Articles by Diane Samson
Facebook Has Removed 'Storm Area 51' Event For Violating Community Standards
The event that coordinates a raid of Area 51 has been shut down by Facebook for going against its community standards. Over 2 million people have signed up to join the event, which was set to take place in September.
Artificial Intelligence Can Predict Whether A Movie Will Succeed Or Fail At The Box Office
Researchers presented a paper on an AI that analyzes written movie plots and predict its future. The researchers used sentiment analysis and assign a score to each movie plot to determine if it will be a hit or a flop.
YouTube Videos That Feature Children Get Thrice As Many Views As Any Other Content, Study Reveals
Despite a reported multimillion dollar-settlement with the FTC over child privacy laws, videos featuring and aimed at children remain very popular on YouTube. According to Pew's analysis, videos that feature children are more popular than any other content.
Twitter Says Its Crackdown On Spam, Abusive Behavior Is Working
Twitter claimed that reports of spammy and abusive behavior on the platform fell 18 percent in the past three months. This is the result of measures to remove misinformation and irrelevant content.
Privacy Group EPIC Suing The FTC For $5 Billion Facebook Settlement
A consumer privacy group is taking the Federal Trade Commission to court for the $5 billion Facebook settlement announced last week. According to EPIC, the settlement wipes the slate clean for the social media company despite years of privacy violations.
Sony Is Crowdfunding A Wearable Air Conditioner
The Reon Pocket is a small, wearable device that promises to keep the user cool under the hot, sweltering sun. The device comes with a special undershirt that has a pouch where the portable air conditioner is placed.
Popular Wearable Devices Like Fitbit Might Not Accurately Track Heart Rate Of People Of Color
Many fitness trackers and smartwatches use green light, which is blocked by melanin. A report explained that these wearable devices could give inaccurate heart rate readings if used by people with darker skin tones.
A Wide Waistline, Higher BMI Linked To Greater Brain Thinning Later In Life
Having extra weight as an older adult is linked to brain thinning that can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. According to a new study, the rate of brain thinning among people who are overweight and obese is accelerated.
Severe Hypoglycemia Treatment Administered Without Injection Receives FDA Approval
Baqsimi is a nasal powder used to treat a severe hypoglycemia episode among patients who have diabetes. The drug is the first and only glucagon approved by the FDA to be administered nasally.
Climate Change Could Bring Back 'Megadroughts' That Last For Multiple Decades In The American Southwest
Droughts that last for more than a decade can occur once again in the American Southwest if climate change is not mitigated. Scientists looked back into the past to figure out what caused megadroughts in the 9th to 15th century.
Alleged 'Sonic Attack' In Cuba Changed Diplomats' Brain
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania analyzed MRI brain scans of the U.S. diplomats who were alleged victims of a sonic attack in Havana, Cuba. They found that the mysterious incident might have changed the patients' brains.
Climate Change Responsible For The Spread Of Multidrug-Resistant Superbug
A fungus first discovered in 2009 has been rapidly emerging around the world, including the United States. A new study revealed that climate change is responsible for the rapid spread of the new fungal disease.
Scientists Find Evidence Of Ancient Meteorite Inside Fossilized Clams From Florida
Researchers found microtektites perfectly preserved inside fossilized clams that were recovered from a quarry in Florida. According to the analysis, the microtektites were formed from a powerful meteorite impact millions of years ago.
Bird Embryos Can Communicate With Each Other From Inside Unhatched Eggs
Researchers found that unhatched yellow-legged gulls communicate with each other from inside their eggs by vibrating the shells. They do this to warn their nestmates when a predator is present.
A Plant-Based Diet Can Significantly Reduce Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes, Study Reveals
A new meta-analysis from researchers at Harvard confirmed that sticking to a plant-based diet can significantly reduce a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Those who avoid refined grains, sugar, and starches can reap more health benefits.
Newly Discovered Tiny Shark Species Glows In The Dark
Researchers revealed that the mysterious swimmer captured in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 is a species of pocket shark that has never been observed before. The creature can produce glow-in-the-dark liquid to capture prey.
Oregon's New Law Allows Students To Take 'Mental Health Days'
Under the new law, students can cite mental or behavioral health issues as a reason to miss class. The measure, backed by student leaders and youth activists, was signed by Governor Kate Brown last month.
3 New Astronauts Arrive At The International Space Station
NASA's Andrew Morgan, Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, and Roscosmos' Alexander Skvortsov joined the Expedition 60 crew of the International Space Station. The three astronauts were launched atop a Soyuz rocket on the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.
Study Finds That Taking A Warm Bath Before Bed Can Significantly Improve Sleep
Want a peaceful night of sleep? Researchers found that by simply taking a warm bath an hour or two before bedtime can help a person fall asleep faster and improve the overall quality of sleep.
Google Honors Apollo 11 Software Developer Margaret Hamilton With Moonlight Portrait Bigger Than Central Park
At the Mojave Desert in California on Thursday, over 107,000 solar mirrors reflected the moonlight to create a portrait of Margaret Hamilton. She led the team that developed the onboard flight software of Apollo 11.
Researchers Turn Proteins Into Music To Learn More About Protein Structure
Researchers developed a system that converts amino acids in a protein to audible music. The goal is to allow scientists to enable new insights about protein structures and create variations of proteins that have never been observed in nature.
Soyuz Spacecraft Lands Back On Earth After Spending Over 200 Days Docked On The ISS
Three crew members of the International Space Station returned to Earth on Monday. The Russian Soyuz MS-11 delivered the NASA, CSA astronauts, and Roscosmos cosmonaut safely back to the ground after their 204-day mission in low orbit.
Curiosity Rover Finds High Levels Of Methane On Mars
Last week, Curiosity rover detected unusually high levels of methane, a gas generated by microbes and other living organisms, in Gale Crater. NASA recently released the results from the rover's follow-up observations.
Researchers Discover Giant Reservoir Of Freshwater Underneath The Atlantic Seabed
Researchers discovered a gigantic freshwater reservoir beneath the Atlantic Ocean. Similar aquifers around the world can one day provide a supply of freshwater in places that are facing water crisis.
Ebola Containment Efforts In The Congo Starting To Run Out Of Funding
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently experiencing the second largest Ebola outbreak in history. However, the World Health Organization has not received the funding it needs to control the further spread of the deadly disease.
Battery Problem Delays Atlas 5 Launch Till Next Month
The next Atlas 5 mission, which was originally scheduled to launch on Thursday, has been moved to a later date. The rocket is now set to deploy a communication satellite into low orbit on or after July 9.
Greenland Could Be Stripped Bare Of Ice Before End Of Millennium
Greenland Ice Sheet, the second largest body of ice in the world, is rapidly losing mass due to climate change. By the year 3000, scientists predicted that the island will be iceless while the global sea level will significantly rise.
Huge Mass Of What Could Be Iron On Moon Could Jumpstart Investment In Space Mining
A mysterious mass underneath the lunar surface could provide a wealthy source of valuable metals to be mined. If researchers were right, iron that can be used to construct facilities outside of Earth can be mined from the Moon.
Next-Gen Comet Interceptor Mission Wants To Target 'Pristine' Comet
The ESA will send a spacecraft with three modules to study a pristine comet that is making its way toward the inner solar system for the first time. The Comet Interceptor will follow previous missions Giotto and Rosetta.
ESA Testing New Device That Could Save Lives In Future Moon Missions
The ESA has begun testing the new prototype of Lunar Evacuation System Assembly, or LESA, during the NEEMO 23 mission at the Atlantic Ocean. The technology will one day be used to rescue injured astronauts on the moon.
