Articles by Rhodi Lee
Ancient child skull shows no soft spot to accommodate growing brain
The Taung Child skull is believed to have features similar to those found in modern humans but new study finds no evidence that the ancient skull had a soft spot that modern human babies are born with.
Look mom there's a woolly mammoth in our ranch
A family in Texas discovered a nearly complete skeleton of a Columbian mammoth on their ranch and decided to donate it to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas.
American parents stretch standards, more see overweight kids as healthy
More and more parents in the U.S. fail to distinguish that their children are obese or overweight and many assess their child's weight based on how this measures up with those of their peers.
Can medical marijuana help bring down painkiller overdoses, death?
Although the incidence of overdose-related deaths has increased between 1999 and 2010, researchers have found that deaths to due prescription painkiller overdose were about 25 percent less in states that adopted medical marijuana laws.
Nail polish can detect date rape drugs. Here's how it works
Four students from the North Carolina State University are working on a nail polish called Undercover Colors, which changes color when exposed to date rape drugs thus protecting potential victims from sexual assault.
Cigarettes with very low levels of nicotine lower risk of addiction
A new study found that switching to cigarettes with very low levels of nicotine does not cause smokers to smoke more intensely and more frequently.
New satellite images show rapid decline of ice sheets in Greenland, Antarctica
Researchers from Germany found that ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland are rapidly declining, a phenomenon that according to an ESA scientist gives perspective of the effects of climate change.
Alien thigh bone on Mars? Odd object on NASA Curiosity rover photo
An image of what looks like a thigh bone that was taken by NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover had UFO enthusiasts speculating that complex life forms may have existed on Mars.
Ebola outbreak: Humanity = 2 cured American aid workers vs. Virus = 1350 dead, thousands quarantined
The two Americans who were treated for Ebola at a hospital in the U.S. have recovered but thousands still battle with and die because of the virus that continues to spread in West Africa.
Toothless pterosaurs with 39-ft. wingspan, king of the skies 60 million years ago
Toothless winged reptiles known as pterosaurs dominated the ancient skies 60 million years ago. Some of these creatures were so big they had to run before taking off.
Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland continues to rumble, residents evacuated
The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull four years ago disrupted flights across Europe. The same incident is feared to happen again with the looming eruption of another large under-ice volcano, Bardarbunga.
Vermont town issues boil water notice as supply tests positive for E. coli
Residents of Fair Haven in Vermont were advised to boil water before use as the water supply was found positive for E.coli indicating that the water may have been contaminated with animal or human wastes.
Blood transfusion lowers risk of silent strokes in children with sickle cell anemia
Giving children with sickle cell anemia, who already experienced a stroke blood transfusion every month, can reduce their risks of experiencing a new stroke by more than 50 percent.
Ebola outbreak: Liberia president implements curfew, quarantines slum home
In a bid to prevent the further spread of Ebola, Liberian President Johnson Sirleaf declared a curfew and ordered the quarantine of West Point and Dolo Town.
Good neighborhood leads to a healthy heart, study suggests
A new study suggests that living in a good neighborhood may be beneficial to the heart. Participants of a study who rated their community's social cohesion the highest were found to have reduced risks for heart attack.
Chinese hackers steal 4.5 million patient records of Community Health Systems
The Chinese hacking group known as APT 18 stole the personal data of 4.5 million patients of the Community Health Systems, one of the largest hospital groups in the U.S. Compromised information included addresses, contact numbers, birthdays and social security numbers.
White House mum on systems, security software used for Obamacare site
The Obama administration declined a request to publicly reveal the security software and computer system used for the federal website HealthCare.gov saying that doing so could give hackers enough information to break in.
Houston residents spot UFO, flying saucer giving a light show?
The sighting of what some believe to be a UFO flying over Houston were backed up with images and a video but UFO sighting experts are doubtful of the object being an aliencraft.
Death and hospitalization due to heart disease, stroke in U.S. significantly lower
A large study involving millions of Medicare patients found that the number of deaths and hospitalizations due to heart disease and stroke has significantly declined in the last decade.
Angry residents attack, loot Ebola clinic in Liberia slum
Angry residents of West Point slum in Monrovia, Liberia attacked an Ebola center stealing items contaminated with patients' blood, vomit and excrement. Patients who were positive for Ebola also disappeared after the attack.
Laser cooling technique raises microscope sensitivity 20 times
Researchers from The Australian National University were able to improve the sensitivity of atomic force microscopes by using a laser cooling technique, making the microscopes adept at detecting even a single virus.
Wonder pill may help people with baldness regrow hair
An FDA-approved pill for a form of bone marrow cancer shows promise as cure for baldness and hair loss problems. The pill restored hair growth in patients with alopecia areata in just five months.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014: Surprise box office blockbuster TMNT 2014 overshadows Expendables 3
The Expendables 3 with its cast of superstars did not manage to unsit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the top spot of the box office. Online leak of The Expendables three weeks before its release may be to blame for its poor performance.
Hate sunscreen? How The Sun Sees You video will make you love it
Using an ultraviolet light camera, a film maker created a video that shows people the hidden damages caused by the sun to their skin such as freckles, wrinkles and dark spots that are not yet visible to the naked eye.
Ebola death toll 'vastly underestimates magnitude of outbreak,' warns WHO
Figures on the number of cases and deaths associated with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa show a grim situation. The World Health Organization said that the actual situation is worse than what the numbers suggest.
FDA approves Biogen injectible drug Plegridy for multiple sclerosis
The FDA gave its approval to Plegridy, an injectible drug administered once per two weeks, for patients suffering from relapsing form of multiple sclerosis
Synthetic marijuana forces New Hampshire to declare state of emergency
The sudden increase in synthetic marijuana-related overdose incidents in New Hampshire, particularly in Manchester, has prompted Gov. Maggie Hassan to declare a state of emergency. Officials are particularly concerned about the Bubblegum flavor of the drug called "smacked".
Death of Robin Williams puts spotlight on bad mix of depression and Parkinson's disease
Unknown to many, Robin Williams was also suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's disease, a condition that may have worsened his bouts with depression believed to have primarily contributed to him committing suicide on Aug. 11.
Swarmbot! Kilobot! Tiny robots! Help, we're being invaded!
Researchers from the Harvard University came up with tiny robots that work together in a swarm to form two-dimensional shapes without human intervention.
Whales and dolphins squeal in pleasure, confirm scientists
Bottlenose dolphins and beluga whales squeal in response to a surge in their dopamine, the chemical that stimulates the sensation of pleasure.
