Catherine Griffin : Science World Report

Oct 23, 2013 01:38 PM EDT

Computer Models Reveal Mississippi River's Role in Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

During the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010, oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, contaminating ocean life and causing major environmental problems. Now, scientists have examined the incident more closely in order to find out exactly what caused the massive oil plumes to move where they did.

Oct 23, 2013 12:51 PM EDT

Chimpanzees are Wired for Long-Term Memory to Hunt for Food

Chimpanzees have to scavenge for food daily, and a part of that is remembering which trees have fruit and which don't. Now, scientists have discovered that chimpanzees use long-term memory to remember the size and location of fruit trees and feeding experiences from previous seasons using a memory w...

Oct 23, 2013 11:26 AM EDT

Dolphins' Hunting Tactics Inspire New Radar System to Detect Hidden Threats

Dolphins may have given researchers a new way to detect hidden threats. Inspired by the way dolphins hunt using bubble nets, scientists have developed a new kind of radar that can detect hidden surveillance equipment and explosives.

Oct 23, 2013 10:31 AM EDT

Scientists Discover Gold Particles in Australian Gum Trees

Ever hear of trees made of gold? Scientists have discovered that gum trees from the Western Australian goldfields draw up tiny particles of gold through their roots and that these particles end up in the trees' leaves and branches.

Oct 23, 2013 09:37 AM EDT

Model Plant Hoodwinks Scientists: Thale Cress Lacks Usual 'Censorship' Protein

One particular plant seems to have hoodwinked scientists. It turns out that researchers have misunderstood one of the most fundamental processes in the life of plants because they've been looking at the wrong flower. The findings could inform future research as scientists are set back on the right t...

Oct 23, 2013 08:46 AM EDT

Heavy Air Pollution in Canada Linked to Cancer Spikes in Rural Region

It turns out that heavy air pollution in Canada may be associated with cancer spikes. Scientists have discovered that levels of contaminants higher than in some of the world's most polluted cities have been found downwind of Canada's largest oil, gas and tar sands processing zone in a rural area whe...

Oct 23, 2013 08:05 AM EDT

Climate Change Increased Number of Deaths in Sweden: Extreme Weather to Blame

Could climate change increase the number of deaths? It turns out it just might. Scientists have discovered that the increased temperatures associated with climate change in Stockholm, Sweden between 1980 and 2009 caused 300 more premature deaths than if the temperature increase did not take place.

Oct 23, 2013 07:10 AM EDT

New 4D Printing Technology Reveals Possibilities for Composite Materials

Forget about printing in 3D; it turns out that scientists are looking forward to printing in 4D. They've successfully added a fourth dimension to their printing technology, opening up exciting possibilities for the creation and use of adaptive, composite materials in manufacturing, packing and biome...

Oct 22, 2013 01:56 PM EDT

Childhood Poverty Impacts Adult Brain Function: Growing Up Poor

It turns out that poverty may affect the brain in more ways than you might think. Scientists have discovered that childhood poverty and chronic stress may lead to problems regulating emotions as an adult. The findings reveal the importance of combating poverty, especially when it comes to supporting...

Oct 22, 2013 12:37 PM EDT

Ancient Twisted Pattern of Light Reveals New Information About the Early Universe

Light can take billions of years to reach Earth. Along its way, though, this ancient light can be distorted by the pull of matter, leading to a twisted light pattern. Now, astronomers have finally detected this twisted pattern of light, called B-modes, which could lead to better maps of matter acros...

Oct 22, 2013 11:07 AM EDT

High School Student Discovers Most Complete Skeleton Ever of Baby Dinosaur

A chance discovery by a high school student has led to the finding of the youngest, smallest and most complete fossil dinosaur skeleton yet found of the tube-crested Parasaurolophus. The new fossil reveals a bit more about the development of this species of dinosaur.

Oct 22, 2013 10:29 AM EDT

Hitchhiking Virus Reveals Pattern of Ancient Human Migration from Africa

Today, humans have spread across the globe, taking over almost every continent on Earth. Yet that wasn't always the case. Our ancient ancestors were once clustered on one continent. Now, scientists have found proof of the "out-of-Africa" pattern of human migration with the help of a common human vir...