What would the United States look like without bats? As winter approaches, biologists seek new methods and technologies to help control a potentially devastating ecological disaster
Delegates from the United Nations (UN) met to discuss ways to protect plant and animal life as a 12-day international conference on biodiversity kicked off Monday in Nagoya, Japan.
Scientists have discovered that they can attach tiny studs of silver onto the surface of otherwise harmless bacteria, giving them the ability to destroy viruses.
Scottish researchers may have found a key to preventing senior moments, by blocking a stress hormone that interferes with memory. The treatment works surprisingly fast in mice, improving their memory within a few days
Lasers can be powerful weapons — they can take down an aircraft at long ranges and in unstable conditions, for instance. But they are hampered by power and size limits, so they’re not widely used by the military (yet).
Our friends at PopPhoto have compiled a gallery of the winners of Nikon's Small World photomicrography competition. Included are close-ups of a mosquito heart (above), a wasp's nest and more, in breathtaking detail. Check out the gallery and prepare
To commemorate World Food Day, we look back on science's role in alleviating the hunger crisis. Whale breeding, desert sugar factories, and oyster soup capsules, yum
So an industrial accident has blanketed your countryside in millions of cubic feet of caustic sludge. Now what?
A Toronto-based company called Interaxon has been developing a system that allows you to manipulate surroundings with your mind. Right now the technology is fairly simple. By tracking your brainwaves with an Electroencephalograph (EEG), Interaxon’s s
Nanocomposites can also serve as “molds” for the production of porous substances. These have potential application in the areas of gas storage, catalysis, or materials separation.
Mohanram likened the new transistor's abilities to that of a water tap. "Turn it on and the water flows," he said. “Turn it off and the water stops. That's what a traditional transistor does. It's a unipolar device – it only opens and closes in
The Hoover Dam bypass bridge is a study in superlatives. The highest and longest arched concrete bridge in the Western Hemisphere. The second-highest bridge of any kind in the US and 14th in the world. The world's tallest concrete columns of their ki
The rocket-propelled vehicle would explore planets more efficiently than wheeled rovers.
US doctors have begun treating the first patient with embryonic stem cells as part of the first human study of the controversial treatment authorized by the government, the Geron Corporation said Monday.
Cancer is the bane of the modern world. It kills millions of people annually. Yet the strange fact is, that there is almost no trace of the insidious killer among the remains of ancient peoples.This incredible epiphany rocked researchers on their hee
Mahtab Jafari's research shows curry's main ingredient has more to offer than good flavor. It extended the lifespan of fruit flies by up to 20 percent, while improving locomotion and having tumor-prevention properties.
If just 3 percent of the dissolved minerals precipitate -- an estimate based on earlier studies -- the ocean floor would hold reserves vastly greater than those on land, Cathles said.
We expected the debris field to expand dramatically, like shrapnel flying from a hand grenade," said astronomer David Jewitt of the University of California in Los Angeles, who is a leader of the Hubble observations. "But what happened was quite th
The little things in life are sometimes the most meaningful, and with the right equipment and artistic eye, the most beautiful. That's how Nikon's Small World photography competition sees it.
Is nonconformity and freethinking a mental illness? According to the newest addition of the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), it certainly is. The manual identifies a new mental illness called “oppositional defiant dis
Hydrophobic materials have all kinds of practical applications, from creating surfaces that never have to be cleaned to making supertankers and container ships glide more efficiently through the water.
For years solar companies have wanted to make lightweight, flexible panels that are cheap to ship and easy to install (by unrolling them over large areas). But they've been held up by a lack of good and affordable glass substitutes.
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A New York woman has set a new record
Last night, Google announced that it has agreed to invest heavily in a proposed $5 billion, 350-mile power transmission backbone that would provide infrastructure for future offshore wind projects along the mid-Atlantic coast.
Here’s a slightly different version of the battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader at the end of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. It’s just one of many revelations in a new making-of book. More rare concept art below
Scientists recently pulled together the pieces of the world’s most powerful laser and, in a first-ever complete dry run, pulled the trigger on a peppercorn-sized pellet of nuclear fuel. In short: It worked.
Blade-slinging is the only art that'll earn you the respect of circus folk and Navy SEALs alike. But hitting a target from 12 feet away isn't that hard, according to Rick Lemberg. Here's how to stick it.
After making its first solo glide flight Sunday (Oct. 10), the private suborbital spacecraft SpaceShipTwo could achieve another major milestone — a powered test flight involving the firing of its rocket motor — in the next few months
In the past two years alone, China has begun constructing 15 new nuclear power stations, while Russia, South Korea and India are also initiating major expansions in atomic power. Some Western countries look set to join them: at the end of 2009, licen
