The Genetic Divide Between NYC's Uptown And Downtown Rats
Fordham University graduate student Matthew Combs studies the DNA of New York City's rats. He found that rats living uptown are genetically distinct from rats living downtown.
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Thursday, November 30, 2017
NPR News: The Genetic Divide Between NYC's Uptown And Downtown Rats
The Genetic Divide Between NYC's Uptown And Downtown Rats
Fordham University graduate student Matthew Combs studies the DNA of New York City's rats. He found that rats living uptown are genetically distinct from rats living downtown.
Read more on NPR
Fordham University graduate student Matthew Combs studies the DNA of New York City's rats. He found that rats living uptown are genetically distinct from rats living downtown.
Read more on NPR
North America and the Pelican
Fans of our fair planet might recognize the outlines of these cosmic clouds. On the left, bright emission outlined by dark, obscuring dust lanes seems to trace a continental shape, lending the popular name North America Nebula to the emission region cataloged as NGC 7000. To the right, just off the North America Nebula's east coast, is IC 5070, whose profile suggests the Pelican Nebula. The two bright nebulae are about 1,500 light-years away, part of the same large and complex star forming region, almost as nearby as the better-known Orion Nebula. At that distance, the 6 degree wide field of view would span 150 light-years. This careful cosmic portrait uses narrow band images to highlight the bright ionization fronts and the characteristic red glow from atomic hydrogen gas. These nebulae can be seen with binoculars from a dark location. Look northeast of bright star Deneb in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan. via NASA http://ift.tt/2jysEbh
NASA TV to Broadcast Departure of Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft from International Space Station
After delivering almost 7,400 pounds of cargo to support dozens of science experiments from around the world, the Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo spacecraft is set to leave the International Space Station on Wednesday, Dec. 6. NASA Television and the agency’s website will provide live coverage of Cygnus' departure beginning at 7:45 a.m. EST.
November 30, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2j33jqy
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November 30, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2j33jqy
via IFTTT
NASA Statement on Nomination for Agency Chief Financial Officer
The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot on Wednesday’s announcement of the intended nomination by President Donald Trump of Jeffrey DeWit to serve as the agency’s Chief Financial Officer:
November 30, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2AsNgMB
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November 30, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2AsNgMB
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NPR News: Rare And Mysterious Vomiting Illness Linked To Heavy Marijuana Use
Rare And Mysterious Vomiting Illness Linked To Heavy Marijuana Use
For a small percentage of people who smoke marijuana, long term use can make them sick with violent vomiting.California doctors worry they'll see more cases when pot is fully legalized in January.
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For a small percentage of people who smoke marijuana, long term use can make them sick with violent vomiting.California doctors worry they'll see more cases when pot is fully legalized in January.
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NPR News: Afghan Girls Robotics Team Takes Home A Top Honor In European Contest
Afghan Girls Robotics Team Takes Home A Top Honor In European Contest
The team previously made headlines when their U.S. visa was temporarily denied. Now they've won first place in the "Entrepreneurial Challenge" in Estonia, at Europe's largest robotics festival.
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The team previously made headlines when their U.S. visa was temporarily denied. Now they've won first place in the "Entrepreneurial Challenge" in Estonia, at Europe's largest robotics festival.
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First Space Station Crew of 2018 Available for News Conference, Interviews
NASA astronauts A.J. (Drew) Feustel and Ricky Arnold, and crewmate Oleg Artemyev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, will discuss their upcoming mission to the International Space Station in a news conference at 2 p.m. EST Thursday, Dec. 7, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
November 30, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2j52Rbd
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November 30, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2j52Rbd
via IFTTT
NPR News: Hundreds Of Eggs From Ancient Flying Reptile Are Found In China
Hundreds Of Eggs From Ancient Flying Reptile Are Found In China
The fossilized pterosaur eggs and embryos shed light on the Lower Cretaceous creature's development and nesting habits. The cache was found where the reptile was once abundant, dubbed Pterosaur Eden.
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The fossilized pterosaur eggs and embryos shed light on the Lower Cretaceous creature's development and nesting habits. The cache was found where the reptile was once abundant, dubbed Pterosaur Eden.
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NPR News: Hundreds Of Eggs From Ancient Flying Reptile Are Found In China
Hundreds Of Eggs From Ancient Flying Reptile Are Found In China
The fossilized pterosaur eggs and embryos shed light on the Lower Cretaceous creature's development and nesting habits. The cache was found where the reptile was once abundant, dubbed Pterosaur Eden.
Read more on NPR
The fossilized pterosaur eggs and embryos shed light on the Lower Cretaceous creature's development and nesting habits. The cache was found where the reptile was once abundant, dubbed Pterosaur Eden.
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NPR News: New North Korean Missile Is A 'Monster'
New North Korean Missile Is A 'Monster'
Analysts say the North's latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-15, is larger and more powerful than anything it has built before.
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Analysts say the North's latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-15, is larger and more powerful than anything it has built before.
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NPR News: Health Insurers Are Still Skimping On Mental Health Coverage
Health Insurers Are Still Skimping On Mental Health Coverage
Behavioral care is four times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care, a nationwide study shows. That can make treatment unaffordable even for people who have health insurance.
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Behavioral care is four times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care, a nationwide study shows. That can make treatment unaffordable even for people who have health insurance.
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NPR News: Health Insurers Are Still Skimping On Mental Health Coverage
Health Insurers Are Still Skimping On Mental Health Coverage
Behavioral care is four times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care, a nationwide study shows. That can make treatment unaffordable even for people who have health insurance.
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Behavioral care is four times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care, a nationwide study shows. That can make treatment unaffordable even for people who have health insurance.
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NPR News: A Cultural Project In Polynesia Has The Power To Teach Us All
A Cultural Project In Polynesia Has The Power To Teach Us All
Polynesia was colonized by the French and, even today, Polynesians are taught more about French history than their own. A new archaeological project aims to change that, says Barbara J. King.
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Polynesia was colonized by the French and, even today, Polynesians are taught more about French history than their own. A new archaeological project aims to change that, says Barbara J. King.
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NPR News: Working Moms Have Been A 'Thing' Since Ancient History
Working Moms Have Been A 'Thing' Since Ancient History
Who ruled early farming? Women! Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe.
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Who ruled early farming? Women! Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe.
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NPR News: Women's Role In The European Agricultural Revolution Revealed
Women's Role In The European Agricultural Revolution Revealed
Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe. These women's upper bodies were stronger than that of elite athletes today.
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Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe. These women's upper bodies were stronger than that of elite athletes today.
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NPR News: Women's Role In The European Agricultural Revolution Revealed
Women's Role In The European Agricultural Revolution Revealed
Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe. These women's upper bodies were stronger than that of elite athletes today.
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Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe. These women's upper bodies were stronger than that of elite athletes today.
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NPR News: The Tree That Rocked The Music Industry
The Tree That Rocked The Music Industry
This year, new international regulations on rosewood have reverberated through the music industry, costing tens of millions in lost sales and extra administrative costs.
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This year, new international regulations on rosewood have reverberated through the music industry, costing tens of millions in lost sales and extra administrative costs.
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Wednesday, November 29, 2017
M33: Triangulum Galaxy
The small, northern constellation Triangulum harbors this magnificent face-on spiral galaxy, M33. Its popular names include the Pinwheel Galaxy or just the Triangulum Galaxy. M33 is over 50,000 light-years in diameter, third largest in the Local Group of galaxies after the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), and our own Milky Way. About 3 million light-years from the Milky Way, M33 is itself thought to be a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy and astronomers in these two galaxies would likely have spectacular views of each other's grand spiral star systems. As for the view from planet Earth, this sharp composite image nicely shows off M33's blue star clusters and pinkish star forming regions along the galaxy's loosely wound spiral arms. In fact, the cavernous NGC 604 is the brightest star forming region, seen here at about the 7 o'clock position from the galaxy center. Like M31, M33's population of well-measured variable stars have helped make this nearby spiral a cosmic yardstick for establishing the distance scale of the Universe. via NASA http://ift.tt/2zzRm20
NPR News: Science And The Mystery Of The Mind
Science And The Mystery Of The Mind
We are still as ignorant about the "passage from the physics of the brain to the corresponding facts of consciousness" as John Tyndall and his Victorian colleagues were, says Marcelo Gleiser.
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We are still as ignorant about the "passage from the physics of the brain to the corresponding facts of consciousness" as John Tyndall and his Victorian colleagues were, says Marcelo Gleiser.
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NPR News: Scientists Move A Step Closer To Making Synthetic Life
Scientists Move A Step Closer To Making Synthetic Life
Bacteria engineered with an expanded genetic alphabet can produce novel proteins, which could lead to the development of new drugs.
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Bacteria engineered with an expanded genetic alphabet can produce novel proteins, which could lead to the development of new drugs.
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NPR News: Scientists Move A Step Closer To Making Synthetic Life
Scientists Move A Step Closer To Making Synthetic Life
Bacteria engineered with an expanded genetic alphabet can produce novel proteins, which could lead to the development of new drugs.
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Bacteria engineered with an expanded genetic alphabet can produce novel proteins, which could lead to the development of new drugs.
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NPR News: Gene Therapy Shows Promise For A Growing List Of Diseases
Gene Therapy Shows Promise For A Growing List Of Diseases
After decades of hope and disappointment, doctors have now been able to treat several different types of genetic conditions by giving each patient a healthy version of their defective gene.
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After decades of hope and disappointment, doctors have now been able to treat several different types of genetic conditions by giving each patient a healthy version of their defective gene.
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NPR News: Gene Therapy Shows Promise For A Growing List Of Diseases
Gene Therapy Shows Promise For A Growing List Of Diseases
After decades of hope and disappointment, doctors have now been able to treat several different types of genetic conditions by giving each patient a healthy version of their defective gene.
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After decades of hope and disappointment, doctors have now been able to treat several different types of genetic conditions by giving each patient a healthy version of their defective gene.
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NPR News: North Korea Launches An Apparent ICBM
North Korea Launches An Apparent ICBM
It flew higher — and for longer — than previous tests, theoretically putting the entire continental U.S. within Pyongyang's reach — a capability that the North Korean regime has long sought.
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It flew higher — and for longer — than previous tests, theoretically putting the entire continental U.S. within Pyongyang's reach — a capability that the North Korean regime has long sought.
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NPR News: Climate Scientists Watch Their Words, Hoping To Stave Off Funding Cuts
Climate Scientists Watch Their Words, Hoping To Stave Off Funding Cuts
After years of budget and political pressure, some climate scientists are changing the way they describe their research, and avoiding the term "climate change."
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After years of budget and political pressure, some climate scientists are changing the way they describe their research, and avoiding the term "climate change."
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NPR News: People Like People Who Ask Questions
People Like People Who Ask Questions
A new study says people who ask more questions, particularly follow-up questions, are liked better by their conversation partners.
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A new study says people who ask more questions, particularly follow-up questions, are liked better by their conversation partners.
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NPR News: The NHL And CTE
The NHL And CTE
The NFL has been more active than the NHL in addressing concerns about concussions and CTE. David Greene talks with neuroscientist Charles Tator talks about hockey's tepid response.
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The NFL has been more active than the NHL in addressing concerns about concussions and CTE. David Greene talks with neuroscientist Charles Tator talks about hockey's tepid response.
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NPR News: Trump Picks Businessman To Lead NOAA
Trump Picks Businessman To Lead NOAA
Senators are about to get their chance to grill the nominee for head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Critics say he has a conflict of interest.
