. Scientists still don’t know why.
  
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• 13 incredible weather phenomena that will blow your mind

  31-05-2016 18:54
  
  From the beautiful to the terrifying, mother nature displayed in all her glory.
  
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• Obama urges public to get ready for hurricane season

  31-05-2016 18:51
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is urging the public to prepare for the coming hurricane season and warning against what he says is a growing "complacency" when it comes to dangerous weather.
  
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• DARPA Requests Designs for XS-1 Military Space Plane

  31-05-2016 18:08
  
  The U.S. military's plans to build a satellite-launching robotic space plane are moving forward. On Monday (May 23), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) put out its official call for proposals for the futuristic space plane design. The goal of the Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) project is to build a reusable space plane that, at optimal operation, should be able to fly 10 times in 10 days, at a cost of no more than $5 million per flight.
  
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• Minivan-sized deep-sea sponge is biggest ever found

  31-05-2016 18:06 via cbc.ca
  
  The team of scientists on a deep-sea expedition in the waters off Hawaii discovered what they say is the world's largest known sponge.
  
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• Animals get safe spots to cross the road — and car collisions drop

  31-05-2016 18:00
  
  Over- and underpasses built for wildlife in Wyoming proved a success for both the animals and the humans traveling the roads.
  
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• Facebook, Twitter pledge to review hate complaints within 1 day

  31-05-2016 17:20 via cbc.ca
  
  Facebook, Twitter, Google's YouTube and Microsoft pledged on Tuesday to review requests for the removal of hateful content posted on their platforms within 24 hours as part of a code of conduct agreed with EU regulators.
  
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• Space Culinary Challenge! Students' Tasty Meal Will Feed Astronauts

  31-05-2016 17:14
  
  It's quite a challenge to make good food that can work in a zero-gravity environment, meet all of NASA's nutritional requirements and taste good — but high-school students from Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, New Jersey, were able to do it. As part of the High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program, NASA centers all over the United States hosted a set of culinary challenges designed to make better-tasting astronaut food. The Passaic County students
  
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• NASA Put a Big Disco Ball in Space 40 Years Ago, and It's Still There

  31-05-2016 17:14
  
  The NASA satellite, dubbed LAGEOS — short for Laser Geodynamics Satellite — celebrated its 40th year in space on May 4. The craft was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in 1976. NASA officials describe the orb's construction in this retro video from NASA's archives.
  
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• 'Black Hole Blues': Book Chronicles Gravitational Wave Detector

  31-05-2016 17:14
  
  A new book chronicles the 50-year odyssey that culminated in the first direct detection of gravitational waves. "Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space" (Knopf, 2016), the newest book by astrophysicist and author Janna Levin, may have had the most fortuitous release date of any book in science-writing history. The story that Levin recounts took place over 50 years, and the book itself has been cooking for about five.
  
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• Ancient Near-Collisions May Have Cracked Open Icy Moons

  31-05-2016 17:14
  
  Long-ago close encounters with planetary building blocks may have cracked open the surfaces of icy moons in the outer solar system — and could perhaps even have created the gigantic Martian canyon system Valles Marineris, a new study suggests. Icy moons display "brittle elastic behavior," making them similar in certain ways to Silly Putty, said study lead author Alice Quillen, of the University of Rochester in New York.
  
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• Highest-Altitude Prehistoric Rock Art Revealed

  31-05-2016 16:33
  
  New digital scans reveal the highest-elevation prehistoric rock paintings ever discovered, in living color. The scans were made in the Abri Faravel, a small rock overhang in the southern French Alps. In 2010, researchers found paintings decorating the ceiling of the rock shelter, consisting of parallel lines as well as what look like two animals facing each other.
  
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• The Science of Parenting: Who's the Best Judge of Moms and Dads?

  31-05-2016 16:31
  For psychologists studying family dynamics and child development, the new finding that disagreements can be meaningful is important, said study researcher Thomas Schofield, a psychologist at Iowa State University. In any relationship, people don't always see eye-to-eye, Schofield told Live Science. "We were assuming that only the information that shows up across every single [observer] is to be trusted, but that's not really how we behave in real life," Schofield said.
  
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• In Hot Water: Thousands of Public Pools Fail Health Inspections

  31-05-2016 16:31
  As temperatures climb this summer, public pools and water parks certainly look like a refreshing way to beat the heat. Before you dive in, you should probably check with the facility about its inspection status, health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn. According to a study published online May 20 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, thousands of venues in the U.S. where people swim or wade in treated water — public pools, hot tubs, wat
  
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• Will Your Weight Loss Program Work? It May Depend on Your Genes

  31-05-2016 16:30
  When people take part in a weight loss program, some shed many pounds, while others don't see the scale change at all. Now, early research suggests people's genes may predict whether they will lose weight during a weight loss program. The participants also submitted a DNA sample for a test (called Pathway Fit, from the DNA testing company Pathway Genomics) that analyzed 75 genetic markers already known to be linked with certain health conditions or with the body's responses to diet and exer
  
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• How Many Adults in Each State Engage in All 5 Key Health Habits?

