iconNational Geographic

Brain-Controlled Wheelchair Is "95 Percent Accurate"
A new brain-computer interface turns thought into action with lightning speed, allowing precise piloting of a wheelchair, experts say. Their advice: Imagine playing the piano or jogging.
WEEK IN PHOTOS: Ugliest Dog, "Miracle" Birth, and More
Filipino inmates dance to Thriller, a girl rests 1,400 feet in the air, and an elderly ape has a baby in this weeks best news photos.
"Diamond Dust" Snow Falls Nightly on Mars
Ice crystals drifting from Martian clouds resemble the glittering precipitation that falls in Earths Arctic regions during winter, new data show.
Tunguksa Mystery Solved by Space Shuttle?
Rare night shining clouds linked to the 1908 Russian event and plumes from shuttle launches suggest that the blast was caused by an icy comet, a new study says.
PICTURES: World Wonders Added to UN Heritage List
The Tower of Hercules, a sacred mountain, and royal tombs are among the sites recognized for their universal value to humanity during a 2009 World Heritage Committee session.
STATUE OF LIBERTY PICTURES: Rare Views, Inside and Out
Before it reopens on the Fourth of July, get an insiders eye on the Statue of Liberty—the inside of her face, the little-known ladder to the torch, and more.
Rare Albino Whale Spotted
Migaloo, a twentysomething rare white humpback whale was seen this week along Australias east coast, where hes migrating northward with other humpbacks. Video.
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iconUniverse Today

Find the Answer to This Week's WITU Challenge
The answer to this week's Where In The Universe challenge is now available back on the original post. Check it out! And happy 4th of July holiday weekend to everyone in the US!© nancy for Universe Today, 2009. |Permalink |No
Weekend SkyWatcher's Forecast: July 3-5, 2009
Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for a Moon-filled weekend? Then let's have a look a some great lunar features as we race Mad Max to the "Megadome"! For some lucky viewers in Japan and Hawaii, there will be an
Happy Fourth of July!
Astronomers working with the Subaru Telescope have released these new images of a "fireworks display" in a near-infrared image of the Helix Nebula, showing comet-shaped knots within.(...)Read the rest of Happy Fourth of July! (560 words)© anne for Universe Today, 2009.
Perchlorates and Water Make for Potential Habitable Environment on Mars
Scientists say that the Arctic region studied by Phoenix lander may be a favorable environment for microbes. Just-right chemistry and periods where thin films of liquid water form on the surface could make for a habitable setting. "Not only did
First Images from LRO
Woohoo! NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken its first images of the Moon! There are two cameras on board which combine to create the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, or LROC. They were both activated June 30, and their "first light"
By Gamma-Rays Alone: Fermi Raises the Curtain on 16 New Pulsars
For the first time, NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has spotted a new group of pulsars using only their gamma-ray emissions, in the absence of radio signals beamed to Earth. The 16 new objects are reported in this week's edition of
Phoenix Lander Team: It Rains at Night on Mars
It rains and snows on Mars. This occurs, at least in the northern arctic region where the Phoenix lander set up camp in 2008. Science teams from Phoenix were able to observe water-ice clouds in the Martian atmosphere and precipitation
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iconThe New York Times

Global Update: Tuberculosis: TB Vaccine Too Dangerous for Babies With AIDS Virus, Study Says
A common tuberculosis vaccine is too risky to give to those born infected with the AIDS virus, says a new study published by the World Health Organization.
Swine Flu Death Toll in Argentina Climbs
Argentina’s president said she would not rule out closing major public venues where swine flu could spread more quickly.
Environment Groups Find Less Support From Justices
Environmental groups lost all five of their cases before the Supreme Court last term, a trend scholars see continuing as the court moves to the right.
In Public Housing, Spreading the Gospel of the Recycling Bin
Two residents of the General Grant Houses in Upper Manhattan are spreading the word about recycling, building by building.
El Niño Variant Is Linked to Hurricanes in Atlantic
The discovery that a periodic warming pattern in the central Pacific Ocean is linked to more frequent hurricanes in the Atlantic may help improve forecasts.
Green Power Takes Root in the Chinese Desert
Beijing is steering a push toward wind and solar power, while the U.S. is just starting.
The Case of the Shrinking Sheep
On a remote Scottish island, the sheep are shrinking, and the cause appears to be the warming of winter.
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iconScientific American