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Senators are about to get their chance to grill the nominee for head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Critics say he has a conflict of interest.
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Tuesday, November 28, 2017
NPR News: Robot Muscles Inspired By Origami Lift 1000 Times Their Weight
Robot Muscles Inspired By Origami Lift 1000 Times Their Weight
The delicate art of paper folding is playing a crucial role in designing robotic artificial muscles that are startlingly strong. The design uses a soft material and could be safer around humans.
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The delicate art of paper folding is playing a crucial role in designing robotic artificial muscles that are startlingly strong. The design uses a soft material and could be safer around humans.
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NPR News: Robot Muscles Inspired By Origami Lift 1000 Times Their Weight
Robot Muscles Inspired By Origami Lift 1000 Times Their Weight
The delicate art of paper folding is playing a crucial role in designing robotic artificial muscles that are startlingly strong. The design uses a soft material and could be safer around humans.
Read more on NPR
The delicate art of paper folding is playing a crucial role in designing robotic artificial muscles that are startlingly strong. The design uses a soft material and could be safer around humans.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Testosterone May Help Protect Men From Asthma
Testosterone May Help Protect Men From Asthma
Women are more likely to have asthma than men. One possible reason? Testosterone could block a protein that helps spark an asthma attack, a study finds, while estrogen may not.
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Women are more likely to have asthma than men. One possible reason? Testosterone could block a protein that helps spark an asthma attack, a study finds, while estrogen may not.
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NPR News: Testosterone May Help Protect Men From Asthma
Testosterone May Help Protect Men From Asthma
Women are more likely to have asthma than men. One possible reason? Testosterone could block a protein that helps spark an asthma attack, a study finds, while estrogen may not.
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Women are more likely to have asthma than men. One possible reason? Testosterone could block a protein that helps spark an asthma attack, a study finds, while estrogen may not.
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NPR News: 75 Years Ago, Scientists Conducted An Unprecedented Nuclear Experiment
75 Years Ago, Scientists Conducted An Unprecedented Nuclear Experiment
On Dec. 2, 1942, a group of scientists in Chicago created the first controlled, self-sustained nuclear chain reaction, which would prove essential to developing an atomic bomb a few years later.
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On Dec. 2, 1942, a group of scientists in Chicago created the first controlled, self-sustained nuclear chain reaction, which would prove essential to developing an atomic bomb a few years later.
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NPR News: The Ancient Andean Tradition of Eating Clay May Have Helped To Protect Health
The Ancient Andean Tradition of Eating Clay May Have Helped To Protect Health
Farmers in Peru's Andean highlands have been consuming clay for centuries. Scientists now think it may have allowed them to eat wild potatoes, which are rich in toxic chemicals.
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Farmers in Peru's Andean highlands have been consuming clay for centuries. Scientists now think it may have allowed them to eat wild potatoes, which are rich in toxic chemicals.
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NPR News: Does This Robot Freak You Out?
Does This Robot Freak You Out?
Something like Atlas, Spot and Handle will likely inhabit the world we're now building — and their weirdness will be just commonplace, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
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Something like Atlas, Spot and Handle will likely inhabit the world we're now building — and their weirdness will be just commonplace, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
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Monday, November 27, 2017
Juno Spots a Complex Storm on Jupiter
Some storms on Jupiter are quite complex. The swirling storm was captured late last month by the NASA's robotic Juno spacecraft currently orbiting the Solar System's largest planet. The featured image spans about 30,000 kilometers, making this storm system just about as wide as planet Earth. The disturbance rotates counter-clockwise and shows a cloud pattern that includes light-colored updrafts thought to be composed predominantly of ammonia ice. These light clouds are the highest up and even cast discernable shadows toward the right. Juno will continue to orbit and probe Jupiter over the next few years as it tries to return data that help us to better understand Jupiter's atmospheric water abundance and if the planet has a solid surface underneath these fascinating clouds. via NASA http://ift.tt/2BrWOVG
NPR News: Dance By The Light Of The 2017 Supermoon: The How And When
Dance By The Light Of The 2017 Supermoon: The How And When
The last and only visible such moon of 2017 will appear Dec. 3. The best time to see it is at sunset or sunrise, when the moon is near the horizon.
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The last and only visible such moon of 2017 will appear Dec. 3. The best time to see it is at sunset or sunrise, when the moon is near the horizon.
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NPR News: Puerto Rico's Medical Manufacturers Worry Federal Tax Plan Could Kill Storm Recovery
Puerto Rico's Medical Manufacturers Worry Federal Tax Plan Could Kill Storm Recovery
Drug companies and medical device makers in Puerto Rico are still struggling with power and staffing shortages. One device manufacturer says the future of his industry on the island in uncertain.
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Drug companies and medical device makers in Puerto Rico are still struggling with power and staffing shortages. One device manufacturer says the future of his industry on the island in uncertain.
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NPR News: Video: A View Of A Breathing Earth
Video: A View Of A Breathing Earth
In this visualization, based on data collected by scientists, we see Earth changing — its plants, surface winds, and sea currents responding to the energy coming from the sun, says Marcelo Gleiser.
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In this visualization, based on data collected by scientists, we see Earth changing — its plants, surface winds, and sea currents responding to the energy coming from the sun, says Marcelo Gleiser.
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NPR News: Apps Can Cut Blue Light From Devices, But Do They Help You Sleep?
Apps Can Cut Blue Light From Devices, But Do They Help You Sleep?
Lots of phone and tablet apps promise to improve sleep by filtering out the blue light from device screens. But that won't help if the reason you're not getting enough shuteye is caffeine or stress.
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Lots of phone and tablet apps promise to improve sleep by filtering out the blue light from device screens. But that won't help if the reason you're not getting enough shuteye is caffeine or stress.
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NPR News: Light Therapy Might Help People With Bipolar Depression
Light Therapy Might Help People With Bipolar Depression
Light therapy can help treat depression that's part of seasonal affective disorder, but it hasn't worked so well for treating bipolar disorder. It may come down to when people are exposed to light.
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Light therapy can help treat depression that's part of seasonal affective disorder, but it hasn't worked so well for treating bipolar disorder. It may come down to when people are exposed to light.
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NPR News: Indonesia Tries To Evacuate 100,000 People Away From Erupting Volcano On Bali
Indonesia Tries To Evacuate 100,000 People Away From Erupting Volcano On Bali
Mount Agung began spewing ash last week, but over the weekend authorities raised the alert level for a possible larger eruption and expanded a danger zone around the base of the volcano.
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Mount Agung began spewing ash last week, but over the weekend authorities raised the alert level for a possible larger eruption and expanded a danger zone around the base of the volcano.
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Sunday, November 26, 2017
NPR News: Flat-Earther Postpones Launch In His Homemade Rocket, Saying 'It's Not Easy'
Flat-Earther Postpones Launch In His Homemade Rocket, Saying 'It's Not Easy'
Mike Hughes had planned to launch himself Saturday over the Mojave Desert in a quest to prove the world is flat. But he didn't count on a federal agency's rejection — or a significant tech breakdown.
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Mike Hughes had planned to launch himself Saturday over the Mojave Desert in a quest to prove the world is flat. But he didn't count on a federal agency's rejection — or a significant tech breakdown.
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Saturday, November 25, 2017
NPR News: Idaho Dims The Lights For One Of The Best Night Skies Anywhere
Idaho Dims The Lights For One Of The Best Night Skies Anywhere
Central Idaho hopes to land on a very short list of the best places on Earth to see the Milky Way at night.
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Central Idaho hopes to land on a very short list of the best places on Earth to see the Milky Way at night.
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Friday, November 24, 2017
Crossing Horizons
Follow this vertical panoramic view from horizon to horizon and your gaze will sweep through the zenith of a dark night sky over Pic du Midi mountaintop observatory. To make the journey above a sea of clouds, 19 single exposures were taken near the end of night on October 31 and assembled in a mercator projection that renders the two horizons flat. Begin at the top and you're looking east toward the upsidedown dome of the observatory's 1 meter telescope. It's easy to follow the plane of our Milky Way galaxy as it appears to emerge from the dome and angle down toward the far horizon. Just to its right, the sky holds a remarkable diffuse glow of zodiacal light along our Solar System's ecliptic plane. Zodiacal light and Milky Way with star clusters, cosmic dust clouds and faint nebulae, cross near the zenith. Both continue down toward the airglow in the west. They disappear near the western horizon at the bottom, beyond more Pic du Midi observatory domes and a tall communications relay antenna. via NASA http://ift.tt/2iNjjwX
NPR News: Less Waste, More Taste: A Master Chef Reimagines Thanksgiving Leftovers
Less Waste, More Taste: A Master Chef Reimagines Thanksgiving Leftovers
Over this Thanksgiving week, Americans will toss almost 200 million pounds of turkey alone. Massimo Bottura helps us fight food waste by showing us how to turn leftovers into a world-class new meal.
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Over this Thanksgiving week, Americans will toss almost 200 million pounds of turkey alone. Massimo Bottura helps us fight food waste by showing us how to turn leftovers into a world-class new meal.
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NPR News: To Save Water, Should You Wash Your Hands Of Hand Washing Dishes?
To Save Water, Should You Wash Your Hands Of Hand Washing Dishes?
The sustainable choice between the dishwasher and a manual scrub-down may just boil down to your washing style — but it's hard to beat today's efficient machines.
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The sustainable choice between the dishwasher and a manual scrub-down may just boil down to your washing style — but it's hard to beat today's efficient machines.
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NPR News: NASA Taps Young People To Help Develop Virtual Reality Technology
NASA Taps Young People To Help Develop Virtual Reality Technology
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center are hoping to use virtual reality technology to study space, and Earth, without leaving their offices. Talented high school students are helping.
Read more on NPR
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center are hoping to use virtual reality technology to study space, and Earth, without leaving their offices. Talented high school students are helping.
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NPR News: The Sea Level Threat To Cities Depends On Where The Ice Melts — Not Just How Fast
The Sea Level Threat To Cities Depends On Where The Ice Melts — Not Just How Fast
Identifying where ice melts can help cities in planning for a future with elevated sea levels. In New York City, the sea level would be affected more by melting ice in northern Greenland than Canada.
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Identifying where ice melts can help cities in planning for a future with elevated sea levels. In New York City, the sea level would be affected more by melting ice in northern Greenland than Canada.
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NPR News: NASA Taps Young People To Help Develop Virtual Reality Technology
NASA Taps Young People To Help Develop Virtual Reality Technology
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center are hoping to use virtual reality technology to study space, and Earth, without leaving their offices. Talented high school students are helping.
Read more on NPR
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center are hoping to use virtual reality technology to study space, and Earth, without leaving their offices. Talented high school students are helping.
Read more on NPR
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Apollo 17 at Shorty Crater
In December of 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about 75 hours on the Moon in the Taurus-Littrow valley, while colleague Ronald Evans orbited overhead. This sharp image was taken by Cernan as he and Schmitt roamed the valley floor. The image shows Schmitt on the left with the lunar rover at the edge of Shorty Crater, near the spot where geologist Schmitt discovered orange lunar soil. The Apollo 17 crew returned with 110 kilograms of rock and soil samples, more than was returned from any of the other lunar landing sites. Forty five years later, Cernan and Schmitt are still the last to walk on the Moon. via NASA http://ift.tt/2iHLwoC
NPR News: Human Brains Have Evolved Unique 'Feel-Good' Circuits
Human Brains Have Evolved Unique 'Feel-Good' Circuits
A comparison of brain tissue from monkeys, chimps and humans suggests that our brains produce the chemical messenger dopamine, which plays a major role in pleasure and rewards, far differently.
