Articles by Diane Samson
Astronomers Find WASP-69b Exoplanet With Comet-Like Tail
Astronomers observed an exoplanet orbiting a small star 163 light-years away using a ground telescope. They found that WASP-69b has a comet-like tail made up of helium escaping from its atmosphere.
Prominent Theoretical Physicist Shoucheng Zhang Passes Away At 55
A theoretical physicist from Stanford University passed away this month. He was best known for his work in quantum physics, particularly his predictions involving the Hall insulator and Majorana fermion.
CDC Issues Warning Against Eating Raw Cookie Dough
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a guideline to warn people about the dangers of handling raw cookie dough and cake batter. Eating raw flour and eggs could lead to serious E.coli or Salmonella infection.
NASA Scientist Thinks Aliens May Not Be Carbon-Based And May Have Already Visited Our Planet
Have aliens visited Earth? A NASA scientist recommended that the scientific community reconsiders currently held assumptions about extraterrestrial life, including the idea that they are carbon-based and that they have never visited Earth.
Scientists Find Remarkably Well-Preserved Fossil Of Ancient Sea Monster Ichthyosaur
The researchers found blubber, a layer of fat under the skin, on the fossilized remains of the ichthyosaur. They believe this finding revealed new details about the reptiles that lived 180 million years ago.
Scientists Turn Wasp Venom Into Potent Antibiotic Drug
Can wasp venom be the answer to the superbug problem? MIT researchers were able to turn the toxic peptides of wasp venoms into antibiotics that can clear an infection within a few days.
NASA InSight Lander Sends Back Audio Of Martian Winds
NASA's InSight lander detected vibrations from the winds blowing on the surface of Mars. The U.S. space agency raised the pitch of the audio sampling to be perceptible by human ears.
Scientists Dig Up 5,000-Year-Old Remains Of Woman Who Died Of The Plague
Researchers revealed that the bones of a woman that died 5,000 years ago contain a strain of Yersinia pestis bacterium. It is the oldest strain of the plague identified in history.
Study That Criticized 'Joy Of Cooking' Taken Down
The 'Annals of Internal Medicine' journal issued a notice of retraction for another study co-authored by disgraced food researcher Brian Wansink. The study published in 2009 linked obesity to recent cookbooks.
Scientists Find Similarities Between Modern Climate And 'Great Dying' 252 Million Years Ago
Scientists warned in a study that the world is recreating the same conditions that wiped out the majority of life on Earth 252 million years ago. Rising global temperatures and depleting oxygen in the ocean could cause the next mass extinction.
China Preparing For Mission To Far Side Of The Moon
China's Chang'e 4 mission is scheduled for liftoff on Friday. The goal of the lander-rover duo is to explore the far side of the moon, specifically the oldest impact basin on the lunar surface.
Baboon Lives Half A Year After Pig Heart Transplant
Is xenotransplantation the future? An experiment involving baboons was deemed a success when a baboon survived for a total of 195 days after it had received a pig heart transplant.
Giant Salamander With Leopard Spots Found In Florida
Scientists were finally able to officially name and describe a creature that has long been the subject of rumors. The reticulated siren lives in muddy waters in Florida and Alabama.
Sleeping Too Much Can Cause Heart Disease And Death, Says Study
Scientists warned that people who get too much sleep have a higher risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular event and dying. The recommended amount of sleep for adults is six to eight hours per night.
Greenland Ice Melt Has 'Gone Into Overdrive,' Say Scientists
Scientists said in a new report that the rate in which the second largest ice sheet in the world is shrinking is abnormal. In the past 20 or 30 years, the ice sheet is rapidly melting due to global warming.
New Scientific Model Describing 'Dark Fluid With Negative Mass' Could Make Up Most Of The Universe
A theory that could explain the continuous expansion of the universe has been published by an astrophysicist from Oxford University. Dr. Jamie Farnes believe that dark fluid of negative masses is the answer to some of astronomy's most enduring mysteries.
Miracle Baby In Brazil Born From Womb Belonging To Dead Donor
A woman who was born without uterus has given birth in a hospital in Brazil. Doctors revealed in a recently published paper that the woman received a transplanted uterus from a deceased donor.
Google And MIT Researchers Unveil AI Concept That Could Create 3D Models With Realistic Textures And Lighting
An artificial intelligence system by Google and MIT was able to generate images that can pass off as photographs. The AI has created 3-dimensional objects complete with lighting and texture, making them look realistic.
Curiosity Rover Finds Shiny Object In Martian Soil
NASA's Curiosity found a shiny rock that scientists believe is a meteorite. The team behind the Mars rover wanted to take a closer look at the mysterious object to figure out what it is.
WHO Considering Panel On Gene Editing Ethics
The World Health Organization expressed the need to regulate gene editing after a Chinese scientist had admitted to manipulating human embryo. A panel will be created to talk about the issue.
Astronauts Aboard Soyuz Rocket Safely Reach ISS
The three new crew of the orbiting outpost lifted off without a hitch on Monday, Dec. 3, from Kazakhstan. The Soyuz capsule carrying the astronaut reached the ISS six hours later.
Scientists Count How Many Photons The Universe Has Produced Since The Big Bang
Scientists used data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope to indirectly measure photons that have been produced in the observable universe since its formation. They hope that the same method can be used to observe the Big Bang.
Researchers Looking Into Current Guidelines On Statin Usage
Should everyone take statin drugs? Researchers reviewed existing data from trials and surveys to weigh the side effects and benefits of the preventive drugs that claim to lower cholesterol.
Dark Web Sellers In UK Delisting Fentanyl To Avoid Police Attention
Fentanyl will be more difficult to acquire even from dealers in the dark web. Major sellers have delisted the synthetic opioid because they do not want to risk getting caught by the cops.
Rocosmos Says SpaceX Partly To Blame For The Space Agency's Problems
The Russian space agency submitted a report recently, highlighting the many issues it is currently facing, including the loss of revenue. NASA has been relying on the Soyuz program to fly astronauts to the International Space Station.
High-Speed Particles Can Blast Straight Through Space Station Walls, Says Study
A team of scientists from MIT predicted how certain microparticles will affect the outer surface of the International Space Station in an event of an impact. They found that objects flying at certain speeds can melt a hole on the outpost.
NASA OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft To Start Studying Bennu Asteroid After Reaching Goal
NASA will provide a live broadcast of OSIRIS-REx's arrival at Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. The probe will survey the space rock and collect samples from its surface before it voyages back to Earth.
Stone Tools Found In Algeria Could Rewrite Existing Theories On Human Origins
Researchers revealed that East Africa might not be the cradle of humanity after ancient stone tools were found in Algeria. Instead, hominins and their tools independently evolved all over Africa.
Harvard Professor Sets Off Social Media Wildfire After Saying Portion Of Fries Should Consist Of 6 Pieces
A nutritionist from Harvard recommended that a serving of French fries be reduced to only six pieces. Several studies have already revealed the unhealthy effects of the beloved snack, including obesity and diabetes.
Scientists Probe Last Moments Of Dying Star In Astonishing Detail
A team of international researchers used data from Kepler and ground-based telescopes to observe the first stages of a dying star. Astronomers hope that SN 2018oh can be used to redefine the rate of the expansion of the universe.
