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National Geographic

Space Photos This Week: Rocket Test, Tropical Storm, More: The worlds strongest solid rocket motor revs up, a star nursery is seen in its sharpest view yet, and more in this weeks best space pictures.

Tarzan Chameleon Found in Tarzan Forest, Near Tarzanville: The discovery on Madagascar of the new species—given away by its flat snout—is a Tarzan yell for conservation, a new study says.

Evolution in Action: Lizard Moving From Eggs to Live Birth: A skink species lays eggs on the coast but births babies in the mountains, giving a rare glimpse at how placentas evolved, scientists say.

Insomnia Increases Risk of Early Death for Men?: Chronic male insomniacs may have a higher risk of early death than normal male sleepers, a new study says.

New Titanic Pictures Mark 25th Anniversary of Discovery: On the 25th anniversary of Titanics rediscovery, high-resolution images from a new expedition are shedding light on the shipwreck.

"Whispering" Bat Evolved to Trick Prey: The barbastelle bat has lowered its voice to evade detection by moths with keen hearing, a new study says.

Hurricanes Could Carry Gulf "Oil" Inland: As Atlantic hurricane season heats up, storms could send toxic hydrocarbons lingering from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill surging inland, scientists say. Video.

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Universe Today

Supernova Spews Its Guts Across Space: The newly refurbished Hubble Space Telescope has taken a new look at Supernova 1987A and its famous "String of Pearls," a glowing ring 6 trillion miles in diameter encircling the supernova remnant. The sharper and clearer image is allowing astronomers

Downloadable Shuttle Tribute Posters: NASA has put out a collection of tribute posters to the Space Shuttle fleet that celebrates the contributions to human space flight of Columbia, Atlantis, Discovery, Challenger and Endeavour. Large versions of these posters now hang in Firing Room 4

Oh Canada! Hadfield Named First Canandian Commander of ISS: Congratulations to one of our favorite astronauts, Chris Hadfield from Canada. Today NASA and the Canadian Space Agency announced Hadfield will be heading to the International Space Station in 2012, serving as Flight Engineer for Expedition 34, and then transitioning

Hawking: God Not Needed for Universe to be Created: Physicist Stephen Hawking has written a new book called "The Grand Design." While the title might seem like Hawking might be delving more into the “mind of God” that he alluded to in his earlier book, “A Brief History of

NASA & ATK Turn Sand to Glass With DM-2 Test: The deserts of Promontory, Utah came alive with fire as NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) tested the Development Motor-2 (DM-2). The five-segment, first-stage of the Ares rocket was activated at 9:27 a.m. MDT on Aug. 31. The still morning

Off to Dragon*Con: I'm just doing some final packing and then the wife and I will be flying out to Atlanta to participate in Dragon*Con 2010. This is a gigantic science fiction convention, and we try to represent Astronomy Cast there every year.

Where In The Universe Challenge #117: It’s time once again for another Where In The Universe Challenge. Name where in the Universe this image was taken and give yourself extra points if you can name the telescope or spacecraft responsible for the image. Post your guesses

The Race to Stellar Formation: Racing is rarely the term that comes to mind when one considers astronomy. However, many events are a race to reach stability before a system flies apart or implodes. The formation of stars from gigantic interstellar clouds is just such

Gunman Takes Hostage At Discovery Channel Building: Some breaking news via former UT writer Ian O'Neill who now works for Discovery Space News: A protester has taken at least one hostage at the Discovery Channel building in Silver Springs, Maryland. Reportedly a man entered the lobby and

Contest: Win "Wonders of the Solar System" DVD: If you didn’t have the chance to see Brian Cox’s series “Wonders of the Solar System” that played on the BBC earlier this year and the Science Channel in August, we’ve got some good news for you: it comes out

Scientists Say They Can Now Test String Theory: The idea of the “Theory of Everything” is enticing – that we could somehow explain all that is. String theory has been proposed since the 1960’s as a way to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity into such an explanation.

Students Send ICESat to a Fiery Deorbit Death: NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation (ICESat) mission is now on ice, so to speak, or perhaps we should say, it ultimately became an inferno. The satellite was intentionally deorbited and burned up in the atmosphere on August 30, after

Two Chinese Satellites Rendezvous in Orbit: Data from the US military shows that two Chinese satellites likely performed multiple rendezvous 600 kilometers above Earth this summer, and may have even bumped into each other. The rendezvous have taken place over the past several months, between two

NASA Satellite Captures Three Tropical Cyclones in One Image: My father had a favorite adage when life was hectic: "There's lots of commotion in the ocean." That saying was never more true than the current situation in the busy Atlantic Ocean. The GOES-13 satellite captured this image earlier today

Young Exoplanet is Cloudy With a Chance of Heat Waves: Back in 2008, the first multi-planet system of extrasolar planets was imaged, and further study of the planets in this very young system is yielding some puzzling results. Astronomers using the Keck Observatory have been able to obtain the spectrum

