Science news

• Tim Peake makes history yet again by receiving news of honour while aboard the ISS

  10-06-2016 23:36
  
  The astronaut dedicated his award to the “staff who have made my Principia mission possible”.
  
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• Lego to Launch Production of Fan-Created Saturn V Moon Rocket Model

  10-06-2016 23:12
  
  NASA's mighty Saturn V moon rocket has just been given the "go" to launch as a Lego toy. "That's one small step for a man," declared Hasan Jensen, a community specialist at Lego's headquarters in Billund, Denmark, repeating the famous words by moonwalker Neil Armstrong. Felix Stiessen and Valerie Roche created the toy Saturn V and shared it on Lego Ideas, a website where the public can suggest and vote for the models they would like to see be offered for sale.
  
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• 'Journey to Space' Hits 4K Ultra-HD, 3D Blu-Ray

  10-06-2016 23:12
  
  A giant-screen documentary on NASA's path to Mars, "Journey to Space," has landed on the small screen — with new 4K ultra-HD, Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray versions out now. The movie is narrated by Patrick Stewart with extensive commentary by Chris Ferguson, who commanded the final space shuttle mission, and astronaut Serena Auñón, who has not yet flown in space. It first appeared in IMAX theaters, as well as on giant screens in NASA visitor centers and science museums, l
  
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• The Science of Getting Through a Checkout Line Faster

  10-06-2016 23:05 via rss.sciam.com
  
  New research shows that cashiers who have their own lines move customers more quickly 
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• Regulator says too many drugmakers chasing same cancer strategy

  10-06-2016 22:29
  
  CHICAGO (Reuters) - A new type of cancer drug that takes the brakes off the body's immune system has given drugmakers some remarkable wins against the deadly disease, but a top U.S. regulator says too many companies are focused on the same approach.
  
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• CO2 Gets Stoned: Method Turns Harmful Gas Into Solid

  10-06-2016 21:57
  
  Essentially, they relied on a sped-up version of natural processes to take the carbon dioxide (CO2) spewed from a power plant in Iceland and transform the gas into a solid. This ability to capture carbon dioxide and store it indefinitely may help curb the levels of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere and stem global warming, the researchers noted. "We need to deal with rising carbon emissions," lead study author Juerg Matter, now an associate professor of geoengineering at the University of So
  
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• Be nice to Dory: Fish can recognize, remember human faces, suggests new study

  10-06-2016 21:49 via cbc.ca
  
  New research suggests that fish can recognize human faces, putting to bed a previous theory that only animals with large brains, like primates, can accomplish such a complex task.
  
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• Aerospace firm successfully tests solar-powered aircraft

  10-06-2016 21:40
  
  CALVERTON, N.Y. (AP) — A test pilot successfully flew a solar-powered prototype aircraft on Friday for a company that envisions manufacturing a fleet of drones to provide aerial internet service for an estimated 4 billion people worldwide.
  
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• The bright side: global 'light pollution' obscures starry nights

  10-06-2016 21:15
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Vincent van Gogh peered out the window of the Saint-Paul asylum at the nighttime sky in Saint-Rémy in 1889, he saw the brilliant light of innumerable stars over southern France that inspired his evocative painting "The Starry Night."
  
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• Bad Google Map fixed after B.C. rancher tells of tourists showing up at his door

  10-06-2016 21:14 via cbc.ca
  
  When people in the digital mapping world learned the plight of Pete Stoner, stuck with hundreds of strangers showing up at his private ranch because of a bad Google Map, it took only a few hours and three 'edits' to fix the problem.
  
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• See Jupiter and the Moon Do a Starlit Dance This Saturday

  10-06-2016 21:10
  
  To judge how far apart the moon and Jupiter will appear in the sky, recall that your clenched fist, held at arm's length, will measure about 10 degrees. Because they will be the two brightest objects in the sky, both the moon and Jupiter will likely attract the attention of even skywatchers who aren't looking for them. Next to Venus, Jupiter is the brightest star-like object in the evening sky, and among the first bright objects to become visible each night at dusk.
  
