Science news

• Elon Musk outlines Mars colony vision

  27-09-2016 23:40 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Entrepreneur Elon Musk outlines his vision for establishing a human colony on Mars for people that can afford a $200,000 ticket price.
  
  Read more

• SpaceX chief envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying to Mars

  27-09-2016 23:27
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX founder Elon Musk envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to Mars within a century, "Battlestar Galactica" style.
  
  Read more

• Elon Musk outlines Mars colonization plan

  27-09-2016 23:24
  
  GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - SpaceX is developing a massive rocket and capsule to transport large numbers of people and cargo to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonizing the planet, company chief and tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Tuesday.
  
  Read more

• South Sudan rebels say govt troops attack base in north, threaten retaliation

  27-09-2016 23:14
  By Denis Dumo JUBA (Reuters) - Rebel forces in South Sudan said government troops attacked their garrison in a town in the north on Tuesday, and they threatened swift retaliation, stoking fears of another full-blown military confrontation in the young nation. Political rivalry between South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, and former vice president, Riek Machar, sparked a civil war in 2013. Although the pair signed a shaky peace deal a year ago, fighting has continued and Machar fled the country i
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Elon Musk outlines plans to put humans on Mars

  27-09-2016 23:03
  
  GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - SpaceX is developing an interplanetary rocket and capsule to transport large numbers of people and cargo to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonizing the planet, company chief and tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Tuesday.
  
  Read more

• [Research Article] The NF-κB subunit RelB controls p100 processing by competing with the kinases NIK and IKK1 for binding to p100

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The NF-κB subunit RelB determines whether inhibitory or transcriptionally active complexes are formed during noncanonical signaling.
  
  Read more

• [Research Article] Human IL-22 binding protein isoforms act as a rheostat for IL-22 signaling

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Two soluble binding proteins that differ in inhibitory ability and abundance finetune signaling by the cytokine interleukin-22.
  
  Read more

• [Research Article] Bypassing STAT3-mediated inhibition of the transcriptional regulator ID2 improves the antitumor efficacy of dendritic cells

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Blocking tumor-derived cytokine signaling in dendritic cells enables engineered dendritic cells to function as an antitumor vaccine.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• [Editors' Choice] One way fumarate can promote metastasis

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Accumulation of the metabolite fumarate induces epigenetic changes that promote the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
  
  Read more

• [Editors' Choice] Lupus and leptin

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The hormone and cytokine leptin promotes disease progression in mouse models of systemic lupus erythematosus.
  
  Read more

• [Editors' Choice] Inhibiting the inflammasome

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The kinase PKA phosphorylates and inactivates the NLRP3 inflammasome to restrain inflammation.
  
  Read more

• [Editors' Choice] Immunosuppression even in death

  27-09-2016 21:37 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Dying tumor cells release potassium ions that suppress the activity of tumor-infiltrating T cells.
  
  Read more

• Huge blue topaz stone on loan to Natural History Museum

  27-09-2016 21:12 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A blue topaz stone, thought to be the largest-ever, is to go on permanent loan to the Natural History Museum in London.
  
  Read more

• Measles has been eliminated in the Americas, WHO says

  27-09-2016 21:11
  
  Thanks to wide-spread vaccination against the viral disease, measles has officially been declared eliminated from the Americas.
  
  Read more

• Baby born with DNA from 3 people, first from new technique

  27-09-2016 21:03
  NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists say the first baby has been born from a new technique that combines DNA from three people.
  
  Read more

• Drug industry bad boy Martin Shkreli auctions off right to punch his face

  27-09-2016 20:50 via cbc.ca
  
  Martin Shkreli, the bad boy of the U.S. pharmaceuticals industry due to his jacking up of prescription drug prices, says he'll let someone punch him in the face — for a donation to help the son of a friend who died.
  
  Read more

• Spate of whale entanglements could inform regulations

  27-09-2016 20:40
  PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal authorities say a recent wave of entanglements of rare whales off of New England could help inform future regulations to preserve the animals.
  
  Read more

• Americas becomes first region to eliminate measles: health agency

  27-09-2016 20:30
  By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The Americas has become the first region in the world to be free of measles, following a 22-year vaccination drive against the disease which continues to infect tens of thousands of people globally, the Pan American Health Organization said on Tuesday. The milestone was confirmed after no cases of the highly contagious disease originating in the Americas were recorded in at least three years, the PAHO said. "This is truly a historic deed,
  
  Read more

• Materials programmed to shape shift

  27-09-2016 20:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists have pre-programmed materials to change their shape over time.
  