Bad Universe Review: We've hinted that it was going to be made, and then we warned you that a sneak preview would be aired on August 29th. Well, now I've seen the first episode of Phil Plait's Bad Universe, and I'm here to

NASA Funds Experimental “Near Space” Vehicles: Commercial space companies Armadillo Aerospace and Masten Space Systems have been awarded a total of $475,000 to perform test flights of their experimental vehicles near the edge of space. The award is part of NASA's Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research Program

New Moon Mission: Chandrayaan-2 Payloads Selected: Seven instruments will be aboard India's second unmanned mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-2, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced today. The mission, which is a cooperative effort between ISRO and the Russian Federal Space Agency, will include an orbiter,

NASA Crowdsources Historic Image Archive Data: Who doesn't love looking at old pictures, especially ones from our first steps? In this case, these pictures are our first steps towards heading to space. NASA just added hundreds of images to The Commons area on the photo sharing

Podcast: Planetary Rings: Saturn is best known for its rings. This huge and beautiful ring system is easy to spot in even the smallest backyard telescope, so you can imagine they were a surprise when Galileo first noticed them. But astronomers have gone

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The New York Times

China Sustains Blunt 'You First' Message on CO2: The official who led Chinas delegation in recent climate negotiations says the right to a better life in poor countries trumps the responsibility to cut emissions.

Berkeley Debates the Demise of a Cougar: A mountain lion wandered into the uniquely tolerant town of Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, and was ultimately shot by police. Heated debate has ensued.

Bill Gates on R&D, a Carbon Tax and China's Climate Role: Bill Gates adds detail to his call for a research push to expand energy choices without overheating the planet.

Protest Shuts Down Oil Rig Off Greenland: Exploratory drilling by a Scottish oil firm was halted after four Greenpeace protesters scaled the rig and suspended tents from its underside.

Interviews on Water Use Are Thirsty Work: Learning which water sources villagers use and how far they carry heavy jerrycans of water is itself thirsty work in the Rwandan heat.

Finding Suggests New Target for Alzheimer’s Drugs: A discovery by Paul Greengard, an 84-year-old scientist and Nobel winner, has illuminated a new direction.

At Flea Market, Fear of a Different Insect: Buyers in secondhand stores are concerned about bedbugs coming along with the clothing or furniture.

Fresh Air for Sale, in Hong Kong: A tongue-in-cheek commercial from an anti-pollution group, already a hit on YouTube, delivers a message about what the citys pollution could portend.

BP Tripled Ad Spending After Spill: An anatomy of the oil giants media response to the Gulf disaster.

Nobel Winners Sign Letter Backing Obama Space Plan: The letter expresses support for the president’s proposed strategy for NASA and criticizes cuts contained in a NASA authorization bill now before the House.

A Nuclear Giant Moves Into Wind: Exelon, which recently backed away from building new nuclear plants, announced that it was buying John Deere Renewables.

Homeowners Must Pay Off Energy Improvement Loans: Homeowners who participated in a program that let them repay the cost of solar panels and other energy improvements through an annual surcharge on their property taxes must pay off the loans before they can refinance their mortgages, two government-chartered

A Warming Contrarian Calls for a Global Tax: Bjorn Lomborgs latest book is unlikely to bolster his popularity among those opposed to drastic immediate action to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

New Warnings About Costs of Nuclear Power: Politicians in Britain and Bulgaria are seeking ways to make nuclear energy affordable.

New Fault Lines in Mountaintop Coal Debate: Both sides in the mountaintop removal mining debate are hardening their positions, taking their cases to Washington -- and to the courts.

Passions and Detachment in Journalism: Can personal passions can be reconciled with professional detachment? A reporter answers yes.

Effort to End Conflicts for Oil Regulators: The federal agency that regulates offshore drilling is taking steps to end a long history of conflicts of interest and excessive coziness with the companies it is charged with policing.

Jacob Bigeleisen, Isotope Chemist on Manhattan Project, Dies at 91: Dr. Bigeleisen’s approach was ultimately unsuccessful, but he went on to open a new field of chemistry that studied ways to speed up or slow down chemical reactions.

Advances Offer Path to Shrink Computer Chip: Researchers are reporting that they can overcome a fundamental barrier to the continued rapid miniaturization of computer memory.

Majority of Caesareans Are Done Before Labor: A new study suggests several reasons for the nation’s rising Caesarean section rate.

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Scientific American

Physics of free kicks: The hidden advantage of long-distance soccer shots: When Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos struck a powerful free-kick from about 30 meters out in a 1997 international match against France, he could not have known that scientists would still be discussing his feat more than a dozen years later.

Rabbit Rest: Can Lab-grown Human Skin Replace Animals in Toxicity Testing?: It likely comes as no surprise that many common household chemicals and medical products as well as industrial and agricultural chemicals, may irritate human skin temporarily or, worse, cause permanent, corrosive burns. In order to prevent undue harm regulators in

Ants Protect Acacia Trees From Elephants: We all know that elephants aren’t really scared of mice. But a new study shows that they’re really not crazy about something even smaller: ants. In fact, elephants dislike ants so much that they avoid acacia trees that harbor the

Robot meet and greet: ASIMO works on its social skills this week: No description.

