Articles by James Maynard
Spiders communicate with own kind and identify prey by plucking at their webs
Spider webs could communicate a wide variety of information to spiders, a new study out of England, shows.
Monarch butterfly population dying due to loss of milkweed habitat
Milkweed losses may be the reason for declining Monarch butterfly populations, a new study reveals. Monarch butterfly populations may be in danger due to the loss of milkweeds, a new study has found.
BBSO telescope helps scientists understand mysterious sunspots
Sunspots have been seen by humans for 300 years. Now, we may finally understand what keeps these structures stable.
900-pound monster croc that ate turtles for breakfast was archnemesis of gigantic snake
A giant crocodile-like being may have done battle 60 million years ago with an equally big Titanoboa snake. This new fossil find had a short snout but a powerful bite.
Why koalas are tree huggers mystery finally solved
Koalas hug trees for a very good reason - and it is not to get closer to food. Koalas are often pictured in trees, hugging on to limbs or trunk of a tree.
Extinct bat in Papua New Guinea is...well, not really extinct
A bat, thought extinct for 120 years, has been found living in New Guinea. This is the story of its re-discovery.
Mars mission vital but not viable, scientists say
Mars should be the next goal of human space mission, based on a new study conducted for NASA. The report also recommends partnering with China to reach Mars.
4 in 10 Americans believe God created humans, says Gallup poll. Do you?
More than 40 percent of Americans believe in the biblical story of creation. How do people divide on the subject?
Pavlof volcano in Alaska set to erupt: Ash clouds spotted, lava next?
One of Alaska's most active volcanoes may be ready to blow once again, as ash clouds shoot miles high into the sky.
Laser-based broadband connection will let you watch Earth-based TV shows on the moon
A new Internet connection for spacecraft can download more than 100 songs a second. An Internet Wi-Fi system for the moon is significantly faster than home connections here on Earth.
Hubble spies candy-colored universe, benefits boffins
A newly updated image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the Universe in one of the most colorful pictures the telescope has ever produced.
World is on the verge of extinction and we're the cause (or we can help prevent it)
Earth may be witnessing its sixth great extinction. Here is what researchers have found when looking at the rate species are vanishing.
World's most accurate thermometer is super sensitive and uses light
The light thermometer is the world's most accurate device for measuring temperature. This is how the novel invention works.
Vintage photos of Apollo astronauts training in Hawaii for moon mission released
Photos of Apollo astronauts, training in Hawaii more than four decades ago, have been rediscovered and released to the public. The lava flows stood in for the moon's surface as astronauts practiced in rocky landscapes to learn how to collect samples and operate the lunar vehicles.
NASA cancels test flight of Mars-bound LDSD flying saucer due to bad weather
The scheduled tests today of NASA's flying saucer heading to Mars have been cancelled. Pictured here, the LDSD being prepared for supersonic tests off the coast of Hawaii.
Blame climate change for summer flash floods (and maybe just about everything else) in the UK
Global warming could set off flash floods throughout the United Kingdom, based on a new study. Climate change and rising global temperatures could be to blame for future flash floods in the United Kingdom, as per the new announcement.
Kepler spies 'Mega-Earth': This 'godfather' exoplanet is 17 times heavier than Earth but are there aliens?
Kepler-10c, a world many times more massive than Earth, has been recognized as a member of a new class of planet. What does that mean for the chance of alien life there?
NASA IRIS spies monster coronal mass eruption: Solar flare was a doozy
A coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun erupted at over a million miles an hour, and was the first recorded by NASA's newest solar observatory.
Velociraptor-inspired biped robot can outrun Usain Bolt: Watch out Cheetah, Outrunner - you've got competition!
Raptor is a new sprinting robot, based on an ancient design - velociraptors. Raptor, a new sprinting robot, is competing for the fastest such device in the world, with comparable speeds to competing designs like the Cheetah and Outrunner.
Florida turns to app to combat invasive lionfish [VIDEO]
Lionfish are an invasive species in Florida, which are damaging native species. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is calling for citizen environmentalists to help with the problem, and offering an interactive T-shirt as a bonus.
Earth gravity makes Moon bulge and jiggle
Tidal forces from the Earth on our moon has a profound effect on the lunar surface. Gravitational forces between the Earth and the moon are causing both our own world and its companion satellite to distort into egg-like shapes.
Dogs assisted humans in driving woolly mammoths to extinction
Woolly mammoths may have been driven to extinction by human hunters using a powerful new weapon - the first dogs.
3D printed robots that self-assemble when heated? That's MIT for you!
Robots could be printed as a sheet, complete with electronics. Heating the printed material would cause it to fold itself into the shape of a robot (or anything else).
Bacon - Chemistry makes it smell so delicious! [VIDEO]
Bacon smells and tastes like nothing else. Here is the chemistry behind its appeal! Bacon smells and tastes delicious to most people, and now researchers have discovered the secret behind the attraction.
Citizen scientists make first contact, wakes up abandoned NASA ISEE-3
The ISEE-3 spacecraft, launched in 1978, is now under the control of a private group of amateur enthusiasts.
Quantum teleportation made possible: Was Albert Einstein wrong?
Quantum computing could be closer to development, with the development of the first reliable means of quantum data teleportation.
SpaceX Dragon V2 reusable spacecraft eyes 2017 launch: Who needs Russia when we have Elon Musk?
The Dragon V2 spacecraft from SpaceX has been unveiled. This is what the new vehicle could mean to the future of space travel.
Supersonic spray to apply high quality graphene layer on substrate? Possible
Graphene is difficult to apply to a base or substrate, hindering development of the wonder material. New research shows how to do it - at supersonic speeds!
Species going extinct a thousand times faster because of humans, but not all gloom and doom
Plant and animal species are going extinct a thousand times faster than normal, but technology could help out endangered animals. Studying DNA to map species helps track diversification, while smartphones, crowd-sourcing and hardware advances make data collection on endangered species easier.
Kavli Prizes for 2014 go to 9 astrophysicists, nanoscientists and neuroscientists
Kavli Prizes have been awarded in nanotechnology, neuroscience and astrophysics. Here are the advances the group recognized.
