For a tiny fraction of the cost of maintaining a nuclear arsenal, the 11 nuclear power states around the world could eliminate neglected infections within their borders—which account for up to 50% of…

Scientists have discovered a deep ocean current with a volume equivalent to 40 Amazon Rivers near the Kerguelen plateau, in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean. Writing in Nature Geoscience…

A study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology suggests that bacteria common to spacecraft may be able to survive the harsh conditions on Mars long enough to inadvertently contaminate the planet…

The fossilized jaw of a 95 million-year-old pterosaur discovered in Texas in 2006 has been identified as a new genus and species of flying reptile - Aetodactylus halli. The rare pterosaur — literally…

A long lost light reflector left on the lunar surface by the Soviet Union nearly 40 years ago has been found by a team of NASA physicists. The French-built laser reflector was sent aboard the…

Researchers have developed and tested a modified enzyme called CocE that can break down cocaine into inactive products nearly 1,000 times faster than the human body does regularly. In combination…

Now if we could just eliminate 1980s neon sunglasses and skinny jeans... From tfd.

Please note-I am not in to crystals, essential oils or new age

I am in Tilburg, Netherlands, for a conference on the future of philosophy of science. Ah!, you might say, and what would that look like? I hope to write at least another entry or two in…

One thing I learned from my recent trip to DESY was the proper name for a certain type of electrostatic generator[1].  Like many Brits, I had somehow got it into my head that it was called a Van…

The possibility that autism is more common in offspring of older parents has generated considerable interest. To investigate the theory, a study using data from 10 US study sites participating in the…

As I lay inside the box in the pitch blackness waiting for the show to begin, I wonder if the operator forgot to start it. Nothing is happening – no sound, no sights…nothing at all. Ah, wait, did I…

I'm a big fan of arch-skeptic Bob Park, but his position on cell phones and cancer is just too simplistic: Yesterday, the cell-phone controversy was taken to a new and substantially lower level. The…

Scientists have discovered a series of 400,000-year-old asphalt volcanoes about 10 miles off the California coast, at the bottom of the Santa Barbara Channel. The largest of these undersea Ice Age…

Researchers have discovered a new species of monitor lizard, a close relative of the Komodo dragon, on the Moluccan islands of east Indonesia. The lizard was discovered just last spring  and…

If you find politically vocal celebrities annoying, you may be able to take comfort in new research  which suggests that movie stars are unlikely to influence the outcome of political elections.…

Regular aerobic exercise keeps you physically healthy, but scientists are beginning to uncover evidence that it may also improve your cognition. Researchers writing in Neuroscience say they have…

The idea that the blind have a more acute sense of smell than the sighted is a myth, according to an ongoing study at the Université de Montréal. Vision loss doesn't enhance the sense of smell,…

If you thought that rapid and potentially catastrophic climate change was all bad, think again. High in the Mackenzie Mountains in Canada, a treasure trove of ancient hunting tools is being revealed…

Consumption of 100 percent fruit juice is closely linked to improved nutrient intake and overall diet quality in children, according to the PR firm for the makers of apple juice. Despite the fact…