Mapping the Mind: Online Interactive Atlas Shows Activity of 20,000 Brain-Related Genes (preview): Scientists have long sought to understand the biological basis of thought. In the second century A.D., physician and philosopher Claudius Galen held that the brain was a gland that secreted fluids to the body via the nerves--a view that went

Deepwater Horizon: After the oil: By Amanda Mascarelli Oil has been here.

Shaky Ground: Can Seismologists Be Charged with a Crime for Not Predicting Deadly Quakes?: The adage “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” does not quite capture the following pair of situations. It’s more like “damned if you could (but you can’t), damned if you couldn’t (but you kind of did).”First, the “damned

New Microscope Enables Real-Time 3-D Movies of Developing Embryos: Using a revolutionary new microscope, scientists can now peer into embryos and watch, in one of the worlds smallest 3-D movies, as brains, eyes and other organs form. A team at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany,

Kids swap DNA for fairground rides: If attendees at the Minnesota State Fair aren't too busy reveling in the performances of Kiss or "Weird Al" Yankovic, or enjoying a celebrity cow-milking contest, they might just try spitting for science.This week, researchers from the University of Minnesota

North Carolina declares emergency due to hurricane: RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue declared a state of emergency on Wednesday due to the approach of Hurricane Earl. The emergency measures would waive restrictions on highway transport, thus allowing more speedy delivery of essential

BP to remove equipment at Gulf well by Sunday-US gov't: * Calmer seas will allow equipment switch to proceed * Drilling to resume on relief well after switch

New science blog networks mushroom to life: The science blogosphere is shrinking and growing at the same time. Today, the Public Library of Science (PLoS) starts a new network called PLoS Blogs . A nonprofit publisher of open-access journals focused on biological sciences, PLoS will fold its

A Few Drug-Resistant Bacteria May Keep the Whole Colony Alive: There’s been an unexpected development in our understanding of drug resistance in bacteria. The accepted scenario was a simple case of evolutionary selection. In a bacterial population exposed to a killer drug, a few lucky individuals might have a genetic

When hasty headlines fail to shake a family tree: By Lucas Laursen When a new species comes to light, its effect on the arrangement of its family tree might be better measured by statistics than by headlines.

Toxic avenger: One man's desperate idea to save the rhinos--poison their horns: With rhinoceros poaching in Africa approaching an all-time high , one nature preserve owner has had enough. Ed Hern, owner of the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve near Johannesburg, South Africa, is experimenting with injecting cyanide into his rhinos horns.

The Deepening Crisis: With this final column I will transition Sustainable Developments from Scientific American to the home page of the Earth Institute ( www.earth.columbia.edu ). Although I will continue to contribute occasional essays to the magazine, I will use this last regular

If the world is going to hell, why are humans doing so well?: For decades, apocalyptic environmentalists (and others) have warned of humanitys imminent doom, largely as a result of our unsustainable use of and impact upon the natural systems of the planet. After all, the most recent comprehensive assessment of so-called ecosystem

Stem-cell work thrown into limbo: By Meredith WadmanCandace Kerr was working late on 23 August when a postdoc sent her the link to a CNN story in an e-mail entitled: "Bad news for stem cell researchers." Kerr, a stem-cell scientist at Johns Hopkins University in

Re-thinking the Internet with security and mobility in mind: The middle-aged Internet ( ARPANET first went live more than 40 years ago ) could easily slide into complacency, but the National Science Foundation (NSF) might be staving this off with four multi-million dollar grants that the agency has recently

Engineering students happily deafened by Mwanga metalworkers: Editors Note: Students from Dartmouths Thayer School of Engineering are working in Tanzania to help improve sanitation and energy technologies in local villages. The student-led group , known as Humanitarian Engineering Leadership Projects (HELP), will file dispatches from the field

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Space.com

Supernova Blast Wave Could Shape Galaxy Evolution: A new glimpse of a well-known supernova could provide new clues about how dying stars affect their surroundings.

Asteroid Diversity: Mixed Bag of Space Rocks Found Near Earth: A new survey of asteroids near Earth shows these space rocks are a mixed bag, with some shiny and bright, others dark and dull.

Airbag Designer Casts Eye on NASA's Escape Ship: New airbag technology that mimics natures way of protecting seed embryos could take the bumps out of spacecraft landings.

On Months-Long Missions, How Durable Is An Astronaut's Mind?: Volunteers in Russia are approaching the three-month mark in their record 520-day Mars spaceflight simulation. Meanwhile, researchers will continue to pay close attention to how the six volunteer astronauts physically and psychologically cope throughout the mock mission to the red

Group of Navigation Satellites Launched by Proton Rocket: A Proton rocket launched Wednesday bearing three spacecraft to help expand Russias satellite navigation system.

