Articles by James Maynard
Electric eel genome sequence shocks evolutionary biologists. Surprised?
Fish have evolved the ability to generate large magnetic fields at least six times, and now, the genetic code has been revealed that gives muscle cells the ability to deliver large voltages, like electric eels.
Wildlife webcams expose ugly side of nature: Viewers shocked by death of abandoned eaglet
The death of an eagle chick on a wildlife webcam upset some viewers. Here is why conservationists won't rescue its sibling.
Global Ocean Commission wants an end to overfishing and pollution to protect world's fragile oceans
The world's oceans are in danger from pollution and overfishing, an international group reports in a new study.
Neanderthal poop suggests early humans loved veggies
Vegetables, as well as meats, may have been an important part of Neanderthal diet, a new study reveals.
MIT students on Earth want to send time capsule to Mars by 2017. Cool!
Mars colonists in the future could find a time capsule from modern-day Earth, if a group of students at MIT get their way.
Supermassive black holes discovered...not one, not two, but THREE...at heart of distant galaxy
Black holes, with masses of millions of suns, sit at the centers of galaxies, spewing out jets of gas. Now, astronomers have found one family of stars that has a trio of the bodies at their core.
Disco clams underwater light show mystery finally solved
The underwater light show of disco clams has now been revealed in some detail by a California researcher.
Mars Curiosity rover celebrates first anniversary on Red Planet with a selfie
NASA's Curiosity rover has now spent one full Martian year on the red planet, and celebrated by taking a selfie.
Your beautiful backyard garden could be bee killer
Neonicotinoids could be killing off bees, and many other lifeforms, according to a new meta-analysis of the effect of the powerful insecticide.
Forget GPS! Monarch butterflies use magnetic compass to navigate and migrate
Monarch butterflies make their way from the eastern United States to central Mexico every year, and a new study shows they may follow the Earth's magnetic field to do it.
Space bling: White dwarf star may have crystallized into super-massive diamond
A diamond in space, the size of the Earth, has been discovered 870 light years from Earth, using a system of radio telescopes.
Forget the moon, NASA now wants to colonize Mars
Landing a human crew on Mars is a primary goal of NASA, says their chief scientist, Ellen Stofan. Ellen Stofan, chief scientist at NASA, said the national space agency has its sights on landing a human colony on Mars.
Large Hadron Collider with almost double the energy level on track to relaunch in 2015
The largest particle accelerator in the world is receiving an upgrade, providing physicists a chance to glimpse the workings of the greatest mysteries in the Universe.
Mysterious 'Magic Island' on icy sea of Titan, plays peekaboo with Saturn moon watchers
Titan - the largest moon of Saturn, showed a mysterious white blob in its northern sea, which then disappeared. A Cornell astronomer thinks he can explain the strange feature.
High altitude wind patterns influence extreme weather conditions: Study
Extreme weather events may be driven by fluctuations in winds high above the ground, a new study reveals.
New evidence suggests Higgs boson particle was discovered in 2012
The Higgs boson - the elusive "God particle" may have been discovered through distinctive particle accelerator tracks in 2012.
Google $50 million 'Made with Code' campaign will help create more tech workforce diversity
Women make up just one in five computer programmers in America, and just 12 percent of people receiving computer science degrees. Google has promised $50 million to change that situation.
Yellow River flooding blamed on anti-flooding efforts by ancient Chinese
Flooding over 20 centuries may have been the result of modifications to the Yellow River, created to prevent the disasters. One flood may have even toppled a dynasty.
Extinct passenger pigeons can be resurrected? Yes, say scientists
De-extinction could bring several species, including the passenger pigeon, back to life. Passenger pigeons are now extinct, but the species could be brought back to life, per scientists.
MSF worries ebola outbreak in West Africa is 'out of control'
Doctors without Borders is warning the world that ebola is running rampant in western Africa. The group is also supplying the region with tons of supplies to fight the outbreak.
Dwarf galaxies play bigger role than previously thought in formation of universe's stars
Stars may be born in dwarf galaxies more often than believed. Astronomers studied these tiny collections of stars in a field of larger galaxies.
USDA probes anthrax snafu which exposed at least 84 CDC lab workers to deadly bacteria
After at least 84 workers were exposed to the potentially-deadly anthrax bacteria in a CDC accident, management of the investigation has been transferred to the USDA.
Climate change prompts Emperor penguins to find new breeding grounds
Emperor penguins may be adapting to climate change better than expected, a new satellite study claims.
La Brea Tar Pits reopen to public after 20 years: Watch scientists excavate fossils
The observation pit at La Brea Tar Pits has re-opened for the first time in 20 years. The location has 50,000 years of history.
Big Bang evidence now being doubted by scientists
Harvard astrophysicists announced evidence for the big bang and cosmic inflation in March. Now, analysis of data from the BICEP2 telescope is casting doubts on their findings.
Supermassive black hole spotted belching gas, stuns NASA scientists
Gas streaming from a supermassive black hole in NGC 5548 could explain its brilliant core and help shape the galaxy.
Razorback sucker found spawning in Grand Canyon after 22 years, marks comeback of endangered species
The razorback sucker is now spawning once more in the Grand Canyon for the first time since 1990. Could this mark the return of the species?
Great white shark population increasing off East Coast and Canada
White shark populations are on the comeback, according to a new study. White shark populations are growing in waters off the east coast of the United States and Canada, which is welcome news for the species.
Mammograms cut breast cancer deaths by 28 percent
Breast cancer deaths could be reduced by 28 percent through regular mammograms, a new study out of Norway reports.
Mercuriceratops Gemini with bony frill like Mercury's helmet discovered in Montana
A newly-recognized dinosaur species looks unlike anything else in the fossil record. Mercuriceratops Gemini is a newly-identified dinosaur species, first discovered in Montana and Alberta, Canada.