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• Light Pollution Ruins Night-Sky Views for One-Third of Humanity

  10-06-2016 21:06
  
  A new, comprehensive atlas of worldwide light pollution reveals that one-third of all people cannot see the Milky Way in the sky, including nearly 80 percent of North Americans. The work describes the effect of the rapid increase in artificial light on the night sky throughout the world, documenting this lesser-known form of pollution that can affect local ecosystems, damage human health and incur large, unnecessary energy costs. The project also offers suggestions for how to reduce light p
  
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• 'Like a Disney ride': Southern California shakes from quake

  10-06-2016 20:31
  PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Doriel Wyler was asleep at her home outside Palm Springs when her cats bolted off the bed and things started jolting and swaying early Friday — turning her room into a surreal theme park ride.
  
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• A third of the population can’t see the Milky Way at night

  10-06-2016 20:30
  
  Light pollution conceals the Milky Way’s star-spangled core from more than a third of Earth’s population, a global atlas of artificial sky luminance reveals.
  
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• Sony confirms new, more powerful PlayStation 4 in development

  10-06-2016 20:18 via cbc.ca
  
  Sony has confirmed that it is working on a newer, more powerful version of the PlayStation 4 video game console, days ahead of the gaming industry's biggest trade show, E3.
  
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• Lights drown out Milky Way for third of world's population

  10-06-2016 20:03
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — More than one-third of the world's population can no longer see the Milky Way because of man-made lights.
  
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• New Map Shows the Dark Side of Artificial Light at Night

  10-06-2016 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  More than a third of humanity cannot see the Milky Way due to light pollution, and a new wave of energy-efficient lighting could make the problem much worse
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• RCMP tracked cellphones, cracked messages in mob surveillance case

  10-06-2016 19:52 via cbc.ca
  
  The RCMP used covert wireless signal catchers to intercept and descramble BlackBerry messages in a huge organized crime investigation in Montreal that this spring resulted in the conviction of alleged mobsters in a murder conspiracy.
  
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• RCMP can spy on your cellphone, court records reveal

  10-06-2016 19:52 via cbc.ca
  
  The RCMP can secretly target and intercept Canadians' mobile phones, and they've used these covert surveillance techniques in a variety of major crime investigations across the country, court documents show.
  
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• Gawker Media files for bankruptcy, now trying to sell itself

  10-06-2016 19:29 via cbc.ca
  
  Gawker Media, which recently lost a lawsuit against wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States.
  
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• SpaceX to relaunch one of its rockets, marking 1st time rocket will be reused

  10-06-2016 18:36 via cbc.ca
  
  One of the rockets that SpaceX sent into orbit and successfully brought back to Earth will be returned to orbit this fall, a technological feat that will significantly cut costs for the private company.
  
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• Earthquake near Palm Springs felt across Southern California

  10-06-2016 18:30
  PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — A moderate earthquake struck early Friday in desert wilderness nearly 30 miles south of Palm Springs and was felt across much of Southern California, waking people up but reportedly causing no significant damage.
  
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• Aerospace firm unveils solar-powered aircraft

  10-06-2016 18:02
  CALVERTON, N.Y. (AP) — A solar-powered aircraft that can be flown with or without a human on board has been unveiled at a New York site that once made military fighter jets.
  
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• Warming temperatures and melting glaciers are accelerating Arctic warming: Bob McDonald

  10-06-2016 17:48 via cbc.ca
  
  2015 was a record year for high temperatures and melting glaciers in western Greenland, an effect that is amplifying itself and could lead to accelerated warming in the Arctic.
  
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• 'Minecraft' Tree in 'Lost World' Forest May Be Tropics' Tallest

  10-06-2016 17:43
  
  A tree familiar to players of the computer game "Minecraft" could also be the tallest tree in the tropics, conservationists have found. Their discovery was described in an announcement published online June 8 by the University of Cambridge. "Yellow meranti" is also one of the sapling "species" available to Minecraft users in the game's "Forestry" modification pack, and it grows into a mahogany tree.
  
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• Scientists decipher purpose of world's 1st computer, made by ancient Greeks

  10-06-2016 17:27 via cbc.ca
  
  Scientists have deciphered Inscriptions on a mysterious 2,100 ancient Greek astronomy tool that bolster the theory that it is the world's oldest mechanical computer and reveal what it was likely used for.
  