Solar Sail Spacecraft Could Explore Beyond Solar System: Sun-powered spacecraft could be the ticket to traveling beyond the solar system, scientists say.

Space Luminaries Petition Against House Version of NASA Bill: In a new letter 30 Nobel laureates and space officials argue for different NASA spending priorities in a bill working through Congress.

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ScienceDaily

Protecting the lungs against 'collateral damage' from the immune system: A new study shows how our bodies try to minimize potential collateral damage caused by our immune system when fighting infection. The research may also provide new clues to why cigarette smoke is a significant risk factor for developing diseases

Mechanisms and function of a type of mysterious immune cell discovered: In two closely related studies, two teams of scientists have discovered the underlying mechanisms that activate a type of immune cell in the skin and other organs. The findings may lead to the development of new therapies to treat inflammation,

New type of anti-malarial compound discovered: Scientists have discovered a promising new drug candidate that represents a new class of drug to treat malaria. Clinical trials for the compound are planned for later this year.

Hubble observations of supernova reveal composition of 'star guts' pouring out: Observations made with NASAs newly refurbished Hubble Space Telescope of a nearby supernova are allowing astronomers to measure the velocity and composition of star guts being ejected into space following the explosion, according to a new study.

Ozone depletion: Paving the way for identification of rogue CFC release: A new discovery could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere. They have also discovered the largest chlorine isotope enrichment ever found in nature.

Social networks influence health behaviors: Individuals are more likely to acquire new health practices while living in networks with dense clusters of connections -- that is, when in close contact with people they already know well.

New method successfully predicted how oil from Deepwater Horizon spill would spread: Prompted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a scientist has come up with a new way of predicting how contaminants like oil will spread. He was able to forecast several days in advance that oil from that spill would wash

Edible nanostructures: Compounds made from renewable materials could be used for gas storage, f(...): Sugar, salt, alcohol and a little serendipity led researchers to discover a new class of nanostructures that could be used for gas storage and food and medical technologies. And the compounds are edible. The porous crystals are the first known

Brainy worms: Scientists uncover counterpart of cerebral cortex in marine worms: Unexpectedly, scientists have now discovered a true counterpart of the cerebral cortex in an invertebrate, a marine worm. Their findings give an idea of what the most ancient higher brain centers looked like, and what our distant ancestors used them

Low grades in adolescence linked to dopamine genes, says biosocial criminologist: The academic performance of adolescents will suffer in at least one of four key subjects -- English, math, science, history -- if their DNA contains one or more of three specific dopamine gene variations, according to a biosocial criminologist.

Insight offered into superstitious behavior: People who believe that fate and chance control their lives are more likely to be superstitious -- but when faced with death they are likely to abandon superstition altogether, according to new research.

You say, 'bio-math,' I say, 'math-bio': Crossing science education divide: The old joke is a joke no more. In new research, the adage that biology is for science students who dont do math is laid to rest forever. Bio-math or math-bio is the future for students of both disciplines, say

Ants take on Goliath role in protecting trees in the savanna from elephants: Ants are not out of their weight class when defending trees from the appetite of natures heavyweight, the African elephant, a new study finds. Columns of angered ants will crawl up into elephant trunks to repel the ravenous beasts from

Gene doping detectable with a simple blood test: German scientists have developed a blood test that can reliably detect gene doping even after 56 days. It was previously impossible to prove that an athlete had undergone gene doping.

‘Green wall’ technology could double the plant diversity of the River Thames through London: Only half the number of plant species that could blossom along the walls of the River Thames finds a suitable place to grow, yet this could potentially double with the introduction of ‘green wall’ technology, according to new research.

Capsaicin can act as co-carcinogen, study finds; Chili pepper component linked to skin cancer: New research links capsaicin, a component of chili peppers, to skin cancer. While the molecular mechanisms of the cancer-promoting effects of capsaicin are not clear and remain controversial, the new research has shown a definite connection to formation of skin

Scientists unwrap DNA packaging to gain insight into cells: Scientists have built a clearer picture of how lengthy strands of DNA are concertinaed when our cells grow and divide, in a discovery could help explain how cell renewal can go wrong.

Why fish oils work swimmingly against inflammation and diabetes: Researchers have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.

Cancer-causing gene crucial in stem cell development, study finds: A research team has shown for the first time that a gene called Myc, which is traditionally thought of as a cancer-causing gene, may be far more important in the development and persistence of stem cells than was known before.

