Articles by Diane Samson
Hubble Spots Supermassive Black Hole Pairs In Merging Galaxies
Scientists have presented evidence that the biggest supermassive black holes across the universe were formed by galaxy collision. A team of astronomers captured nuclei of major galaxies that were only 3,000 light years apart.
Smoking In US At Record Low, Says CDC Report
A report by the FDA and the CDC revealed that only 14 percent of Americans smoke or consume tobacco products. The number is down from over 40 percent in the mid-60s.
Scientists Create 'Bionic Mushroom' That Can Generate Electricity
Researchers were able to turn regular white button mushrooms into sources of electricity. They manipulated the cyanobacteria to generate electricity for days by attaching it on top of a button mushroom.
Study Of Ancient DNA Sheds Light On The Earliest Human Residents Of The Americas
Researchers found the same distinctive DNA type of North America's Clovis culture in excavation sites in Central and South America. This offered a strong evidence that the early humans migrated south thousands of years ago.
Stephen Hawking Thesis And Wheelchair Fetch Millions In Auction
Stephen Hawking fans raised almost $2 million at an auction that will benefit The Stephen Hawking Foundation and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Items sold include his doctorate thesis and his wheelchair.
World's Oldest Cave Painting Of Animal Found In Borneo
A new paper revealed that an animal painting inside a cave in a remote part of Borneo is about 40,000 years old. This contradicts the previous belief that cave painting originated in Europe.
NASA Astronaut Takes Stunning Pictures Of Earth With Rare Orange 'Airglow'
NASA has released a photo of a rare orange airglow around the upper atmosphere of Earth. The photo was taken by astronauts aboard the ISS while floating above Australia last month.
People With Celiac Disease May Soon Be Able To Consume Gluten With New Vaccine
People with celiac disease might soon be able to eat bread and other products that contain gluten. A vaccine that prevents the immune system from recognizing the protein in gluten as a threat has entered the second phase of clinical trial.
Harvard Scientists Say Mysterious Cigar-Shaped Object 'Oumuamua May Have Been Alien Spacecraft
A study argued that 'Oumuamua might have been a debris from an advanced alien technology or a space probe to check out the solar system. Scientists said that an artificial origin could explain why the interstellar object is so strange.
Scientists Want To Use Giant Lasers To Contact Aliens
Researchers from MIT proposed planetary beacons to send messages to alien astronomers across the universe. Existing technology will be used to reach nearby star systems within a couple of years.
New Study Explains How Coffee Protects The Brain From Disease
A new research found the compound in coffee that might protect drinkers from mental decline later in life. The team said that phenylindanes, instead of caffeine, prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Russia Officially Confirms Glitch On ISS Computer
Roscosmos officials said on Tuesday that there are currently no plans to replace the glitching computer, but they assure that the crew onboard is safe. The unit will be rebooted to prepare for the docking of the Progress spacecraft.
NASA To Launch New ICON Mission
NASA set the launch date of ICON, its newest spacecraft, from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The mission will study the ionosphere: the point where terrestrial weather meets space weather.
Man Passes Away 8 Years After Eating Slug Infected With Lungworm
A young man who had eaten a slug as a dare eight years ago lost his battle against rat lungworm, a type of parasite. He died last Friday surrounded by family and friends.
SpaceX Tesla Roadster Now Beyond Mars Orbit
Starman reached the point past the orbit of Mars. The astronaut mannequin aboard a Tesla Roadster launched by SpaceX in February continues its voyage in space.
UN Report Says Ozone Layer Is Now Healing
A UN report revealed that the ozone has started to heal 30 years after the ratification of the Montreal Protocol. The ozone layer protects living beings on Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.
NASA And SpaceX Unveil Helipad-Equipped Recovery Boat
The private spaceflight company had a landing and patient-loading rehearsal recently in preparation for the Crew Dragon's first manned flight next year. The project is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
How To Improve The Quality Of Your Sleep After Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Savings Time ended in the United States and for most people, adjusting back to the Standard Time would be a challenge. Experts said that it would take the Circadian rhythm of the body to catch up to the new schedule.
Glowing Fluorescent Chemical Could Help Neurosurgeons Remove Brain Tumors
Scientists tested the use of the chemical 5-ALA during surgery to help doctors easily identify cancer tumor in the brain. This, they said, can help improve brain surgery survival rate.
Hubble Spots 'Smiling Face' While Looking For New Stars
NASA released a photo of dozens of distant galaxy clusters taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Gravitational lensing has caused some of the light from the galaxies to look like a smiling face.
Researchers Identify Genes That Could Make Some People More Susceptible To CTE
Contact sports athletes such as football players and boxers are at risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE during their lifetimes. A new study identified a gene that may be influencing the neurodegenerative brain disease.
10,000 US Children Visit ER Every Year Due To Burns From Hot Soup
A new study found that hot soup accidents have been causing children to get emergency treatments. Every year from 2006 to 2016, 10,000 children got burn injuries related to a microwavable and prepackaged soup.
Number Of Children Visiting ERs Due To Mental Health Problems Rising At Alarming Rate
A new study found that the number of children heading to the emergency room for mental health concerns has increased significantly from 2012 to 2016. More children, specifically from minority groups, are diagnosed with mental health-related issues.
Researchers Test 'LarvalBot' Drone That Can Help Rehabilitate Coral Reefs
Queensland University of Technology's "LarvalBot" will be aiding the restoration of damaged reefs at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The underwater drone will deliver baby corals in damaged areas.
All Data Collected By Kepler Now Publicly Available
MAST promised to continue hosting the troves of data that Kepler has collected since its launch in 2009. The spacecraft has aided scientists in the search for Earth-like planets outside of the solar system.
Living In America Changes Gut Bacteria Composition For Immigrants
There is an obesity epidemic in immigrants moving to the United States and their changing gut microbiome might be the one to blame. New research revealed that diversity in gut microbiome gets more westernized in immigrants from developing countries.
NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Runs Out Of Fuel After Exploring Asteroid Belt
After 11 years in deep space, Dawn ran out of fuel and has lost the ability to communicate home. It will continue to orbit around Ceres silently for decades.
NASA Losing Historic Artifacts Due To Bad Record Keeping Says Report
A watchdog audited NASA recently and issued a shocking report that exposes the agency's poor record-keeping system. The report named a number of missing priceless items, including a bag of moon dust from the Apollo 11.
Oceans Are Absorbing Much More Heat Than Expected, Says Study
A new report revealed that the ocean is absorbing more heat that can be transferred back to the atmosphere any time. Researchers suggested that efforts to control excess carbon dioxide emissions should be increased.
Parkinson's Disease May Have Roots In Appendix Says Study
Could the appendix be the cause of Parkinson's? A new study revealed that people who had appendectomy early in life have reduced risks of getting the neurodegenerative disease.
