World’s most extreme deep-sea vents revealed [in the Cayman Trough]
Released by University of Southampton Scientists have revealed details of the world’s most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents, 5 kilometres down in a rift in the Caribbean seafloor. The undersea hot springs, which lie 0.8 kilometres deeper than any seen before,…
Cosmos may be ‘inherently unstable’
By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News, Boston Scientists say they may be able to determine the eventual fate of the cosmos as they probe the properties of the Higgs boson. A concept known as vacuum instability could result, billions…
Arctic Ice Hasn’t Disappeared as Predicted
A leading climate scientist predicted that the Arctic would be ice-free in five years — five years ago. An article in The Guardian published in August 2008 reported the Professor Wieslaw Maslowski of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey Calif.,…
Scans reveal intricate brain wiring
By Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News, Boston Scientists are set to release the first batch of data from a project designed to create the first map of the human brain. The project could help shed light on why some…
Meteor strike injures hundreds in central Russia
A meteor crashing in Russia’s Ural mountains has injured at least 950 people, as the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings. Most of those hurt, in the Chelyabinsk region where the meteor fell, suffered cuts and bruises but at…
Asteroid 2012 DA14 in record-breaking Earth pass
By Jason Palmer Science and technology reporter, BBC News An asteroid as large as an Olympic swimming pool has raced past the Earth at a distance of just 27,700km (17,200mi) – the closest ever predicted for an object of that…
Asteroid to pass close by Earth on Friday
From Autonet.ca A newly discovered asteroid about half the size of a football field will pass nearer to Earth than any other known object of its size on Friday, giving scientists a rare opportunity for close-up observations without launching a…
I Know I’m Conscious. But How? And Why?
Jurriaan Kamp Care2 Recently at a remote beach in Mexico I was looking at the most beautiful star-filled night sky. The darkness was perfect, and there were more stars than I had ever seen. Looking at the stars always overwhelms…
Sea slug’s ‘disposable penis’ surprises
By Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC World Service A sea slug that is able to detach, re-grow and then re-use its penis has surprised scientists. Japanese researchers observed the bizarre mating behaviour in a species called Chromodoris reticulata, which is…
Exoplanets near red dwarfs suggest another Earth nearer
By Jason Palmer, Science and technology reporter, BBC News The nearest habitable, Earth-sized planet could be just 13 light-years away, research suggests. An analysis of small, dim “red dwarf” stars – which make up a majority of stars in our…
