GoogleTrends

Friday, November 6, 2015

FeedaMail: Science News Headlines - Yahoo! News

Science News Headlines - Yahoo! News

(Sponsor this newsletter)

Scientists learn how some fish can supercharge their vision

It turns out that in real life, some fish and amphibians can do something nearly as super when it come to their sight. Researchers on Thursday said these animals, when navigating murky freshwater environments like rivers and streams, can turn on an enzyme in their eyes that supercharges their ability to see infrared light, sharpening their vision in the muck and mire. With the enzyme, fish and amphibians can tune their vision to match the environmental light.

Scientists learn how some fish can supercharge their vision

Big businesses back affirmative action before U.S. Supreme Court

Three major companies, citing the under-representation of minorities in science and technology fields, are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold affirmative action in university admissions in a closely watched case to be argued next month. Technology services company IBM Corp, chemical manufacturer DuPont and chip maker Intel Corp signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief filed this week backing the University of Texas at Austin. Affirmative action is a policy under which racial minorities historically subject to discrimination are given certain preferences in education and employment.

NASA drops Boeing from space station cargo competition

By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. space agency NASA has dropped Boeing Co from a multibillion-dollar competition to fly cargo to the International Space Station and will delay selecting one or more winners for about two months, officials said on Thursday. Boeing was offering an unmanned version of its Starliner CST-100 space taxi, under development as part of a separate NASA program to transport crew and cargo to the space station. "We received a letter from NASA and are out of CRS-2," Boeing spokeswoman Kelly Kaplan wrote in an email, referring to NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract.

Gorgeous Auroras Could Light Up Entire Martian Sky

The first astronauts to set foot on Mars may be in for a spectacular sight — the entire night sky filled with glowing auroras. Researchers working on NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission hosted a news conference this afternoon (Nov. 5) to discuss the orbiter's observations about the Red Planet's loss of atmosphere due to solar wind, and they also shared some details about MAVEN's measurements of Mars auroras. "A new kind of aurora was observed at Mars that frankly surprised us, and this was aurorae in a part of the atmosphere that is above regions that don't have a magnetic field at all," Dave Brain, MAVEN co-investigator and researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), said during the news conference.

NASA Pluto Probe Sets Course for Second Flyby Target

The NASA probe that flew by Pluto in July is now all lined up for a potential close encounter with a second faraway object, in 2019. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft completed the last of four trajectory-altering engine burns Wednesday (Nov. 4) and is now on course to a small body called 2014 MU69, which lies more than 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond Pluto. The probe will study 2014 MU69 up close in January 2019, if NASA approves an extended mission.

Mars Lost Atmosphere to Space as Life Took Hold on Earth

The window for life to take root across broad stretches of the Martian surface may have closed shortly after the first microbes evolved on Earth. New results from NASA's MAVEN spacecraft suggest that the Red Planet lost most of its carbon dioxide-dominated atmosphere — which had kept Mars relatively warm and allowed the planet to support liquid surface water — to space about 3.7 billion years ago. "We think that all of the action took place between about 4.2 to 3.7 billion years ago," MAVEN principal investigator Bruce Jakosky, of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, told Space.com.

Dengue Fever Outbreak Hits Hawaii — Will It Last?

Four more people were diagnosed with dengue fever on Hawaii's Big Island today (Nov. 5), raising the number of locally transmitted cases to 19 people, according to the Hawaii State Department of Health. Health officials say these "locally transmitted" cases are concerning because, although dengue has popped up sporadically in Hawaii before, in most previous cases, the disease was imported, meaning travelers brought it to the islands from elsewhere. "Although dengue is not endemic to Hawaii, we do have the mosquito species capable of transmitting the disease," Dr. Sarah Park, the state epidemiologist for Hawaii, said in a statement last week.

Scientists crack mystery of Mars' missing atmosphere - the sun did it

By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Scientists have documented a solar storm blasting away Mars' atmosphere, an important clue in a long-standing mystery of how a planet that was once like Earth turned into a cold, dry desert, research published on Thursday shows. Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a global magnetic field to protect its atmosphere, leaving it vulnerable to solar ultraviolet radiation and high-energy blasts of gas and magnetic particles that stream from the sun during solar storms. On March 8, NASA's Mars-orbiting MAVEN spacecraft caught such a storm stripping away the planet's atmosphere, according to a report published in this week's issue of the journal Science.