'Basal-like' breast cancer does not originate from basal stem cells: New research uncovers a case of mistaken identity that may have a significant impact on future breast cancer prevention and treatment strategies. The study suggests that despite their stem cell-like characteristics, most aggressive breast tumors are not derived from normal

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New Scientist

Ancient bacteria could improve anti-ageing cosmetics: Cyanobacteria survived strong UV exposure for a billion years – the secret to their success could be key to new sunscreens and anti-ageing products

Space ribbon deployed to surf Earth's magnetic field: Future spacecraft could change their orbits simply by unfurling electrically conducting tethers – Japan has now tested one in a suborbital mission

Today on New Scientist: 2 September 2010: All todays stories on NewScientist.com including: the flaws in criminal profiling, a birds-eye view of hurricane Earl and weird water inside planets

Instant Expert: The unseen universe: There is more to the cosmos than meets the eye. Astrophysicist Michael Rowan-Robinson explores what invisible rays from radio to gamma have shown us

Smart USB speakers pump up the volume from laptops: By storing power for when its needed most, speakers that plug into a USB port can produce high-quality sound without the need for mains power

Hawking hasn't changed his mind about God: Stephen Hawkings new book is the biggest science news story of the day. Has he suddenly given up a religious belief, asks Roger Highfield

A birds-eye view of hurricane Earl: An astronaut on the International Space Station has captured a serene-looking view of hurricane Earl – but things arent so calm down below

Photo competition: Science in motion: Throughout September New Scientist is running a photo competition – we want your photos on the theme of movement and science

Can US Congress overturn stem-cell funding freeze?: Congress could find a way around the shock court ruling that has frozen US government support for work on human embryonic stem cells

Stephen Hawking says there's no theory of everything: In his new book, The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking argues that there is no single theory of reality because there is no single reality

Weird water lurking inside giant planets: A form of water deep within Uranus and Neptune may behave like a liquid and a solid simultaneously, explaining the planets bizarre magnetic fields

Laser-powered helicopter hovers for hours: Lasers can bring down remote-piloted aircraft – but a new demo shows they can also keep the craft airborne

Swine flu drug in narcolepsy probe: Fifteen children in Finland were diagnosed with narcolepsy after receiving swine flu vaccine – but it could have occurred by chance

Ultimate eclipse photo: The film has been developed: In the last of his posts about photographing the eclipse, Dan Falk compares his analogue and digital images. But which does he think is best?

'Medical marijuana' hits the small screen: The first advert for medicinal cannabis was aired on television this week in California. Is this a sign of things to come, asks Catherine de Lange

Is criminal profiling flawed and disorderly?: Its a staple of cop shows, but the jurys still out on claims that criminals identities can be deduced from their modus operandi

'Brain training' may just hide symptoms of dementia: People who engage in mental challenges may stave off symptoms of Alzheimers, but decline more quickly if subsequently diagnosed

Psychoactive drugs: From recreation to medication: With trials showing positive results from the treatment of cancer to alcohol addiction, could illegal drugs be heading for the medical mainstream?

Void that is truly empty solves dark energy puzzle: Forget vacuums fizzing with particle activity: a new calculation shows this strange notion isnt necessary after all

Today on New Scientist: 1 September 2010: All todays stories on NewScientist.com including: wonder conductors set to cool computers, self-healing concrete, and the worlds new longest animal

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BBC

'Lights out' help migratory birds: A growing number of New York sky-scrapers switch off their lights at night to help reduce the number of migratory birds hitting the buildings.

Ants protect trees from elephants: A species of acacia tree found in Eastern Africa seems to be protected from elephant damage - by the ants that live on it.

Worm brain clue to evolution: Researchers map the nervous system of worms to try and understand how the human cerebral cortex evolved.

Free kick study boost for footballers: Dr Andy Harland of Loughborough University analyses what new free-kick trajectory findings mean for footballers.

Rare Roman lantern found in field: A metal detecting enthusiast finds what is believed to be the only intact Roman lantern made out of bronze ever discovered in Britain.

Creation was Godless says Hawking: There is no place for God in theories on the creation of the Universe, Professor Stephen Hawking concludes in a new book.

Making money from Peruvian bird poo: An island off Peru is making money from selling bird poo to use as organic fertiliser

Weather clash causes snowy winter: The collision of two major weather events can explain unusually large snowfall in the US and Northern Europe, researchers say.

Floods swamp south Sudan region: Some 57,000 people have been forced from their homes because of dramatic floods in south-western Sudan over the past month, officials say.

Hurricane prompts US evacuations: Evacuations begin in areas of the US East Coast likely to be hit by Hurricane Earl, which has strengthened to a category four storm again.

Greatest free kick 'was no fluke': Physicists explain one of footballs most spectacular free kicks, showing that Roberto Carloss 1997 impossible goal was not a fluke.

Old star wallows in 'steam bath': Europes Herschel space telescope spies an aging star that has surrounded itself in hot water vapour.

Fishermen welcome new sole quota: Fishermen from Suffolk and Essex have welcomed a new quota agreement which allows smaller boats to start catching sole again.

Ancient funeral feast unearthed: The remains of a huge 12,000 year old feast have been found in a cave in Northern Israel.

Killer whales 'evolving rapidly': Natural selection is driving orcas, commonly known as killer whales, to evolve into two separate species, a study reveals.

Video reveals Titanic's condition: New pictures have emerged of the shipwreck of the Titanic, almost 25 years since it was first discovered.