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• No scientific basis for postponing Brazil Olympics due to Zika: minister

  10-06-2016 17:26
  
  RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's Health Minister Ricardo Barros said on Friday there is no scientific basis for postponing the Olympics because of the Zika virus, explaining that lower temperatures and fewer mosquitoes reduced the chance of infection in August when the games will be held.
  
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• Humans could learn how to be more efficient from pigeons, scientists say

  10-06-2016 17:01
  
  Researchers compared a human’s ability to switch between tasks with that of pigeons and reveal their results.
  
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• Cancer Clues in the Breath: Test Could Ease Screening

  10-06-2016 16:54
  A simple breath test can detect changes in people who have undergone surgery for lung cancer, a new study reports. Researchers found that three chemical markers known as carbonyl compounds, which are gases released when people exhale, were reduced in patients with lung cancer after they had an operation to remove their tumors, compared with before their operations. This study demonstrated that levels of certain chemical markers associated with a tumor went down in people after they had surgery f
  
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• 2 Teens Die After Drinking Racing Fuel & Soda Mix

  10-06-2016 16:54
  Two teens in Tennessee died in January after drinking a mixture of racing fuel and soda at a party, which appears to have been concocted as a substitute for alcohol, according to a new report. Before the party, one of the teens took a bottle of racing fuel from the home of a family friend and mixed an unknown amount of the fuel with soda in a 2-liter bottle, according to the report. Racing fuel is an additive that can be poured into a gas tank to increase the performance of a car or motorcycle.
  
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• Food Labels Have You Confused? Try the No-Label Diet

  10-06-2016 16:53
  In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finalized plans for a new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods, with the hope that it will help Americans take better control of their health. If more Americans got back to buying single-ingredient food products, we'd be a far healthier country.
  
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• Scary tomato appears to bleed

  10-06-2016 16:00
  
  A new species of Australian bush tomato bleeds when injured and turns bony in old age.
  
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• 3 reasons why GM hiring up to 1,000 engineers could kick Canada's car future into high gear

  10-06-2016 15:55 via cbc.ca
  
  It's been a long time since Ontario's beleaguered auto industry got some good news. But General Motors announced today it is boosting the number of research and development workers by hiring up to 1,000 engineers in Canada. Here are three big reasons GM's job news is an important announcement.
  
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• Man Jailed For Driving Into Crowded Marquee

  10-06-2016 15:29
  
  A businessman has been sentenced to 16 months behind bars for drunkenly ploughing his car into a marquee full of people at a charity ball. Peter Bialek, 66, from Salisbury, was trying to move his car out of a parking space after it had been boxed in. Bialek was immediately pulled from the car and assaulted.
  
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• Should you worry about 32 million hacked Twitter passwords?

  10-06-2016 14:55 via cbc.ca
  
  Yet another security outfit is reporting that millions of stolen passwords — this time, for Twitter accounts — are floating around the dark side of the internet. Should you be worried?
  
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• American Indians grapple with land divided by history

  10-06-2016 14:02
  By Ellen Wulfhorst PRYOR, Montana (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Irma Bird Hat, a member of the Crow Indian tribe, started digging out the documents she needed to write her will, the retired health worker discovered property she didn't know she owned. The division and array of property among Native Americans such as the Crow, who live on a reservation in southeastern Montana, is an ownership tangle. More than two dozen students, professors and advisors from the University of Denver's Sturm
  
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• Telescopes May Ride Giant Balloons to Better See the Stars

  10-06-2016 13:05
  
  A giant balloon could forever change the way astronomers look at the stars. Christopher Walker, an astronomy professor and professor of optical sciences and electrical engineering at the University of Arizona, won Phase 2 funding from the program two years ago and is now seeing his concept come to life. The balloon would consist of an inflatable, half-aluminized spherical reflector inside a much larger stratospheric balloon.
  
