Articles by James Maynard
Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower peaks tonight: Celestial show awaits stargazers
A bright meteor shower peaks on the night of 29 July. This may be the brightest show of the year, thanks to the Moon.
Dinosaurs were unlucky: Asteroid hit Earth at 'bad time'
The asteroid that ended the age of the dinosaurs may have struck at the wrong time for the animals, that were already suffering from environmental changes.
Massive swarm of mayflies terrorize Wisconsin residents
Mayflies are swarming around Wisconsin, and causing trouble on the highways. The tiny animals will soon be on their way, leaving behind millions of skeletons.
Russian sex study biosatellite lost in space...with five geckos onboard
Geckos taking part in a study about sex in space have lost communications with the ground, leaving the lizards in charge of the mission. Could this be the Dawn of the Planet of the Geckos?
ISS astronaut tweets 'saddest photo yet' - Capturing Gaza war zone from space
Fighting in the Gaza Strip has been seen by astronaut Alexander Gerst in what many people are calling the saddest photo ever taken from space.
Dinosaurs were feathery and not scaly: Siberian fossils change perception of scientists
Feathers on dinosaurs may have evolved much earlier than previously believed, a new fossil find discovered in Siberia suggests.
Amazon tribe contacts modern world for first time and catches flu
Uncontacted people in Peru met modern civilization in Brazil for the first time and promptly caught the flu. Without immunity to the disease, it could be deadly.
Earth on verge of sixth mass extinction? New study believes so
Are we witnessing the start of the sixth great extinction in the history of the Earth? A new meta-study suggests that may be the case.
NASA calls for private communications net on Mars
Mars rovers need orbiting data networks to communicate with Earth, and now NASA is asking private industry to build a system capable of carrying out the task.
Trap Cave in Wyoming - a treasure trove of fossils - to be re-opened to scientists
Paleontologists will be allowed to conduct research in a fossil treasure trove, not explored in four decades.
Airplanes may have evolved like birds: Applying law of physics to evolution
Birds and airplanes may have developed along the same lines, driven by identical laws of physics. Airplanes may have developed through many of the same forces that drove the evolution of birds and other flying animals.
Why guys like good girls, while women like bad boys
Guys like women who listen to them - women aren't as attracted to that behavior, three independent studies reveal.
NASA lacks deep pockets for sending big rockets to deep space: Audit
Human missions to an asteroid and Mars could be hampered by a lack of funding, according to a new audit from the Government Accountability Office.
Hunt for water on Earth-like exoplanets more challenging than previously thought
Water on other worlds may be harder to find than astronomers believed, according to a study of three hot Jupiters circling other worlds.
Solar storm in July 2012 nearly sent us back to the 19th century
A solar flare seen in 2012 may have been the most powerful eruption from the sun in 150 years. If it struck the Earth, electronics could have been devastated.
Jealousy trait common among dogs, too
Dogs can become jealous, especially of other dogs, new research reveals. Dog owners have long suspected that canines get jealous, but this new study provides scientific evidence for the idea for the first time.
Peaches, necterines, plums among nationwide recall for listeria
Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes listeria, may have contaminated stone fruits nationwide, triggering product recalls.
Tyrannosaur gangs may have hunted in packs around British Columbia
Tyrannosaurs may have hunted in packs, acting more like wolves than reptiles, a new discovery suggests.
Antarctic sea ice expansion study triggers icy debate
Antarctic ice may be expanding - or not. Latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows growth may have been in error.
Kepler spots exoplanet with longest year yet - 704 days
Kepler 421b - an exoplanet with a year nearly as long as Mars, has been discovered in data from the Kepler Spacecraft.
Climate change denial: Americans lead the world in skepticism
Americans are more skeptical than residents of any other nation about climate change - but we're not bad at recycling. Here is where the people of the world stand on issues affecting the environment.
African elephant nose best: Study reveals superior olfactory receptor genes
Elephants have the best sense of smell known among mammals. What would the world be like if we could smell as well as they do?
Global warming pause natural, says McGill researcher
A reduction of rising global temperatures is only a natural variation, says a new study, and it won't last long.
June hottest since 1880 - May was sweltering as well NOAA says
June 2014 saw rising temperatures around the world, following May - another record breaker. June 2014 was the hottest June ever recorded, since temperature tracking began in 1880.
Elephants have best sense of smell of all mammals
Elephants are twice as good as dogs at determining smells. There is something in that long trunk after all!
Bats reset compasses using polarized light
Greater mouse-eared bats use polarized light to reset their internal navigation systems, solving the mystery of how they carry out long hunting trips.
Apollo 11 mission patch to fly with first astronauts to Mars
A mission patch from the first human mission to the Moon will fly on NASA's first crewed flight to Mars.
Oceans needed for alien life? Study says look for water on other worlds
Oceans may be needed for life to exist on alien worlds, a new computer model reveals. Alien life may only be found on worlds possessing oceans of water, a new computer study concludes.
Government considered using Carl Sagan to help them blow up the moon - report
Newly-released plans show the United States once considered spying or launching missiles from the moon. It even tried to enlist Carl Sagan to help them blow it up.
Probiotics lower blood pressure with a little culture
High blood pressure can be moderated by consuming probiotics, like those in yogurt and kefir, based on a new meta-study.