  31-05-2016 16:30
  Just 6 percent of adults in the U.S. have adopted all five key health habits that are linked with better health or longer life, according to a new report. The five health habits the researchers looked at were: maintaining a healthy body weight (with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9), getting at least 7 hours of sleep, exercising (150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of intense exercise weekly), drinking alcohol in moderation or not at all, and not smoking. "This is the first time in 30 yea
  
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• Why It's OK to Let Babies 'Cry It Out'

  31-05-2016 16:28
  To measure the stress levels of the babies in the study, the researchers analyzed the babies' cortisol levels from cotton swabs of their saliva that the parents collected in the mornings and afternoons. The results also showed that the afternoon cortisol levels in the babies in the two sleeping intervention groups dropped more over time than those of the babies in the control group, indicating less stress, the researchers said.
  
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• Watchdog calls for more scrutiny of chemicals in cosmetics and household products

  31-05-2016 16:19 via cbc.ca
  
  A new report by the federal environmental commissioner says Health Canada isn’t doing enough to protect Canadians from hazardous chemicals in household and cosmetic products.
  
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• Grassy Narrows First Nation demands cleanup of mercury contamination in northern Ontario

  31-05-2016 15:38 via cbc.ca
  
  The chief of Grassy Narrows First Nation says mercury dumped in the waterways near his community nearly 60 years ago must be cleaned up. He'll speak at a news conference at 9:30 a.m. ET in Toronto, a day after scientists released research showing it is possible to remediate at least some of the lakes and rivers near the northern Ontario community.
  
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• Young exoplanet found nestled close to its star

  31-05-2016 15:00
  
  Scientists have found one of the youngest exoplanets ever, snuggled up close to its star.
  
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• Tech Turns to Biology as Data Storage Needs Explode

  31-05-2016 15:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Interest by Microsoft and others in DNA–based storage could deliver post-silicon electronic memory within a decade
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• FAQs: Bleaching threatens survival of planet's coral reefs

  31-05-2016 15:00 via cbc.ca
  
  While the Great Barrier Reef experiences the worst mass bleaching in its history, other coral reefs follow suit. What causes the bleaching and what can be done?
  
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• Urban birds aren't scared of litter but do have some fears, study finds

  31-05-2016 14:26
  
  Researchers at Exeter University measured levels of fear in birds across urban and rural habitats.
  
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• Plate tectonics just a stage in Earth’s life cycle

  31-05-2016 13:00
  
  Plate tectonics is just a phase in a planet’s lifetime between conditions that are too hot or too cold for the planet-churning mechanism, new simulations suggest.
  
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• Cake or ice cream? Researchers dish on why kids often choose 'both'

  31-05-2016 12:39 via cbc.ca
  Children may not be messing with you when they refuse to choose between one of two options, say researchers, noting that the youngsters may simply be confusing the word "or" with "and."
  
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• Why Is Mount Everest So Deadly?

  31-05-2016 12:25
  
  In April, climbing season for Mount Everest opened after two years of disasters shuttered the mountain earlier than usual. The other three deaths were climbers, all suspected of having altitude sickness. So what makes Mount Everest such a dangerous place?
  
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• Later, Gator: 'Monster' Nile Crocodiles May Be Invading Florida

  31-05-2016 12:21
  Florida's native alligators and crocodiles could be facing some new competition — from a bigger and meaner member of their own crocodilian family. Nile crocodiles — American crocodiles' larger, more aggressive cousins from the African continent — have been identified in the wild in southern Florida for the first time, according to a new study. The scientists caught three young crocodiles — one of which was captured on the porch of a Miami home — and, through genetic
  
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• Short-Snouted Sea Monsters Evolved Rapidly After Wipeout

  31-05-2016 12:20
  
  The discovery of a short-snouted, oceangoing reptile with a whip-like tail suggests that some marine reptiles evolved quickly (geologically speaking) after a mass extinction 250 million years ago, a new study finds. The finding turns an old theory on its head, showing that early marine reptiles didn't evolve slowly after the end-Permian extinction. The extinction wiped out about 96 percent of all marine species, largely due to climate change, volcanic eruptions and rising sea levels, the researc
  
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• Want a cheap cellphone plan? Try Canada's black market

  31-05-2016 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Costly cellphone plans in many parts of Canada appear to be fuelling a booming black market industry for cheap deals.
  
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• Half-price cellphone plans? There's a booming black market

  31-05-2016 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Costly cellphone plans in many parts of Canada appear to be fuelling a booming black market industry for cheap deals.
  
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• UBC student discovers 4 new exoplanets

  31-05-2016 06:16 via cbc.ca
  
  UBC graduate Michelle Kunimoto searched through data collected by NASA's Kepler mission, which used a powerful telescope to look for planets outside the solar system.
  
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