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A comparison of brain tissue from monkeys, chimps and humans suggests that our brains produce the chemical messenger dopamine, which plays a major role in pleasure and rewards, far differently.
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NPR News: Human Brains Have Evolved Unique 'Feel-Good' Circuits
Human Brains Have Evolved Unique 'Feel-Good' Circuits
A comparison of brain tissue from monkeys, chimps and humans suggests that our brains produce the chemical messenger dopamine, which plays a major role in pleasure and rewards, far differently.
Read more on NPR
A comparison of brain tissue from monkeys, chimps and humans suggests that our brains produce the chemical messenger dopamine, which plays a major role in pleasure and rewards, far differently.
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Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka
Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, are the bright bluish stars from east to west (lower right to upper left) along the diagonal in this cosmic vista. Otherwise known as the Belt of Orion, these three blue supergiant stars are hotter and much more massive than the Sun. They lie from 800 to 1,500 light-years away, born of Orion's well-studied interstellar clouds. In fact, clouds of gas and dust adrift in this region have some surprisingly familiar shapes, including the dark Horsehead Nebula and Flame Nebula near Alnitak at the lower right. The famous Orion Nebula itself is off the right edge of this colorful starfield. This well-framed, 2-panel telescopic mosaic spans about 4 degrees on the sky. via NASA http://ift.tt/2A3km2Q
NPR News: Earth Increasingly Looks Lit-Up At Night
Earth Increasingly Looks Lit-Up At Night
Over the last five years, global light pollution has increased nearly 10 percent, a new study shows, The fastest rise occurred in developing nations.
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Over the last five years, global light pollution has increased nearly 10 percent, a new study shows, The fastest rise occurred in developing nations.
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NPR News: Earth Increasingly Looks Lit-Up At Night
Earth Increasingly Looks Lit-Up At Night
Over the last five years, global light pollution has increased nearly 10 percent, a new study shows, The fastest rise occurred in developing nations.
Read more on NPR
Over the last five years, global light pollution has increased nearly 10 percent, a new study shows, The fastest rise occurred in developing nations.
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NPR News: If The Developing World Can Go Solar, Maybe Puerto Rico Can Too
If The Developing World Can Go Solar, Maybe Puerto Rico Can Too
With most of the island still without electricity, some Puerto Ricans are hoping to follow the example of developing world countries — and turn to the sun for power.
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With most of the island still without electricity, some Puerto Ricans are hoping to follow the example of developing world countries — and turn to the sun for power.
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New York Students to Speak with NASA Astronauts on Space Station
Students at U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, will speak with NASA astronauts living, working and doing research aboard the International Space Station at 9:15 a.m. EST Monday, Nov. 27.
November 22, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2jeIgAE
via IFTTT
November 22, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2jeIgAE
via IFTTT
NPR News: From 'Inky's Great Escape' To Singing Seahorses: Animal Books For The Holidays
From 'Inky's Great Escape' To Singing Seahorses: Animal Books For The Holidays
From real-life, seaweed-carrying dolphins to fictional singing seahorses, animals in these new books can excite the mind, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
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From real-life, seaweed-carrying dolphins to fictional singing seahorses, animals in these new books can excite the mind, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Nothing like it has ever been seen before. The unusual space rock 'Oumuamua is so intriguing mainly because it is the first asteroid ever detected from outside our Solar System -- although likely many more are to follow given modern computer-driven sky monitoring. Therefore humanity's telescopes -- of nearly every variety -- have put 'Oumuamua into their observing schedule to help better understand this unusual interstellar visitor. Pictured is an artist's illustration of what 'Oumuamua might look like up close. 'Oumuamua is also intriguing, however, because it has unexpected parallels to Rama, a famous fictional interstellar spaceship created by the late science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke. Like Rama, 'Oumuamua is unusually elongated, should be made of strong material to avoid breaking apart, is only passing through our Solar System, and passed unusually close to the Sun for something gravitationally unbound. Unlike a visiting spaceship, though, 'Oumuamua's trajectory, speed, color, and even probability of detection are consistent with it forming naturally around a normal star many millions of years ago, being expelled after gravitationally encountering a normal planet, and subsequently orbiting in our Galaxy alone. Even given 'Oumuamua's likely conventional origin, perhaps humanity can hold hope that one day we will have the technology to engineer 'Oumuamua -- or another Solar System interloper -- into an interstellar Rama of our own. via NASA http://ift.tt/2jLMtjj
NPR News: What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us
What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us
The sugar industry pulled the plug on an animal study it funded in the 1960s. Initial results pointed to a link between sugar consumption and elevated triglycerides, which raises heart disease risk.
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The sugar industry pulled the plug on an animal study it funded in the 1960s. Initial results pointed to a link between sugar consumption and elevated triglycerides, which raises heart disease risk.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us
What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us
The sugar industry pulled the plug on an animal study it funded in the 1960s. Initial results pointed to a link between sugar consumption and elevated triglycerides, which raises heart disease risk.
Read more on NPR
The sugar industry pulled the plug on an animal study it funded in the 1960s. Initial results pointed to a link between sugar consumption and elevated triglycerides, which raises heart disease risk.
Read more on NPR
NASA to Highlight Science on Next Resupply Mission to Space Station
NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 29, to discuss a number of science investigations and instruments launching to the International Space Station on the next SpaceX commercial resupply mission.
November 21, 2017
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November 21, 2017
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NPR News: Sugar Industry Shifted Blame For Heart Disease Onto Fats In The '60s
Sugar Industry Shifted Blame For Heart Disease Onto Fats In The '60s
A new report out today reveals documents showing how the sugar industry influenced scientific research in the 1960s in a way that deflected concerns about the impact of sugar on health.
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A new report out today reveals documents showing how the sugar industry influenced scientific research in the 1960s in a way that deflected concerns about the impact of sugar on health.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Sugar Industry Shifted Blame For Heart Disease Onto Fats In The '60s
Sugar Industry Shifted Blame For Heart Disease Onto Fats In The '60s
A new report out today reveals documents showing how the sugar industry influenced scientific research in the 1960s in a way that deflected concerns about the impact of sugar on health.
Read more on NPR
A new report out today reveals documents showing how the sugar industry influenced scientific research in the 1960s in a way that deflected concerns about the impact of sugar on health.
Read more on NPR
Monday, November 20, 2017
NPR News: Popular Surgery To Ease Chronic Shoulder Pain Called Into Question
Popular Surgery To Ease Chronic Shoulder Pain Called Into Question
U.K. scientists say arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs or bits of ragged tissue in sore shoulders offered no more pain relief than than sham surgery in their randomized test.
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U.K. scientists say arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs or bits of ragged tissue in sore shoulders offered no more pain relief than than sham surgery in their randomized test.
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NPR News: Popular Surgery To Ease Chronic Shoulder Pain Called Into Question
Popular Surgery To Ease Chronic Shoulder Pain Called Into Question
U.K. scientists say arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs or bits of ragged tissue in sore shoulders offered no more pain relief than than sham surgery in their randomized test.
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U.K. scientists say arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs or bits of ragged tissue in sore shoulders offered no more pain relief than than sham surgery in their randomized test.
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NPR News: Dog Owners Have Lower Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease, Swedish Data Suggests
Dog Owners Have Lower Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease, Swedish Data Suggests
Researchers looked at hospital visits in Sweden's public health care system, and checked them against dog registration records. They found dog owners had lower rates of heart disease.
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Researchers looked at hospital visits in Sweden's public health care system, and checked them against dog registration records. They found dog owners had lower rates of heart disease.
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NPR News: Scientists Glimpse Houston's Flooded Future In Updated Rainfall Data
Scientists Glimpse Houston's Flooded Future In Updated Rainfall Data
Hurricane Harvey's deluge left some homeowners and politicians wondering whether the whole system for predicting floods is any good. Scientists are hoping better data can lead to better flood maps.
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Hurricane Harvey's deluge left some homeowners and politicians wondering whether the whole system for predicting floods is any good. Scientists are hoping better data can lead to better flood maps.
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NPR News: Greece Was Hit By Storm Some Called A 'Medicane.' What's That?
Greece Was Hit By Storm Some Called A 'Medicane.' What's That?
European weather sites posted imagery showing the swirling wind patterns and a waterspout over the Mediterranean. The low pressure system shared characteristics of tropical cyclones.
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European weather sites posted imagery showing the swirling wind patterns and a waterspout over the Mediterranean. The low pressure system shared characteristics of tropical cyclones.
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NPR News: How Much Hotter Is It In The Slums?
How Much Hotter Is It In The Slums?
Researchers took temperature readings in Nairobi's biggest slum during the summer and compared it to readings from a weather station half a mile away. There definitely was a difference.
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Researchers took temperature readings in Nairobi's biggest slum during the summer and compared it to readings from a weather station half a mile away. There definitely was a difference.
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NPR News: Can Science Explain The Human Mind?
Can Science Explain The Human Mind?
Science will one day explain visual perception and memory loss. But will it also explain romantic love and morality? Tania Lombrozo considers people's beliefs about what science can and can't explain.
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Science will one day explain visual perception and memory loss. But will it also explain romantic love and morality? Tania Lombrozo considers people's beliefs about what science can and can't explain.
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NPR News: Keystone XL Pipeline Gets Regulators' OK In Nebraska, Clearing Key Hurdle
Keystone XL Pipeline Gets Regulators' OK In Nebraska, Clearing Key Hurdle
The Nebraska Public Service Commission voted 3-2 on Monday to approve the controversial pipeline — albeit not on the route preferred by TransCanada, the company behind the Keystone XL.
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The Nebraska Public Service Commission voted 3-2 on Monday to approve the controversial pipeline — albeit not on the route preferred by TransCanada, the company behind the Keystone XL.
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NASA Astronaut Available for Interviews Before Space Station Mission
NASA astronaut Scott Tingle will be available at 6 a.m. EST Friday, Dec. 1 for live satellite interviews one last time prior to his upcoming launch to the International Space Station Dec. 17, on what will be his first mission in space.
November 20, 2017
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November 20, 2017
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NPR News: Spit Test May Help Reveal Concussion Severity
Spit Test May Help Reveal Concussion Severity
When a child suffers a concussion, it's very hard to tell if the brain injury will cause long-term problems. A experimental test that looks for bits of genetic material in spit might help.
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When a child suffers a concussion, it's very hard to tell if the brain injury will cause long-term problems. A experimental test that looks for bits of genetic material in spit might help.
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NPR News: Spit Test May Help Reveal Concussion Severity
Spit Test May Help Reveal Concussion Severity
When a child suffers a concussion, it's very hard to tell if the brain injury will cause long-term problems. A experimental test that looks for bits of genetic material in spit might help.
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When a child suffers a concussion, it's very hard to tell if the brain injury will cause long-term problems. A experimental test that looks for bits of genetic material in spit might help.
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NPR News: Amos Winter: How Do You Build An All-Terrain Wheelchair For The Developing World?
Amos Winter: How Do You Build An All-Terrain Wheelchair For The Developing World?
In many countries, uneven and unpaved roads make it hard to get around in a standard wheelchair. MIT engineer Amos Winter describes his design for an affordable, lever-powered, all-terrain wheelchair.
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In many countries, uneven and unpaved roads make it hard to get around in a standard wheelchair. MIT engineer Amos Winter describes his design for an affordable, lever-powered, all-terrain wheelchair.