  Read more

• Got kidney stones? This doctor says roller coasters could be the cure

  27-09-2016 19:39 via cbc.ca
  
  Having kidney stones can be a painful roller coaster ride. But Michigan doctor David Wartinger has just discovered actual roller coaster rides can help treat the condition.
  
  Read more

• Smart home devices used in cyberattack on tech writer's site

  27-09-2016 19:31 via cbc.ca
  
  From smart thermostats to smart door locks, the so-called internet of things promises convenience. But security researchers warn that smart devices could also be used as cyberweapons, as illustrated recently in a high-profile cyberattack.
  
  Read more

• First 'three person baby' born using new method

  27-09-2016 19:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The world's first baby has been born using a new "three person" fertility technique, heralding a new era in medicine, say experts.
  
  Read more

• World's first baby with three genetic parents is born in Mexico

  27-09-2016 18:50
  
  Abrahim Hassan was conceived using nuclear DNA from his mother and father and mitochondrial DNA from a “second” mother.
  
  Read more

• Barnacles track whale migration

  27-09-2016 18:01
  
  The mix of oxygen isotopes in the shells of barnacles that latch on to baleen whales may divulge how whale migration routes have changed over millions of years.
  
  Read more

• 'Not just a dream': Elon Musk aims to get humans on Mars within 10 years

  27-09-2016 17:33 via cbc.ca
  
  SpaceX CEO Elon Musk updated the world on his ambitious plans to get humans to Mars within the next 10 years, something he said would insure the human race against some kind of doomsday event, which he said is likely inevitable at some point in the distant future.
  
  Read more

• Elon Musk to outline his plans for Mars mission

  27-09-2016 17:33 via cbc.ca
  
  SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is in Mexico today and will update the world on his plans to colonize Mars in a talk at 2:30 p.m. ET.
  
  Read more

• Ancient ostrich eggshell contains protein clue for archaeologists

  27-09-2016 17:26
  
  The eggshell fragments were collected from Tanzania and South Africa and examined by researchers.
  
  Read more

• Gabon president Bongo sworn in after disputed poll

  27-09-2016 17:25
  By Edward McAllister LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Gabon President Ali Bongo was sworn in for a second term on Tuesday and called for unity at a low-key ceremony following a razor-thin election victory whose integrity was questioned by international observers. Bongo's victory by less than 6,000 votes has drawn unwelcome scrutiny on the president, whose family has ruled the oil-producing state in Central Africa for 49 years. France called for a recount and the European Union said it detected anomalies i
  
  Read more

• Ottawa failing to protect law-abiding Canadians from security surveillance, watchdog warns

  27-09-2016 17:21 via cbc.ca
  
  The government is failing to protect the privacy of law-abiding Canadians under a sweeping new information-sharing regime, warns Canada's privacy watchdog. Daniel Therrien tabled his annual report in Parliament today.
  
  Read more

• Ottawa failed to assess privacy implications of C-51 info-sharing, watchdog warns

  27-09-2016 17:21 via cbc.ca
  
  A federal watchdog says the government didn't properly assess the privacy impact of new information-sharing powers in the omnibus security legislation known as C-51. Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien released an annual report in Parliament today.
  
  Read more

• Hubble Telescope spots 'water vapour plumes' erupting from Jupiter's moon Europa

  27-09-2016 17:21
  
  Space agency Nasa had sparked a frenzy of speculation about aliens after promising news of “surprising activity” on Europa.
  
  Read more

• Chester Zoo releases footage of rare giant jumping rat

  27-09-2016 16:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The first footage of a rare giant jumping rat born at Chester Zoo is released.
  
  Read more

• Amazing drone footage shows massive destruction in Aleppo

  27-09-2016 16:25 via cbc.ca
  
  Bird's-eye view captures true impact from years of war
  
  Read more

• Most people worldwide breathe polluted air, WHO warns

  27-09-2016 15:13 via cbc.ca
  
  Ninety-two per cent of people live in areas where air quality exceeds WHO limits, with southeast Asia, eastern Mediterranean and western Pacific regions hardest hit.
  