Facial cancer hits Tasmanian devil Cedric: A Tasmanian Devil who experts hoped was immune to a facial cancer that threatens the marsupial species is euthanised after developing tumours.

Titanic decay 'not as bad as feared': An expedition reveals sharp new photos and video of the Titanic wreck, appearing to show the vessel is not as badly corroded as was feared.

Earthquake recorded in North Sea: An earthquake is recorded in the North Sea about 155 miles east of Aberdeen.

Ancient reef uncovered in Pacific: An ancient reef may provide scientists with clues about what will happen to coral when sea temperatures rise.

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CNN

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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Discovery

Earth's Animals Face Grim Future: A major extinction event is taking place now, with many wondering what animals will disappear from the planet forever.

NPR: Keeping Trapped Chilean Miners Sane (Featuring Discovery News): In response to the article Can NASA Help Trapped Chilean Miners?, Discovery News space producer Ian ONeill was asked to appear as a guest on NPRs Talk of the Nation program.

Vietnam's Illegal Wildlife Trade Exposed: Over 850 pounds of illegal wildlife from nearly 20 species was just seized from restaurants in Vietnam, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

New Explosion Rips Through Gulf of Mexico: No one was killed, but the rig was on fire.

Human-Like Brain Found in Worm: For the first time, a structure comparable to our cerebral cortex has been found in an invertebrate -- a humble marine ragworm.

East Coast Braces for Hurricane Earl: Hurricane Earl is forcing evacuations along North Carolinas barrier islands as officials prepare for the worst.

Why Americans Think Obama is Muslim: New psychological research helps explain why many people believe misinformation about people-- including why Obama is believed to be Muslim.

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Science/AAAS

Deforestation Rate Continues to Plunge in Brazil: The Brazilian government says that a preliminary survey by a low-resolution satellite shows that...

Forget Mice, Elephants Really Hate Ants: An aversion to biting ants keeps elephants from ravaging the savanna

How Fish Oil Fights Inflammation: Omega-3 fatty acids work via a specific receptor and may combat diabetes as well

'Impossible' Soccer Goal Explained by New Twist on Curveball Physics: Analysis of stunning kick shows how spinning balls follow spiral paths

NASA Experts on Extreme Environments on Scene in Chile: Four NASA experts arrived today in the Chilean town of Copiapó to use expertise...

JAMA Editor Moves On: Catherine DeAngelis, the outspoken editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, is...

Bloodstream's 'Band-Aids' Bad for Lupus: New study suggests that platelets amplify autoimmune disease

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USATODAY

Stem cells reverse blindness caused by chemical burns: Dozens of people who were blinded or otherwise suffered severe eye damage when they were splashed with caustic chemicals had their sight restored with transplants of their own stem cells, Italian researchers reported Wednesday.

Group seeks endangered listing for Franklin's bumblebee: A conservation group filed a petition Wednesday to add a bumblebee from Southern Oregon and Northern California to the endangered species list.

Exhibit imagines utopian, green cities in 2030: Imagine no cars or fewer, anyway.

Nations fail to agree on curbing Japan whale hunt: Japanese officials and environmentalists traded blame Wednesday as nations failed to reach a deal to curb whale hunts by Japan, Norway and Icelandcountries that kill hundreds of whales every year.

Not just oil: Methane gas may cause 'dead zones' in Gulf: Oceanographers say methane 10,000 to 100,000 times higher than normal near the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are depleting oxygen in the water.

Jimmy Buffett's Gulf rescue mission: Saving marine life: Singer is bringing specially designed boats to the Gulf of Mexico to rescue animals from the oil spill.

Battle against lice may be aided by new genome study: Sometimes scientific research can be a lousy job.

Radar reveals extent of buried ancient Egyptian city: An Austrian archaeological team has used radar imaging to determine the extent of the ruins of the one time 3,500-year-old capital of Egypts foreign occupiers, said the antiquities department Sunday.

Roundup resistant weeds pose environmental threat: When the weed killer Roundup was introduced in the 1970s, it proved it could kill nearly any plant while still being safer than many other herbicides, and it allowed farmers to give up harsher chemicals and reduce tilling that can

John Glenn: Keep US space shuttles flying: Mercury astronaut John Glenn wants NASAs space shuttles to keep flying until their replacement is ready.

Obama plan to land on asteroid may be unrealistic for 2025: Millions of miles from Earth, two astronauts hover weightlessly next to a giant space rock, selecting pebbles for scientific research. The spaceship where theyll sleep floats just overhead. Beyond it, barely visible in the sky, is a glittering speck. Its

Ancient legends once walked among early humans?: At least one scholar has an intriguing answer: The discovery of material evidence of a distinct hominin (human) lineage in Central Asia as recently as 30,000 years ago does not come as a surprise to those who have looked at

Nationwide project lends new details on earthquakes: When it comes to studying earthquakes, Oregon State University geology professor Bob Lillie has a simple theory: The more that is known, the better people can prepare and protect themselves.