Astronauts Taking Walk in Space Today: Watch It Live

American astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren are venturing outside the International Space Station this morning (Nov. 6) for their second spacewalk mission in two weeks — and you can watch their orbital action online as it happens. The 33rd U.S. spacewalk outside the station began at 6:22 a.m. EST (1122 GMT), and the astronauts will be reconfiguring a station cooling system after an attempt to stop a leak in 2012, and topping off its liquid ammonia. The astronauts are scheduled to be outside for 6.5 hours to make the changes, although they can stay out longer if necessary.

Supersized scanner to explore the body and hunt down disease

By Ben Gruber When they were kids, Simon Cherry and Ramsey Badawi both wanted to be astronomers, unlocking mysteries in far off galaxies. The pair still plan on unlocking mysteries but this time inside the human body. They've received a $15.5 million grant to build the world's first full body PET scanner. Positron emission tomography, or PET, images function on a molecular level. "We are able to say something about what the cells in the body are doing," said Simon Cherry a professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Davis.

Death from Above: Mass Extinctions Tied to Comet Strikes

Many of Earth's mass extinctions over the eons have been caused by comet strikes, a new study suggests. Over the past 260 million years, cratering rates on Earth have peaked every 26 million years or so, in tune with a previously noted cycle of mass-extinction events, researchers found. Furthermore, five of the six largest impact craters known from the last quarter-billion years — including the 112-mile-wide (180 kilometers) crater associated with the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago — were gouged out at roughly the same time that a mass extinction occurred.

Will Private Moon Race's First Contract Spur Snowball Effect?

Last month, Israel-based SpaceIL announced it had signed a deal to launch its lander to the moon aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the second half of 2017, becoming the first entrant in the Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP) competition to secure a "verified" launch contract. GLXP representatives said they hope other teams follow SpaceIL's lead.

A 'Natural' Herb Can be Poisonous, Woman Learns

Once the woman was admitted to the hospital and treated for her symptoms, she told her doctors that she had recently purchased an herbal remedy made from the poisonous plant Atropa belladonna, commonly named deadly nightshade, to combat her insomnia. On the label of the product the woman purchased, it is called "Atropa belladonna Belladonna Leaf," and it can be legally purchased online.

Garcinia Cambogia: Supplement Often Lacks Active Ingredient, Study Finds

Consumers who buy Garcinia cambogia, a weight-loss supplement made popular by Dr. Oz, may not be getting what they expect, recent laboratory testing show. Laboratory tests found 21 of 29 of the top-selling Garcinia cambogia supplements sold online contain substantially less of the active ingredient, called hydroxycitric acid (HCA), than the label claims. The results were released by an independent supplement testing company, called LabDoor, and have not been subject to peer review, the primary process for vetting scientific results.

Tummy Tucks May Be Riskier Than Other Plastic Surgeries

People who undergo tummy tucks may face a higher rate of major complications than those who have other cosmetic plastic-surgery procedures, according to a new study. Tummy tucks, which doctors call abdominoplasty, involve surgically removing excess skin and tissue from the abdomen to create a smoother and firmer abdominal profile. In the study, researchers looked at about 25,000 people who had tummy tucks between 2008 and 2013.

Spotted! Elusive Snow Leopard Caught on Camera in Kyrgyzstan

Scientists have captured new images of a snow leopard being collared in Kyrgyzstan. The move marks the first time that one of these elusive creatures has been collared in the remote Central Asian nation.

Mooooove Over, Cows! Kangaroo Farts Warm the Earth, Too

Since the 1970s, it has been suggested that kangaroos don't fart — or rather, the (ahem!) gas they emit contains very little, if any, methane. Methane is naturally created by bacteria in an animal's gut. Kangaroos, cows and many other plant eaters use these bacteria to help them digest grass and leaves.

Swallowed Bobby Pin Ends Up in Child's Kidney

After a medical team operated to remove the pin, the boy recovered without further complications, according to the doctors who treated the boy and wrote the report of his case. "Children actually start exploring the world using their mouth as soon as they are able to pick up objects," said Dr. Yasmin Abdulaziz Yousef, of the department of surgery at KAMC-JD, National Guard Health Affairs in Jeddah, who treated the boy and co-authored the report of his case.

