Articles by Jim Algar
2010 BP Oil Spill Caused Record Die-Off Of Dolphins In Gulf Of Mexico, New Report Confirms
Oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico resulted in metabolic problems that killed dolphins in record numbers, study finds. Massive die-off is ongoing to this day, researchers say.
Many Sunscreens Don't Work As Claimed, Or Have 'Worrying' Ingredients, Researchers Say
In a test of more than 30 sunscreen products, nearly a third didn't provide the promised level of protection, a consumer group says. And some contain ingredients that may harm rather than help your skin, it says.
One-Third Of Americans Have Syndrome Putting Them At Risk Of Heart Disease
A collection of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome that can lead to heart problems or stroke is found in many in the U.S. Researchers say a healthy lifestyle is the best way to combat the conditions.
White House Sets Strategy To Deal With Declines In Honey Bees, Butterflies
Declines in pollinators such as bees and butterflies are seen as a threat to the nation's food supply. A federal plan lays out a multipronged strategy to protect them.
Last-Ditch Effort To Save World's Rarest Ape: Only 25 Hainan Gibbons Still Exist
Conservationists are in a race to save the Hainan gibbon, as only a tiny population still lives in China. One plan is to build artificial tree bridges in the forest canopy to help the gibbons expand their range.
Most Men In Europe Are Descended From Just A Small Handful Of Bronze Age Ancestors: Study
Two out of three men living in Europe can trace their ancestry to just three paternal lineages from thousands of years in the past, researchers say. That means just three individuals may have been the direct ancestors of a majority of European men today, they suggest.
Nation's Capital Called Country's Fittest City In New Health Ranking
Washington, D.C., tops the American Fitness Index ranking of 50 U.S. cities for its level of public fitness. Pedestrian-friendly cities are found to have the most fit residents, the survey found.
'Dense' Tissue Seen In Mammogram May Not Suggest Need For Further Tests, Doctors Say
Dense breast tissue detected in mammograms doesn't automatically indicate a need for further screening tests, a study suggests. Dense tissue in women without any additional risk factors isn't necessarily an indicator of elevated risk of breast cancer, researchers say.
'Beached' Iceberg In Antarctica Gives Clues To Effect Of Ice Cover On Marine Ecosystems (Video)
An iceberg that ran aground in a bay in east Antarctica has changed the surrounding sea ice cover, researchers say. This has had a negative effect on the marine ecosystem of the bay, they report.
Scientists Peer Into The Brain To Discover How Risky Human Trends Get Started
Whether we'll attempt something risky depends a lot on how much value we put on the same decision by people around us, researchers find. Brain scans were used to see how people perceive risks, by themselves or in company with others.
Space Station To Get 'Death Star' Laser Cannon To Deal With Space Junk?
Scientists propose using a high-power telescope teamed with a laser to identify and blast space junk that might threaten the International Space Station. Such as system would be inexpensive compared with other current proposals for dealing with space debris, they say.
Researchers Move One Step Closer To Creating 'Speed Of Light' Computers
Tiny 'beamsplitter' on a chip could let computers work with data at the speed of light, researchers say. Discovery could remove electronic bottleneck hampering current machines, they predict.
Isotope Tracking Helps Scientists Save Alaska's Bristol Bay Salmon From Extinction
Tiny layers of the fishes' ear bones, like tree rings, can show where they were born and where they have traveled, scientists say. The finding could help conservationists track salmon and learn more about their habitats.
Miniature Drone Cicadas Can Spy On Enemy Troops Or Help Predict Tornadoes
Tiny insect-inspired drones launched from the air could silently glide over a battefield to monitor an enemy's movements or activity, researchers say. The GPS-guided devices could also have civilian uses including weather forecasting, they add.
NASA Wants You To 3D Print Habitats For Deep Space Exploration And Win $2.25 Million In Prizes
NASA has announced a competition on designing self-building, 3D printable habitats that astronauts could live in on Mars. The habitats could be sent ahead on unmanned spacecraft to self-build and await following manned missions, NASA proposes.