US-Russian crew blasts off to space station: Two U.S. astronauts and a Russian crewmate blasted off successfully Wednesday on a mission to the International Space Station that will see the last ever shuttle visit to the orbiting lab.

EPA: Climate bill costs less than postage stamp: The Obama administration says a climate and energy bill being pushed in the Senate would cost American households 22 to 40 cents a day, less than the cost of a postage stamp.

Construction begins on $100m climate supercomputer in Wyo.: Work has begun on a supercomputing facility in Wyoming that will contain one of the worlds most powerful computers.

Japan may quit whaling commission if ban stays put: Japan is considering withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission if no progress is made toward easing an international ban on commercial whaling, its fisheries minister said Tuesday.

Tomato lovers sound off on heirlooms vs. hybrids: Hybrid tomatoes are traditionally more resistant to blights, but tomato snobs say heirlooms taste better. Is that changing?

Ask USA TODAY Weather: Whats the difference between a wind storm and a winter storm? What will the weather be like in Pennsylvania on the 4th of July weekend? Is it safe during a thunderstorm to sleep in your bed if there is a

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Digg Science

Brain exercises may slow cognitive decline initially, but speed up dementia later: New research shows that mentally stimulating activities such as crossword puzzles, reading and listening to the radio may, at first, slow the decline of thinking skills but speed up dementia later in old age.

Put Down the Electronics and Back Away: I know, its TechStuff, so I should be telling you to pick up the electronics, right? According to a study at the University of California, San Francisco quoted by Matt Richtel of The New York Times, rats engaged with new

Sunspot Photo is Most Detailed Ever (pic): ...

Top 10 Least Environmentally Friendly Government Subsidies: Urban sprawl, pollution, over-consumption, deforestation…like it or not, U.S. taxpayers are still paying for all of these things to occur in America. Despite recent investments in green jobs and technology, an array of government subsidies pay big dirty industries like

The Largest Hailstone Ever Recorded In The United States!: Even after melting, the stone still measured 8.0 inches in diameter and weighed nearly 2 pounds (1 pound, 15 ounces) with a circumference of 18.62 inches. Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

How Blind People See the Internet: Your eyes are absorbing this webpage. Theyre passing over this, this, then this word, right now. Thats how reading works, online: you take this for granted. But what if you couldnt?

Observatory Snaps the Most Detailed Pic of a Sunspot Ever: The image was captured with Big Bear’s New Solar Telescope a brand new instrument with a resolution of just 50 miles on the sun’s surface.

Cairn Energy discovers gas offshore Greenland: Cairn Energy, which is prospecting for oil off the Greenland west coast, has announced that it has found gas in thin sand deposits, and will be continuing its test drilling for oil to its planned depth.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launching: No description.

New microbe discovered eating oil spill in Gulf: A newly discovered type of oil-eating microbe is suddenly flourishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists discovered the new microbe while studying the underwater dispersion of millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf following the explosion of BPs

Record Heat: 9 Nations That Topped Their Highest Temperature: 2010 has been dominated by extreme natural phenomena, becoming known as the year of global weirding. Heat waves are just one of the many dramatic forces in weather that have been wreaking havoc across the world, scorching populations from South

Wind, Molten Salt Storage Solar May Power Australia by 2020: A report from Beyond Zero Emissions asserts that Australias energy needs can be fully met by renewable sources within 10 years with technologies that are already available, with 40% coming from wind generation, and 60% from large-scale Concentrating Solar Thermal

Why Women Are Unhappier Than They've Been in Years: Investigating a new study that suggests the fairer sex is seriously bummed.

Hi-tech rechargeable batteries developed for military: Scientists reported progress today in using a common virus to develop improved materials for high-performance, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that could be woven into clothing to power portable electronic devices.

Beekeeper Creates Bee Resistant to Colony Collapse Disorder: A British beekeeper has been working on creating a new strain of honeybee resistant to the varroa mite, a prime suspect in colony collapse disorder (CCD), and it looks like hes hit a high note after 18 years of careful

Transparency: The Most Fuel Efficient Airlines (Graphic): While some airlines have done experiments in running planes on biofuels, air travel normally requires an enormous output of carbon-emitting jet fuel. Various factors, like plane models, total load, and chosen route can effect one trips fuel efficiency, but which

Planets Weighed Using Pulsar Flashes: The rotating corpses of massive stars can help scientists weigh the planets in the solar system. By carefully timing radio blips from spinning stellar leftovers called pulsars, astronomers have measured the masses of all the planets from Mercury to Saturn,

DNA of Chernobyl animals studied: Two scientists, one American and one French, have been in Chernobyl for more than 10 years studying the populations of insects, birds and mammals in zone of alienation surrounding the abandoned nuclear power station

Galaxy Cluster Abell 1689 Magnifies the Dark Universe: Whats the matter with this cluster of galaxies? To find out what forms matter takes in the Abell 1689 cluster requires not only deep images from telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope, but detailed computer modeling as well.