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NPR News: How Tulsa Became A Model For Preventing Floods
How Tulsa Became A Model For Preventing Floods
For decades, Tulsa planned carefully and imposed regulations to prevent the kind of devastating floods that used to make national headlines. Now other cities are noticing.
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For decades, Tulsa planned carefully and imposed regulations to prevent the kind of devastating floods that used to make national headlines. Now other cities are noticing.
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Sunday, November 19, 2017
Curiosity Rover Takes Selfie on Mars
Yes, but have you ever taken a selfie on Mars? The Curiosity rover on Mars has. This selfie was compiled from many smaller images -- which is why the mechanical arm holding the camera is not visible. (Although its shadow is!) Taken in mid-2015, the featured image shows not only the adventurous rover, but dark layered rocks, the light colored peak of Mount Sharp, and the rusting red sand that pervades Mars. If you look closely, you can even see that a small rock is stuck into one of Curiosity's aging wheels. Now nearing the end of 2017, Curiosity continues to explore the layers of sedimentary rocks it has discovered on Vera Rubin Ridge in order to better understand, generally, the ancient geologic history of Mars and, specifically, why these types of rocks exist there. via NASA http://ift.tt/2zQUhGy
Saturday, November 18, 2017
NGC 7822: Stars and Dust Pillars in Infrared
Young stars themselves are clearing out their nursery in NGC 7822. Within the nebula, bright edges and complex dust sculptures dominate this detailed skyscape taken in infrared light by NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) satellite. NGC 7822 lies at the edge of a giant molecular cloud toward the northern constellation Cepheus, a glowing star forming region that lies about 3,000 light-years away. The atomic emission of light by the nebula's gas is powered by energetic radiation from the hot stars, whose powerful winds and light also sculpt and erode the denser pillar shapes. Stars could still be forming inside the pillars by gravitational collapse, but as the pillars are eroded away, any forming stars will ultimately be cut off from their reservoir of star stuff. This field spans around 40 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 7822. via NASA http://ift.tt/2yWIbIj
NPR News: To Save Their Water Supply, Colorado Farmers Taxed Themselves
To Save Their Water Supply, Colorado Farmers Taxed Themselves
The recent drought in the West forced people to take a hard look at how they use water. In Colorado, some farmers tried an experiment: make their water more expensive without hurting business.
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The recent drought in the West forced people to take a hard look at how they use water. In Colorado, some farmers tried an experiment: make their water more expensive without hurting business.
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NASA Launches NOAA Weather Satellite Aboard United Launch Alliance Rocket to Improve Forecasts
NASA has successfully launched for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the first in a series of four highly advanced polar-orbiting satellites, equipped with next-generation technology and designed to improve the accuracy of U.S. weather forecasts out to seven days.
November 18, 2017
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November 18, 2017
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Friday, November 17, 2017
Friday the Moon Smiled
Friday, an old Moon smiled for early morning risers. Its waning sunlit crescent is captured in this atmospheric scene from clear skies near Bursa, Turkey, planet Earth. In the subtle twilight hues nearby celestial lights are Jupiter (top) and Venus shining close to the eastern horizon. But today, Saturday, the Moon will be new and early next week its waxing crescent will follow the setting Sun as it sinks in the west. Then, a young Moon's smile will join Saturn and Mercury in early evening skies. via NASA http://ift.tt/2zKPtT8
NPR News: Climate Change Ripens Prospects For German Winemakers
Climate Change Ripens Prospects For German Winemakers
While Spanish and Italian growers worry heat will dry out vines, in Germany, warming has made for better Rieslings. And one scientist says they couldn't be making red wine so good otherwise.
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While Spanish and Italian growers worry heat will dry out vines, in Germany, warming has made for better Rieslings. And one scientist says they couldn't be making red wine so good otherwise.
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NPR News: Clues In That Mysterious Radioactive Cloud Point Toward Russia
Clues In That Mysterious Radioactive Cloud Point Toward Russia
Western scientists say they may never know the source of the cloud of ruthenium-106 that hovered over Europe last month. But what little data there is suggests a research facility inside Russia.
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Western scientists say they may never know the source of the cloud of ruthenium-106 that hovered over Europe last month. But what little data there is suggests a research facility inside Russia.
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NPR News: Clues In That Mysterious Radioactive Cloud Point Toward Russia
Clues In That Mysterious Radioactive Cloud Point Toward Russia
Western scientists say they may never know the source of the cloud of ruthenium-106 that hovered over Europe last month. But what little data there is suggests a research facility inside Russia.
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Western scientists say they may never know the source of the cloud of ruthenium-106 that hovered over Europe last month. But what little data there is suggests a research facility inside Russia.
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NPR News: Climate Change Unlocks Possibilities In German Wine Country
Climate Change Unlocks Possibilities In German Wine Country
Germany, already feeling the results of climate change, is hosting U.N. climate talks this week. One scientist there said they couldn't be making red wine this good without climate change.
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Germany, already feeling the results of climate change, is hosting U.N. climate talks this week. One scientist there said they couldn't be making red wine this good without climate change.
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NPR News: The Big Idea Behind Big Data
The Big Idea Behind Big Data
As we find our way in a world shaped by Big Data, it's not the reams of information we gather but the networks they illuminate that's the newest addition to science's index of things, says Adam Frank.
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As we find our way in a world shaped by Big Data, it's not the reams of information we gather but the networks they illuminate that's the newest addition to science's index of things, says Adam Frank.
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NPR News: Amos Winter: How Do You Build An All-Terrain Wheelchair For Under $200?
Amos Winter: How Do You Build An All-Terrain Wheelchair For Under $200?
In many countries, uneven and unpaved roads make it hard to get around in a standard wheelchair. MIT engineer Amos Winter describes his design for a lever-powered all-terrain wheelchair under $200.
Read more on NPR
In many countries, uneven and unpaved roads make it hard to get around in a standard wheelchair. MIT engineer Amos Winter describes his design for a lever-powered all-terrain wheelchair under $200.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Mileha Soneji: Can Simple Innovations Improve The Lives of Parkinson's Patients?
Mileha Soneji: Can Simple Innovations Improve The Lives of Parkinson's Patients?
When designer Mileha Soneji's uncle got Parkinson's, his quality of life deteriorated rapidly. Mileha couldn't cure her uncle's disease, so she designed simple ways to improve his everyday life.
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When designer Mileha Soneji's uncle got Parkinson's, his quality of life deteriorated rapidly. Mileha couldn't cure her uncle's disease, so she designed simple ways to improve his everyday life.
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NPR News: Canadians Root For An Underdog Health Policy Idea From The U.S.
Canadians Root For An Underdog Health Policy Idea From The U.S.
A center created by the Affordable Care Act to foster innovations in health care is at risk in Donald Trump's U.S. But some Canadian health analysts see it as a model for curbing health care's cost.
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A center created by the Affordable Care Act to foster innovations in health care is at risk in Donald Trump's U.S. But some Canadian health analysts see it as a model for curbing health care's cost.
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NPR News: The Largest Digital Camera In The World Takes Shape
The Largest Digital Camera In The World Takes Shape
A two-story tall, digital camera is taking shape in California. It will ultimately go on a telescope in Chile where it will survey the sky, looking for things that appear suddenly or change over time.
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A two-story tall, digital camera is taking shape in California. It will ultimately go on a telescope in Chile where it will survey the sky, looking for things that appear suddenly or change over time.
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NPR News: National Zoo Panda Tian Tian Gets Checkup For Weight Loss And Sore Shoulder
National Zoo Panda Tian Tian Gets Checkup For Weight Loss And Sore Shoulder
Veterinarians performed laser treatment and acupuncture for what they initially thought was a touch of arthritis in the panda's left shoulder.
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Veterinarians performed laser treatment and acupuncture for what they initially thought was a touch of arthritis in the panda's left shoulder.
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Thursday, November 16, 2017
NPR News: Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill Reported In South Dakota
Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill Reported In South Dakota
The oil leak occurs just a few days before Nebraska state regulators will decide on the fate of TransCanada's controversial sister project, the Keystone XL Pipeline.
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The oil leak occurs just a few days before Nebraska state regulators will decide on the fate of TransCanada's controversial sister project, the Keystone XL Pipeline.
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NASA Selects Instrument for Future International Mission to Martian Moons
NASA has selected a science instrument for an upcoming Japan-led sample return mission to the moons of Mars planned for launch in 2024.
November 16, 2017
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November 16, 2017
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NPR News: Video: An Interspecies Flying Lesson
Video: An Interspecies Flying Lesson
Gorilla naturalist? Barbara J. King suggests watching this young male gorilla in the Virunga Mountains during his close-up encounter with a baby owl.
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Gorilla naturalist? Barbara J. King suggests watching this young male gorilla in the Virunga Mountains during his close-up encounter with a baby owl.
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NPR News: Why Did The Passenger Pigeon Go Extinct? The Answer Might Lie In Their Toes
Why Did The Passenger Pigeon Go Extinct? The Answer Might Lie In Their Toes
Billions of these birds once flew over North America, but the last known passenger pigeon died in 1914. To try to figure out what happened, scientists analyzed DNA from the toes of birds in museums.
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Billions of these birds once flew over North America, but the last known passenger pigeon died in 1914. To try to figure out what happened, scientists analyzed DNA from the toes of birds in museums.
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Tennessee Students to Speak with NASA Astronauts on International Space Station
Students at Southside Elementary School in Lebanon, Tennessee, will have the opportunity to speak with NASA astronauts living, working and doing research aboard the International Space Station at 10:05 a.m. EST Monday, Nov. 20.
November 16, 2017
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November 16, 2017
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NPR News: As Climate Negotiators Debate Nations' Pledges, Scientists Worry It's Not Enough
As Climate Negotiators Debate Nations' Pledges, Scientists Worry It's Not Enough
Delegates to the annual international climate meeting held by the U.N. are struggling to forge a unified approach to slowing climate change. Meanwhile, emissions of greenhouse gases keep rising.
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Delegates to the annual international climate meeting held by the U.N. are struggling to forge a unified approach to slowing climate change. Meanwhile, emissions of greenhouse gases keep rising.
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Wednesday, November 15, 2017
The Tarantula Nebula is more than a thousand light-years in diameter, a giant star forming region within nearby satellite galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud, about 180 thousand light-years away. The largest, most violent star forming region known in the whole Local Group of galaxies, the cosmic arachnid sprawls across this spectacular view composed with narrowband data centered on emission from ionized hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Within the Tarantula (NGC 2070), intense radiation, stellar winds and supernova shocks from the central young cluster of massive stars, cataloged as R136, energize the nebular glow and shape the spidery filaments. Around the Tarantula are other star forming regions with young star clusters, filaments, and blown-out bubble-shaped clouds. In fact, the frame includes the site of the closest supernova in modern times, SN 1987A, right of center. The rich field of view spans about 1 degree or 2 full moons, in the southern constellation Dorado. But were the Tarantula Nebula closer, say 1,500 light-years distant like the local star forming Orion Nebula, it would take up half the sky. via NASA http://ift.tt/2AJQWqN
NPR News: WATCH: The Hurricane Season, As Shown By Salt, Smoke And Dust
WATCH: The Hurricane Season, As Shown By Salt, Smoke And Dust
A NASA visualization uses computer models to show how recent hurricanes shifted salt from the Atlantic, dust from the Sahara and smoke from fires in Portugal and the Pacific Northwest.
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A NASA visualization uses computer models to show how recent hurricanes shifted salt from the Atlantic, dust from the Sahara and smoke from fires in Portugal and the Pacific Northwest.