New Radar May Help U.S. Draw the Line on Burrowing Under the Mexico Border
Underground tunnels crisscross the border between the U.S. and Mexico, and the U.S. government is looking for better ways to stop the smugglers who build and use them.
Genetic Link For Perfect Pitch?
No description.
Animals of the Disappearing Mangroves
In the watery limbo between sea and river, where salt and fresh water mingle in the roots of mangrove trees, a handful of uniquely adapted species--terrestrial and aquatic--have evolved to fill the novel niche.
Bombs bursting in air: What's in those 4th of July fireworks, anyway?
Red, white and blue aside, how green will this weekend’s firework festivities be? Not very, argue some.
How Fructose Impairs the Memory
Americans consume more fructose than ever before, yet concerns remain that the sugar, used to sweeten beverages and processed foods, poses health risks. In animals, fructose-rich diets increase the production of fat and promote resistance to the energy-regulating hormone insulin.
MIND Reviews: A Healthy Mind
Healthy Mindswww.wliw.org/healthyminds
For your health, steer clear of the hospital on July 4th weekend
A word to the wise: stay out of the emergency room this long weekend.
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iconSpace.com

Military Seeks Common Ground with Scientists on Fireball Data Flap
The Air Force Space Command is circling the wagons to close some loopholes in the dissemination of potentially sensitive information.
Wild Fireworks Spotted in Space
New image of a gaseous space nebula reveals tens of thousands of giant comet-like knots raining down.
NASA Probe Looks at Bright Side of Mars
NASA shifted the orbit of its Mars satellite Odyssey to make better use of its infrared camera for mapping the surface.
No Fireworks in Space on July 4
There will be no fireworks in space, or even visible out the window, for American astronaut Michael Barratt.
Traffic Heats Up at Space Station
The space station crew moved one of its Soyuz lifeboats late Thursday as traffic heats up at the outpost.
New Moon Orbiter Sends First Lunar Snapshots
NASAs Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, has transmitted its first images since reaching lunar orbit June 23.
MISSION UPDATE: ISS Crew to Move Soyuz Spacecraft
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iconScienceDaily

Avian Bacterium More Dangerous Than Believed
Bordetella hinzii just may be the Eddie Haskell of avian bacteria. Like the notoriously sneaky character from the iconic 1950s television show Leave It to Beaver, B. hinzii has been causing trouble and dodging the blame.
Bee Colony Collapse Disorder: New Bait Lures Varroa Mite To Its Doom
Varroa mites, prime suspect in bee colony collapse disorder, could literally be walking into a trap --- thanks to a newly developed attractant.
Fire Ant Outcompetes Other Species, Even In Its Native Habitat
Even in its native Argentina, the fire ant wins in head-to-head competition with other ant species more than three-quarters of the time.
Discovery Highlights New Direction For Drug Discovery
In a discovery that rebuffs conventional scientific thinking, researchers have discovered a novel way to block the activity of the fusion protein responsible for Ewings sarcoma, a rare cancer found in children and young adults.
DNA Variations Linked To Brain Tumors
Scientists have found a connection between DNA alterations on human chromosome 9 and aggressive brain cancer known as glioblastoma.
Genetic Factors That Hold Promise For Treatment Of Vascular Diseases
Researchers have discovered a key switch that makes stem cells turn into the type of muscle cells that reside in the wall of blood vessels. The same switch might be used in the future to limit growth of vascular muscle
Molecule That Regulates Heart Size Developed By Using Zebrafish Screening Model
Using zebrafish, researchers have identified and described an enzyme inhibitor that increases the number of cardiac progenitor cells and influences the size of the developing heart. The task was accomplished primarily because of the powerful advantages of studying embryonic development
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iconNew Scientist