Britain's first astronaut for 24 years hopes to inspire Mars interest

The man who will become the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station said on Friday he hoped his mission would inspire young Britons to one day journey to Mars. Tim Peake, 43, a former army major, will blast off on a six-month mission for the European Space Agency (ESA) in December, the first Briton to go into space since Helen Sharman traveled on a Soviet spacecraft for eight days in 1991. "After a gap of 24 years since Helen Sharman flew to the Mir space station, the Union (Jack) flag is going to be flown and worn in space once again," Peake told reporters.

Sofia Rises: Baby Name Takes Over the World

A new analysis of baby name statistics from naming expert Laura Wattenberg finds that Sofia (along with its variants) is the top baby name in nine countries — nations as far-flung as Mexico, Italy and Russia. In fact, Sophia/Sofia and other local spellings are among the top 25 baby names in two-thirds of the countries (mostly in Europe and the Americas) that report baby name statistics, Wattenberg found. "It just blew me away that so many different languages and cultures would arrive at the same sound at the same time," Wattenberg told Live Science.

Watch Jetpack-Wearing Daredevils Zoom Past a Jumbo Jet (Video)

Move over, George Jetson — a new rocket-propelled duo is giving you a run for your money! For instance, in 2012, Rossy flew alongside a B-17 bomber, and in 2013, he flew over Mount Fuji. Earlier this year, the team flew over Dubai.

Direct-to-consumer company tests FDA's resolve on gene testing

By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - Just as 23andMe has made peace with the US Food and Drug Administration, another direct-to-consumer genetics company is testing the regulatory waters with the launch of a $249 DNA test designed to predict drug response. The test, from tiny startup DNA4Life based in Mandeville, Louisiana, comes in the wake of 23andMe's two-year tussle with the FDA over its direct-to-consumer personal DNA testing service, which the FDA ordered off the market in 2013. Last month, 23andMe relaunched its service with a limited number of genetic tests for carrier screening - tests that show whether an individual carries genes associated with 36 different disorders that could be passed on to a child.

(Sponsor this newsletter)

Delievered to you by Feedamail.
Unsubscribe

Thursday, November 5, 2015

FeedaMail: Science News Headlines - Yahoo! News

Science News Headlines - Yahoo! News

(Sponsor this newsletter)

Cosmic Soufflé: The Tricky Art of Spiral Galaxies

Paul Sutter is a visiting scholar at The Ohio State University's Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP). Julia Child and Alton Brown make it look so easy, but it's a real devil to cook it just so to get that stratospheric tower of deliciousness. So how do you cook a spiral galaxy?

Space Travel and A Futurist's Thoughts on Trash (Op-Ed)

Since the dawn of the Industrial Age, humans have made the environment's health a secondary consideration, at best. Pollution has reached the point where a cleanup of our environment — on a macro scale with heavy equipment — is impractical, and despite present efforts, humanity is losing the fight to manage trash. Commercial and government-mandated recycling can't cope with the sheer volume of trash, and these programs only excel at processing such material as paper, aluminum and steel.

Bad-Rap Bats in Danger of Extinction Around the World (Photos)

Ricardo Antunes is a conservation biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Julie Larsen Maher is staff photographer for WCS, the first woman to hold the position since the society's founding in 1895. In addition to documenting her field visits, Maher photographs the animals at WCS's five New York-based wildlife parks: the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo.

Capturing Cacti Before They Disappear: Q&A with Cacti Curator John Trager

Cacti and succulents do. In conditions of less and less water availability, cacti and succulents can continue to cover our gardenscapes, bringing beauty while conserving precious water resources. Zina Deretsky: How are cacti and succulents important in the wild, and in gardens?

Got the Right Stuff? NASA Is Recruiting New Astronauts

Calling all aspiring astronauts: NASA announced today (Nov. 4) that it will be accepting applications starting in December for its next round of astronaut training. Currently, there are 47 active members in NASA's astronaut corp., with the last group of new astronauts selected in 2013. Applications for the new class will be accepted from mid-December through mid-February, and those selected to begin astronaut training will be announced in mid-2017.

Halloween Asteroid Not So Spooky in New Photos

New photos show the less spooky side of the big asteroid that flew past Earth on Halloween.

