Recently in science Category

While the world is celebrating the amazing journey that Apollo 11 made to the Moon 40 years ago, few realize that an early bid to reach the Moon was launched from England, way back in the 17th century. [via trexblog]

A monkey fitted with a hi-tech brain chip has learned to move a complex robotic arm using mind control.

I find this video of a children in stage two (Preoperational stage) of Piaget's four stages of cognitive development fascinating.

According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California-Davis, a large majority of near-the-line shots called incorrectly by Wimbledon line judges have come on balls ruled out that were actually in. Why? It's science.

McEnroe could've used this info.

A British man who couldn't even draw a stickman wakes from brain surgery after having a stroke as a talented artist.

This story reminds me of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, who also discovered some hidden talents after suffering a stroke.

Remember Green Porno? Well Isabella Rossellini is back with season 2 of everybodys favorite animal sex behavior class. This season's focus appears to be the deep blue sea.

Galileo Galilei, arguably the vanguard for science in its battle with religion, is coming to Philadelphia. An exhibit, "Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy," showcasing a couple of his telescopes has made its way to Philadelphia's Franklin Institute. It is the first time these pieces have ever been outside of Florence since Galileo's time. GO!

The Big Picture has some excellent photos of the eruptions. Did you know during an volcanic eruption lightning may occur? I didn't, but it sure is amazing to see.

Beginning March 22nd, 2009, Alaska's Mount Redoubt, began a series of volcanic eruptions, and continues to be active to this date. Ash clouds produced by Redoubt have pushed 65,000 feet into the sky, disrupting air traffic, drifting across Cook Inlet, and depositing layers of gritty ash on populated areas of the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage, about 180 km (110 miles) to the northeast. Mount Redoubt has erupted at least five times since 1900, with the most recent event taking place in 1989.

This is very interesting and their are some amazing photos to go along with it.

Mountains really can be moved. Or removed, at least. In one type of surface mining, entire mountaintops are razed to extract coal, and the byproducts are dumped into nearby water sources. This method is particularly associated with the Appalachian mining industry, and has had a devastating impact on mountainous ecosystems. Last week, however, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its plan to review coal miners' permits, which could potentially reduce the practice. Read the related NPR story here.

As animal weaponry improves, its lethality declines. Seems a bit paradoxical.

Be sure to check out the NY Times up close slide show of beetle weaponry.

Dr. Emlen noticed a tendency for weapons to start out small, like mere bumps of bone, and then to evolve to more ornate form. The small weapons are actually quite destructive since their only role is to attack other males. But the more baroque weapons, even though they look more fearsome, seem to cause lesser loss of life.

The reason is that the more menacing weapons have often acquired a signaling role. Instead of risking their lives in mortal combat, males can assess each other's strengths by sizing up a rival's weapons, and decline combat if they seem outclassed. The ornate weapons also lend themselves to ritualized combat in which males may lock horns and assess each other's strength without wounding each other.