A Look At World Energy Resources & Consumption (Infographic): Take a look at the world’s energy consumption as a factor of renewable and non-renewable energy resources.

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Science News Online

Geomagnetic field flip-flops in a flash: Scientists unearth more evidence of superfast changes in Earth’s magnetic polarity

Diabetes drug might fight cancer: In use for years, metformin has few side effects

Alzheimer’s trade-off for mentally active seniors: Stimulation delays cognitive decline, but disease advances quickly once it starts

Feud over family ties in evolution: Prominent scientists dispute kinship’s role in self-sacrifice among highly social creatures

Alzheimer’s trade-off for mentally active seniors: Stimulation delays cognitive decline, but disease advances quickly once it starts

Hints of altruism among bacteria: E. coli defend against antibiotics with a little help from their friends

Ovary removal proves beneficial for cancer-prone women: BRCA mutation carriers who opt for surgery survive longer than those forgoing the operation

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NASA

Planets Align for the Perseid Meteor Shower: Mark your calendar: On Thursday, August 12th, an alignment of planets in the sunset sky will kick off the finest meteor shower of 2010, the Perseids.

Strange Martian Spirals Explained: For 40 years researchers have puzzled over a strange pattern of ice spirals and chasms around the Martian north pole. New data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter solves the mystery.

South Pacific Eclipse: On Sunday, July 11th, a total eclipse of rare beauty will sweep across the South Pacific.

Jupiter Impact: Mystery of the Missing Debris: On June 3rd, amateur astronomers were startled by a bright flash of light on Jupiter. It appeared to be an impact event--a comet or asteroid hitting the planet's cloudtops. Curiously, though, the "impact" has left no obvious debris. Was it

Spirit May Never Phone Home Again: NASA is hoping for a 'miracle from Mars' as mission controllers wait to hear from Spirit. The rover is trying to survive its toughest winter yet, and may never phone home again.

Kepler Discovers Multiple Planets … ing a Single Star: NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered two Saturn-sized planets transiting the same sun-like star. The same system might contain a third world--a hot "super-Earth" one and a half times the size of Earth--but this is not yet confirmed. Researchers announced the

A Rare Meeting of Planets and Spaceships: Something special is happening this weekend. Venus and the Moon are gathering for a sunset conjunction on Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16. On the same nights, the ISS is going to be flying over many US towns and

The Mutating Mars Hoax: Warning: The Mars Hoax is back--and it's mutating! Read today's story from Science@NASA to find out what's really going to happen in the night sky on August 27th.

Spacequakes Rumble Near Earth: Researchers using NASA's THEMIS spacecraft have discovered a form of space weather that packs the punch of an earthquake and plays a key role in sparking bright Northern Lights. They call it "the spacequake."

Journey to the Stars: It's immersive, it's explosive, and best of all it's free. On June 7th, NASA will begin sending complimentary DVDs of the smash-hit planetarium show "Journey to the Stars" to teachers and students around the country. Today's story from Science@NASA reviews

As the Sun Awakens, NASA Keeps … Eye on Space Weather: The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and the next few years could bring much higher levels of solar activity. NASA is keeping a wary eye on the sun as officials meet in Washington DC to discuss the

Old Moon Rover Beams Surprising … er Flashes to Earth: A Soviet robot lost on the dusty plains of the Moon for the past 40 years has been found again, and it is returning surprisingly strong laser pulses to Earth. Researchers plan to use the aged robot to help them

Countdown to Vesta: NASA's Dawn spacecraft is now less than a year away from giant asteroid Vesta. Today's story from Science@NASA offers a sneak preview of an "alien, unexplored world" that seems sure to amaze.

Students Record Spellbinding Video … ating Spacecraft: On June 13th, while flying on an airplane at 41,000 feet, high school students from Massachusetts witnessed and recorded the dramatic breakup of Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft over Australia. Their newly-processed video is a must-see.

Big Lunar Eclipse: This Saturday morning, June 26th, there's going to be a lunar eclipse—and for many residents of the USA, it's going to be a big one.

Tracking Ticks via Satellite: Ticks cause Lyme disease and many other ailments, but finding the little bloodsuckers by hand can be both disgusting and dangerous. Now there's a better way--via satellite.

The Astronomy of Mother's Day: Do you dare wake Mom at dawn ... on Mother's Day? Under the circumstances, she might not mind. May 9th begins and ends with a lovely display of stars and planets.

How Capt. Kirk Changed the World: A NASA spacecraft inspired by Star Trek technology is en route to explore a giant asteroid and a dwarf planet.

Japanese Spacecraft Approaches Venus: A Japanese spacecraft named "Akatsuki" is approaching Venus on a mission that planetary scientists say could end up teaching us a great deal about our own planet Earth.

NASA Has Big Plans for Humanoid Robot: NASA is making a to-do list for the space station's new humanoid robot. Nicknamed R2, the mechanical crew member's chores could range from the most delicate science experiments to old-fashioned house cleaning.

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