 BBC Science/Nature
Smallest planet shrinks in size
The smallest planet in the Solar System has become even smaller, studies by the Messenger spacecraft show.
4 Jul 2008 at 6:42am
Sulston argues for open medicine
Nobel Laureate Sir John Sulston says medical profits are taking precedence over the needs of patients.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:06am
Badger cull proposals 'rejected'
The government has decided against a cull of badgers in England to control TB in cattle, the BBC understands.
4 Jul 2008 at 3:30am
Physics names winners and losers
UK physics and astronomy will spend nearly £2bn in the next three years, but some programmes face cuts.
3 Jul 2008 at 7:57am
Stolen fossils back in Argentina
Four tonnes of dinosaur bones and other fossils stolen from Argentina are back home after being seized in the US.
3 Jul 2008 at 10:15pm
Australia 'needs carbon trading'
An Australian government advisor on climate change calls for a national emissions trading scheme to combat global warming.
4 Jul 2008 at 6:09am
Diamonds hint at 'earliest life'
Tiny slivers of diamond may contain the earliest traces of life on Earth, a study finds.
2 Jul 2008 at 12:13pm
Extinction risk 'underestimated'
Current methods used to assess species on the brink overlook some key factors, a team of scientists claim.
3 Jul 2008 at 6:37am
US 'pregnant man' gives birth to baby girl
An American man who was born female but underwent gender reassignment gives birth, US media report.
3 Jul 2008 at 5:10pm
Feeling the heat - centuries of knowledge of surviving in world's drylands at...
Centuries of knowledge needed to survive in the world's drylands are being sacrificed in the name of progress.
17 Jun 2008 at 5:45am
Space.com
Giant Jupiter Shines Bright
Three planets are now putting on a show as prominent evening luminaries.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Volcanoes on Mercury Solve 30-year Mystery
First MESSENGER flyby confirms volcanism, gives data on Mercury's magnetic field.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
The Future of Space Robots
Future robots may cooperatively explore alien worlds.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Mars Lander's Next Bake Test Could Be Its Last
NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander's next whiff of Martian dirt could be its last.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Adopt a Scientist
A new regular feature highlights research undertaken by SETI scientists.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Strange Asteroid Shapes Explained
A vast database that shows asteroids are shaped by small impacts over time.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Voyager Spacecraft Reveals Solar System Edge
Voyager examines energy and magnetic forces at the solar system's edge.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Blog: The Road to Spaceport America
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
2 Men Charged in Killing of NASA Engineer, 3 Others
Police arrested and charged two men in the slayings of a NASA engineer and three others.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
Physics and Fitness Meld for Space Tourist, NFL Player
Space tourist and former NFL player create sports for space.
4 Jul 2008 at 11:04am
ScienceDaily
'Mind's Eye' Influences Visual Perception
Letting your imagination run away with you may actually influence how you see the world. New research has found that mental imagery -- what we see with the "mind's eye" -- directly impacts our visual perception.
4 Jul 2008 at 7:00pm
Circulating Tumor Cells Can Reveal Genetic Signature Of Dangerous Lung Cancers
A microchip-based device that detects and analyzes tumor cells in the bloodstream can be used to determine the genetic signature of lung tumors, allowing identification of those appropriate for targeted treatment and monitoring genetic changes that occur during therapy.
4 Jul 2008 at 7:00pm
Bee Disease Still A Mystery, Despite New Advances In Undersanding Common Virus
Scientists are one step closer to understanding the recent demise of billions of honey bees after making an important discovery about the transmission of a common bee virus. Deformed wing virus is passed between adult bees and to their developing brood by a parasitic mite called Varroa destructor when it feeds. However, new research suggests that the virus does not replicate in Varroa, highlighting the need for further investigation.
4 Jul 2008 at 7:00pm
Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Balanced Nutrition Saves Lives
Clinician-scientists are suggesting an immediate and important change to guidelines used in the care of patients with traumatic brain injury. The researchers say that following traumatic brain injury, patients should be given nutritional supplementation through a gastric feeding tube as soon as possible, which they say can improve their chances of survival by as much as four-fold.
4 Jul 2008 at 7:00pm
Some Fundamental Interactions Of Matter Found To Be Fundamentally Different T...
When an atom collides with a molecule, traditional wisdom said the atom had to strike one end of the molecule hard to deliver energy to it. People thought a glancing blow from an atom would be useless in terms of energy transfer, but that turns out not to be the case. "We have a new understanding of how energy can be transferred in collisions at the molecular scale," said Richard Zare, of Stanford University.
