Articles by Jim Algar
Protests Halt Construction Of Telescope Atop Hawaiian Volcano
Native Hawaiians who consider the Muana Kea volcano sacred protest construction of giant astronomy facility on its peak. The state has agreed to a one-week halt in construction for more 'dialogue' between all parties involved.
NASA: We Expect To Find Alien Life In 10 To 20 Years
We are getting close to the day when we may confirm the existence of life beyond Earth, agency scientists say. One reason for that confidence is the amount of water found both in our solar system and beyond, they say.
NASA, IBM Want To Hack Their Way Into Solving Earth's Problems
Space agency, tech company team up for a 'hackathon' to create new technology for space exploration. IBM to offer developers and entrepreneurs access to its Watson supercomputer to let them crunch NASA data for their projects.
ALMA Spots Einstein Ring (It's Not Eye Of Sauron) In Amazing Image Of Distant Lensed Galaxy
Gravitational lensing, a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity, creates a dramatic cosmic sight. A perfect ring of light shows a galaxy 12 billion light years away.
CTE Detection In Living Brains May Now Be Possible: PET Scan Detects Abnormal Proteins
Repetitive brain traumas, which are a great risk for professional athletes, may be detected earlier using brain scans, researchers say. Early detection could help them make more educated decisions on continuing a sports career.
Weight Loss Programs And Diets Promise Exaggerated Results, But Some Are Effective In Long Term
Some commercial weight loss programs are somewhat successful, a review of scientific studies finds. Still, most results are 'likely below patients' expectations.'
Scared Of Spiders? Blame It On Your Genes
Arachnophobia may not be something we develop as we grow, researchers suggest. It may be present at birth — as an ancient evolutionary protection deep in our DNA.
Take Up Vigorous Exercise If You Want To Live Longer
Vigorous exercise that pushes your metabolism may be better for long-term health than moderate exercise, study suggests. Even short intervals of harder exercise could increase longevity, researchers suggest.
Men More Likely Than Women To Go Back In Time And Kill Hitler: Moral Judgments Study
Attitude in moral dilemmas involving harmful actions falls along gender lines, researchers find. Men are more likely to consider action, even murder, for the common good than women would do, they find.
Mindy Kaling's Indian-American Brother Got Into Med School By Pretending To Be Black
Calling himself an 'anti-affirmative action hacktivist,' Vijay Chokal-Ingam says posing as Jojo, a black man, is what got him accepted to med school.
Newlywed Wife Refuses To Take Comatose Husband Off Life Support ... And Then He Wakes Up
Despite doctors' recommendation to let him die, Matt Davis wakes up and he and wife Danielle resume their married life together. Doctors had believed traumatic brain injury had meant he would never come out of his coma.
Element Of Surprise Makes Babies Learn Better
Babies are drawn to the unpredictable, which arouses their curiosity to learn, researchers say. Objects or events that surprise them make them learn better, a study finds.
DNA Test Suggests Russian Apewoman Zana Was Truly A Yeti
A geneticist claims that a 19th-century Russian woman came from a subspecies of modern humans and may provide answers about the mystery of yetis.
Pensioners Getting Skin Cancer From Cheap Tropical Vacations
Exposure to sun on vacations, with outdoor time fueled by a desire to look tanned, ups the risk of skin cancer, a research group says. Cases are on the rise in the United Kingdom, it says.
Baby Eli Thompson, Who Was Born Without A Nose, Is 'Perfect The Way He Is', Says Alabama Mom
An infant boy born with an extremely rare congenital condition has no nose, nasal passages or sense of smell. Congenital arhinia happens in one in 197 million births.
CERN Large Hadron Collider Restarts After 2-Year Hiatus: What Will It Find This Time?
The LHC successfully restarted after a $150 million upgrade. Scientists say more powerful experiments could yield clues into new mysteries of the universe, including dark matter.
UV Light Reveals Amazing Colors And Patterns Of Ancient Seashells
Scientists use ultraviolet light to reveal the coloration of fossil seashells. The technique has allowed the identification of at least 13 previously unknown species of marine mollusks, they report.
Drinking Iced Tea May Result In Kidney Failure, But Don't Panic
A patient in Arkansas suffered kidney failure from excessive consumption of iced tea — a gallon a day, doctors report. Iced tea has a great deal of compound called oxalate, linked to kidney stones.
TV Watching May Increase Diabetes Risk, New Study Warns
People who are prediabetic are upping their risk of full-blown Type 2 diabetes with every hour spent sitting in front of a television, study finds. The finding is especially troubling given the epidemic of obesity in the U.S.
Large Hadron Collider Prepping For A Smashing Weekend Restart
The LHC reboot, delayed a week as researchers fixed a short circuit, should be on for the weekend. The upgraded particle accelerator could yield clues to secrets of the universe, including dark matter.
Astronomers Amazed By Growth Of Massive Star W75N(B)-VLA 2
Scientists get a rare opportunity to witness the birth of a star almost in 'real time.' Different views of a distant protostar captured 18 years apart show exciting evidence of how such stars form, they say.
Hubble Spots Ghosts Of Quasars Past
Glowing green filaments of gas surrounding distant galaxies are evidence of powerful 'ghost' quasars that have long since gone invisible, astronomers say. Hubble images give us a look deep into the cosmic past, they say.
Night Owls Face Increased Risk Of Health Problems, Including Diabetes
Staying up late may put your health at risk, compared with an early-to-bed, early-to-rise regime, a study suggests. As many younger people are night owls, their sleeping habits may be a health issue that should be addressed, researchers say.
J. Paul Getty Grandson Andrew Getty Found Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances At L.A. Home
Getty, an heir to the Getty family fortune, was found dead in bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home. He had sought a restraining order against an ex-girlfriend earlier this month, but police have described the death as the result of natural causes.
Ant Intruder Defense Strategy Inspires Biologist To Seek Better Email Spam Filters
Ants defend their colonies using a distributed decision network. Researchers suggest that a similar system of collective knowledge could be applied to email systems, improving spam detection.
Melting Sea Ice Threatens Polar Bears' Food Supply, And Land-Based Food Isn't The Answer
Eating birds, bird eggs and berries on land is no substitute for the fat-rich seals that are a normal staple of polar bears' diet, researchers say. Melting sea ice is denying polar bears access to their normal prey.
Ants In Space Find Zero Gravity Challenging But Adapt Remarkably Well
Ants on the International Space Station show an impressive ability to conduct searches, even if they were somewhat hampered by microgravity. Findings could lead to better algorithms for search-and-rescue robots, researchers say.
US Makes Climate Change Pledge While Rest Dither
The U.S. has made a commitment to reduce emissions to 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels. Ahead of the global climate summit in December, the U.S. has set a 2025 target date for the reductions.
China To Fix Health Care System By Doubling Number Of GPs
China pledges to overcome its critical shortage of doctors and improve health care in both cities and rural areas. The government has set a target date of 2020 to implement measures.
Kids Who Sip Alcohol At Early Age Are More Likely To Take Up Drinking As Teens: Study
Parents who give their kids occasional sips of wine or beer aren't doing them any favors, a study suggests. Children who've tasted alcohol are more likely to take up drinking by high school age, researchers say.