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NASA’s Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Audit Result
NASA has received an unmodified audit opinion on its Fiscal Year 2017 (FY 2017) financial statements, making this the seventh consecutive year of "clean" opinions.
November 15, 2017
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November 15, 2017
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NPR News: From Cattle To Capital: How Agriculture Bred Ancient Inequality
From Cattle To Capital: How Agriculture Bred Ancient Inequality
Archaeologists say early civilizations in North and Central America were more egalitarian than the societies of Eurasia — and they think it's because early Americans didn't have cattle or horses.
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Archaeologists say early civilizations in North and Central America were more egalitarian than the societies of Eurasia — and they think it's because early Americans didn't have cattle or horses.
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NPR News: From Cattle To Capital: How Agriculture Bred Ancient Inequality
From Cattle To Capital: How Agriculture Bred Ancient Inequality
Archaeologists say early civilizations in North and Central America were more egalitarian than the societies of Eurasia — and they think it's because early Americans didn't have cattle or horses.
Read more on NPR
Archaeologists say early civilizations in North and Central America were more egalitarian than the societies of Eurasia — and they think it's because early Americans didn't have cattle or horses.
Read more on NPR
NASA Expands Podcast Selections with New Science Series
“Gravity Assist,” a new NASA weekly podcast series, launches Wednesday on NASA.gov and the SoundCloud and iTunes audio platforms.
November 15, 2017
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November 15, 2017
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NPR News: 'Leaf Wonder' In A World Of Changing Forests
'Leaf Wonder' In A World Of Changing Forests
Together, aesthetic awareness and scientific analysis puts us in direct, sensory relationship with the forest and gives us the ability to understand what we see, says author David George Haskell.
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Together, aesthetic awareness and scientific analysis puts us in direct, sensory relationship with the forest and gives us the ability to understand what we see, says author David George Haskell.
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NPR News: Pioneers Of High-Quality Near Beer Are Banking On Non-Drinking Binges
Pioneers Of High-Quality Near Beer Are Banking On Non-Drinking Binges
Even if you're staying sober, sometimes you might just miss the taste of a really good beer. But the market for high-end booze-free brews has gone largely untapped. That's starting to change.
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Even if you're staying sober, sometimes you might just miss the taste of a really good beer. But the market for high-end booze-free brews has gone largely untapped. That's starting to change.
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NPR News: Oceans May Host Next Wave Of Renewable Energy
Oceans May Host Next Wave Of Renewable Energy
Researchers say there's huge potential for harnessing ocean waves to create electricity. The Energy Department is backing one effort in Oregon.
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Researchers say there's huge potential for harnessing ocean waves to create electricity. The Energy Department is backing one effort in Oregon.
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NPR News: Hurricane Damage To Manufacturers In Puerto Rico Affects Mainland Hospitals, Too
Hurricane Damage To Manufacturers In Puerto Rico Affects Mainland Hospitals, Too
The island is a major center for drug and medical device manufacturing. After Hurricane Maria, those products, including small IV bags, are running short throughout the U.S.
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The island is a major center for drug and medical device manufacturing. After Hurricane Maria, those products, including small IV bags, are running short throughout the U.S.
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Tuesday, November 14, 2017
NPR News: Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
It's not proof of cause and effect, but should be a warning, researchers say. Surveys showed teens — especially girls — who spent hours online daily were more likely than others to report depression.
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It's not proof of cause and effect, but should be a warning, researchers say. Surveys showed teens — especially girls — who spent hours online daily were more likely than others to report depression.
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NPR News: Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
It's not proof of cause and effect, but should be a warning, researchers say. Surveys showed teens — especially girls — who spent hours online daily were more likely than others to report depression.
Read more on NPR
It's not proof of cause and effect, but should be a warning, researchers say. Surveys showed teens — especially girls — who spent hours online daily were more likely than others to report depression.
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NPR News: On The Alien Question: Where Are They?
On The Alien Question: Where Are They?
The great physicist Enrico Fermi asked this question in the 1950s. There are more than 50 possible "solutions" to Fermi's Paradox: Here, astrophysicist Marcelo Gleiser explores a few.
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The great physicist Enrico Fermi asked this question in the 1950s. There are more than 50 possible "solutions" to Fermi's Paradox: Here, astrophysicist Marcelo Gleiser explores a few.
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NPR News: Researchers Explore The Effects Of Section 8 Grants In Houston
Researchers Explore The Effects Of Section 8 Grants In Houston
A study looks at the effect of housing vouchers on criminal activity. People who receive Section 8 vouchers are more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, but this effect only shows up for men.
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A study looks at the effect of housing vouchers on criminal activity. People who receive Section 8 vouchers are more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, but this effect only shows up for men.
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NPR News: Researchers Explore The Effects Of Section 8 Grants In Houston
Researchers Explore The Effects Of Section 8 Grants In Houston
A study looks at the effect of housing vouchers on criminal activity. People who receive Section 8 vouchers are more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, but this effect only shows up for men.
Read more on NPR
A study looks at the effect of housing vouchers on criminal activity. People who receive Section 8 vouchers are more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, but this effect only shows up for men.
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Monday, November 13, 2017
NPR News: Global Carbon Emissions Rising Again After Brief Plateau, Researchers Say
Global Carbon Emissions Rising Again After Brief Plateau, Researchers Say
After several years of nearly no growth in planetary carbon emissions, human-created carbon output is projected to rise again. That means the past few years were a pause, not a peak, researchers say.
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After several years of nearly no growth in planetary carbon emissions, human-created carbon output is projected to rise again. That means the past few years were a pause, not a peak, researchers say.
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NPR News: Georgian Jars Hold 8,000-Year-Old Winemaking Clues
Georgian Jars Hold 8,000-Year-Old Winemaking Clues
Scientists have found evidence of ancient winemaking in Georgia, a country which prides itself on its vino. It's the earliest trace of viniculture using wild grapes similar to those used today.
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Scientists have found evidence of ancient winemaking in Georgia, a country which prides itself on its vino. It's the earliest trace of viniculture using wild grapes similar to those used today.
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NPR News: Georgian Jars Hold 8,000-Year-Old Winemaking Clues
Georgian Jars Hold 8,000-Year-Old Winemaking Clues
Scientists have found evidence of ancient winemaking in Georgia, a country which prides itself on its vino. It's the earliest trace of viniculture using wild grapes similar to those used today.
Read more on NPR
Scientists have found evidence of ancient winemaking in Georgia, a country which prides itself on its vino. It's the earliest trace of viniculture using wild grapes similar to those used today.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Slow And Upbeat EPA Response To Hurricane Harvey Pollution Angers Residents
Slow And Upbeat EPA Response To Hurricane Harvey Pollution Angers Residents
Hurricane Harvey caused industrial facilities to release an extra 5.98 million pounds of air pollution. Some people who live and work near the plants are frustrated with the federal response.
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Hurricane Harvey caused industrial facilities to release an extra 5.98 million pounds of air pollution. Some people who live and work near the plants are frustrated with the federal response.
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NPR News: Security Firm Says Extremely Creepy Mask Cracks iPhone X's Face ID
Security Firm Says Extremely Creepy Mask Cracks iPhone X's Face ID
A video shows the Vietnam-based Bkav apparently bypassing the feature. Apple has touted the function as secure since it was unveiled in September.
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A video shows the Vietnam-based Bkav apparently bypassing the feature. Apple has touted the function as secure since it was unveiled in September.
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NPR News: What Makes Wagyu Beef Smell So Good? Science Explains
What Makes Wagyu Beef Smell So Good? Science Explains
The Japanese beef is considered a luxury, with plenty of fat and its super-soft texture. New evidence could explain what's behind its sweet smell.
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The Japanese beef is considered a luxury, with plenty of fat and its super-soft texture. New evidence could explain what's behind its sweet smell.
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NPR News: What Makes Wagyu Beef Smell So Good? Science Explains
What Makes Wagyu Beef Smell So Good? Science Explains
The Japanese beef is considered a luxury, with plenty of fat and its super-soft texture. New evidence could explain what's behind its sweet smell.
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The Japanese beef is considered a luxury, with plenty of fat and its super-soft texture. New evidence could explain what's behind its sweet smell.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Um, Uh, Huh? Are These Words Clues To Understanding Human Language?
Um, Uh, Huh? Are These Words Clues To Understanding Human Language?
Tiny filler words in human rapid-fire conversation hold the key to understanding how language is unique, according to a new book. But anthropologist Barbara J. King raises some questions.
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Tiny filler words in human rapid-fire conversation hold the key to understanding how language is unique, according to a new book. But anthropologist Barbara J. King raises some questions.
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NPR News: Mysterious Radioactive Cloud Over Europe Hints At Accident Farther East
Mysterious Radioactive Cloud Over Europe Hints At Accident Farther East
Ruthenium-106, an artificial isotope, was detected in early October and is now gone. European safety officials say it poses no health risk to residents and that it might have come from Russia.
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Ruthenium-106, an artificial isotope, was detected in early October and is now gone. European safety officials say it poses no health risk to residents and that it might have come from Russia.
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NPR News: Brain Scientists Look Beyond Opioids To Conquer Pain
Brain Scientists Look Beyond Opioids To Conquer Pain
The search is on for opioid alternatives that can block pain without causing addiction. One promising candidate: snail venom.
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The search is on for opioid alternatives that can block pain without causing addiction. One promising candidate: snail venom.
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NPR News: Brain Scientists Look Beyond Opioids To Conquer Pain
Brain Scientists Look Beyond Opioids To Conquer Pain
The search is on for opioid alternatives that can block pain without causing addiction. One promising candidate: snail venom.
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The search is on for opioid alternatives that can block pain without causing addiction. One promising candidate: snail venom.
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Sunday, November 12, 2017
Comet Machholz Approaches the Sun
Why is Comet Maccholz so depleted of carbon-containing chemicals? Comet 96P/Machholz's original fame derives from its getting closer to the Sun than any other short period comet -- half as close as Mercury -- and doing so every five years. To better understand this unusual comet, NASA's Sun-monitoring SOHO spacecraft tracked the comet during its latest approach to the Sun in October. The featured image composite shows the tail-enhanced comet swooping past the Sun. The Sun's bright surface is hidden from view behind a dark occulter, although parts of the Sun's extended corona are visible. Neighboring stars dot the background. One hypothesis holds that these close solar approaches somehow cause Comet Machholz to shed its carbon, while another hypothesis posits that the comet formed with this composition far away -- possibly even in another star system. via NASA http://ift.tt/2iOfVAW
NPR News: In D.C., Brain Science Meets Behavioral Science To Shed Light On Mental Disorders
In D.C., Brain Science Meets Behavioral Science To Shed Light On Mental Disorders
The Society for Neuroscience meeting is taking place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. Researchers there are focusing on how to find the biological underpinnings of mental disorders.
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The Society for Neuroscience meeting is taking place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. Researchers there are focusing on how to find the biological underpinnings of mental disorders.
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NPR News: In D.C., Brain Science Meets Behavioral Science To Shed Light On Mental Disorders
In D.C., Brain Science Meets Behavioral Science To Shed Light On Mental Disorders
The Society for Neuroscience meeting is taking place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. Researchers there are focusing on how to find the biological underpinnings of mental disorders.
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The Society for Neuroscience meeting is taking place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. Researchers there are focusing on how to find the biological underpinnings of mental disorders.
