Articles by Rhodi Lee
Bon Appetit! Foie Gras Ban Overturned in California
A federal judge struck down California's two-year old ban on the sale of foie gras, a delicacy produced by force-feeding birds. Chefs celebrate but animal rights group PETA plans to protest outside of restaurants that serve the controversial dish.
United Airlines Attendants Fired Because They Refused to Fly After Seeing 'Menacing' Graffiti
A group of 13 flight attendants said they were illegally fired by United Airlines after refusing to fly a Hong Kong-bound Boeing plane that had been scrawled by what they described as threatening words and images.
Snow, Icy Chill Grip Midwest to Northeast: Brace for Worse on Thursday
As temperatures continue to drop, states from Midwest to Northeast have been taking precautions to avoid the dangers posed by the bitterly cold winter.
International Red Cross to American Red Cross: No, You Should Not Accept Donations from Tobacco Companies
Concerns that the American Red Cross could mar the reputation of its parent movement is prompting officials of the International Red Cross to advise the group's U.S. arm to stop accepting donations from tobacco companies.
23andMe to Sell DNA Data of Parkinson's Customers to Genentech for $60 Million
23andMe has struck a $60 million deal with Genentech to analyze the genetic data of about 3,000 of its customers. The data will be used to develop a new treatment for Parkinson's disease.
Utah Dinosaur 'Death Trap' a Treasure Trove of Utahraptor Fossils
Six utahraptors have already been found in a block of sandstone that paleontologists believe was once a quicksand. The fossils could shed light on whether or not the dromaeosaurus hunted in groups.
CES 2015: Sleep Number SleepIQ Kids Bed: This Smart Bed Does More Than Keep Monsters Away
Sleep IQ Kids bed is a smart bed designed to help kids get a good night's sleep and allow parents to monitor their children's sleeping patterns. It is also the only bed that grows with a child.
Help! There's a Snake in the Toilet!
A 5-foot long Colombian rainbow boa slithered out of the toilet of a San Diego-based PR and marketing company. The snake appeared agitated it bit an animal handler.
Tropical Forests May Be Our Best Bet In Our Battle Against Climate Change
As more carbon is released into the atmosphere, forests respond by using these to grow faster. The lush tropics help reduce the amount of the greenhouse gas that is airborne and, in effect, help slow down global warming.
Vets Pull Knitting Needle from Heart of Puppy. No Surgery Needed
A young Papillon was brought by its owners to a veterinary hospital on New Year's eve after it fell into a knitting needle that pierced its heart. The dog luckily survived.
Help Your Kid Sleep Better: Put Away the Smartphone
Smartphones have more disruptive effects on a child's sleep than the TV does. Researchers suggest ways that could mitigate the unwanted impact of small screen devices on children's sleeping habits.
CDC Warns of Alcohol Poisoning Danger: 6 Americans Dying Daily
Six Americans die each day as a result of drinking too much alcohol. Figures from the CDC show that there are more than 38 million adults who binge drink four times per month.
Mysterious Death of Thousands of Cassin's aucklet Baffle Biologists
Thousands of dead Cassin's aucklet have been washing up along the Pacific Coast. Biologists have theories about the massive die-off of the birds but the exact cause of the phenomenon is still a mystery.
Newborn Killer Whale Source of Hope and Delight to Endangered Pod
A pod of orcas staying around Puget Sound has a baby after two and a half years. The new killer whale named J-50 is now more than one week old.
Here's How You Can 'Bake' Your Earth-like Planet: The Recipe for Making Rocky Exoplanets
Astronomers were able to come up with a "recipe" of an Earth-like planet after identifying the mass and compositions of exoplanets using the HARPS-N instrument.
SpaceX Ocean Barge Rocket Landing Experiment Aborted Before Liftoff
SpaceX is attempting to land a 14-story tall rocket on an ocean platform. However, the historic landing experiment was aborted before liftoff.
Learn From Bowhead Whale How to Age Gracefully: Can Its Genes Unlock Secrets of Longevity?
Bowhead whales can live to be 200 years old and can also resist cancer. The sequenced genome of the cetacean gives clues to its longevity and resistance to age-related disease.
Amazing 'Pillars of Creation' Photo by Hubble Shows How Beautiful Our Universe Is
To celebrate its 25th anniversary in April this year, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured new images of the Pillars of Creation, which was originally featured in an iconic photo the space telescope took in 1995.
Disco Clam's Dazzle Is Funky Defense Strategy
Disco clams may be producing their underwater light show to attract prey and drive away predators but researchers found evidence the invertebrates do not use the visual display to attract mates.
Best Diets to try in 2015 and Some Tips to Lose Weight
Nutritionists have warned of adopting extreme diets for weight loss that are difficult to stick to. These may work but only temporarily. Two eating regimens though are getting the approval of experts.
Bowhead Whale Genome Holds Key to Longer Life for Humans?
In two separate studies, researchers have identified the genes in bowhead whales that are responsible for the animal's remarkable longevity. Scientists said the findings could help allow humans to live a longer life.
SpaceX Will Kick Off 2015 Space Mission with Jan. 6 Reusable Rocket Launch
The Jan. 6 space mission will attempt to achieve what has never been achieved before: land the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on a floating platform in the ocean.
Benign Atypical Hyperplasia Indicator of Higher Breast Cancer Risk in Women
The seemingly harmless atypical hyperplasia is associated with more breast cancer risks. Women with this "benign" mass have up to 30 percent increased risks of developing breast cancer.
Bay Area Spare the Air Alert Issued for Monday: Do's and Don'ts
Burning of wood is prohibited on Monday with the Bay Area issuing a Winter Spare the Air Alert. Here are some of the rules to remember to avoid getting fines for violations.
Jan. 4 is Zero Gravity Day: Did You Fall for the Hoax?
A widely circulated story on Facebook claims that on Sunday, Jan. 4, an astronomical phenomenon will cause a gravitational fluctuation that will render people on Earth weightless.
NASA SMAP Satellite Boasts the Largest Lasso We Know (But It's Not What You Think It's For)
NASA is set to launch its Soil Moisture Active Passive, or SMAP, satellite on Jan. 29. The mission will monitor soil moisture from space, which scientists hope could keep track of droughts and floods.
Ohio Begins Efforts to Evict Cormorants. 30 Cormorant Nesting Trees Cut Down
After an unsuccessful attempt to drive away cormorants before they could nest, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources resorted to cutting down about 30 trees that served as the birds' nesting grounds.
UNEP Hoping for Carbon Neutral Earth in the Next 4 Decades
A UNEP report says that the Earth should be carbon neutral midway through this century to avoid the catastrophic effects of climate change. It also says that emissions should be negative after this target period.
RIP Edward Brooke: First US African American Senator Dies at 95
Edward Brooke, the first Black American whom people elected as senator, died on Jan. 3. He remains the only African-American senator to have served two terms in office.
Pope Francis May Tip the Balance in Climate Change Debate: Should Skeptics Worry?
In a bid to influence how the world deals with the issue of climate change, Pope Francis will issue an encyclical that will urge Catholics worldwide to take action on global warming.
