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San Francisco, 6:28 PM
Wed Dec 23
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Vampirism and Collisions Keep Ancient Stars Young
Here are some vampires we don't mind sparkling. This globular cluster, Messier 30, contains two types of ancient stars that have managed to keep themselves brilliant and young. One type relies on interstellar collisions; the other drinks from its neighbors. More »Bioluminescence Could Keep Tumors From Spreading
We've all marveled at the day-glo life-forms in Avatar — but bioluminescence could save your life soon. Researchers have been able to inject brain tumor cells with a firefly gene, so they can identify the types of cells that spread. More »Color-Changing Contacts Monitor Your Glucose Levels
For diabetics, finger pricking could be a thing of the past. A biochemical engineer has developed contact lenses embedded with nanoparticles that react with the glucose in tears. As glucose levels change, so does the color of the lens. [PopSci]Chimps Demonstrate Sophisticated Understanding Of Fire
The line between human and monkey has been crossed again - this time by chimps. Based on new research, scientists say chimps understand how fire will behave, and move to avoid it "expertly" in the wild. More »First Clear Look At One Of The Galaxy's Greatest Mysteries
The ESA's Herschel satellite has instruments aboard that created this never-before-seen image of a star factory inside a dust-shrouded, mysterious region of the galaxy called "Gould's Belt." It's a vast ring of young stars that encircles our solar system. More »Retro Infographics Show Victorian Science Without Steampunk
We often romanticize the industrial technologies that came out of the Victorian Era, especially the clockwork and steam power associated with steampunk. But these Victorian infographics illustrate the era's understanding of natural sciences, including geology, astronomy, and biology.Monkeys May Be the First Primates Headed to Mars
Monkeys made it into space before humans ever broke the atmosphere, and now they might beat us to Mars. Russia is considering a program to train monkeys to work with robots for the long flight to Mars. More »Rare In Utero Images Glimpse Animals Inside the Womb
In its documentary Extraordinary Animals In The Womb, National Geographic captured rare highly detailed images of animals at various stages of gestation. Now you can see fetal dog, elephants, penguins, and dolphins still inside the womb.Velociraptor's Cousin Had a Venomous Bite
Raptors get more fearsome all the time. Jurassic Park painted velociraptors as clever, fleet-footed predators, and they may have hunted from trees. Now researchers suspect their turkey-sized relative had a venomous bite — and other raptors might have it, too. More »Let Your Teeth Do The Listening
Now there's an all-new reason to take care of your teeth: They could help you regain your hearing, should you end up suffering from single-sided deafness. More »Watch a Volcano Erupt Deep Beneath the Ocean
12/19/09
[edition.cnn.com]
'Boat' could explore Saturn moon
[news.bbc.co.uk]
#tips #spaceporn #titan #saturn #science
Roll Into The LA Dolls' Electrical Derby
Southern California's premiere all-female, banked track roller derby league, the LA Derby Dolls, bring us a fantastic demonstration of electrical principles on their banked track, featuring a great soundtrack. Click through to see their update of roller derby in action. More »Dark Matter Found In Minnesota?
Has proof of the existence of Dark Matter been found? And, more strangely, has it been found in a mine in the middle of Minnesota, instead of deep space? The answer to both questions may turn out to be yes... More »Ten Science Stories That Changed Our Decade
There is no doubt that science has become more like science fiction in the past decade, with amazing innovations and discoveries that increased our understanding of the universe. We list ten of the biggest science stories from the past decade. More »fMRI Experiments Are Fishy At Best
Recent experiments at Dartmouth using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a dead fish may cast a lot of doubt on conclusions drawn from using fMRI as a tool for research.NASA's 2009 Year In Review
From methane on Mars to water on the Moon, NASA serves up fifteen great stories in their official Year In Review for 2009.How Close Are We To Colonizing Space?
How close are we to long-term human habitation beyond low-Earth orbit? Colonies on the moon or Mars are still many years off, but the good news is there are several serious efforts underway to make it happen. More »12/18/09
[news.bbc.co.uk]
#tips #observationdeck #volcano #science #ocean
Discovery of 4.4-Million-Year-Old Hominid "Ardi" Is Greatest Scientific Breakthrough of 2009
Venerable journal Science has announced its top breakthroughs of 2009, and topping the list is a breakthrough in evolutionary biology. It's the discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus, a 4.4-million-year-old hominid skeleton that reveals how homo sapiens' ancient ancestors looked and lived. More »The Telltale Signs Of A Volcano Preparing To Erupt
The Mayon volcano in the Philippines has erupted nearly 40 times in 400 years, and it looks primed to go off again. This NASA satellite image shows a small plume of ash or steam blowing west from its summit. More »