Articles by Rhodi Lee
Shopping is No Monkey Business. Capuchins Know It: Yale Study
Humans tend to be swayed with prices when it comes to shopping for goods, equating cost with quality. Capuchin monkeys are not the same. They go for their preferences regardless of the price.
Zigzag Marking Etched on Surface of Half-Million-Year-Old Shell Could be World's Oldest Art
Geometric engravings carved by a Homo erectus on a 430-year-old mollusk shell could be the world's oldest artwork. The discovery shows that the ancestors of modern-day humans are possibly smarter than previously thought.
NASA Releases Stunning Photos of Successful Orion Spacecraft Launch
The US space agency shared some of the photos of the maiden test flight of the Orion spacecraft including those taken by a camera onboard the vehicle. One photo shows flames as Orion re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.
Moon Once Had a Magnetic Field Stronger than the Earth
About 4 billion years ago, the moon had a magnetic field that may have been stronger than the Earth's today. The findings are crucial to mankind's quest for habitable terrestrial worlds.
India at UN Climate Summit: Don't Bully Us. Higher Pollution Levels Necessary for Growth
India has qualms about cutting its carbon emission, saying the move would compromise its ability to fight poverty. The Asian country says industrialized nations should shoulder more of this burden.
Stephen Hawking Fears Artificial Intelligence Could Spell Mankind Doom (He's Not the Only One)
Stephen Hawking acknowledges the benefits provided by the primitive form of artificial intelligence, but the famed cosmologist is concerned about the repercussions of more advanced AI.
Surprise! Electric Eel Uses 'Remote Control' Taser-like Shock to Stun its Prey
The electric eel uses powerful electric pulses to remotely paralyze its prey. The shock acts on the neurons that control the muscles, much like how a taser works.
Forever Young? Nah, but Mediterranean Diet Slows Down Aging Process
Those who want to live longer and shun age-related diseases may turn to Mediterranean diet. Experts found evidence that adherence to the regimen is associated with a biomarker of longevity.
Avoid Midnight Snack if You Want to Lose Weight
Let go of that midnight snack if you're trying to lose weight. Findings of a new research suggest that the time you eat is as crucial as the amount and kind of food you consume.
Special 3D Compass Cells in Bats' Brains Help Them Orient Themselves
Bats have brain cells that are particularly involved in helping the mammals navigate in three-dimensional directions. Other mammals, including humans, may also have neural compasses that work the same way.
2014 Set to Become Hottest Year Ever, says WMO: Blame Climate Change?
If trends in global temperatures continue for November and December, 2014 could become the hottest year on record. U.N.’s World Meteorological Organization said the temperature and extreme weather events seen this year are an indication of global warming.
New Spinal Injury Drug Helps Regeneration of Nerve Cells: Paralyzed Lab Rats Showed Improvement
A new chemical compound helped rats with spinal cord injury regain the ability to move and control their bladder movement, showing promise as treatment for patients paralyzed due to spinal cord injury as well as those who suffered from heart attack and multiple sclerosis.
Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Revealed Finally in Full Color Glory
The European Space Agency (ESA) has been showing images of comet 67P in black and white. Using its OSIRIS camera, Rosetta now has a color photo of the comet.
Wonder What Keeps NYC Streets Clean? Bugs, Spiders and Little Critters
Spiders and ants prevent food waste from piling up in urban dwellings and also curb the spread of disease by eating littered food that rats and pathogen-carrying pests would otherwise eat.
Hic! Taste for Alcohol Developed by Human Ancestors 10 Million Years Ago
Our human ancestors evolved the ability to drink alcohol long before we learned to ferment intoxicating drinks. The ability may have allowed them to dine on fermenting fruits when food was scarce.
NASA Orion Spacecraft Set for Thursday Launch: Way Paved for Human Trip to Mars
NASA's Orion spacecraft designed to carry the first humans to planet Mars will have its initial test flight on Dec. 4. The systems that the space capsule will use in its first manned flight will be tested on Thursday.
