It may appear strange to hear that crops are making headlines. But this is no ordinary produce — these fruits and vegetables have been grown in simulated Martian and lunar soil! While that in itself makes them special, what makes this batch even more so is that it is safe for human consumption!...
Read news articleIn 1979, the Voyager 1 spacecraft discovered that Alaska, Canada, Siberia, and Antarctica were not the only places with spectacular auroras or “polar lights” — Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has them as well. While the lights have been studied intensely since, a recent month-long observation of Jupiter’s north pole by the Hubble Space Telescope has resulted in some beautiful, never before seen images of the planet’s northern lights....
Read news articleScientists have long suspected that the elusive Greenland sharks lived for a long time. It turns out they were right! A new study has revealed that the world’s second largest carnivorous fish may have a lifespan of as long as 400 years. To put it in perspective, that is about twice that of the previously known longest-living vertebrate, the Bowhead whale, which is known to live for up to two centuries....
Read news articleDo you spend hours studying for a test only to draw a blank when you see the questions? It turns out you are not the only one. For though the human brain may be more powerful than a computer, recalling information is a problem experienced by even the most prepared of students. The lapse in memory can be attributed to various factors, including fatigue, distraction, and nerves....
Read news articleRemotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), have been used to conduct undersea tasks, deemed unsafe for humans, for many years. But while they have been very successful at tackling projects like oil rig repairs, the vehicles lack the finesse and dexterity required to handle fragile missions like monitoring coral reefs. Their traditional boxy shape also makes it difficult for the robots to penetrate small areas without damaging the surrounding flora. Now thanks to Stanford University's mermaid robot, OceanOne, these shortcomings may be a thing of the past....
Read news articleThere are few celestial events as reliable or as anticipated as the annual Perseid meteor showers. The shooting star show typically begins in mid-July and continues until the end of August. However, it is most visible around mid-August. According to astronomers, this year the best time to watch nature’s fireworks will be the evening of Thursday, Aug 11 and the early hours of Friday, Aug 12....
Read news articleAlways wished we had a second Moon? Then you are in luck! NASA scientists from the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) on Mount Haleakala in Maui, Hawaii recently discovered a small asteroid that they believe has been looping Earth for at least a century. But despite its unwavering loyalty to our planet, the researchers have no intention of calling it a moon. Instead, they refer to the asteroid, which has been dubbed 2016 H03, as a “quasi-moon” or “near-earth companion.”...
Read news articleA contest to crown “The World’s Ugliest Dog” may appear to be derogatory to dogs. However, that is not the intention of the organizers of the Sonoma-Marin Fair where the popular event has been held for the past 28 years. They view the unusual event as a celebration of the spirit and imperfections that make the dogs loveable and adoptable....
Read news articleThe phenomenal success of Finding Dory, the much-awaited sequel to the 2003 film, Finding Nemo, is being met with mixed feelings by marine experts. That’s because though the animated movie is the perfect platform to draw attention to the precarious state of our coral reefs, it may instead result in endangering both the reef and its inhabitants further....
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