4 Jul 2008 at 7:00pm
Experimental Philosophy Movement Explores Real-life Dilemmas
Imagine a business executive who thinks: "I know that this new policy will harm the environment, but I don't care at all about that -- I just want to increase profits." Is the business executive harming the environment intentionally? Faced with this question, 82 percent of people polled said yes.
4 Jul 2008 at 7:00pm
Einstein Was Right, Astrophysicists Say
Researchers have confirmed a long-held prediction of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, via observations of a binary-pulsar star system. Eclipses in a unique system of two dead stars, called pulsars, has shown that one of the pair is 'wobbling' in space - just like a spinning top. The effect, called precession, is precisely as predicted by Albert Einstein and is thus a new and exciting confirmation of his theory.
4 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm
Synthetic Molecules Emulate Enzyme Behavior For The First Time
When chemists want to produce a lot of a substance -- such as a newly designed drug -- they often turn to catalysts, molecules that speed chemical reactions. Many jobs require highly specialized catalysts, and finding one in just the right shape to connect with certain molecules can be difficult. Natural catalysts, such as enzymes in the human body that help us digest food, get around this problem by shape-shifting to suit the task at hand.
4 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm
China Earthquake Rare And Unexpected, Says New Study
A new analysis of the setting for last month's devastating earthquake in China by a team of geoscientists shows that the quake resulted from faults with little seismic activity, and that similar events in that area occur only once in every 2,000 to 10,000 years, on average.
4 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm
Invasive Treatment Appears Beneficial For Men And High-risk Women With Certai...
An analysis of previous studies indicates that among men and high-risk women with a certain type of heart attack or angina an invasive treatment strategy (such as cardiac catheterization) is associated with reduced risk of rehospitalization, heart attack or death, whereas low-risk women may have an increased risk of heart attack or death with this treatment.
4 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm
New Scientist
Cleaner fish calms predators with caresses
The parasite-eating fish turns its "cleaning stations" into reef safe havens, not only for itself, but for other species too
4 Jul 2008 at 10:26am
Body-sensing shirt could sharpen up your tennis swing
Clothing that can reveal exactly which of a person's muscles are active provides detailed feedback to sportsmen and women
4 Jul 2008 at 8:06am
Solar sail gets another chance for launch
As early as the end of July 2008, NASA plans to test solar sail technology in orbit with a tiny spacecraft called NanoSail-D
4 Jul 2008 at 6:53am
Do we have the technology to build a bionic human?
Electronic eyes give sight to the blind, while functioning penises are grown in the lab.
4 Jul 2008 at 5:59am
3D modelling gets the measure of stone axes
Archaeology is set to become more precise by using imaging software to get objective measurements of artefacts like stone axes (full text available to subscribers)
4 Jul 2008 at 4:10am
Mercury: The incredible shrinking planet
Data from the Messenger probe suggests Mercury has a molten core that is cooling and causing the whole planet to contract
3 Jul 2008 at 2:44pm
Pulsar's wobble provides new Einstein test
An extremely rare alignment between Earth and a pair of dense stars called pulsars reveals how bodies wobble in the presence of gravity
3 Jul 2008 at 2:00pm
Brain chemical may have role in cot death
Infant mice that produce less serotonin are more likely to die soon after birth – the finding may lead to ways to predict the deadly condition
3 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm
Greenland ice sheet slams the brakes on
Fears that meltwater could increase the speed at which glaciers flow into the sea, rapidly destroying the ice sheet, may be unfounded
3 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm
Wine chemical improves health but not longevity
Two studies find ways to improve the health of mice, but fail to find any life-extending effect with either the chemical or a key ageing protein
3 Jul 2008 at 11:44am
Scientific American
Coal War: Georgia Court Halts Construction of New Coal-Fired Plant [News]
A Georgia court this week halted construction of a new 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant on the Chattahoochee River, dubbed Longleaf, because backers failed to provide a plan to limit climate change–causing carbon dioxide emissions from it. [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 4:00pm
Texas Archaeological Dig Challenges Assumptions about First Americans [News]
FLORENCE, TEX.--"Look at that--isn't it gorgeous?" Sandy Peck asks as she rinses dirt from a flaked stone about the length and width of a pinky finger. Peck runs a hose over soil on a fine-mesh screen, prodding at stubborn clods of clay with a muddy glove. "Look, there's another one." View Slide Show of the Dig [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 3:00pm
Mercury Flyby Reveals Active (but Shrinking) Core [News]
The first flyby of the planet Mercury in more than 30 years is resolving some long-standing puzzles about the closest planet to the sun. Among the findings: the planet's iron-rich core seems to be shrinking, causing its crust to buckle and crack. [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 2:00pm
News Bytes of the Week--Making Beautiful Music: Why the Stradivarius Violin i...