Call for tolerance towards some 'stem cell tourism'
The internet may be awash with bogus or untested stem cell-based treatments targeted at unwary patients, but that is no reason to condemn scientifically justifiable therapies, say researchers
Review: Sex in shades of grey
Science is undermining the notion that there are only two sexes and presenting a broad spectrum – from male to female and everything in between, says the author of Between XX and XY
Cosmic 'whips' may have left their mark
Cosmic strings may have broken into pieces in the early universe – but, if so, they should have left traces that we could observe, say researchers
Fellow students smell your exam fear
Anxiety seems to prompt the release of a chemical that automatically triggers empathy in anyone who sniffs it
'Hippy' monkey is a killer when starved of sex
The worlds most peaceful primate is observed launching a lethal attack, giving clues to the origins of human gang warfare
Blood test could predict IVF success
Patterns of gene expression in a womans blood may give couples a clue as to whether she is likely to get pregnant using IVF
Emotional robots: Will we love them or hate them?
Software that can tell our emotional state is on the way, but will we like machines that can sense how we feel?
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iconBBC

UK-born astronauts are to receive a commemorative pin
The five British-born individuals who have flown in space are being honoured with a commemorative pin.
Planck achieves ultra-cold state
Europes Planck telescope reaches its operating temperature, making it the coldest object in space.
How honeybee mobs smother giant hornets to death
Bees smother hornets in a bee ball that kills the giant predators with heat and carbon dioxide.
No safe haven for rarest antelope
Hopes are dashed that some of the few remaining hirola antelope have managed to colonise new, safer territory.
A sanctuary threatened
The BBCs Gary Duffy assesses the future the Brazilian Pantanal, one of the Worlds largest freshwater wetlands.
New dinosaurs found in Australia
Three new dinosaur species are found in Queensland, Australia, and named after the Outback song Waltzing Matilda.
Space ambitions
US moonwalker Buzz Aldrin looks to new frontiers
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iconCNN

Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years
NASAs launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington.
Shuttle lands at California air base
NASA officials Sunday waved off the first opportunity for space shuttle Endeavour to return to Earth, citing poor weather conditions.
iReporters watch planets, moon align
Inspiration for 'Contact' still listening
From a remote valley in Northern California, Jill Tarter is listening to the universe.
Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise
Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside Indias first unmanned lunar spacecraft.
Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years
NASAs launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington.
Shuttle lands at California air base
NASA officials Sunday waved off the first opportunity for space shuttle Endeavour to return to Earth, citing poor weather conditions.
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iconDiscovery

Vegans Have Lower Bone Density
Vegans have 5 percent lower bone mass density than non-vegans, research finds.
Mystery of Salamander Limb Regrowth Solved
Scientists have uncovered how salamanders are able to regenerate their limbs.
Solved: Why Blind Faults Make Big Quakes
Why do blind faults shake harder when they break? Scientists find the answer.
BLOG: Return to the Moon? Yea or Nay?
Should NASA return to the moon or aim straight for Mars? Vote here.
Inflatable Tower Promises Easy Access to Outer Space
A nine-mile-high inflatable tower could offer cheap access to outer space.
Eco-Friendly Fireworks Offer Safer Pyrotechnics
Green fireworks produce less smoke and use fewer toxic metals than other pyrotechnics.
Trees Buffered Earth From Iceball Fate
Greenery likely helped save Earth from runaway cooling, research concludes.
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iconScience/AAAS

Scientists Find Heart Stem Cells
Cells could eventually be used to regrow heart parts
Secret of Scotland's Shrinking Sheep Solved
Climate change cited as credible culprit
New Fossil Primate Challenges "Missing Link" Ida
Researchers propose that it was Asian, not European or African, primates that gave rise to monkeys, apes, and humans
Finally, an Average Black Hole
Astronomers may have discovered a black hole thats neither small nor gigantic
CIRM Takes a Hit, NASA Gets a Boost
Plus more from Sciences policy blog, ScienceInsider
Study Refutes Protein's Role in Heart Attacks
Companies chasing c-reactive protein may be on wrong path, say experts
How the Piranha Got Its Teeth
Lost fossil sheds light on evolution of frightening fish
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iconUSATODAY