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NPR News: 3-Plus Tons Of Supplies Headed To International Space Station After Virginia Liftoff
3-Plus Tons Of Supplies Headed To International Space Station After Virginia Liftoff
The Sunday launch of an Antares rocket from Wallop Islands has some 7,400 pounds aboard. The rocket was developed by private firm Orbital ATK, which conducts supply missions for NASA.
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The Sunday launch of an Antares rocket from Wallop Islands has some 7,400 pounds aboard. The rocket was developed by private firm Orbital ATK, which conducts supply missions for NASA.
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NASA Space Station Cargo Launches Aboard Orbital ATK Mission
The International Space Station will receive about 7,400 pounds of cargo, including new science and technology investigations, following the successful launch of Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia Sunday.
November 12, 2017
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November 12, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2i8ebmt
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NPR News: The Answer To Life, The Universe — And Everything? It's 63
The Answer To Life, The Universe — And Everything? It's 63
Over time, the expansion of the cosmos and the passage of light has unlocked 63 orders of magnitude to us, each one a new opportunity for novelty and complexity, says guest blogger Caleb Scharf.
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Over time, the expansion of the cosmos and the passage of light has unlocked 63 orders of magnitude to us, each one a new opportunity for novelty and complexity, says guest blogger Caleb Scharf.
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NPR News: iPTF14hls: The Star That Won't Die
iPTF14hls: The Star That Won't Die
NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Iair Arcavi, postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at UC Santa Barbara, about the strange behavior of supernova iPTF14hls. This star doesn't seem to want to die.
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NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Iair Arcavi, postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at UC Santa Barbara, about the strange behavior of supernova iPTF14hls. This star doesn't seem to want to die.
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NPR News: iPTF14hls: The Star That Won't Die
iPTF14hls: The Star That Won't Die
NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Iair Arcavi, postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at UC Santa Barbara, about the strange behavior of supernova iPTF14hls. This star doesn't seem to want to die.
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NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Iair Arcavi, postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at UC Santa Barbara, about the strange behavior of supernova iPTF14hls. This star doesn't seem to want to die.
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Saturday, November 11, 2017
NPR News: Pittsburgh's Microgrids Technology Could Lead The Way For Green Energy
Pittsburgh's Microgrids Technology Could Lead The Way For Green Energy
Pittsburgh wants to become a model for cutting edge energy supply. Researchers in the city are planning a network of microgrids.
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Pittsburgh wants to become a model for cutting edge energy supply. Researchers in the city are planning a network of microgrids.
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A Happy Sky over Los Angeles
Sometimes, the sky may seem to smile over much of planet Earth. On this day in 2008, visible the world over, was an unusual superposition of our Moon and the planets Venus and Jupiter. Pictures taken at the right time show a crescent Moon that appears to be a smile when paired with the planetary conjunction of seemingly nearby Jupiter and Venus. Pictured here is the scene as it appeared from Mt. Wilson Observatory overlooking Los Angeles, California, USA after sunset on 2008 November 30. Highest in the sky and farthest in the distance is the planet Jupiter. Significantly closer and visible to Jupiter's lower left is Venus, appearing through Earth's atmospheric clouds as unusually blue. On the far right, above the horizon, is our Moon, in a waxing crescent phase. Thin clouds illuminated by the Moon appear unusually orange. Sprawling across the bottom of the image are the hills of Los Angeles, many covered by a thin haze, while LA skyscrapers are visible on the far left. Hours after the taking of this image, the Moon approached the distant duo, briefly eclipsed Venus, and then moved on. This week, another conjunction of Venus and Jupiter is occurring and is visible to much of planet Earth to the east just before sunrise. via NASA http://ift.tt/2yQsEy2
NPR News: Scientists Start To Tease Out The Subtler Ways Racism Hurts Health
Scientists Start To Tease Out The Subtler Ways Racism Hurts Health
The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.
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The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.
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NPR News: Scientists Start To Tease Out The Subtler Ways Racism Hurts Health
Scientists Start To Tease Out The Subtler Ways Racism Hurts Health
The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.
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The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.
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NPR News: Terra Incognita: 'The Planet Factory' And 'The Undiscovered Islands'
Terra Incognita: 'The Planet Factory' And 'The Undiscovered Islands'
Two new books about unreal islands and yet-to-be-real planets have much to tell us about what human beings want to know when we look around at the world — life is uncertain, and our fears need maps.
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Two new books about unreal islands and yet-to-be-real planets have much to tell us about what human beings want to know when we look around at the world — life is uncertain, and our fears need maps.
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Friday, November 10, 2017
A Colourful Moon
The Moon is normally seen in subtle shades of grey. But small, measurable color differences have been greatly exaggerated in this mosaic of high-resolution images captured near the Moon's full phase, to construct a multicolored, central moonscape. The different colors are recognized to correspond to real differences in the mineral makeup of the lunar surface. Blue hues reveal titanium rich areas while more orange and purple colors show regions relatively poor in titanium and iron. The intriguing Sea of Vapors, or Mare Vaporum, is below center in the frame with the sweeping arc of the lunar Montes Apenninus (Apennine Mountains) above it. The dark floor of 83 kilometer diameter Archimedes crater within the Sea of Rains, or Mare Imbrium, is toward the top left. Near the gap at the top of the Apennine's arc is the Apollo 15 landing site. Calibrated by rock samples returned by the Apollo missions, similar multicolor images from spacecraft have been used to explore the Moon's global surface composition. via NASA http://ift.tt/2zrdKNZ
NPR News: Algae Toxins In Drinking Water Sickened People In 2 Outbreaks
Algae Toxins In Drinking Water Sickened People In 2 Outbreaks
In Ohio, more than 100 people got sick in 2013 and 2014 when municipal drinking water was contaminated with toxins from algae blooms in Lake Erie. The CDC says these are the first known instances.
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In Ohio, more than 100 people got sick in 2013 and 2014 when municipal drinking water was contaminated with toxins from algae blooms in Lake Erie. The CDC says these are the first known instances.
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NPR News: Certain And Confident: Predicting The Future In A Climate-Changing World
Certain And Confident: Predicting The Future In A Climate-Changing World
The Climate Special Science Report, approved by the White House last week, is a valuable read — it's a primer on how science works when it overlaps with the need to make informed bets on our future.
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The Climate Special Science Report, approved by the White House last week, is a valuable read — it's a primer on how science works when it overlaps with the need to make informed bets on our future.
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NPR News: In The Age Of Legalization, Talking To Kids About Marijuana Gets Tougher
In The Age Of Legalization, Talking To Kids About Marijuana Gets Tougher
Now that recreational marijuana use in California and other states is legal for adults and marketers are ramping up ads, youth drug educators fear that kids may think its safe for them to light up.
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Now that recreational marijuana use in California and other states is legal for adults and marketers are ramping up ads, youth drug educators fear that kids may think its safe for them to light up.
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Thursday, November 9, 2017
NPR News: Researcher Says Aaron Hernandez's Brain Showed Signs Of Severe CTE
Researcher Says Aaron Hernandez's Brain Showed Signs Of Severe CTE
Hernandez enjoyed a brilliant career on the football field and displayed a remarkable self-destructive streak off the field.
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Hernandez enjoyed a brilliant career on the football field and displayed a remarkable self-destructive streak off the field.
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NPR News: Algae Toxins In Drinking Water Sickened People In 2 Outbreaks
Algae Toxins In Drinking Water Sickened People In 2 Outbreaks
In Ohio, more than 100 people got sick in 2013 and 2014 when municipal drinking water was contaminated with toxins from algae blooms in Lake Erie. The CDC says these are the first known instances.
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In Ohio, more than 100 people got sick in 2013 and 2014 when municipal drinking water was contaminated with toxins from algae blooms in Lake Erie. The CDC says these are the first known instances.
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NPR News: Monks For A Month: College Kids Give Up Talking — And Technology
Monks For A Month: College Kids Give Up Talking — And Technology
Students in this "Living Deliberately"' class embrace asceticism and challenge stereotypes of college kids who can't put down their cellphones, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
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Students in this "Living Deliberately"' class embrace asceticism and challenge stereotypes of college kids who can't put down their cellphones, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
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NPR News: Exploring Why Hurricane Harvey Caused Houston's Worst Fooding
Exploring Why Hurricane Harvey Caused Houston's Worst Fooding
Scientists and citizens are still piecing together the story of why the flooding in Houston was so bad. A lot of the damage comes down to how people built the city in the first place.
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Scientists and citizens are still piecing together the story of why the flooding in Houston was so bad. A lot of the damage comes down to how people built the city in the first place.
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Wednesday, November 8, 2017
NGC 1055 Close up
Big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 1055 is a dominant member of a small galaxy group a mere 60 million light-years away toward the aquatically intimidating constellation Cetus. Seen edge-on, the island universe spans over 100,000 light-years, a little larger than our own Milky Way. The colorful stars in this cosmic close-up of NGC 1055 are in the foreground, well within the Milky Way. But the telltale pinkish star forming regions are scattered through winding dust lanes along the distant galaxy's thin disk. With a smattering of even more distant background galaxies, the deep image also reveals a boxy halo that extends far above and below the central bluge and disk of NGC 1055. The halo itself is laced with faint, narrow structures, and could represent the mixed and spread out debris from a satellite galaxy disrupted by the larger spiral some 10 billion years ago. via NASA http://ift.tt/2AsB3oa
NASA Sets Media Coverage of Rescheduled NOAA Weather Satellite Launch
The Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) satellite, the first in a new series of four highly advanced National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites, now is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, Nov. 14, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
November 08, 2017
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November 08, 2017
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NPR News: EPA Approval Of Bacteria To Fight Mosquitoes Caps A 20-Year Quest
EPA Approval Of Bacteria To Fight Mosquitoes Caps A 20-Year Quest
Scientists have long sought a way to fight mosquito-borne viruses without pesticides. For researchers like Scott O'Neill, federal approval to use Wolbachia bacteria is a dream come true.
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Scientists have long sought a way to fight mosquito-borne viruses without pesticides. For researchers like Scott O'Neill, federal approval to use Wolbachia bacteria is a dream come true.
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NPR News: EPA Approval Of Bacteria To Fight Mosquitoes Caps A 20-Year Quest
EPA Approval Of Bacteria To Fight Mosquitoes Caps A 20-Year Quest
Scientists have long sought a way to fight mosquito-borne viruses without pesticides. For researchers like Scott O'Neill, federal approval to use Wolbachia bacteria is a dream come true.
Read more on NPR
Scientists have long sought a way to fight mosquito-borne viruses without pesticides. For researchers like Scott O'Neill, federal approval to use Wolbachia bacteria is a dream come true.
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NPR News: Genetically Altered Skin Saves A Boy Dying Of A Rare Disease
Genetically Altered Skin Saves A Boy Dying Of A Rare Disease
An inherited disease called epidermolysis bullosa destroyed the 7-year-old's skin. Scientists grew new skin in the lab without the genetic flaw, and replaced 80 percent of his skin. He is thriving.
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An inherited disease called epidermolysis bullosa destroyed the 7-year-old's skin. Scientists grew new skin in the lab without the genetic flaw, and replaced 80 percent of his skin. He is thriving.
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NPR News: Genetically Altered Skin Saves A Boy Dying Of A Rare Disease
Genetically Altered Skin Saves A Boy Dying Of A Rare Disease
An inherited disease called epidermolysis bullosa destroyed the 7-year-old's skin. Scientists grew new skin in the lab without the genetic flaw, and replaced 80 percent of his skin. He is thriving.
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An inherited disease called epidermolysis bullosa destroyed the 7-year-old's skin. Scientists grew new skin in the lab without the genetic flaw, and replaced 80 percent of his skin. He is thriving.
