Articles by Rebecca Kaplan
Astronomers Create 'Spotter's Guide' for Finding Black Holes
Astronomers have come up with a new guide to discovering black holes. The researchers plan to turn back on a gravitational-wave detector called LIGO to begin identifying gravitational waves caused by black holes.
$11 million: Amount Pennsylvania State Police Spent to Hunt Down Cop Killer Eric Frein
Pennsylvania State Police spent $11 million to track Eric Frein, a man who allegedly shot two Pennsylvania cops in September. Frein led police on a 48-day manhunt.
Meteorite Tells Story of Early Solar System's Extreme Magnetic Field
A team of researchers recently studied the magnetic field in ancient particles of a meteorite. From this, the team was able to estimate the strength of the magnetic field close to the dawn of the solar system.
Ever Wondered How the Hubble Is Operated? Three Engineers Talk About How to Manage a Massive Space Telescope
The 25th anniversary of the Hubble telescope is coming up in April. In honor of this, three engineers from the Hubble team participated in a Google chat explaining a bit about how the telescope is operated.
Notorious, Scathing Note FBI Agent Sent to Martin Luther King Jr. Fully Revealed
In 1964, the FBI wrote Martin Luther King a letter seemingly urging him to commit suicide or have knowledge of his extramarital affairs revealed. Beverly Gage, a historian, recently discovered the uncensored copy of the letter, which has never been released in full.
Happy Manatee Awareness Month: If You've Got a Boat, Stay Out of the Way
This November is Manatee Awareness Month. Manatees are also starting their annual migration to Florida, and boaters in those waters should be careful not to hit these slow-moving mammals.
Contaminated DNA technology can mess with microbiome studies
A new study shows that DNA testing kits may be contaminated with bacteria. This can throw off the data in studies of microbiomes.
Surviving SpaceShipTwo pilot shares harrowing story
Peter Siebold, the only survivor of the SpaceShipTwo crash on October 31, has shared his story with the National Transportation Safety Board. The crash may have been caused in part by co-pilot Michael Alsbury unlocking a braking mechanism too early.
Americans have toxic flame retardants in their bodies
A new study shows that Americans can have TCEP, a toxic flame retardant commonly found in couches and other furniture, in their bodies. Participants in California tested positive for six different flame retardants.
Nurses strike over inadequate Ebola preparedness
National Nurses United is holding a strike to get hospitals to provide better protection for nurses treating Ebola patients. Hazmats suits and respirators for all nurses who must come into contact with Ebola are part of their demands.
Trespasser trapped in wall of Marshalls for days finally removed
A man was freed on November 11 from a wall in a Marshalls department store. Police believe the man had been trapped in the wall for three days.
Eleven die after sterilization incident in India
Eleven have died so far following a series of botched sterilizations in India. India's government has blamed R.K. Gupta, the surgeon who performed these surgeries.
Changes in single gene can control addictive and depressive behaviors
A new research study shows that mice with depression and drug addiction respond well to suppression of the gene FosB. Researchers used synthetic transcription factors to suppress expression of the FosB gene in mice, and found that it made the mice less likely to suffer from depression or to become addicted to cocaine.
Mysterious 'islands' found on Titan's methane sea
Researchers discovered two new bright features on Titan's largest sea. These mysterious "islands" might represent waves, or floating debris, in Titan's sea.
Studying the aftermath of the supernova
A team of researchers in Australia was able to see into the center of Supernova 1987A using two highly-sensitive telescopes. This is the first time scientists have ever been able to see inside the supernova since it was first discovered over 25 years ago.
Heart of murdered 5-year old girl donated to save another child's life
A five-year-old girl, Laylah Peterson, was shot dead in her grandparents' home on Thursday evening. Laylah's heart will be donated to save the life of another child.
Meteor brighter than the moon streaks through Texas sky
A meteor flew over Texas Saturday night. This fireball burned five times brighter than the moon, and was reported to the American Meteor Society by over 200 observers.
Rare comet Siding Spring's Mars flyby triggered meteor shower: NASA
Two NASA missions and one ESA mission captured something surprising after the Siding Spring comet passed Mars. The comet's meteor shower produced a startling change in the atmosphere on Mars.
Discovery of tracks of Cretaceous animals in Angola diamond mine excites paleontologists
Researchers in Angola recently made an amazing find in a diamond mine. They found the first ever dinosaur tracks in Angola, as well as mammalian tracks that are unusually large for the early Cretaceous period.
Scientists bring the dodo back to life with 3D imaging
The dodo bird went extinct in the late 1600s with few traces left of its existence. However, scientists were recently able to make a 3D scan of a dodo skeleton, learning much about the bird.
Enormous yellow-jacket wasp hive gets removed from camper
A man in California found an enormous wasp nest on his land. Pest control worker Eric McCool estimated that more than 400,000 wasps lived in the nest.
You need to be healthy to climb that career ladder: A study on leader image
People may prefer healthier looking faces to faces that appear more intelligent, a new study shows. The researchers digitally altered photos of the same men to appear either less healthy, or less intelligent.
Surprising cosmic light between galaxies suggests some stars are homeless
A CalTech research project provides new evidence that there are stars between the galaxies in the universe. These orphaned stars may account for up to half the light in the universe.
New coral species off California coast adds to rich deep sea diversity
The NOAA discovered a new species of coral. The coral was found in a deep-sea canyon in a marine sanctuary off the coast of California.
An alternative to antibiotics? Researchers find way to combat resistance
Two researchers have developed an alternate treatment to antibiotics. The drug recently had a successful trial with mice.
Are we dealing with wildfires correctly? Maybe not, says study
A new research paper suggests that we change how we deal with wildfires. Learn to co-exist, don't try to prevent them entirely, the researchers advise.
This diet switch can help prevent kidney stones
The American College of Physicians updated its guidelines on suggested diet for kidney stones. Patients should strive to drink enough to produce 2 liters of urine a day, doctors say.
NY under threat from ash borer invasion
The emerald ash borer has spread to two counties in New York state, officials say. The insect is expected to affect up to 7 percent of the state's ash tree population.
Why did woman post cheery videos of son, then throw him off bridge?
An Oregon mother recently threw her autistic child to his death from a bridge. The mother appeared to have reached a point of desperation after caring for her disabled son and husband.
WHO says naloxone is a life saver that prevents opioid overdoses
The WHO estimates 69,000 people die each year from overdose of opioid drugs like heroin. The international agency recommends making widely available the drug called naloxone, which can reverse the effects of overdose.