DNA Test Confirms 15th-Century Skeleton is Richard III...and Suggests Infidelity
DNA analysis of the bones believed to belong to Richard III and his living relatives ascertained that the skeleton dug by archaeologists from the University of Leicester in 2012, belonged to the 15th century king of England. Findings also show infidelity may have occurred in the royal bloodline.
Ground-Based Telescopes Observe Super-Earth in Transit: Here's What the Astronomers Discovered
Scientists were able to observe and measure the diameter of 55 Cnc e, an exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star located 40 light years away, from the Earth using the Nordic Optical Telescope. The super-earth is the smallest planet detected from the ground.
Pluto-Bound NASA Spacecraft New Horizons Will Wake Up on December 6
The New Horizons spacecraft has been travelling toward Pluto since 2006. On Dec. 6, it will wake up from hibernation to prepare for its long-awaited encounter with the dwarf planet in January 2015.
Disgraced DNA Scientist James Watson Will Auction Nobel Prize Because He Needs Money
James Watson will auction his Nobel Prize medal in New York on Thursday. The molecular biologist became a Nobel laureate in 1962 for the discovery of the DNA double helix structure.
Amazing Short Film 'Wanderers' is a Wonderful Tribute to Restless, Adventurous Spirit of Man
'Wanderers,' a short film created by Swedish digital artist Erik Wernquist depicts mankind's future expansion in space. The locations shown in the video are from real worlds in the Solar System photographed by instruments of science institutions like the ESA and NASA.
Diabetes During Midlife Warning of Memory, Cognitive Problems Later in Life
Having diabetes in midlife could have a negative effect on a person's cognitive abilities later in life, says a new study. Health experts said factors associated with the condition can also lead to dementia.
Scooters and Ride-on Toys among Leading Causes of Injuries to Kids: Study
Foot-powered scooters send one child to the hospital's emergency department every 11 minutes and the injury is thrice as likely to involve broken bones and dislocation as those caused by other toys.
Mali is Ebola-Free, Boasts President: What About Rest of West Africa?
Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said that his country no longer has confirmed cases of Ebola. More than 200 individuals, however, are currently being monitored for possible exposure to the virus.
Ebola Vaccine Passes Trial Stage: No Serious Side Effects So Far
The experimental Ebola vaccine dubbed cAd3-EBO triggered positive immune response in its first clinical trial involving 20 adults. Two of the volunteers had fever after vaccination, but no serious side effects were reported.
Smithsonian Documentary 'Mass Extinction: Life at the Brink' a Scary Warning about How Humans Are Accelerating Their Own Destruction
The Earth is on the verge of its sixth mass extinction, warns "Mass Extinction: Life at the Brink," a new Smithsonian Channel documentary and many people are not aware that this is happening.
Plastic Surgery Sees Booming Business in the US, Thanks to Selfie Craze
The demand for plastic surgery procedures has significantly increased and the trend has something to do with selfies and people not satisfied of how they look on social media sites.
Govt Wants to Lift 31-Year Ban on Gay Men Blood Donation but Some Blood Banks are Concerned
The FDA may possibly lift a decade-long policy that prohibits gay men from donating blood. The ban, which was enacted to prevent HIV transmission and other blood borne disease, had been dubbed discriminatory and scientifically unwarranted.
Hayabusa2 Launch Delayed Again due to Bad Weather: JAXA Eyes Wednesday Lift Off
JAXA had to postpone the launch of its asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 for the second time because of strong winds. The new schedule is set for Wednesday but this may be delayed again depending on the weather conditions.
What Safe? E-Cigarettes Found to Contain 10 Times More Carcinogens than Regular Cigarettes
Use of e-cigarette is believed to be a safer alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes, but findings of a study commissioned by Japan's Health Ministry found that vapors of some fluid brands have very high levels of carcinogen.