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NPR News: The Interdependence Of Humanity And Earth
The Interdependence Of Humanity And Earth
We owe our existence to little photosynthetic bacteria — but there is much more to this story, as life can only mutate and adapt when the planet offers the right conditions, says Marcelo Gleiser.
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We owe our existence to little photosynthetic bacteria — but there is much more to this story, as life can only mutate and adapt when the planet offers the right conditions, says Marcelo Gleiser.
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NPR News: Pavlovian Conditioning And Marriage
Pavlovian Conditioning And Marriage
A new study finds that people who looked at positive images of things like puppies next to a pictures of their spouses went on to have more positive feelings toward their spouses.
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A new study finds that people who looked at positive images of things like puppies next to a pictures of their spouses went on to have more positive feelings toward their spouses.
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NPR News: Pavlovian Conditioning And Marriage
Pavlovian Conditioning And Marriage
A new study finds that people who looked at positive images of things like puppies next to a pictures of their spouses went on to have more positive feelings toward their spouses.
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A new study finds that people who looked at positive images of things like puppies next to a pictures of their spouses went on to have more positive feelings toward their spouses.
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NPR News: Potential Trump Adviser Suggests Climate Change Regulations Are Communist Conspiracy
Potential Trump Adviser Suggests Climate Change Regulations Are Communist Conspiracy
President Trump has tapped a former Texas regulator to be his senior adviser on environmental policy. Like a string of other controversial picks, she questions the science behind climate change.
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President Trump has tapped a former Texas regulator to be his senior adviser on environmental policy. Like a string of other controversial picks, she questions the science behind climate change.
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Tuesday, November 7, 2017
NGC 2261: Hubble s Variable Nebula
What causes Hubble's Variable Nebula to vary? The unusual nebula featured here changes its appearance noticeably in just a few weeks. Discovered over 200 years ago and subsequently cataloged as NGC 2661, the remarkable nebula is named for Edwin Hubble, who studied it early last century. Fitting, perhaps, the featured image was taken by another namesake of Hubble: the Space Telescope. Hubble's Variable Nebula is a reflection nebula made of gas and fine dust fanning out from the star R Monocerotis. The faint nebula is about one light-year across and lies about 2500 light-years away towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monocerotis). The leading variability explanation for Hubble's Variable Nebula holds that dense knots of opaque dust pass close to R Mon and cast moving shadows onto the reflecting dust seen in the rest of the nebula. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hNWlVH
NPR News: Shark Fin Trade Faces Troubled Waters As Global Pressure Mounts
Shark Fin Trade Faces Troubled Waters As Global Pressure Mounts
Congress is once again considering a federal ban on shark fins, used in soup. But scientists are divided about whether a ban is the best way to protect the creatures, which are imperiled worldwide.
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Congress is once again considering a federal ban on shark fins, used in soup. But scientists are divided about whether a ban is the best way to protect the creatures, which are imperiled worldwide.
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NASA Pays Tribute to Early Space Pioneer Richard Gordon
The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot on the passing of former NASA astronaut Richard Gordon:
November 07, 2017
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November 07, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2hQdFt4
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NPR News: How Do Gravitational Waves Really Work?
How Do Gravitational Waves Really Work?
Gravitational waves — ripples in the fabric of space-time — are a big deal in the world of science. Here's a video that helps explain how they work.
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Gravitational waves — ripples in the fabric of space-time — are a big deal in the world of science. Here's a video that helps explain how they work.
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NPR News: WHO To Farmers: Stop Giving Your Animals So Many Antibiotics
WHO To Farmers: Stop Giving Your Animals So Many Antibiotics
The World Health Organization is calling for strict limits on antibiotic use in animals raised for food. The guidelines could push many countries, including the U.S., to restrict drug use on farms.
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The World Health Organization is calling for strict limits on antibiotic use in animals raised for food. The guidelines could push many countries, including the U.S., to restrict drug use on farms.
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NPR News: A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
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NPR News: Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
The U.S. government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
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The U.S. government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
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NPR News: How Climate Change Is Already Affecting Health, Spreading Disease
How Climate Change Is Already Affecting Health, Spreading Disease
For decades, scientists have predicted how climate change will hurt people's health. Now an international team of researchers say they're already seeing some of the damage.
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For decades, scientists have predicted how climate change will hurt people's health. Now an international team of researchers say they're already seeing some of the damage.
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NPR News: Brain Patterns May Predict People At Risk Of Suicide
Brain Patterns May Predict People At Risk Of Suicide
A computer program learned to identify people thinking about suicide by studying brain activity patterns associated with words like "death" and "trouble."
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A computer program learned to identify people thinking about suicide by studying brain activity patterns associated with words like "death" and "trouble."
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NPR News: We're Not As Good At Remembering Faces As We Think We Are
We're Not As Good At Remembering Faces As We Think We Are
Being able to recognize faces is a crucial part of life. Some of us are very good or bad at it, but in general we aren't as good as we think we are.
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Being able to recognize faces is a crucial part of life. Some of us are very good or bad at it, but in general we aren't as good as we think we are.
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NPR News: Does Smoking Pot Lead To More Sex?
Does Smoking Pot Lead To More Sex?
Surveys of 50,000 people found that those who smoked marijuana had sex more often than those who abstained from the drug. What is unclear is whether other factors explain the apparent link.
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Surveys of 50,000 people found that those who smoked marijuana had sex more often than those who abstained from the drug. What is unclear is whether other factors explain the apparent link.
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NPR News: AI Model Fundamentally Cracks CAPTCHAs, Scientists Say
AI Model Fundamentally Cracks CAPTCHAs, Scientists Say
The report says the model has defeated tests used to tell humans from bots. It uses reasoning to explain the jumbled letters.
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The report says the model has defeated tests used to tell humans from bots. It uses reasoning to explain the jumbled letters.
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NPR News: Skull Is Potentially From The Oldest Known Victim Of A Tsunami
Skull Is Potentially From The Oldest Known Victim Of A Tsunami
Researchers say they've determined that a skull discovered in 1929 likely belonged to an individual who was killed in a tsunami 6,000 years ago.
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Researchers say they've determined that a skull discovered in 1929 likely belonged to an individual who was killed in a tsunami 6,000 years ago.
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NPR News: VA Examines Link Between Blast Exposure And Lung Injuries
VA Examines Link Between Blast Exposure And Lung Injuries
A new study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs suggests that even mild exposure to blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan may cause long term breathing problems.
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A new study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs suggests that even mild exposure to blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan may cause long term breathing problems.
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NPR News: Troubling History In Medical Research Still Fresh For Black Americans
Troubling History In Medical Research Still Fresh For Black Americans
An influential Harlem church is trying to help the National Institutes of Health overcome reluctance by some African-Americans to participate in a medical study of 1 million diverse Americans.
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An influential Harlem church is trying to help the National Institutes of Health overcome reluctance by some African-Americans to participate in a medical study of 1 million diverse Americans.
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NPR News: Scientists And Surgeons Team Up To Create Virtual Human Brain Cells
Scientists And Surgeons Team Up To Create Virtual Human Brain Cells
By rushing live brain cells from the operating room to the lab, scientists have been able to create three-dimensional reconstructions of cells that reveal their electrical behavior and shape.
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By rushing live brain cells from the operating room to the lab, scientists have been able to create three-dimensional reconstructions of cells that reveal their electrical behavior and shape.
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NPR News: Left By Explorer's Armada, Shipwreck Yields 'Earliest Known' Marine Astrolabe
Left By Explorer's Armada, Shipwreck Yields 'Earliest Known' Marine Astrolabe
Sunk off Oman, the ship once sailed in the fleet of Vasco da Gama, who found a sea route from Europe to India. Now, researchers say an artifact found on board is a 500-year-old navigation tool.
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Sunk off Oman, the ship once sailed in the fleet of Vasco da Gama, who found a sea route from Europe to India. Now, researchers say an artifact found on board is a 500-year-old navigation tool.
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NPR News: Can Science Change The Mildewed Fortunes Of New York Heritage Hops?
Can Science Change The Mildewed Fortunes Of New York Heritage Hops?
Hops helped make vast fortunes for 19th century farmers and brewers in New York state before a mildew blight ushered in their demise. Now, undergrads hope to develop mildew-resistant heritage hops.
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Hops helped make vast fortunes for 19th century farmers and brewers in New York state before a mildew blight ushered in their demise. Now, undergrads hope to develop mildew-resistant heritage hops.
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NPR News: Screening For Diabetes Is Working Better Than Thought
Screening For Diabetes Is Working Better Than Thought
The CDC says 7 million people have Type 2 diabetes and don't know it. But a new analysis says that number's much lower. Screening efforts should focus on people at highest risk, the researchers say.
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The CDC says 7 million people have Type 2 diabetes and don't know it. But a new analysis says that number's much lower. Screening efforts should focus on people at highest risk, the researchers say.
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NPR News: A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: What's Your (Epistemic) Relationship To Science?
What's Your (Epistemic) Relationship To Science?
Tania Lombrozo looks at a new paper arguing that research on the public's understanding of science often conflates knowledge and understanding — and that this conflation has costs.
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Tania Lombrozo looks at a new paper arguing that research on the public's understanding of science often conflates knowledge and understanding — and that this conflation has costs.
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NPR News: From Fire Hydrants To Rescue Work, Dogs Perceive The World Through Smell
From Fire Hydrants To Rescue Work, Dogs Perceive The World Through Smell
Dogs can sniff out people, drugs, bombs, cancer and much more. In her book Being A Dog, Alexandra Horowitz explores the mysteries and mechanics of canine noses. Originally broadcast Oct. 4, 2016.
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Dogs can sniff out people, drugs, bombs, cancer and much more. In her book Being A Dog, Alexandra Horowitz explores the mysteries and mechanics of canine noses. Originally broadcast Oct. 4, 2016.
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NPR News: Why Riding An Elevator Is Like Changing Gravity
Why Riding An Elevator Is Like Changing Gravity
If you time it just right, tossing a ball in the air as an elevator starts to move, the ball seems to hang in the air for a moment, like gravity had been canceled, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
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If you time it just right, tossing a ball in the air as an elevator starts to move, the ball seems to hang in the air for a moment, like gravity had been canceled, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
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NPR News: On Thin Ice: Walruses Threatened After U.S. Declines To List As Endangered
On Thin Ice: Walruses Threatened After U.S. Declines To List As Endangered
The Trump administration refused last month to put the Pacific walrus on the endangered species list, spelling a "death sentence" for the species that lives in the seas between Alaska and Russia.
Read more on NPR
The Trump administration refused last month to put the Pacific walrus on the endangered species list, spelling a "death sentence" for the species that lives in the seas between Alaska and Russia.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: After Chemical Fires, Texans Worry About Toxic Effects
After Chemical Fires, Texans Worry About Toxic Effects
Some residents and first responders are suing the chemical company Arkema, saying it didn't do enough to protect them from fires that started at one of its plants near Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Read more on NPR
Some residents and first responders are suing the chemical company Arkema, saying it didn't do enough to protect them from fires that started at one of its plants near Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
The U.S. government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
Read more on NPR
The U.S. government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Ex-Trump Campaign Official Withdraws From Nomination Amid Questions In Russia Probe
Ex-Trump Campaign Official Withdraws From Nomination Amid Questions In Russia Probe
Sam Clovis, who had been tapped for a USDA post, has been pulled into the imbroglio over last year's interference by Russia in U.S. politics and elections.
