Catherine Griffin : Science World Report

Nov 12, 2013 08:19 AM EST

Mission to Mars Moon, Phobos, May Collect Samples from Two Celestial Bodies

There's some good news when it comes to a mission to one of the moons of Mars. It turns out that due to past impacts, the surface of the moon, Phobos, may have samples from Martian castoffs. The findings mean that the mission could collect samples from two celestial bodies by just visiting one of th...

Nov 12, 2013 07:50 AM EST

Fast-Mutating DNA Sequences Reveal What it Means to be Human

DNA and our genetic code define what it means to be human. Deciphering this code, though, is more difficult than you might think. Now, scientists have discovered how the activation of specific stretches of DNA control the development of uniquely human characteristics, revealing a bit more about the ...

Nov 11, 2013 12:44 PM EST

Vegetable Oils Aren't All Healthy: Increased Risk of Heart Disease

Not all vegetable oils are as healthy as you might think. Scientists have discovered that some vegetable oils may actually increase the risk of heart disease. The findings reveal it's more important than ever to assess foods that claim to be "healthy" but are, in reality, quite the opposite.

Nov 11, 2013 12:13 PM EST

Scientists Simulate Key Processes of Photosynthesis on a Quantum Level

Scientists have managed to simulate the key processes of photosynthesis on a quantum level with high spatial and temporal resolution. The findings are an important step toward answering the question of how quantum physics can contribute to the efficiency of energy conversion in synthetic systems.

Nov 11, 2013 11:22 AM EST

Nano-Scale Self-Assembling Nanotrain Controlled by DNA

Nano-scale technology is developing by leaps and bounds. Now, scientists have created tiny self-assembling transport networks, powered by nano-scale motors and controlled by DNA. The new system can construct its own network of tracks spanning tens of micrometers in length, transport cargo across the...

Nov 11, 2013 10:33 AM EST

Kidney Damage in First Responders Linked to Ground Zero During 9/11

After the 9/11 tragedy, first responders at Ground Zero were exposed to varying levels of a dust cloud of air. Now, scientists have linked high levels of this inhaled particulate matter to kidney damage. The findings could allow first responders to take preventative measures to help mitigate the eff...

Nov 11, 2013 09:47 AM EST

Ants, Like Humans, Change Priorities When Making Decisions

Animals also have to make decisions every day as they survive in the wild--sometimes as a group. So how do animals make these choices? Scientists have looked a bit further at group decision-making processes in ants and have discovered that animals can change their strategies based on experience.

Nov 11, 2013 09:07 AM EST

NASA Hubble Telescope Captures Stellar Explosions in Spectacular New Image

Supernovae are intensely bright objects, stellar explosions that light up the universe. Now, the NASA Hubble telescope has captured one of these stellar explosions in the spiral galaxy NGC 6984. The stunning image reveals this beautiful system amidst the background of space.

Nov 11, 2013 08:25 AM EST

Comet ISON Brightens Night Skies in Trip Toward the Sun

Comet ISON continues to streak across the sky, hurtling toward our sun at a stunning 105,000 mph. Now inside Venus' orbit, there are just 17 more days before the comet reaches perihelion on Nov. 28. But will ISON be the "comet of the century," or will it break apart before it even reaches that point...

Nov 11, 2013 07:41 AM EST

New Robotic Advances Promise Artificial Legs that Emulate Healthy Limbs

Patients who have lost their limbs face a constant struggle during day-to-day activities. Prosthetics can help with these challenges, but the robotic limbs are nowhere near as dexterous as biological ones. Now, scientists have managed to make it possible to create prosthetics that can duplicate the ...

Nov 09, 2013 09:50 AM EST

'Tiger Stripes' Beneath Antarctic Glaciers Slow Sea Level Rise

Ice continues to melt in the Antarctic as temperatures warm and the climate changes. Understanding the physical properties of glaciers in these cold regions, though, is crucial to understand exactly how fast this ice will melt. Now, scientists have discovered that "tiger stripes," narrow strips of d...

Nov 09, 2013 09:24 AM EST

Human Pee May Power Future Environmental Robots

You wouldn't think that human waste could power a robot--but apparently it can. Scientists have developed a new device modeled on the human heart that's capable of pumping pee into the "engine room" of a self-sustaining robot.