  Read more

• Iran's Ahmadinejad says will not make presidential comeback bid

  27-09-2016 14:52
  By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin DUBAI (Reuters) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not run for president in next year's Iranian election, he said on Tuesday, bowing to the wishes of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who warned his candidacy would increase divisions in Iran. "In carrying out the intentions of the leader of the revolution, I have no plans to take part in the elections next year," Ahmadinejad said in a letter to Khamenei, published on his website dolatebahar.com. Ahmadinejad, a hardliner who
  
  Read more

• Poverty and perceived hardship affect cognitive function and may contribute to premature aging, say investigators

  27-09-2016 14:27
  A new study finds strong associations between sustained exposure to economic hardship and worse cognitive function in relatively young individuals.
  
  Read more

• Azerbaijan vote lengthens Aliyev's time in office, boosts his powers

  27-09-2016 13:34
  By Nailia Bagirova BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan has voted in favour of extending the presidential term from five to seven years, election authorities said on Tuesday, a step that critics say will hand unprecedented powers to President Ilham Aliyev who has led the country since 2003. The state election commission said a vast majority of the 91.2 percent of voters who turned out in a referendum in the Caspian Sea oil-producer had backed the move. Aliyev, 54, who succeeded his father as president, c
  
  Read more

• Why does the Europa water plume matter?

  27-09-2016 13:21 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Professor Michele Dougherty explains the importance of the water plumes on Jupiter's moon
  
  Read more

• Kratom Drug Ban May Cripple Promising Painkiller Research

  27-09-2016 13:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Compounds from the Southeast Asian tree offer hope for a safer opioid alternative, but research could slow to a crawl as the DEA steps in 
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Singapore accuses Chinese paper of fabricating South China Sea story

  27-09-2016 12:14
  Singapore's ambassador to China on Tuesday accused a major state-run Chinese newspaper of fabricating a report about Singapore's position on the South China Sea, but the paper stuck by its story. The Global Times said on Sept. 21 that at a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Venezuela, Singapore had raised the issue of the disputed waterway and an international tribunal's ruling in favour of the Philippines in a case it lodged against Chinese claims. The influential tabloid, published by the r
  
  Read more

• Wi-Fi can help house distinguish between members

  27-09-2016 12:00
  
  Using Wi-Fi, computers could one day identify individual family members in a smart home.
  
  Read more

• CITES species body rejects process for ivory sales

  27-09-2016 10:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Delegates at the Cites meeting in Johannesburg have defeated an attempt to set up a process to resume sales of ivory.
  
  Read more

• Proteins from 'deep time' found in ostrich eggshell

  27-09-2016 09:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists extract fossil proteins - some of biological tissue's building blocks - in a 3.8 million year-old ostrich eggshell.
  
  Read more

• Vietnamese fishermen sue Taiwan steel firm over fish deaths

  27-09-2016 09:32
  
  HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Hundreds of Vietnamese fishermen have filed claims seeking compensation from a Taiwanese steel company that acknowledged its toxic chemicals caused a massive fish kill, a local priest helping the fishermen said Tuesday.
  
  Read more

• Hubble spots evidence of water plumes on Jupiter's moon Europa

  27-09-2016 09:00
  
  (Reuters) - Astronomers on Monday said they have spotted evidence of water vapor plumes rising from Jupiter's moon Europa, a finding that might make it easier to learn whether life exists in the warm, salty ocean hidden beneath its icy surface.
  
  Read more

• Manuka honey could be used to keep medical devices free from infection

  27-09-2016 08:22
  
  Up to one in four hospital inpatients may have to use a catheter – long-term use of this medical device is associated with frequent complications.
  
  Read more

• WHO: Excessive air pollution affects 92 percent of people

  27-09-2016 06:33
  GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says more than nine out of 10 people worldwide live in areas with excessive air pollution, contributing to problems like strokes, heart disease and lung cancer.
  
  Read more

• Old fashioned roller coasters can help patients pass kidney stones

  27-09-2016 04:35
  A urologist has discovered that riding a roller coaster helps patients pass kidney stones with nearly a 70 percent success rate.
  
  Read more

• Got a few million to spare? Here are the companies vying to send tourists to space

  27-09-2016 01:53 via cbc.ca
  
  Travel to the final frontier is becoming increasingly accessible as the race to send tourists to space is heating up. For a hefty price tag, companies are offering trips to the International Space Station, and travel 100 kilometres above Earth.
  
  Read more

• Astronomers Spy Shadowy Plumes Around Europa

  27-09-2016 00:35 via rss.sciam.com
  
  If confirmed, the icy Jovian moon’s eruptions could offer new pathways for exploring its subsurface ocean
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

Follow @ScienceUKnews on Twitter!