NASA to Unveil New Findings About Mars' Atmosphere Thursday

NASA will reveal new results about the atmosphere of Mars this Thursday (Nov. 5), and you can watch the action live. The space agency is hosting a news conference on Thursday at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) to "announce new findings on [the] fate of Mars' atmosphere," according to a NASA media advisory. You can watch the news conference live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV.

Scientists tinker with evolution to save Hawaii coral reefs

COCONUT ISLAND, Hawaii (AP) — Scientists are preparing to transplant laboratory-enhanced coral onto reefs in Hawaii in hopes that the high-performing specimens will strengthen the overall health of the reef.

Mysterious Dark Matter May Not Always Have Been Dark

Dark matter particles may have interacted extensively with normal matter long ago, when the universe was very hot, a new study suggests. Astronomers began suspecting the existence of dark matter when they noticed the cosmos seemed to possess more mass than stars could account for. Most scientists think dark matter provides the gravity that helps hold these stars back.

Flying Telescope Catches Glimpse of Alien Planet

Studies of exoplanets normally have been confined to either outer space or the ground. "Exoplanets are rare events that are sometimes hard to observe from a fixed ground-based telescope," Daniel Angerhausen, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, told Space.com by email.

Oil Spill Aftermath: Why Baby Dolphins May Be Rare in Gulf Waters

Bottlenose dolphins swimming in waters affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are dying earlier and birthing fewer calves than dolphins living in other areas, a new study shows. Just 20 percent of pregnant dolphins in Barataria Bay — a part of the Gulf of Mexico that was most heavily tainted by oil from the spill — gave birth to surviving calves, much lower than the 83 percent success rate in other dolphin populations, the researchers found. In addition, just 86.8 percent of the Barataria Bay dolphins survive every year.

Man Dies After Tapeworm Inside Him Gets Cancer

A Colombian man's lung tumors turned out to have an extremely unusual cause: The rapidly growing masses weren't actually made of human cells, but were from a tapeworm living inside him, according to a report of the case. This is the first known report of a person becoming sick from cancer cells that developed in a parasite, the researchers said. "We were amazed when we found this new type of disease — tapeworms growing inside a person, essentially getting cancer, that spreads to the person, causing tumors," said study researcher Dr. Atis Muehlenbachs, a staff pathologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch (IDPB).

Better Instructions for Tattoo Care Could Prevent Infections, Doctors Say

People who get tattoos need better instructions on how to properly care for their skin afterward, and most states need stronger guidelines for tattoo artists about this topic, a new opinion paper suggests. Only seven states in the U.S. — Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan and North Dakota — have strong policies, requiring that licensed tattoo artists provide customers with instructions on tattoo "aftercare" that has received prior approval from state public health officials, the skin care experts wrote. Such instructions can prevent skin infections after a person gets inked, according to the paper, published online today (Nov. 4) in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Dermatology.

Can Prenatal Choline Cut Schizophrenia Risk in Kids?

In an update to a recent study, researchers say they are continuing to find evidence that women who take supplements containing choline when they're pregnant may lower the risk of schizophrenia in their children. The children in the study are now 4 years old, and are already showing fewer early signs of schizophrenia — such as certain attention and social problems — than expected, said Dr. Robert Freedman at a talk in New York City on Oct. 23. Half of the children in the study had an increased risk for schizophrenia because their mothers had depression, anxiety or psychosis. Freedman, the chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and editor in chief of The American Journal of Psychiatry, gave attendees at the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation symposium an update on the participants in his study, which was originally published in 2013 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Scientists crack mystery of Mars' missing atmosphere - the sun did it

Scientists crack mystery of Mars' missing atmosphere -the sun did it

Watch your mouth: Allosaurus had monstrously gaping jaws

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - You might call the Jurassic Period meat-eating dinosaur Allosaurus the ultimate big mouth. A new study analyzing dinosaur jaw musculature found that this fearsome hunter that prowled North America about 150 million years ago was able to crank open its jaws between 79 and 92 degrees, wider than a right angle. With a skull length of about 3 feet (90 cm), that means a jaw gape of more than 31 inches (80 cm), a terrifying threat to the plant-eating dinosaurs stalked by Allosaurus, a beast more than 33 feet (10 meters) long.

(Sponsor this newsletter)

Delievered to you by Feedamail.
Unsubscribe