Articles by James Maynard
Dinosaur-killing meteorite remade the plant kingdom
The meteorite that ended the age of dinosaurs also wiped out more than half the plant species on Earth. A new study shows those extinctions were not random, but depended on growth rate of plant species.
Companies, Obama team up to cut down coolant (HFCs) use and reduce global warming
Hydrofluorocarbons and carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere will each be reduced by a new agreement between American corporations and the federal government.
Europeans descended from three tribes: Study
European populations today descended from at least three tribes of ancient people, according to a new study from the Harvard Medical school.
Divers search shipwreck for missing fragments of Antikythera Mechanism - World's oldest computer
The Antikythera mechanism was the world's oldest known computer. Marine archaeologists are exploring an ancient shipwreck to find missing pieces of the device.
Babies in wombs exposed to phthalates at greater risk of developing childhood asthma
Asthma is more than 70 percent more common in children exposed to phthalates in the womb, according to a new study from Columbia University. Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastic more flexible and are found in many household products.
Early Earth was less hellishly hot than previously thought
The Hadean Period, during the first half-billion years of the Earth, may have been less like hell than its name suggests, according to new research on zircon crystals.
Mount Mayon volcano in Philippines threatens to erupt: Thousands of villagers evacuate
Mount Mayon in the Philippines may be about to experience a major eruption. The looming danger has forced the government in the province of Albay to evacuate 50,000 people.
Discovery of crescent-shaped 5000-year old huge monument in Galilee excites archaeologists
An ancient monument in Israel was once thought to be the walls of an ancient city. New research suggests it may have served a different purpose.
Quasar phenomena mystery finally explained by Eddington ratio
Quasar diversity can finally be explained by two simple characteristics, answering a mystery two decades old.
Scientists capture sound of single atom (unfortunately, you can't hear it)
An artificial atom can be controlled by acoustic waves, potentially opening up new technology in quantum computers.
Pesticide levels down in U.S. waterways: Humans safe but aquatic life in peril
American waterways contain insecticides at levels low enough to be safe for humans, but high enough to harm wildlife.
Gibbon genome sequencing lets boffins understand rapid chromosomal rearrangement
Genetic sequencing of gibbons was completed for the first time, potentially leading to advances in cancer research.
Ikrandraco avatar: Discovery of flying reptile fossils in China would make James Cameron proud
A pterosaur named Ikrandraco avatar has been discovered in China that resembling the Ikran from Avatar.
Graphene paint: This wonder paint might herald a rust-free world
Graphene paint is capable of covering nearly anything with a coating of the strongest material known to mankind. This could revolutionize industries worldwide.
One. Two. Sun hurls two solar flares: Earth put on geomagnetic storm alert
Two solar eruptions are sending charged material racing toward the Earth. What does that mean for people on the planet and satellites in space?
Spinosaurus: The water-loving, shark-munching dinosaur with a sail excites boffins
Spinosaurus was discovered a century ago, but new research reveals the nature of the species for the first time.
Jurassic era mouse-sized mammal may be our earliest ancestors
Euharamiyida was a mammal that lived 160 million years ago that could be a distant ancestor of human beings.
Stonehenge secret exposed by hi-tech underground scanning: Vast complex of archaeological monuments discovered
Stonehenge lies on top of at least 17 subterranean chambers, according to a new four-year study conducted using ground-penetrating imaging technology.
'Fat shaming' obese people more harmful than good: Study
Overweight people subjected to ridicule over their size tend to gain pounds, not lose them, according to new research.
Discovery of titanosaurian Rukwatitan bisepultus in Tanzania, excites boffins
Rukwatitan bisepultus is a newly-discovered variety of dinosaur that may tell us a lot about life 100 million years in the past.
Contrave gets FDA approval: Why the brouhaha over the new weight loss drug?
Obese Americans will soon have a new drug to help them lose weight, but what is Contrave? Contrave has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration, clearing the way for the new weight loss drug to hit the market.
Rosetta lander snaps awesome selfie with target comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
The Philae lander on the Rosetta spacecraft took an interplanetary selfie, with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in the background.
Greenhouse gas (CO2) surged to record high in 2013, warns UN report
Atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide reached record highs in 2013, according to a new study from the World Meteorological Organization.
Condom-free world by 2017? Yes, if it's Vasalgel
Vasalgel could soon be the birth control method of choice for men, after a successful test on baboons.
American kids are getting high on salt and that is NOT GOOD: CDC
Sodium levels are too high in nine out of ten American children and teens, according to a new study. What is responsible for the problem?
Ancient Egyptian artworks record extinction of mammals over 6000 years: Study
Wildlife extinctions in Egypt over the last 6,000 years have been modeled, thanks to artwork and a 16-year-old book.
Moonlets found taking birth and dying in Saturn F ring
Saturn is surrounded by a thin, bright ring that may be the site of the constant creation and destruction of mountain-sized moonlets, according to a new study.
Coral trout rivals chimp intelligence in choosing collaborators: Taps moray eel to hunt prey
Moray eels are employed in the hunt for fish by coral trout through a symbiotic relationship, according to new research.
Meteorite smashes into Nicaragua, leaving crater in Managua: Big BOOM stuns local people
The Nicaraguan capital of Managua was hit by an asteroid on 6 Sept., forming a crater that could have swallowed a house.
Jupiter moon Europa has icy plate tectonics: Can it support alien lifeform?
Europa is found to exhibit plate tectonics in a manner similar to Earth, but what can that say about the possibility of alien life there?
