Articles by Jim Algar
Terre Haute Chemical Leak Near Indiana Racetrack Sends At Least 15 People To Hospital
Winds carry fumes of sulfur dioxide from chemical company to a nearby racetrack. Hundred of spectators were evacuated, some taken to hospital.
Vitamin D May Be Harmful For Obese Teens: Here's Why
Vitamin D supplements intended to reduce some health risks of obesity may in fact by bad for teens' health, research suggests. Study indicated possible increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
'Godzilla' El Niño Brewing In The Pacific Could Be One Of The Strongest On Record, Forecasters Warn
This year's El Niño could rival the 1997 event that caused weather havoc around the world, scientists say. Forecasters have been monitoring warming ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific for three months.
Home Of Distant Jupiter-Like Planet May Be A Solar System Much Like Ours
A distant Jupiter-like exoplanet orbits in a system that may tell us what our solar system was like when it was young, astronomers say. Planet 51 Eridani b is the 'most Jupiter-like exoplanet' ever directly imaged, they say.
Genetically Modified Yeast Turns Sugar Into Powerful New Painkiller Meds
Fields of opium poppies may someday be replaced by vats of yeast as a source of painkilling medications, researchers suggest. They've bioengineered yeast to turn sugar into the pain medication hydrocodone in just days, they report.
Extreme Evolution: This 'Mother' Robot Designs, Builds And Tests Own 'Children' (Video)
A robot can build 'offspring,' test them and then create even better ones. It all happens without human intervention, researchers demonstrate.
Ants' Sense Of Smell So Keen It Can Tell If Other Ants Are Friends Or Foes
Even in a crowded colony, individual ants use sense of smell to identify other ants as workers, queens - or possible enemies. Body odor provides a kind of 'social networking' in ant colonies, researchers explain.
The Larger Pacific Striped Octopus Has Unique Hunting And Mating Strategy: Study
A newly rediscovered species displays behaviors not seen in any other species of octopus, researchers say. The tiny animals are found in the Pacific off Central America.
Africa Celebrates Polio-Free Year But Much Remains To Be Done
A further two years of no new cases will be required to officially certify the continent polio-free, according to the UN. Eradication efforts began in 1988.
Georgia Confirms First Case Of West Nile Virus: Know The Disease, Symptoms And Treatment
An Atlanta resident diagnosed with West Nile virus has recovered, health officials say. State residents are urged to take precautions to protect themselves from being bitten by infected mosquitoes.
Researchers Use DNA To Trace Lager Beer Origins To 15th Century Bavaria
Scientists sequence the genome of beer yeast to identify the origins of lighter, smoother lager beer. They find it's a hybrid of original ale yeasts and a different species.
IVF More Successful With Fresh Eggs Than With Frozen Eggs: Study
The chance of a successful pregnancy and birth is higher when fresh - rather than frozen - donor eggs are used. However, experts say the differences are slight and both techniques are valuable,.
Trans Fats May Kill You But Saturated Fat Likely Won't: Study
A review of studies confirms health risks from trans fats but finds less evidence of harm from saturated fats. However, experts caution against considering saturated fats completely in the clear.
Rosetta's Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Fires Cosmic Fart Powerful Enough To Push Away Incoming Solar Wind
Comet 67P gets "gassy" with dramatic outburst of melted ice and dust. As it prepare for its closest approach to the sun, it could display more such outbursts, astronomers say.
World Population Will Exceed 11 Billion By 2100: Are We Ready?
A prediction of global population by the end of this century suggests challenges lie ahead for the countries of the world. Huge increases could impact levels of global health and sustainability, researchers say.
Protists May Make Frogs Worldwide Croak Their Last: What You Should Know About This Deadly Parasite
The world's amphibians, already decimated by disease and habitat loss, face a new threat from parasites, researchers say. Species around the world are infected, they say.
Farthest Galaxy Ever Detected Dates To The Earliest Days Of The Universe
Astrophysicists observe a distant galaxy as it looked 13.2 billion years ago. The discovery lets them peer into a time just 600 million years after the Big Bang, they say.
Help! The Universe Is Dying: Shocking Study Reveals Universe Is Preparing For 'An Eternal Doze'
The universe has only half the energy it possessed two billion years ago, astronomers determine. Stars are fading and dying as the universe slowly heads to a dark and cold future.
Southern-Style Diet Increases Risk Of Heart Disease: Study
Diets heavy in traditional Southern foods can lead to increased chances of heart attack or stroke, researchers say. Even small changes to diets could reduce those risks, they say.
More Adults Are Sexting Than You Think ... And That's Not Bad: Study
More than 80 percent of adults in a survey say they have sexted. A study finds the behavior can increase sexual satisfaction within a relationship.
Severe Droughts May Wipe Out Butterfly Population In The UK By 2050: Study (Video)
Droughts caused by global warming could lead to extinction of several butterfly species, experts warn. Many species are at risk even at lowest predicted warming rates, they say.
SpaceVR Kickstarter Gives Everyone A Chance To Be Astronaut Through Power Of Virtual Reality
A company plans to put a 360-degree camera on the International Space Station to beam virtual reality images to people on Earth. A Kickstarter campaign aims to raise $500,000 to put the camera in orbit and fund its first year of operation.
Perseid Meteor Shower Peaking This Week: When And How To Watch This Spectacular Celestial Show
One of the best and brightest of the annual meteor showers should arrive during good viewing conditions, experts say. Sky watchers in locations from from bright city lights could see 100 meteors per hour, they predict.
Little Pac-Man: Scientists Discover Nicotine-Chomping Bacterial Enzyme That May Help People Quit Smoking
Naturally occuring enzyme could lead to a drug to take the "reward" out of smoking, helping people to quit, researchers say. Found in soil in tobacco fields, the enzyme has a voracious appetite for nicotine, they explain.
Predator Or Prey? Shape Of Eye Can Reveal Animal's Place In Food Chain
Whether an animal is hunter or the hunted is reflected in the evolution of its eyes, researchers find. Pupil shape identifies a creature's ecological niche, they say.
Want To Go To Mars? NASA's Online Tools Let Public Join In Mars Exploration
The space agency created Web-based tools to allow the public to take part in explorations of the Red Planet. Two websites, Mars Trek and Experience Curiosity, can take citizen scientists on a unique virtual journey.
Archaeologists Try To Decode Mysterious Message From Ancient Ritual Bath In Jerusalem
A message written in the language of the time of Jesus has resisted attempts for its meaning to be discovered, researchers say. The message could be either secular or religious, they say.
'Freaky' Fish Discovered In Darkest Ocean Depths
A bizarre fish living in complete darkness carries its own 'fishing pole' on its head, researchers say. It's an evolutionary strategy meant to allow the fish to compete for scarce prey, they say.
How Do You See The Color Yellow? It Depends On The Time Of Year, Study Finds
Changes in the natural environment change how we perceive colors, a study finds. It's particularly true for the color yellow, they say.
Smile! Earth, Dark Side Of The Moon Pose For Dramatic Portrait (Video)
A NASA satellite sees the moon's 'dark side' passing in front of the Earth. A dramatic view of the two was captured from a million miles away.
