Category Archives: news briefs

Not so long ago, NASA’s now-defunct Galileo mission found hints that some of Jupiter’s moons held oceans of liquid water beneath their frozen crusts, sparking the question, if they harbor water, do they harbor life? To help answer that question, … Continue reading →

Researchers from the University of Arizona have found that rain and lightning are intimately linked. Before you snicker at the obviousness of the findings, E. Philip Krider of the University’s Institute of Atmospheric Physics, collaborating in two independent experiments, stated … Continue reading →

Most of us know a compulsive runner or gym rat who completely freaks out if they have to miss a workout, but it’s been debated whether exercise addiction is a real or imaginary phenomenon. Now a study from the University … Continue reading →

As if rising sea levels aren’t scary enough, here’s another reason to fear global warming: It could force your favorite ski resort to close. A report issued by the United Nations Environment Program last week said that as global temperatures … Continue reading →

It seems that black bears are prone to the diet and exercise problems of our modern-day, fast-food existence. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Zoology, black bears living in and around urban areas are up to … Continue reading →

The calming influence of nature may even work on stressed-out drivers. Jack Nasar and Jean Marie Cackowski of Ohio State University report in the November issue of Environment and Behavior that people who viewed a videotape of a scenic drive … Continue reading →

Researchers have found a way to use magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to help predict who will sustain memory decline, according to a study appearing in the December issue of Radiology. Henry Rusinek of the New York University School of … Continue reading →

Tired of boring, normal pets with their dull, unmodified genomes? Yorktown Technologies, a Texas-based company, is betting you are. Over the objections of several environmental groups, the company plans to release the genetically modified GloFish to consumers on Jan. 5. … Continue reading →

It often seems that the golden age of animal discovery is over. Oh, sure, there are still plenty of insects and microbes left to identify, and the occasional new frog species hops by, but finding a big mammal that’s new … Continue reading →

Last week, the World Conservation Union released its annual list of species in danger of extinction. The so-called “Red List” is updated every year, based on information from thousands of conservation experts around the world. This year’s list makes especially … Continue reading →