Looters attack Libyan ruins
Once a major city of the ancient world, Cyrene, today rests in ruins in Libya. Now open again to the world, the site is victimized by looters, the bane of archaeologists everywhere.
NASA astronaut takes Twitter to space en Espanol
NASA has tweeted in space, but now one of its astronauts is breaking a new space Twitter barrier. He will tweet from space in Spanish and English.
Baaad news? Global warming now shrinking sheep
Like the wool sweater that emerges from the dryer a size too small, global warming seems to be shrinking sheep.
New form of El Nino may increase Atlantic hurricanes
El Nino may have a split personality.
NASA: Fuel test a success, shuttle launch day set
To NASAs relief, a fueling test on space shuttle Endeavour uncovered no hydrogen gas leaks Wednesday and paved the way for another launch attempt late next week for the delayed mission.
Myanmar fossil may shed light on evolution
Fossils recently discovered in Myanmar could prove that the common ancestors of humans, monkeys and apes evolved from primates in Asia, rather than Africa, researchers contend in a study released Wednesday.
Protection sought again for giant, spitting worms
Fans of the giant Palouse earthworm are once again seeking federal protection for the rare, sweet-smelling species that spits at predators.
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iconDigg Science

Black holes do join together
Researchers have found evidence for a moderate-size black hole, backing up the idea that smaller black holes merge into huge ones.
World's First 'Self-Watering' Plant: Desert Rhubarb
Researchers have managed to make out the self-irrigating mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water than otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities of rain in
NGC 4921, An Unusual Spiral Galaxy
Located in the Coma galaxy cluster, in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices, the hair of Queen Berenice, 320 million light-years from Earth. Photographer: The Peoples Telescope -- the worlds most beloved and greatest telescope ever -- the one and
Faults And Earthquakes In China Monitored From Space
China is in a very seismically active area and has had many catastrophic earthquakes during its history. A joint European-Chinese team is using satellite radar data to monitor ground deformation across major continental faults in China to understand better the
Super-energetic Bursts Discovered Near Giant Black Hole
Astronomers have discovered that a giant galaxys bursts of very high energy gamma rays are coming from a region very close to the supermassive black hole at its core. The discovery provides important new information about the mysterious workings of
Ow-Ow-OWWWWW!
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How The Human Brain Works
Find out how our brains make us feel fear, remember our lives and make decisions, with an animated graphic.
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iconScience News Online

The Star That Ate a Mars
Astronomers study white dwarf pollution for clues to extrasolar planet ingredients
You Are Who You Are by Default
It may be off when you’re on, but the brain network behind daydreams and a sense of self is no slacker
Bad Breath
Studies are homing in on which particles polluting the air are most sickening
Issue for the week of July 18th, 2009
No description.
Hornets suffocate in bee ball
Spike in carbon dioxide combined with heat may make honeybees enemies vulnerable
Climate change shrinks sheep
The size-reducing effects of gentler winters overwhelm evolutionary trends
New cyclone predictor
Occasional sea-surface warming in central Pacific linked with more, stronger hurricanes in North Atlantic
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iconNASA

Space Station Marathon
The International Space Station (ISS) is about to make a remarkable series of flybys over the United States. Beginning this 4th of July weekend, the station will appear once, twice, and sometimes three times a day for many days in
Space Station Room With a View
Astronauts are looking forward to an unprecedented view of the cosmos when the largest window ever built for space is installed on the International Space Station.
Satellites Guide Relief to Earthquake Victims
In the aftermath of a recent, deadly earthquake, the NASA-led SERVIR program orchestrated use of satellite data to show Honduran disaster officials where help was needed most.
Mystery of the Missing Sunspots, Solved?
Where have all the sunspots gone? Scientists studying a jet stream deep inside the sun may have found the answer.
Running Out of This World
With NASA poised to launch the worlds most famous treadmill (COLBERT) to the International Space Station, an astronaut describes what its like to run in space where sweat floats and there is no gravity to hold your feet to the
Return of the Mars Hoax
Just when you thought it was safe to check your email, the Mars Hoax is back!
Fake Astronaut Gets Hit by Artificial Solar Flare
Researchers are about to subject a fake astronaut complete with blood cells and simulated human tissue to an artificial solar flare. How the unlucky volunteer emerges from the radiation storm will reveal for the first time how much of a
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