All Science
Study: Moles can smell in stereo, still can't see anythingA study involving the common mole discovered that they can locate the source of an odor based on how strong it smells in each nostril. The burrowing animals are still useless when it comes to perceiving things visually, though.
Earth won't be destroyed by huge asteroid next week, say scientistsMeasuring 150 feet wide, asteroid 2012 DA14 could do some serious damage were it to strike our planet. But instead it will zip past us harmlessly, if somewhat closely.
Hunt for asteroids near earth way too slow, study saysAstronomers should dramatically ramp up the sky surveys, not only to better prepare for threats to Earth but also to exploit asteroids' contents, scientists say.
NASA's Curiosity ready to drill first Mars rockNASA's Curiosity, the SUV-sized robot exploring Mars, is getting ready to spin its drill bit for the first time. Curiosity can probe an inch deep into Martian rock, deeper than any previous rover or lander.
Iran's space monkey business: A plausible explanation?Iran admits that one of two official photos of Iran's first monkey in space depicted the wrong monkey. It showed an archive photo of one of the alternate monkeys. But one expert says Iran's still lying about one of the monkeys.
NASA 'Space Network' receives boost from satelliteNASA launched a new communication satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Wednesday evening. This satellite is one of three expected to reach space between now and 2015, upgrading the agency's communication network.
Giant leap in race to replace space shuttle? Dream Chaser gets big boost.Sierra Nevada Corp., which is designing a mini space shuttle called the Dream Chaser, announced that it's joining forces with Lockheed Martin – heavy-hitter in aerospace.
- Sinkhole swallows building complex in China
Sinkhole swallows building: An enormous sinkhole opened up beneath a building complex in China's southern city of Guangzhou Tuesday, swallowing five shops and one building.
Cats kill billions of creatures every year according to new studyCats kill billions: According to new research, cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds and between 6.9 billion and 20.7 billion small mammals, such as meadow voles and chipmunks.
- Monster storm expected to explode in Atlantic. It may be one for the books.
NOAA forecasters say an unnamed extra-tropical storm will experience explosive intensification over the North Atlantic this weekend. Its central low pressure could rival a category 4 hurricane's.
Mass extinction? Man may still have time to catalog Earth's species.A trio of respected biologists and zoologists concludes that Earth's sixth mass extinction may be unfolding slower than feared, giving time for the valuable work of cataloging the planet's species.
The dung beetle as celestial navigatorOnly humans, birds, and seals are known to navigate using stars. But the dung beetle does use the Milky Way to chart its path, say scientists.
NASA sun close-ups, 'never-before-seen'Using a relatively small telescope, NASA scientists were able to capture images of an active region of the sun. Other telescopes focus on larger swaths of the sun, while this one zoomed in on 'real fine structure'.
NIH should retire most chimpanzees from medical research, panel saysHundreds of chimpanzees at NIH facilities should no longer be used as test subjects, the panel said, but 50 should be kept as a contingency, adding that all the chimps should be housed more comfortably.
Time to retire chimps in US research labs?Scientists have a proposal to retire all but 50 research chimpanzees kept in US federal labs. The primates would be sent to 'Chimp Haven,' a new chimp sanctuary in Louisiana. Animal rights activists applaud the move.
Hey, alien hunters: NASA's alien planet archive is open for business"The entire world can help us" find exoplanets (alien planets), says a Kepler scientist. NASA is throwing open its list of possible exoplanets to anyone who wants to look.
Asteroid mining: Second company announces plans. Time to stake a claim?Deep Space Industries said Tuesday it plans to launch small prospector missions to asteroids beginning in 2015. The goal of asteroid mining is to make space exploration more affordable.
A bounce-house addition to the International Space Station?NASA and Bigelow Aerospace plan to add a $17.8 million inflatable room to the International Space Station. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, will house astronauts, and is built to withstand heat, radiation, debris and other assaults.
Climate change alters ecosystems from Walden Pond to 'The Shack'Using historical data collected by famous naturalists and authors Henry David Thoreau and Aldo Leopold, scientists have linked early flower blooms to warm springs. This is the first time researchers have analyzed patterns in these two sets of data together.
White veins of Mars: Curiosity hits 'a jackpot' in quest for wetter pastCuriosity rover has found mineral-filled fissures in the rocks of Gale Crater on Mars. Together with other evidence, the minerals suggest that the rocks were once 'saturated with water.'
