Articles by Jim Algar
Biggest Rodent Had Teeth Like Tusks And A Body Like a Buffalo's
Largest rodent to ever walk the Earth stood 5 feet tall and weighed more than a ton. Oh, and don't forget those foot-long teeth.
Power-Stealing Sea Slug Eats Algae To Photosynthesize Like A Plant
Sea slug found to perform genetic "heist," taking genes and cell parts from the algae it eats. That lets the sea slug perform photosynthesis like a plant and exist for long periods without food -- as long as it has sunlight.
Lung Cancer Top Cancer Killer Of Women In Wealthy Nations
Lung cancer tops breast cancer as biggest cancer killer of women in developed nations, report says. Increased rate matches trend of more women turning to smoking, researchers say.
Secondhand Smoke Exposure Down, But Risks Remain
Secondhand smoke still a risk, especially for children, CDC says. More than 400 infants die each year from effects of secondhand smoke, experts say.
Deep Sea Microbe Discovered That Hasn't Evolved For 2 Billion Years
By not evolving, ancient microbes provide proof of Darwin's theory of evolution, researchers say. They haven't changed in billions of years because their environment hasn't changed, they say.
Teens Overusing Electronics Aren't Getting Enough Sleep
Excessive screen time on electronic devices during the day has teens getting less sleep than they need, study finds. Computer use leads as the biggest obstacle to a good night's sleep, researchers say.
Jupiter, Moon, ISS Can Be Seen Together In The Sky Tonight
Sky watchers in for a treat as full Moon, Jupiter and the International Space Station will all make an appearance in the night sky. Jupiter will not shine as brightly again until 2019.
British Lawmakers Approve 'Three-Parent' IVF Babies
House of Commons votes to approve fertilization technique involving three people intended to avoid genetic diseases. First such attempt could come this year.
California Pika Population In Decline, Researchers Blame Climate Change
Tiny rabbit-like pikas, long the delight of hikers and backpackers, disappearing from California. Climate change with rising temperatures is to blame, researchers say.
Trying To Balance On Ice? Scientists Isolate 'Mini-Brain' Responsible For Our Not Falling Over
Cluster of neurons in our spinal cord acts as a secondary 'brain' to help maintain balance in slippery conditions, study finds. Discovery could help in treatment of spinal injuries, improve motor skills.
Light Jogging Is All You Need: Too Much May Be As Bad As Too Little
Hard-core joggers may be doing themselves more harm than good, study suggests. Light jogging better than strenuous effort, say researchers, while the debate over how much exercise might be too much goes on.
White House Budget Keeping NASA On Track
President's budget request for the space agency keeps funding alive for most of its current projects. $18.5 billion budget includes funding for Orion crew capsule, Space Launch System, next-generation space telescope.
Migrating Birds Share The Hardships Of Being The Leader
Birds in migrating flocks have learned to take turns being the leader, in order to conserve their energy during long-distance flights, study reveals. Cooperative behavior improves the bird's odds of surviving grueling aerial treks, researchers say.
This Added Ingredient Is Driving Up Diabetes Diagnosis Rates
Added sugars in processed foods identified as culprit driving up rates of diabetes. Fructose is a particular danger, researchers say.
Measles Outbreak: 92 Percent Of Doctors Blame It On Anti-Vaccine Parents
Doctors in poll blame resurgence of measles on "anti-vaxxer" parents. Some say they will not allow un-vaccinated families in their practices.
'Still Alice' Highlights Often Unseen Alzheimer's Toll On Families
Hollywood film shines light on rare form of Alzheimer's disease. Early-onset form of the disease strikes people in their 40s or 50s and can have devastating effects on families.
DARPA Trains Robots To Cook By Watching YouTube Videos: Why It's Significant
Study suggests a day when humans won't have to teach a task to a robot; the robot will learn by itself. All it needs is a video of the intended task, researchers suggest.
Measles Scare: Bard College Student With Measles Took Amtrak From Penn Station, Exposing Hundreds To Disease
College student with confirmed case of measles was contagious during train journey in New York, officials say. Anyone who took that train journey warned to be on lookout of symptoms.
Winter Snow Storm Heading For East Coast: Warning -- Up To A Foot Of Snow Expected, Also Rain
As region digs out from one storm, another is on the way, forecasters say. Major cities prepare plans for dealing with storm's impact.
"Black Beauty" Meteorite Originated From Mars, Yields Clues to Planet's Surface
Meteorite found in Morocco is from the Red Planet -- but it's black, not red. Analysis suggests a darker crust under much of Mars' red dust cover.
BICEP2 Gravitational Wave Discovery: Proof Of Big Bang Or Just Space Dust?
New study casts doubt on much-lauded "discovery" of evidence of universe's expansion. Dust in Milky Way galaxy may have confused scientists about signal from the far edge of the universe, it suggests.
Sell Your Poop For $13000 A Year And Help Save Lives: Here's How You Can Do It
Nonprofit group OpenBiome wants your poop. Healthy fecal matter can be used to treat people suffering from a debilitating and sometimes fatal intestinal bacteria, group says.
Scientist Gets 5 Years in Jail for Sharing Nuclear Secrets with Venezuela
Former nuclear scientist who worked on weapons at Los Alamos lab in New Mexico gets prison sentence for attempting to sell nuclear secrets to Venezuela. His wife, who also worked at Los Alamos, is also sentenced.
Bedtimes Can Affect the Outcome of a Sports Game
Athletes looking for peak performance shouldn't ignore their internal body clocks, a study suggests. The time of day when a competition is held could affect how well you perform in it, researchers say.
How Fast Is Your Circadian Clock? Scientists Isolate Key to Determining Speed
Researchers peer into our body clocks to see what make them "tick." Changes at the molecular level set the "speed" of our circadian rhythm, they find.
'Dragon' Dinosaur Unearthed in China Had Incredibly Long Neck
Dinosaur uncovered in China had a freakishly long neck that worked something like a construction crane, paleontologists say. Fossil has been dubbed the "dragon of Qijiang."
NASA SMAP Research Satellite Launch Scrubbed Due to Weather
High winds at California launch site delay launch of NASA climate satellite. SMAP satellite is designed to measure water content of soil everywhere on Earth.
Can Treating Brain Inflammation Help Alleviate Depression? Study Finds Link Between The Two
Finding of brain inflammation link to depression could lead to new treatments, researchers say. Inflammation linked to symptoms of low mood, sleep loss.
GMO Mosquitoes in the Florida Keys: Good Idea or Bad Idea?
Plan to combat disease-carrying mosquitoes in the Florida Keys by releasing genetically modified insects has residents, scientists at odds. Petition against the use of GMO mosquitoes has attracted 130,000 signatures.
Scientists Successfully Breed Zebra Sharks Through Artificial Insemination
California aquarium introduces two new additions, zebra sharks bred through artificial insemination. Species is threatened in the wild, so success could be a hopeful sign, scientists say.