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• Space.com Visited SyFy's 'Killjoys' Set: 6 Things We Learned

  10-06-2016 13:05
  
  Space.com dropped by the set of the Syfy adventure series "Killjoys" in February, where the cast and crew were busy filming the show's second season. The show stars Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore and Luke Macfarlane as three "Killjoys," or space bounty hunters, who become entangled in a revolution and conspiracy much bigger than they could have ever imagined. Trisha Baker, the costume designer for "Killjoys" Seasons 1 and 2, was tasked with creating a distinctive futuristic look for the denize
  
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• Plan to Turn Asteroids Into Spaceships Could Spur Off-Earth Mining

  10-06-2016 13:05
  
  That's the vision of California-based company Made In Space, which was recently awarded NASA funding to investigate how to turn asteroids into giant, autonomous spacecraft. The project, known as RAMA (Reconstituting Asteroids into Mechanical Automata), is part of Made In Space's long-term plan to enable space colonization by helping make off-Earth manufacturing efficient and economically viable. "Today, we have the ability to bring resources from Earth," Made In Space co-founder and chief techno
  
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• 'Into the Black': Book Recounts Untold Story of 1st Space Shuttle Flight

  10-06-2016 13:05
  
  On April 12, 1981, NASA astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen climbed aboard the space shuttle Columbia for a mission unprecedented in human history. The launch of Columbia appeared to go perfectly. The secret effort by NASA and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to find the answer to this question using spy satellites is recounted in Rowland White's new book, "Into the Black: The Extraordinary Untold Story of the First Flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the Astronauts Who Flew Her"
  
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• From King Tut to Kitchen Knives, Meteorite-Made Relics Span Centuries

  10-06-2016 13:05
  
  The discovery that King Tut was buried with a dagger made out of a meteorite has drawn news headlines worldwide and captured the imagination of the public. As unusual as it may seem, though, the pharaoh's blade is not the only ancient or odd artifact that was forged from space-based metal. The blade interred with Tutankhamun, now on display in Cairo, Egypt, is only the latest Egyptian relic to be traced back to a meteoritic origin.
  
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• 'Star Trek' Dating Service Lets You Look for Love in the Final Frontier

  10-06-2016 13:04
  
  If you're looking for the perfect redshirt to snuggle with under a USS Enterprise blanket while watching "Star Trek" reruns, you're in luck. Single Trekkies of all sexual orientations can beam up their profiles on TrekDating.com, a site established in 2013 when founder Jonathan Bird was looking for love himself. "A few years ago, I wanted to teach myself code," Bird told Space.com via email.
  
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• In mapping eclipses, world's first computer maybe also told fortunes

  10-06-2016 12:41
  
  ATHENS (Reuters) - A 2,000-year-old astronomical calculator used by ancient Greeks to chart the movement of the sun, moon and planets may also have had another purpose - fortune telling, say researchers.
  
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• Don't feed wildlife, Alberta experts plead, after cases of food-conditioned wolves and bears in Banff

  10-06-2016 12:30 via cbc.ca
  
  After years educating the public about the dangers of leaving out food or garbage around wild animals, it appears some still aren't getting the message.
  
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• This is 'why you should love wasps', according to the experts

  10-06-2016 12:22
  
  Yes, their buzzing is v. annoying, but turns out they’re pretty useful when it comes to spiders and cockroaches.
  
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• Do you want to see Tim Peake made entirely out of roast dinner ingredients? Of course you do...

  10-06-2016 12:09
  
  See the time-lapse video of a food artist making a delicious looking portrait of the British astronaut.
  
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• Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'

  10-06-2016 11:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Archaeologists using satellite imagery discover a huge, ceremonial monument at the Petra World Heritage site in southern Jordan.
  
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• Ruling could reveal how police cracked mobsters' BlackBerry messages

  10-06-2016 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  A Quebec court could today pull back the curtain on secretive police techniques, including how the RCMP intercepted BlackBerry text messages to prove a murder conspiracy plot, as a judge considers whether to lift a publication ban in a case involving the Montreal Mafia.
  
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• Hummingbird moths colonise UK

  10-06-2016 09:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A hummingbird-like moth may have colonised the UK, according to conservationists.
  
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• Young cancer survivors are more likely to smoke than people without cancer history

  10-06-2016 06:00
  
  (University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have found that cancer survivors who were diagnosed at adolescent and young adult ages are more likely to be current cigarette smokers than people who have not had cancer. The findings of this study are currently available in Cancer.
  
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