Articles by Jim Algar
Dinosaurs May Not Have Been The Cold-Blooded Creatures We've Always Assumed - Turn Up The Heat!
An expert suggests dinosaurs weren't cold-blooded — or even lukewarm, as some researchers have proposed. They were fully-blooded creatures like modern mammals, says a paleontologist at a New York university.
Tumbling, 'Spongy' Moon Of Saturn About To Get Its Last Closeup From Cassini Spacecraft
Cassini has a May 31 rendezvous with Hyperion, a bizarre moon of Saturn. The spacecraft will come within 321 miles to capture close-up images of the moon and its distinctive surface.
DNA May Have Solved Mystery Of Humans' Route 'Out Of Africa'
Genetic studies of modern African populations suggest early humans moved through Egypt on their way north into Europe and Asia. DNA offers clues to the genetic history of all Eurasians, researchers say.
Commercial Firm SpaceX Wins Right To Bid On Launches For US Spy, Military Satellites
SpaceX has won the right to enter bidding to launch U.S. national security space missions. Certification by the U.S. Air Force will let SpaceX compete with the Lockheed-Boeing venture that has held a monopoly on such launches.
Smartphone Data, Tweets Can Be Used To Estimate Size Of Crowds
Researchers estimated the size of crowds at an airport and a soccer stadium by using smartphone activity and considering the volume of tweets. The results compared favorably with estimates gathered using traditional methods of counting people, they say.
Specialized Imaging Technique Could Reveal Earliest Signs Of Alzheimer's Disease
Changes in the brain's white matter, visible in a specialized MRI scan, could be early indications of some forms of Alzheimer's, researchers say. Although primarily a 'gray matter disease,' changes in white matter could lead to early diagnosis, they suggest.
Laser Experiment Yields Antimatter, May Help Scientists Understand Black Holes
Creating antimatter particles known as positrons in a lab setting could open the door to understanding extreme astrophysical occurrences such as gamma-ray bursts, scientists say. The secrets of collapsing stars and black holes could be revealed, they say.
The Coldest Of Cold Cases: Researchers Look At World's Oldest Known Murder Victim
Wounds on a 430,000-year-old skull were lethal and suggest willful murder, researchers say. Modern forensic techniques applied to the skull of an early human ancestor bear out that verdict, they say.
Even Moderate Drinking May Be Damaging Our Hearts As We Age, Study Finds
In senior citizens, even what is considered 'moderate' drinking may be harmful to heart health, researchers say. Elderly women are particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of alcohol, they add.
Biomarkers For Ovarian Cancer Could Mean Better Diagnosis And Treatment
Biomarkers produced by ovarian cancer cells could pave the way to an early diagnostic test, researchers suggest. Six types of genetic material unique to cancer cells were identified in a recent study.
Motherhood Changes The Brain, May Affect How Well Hormone Therapy Works Later In Life
The effectiveness of hormone therapy to treat some effects of menopause may depend on whether a woman has had children or not, a study finds. Motherhood changes the way the brain reacts to such therapy, researchers say.
World's Smallest, Rarest Marine Dolphin Could Go Extinct In 15 Years If Not Protected, Conservationists Warn
Maui's dolphin, found only in shallow waters off New Zealand, could disappear completely if measures aren't taken to save it, campaigners say. Unless protection is increased, extinction a 'matter of when, not if,' they say.
Think You Can't Be Tracked Through Your Smartphone On A Subway With No Cell Signal Or GPS? Think Again
Researchers warn malware could track you through your smartphone, even underground where phones are cut off from connections. Simply capturing data from your phone's motion sensors is enough to pointpoint your location and movements, they say.
Want To Predict What Your GPA Will Be? There's An App For That (Video)
The SmartGPA app uses smartphone data on student user's study and party habits to come up with a projected GPA, researchers explain. Predictions proved accurate to within hundredths of a grade point, they say.