Antarctica's Larsen B Ice Shelf Likely To Disintegrate Completely By End Of Decade: NASA [Video]
A huge floating Antarctic ice shelf is nearing collapse and could disappear within a few years. The likely result may be an increase in the rise of sea levels around the world, researchers say.
This Death Map Shows Most Distinctive Causes Of Death By States: Wondering How You'll Die?
The map shows unexpected distinctive causes of death that show up in some states. Though small in numbers, they show up strongly in some states compared to others, a study finds.
US Battle Against Food Contamination Yielding Some Good News, But Also Some New Worries
The U.S. is making progress against some common pathogens causing foodborne illnesses, but others are on the rise, a federal report says. Contaminated food sickens thousands every year, the CDC says.
Tomb Uncovered In China Is That Of Concubine Who Became Powerful Political, Military Leader
Translated stone epitaphs from a tomb in China tell story of a remarkable woman who went from concubine to mother of a duke who ruled a Chinese province. Lady Mei became a powerful political figure, the epitaphs relate.
California Moves Closer To Ending Parents' Option To Exempt Their Children From Vaccinations
The state Senate passes a bill to end vaccination exemptions based on parents' religious or personal beliefs. The bill will now go to the state Assembly and, if passed there, Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to sign it.
Rare Cosmic Quartet Of Quasars Has Astronomers Scrambling For An Explanation
Astronomers have found a tightly grouped quartet of quasars, which are usually rare solitary objects in the universe. The finding suggests that current models of galactic evolution may need a re-think, they say.
'Left-Handed' Magnetic Fields Could Explain Why Antimatter Isn't All Around Us In The Universe
Researchers find a magnetic field permeating the universe which they say is evidence of matter winning out over antimatter following the Big Bang. 'Left-handed' fields suggest matter; 'right-handed' fields would have been signs of antimatter, they say.
Flies Have A Cellular 'Compass' In Their Brains That Helps Them Navigate
Fruit flies use a compass in their brains to navigate their environment. And it works even in the dark, researchers discover.
A Weak Hand Grip Could Mean Greater Chance Of Early Death Or Cardiovascular Problems
Grip strength might be a better indicator of cardiovascular health than a blood pressure measurement, researchers suggest. It could indicate chances of future health problems or disabilities, they say.
Cosmic 'Murder Mystery' Of How Galaxies Die Is Solved: It's Strangulation
'Dead' galaxies no longer able to form new stars are victims of strangulation, researchers suggest, starved of the raw material - hydrogen gas - needed to make stars. However, the culprit behind the disappearance of that gas remains unidentified, they say.
'Rogue' Antimatter Discovered Inside Thunderstorm Clouds
Antimatter positrons detected with thunderstorm clouds have scientists scrambling for an explanation. No known process for positron creation matches what was observed inside the storm, they say.
Centuries-Old Skeleton Carries Evidence Of How Leprosy Spread Through Europe
Leprosy may have been brought into Britain from Scandinavia in the 5th or 6th century, researchers say. DNA evidence of leprosy bacteria was found in an ancient skeleton unearthed in Britain in the 1950s.
Astrophysicists Can Now Make Weather Forecasts For Distant Planets
Cloudy mornings and scorching hot afternoons: the Kepler space telescope has provided weather forecasts for some distant exoplanets.
Dark Material Seen On Jupiter's Moon Europa Could Be Common Sea Salt, Scientists Say
Distinctive lines of dark material coating the surface of Europa may be sea salt from an underlying ocean, made darker by exposure to radiation, an experiment suggests. The finding may add to understanding of conditions on the moon that might support life, researchers say.
Baboons Are A Lot Like People When It Comes To Who They LIke To Hang Around With
Baboons are most comfortable in the presence of others who are like them in terms of age, personality and position within a troop, researchers find. Whether in baboons or people, it's known as homophily, 'love of the same,' they say.