Read more on NPR
Sam Clovis, who had been tapped for a USDA post, has been pulled into the imbroglio over last year's interference by Russia in U.S. politics and elections.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Writing On The Terrifying Beauty Of The Human Future
Writing On The Terrifying Beauty Of The Human Future
Author Kim Stanley Robinson deserves a place as a true visionary: He has done more than just write good science-fiction — he's mapped out new territory in what it means to be human, says Adam Frank.
Read more on NPR
Author Kim Stanley Robinson deserves a place as a true visionary: He has done more than just write good science-fiction — he's mapped out new territory in what it means to be human, says Adam Frank.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Scientists Say They've Found Hidden Space In Great Pyramid Of Giza
Scientists Say They've Found Hidden Space In Great Pyramid Of Giza
Researchers used equipment that detects muons. Measuring the density of the tiny particles yielded an image of what's behind the pyramid walls with no damage to the ancient structure.
Read more on NPR
Researchers used equipment that detects muons. Measuring the density of the tiny particles yielded an image of what's behind the pyramid walls with no damage to the ancient structure.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: When More Vegan Meals Are The Goal, What Is The Strategy?
When More Vegan Meals Are The Goal, What Is The Strategy?
Activist Tobias Leenaert counsels vegans and vegetarians to focus on vegan meals rather than vegan identities — and to talk encouragingly with meat reducers, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
Read more on NPR
Activist Tobias Leenaert counsels vegans and vegetarians to focus on vegan meals rather than vegan identities — and to talk encouragingly with meat reducers, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Trump's Nominee To Be The Next Head Of NASA Prepares For Senate Hearing
Trump's Nominee To Be The Next Head Of NASA Prepares For Senate Hearing
President Trump's pick for the next head of NASA, Rep. Jim Bridenstine, R-Okla., will have his Senate nomination hearing on Wednesday. He's been controversial because of his views on climate change.
Read more on NPR
President Trump's pick for the next head of NASA, Rep. Jim Bridenstine, R-Okla., will have his Senate nomination hearing on Wednesday. He's been controversial because of his views on climate change.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: How Climate Change Is Already Affecting Health, Spreading Disease
How Climate Change Is Already Affecting Health, Spreading Disease
For decades, scientists have predicted how climate change will hurt people's health. Now an international team of researchers say they're already seeing some of the damage.
Read more on NPR
For decades, scientists have predicted how climate change will hurt people's health. Now an international team of researchers say they're already seeing some of the damage.
Read more on NPR
Monday, November 6, 2017
The Prague Astronomical Clock
In the center of Prague there's a clock the size of a building. During the day, crowds gather to watch the show when it chimes in a new hour. The Prague Astronomical Clock's face is impressively complex, giving not only the expected time with respect to the Sun (solar time), but the time relative to the stars (sidereal time), the times of sunrise and sunset, the time at the equator, the phase of the Moon, and much more. The clock began operation in 1410, and even though much of its inner workings have been modernized several times, original parts remain. Below the clock is a nearly-equal sized, but static, solar calendar. Pictured, the Prague Astronomical Clock was photographed alone during an early morning in 2009 March. The Prague Astronomical Clock and the Old Town Tower behind it are currently being renovated once again, with the clock expected to be restarted in 2018 June. via NASA http://ift.tt/2ixnLyT
NASA TV Coverage Set for Next Resupply Mission to International Space Station
NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its eighth mission to the International Space Station at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11 NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
November 06, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2zhKoBP
via IFTTT
November 06, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2zhKoBP
via IFTTT
NPR News: A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
Scientists have found an underlying reason why it's dangerous to drive when you're sleepy. Brain recordings show cells involved in perception fire more slowly in somebody who has been up all night.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: What's Your (Epistemic) Relationship To Science?
What's Your (Epistemic) Relationship To Science?
Tania Lombrozo looks at a new paper arguing that research on the public's understanding of science often conflates knowledge and understanding — and that this conflation has costs.
Read more on NPR
Tania Lombrozo looks at a new paper arguing that research on the public's understanding of science often conflates knowledge and understanding — and that this conflation has costs.
Read more on NPR
Virginia Students to Speak with NASA Astronauts on Space Station
NASA's Joe Acaba, Mark Vande Hei, and Randy Bresnik, during 52S Arrival,
November 06, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2zkBm4v
via IFTTT
November 06, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2zkBm4v
via IFTTT
Saturday, November 4, 2017
A Year of Full Moons
Do all full moons look the same? No. To see the slight differences, consider this grid of twelve full moons. From upper left to lower right, the images represent every lunation from 2016 November through 2017 October, as imaged from Pakistan. The consecutive full moons are all shown at the same scale, so unlike the famous Moon Illusion, the change in apparent size seen here is real. The change is caused by the variation in lunar distance due to the Moon's significantly non-circular orbit. The dark notch at the bottom of the full moon of 2017 August is the shadow of the Earth -- making this a partial lunar eclipse. Besides the sometimes exaggerated coloring, a subtler change in appearance can also be noticed on close examination, as the Moon seems to wobble slightly from one full moon to the next. This effect, known as libration, is more dramatic and easier to see in this lunation video highlighting all of the ways that the Moon appears to change over a month (moon-th). via NASA http://ift.tt/2lPBaHp
Friday, November 3, 2017
NPR News: From Fire Hydrants To Rescue Work, Dogs Perceive The World Through Smell
From Fire Hydrants To Rescue Work, Dogs Perceive The World Through Smell
Dogs can sniff out people, drugs, bombs, cancer and much more. In her book Being A Dog, Alexandra Horowitz explores the mysteries and mechanics of canine noses. Originally broadcast Oct. 4, 2016.
Read more on NPR
Dogs can sniff out people, drugs, bombs, cancer and much more. In her book Being A Dog, Alexandra Horowitz explores the mysteries and mechanics of canine noses. Originally broadcast Oct. 4, 2016.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Why Riding An Elevator Is Like Changing Gravity
Why Riding An Elevator Is Like Changing Gravity
If you time it just right, throwing a ball in the air as an elevator starts to move, the ball seems to hang in the air for a moment, like gravity had been canceled, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
Read more on NPR
If you time it just right, throwing a ball in the air as an elevator starts to move, the ball seems to hang in the air for a moment, like gravity had been canceled, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
Read more on NPR
Thursday, November 2, 2017
A 2017 U1: An Interstellar Visitor
Traveling at high velocity along an extreme hyperbolic orbit and making a hairpin turn as it swung past the Sun, the now designated A/2017 U1 is the first known small body from interstellar space. A point of light centered in this 5 minute exposure recorded with the William Herschel Telescope in the Canary Islands on October 28, the interstellar visitor is asteroid-like with no signs of cometary activity. Faint background stars appear streaked because the massive 4.2 meter diameter telescope is tracking the rapidly moving A/2017 U1 in the field of view. Astronomer Rob Weryk (IfA) first recognized the moving object in nightly Pan-STARRS sky survey data on October 19. A/2017 is presently outbound, never to return to the Solar System, and already only visible from planet Earth in large optical telescopes. Though an interstellar origin has been established based on its orbit, it is still unknown how long the object could have drifted among the stars of the Milky Way. But its interstellar cruise speed would be about 26 kilometers per second. By comparison humanity's Voyager 1 spacecraft travels about 17 kilometers per second through interstellar space. via NASA http://ift.tt/2A8SLNC
NPR News: On Thin Ice: Walruses Threatened After U.S. Declines To List As Endangered
On Thin Ice: Walruses Threatened After U.S. Declines To List As Endangered
The Trump administration refused last month to put the Pacific walrus on the endangered species list, spelling a "death sentence" for the species that lives in the seas between Alaska and Russia.
Read more on NPR
The Trump administration refused last month to put the Pacific walrus on the endangered species list, spelling a "death sentence" for the species that lives in the seas between Alaska and Russia.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: In The Wake Of Chemical Fires, Texans Worry About Toxic Effects
In The Wake Of Chemical Fires, Texans Worry About Toxic Effects
Some residents and first responders are suing the chemical company Arkema, claiming it didn't do enough to protect them from fires that started at one of its plant near Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Read more on NPR
Some residents and first responders are suing the chemical company Arkema, claiming it didn't do enough to protect them from fires that started at one of its plant near Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
The government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
Read more on NPR
The government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause
The government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
Read more on NPR
The government's most comprehensive climate report to date is at odds with the statements made by President Trump and his Cabinet.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Withdraws From Nomination Amid Questions In DOJ Russia Probe
Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Withdraws From Nomination Amid Questions In DOJ Russia Probe
Sam Clovis, who helped run Donald Trump's campaign in 2016, has been pulled into the imbroglio over last year's interference by Russia in U.S. politics and elections.
Read more on NPR
Sam Clovis, who helped run Donald Trump's campaign in 2016, has been pulled into the imbroglio over last year's interference by Russia in U.S. politics and elections.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Writing On The Terrifying Beauty Of The Human Future
Writing On The Terrifying Beauty Of The Human Future
Author Kim Stanley Robinson deserves a place as a true visionary: He has done more than just write good science-fiction — he's mapped out new territory in what it means to be human, says Adam Frank.
Read more on NPR
Author Kim Stanley Robinson deserves a place as a true visionary: He has done more than just write good science-fiction — he's mapped out new territory in what it means to be human, says Adam Frank.
Read more on NPR
NPR News: Scientists Say They've Found Hidden Space In Great Pyramid Of Giza
Scientists Say They've Found Hidden Space In Great Pyramid Of Giza
Researchers used equipment that detects muons. Measuring the density of the tiny particles yielded an image of what's behind the pyramid walls with no damage to the ancient structure.
Read more on NPR
Researchers used equipment that detects muons. Measuring the density of the tiny particles yielded an image of what's behind the pyramid walls with no damage to the ancient structure.
Read more on NPR
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
NGC 891 vs Abell 347
Distant galaxies lie beyond a foreground of spiky Milky Way stars in this telescopic field of view. Centered on yellowish star HD 14771, the scene spans about 1 degree on the sky toward the northern constellation Andromeda. At top right is large spiral galaxy NGC 891, 100 thousand light-years across and seen almost exactly edge-on. About 30 million light-years distant, NGC 891 looks a lot like our own Milky Way with a flattened, thin, galactic disk. Its disk and central bulge are cut along the middle by dark, obscuring dust clouds. Scattered toward the lower left are members of galaxy cluster Abell 347. Nearly 240 million light-years away, Abell 347 shows off its own large galaxies in the sharp image. They are similar to NGC 891 in physical size but located almost 8 times farther away, so Abell 347 galaxies have roughly one eighth the apparent size of NGC 891. via NASA http://ift.tt/2z7NZBY
Briefings, NASA Television Coverage Set for Launch of NOAA Weather Satellite
Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA are preparing for the upcoming launch of the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1), the first in a series of four highly advanced NOAA polar-orbiting satellites designed to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts out to seven days.
November 01, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2zncGLq
via IFTTT
November 01, 2017
from NASA http://ift.tt/2zncGLq
via IFTTT
NPR News: When More Vegan Meals Are The Goal, What Is The Strategy?
When More Vegan Meals Are The Goal, What Is The Strategy?
Activist Tobias Leenaert counsels vegans and vegetarians to focus on vegan meals rather than vegan identities — and to talk encouragingly with meat reducers, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
Read more on NPR
Activist Tobias Leenaert counsels vegans and vegetarians to focus on vegan meals rather than vegan identities — and to talk encouragingly with meat reducers, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
Read more on NPR
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