Articles by Rebecca Kaplan
Tornadoes will keep tearing up the U.S. because of climate change
The intensity and density of tornados in the US has been increasing due to global warming although the actual number of days with tornados is down, according to a new research study.
Venezuela finds its first dinosaur: Fox-sized fossil is 200 million years old
A new dinosaur species, Laquintasaura venezuelae, has been discovered in Venezuela. It is the first new dinosaur species discovered in the north of South America.
Is global warming the new normal?
The global population is tipping towards those who were born too late to remember a time before global warming, according to a group at the UN. This means global warming may soon be the new normal for most of the world's population.
Medicare costs rack up from abuse: People without HIV using HIV drugs
A new report from the OIG raises concerns about 1,600 possible cases of Medicare fraud relating to HIV drugs.
Horses' eyes and ears hold the secrets to communication
New evidence suggests that horses use their swiveling ears not just to hear, but also to communicate and indicate direction to other horses.
Tech-savvy tortoises master touch screen
Tortoises can learn and remember directions from touch-screen technology and apply it to real-life situations, according to a new study.
There are ears everywhere--even in your potato chip bag
Watch out! That bag of potato chips has all the information MIT engineers need to recreate exactly what you're saying.
Secret to keeping your brain alert: Eat fish
A new study suggests that eating fish once a week can contribute to higher memory and cognition. A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on August 4 shows that eating fish once a week can boost mental alertness, no matter how high the omega-3 content of the fish actually is.
NASA microwave thruster deemed ‘impossible’ might actually work
New findings at NASA show that an engine that seemingly breaks the law of conservation may really work - throwing the laws of physics into question and possibly opening a new space age.
Would artificial intelligence be more dangerous than nukes? Elon Musk says yes
Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and SpaceX, tweeted over the weekend warning to be cautious with artificial intelligence.
Want to hang with wolves? Florida's Seacrest Wolf Preserve will let you
Seacrest Wolf Preserve in Florida lets visitors get up close and personal with real wolves, in an effort to improve education and preservation of wolves.
Companion planets increase Earth-like planets’ chance of life: All you need is love?
The gravitational pull of a companion planet may extend an older planet's ability to support life, a new study shows.
Young twin stars may host protoplanets with weirdly misaligned orbits
Astronomers have discovered a young binary system with two potential exoplanets beginning to form. Astronomers have recently discovered the presence of two planet-forming gas discs with tilted orbits.
Depression revealed as risk factor for dementia
A new study reveals that older people with depression are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, and more likely to face rapid cognitive decline once diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Forgotten amber collection is a new window to the past
A new species of ancient locust has been discovered in a collection of 1950s Dominican amber. Scientists have recently been looking into a cache of fossils found more than 50 years ago in the Dominican Republic.
Thousands of dead anchovies stink up Oregon coast town
Thousands of anchovies died this week swimming upstream in an Oregonian river. The Necanicum River became a mass grave for fish as thousands of anchovies died trying to swim upriver at Seaside, Oregon on July 28.
Europe sends its last supply ship to space station, marks beginning of the end
A new spacecraft bearing supplies for the International Space Station launched on July 29. It will be the last launched by the ESA.
Pangolins, world's most illegally-traded animals, will be eaten to extinction
Eight species of pangolins, a scaly anteater native to Asia and Africa, have been added to the list of threatened species. Could these 'walking artichokes' go the way of the dodo?
Ocean acidification putting Alaskan fisheries and communities at risk
The fishing industry in Alaska will most likely be disrupted by climate change and ocean acidification, a new NOAA study shows. Alaskan communities may be at risk of economic distress if they do not find alternate sources of income soon.
Saturn’s moon Enceladus has 101 geysers reaching down to subsurface ocean
Scientists have discovered 101 geysers leading to a subsurface ocean on one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus. This shows the presence of a liquid ocean under the ice, scientists say.
NASA Space Launch System ready for tests but not for cost, audit says
NASA may have to delay the testing of its SLS project due to budget overruns. That's one small step for man, one giant budget killer. NASA's new space launch system (SLS) is now ready to perform tests for rockets that will launch humans into space to new parts of the solar system.
GlaxoSmithKline wants to bring the world its first malaria vaccine
GlaxoSmithKline has recently filed for approval to test its malaria vaccine, which, if successful, would be the first of its kind.
Americans are the biggest doubters of climate change, survey shows
A new worldwide poll shows that Americans lead 19 other countries in doubting global warming. If you've been feeling a little sheepish about being American lately, it's probably because it's hard to deny the facts: we've been ranked the last in healthcare among developed nations, but first among doubters of evolution.
U.S. Air Force sending satellites into space for 'neighborhood watch'
The U.S. Air Force is launching three satellites to build its space awareness program. The U. S. Air Force launched three satellites into space July 23 as a kind of "neighborhood space watch.
Did you hear? Scientists designed hypersensitive hearing device inspired by parasitic fly
Scientists have developed a new super-sensitive microphone based on the Ormia ochracea fly's ear.
What caused the global warming 'pause'? Natural fluctuations, says scientist
A new research paper explains the pause in global warming from 1998 to 2013. A new paper by McGill University physics professor Shaun Lovejoy posits that the effects of global warming were not fully felt until now because of "natural cooling fluctuations" from 1998 to 2013 caused by the El Nino effect.
Transiting exoplanet has 704 days in its year, longest known orbit
A new exoplanet has been discovered which is unusually far away from its primary star. Scientists have recently discovered an exoplanet with the longest known orbit.
The power of gravity: How nature holds up stone arches
A new paper published in Geoscience explains the mystery behind stone arches. Until now, scientists have not had an explanation for the seemingly gravity-defying stone arches, like the Rainbow Bridge in Utah.
Large study suggests risk of autism is mostly genetic
A new study suggests that common genes may be more important in determining autism risk than environmental factors.
Gray seal population resurges, cheering a few but annoying many
The gray seal population in the Cape Cod area has been restored to pre-1950s numbers, to the joy of environmentalists and the ire of a few residents.
