Reality Bites
Once again, there’s excitement in the physics community about the possible discovery of the Higgs boson. But this time, it’s multiple discoveries…both experiments at the Large Hadron Collider have detected some intriguing possibilities, as has Fermilab’s Tevatron. What’s going on? More »
In a letter to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Georgetown University Medical Center's Michael Zasloff has shown that dolphins have remarkable recuperative powers — which may be of use to humans as well. More »
We’re almost certain that a giant meteor hit Earth 65 million years ago. But a mysterious “three-meter gap” in the fossil record might mean dinosaurs were already dying off. Now a newly discovered fossil might finally reveal the whole story. More »
Ultrawideband tech could connect your body to doctors, bring Tricorders to the mainstream originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You learn very quickly that most over the counter medicines only mask the agonizing pain of a sunburn for a short time. Medicines can’t remove this terrible discomfort, because, until now, scientists didn’t what caused it. More »
An asteroid the size of a large house will zip within 12,900 kilometres of the Earth at about midday London time on Monday. More »
NASA’s next Mars rover, the Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory, will soon embark on a quantum leap in humankind’s scientific exploration of the Martian surface. More »
Your spit can pinpoint your age to within five years, making it by far the most accurate age test yet found. This discovery could help identify how old crime scene suspects are, as well as reveal people’s true biological ages. More »
Cancer vaccines may come sooner than you think. And each vaccine will be tailor-made for a specific kind of cancer. This isn’t just a theory anymore. It’s been done. More »
It’s easy to see how ants get around when they’re in a long line – just follow the ant in front of them. But how do ants find their way back to nest when they’re on their own? A creepy experiment provides clues. More »
Most astronomers agree that at the center of every galaxy lies a supermassive black hole. But how did these gravitational monsters form? Now it seems that they may have been here since the beginning of time. More »
Upon seeing this video, anaesthesiologist Professor Brian Pollard from Manchester Royal Infirmary told BBC reporter Jennifer Carpenter: “Our jaws just hit the ground. I can’t tell you the words we used as it wouldn’t be polite over the phone.” More »
For the first time ever, we can track the number of genetic mutations in each generation of a human family. Humans are mutating at a downright glacial pace, with a shockingly tiny number of mutations passed on in each generation. More »
Scientists have refined tissue repair techniques using stem cells to the point where they believe we might have pills that repair heart muscles in 10 years. Reports the BBC: More »
In a post about the science of sleep twitching, a reader brought up an unknown (to me) phenomenon: Pee shivers. Apparently these are experienced by a relatively large portion of the male population, and today we shall take a look at why. More »
That’s the finding of a new study examining the link between cognitive ability and handedness. Lefties score consistently lower on aptitude tests than righties, and left-handedness is cognitively equivalent to being born prematurely. Yeah…this one’s going to be controversial. More »
A team of researchers recently revealed findings that could turn GPS stations into tools for detecting illegal nuclear explosions. According to a report, being presented to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) this week, the group found that nearby GPS stations showed a change in ionospheric electron density, following a 2009 nuclear test performed by North Korea. That discovery led to the realization that the same technology we use to track everything from dogs to children can more accurately detect nuclear explosions — even when they take place underground. By measuring the time it takes for a resulting shockwave to reach and affect surrounding stations, researchers can accurately determine the origin of the blast. The team is currently seeking funding to further its explosive (sorry, we had to) research.
GPS stations trace nuclear explosions, summon end to underground mushroom clouds? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 06:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
We consume an enormous amount of sugar, whether consciously or not, but it's a largely misunderstood substance. There are different kinds and different ways your body processes them all. Some consider it poison and others believe it's the sweetest thing on earth. Here's a look at the different forms of sugar, the various ways they affect you, and how they play a role in healthy—and unhealthy—diets. More »
You’d be forgiven for having that reaction to this photo of the Ames Monument, a pyramid in Wyoming built to commemorate the transcontinental railroad. But that strange, unearthly light is just the beginning of the weirdness on display here. More »
Elements 114 and 116 are now the heaviest elements that we know for a fact exist. They can only exist for less than a second, but they get us ever closer to the fabled island of stability. More »