Articles by Jim Algar
El Niño Is Underway, And This Year's Event Likely To Be Substantial, Even Extreme, Scientists Say
The 2015 El Niño in the Pacific, at first expected to be weak, may in fact turn substantial and long-lasting, scientists say. A range of extreme weather conditions from drought to torrential rains could afflict countries surrounding the Pacific.
Pressure To Compete With Male Colleagues Driving Many Professional Women To Heavy Drinking
Hazardous drinking behaviors are on the rise among professional women, a report says. The problem is found to be particularly severe in the United Kingdom.
Government Says Insurance Companies Must Cover Costs Of Birth Control
The Obama administration has clarified the Affordable Care Act on birth control coverage, and says insurers must cover all approved methods of contraception. Coverage must be offered without copays or deductibles, it says.
Melting Ice Is Making Sea Levels Rise Faster Than Believed
A recent study refutes previous findings that the rise of sea levels around the globe had been slowing down. The new findings, based on satellite data, show that the rate has been increasing over the last 20 years.
Cosmic Mystery Solved: Millions of 'Missing' Galaxies Found Hiding In Plain Sight
A type of galaxy common in the early universe hasn't disappeared as once believed, astronomers find. They've just 'disguised' themselves and have been hiding in plain sight.
Climate Shifts Blamed For Massive Invasion Of Birds From Canada's Northern Forests Heading South
A lack of the usual diet of forest seeds sends Canadian birds packing and heading south, researchers say. It's down to climate variability kicking off a domino effect - weather to seeds to the birds' migrations, researchers say.
Moving To An Economically Depressed Neighborhood Can Make You Gain Weight: Study
Healthy behaviors that can keep weight gain in check are harder to practice in depressed neighborhoods, researchers say. A study found that people who moved to such neighborhoods gained weight.
San Francisco Says No To Smokeless Tobacco At Sports Venues: Will Other Cities Follow?
Giants Manager Bruce Bochy says he supports the move. Some players say the habit may be hard to kick, though they say they'll attempt to bide by the ban.
New Photos Of Roswell Alien Have Tongues Wagging: Was Roswell UFO Incident Real Or Fake?
New photos of purported alien puts 1947's 'Roswell Incident' back in the news. Photos presented at a UFO conference in Mexico City were called fake by many experts.
Growing Number Of Highly Educated US Women Having More Children And Bigger Families: Study
More women with college degrees are having children, study indicates. Findings suggest women finding it easier to balance work and having a family.
More Sex Doesn't Lead To More Happiness, Reveals New Study. Surprised?
Couples who increased frequency of sex at the request of researchers said it didn't make them happier, and in fact, they were a bit less happy. However, researchers suggest, many couples could benefit from a bit more activity in the bed.
Messenger Data Suggests Mercury's Magnetic Field Is Super Old And Was Once Super Strong
Mercury's weak but surviving magnetic field is nearly 4 billion years old, scientists say. It may be the oldest inside any planet in the inner solar system, they report.
Hubble Telescope Sees Giant Cosmic 'Halo' Around Nearby Andromeda Galaxy
Our nearest galactic neighbor, Andromeda, wears a gas halo larger than previously assumed, astronomers say. A similar halo may surround our Milky Way galactic home as well, they suggest.
Feeling SAD? Scientists Identify Brain Region Responsible For Seasonal Affective Disorder
Researchers find a small area of the brain involved in neurotransmitter levels assocated with seasonal mood disorder. The finding comes from experiments with mice born and raised in different light/dark cycles to simulate different seasons.
Astronomers Find More Evidence Asteroids Deliver Water To Planets
Water-bearing asteroids and comets like those that brought water to the Earth are common in the galaxy, a study suggests. Many Earth-like exoplanets may have been seeded with water during cosmic impacts, researchers say.
A Healthy Diet Could Protect Our Brains From Dementia
A Mediterranean diet may lessen the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline as we age. A new study found that eating fruits, veggies, and fish has a beneficial long-term effect on the brain.
Spiders Spin 'Superstrong Silk' After Being Sprayed With Graphene
Graphene and carbon nanotubes sprayed onto spiders end up in the silk they produce, researchers find. The resulting spider silk is stronger than any man-made fiber, they say, even beating out Kevlar.
Got A Bad Case Of Late-Night Munchies? Blame That Snack Attack On Your Brain, Scientists Say
Our brains don't get the same visual 'reward' from the sight of food at nighttime, so we eat more to try and boost the appeal, researchers find. A study links neural activity in response to food to the time of day.
Last Known Member Of German Team That Helped Build America's Moon Rocket Dies
Last living member of Wernher von Braun's team of rocket designers and engineers that came to the U.S. dies. Oscar Carl Holderer helped design the Saturn V rocket that took men to the moon.
NASA Funds Research On Astronauts' Risk Of Cancer On Long Space Missions
Colorado facility will study the effects long-term exposure to cosmic radiation may have on crews of extended space missions. NASA is funding the research in preparation for its intended mission to Mars.
Carbon Dioxide Reaches New Dangerous Benchmark In Atmosphere
Levels of the greenhouse gas CO2 are the highest ever recorded since observations began in the 1950s, U.S. scientists say. Levels are said to be the highest Earth has experienced in millions of years.
Doctors Fight Deadly C. Difficile Infections With 'Friendly' Version Of Same Bacteria
Researchers use a 'fight fire with fire' strategy in an effort to reduce recurrence of infections linked to hospital stays. 'Good' version of C. difficile bacteria seen as a weapon to fight toxic version that often causes infections after antibiotic treatments.
Large Hadron Collider Smashes First Particles After Upgrade
Particle accelerator at CERN is fired up after a 2-year upgrade and begins colliding particles as a tune-up for high-energy experiments. Physicists hope new work may yield clues to dark matter and antimatter.
Astronomers Looking Deep Into The Universe's Past Find Most Distant Galaxy Ever Seen
Scientists see a galaxy so distant it provides a window stretching 13 billion years into the universe's past. The newly discovered galaxy is one of the brightest to have formed in the early universe, they say.
Mississippi Floods May Have Wiped Out Ancient North American Civilization
Researchers had long thought that the prehistoric city of Cahokia was destroyed by drought - but as new evidence shows, the civilization may have collapsed as a result of too much water, not too little.
IBM's Watson Supercomputer To Help Doctors Choose Best Cancer Therapies
A supercomputer will examine a cancer patient's DNA to select the best personalized treatment plan to battle their particular cancer. IBM says 14 U.S. cancer treatment centers will take part in an initial partnership.
Fossils With Feathers Push Evolution Of Birds Earlier Into The Past
Fossils found in China push back the start of evolution of modern birds to at least 5 million years ealier, researchers say. Small ancient species probably lived around lakes likes modern wading shorebirds, they suggest.
Football Practice, Not Actual Games, Is When Most Concussions Occur
For younger football players, practice is more dangerous that games in terms of suffering possible concussions. Researchers call for changes in policies and practices.
NASA Tests Electric Airplane That Takes Off Like A Helicopter, Then Flies Like A Plane (Video)
NASA says a 10-motor electric drone designed to take off vertically then transition to forward flight has been successfully tested. The unmanned Greased Lightning craft weighs 62 pounds and has a wing span of 10 feet.
Premature Birth Alters Brain Connections, May Be Linked To Autism, Study Finds
Babies born prematurely may have less well-formed brain connections involved in higher mental functions, researchers say. That could put them more at risk of autism or ADHA, they suggest.
