Catherine Griffin : Science World Report

Jan 10, 2014 08:27 AM EST

'Nutcracker Man' Feasted on Tiger Nuts: What Our Ancient Human Ancestors Ate

Our ancient ancestors lived in East Africa between 2.4 million and 1.4 million years ago. Now, scientists have found out exactly what our ancestors ate at the time. Rather than meat, this species actually mainly ate tiger nuts supplemented with insects.

Jan 10, 2014 07:49 AM EST

Elephant Shark Genome Sheds Light on Bone Formation and Immunity

An unusual shark with an elephant-like "trunk" may have shed some light onto bone formation and immunity. Scientists have sequenced the elephant shark's genome and have found why the skeleton of sharks is cartilaginous rather than bony.

Jan 10, 2014 07:37 AM EST

How Long Great White Sharks Live: New Age for Conservation Efforts

How long can sharks live? Quite a while, it turns out. Scientists have discovered that great white sharks grow much slower and live significantly longer than previously thought. The findings could have implications for conserving this species in the future.

Jan 10, 2014 06:51 AM EST

Hubble Captures Spectacular New Image of a Galaxy with Two Hearts

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a spectacular new image of a galaxy with two hearts. The picture shows the spiral galaxy Messier 83, otherwise known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, set amidst the starry backdrop of space.

Jan 09, 2014 11:38 AM EST

Surprising New Class of Hypervelocity Stars Can Escape Milky Way's Gravity

Astronomers have discovered a surprising new class of "hypervelocity stars" that move fast enough to escape the gravitational grip of the Milky Way galaxy.

Jan 09, 2014 10:49 AM EST

Quasars Shed Light on Swirling Clouds Around Distant Galaxies

Astronomers have uncovered new information about the swirling clouds of gas that form stars and galaxies. By studying brilliant quasars, the scientists have found that the clouds can shift and change much more quickly than previously thought.

Jan 09, 2014 10:08 AM EST

Delicate Soap Bubbles Could Predict Intense Cyclones and Hurricanes

Could something as delicate as a soap bubble be used to predict the strength of swirling hurricanes and massive typhoons? Apparently it can. Scientists have employed soap bubbles to model atmospheric flow which, in turn, allowed them to obtain a relationship that accurately describes the evolution o...

Jan 09, 2014 09:19 AM EST

Fungi Have Major Impact on Carbon in the Atmosphere: Implications for Climate Models

Fungi may have more of an impact on our atmosphere than you might think. Scientists have found that microscopic fungi that live in plants' roots play a major role in the storage and release of carbon from the soil into the atmosphere.

Jan 09, 2014 08:47 AM EST

Scientists Make Most Accurate Measurement of the Universe to Date: One Percent

How big is the universe? That's a good question, and scientists may have found out. They've measured the scale of the universe to an accuracy of one percent, a finding that could be key to determining the nature of dark energy.

Jan 09, 2014 08:19 AM EST

Massive Exoplanets May Have Earth-like Climate with Oceans and Continents

Massive planets called "super-Earths" are common in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Now, though, scientists have found that these planets are far more likely to have an Earth-like climate than previously thought.

Jan 09, 2014 07:28 AM EST

Fossil Pigment Remains Reveal True Colors of Ancient Sea Monsters

During the age of the dinosaurs, giant reptiles ruled the ocean. These "sea monsters" included the mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs, marine animals that looked a bit like the dolphins, sharks and turtles of today. Now, scientists have recently uncovered soft tissue remains, revealing exactly what these sp...

Jan 09, 2014 06:53 AM EST

New Celestial Object Challenges Definitions of Planets and Stars

A celestial object may challenge traditional understandings about how planets and stars form. Astrophysicists have discovered an object that defies traditional categories of what is and is not a planet, showing that defining something isn't as easy as you might think.