Module To Be Swapped Between Nodes On Space Station's Moving Day (Video)
NASA is reconfiguring the ISS to prepare for arrival of future U.S. spacecraft. The moving of a module will create new primary docking port for crew-carrying missions.
Clues To What Climate Was Like Thousands Of Years Ago Locked In Stalagmites
Minerals deposited by dripping water on cave floors reveal what past climate was like above ground. Prehistoric climate trends could show what we're in for in the future, according to researchers.
Diabetes May Up The Risk Of Developing Alzheimer's Disease
Two studies suggest uncontrolled blood sugar levels from diabetes may increase risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's. The effect may happen decades before the appearance of dementia symptoms.
Achoo! Ragweed May Spread Into New Regions With Global Warming
Climate change and emissions from fossil fuels could create 'perfect storm' for the spread of ragweed and its allergy-provoking pollen. The U.S. native, now an invasive plant in Europe, could spread to much of northern Europe by 2050, researchers predict.
John Nash, Nobel Laureate And Subject Of 'A Beautiful Mind,' Dies In Car Crash
The mathematician famous for his work on game theory and its application in economics was killed along with his wife in a taxi accident. The couple was returning to their Princeton, New Jersey home after visiting Norway where Nash had been awarded another prize.
Comprehensive Analysis Of World's Ocean Plankton Reveal They Are Vital For Life On Earth
A giant database of marine microorganisms reveals their importance to all life on Earth, researchers say. The database is the result of a years-long sampling expedition in all the world's oceans.
Large Hadron Collider Sets New Energy Record For Collisions During Test Run: A Whopping 13 TeV!
After two years of downtime for upgrades, the LHC sets a new record for energies released in particle collisions. A test will pave the way for full experimental runs to begin in early June.
Couple Of Cups Of Coffee A Day May Keep Erectile Dysfunction Away
Men who drink two or three cups of coffee daily less prone to having issues with ED, study finds. Beneficial effects are seen in men with ED linked to obesity or high blood pressure but not in those with diabetes and ED, researchers say.
Astronomers Learn More About Star So Super-Hot It Deserves Its 'Nasty' Nickname
Scientists use Hubble telescope to study a star like no other in our Milky Way galaxy. The star and a possible companion may be engaging in some 'sloppy stellar cannibalism,' they say.
Bronze Age Teenager Was Well-Traveled, Held High Status, Her Preserved Remains Show
Young woman buried in Denmark 3,400 years ago was born in Germany, analysis of her remains indicates. She may have come to Denmark in a 'Game of Thrones' type of arranged marriage, researchers suggest.
Chinese 'Thunder God Vine' Herbal Remedy Could Yield Obesity Treatment
A compound from a traditional Chinese medicine plant source could help in weight loss, researchers say. Dramatic weight losses of up to 45 percent have been seen in experiments using the compound on mice, they say.
You And A Loaf Of Bread Have Something In Common - Genetically, That Is
Humans and yeast share hundreds of genes from a common ancestor, researchers find. Those genes haven't changed despite a billion years of diverging evolution, and can even be swapped, they say.
Smokers Less Likely To Vote As They Become Increasingly Marginalized, Study Suggests
Survey finds smokers are 60 percent less likely to head for the ballot box than nonsmokers. The increasing marginalization of smokers as a group and as indivuals may be part of the reason, researchers say.
Stone Tools Found In Kenya Are Oldest Ever Discovered, But Who Made Them?
Stone tools discovered in Africa are 3.3 million years old, older than the earliest humans. What earlier ancestor species may have created them remains a mystery, researchers say.
Paleontologists Unearth The First Dinosaur Fossil Ever Found In The State Of Washington
Washington becomes the 37th state in the U.S. to yield a dinosaur fossil, but it could be the last, scientists say. The fossil bone belonged to a cousin of the T. Rex, they say.
Family History Of Breast Cancer Doesn't Reduce Chances Of Successful Recovery, A Study Finds
Having a family history of breast cancer is not a significant risk factor for successful treatment, researchers say. The finding should reassure younger women aware of a family history, they suggest.
