Articles by Robin Burks
Was the Big Bang gravitational waves discovery just dust?
The year's biggest discovery about cosmic inflation after the Big Bang could be debunked. What scientists believed to be gravitational waves, direct evidence of cosmic inflation, could now be nothing more than interstellar dust.
Spend your free time counting penguins for science
PenguinWatch.org is looking for citizen scientists to help them count and tag penguins in remote parts of Antarctica. This helps penguin researchers monitor the lives and health of penguin colonies.
Atomic bombs, female scientists and Los Alamos: An interview with 'Manhattan' creator Sam Shaw
TV series 'Manhattan' tackles the creation of the first atomic bomb. In this exclusive interview with series creator and writer Sam Shaw, we learn why this period of history is still fascinating today.
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft now safely orbiting Mars
After its ten-month journey to Mars, NASA's MAVEN spacecraft has safely entered the red planet's orbit, where it will test its instruments and then start measuring the planet's upper atmosphere.
Paleontologists discover new hadrosaur with massive nose
A group of paleontologists recently reconstructed the skull of a dinosaur discovered in Utah and realized that the creature was a new species of hadrosaur which had a large nose.
Scientists discover 'sleep node' in brain that could turn sleep on or off
Scientists discover a group of neurons in the brain that can turn sleep on or off and could lead to new treatments for insomnia, without the need of a sleep aids.
The Milky Way will be gobbled up in 5 billion years by a galactic neighbor
A group of Australian scientists report new research that suggests that larger galaxies don't expand their sizes by producing more stars, but by absorbing their closest and smaller neighboring galaxies.
What winter looks like in Mars' Hooke Crater
The European Space Agency's Mars Express recently took photos of the stunning landscape of Hooke Crater on Mars during its winter months. Those photos show frost on the surface of the planet.
Particle detector on ISS discovers potential traces of dark matter
A particle detector attached to the International Space Station may have just discovered the first proof of the existence of dark matter in space, in the form of excess positrons.
NASA's MAVEN preparing to reach Mars this weekend
The Mars spacecraft MAVEN is now approaching its rendezvous point with Mars, which it will reach this weekend, in preparation of entering the red planet's orbit where it will study its atmosphere.
Researchers prove that chimpanzees are naturally violent
Although many scientists once thought that human impact on environments cause violent behavior in chimpanzees, a team of researchers recently proved that chimpanzees are, in fact, born that way: naturally violent.
Supermassive black hole in dense dwarf galaxy discovered
Astronomers from the University of Utah recently discovered a supermassive black hole in a small, yet dense, dwarf galaxy. This finding suggests that black holes are more common that we think.
Scientists can make your wine better with nanotechnology
A team of scientists creates a "mini-mouth," a group of nanosensors that not only mimic the sensation of a wine's dryness in the mouth, but can also accurately measure it.
Syfy's Emily Rose and Lucas Bryant discuss season 5 of 'Haven'
In an interview with 'Haven' stars Lucas Bryant and Emily Rose, we learn a little more about that season four cliffhanger, as well as what it means for season five.
Scientists witness what could be the birth of a new planet
After studying over a decade of research, scientists discover what could be a new planet forming about 335 light years away from Earth. The planet orbits around a star known as HD 100546.
Your guide to watching the Harvest supermoon
The last supermoon of the year arrives Sept. 8, when the moon reaches its closest point of its orbit to Earth. This time, it's a little more special, as it's also a harvest moon.
New light detector can see under the surface of things
Researchers at the University of Maryland invent a new super-thin high-speed light detector with graphene that uses terrahertz waves for seeing beneath surfaces, including skin and clothing, as well as for identifying chemicals.
Astronomers discover that Jupiter's Europa has icy plate tectonics
Jupiter's moon Europa becomes more interesting with each discovery about its icy surface. Now, astronomers have found evidence that the moon's crust may have a system of plate tectonics, similar to that on Earth.
Do 3-D movies offer a better emotional experience? Researchers say no
A group of researchers studied the emotional effects of both 3-D and 2-D movies in over 400 volunteers. Their results showed no difference in emotional response between the two film formats.
Physicist figures out exact date and time of Monet painting
An astronomer and physicist examines the Monet painting that marked the birth of the impressionism art movement and determines the exact date and time of its painting, along with Monet's exact viewpoint.
The FBI teams up with game developers to battle online harassment
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is not only discussing online harassment with the FBI, but is also working with the agency and its members to deal with and prevent harassment.
Scientists discover seamount under the ocean, possibly the remains of an underwater volcano
Scientists on a seafloor mapping mission recently discovered a seamount in the Pacific Ocean. The seamount is about two-thirds of a mile high and sits 3.2 miles beneath the ocean's surface.
Extraordinary satellite photos capture erupting volcano from space
Satellite imagery of Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano, which is currently erupting, is scarce, thanks to inclement weather. However, now, several of NASA's satellites have captured the volcano in action from space.
Rosetta sends back its first scientific data on the comet it's orbiting
We now have our first scientific data from the Rosetta spacecraft, which is currently in orbit around a comet. A NASA instrument called 'Alice' mapped the comet's surface with surprising results.
Brain-to-brain communication achieved for the first time
An international team of scientists create a new form of telepathy by successfully transmitting messages from one human brain to another, with the two brains being 5,000 miles apart.
Scientists simulate time travel to solve the 'grandfather paradox'
A group of scientists test known theories, simulating time travel and solving the 'grandfather paradox' idea that states if someone goes back in time to kill their grandfather, that person will no longer exist.
Asteroid will pass close to Earth this weekend
NASA reports that a small asteroid, called Asteroid 2014 RC, will pass within 25,000 miles of Earth this Sunday. Unfortunately, though, the asteroid will not be visible to the naked eye.
Astronaut Reid Wiseman captures amazing photos of Earth from space
Astronaut Reid Wiseman tweets some of the most beautiful images of Earth from space ever seen. Wiseman arrived at the International Space Station earlier this year and will be there until November 2014.
New map gives Milky Way its first address: Laniakea
Astronomers have mapped out the region of the Universe that contains the Milky Way galaxy. Not only that, but they've given this supercluster of galaxies a name, "Laniakea," a word that means "immense heaven" in Hawaiian.
Old ship logs tell tales of adventure, survival and weather
Two separate citizen scientist projects use volunteers to peruse old ship logs, which contain detailed accounts not just of life on a ship, but also what weather and climate were like in the past.
