Getting to the Core of Extinction—Researchers Return to Crater That Caused Millions of Dinosaurs to Die

Medicine & Technology Apr 13, 2015

It’s no big surprise as to why we exited the Jurassic period. The dinosaurs and their lineage ended with a shocking crash when a catastrophic asteroid plummeted to Earth, and dust and debris blocked out the Sun. But now researchers are hoping that by going back to the site of the impact they may be able to learn a bit more about ancient biological and geological processes, and perhaps even what cosmic changes led to the asteroid’s impact.

Round 2 For SpaceX’s 10-Point Landing

Apr 13, 2015

It’s first attempt was a failure, but in hopes of creating a more sustainable spaceflight industry, private spaceflight company SpaceX is going to try landing one of their rockets again. And this time you can watch the mission live, no delays and no interruptions like before.

New Sensitivity Study May Reveal ‘Terror Birds’ Hunted In Packs

Apr 11, 2015

News this week revealed a frightening new addition to the fossil record—a “Terror Bird” species known more scientifically as Llallawavis scagliai (aka Scaglia’s Magnificent Bird). But in spite of its massive size and terrifying stance, this top-tier predatory may not have been the most well-adapted hunter that it could be… That is, unless it was hunting in packs.

With a Bit of Luck and Inspiration, One 4-Year-Old Boy Found a Dinosaur in Texas

Apr 11, 2015

Think that you don’t have what it takes to start a career in paleontology, even though your fascination with dinosaurs never ends? Well never fear, news this week reveals that you’re never too old, or too young, to start on the hunt for dinosaurs. And 4-year-old Wylie Brys, of Mansfield, Texas, is proving this sentiment true.

Think That China’s ‘Great Firewall’ Was Bad? New Security Tactic Reveals Far More Threats

Apr 11, 2015

When it comes to digital censorship, China does it best. In fact, as enemies of the freedom of speech movement on the internet, one nation has devised ingenious ways for covering their tracks and making sure that the Chinese public does not see websites or an unadulterated view outside of the “Great Firewall”. But in a new study published this week by the University of Toronto and the University of California, Berkeley, researchers are saying that China’s recent attacks on the internet instead used a new weapon—and it’s one with far more nefarious applications.

Giving a Voice to Long-Lost—New ‘Terror Bird’ Species Reveals a Knack for Being on the Hunt

Apr 11, 2015

Think that we’ve found just about every prehistoric species that there is to find? You’d be terrifyingly wrong if you said yes. In fact, adding a new view on the diversity of some unlikely large predators that predate humans, a new fossil this week revealed another species of South American “terror birds” known as Llallawavis scagliai.

Can Life Form in Another Solar System? Scientists Find Building Blocks for Life Around Million-Year-Old Star

Apr 09, 2015

While researchers have long believed that the circumstances and the molecular structures involved in the creation of our Sun and of our Earth were unique, it appears that far off in space there may be another solar system brimming with potential for life someday. Utilizing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) researchers with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory have detected for the first time ever the complex organic molecules necessary to create life in a protoplanetary disk surrounding an infant star only a million years into its formation.

The Quandaries of a Modern Ecologist—How Ecological ‘Flash Mobs’ Are More Like Magnets Than You Might Think

Apr 08, 2015

When it comes to ecological modeling, often the devil is in the details. But with so many complex theories at play, and so many realistic, natural variants it becomes an almost impossible task to decipher exactly it is that the researchers are trying to show us. This time the researchers made it easy for us.

With the Help of ALMA Astronomers Find Complex Organic Molecules in Infant Solar System

Apr 08, 2015

While researchers have long believed that the circumstances and the molecular structures involved in the creation of our Sun and of our Earth were unique, it appears that far off in space there may be another solar system brimming with potential for life someday. Utilizing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) researchers with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory have detected for the first time ever the complex organic molecules necessary to create life in a protoplanetary disk surrounding an infant star only a million years into its formation.

How One Endangered Species Is Making A Change For the Better—Eating Sweeter Flora Instead

Apr 07, 2015

Many endangered species like the Giant Tortoises of the Galápagos islands share a similar fate with the introduction of human beings to their natural landscape. With humans so too come the pets and the plants that invade their space. And more often than not it means that these endangered species either die off or adapt to avoid competition or costly meals. But for some, in very rare conditions, it means that the species can thrive even better than it could on its sparse local sources for food. And in a new study published this week in the Biotropica, researchers say that after a four year study, tracking the movement and foraging behavior of giant tortoises, it appears that they are seeking out sweeter treats of invasive flora and fruits instead of their local fare.

Could A Life-Saving Blood Transfusion Leave You With Allergies Instead?

Apr 07, 2015

While you might think that a blood transfusion may save your life in a serious situation, there may be a few added drawbacks to the life-saving procedure. One of these drawbacks, in fact, can be the development of new allergic reactions to things that never bothered you before. In a new study published this week Canadian doctors revealed that a young 8-year-old boy went into anaphylactic shock from uncommon allergens, merely days after a platelet transfusion. And they fear now that it had everything to do with the platelet donor, whose severe food allergies had not been taken into account before the transfusion took place.

The Energy for a New Crawl—Galápagos Tortoises Feast on Invasive Plants for a New Foraging Technique

Apr 07, 2015

When it comes to invasive flora, most conservation ecologists know that the ramifications that come with these primary producers often appear much higher in the food chain. Some animals are unequipped to utilize the plants for food, while others simply find the energy spent foraging for it is far too much for the energy gained. And it’s a dynamic that often leads some species to coevolve. But looking into one of the first Darwinian subjects, Galápagos Giant Tortoises, some researchers have found that the unique species may be getting far more out of the invasive flora than they once thought—enough to even change their foraging behavior altogether.

A Century of Climate Change—How the Complex Landscape of the Appalachian Forests Will Fare

Apr 03, 2015

The tropical rainforests near the equator aren’t the only woodland areas affected by the effects of climate change. The Central Appalachian forests have been experiencing major effects such as heavy rainfall, drought and heat spells as well. And according to a new vulnerability assessment published today by the USDA Forest Service, the complex landscape reveals resilience to climate change in some areas, but also costly vulnerabilities in others.

Bringing Ancient White Seashells Back to Colorful Life

Apr 03, 2015

Searching through museum archives can often be quite a lifeless task, especially when you’re sorting through tons of tons of samples of faded white seashells that went extinct millions of years ago. But with a little bit of ingenuity, and whole heap of incentive, some researchers with San Jose State University are bringing life back to these ancient species and giving us a technicolor look as what the seas may have been like 6.6 million years ago.

Can Science and Culture Coexist on Mauna Kea? Dozen ‘Protector’ Protestors Arrested This Week for Obstruction

Apr 03, 2015

With the construction of the $1.4 billion dollar endeavor of the Thirty Meter Telescope beginning this week, news arrives from the Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, as a dozen protestors were arrested for obstructing construction crews on their way to the summit. Astronomers anticipating the Thirty Meter Telescope believe that the largest telescope ever built will give us new insights never-before-seen into space, however, locals in Hawaii are not convinced that the $1.4 billion investment is worth compromising their lands.