Articles by Jim Algar
Fossil Of Winged Raptor Dinosaur - With Feathers - Is Biggest Ever Found
A winged raptor 17 feet long would have been just as agile and vicious as smaller Velociraptors, paleontologists say. The Dakotaraptor was named for its discovery in fossil-rich deposits in South Dakota.
Junk Food And Sweet Sodas Not The Reasons Americans Are Fat, Study Finds
Fat people and skinny people eat about the same amount of junk food, a study finds. Researchers say targeting junk food as the main culprit in obesity in America misses other important factors, such as lack of exercise and insufficient healthy foods in the average diet.
Life On Mars Lost Its Chance To Get Started When The Sun 'Stole' Its Atmosphere, Scientists Say
Solar wind stripped Mars of most of its atmosphere billions of years ago, a NASA mission determined. The loss of its carbon dioxide atmosphere ended a warm and wet environment that could have supported life, scientists say.
Dreaming Of Being An Astronaut? Update That Resume; NASA Is Accepting Applications
The space agency will open a 20-month application window starting Dec. 21. A new class of astronauts could include the first crew for a mission to Mars, NASA says.
Pacific Northwest Earthquake Overdue, Say Scientists Mapping The Region's Tectonic Plates
Scientists gather data on the Earth's mantle beneath the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate. An earthquake along the plate boundary would threaten Portland, Seattle and other regional cities.
Anti-Vaccination Websites Use 'Distorted' Science To Push Their Case, Study Finds
Two-thirds of anti-vax websites present information presented as scientific evidence that is not backed up by research, a study found. When some sites cited published studies, the findings were often misrepresented or misinterpreted, the study author said.
Sixty Percent Of Americans Now On Some Type Of Prescription Drug, Highest Level Ever
More U.S. adults are taking prescription medications than ever before, a study finds. Some adults are taking five or more drugs, with obesity seen as major factor in the increased number of Americans on prescribed medications.
Climate Change May Put Many Of Hawaii's Unique Bird Species At Risk
Birds of Hawaii's forests could face habitat loss and more disease as climate change warms their mountain homes, researchers say. Unique species face ongoing threats, a study finds.
Mars Has Had Rock-Eating Acid Fog Rolling Over Its Surface, Scientists Find
Earth may have its acid rain, but Mars has weird weather of its own - acid fog. Data from NASA rover shows rocks were eroded by such corrosive fog.
West Nile Virus Decimating US Birds, Killing Millions More Than Thought, Study Finds
The virus that can kill both birds and people is having an effect on many more kinds of birds than had been thought, researchers say. One species has lost 15 million birds to the disease, they say.
Antarctic Glaciers' Melting Said Near 'Unstoppable' Point, Threatening Sea Level Rise
The melting of glaciers may have reached a tipping point affecting all of the West Antarctic ice sheet, study finds. There is sufficient ice there to raise sea levels around the world by 10 feet, researchers say.
Feeling Depressed? Blame That Hour Of Daylight You 'Lost' By Setting Your Clocks Back
The end of daylight saving time can throw some people into a winter depression, known as seasonal affective disorder. Some 10 million Americans wrestle with the problem, experts say.
Invasive, Destructive Asian Carp Edging Ever Closer To Lake Michigan
An invasive fish that can destroy the habitat of native species and outcompete them for food is getting closer to the Great Lakes, experts say. If they get there, they could threaten the lakes' fishing industry, which is worth billions, they add.
It's A Micro Mollusk: Scientists Discover The World's Tiniest Snail
A tiny snail from Borneo is the smallest ever found, smaller than a period on a printed page. Identifying the shells in the wild required a microscope, researchers say.
Computer Game May Help Older Adults Fend Off Memory Loss
Digital board game helps older adults with memory loss in tasks needed for successful independent living, researchers say. The kind of memory that weakens with age can be improved with Virtual Week computer game.
Spiral Arms Around Young Stars Could Be Hiding Giant Planets, Astronomers Say
The disk of dust and gas around two distant stars may be showing signs of giant planets in orbit. Astronomers focused on two distant young stars, SAO 206462 and MWC 758, both of which have surrounding disks that have been pulled or stretched into distinctive spiral shapes.
Association Found Between Excessive TV Watching And Leading Causes Of Death In US
Older adults who watch a lot of TV have a higher risk of dying from causes such as heart disease, cancer and other conditions, a study suggests. More than three hours TV a day can raise risk by 15 percent, researchers say.
Russia Has All-Female Crew Practicing For Mission To The Moon
Six women will spend eight days in a mock spacecraft to test the physical and psychological aspects of a moon mission. The all-female crew will conduct experiments during the practice mission.
Climate Change Blamed For Collapse of Iconic New England Cod Populations
Warming ocean waters off Maine are pushing populations of the iconic fish near to collapse, researchers say. Even strict fishing quotas have failed to prevent the decline of the cod.
Our Brains Can Help Us Hear, Not Just See, Distance, Researchers Find
Sight and sound work together to help us estimate distances. Even delays in the arrival of sounds too short for conscious detection may help our eyes in figuring out how far away an event is, researchers say.
New Fossil Find Challenges Assumptions About Evolution Of All Great Apes - That's Humans Too
The common ancestor of modern-day great apes - which included us - may have been a smaller creature than previously believed, researchers say. The tiny creature may have weighed just 10 pounds.
Pacific Island Nation Of Palau Creates Marine Sanctuary, One Of Largest In The World
Palau to ban most commercial fishing in giant marine sanctuary the size of Spain. Marine reserve will protect thousands of species of fish and hundreds of types of coral, country officials say.
Young Stars Found Hanging Out In Older Neighborhood Of Our Galaxy
Young stars have been found in the center of the Milky Way, once thought the home of only older stars. Thought to have exhausted star-making material, the galactic center is apparently still cranking out new stars, astronomers say.
Massive X-Ray Flare From Black Hole Gives Insights Into The Mysterious Cosmic Objects
Space telescopes caught a supermassive black hole in the act of emitting a flare of X-rays. The observation has given scientists clues to what can happen in regions close to a black hole.
Comet 67P Update: Molecular Oxygen Detected For The First Time On A Comet
A spacecraft studying Comet 67P makes an unexpected discovery of oxygen. Molecular oxygen in the gas coma surrounding the comet may be older than the solar system, researchers say.
It's Not Science Fiction: Researchers Make Tractor Beam Using Sound (Video)
Engineers use sound waves to manipulate tiny objects. The feat brings 'Star Trek'-like tractor beams closer to reality.
Flavored Tobacco Products Popular With Kids A 'Gateway' To Nicotine Addiction, Researchers Say
Flavored tobacco products that kids smoke, vape or chew are likely leading to subsequent smoking of conventional cigarettes, a USFDA study says. Flavored products are seen as an introductory gateway to nicotine for the 3,200 American kids who try smoking for the first time every day.
Next 20 Years Could See Africa's Lion Population Drop By Half, Experts Say
Loss of habitat and conflict with humans is causing lion numbers in Africa to dwindle, study finds. Except in managed reserves, numbers are dropping througout much of the continent, conservationists say.
Climate Change Could Push Temperatures In Persian Gulf Countries Beyond What Humans Can Endure
A study finds that heat and humidity in the Middle East could reach lethal levels by 2100. Major cities in the region could experience heat waves dangerous for even healthy young adults, researchers say.
DNA Study Of Ancient Alaskan Babies Shows Progress Of Native Americans Into The Continent
DNA lineages of today's Native Americans developed during the long stay of first Americans on the Bering land bridge, researchers say. The first Americans settled there for thousands of years before migrating south, they say.
