Articles by Ted Ranosa
Space Exploration Company Planetary Resources Cancels 'Space Selfie' Kickstarter-Backed Project
American space company Planetary Resources has announced that it will no longer continue its planned Arkyd telescope project, which would have allowed backers to take selfies against the backdrop of space. It is now pursuing more practical business applications.
Mars To Make Closest Approach To Earth Since 2005
Mars is set to make its closest approach to Earth on Memorial Day Monday, May 30. NASA says the Red Planet will reach within 46.8 million miles from Earth, the nearest it has ever been since November 2005.
Cooking With Kerosene And Dried Dung Linked To Increased Cataract Risk In Women
Using biomass fuels such as wood, kerosene, or dried dung for cooking can increase a person's likelihood to develop cataracts by about 50 percent, a new study says. This likelihood increases the longer a person is exposed to these fuels.
Cataclysmic Ancient Landslide Shaped Zion National Park: Study
Utah's famous Zion National Park was formed after a massive rock landslide blocked the nearby Virgin River and created a lake some 4,800 years ago. This event is what gave Zion its distinct flat and tranquil valley floor.
Sharks Have Different Personalities Just Like Humans: Study
Sharks may not be the mindless terrors of the deep that they have been portrayed as on TV shows and movies. A new study suggests that the creatures have different personalities similar to humans.
PayPal Co-Founder Peter Thiel Bankrolls Hulk Hogan Privacy Lawsuit Against Gawker
PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel confirmed on May 25 that he had helped fund Hulk Hogan's legal battle against Gawker. The tech billionaire said it is a way to help people defend themselves against the news website's attack.
Survival Of The Fattest: Female Meerkats Compete With Rivals By Eating More
Meerkats in the Kalahari Desert have been found to engage in an intense form of competitive eating as a way to show dominance. These creatures force themselves to eat more so they could become bigger than their rivals.
Global Economic Crisis Tied To 260,000 Additional Cancer Deaths
A new study suggests that unemployment can lead to higher rates of cancer-related deaths. However, this can be mitigated if governments introduce stronger systems for public health.
Time Reverse Imaging Method Can Give Coastal Cities Early Tsunami Warning
Scientists have developed a new algorithm that can predict if a tsunami is going to hit a coastal city. The system makes use of previous data along with those from ocean sensors to map out the movement of a tsunami.
Toyota Partners With Uber To Lease Vehicles To Drivers
Japanese carmaker Toyota enters a partnership with Uber to provide prospective ride-sharing drivers new leasing options for their cars. Uber drivers will be allowed to buy new vehicles and pay for them using their earnings from ride-sharing services.
SWIFT To Launch New Cybersecurity Program In Wake Of Bangladesh Bank Heist
SWIFT CEO Gottfried Leibbrandt announced on May 24 that they will implement a new security program to prevent cybercriminals from attacking their system again. The company had suffered several cybersecurity breaches in the past two years.
African Monkeys Eating Bats May Provide Clues On How Ebola, Other Diseases Spread Among Species
African Cercopithecus monkeys have been found to opportunistically prey on bats that are known to carry Marburg, Henipa and Ebola viruses. This could help explain how the primates manage to contract these microbes as well.
Treating Cows With Antibiotics May Double Livestock Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A new study by the University of Colorado Boulder has found that using antibiotics on cattle can significantly increase the amount of methane produced by their dung. The drug has been shown to impact the microbiota in the animals' gut.
India Joins Ranks Of US And Japan With Production Of Supercomputers By 2017
India is set to have the first of its 70 new supercomputers ready by August 2017. The government hopes that these machines will allow India to become one of the leading countries when it comes to computing power.
Baby's Cry Can Change The Way Parents Think
Hearing a baby's cry can reduce the ability of parents to focus on tasks, a new study says. However, findings show that it could also teach adults how to focus their attention more selectively by triggering greater cognitive conflict processing.
Facebook Changes Trending Topics Amid Accusations Of Bias Against Conservatives
Facebook will no longer rely on news outlets to determine which topics will be featured on its Trending Topics section. This is in response to allegations that the company had intentionally suppressed articles from conservative sources in its topic curation.
Scientists Want To Create Part-Human Part-Animal Chimeras To Find Cure For Diseases
A new study by the University of California, Davis explores the potential of developing human-animal chimeras to benefit disease research. Bioethicists, however, say such experiments could end up damaging people's sense of humanity.
WWE Officially Releases Wrestling Star Cody Rhodes
The WWE said on May 22 that it released wrestling superstar Cody Rhodes. Rhodes had asked the company to be released from his current deal after becoming frustrated with how the creative team had treated his on-screen character.
Antibiotics May Stop Growth Of New Brain Cells
Researchers have discovered that long-term antibiotic treatment could produce adverse effects on memory function. It could also prevent the production of new brain cells in the hippocampus of the brain.
Drone Footage Captures 70 Sharks Devouring Humpback Whale
Operators of an ocean cruise line in Australia were able to film several massive tiger sharks devouring the carcass of a dead whale at Shark Bay. The video has now been viewed more than 400,000 times on Facebook.
London Taxi Maker Raises $400 Million To Develop New Hybrid Green Cabs
Zhejiang Geely, owner of the London Taxi Company, has raised $400 million to develop 36,000 new hybrid black cabs. This is in accordance with the London government's measures to make cabs in the city zero-emissions compliant by 2018.
Shipbuilder Turns Over Stealth Destroyer Zumwalt To Navy
The U.S. Navy formally received its first Zumwalt-class stealth destroyer from General Dynamics on Friday. Two more warships of the class will be added to the Navy's fleet later on.
Study Reveals Why Sharks Bite More People In Hawaii
Researchers discovered that tiger sharks prefer to stay in waters around Maui because of the abundant food supply in the area. However, this causes an increase in shark attacks on the island since the area is frequented by beachgoers as well.
GM SUV Owners Could Soon Get $900 Debit Cards
General Motors will compensate car owners who bought a 2016 model GM SUV with an incorrect fuel economy sticker. Customers can choose between a debit card worth $450 to $900 or a 48-month/60,000-mile protection plan from GM.
Graphene Makes Thin Rubber Stronger And Stretchier
Adding small amounts of graphene to rubber materials can produce a composite that is both stronger and stretchier than regular rubber, a new study says. This new material can be used to create better gloves, sportswear and medical devices.
Clinic Blames Computer Glitch Amid Complaints From Parents Who Received Identical 3D Ultrasound Images
Soon-to-be moms in Toronto are outraged after having been given identical images of ultrasound sessions by their prenatal imaging clinic. The clinic, however, said the issue was caused by a virus that had infected its printing system.
Yellow Fever Outbreaks In Africa Serious But Not An Emergency: WHO
WHO said on May 19 that the outbreak of yellow fever in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo is a cause of great concern. However, the situation does not constitute a declaration of a public health emergency internationally.
Mega Tsunamis Roiled Mars Oceans Billions Of Years Ago
Scientists have discovered evidence of two massive tsunamis that were formed on Mars billions of years ago. This suggests that the planet used to have oceans, which could have supported alien life in the past.
Frog That Can Survive Freezing Temperatures May Improve IVF Treatment
Researchers are studying how eastern wood frogs are able to survive freezing temperatures during winter without suffering any negative effects on their health. Unlocking the secret to this ability could lead to better freezing methods for IVF treatments.
Glassdoor Releases Best US Cities For Jobs
Employment website Glassdoor has unveiled its annual ranking of the best cities for jobs in the United States. Find out if your city was able to make the list.
