Articles by James Maynard
Sea Launch delays Telsat deployment due to equipment issues
A communications satellite scheduled for a launch to space on 15 April will have to wait. But, what happened?
Tiny microbes nearly wiped out life on Earth: It's the end of the world as we know it
A tiny microbe may have been the cause of the greatest extinction in the history of the world. Here's what happened.
Zebras have stripes for a reason - and it's not what you may think!
Zebra stripes have puzzled biologists since the days of Darwin and Wallace. Now, we may know why they developed.
Exxon Mobil acknowledges climate risk, says it will keep selling fossil fuels
Global warming and man-made climate change have been acknowledged by a major oil company for the first time. So what does Exxon Mobil plan to do about it?
Alvin returns to gulf on 4th anniversary of BP oil spill
The Alvin submersible has returned to the Gulf of Mexico to examine how the region is recovering from the BP oil spill four years ago.
Solar flare unleashes geomagnetic storm. Did you feel it?
A powerful solar flare struck the Earth on 29 March and three more are on the way. Here's what happened and what you can expect from the coming space storm.
Supermassive black holes have been that way since they were seeds
Black holes in the hearts of galaxies have been large since the early days of stellar families. So, why did the answer to the big mystery of development come from the smallest galaxies?
UN court orders Japan to stop whaling practices
An international court has ordered the end to whaling by Japan in the Southern Ocean. So, why are the marine mammals still not safe?
Ancient tomb found in Egypt, complete with pyramid entrance
A tomb which once contained a pyramid, has been found in Egypt. What do we know - or not - about those buried there?
Rare panther body found in Florida state preserve
A dead panther has been found in a Florida wildlife preserve and fewer than 160 of the animals live in the wild. So, why are increasing deaths from automobiles good news for the wild cats?
Mollusk shell secrets unlocked: Will it signal a new generation of eyewear?
Windowpane oysters have tough transparent shells. New research shows why they are so tough and the implications of the discovery are becoming clear.
In space, no one can see your heart become spherical
Human hearts become more of a sphere in space. What does this mean for a future human mission to Mars?
Rosetta: After a long sleep, what's next for the mission to the comet?
The Rosetta spacecraft and Philae lander are due for the first meeting ever between the human race and a comet. New photos show the target is in sight.
Russian Soyuz spacecraft docks at ISS amid US-Russia tension
The Soyuz spacecraft docked at the International Space Station after a two-day delay. Astronauts are getting along fine, despite tensions between the United States and Russia.
Pink dwarf planet named after Joe Biden proves we know very little about our solar system
Discovery of the pink dwarf planet 2012 VP113 is raising more questions than it is answering. A pink dwarf planet, recently discovered near the edge of our solar system, is already generating mystery just days after its discovery.
Mars Yard tests new rover for 2018 mission
A prototype Mars rover is tested at the Mars Yard, a simulator resembling a giant sand box. The Mars Yard was the testing ground for a new martian buggy, a prototype of a planned rover, due for launch to the red planet in 2018.
Four lunar eclipses are coming this year, starting in April - Here's how to see the Moon disappear!
A lunar eclipse tetrad is due to take place, treating viewer across North America to four lunar eclipses in a little over a year.
Space plane X-37B sets new endurance record
A secret spy plane, operated by the U.S. Air Force, is flying high above Earth. And it's been doing it for a record amount of time. So what is it doing up there?
Crows as intelligent as a seven-year-old child? Research says 'yes!'
Aesop's Fables featured The Crow and the Pitcher. Now, investigators have put that story to the test in the real world. What they found is amazing.
Mars One plans life-sized Martian habitat on Earth
A simulator meant to replicate conditions on the red planet will be built in an unknown location. Here's how the facility will test the equipment - and people - heading toward Mars.
Comet Siding Spring, heading toward Mars, seen with two tails by Hubble
The Hubble Space Telescope has seen two tails sprouting from Comet Siding Spring, due for a close approach with Mars.
Raspberry crazy ants march toward Houston -- will arrive in weeks
Tawny crazy ants are on the way to Houston. They may wipe out stinging fire ants there. Here's why the raspberry ant is even less welcome than that unpopular insect.
Arroyo toad doing better, wildlife protections removed
Arroyo toads are coming back from extinction. But, has the species made enough improvement to be reclassified? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service thinks so. Others are not so sure.
2012 VP113: How does it size up to other dwarf planets?
Dwarf planet VP113 is the newest member of our planetary system known to humans. So, how does it compare to other dwarf planets?
Creation of synthetic yeast chromosome hailed as scientific breakthrough
Genetic code has been created step-by-step for the first time. But why could yeast change the future of medicine and energy?
U.N. chief witnesses climate change in Greenland
Ban Ki-moon toured Greenland, where the United Nations chief says he saw evidence of global warming first hand.
Asteroid found with its own double ring system dazzles astronomers
A double ring system around the asteroid Chariklo is the first system of its type ever observed by astronomers. Here is how astronomers accidentally discovered the rings.
Dwarf planet 2012 VP113 discovered at edge of solar system
A frozen pink world has been found, orbiting far beyond the orbit of Pluto. Here's what we know about it so far.
Why woolly mammoths became extinct? Cervical ribs may hold the answer
Woolly mammoths went extinct 10,000 years ago. The last of the animals may have suffered from skeletal deformities, which could have doomed the species.
Goats are smarter than you think - here's how we know what they know
Barnyard animals are cute, but are not known for their intelligence. It turns out, goats are smarter than most people think!