What makes the unique sound of a Stradivarius violin?The wood, of course. Using x-ray images taken from multiple different angles, radiologist Berend Stoel of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands proved that the spruce and maple wood used in five violins made either by Antonio Stradivari or Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù--the rival master luthiers of Cremona--had fewer variations in their density than that in seven contemporary violins. The density of the wood determines how a violin resonates with sound, which may explain why Stradivarius and Guarnerius violins are coveted by musicians worldwide and fetch prices of several million dollars. It may also allow modern instrument makers to finally match the perfection of past masters. [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 2:00pm
Unwelcome Immigrants: Can the U.S. Thwart Asian Moths? [News]
In a major step toward controlling the spread of tree-destroying gypsy moths, China has agreed to allow scientists to inspect forests near shipping ports to gauge the risk of the pests there hitching rides on ships to the U.S. View Gypsy Moth Slide Show [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 12:45pm
Does Herpes Cause Brain Cancer? [News]
Editor's Note: This story will be published in the next issue of Scientific American Mind. The deadliest and most common type of brain cancer has a strange bedfellow: cytomegalovirus, a kind of herpes present in about 80 percent of the U.S. population. Now scientists are exploiting this coincidence to treat the cancer with a vaccine that targets the virus and slows tumor regrowth. [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Connectomics: Mapping the Nervous System [60-Second Science]
[The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.] It took 13 years and countless hours of research to unravel the human genome. Now neuroscientists want to do their field’s version. A small group of researchers is advancing the emerging field of what they call “connectomics.” As genomics moved from individual genes to the entire genome, so connectomics wants to take us from individual neurons in our brain to the connections and wiring in the entire nervous system network. That involves nerve cells, the axons that stretch out like wires, the synapses that transmit information. [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 8:50am
Who Will Die?: Computer Predicts Which Death Row Inmates Will Be Executed [News]
Capital punishment is legal in 36 states, but that does not necessarily mean all of the condemned will be executed. Some will languish behind bars for life and others may actually be exonerated and set free. Now researchers say they have built a computer system that can predict with 92 percent accuracy which death row inmates are most likely to be executed, a development they hope will lead to a fairer appeals process. [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 7:00am
Looking at Hydrogen to Replace Gasoline in Our Cars [EarthTalk]
Dear EarthTalk: How is it that hydrogen can replace oil to run our cars? There seems to be a lot of controversy over whether hydrogen can really be generated and stored in such a way to be practical? -- Stephane Kuziora, Thunder Bay, ON [More]
3 Jul 2008 at 5:00am
Can Bovine Growth Hormone Help Slow Global Warming? [News]
Talk about milking an issue. Adding a new twist to the debate over the safety of hormones in milk, a new industry study concludes that injecting cows with a growth hormone known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) designed to increase their milk production is environmentally friendly. Why? Because it has the potential of reducing the number of greenhouse gas–emitting dairy cows on the planet without decreasing milk production. [More]
2 Jul 2008 at 6:30pm
USGS Earthquake Activity
M 2.8, Nevada
July 04, 2008 14:45:31 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 9:45am
M 4.3, Central Alaska
July 04, 2008 14:35:49 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 9:35am
M 4.5, Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
July 04, 2008 14:24:36 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 9:24am
M 2.5, Northern California
July 04, 2008 13:32:06 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 8:32am
M 3.8, northern Alaska
July 04, 2008 13:02:44 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 8:02am
M 3.0, Puerto Rico region
July 04, 2008 12:44:32 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 7:44am
M 4.7, near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea
July 04, 2008 10:18:03 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 5:18am
M 3.0, Southern Alaska
July 04, 2008 08:08:07 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 3:08am
M 4.9, Ecuador
July 04, 2008 06:02:49 GMT
4 Jul 2008 at 1:02am
M 5.0, Laptev Sea
July 04, 2008 04:55:05 GMT
3 Jul 2008 at 11:55pm
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