Catherine Griffin : Science World Report

Jul 04, 2013 07:36 AM EDT

DNA Study of Great Apes Reveals Evolution Over 15 Million Years

Scientists may have uncovered a little bit more about the genetic diversity and evolution of apes. They've crafted a model of great ape history during the past 15 million years by studying humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.

Jul 03, 2013 02:01 PM EDT

Name a Houston Space Shuttle: Texas Contest Opens on July 4

Want to name a space shuttle? Texans may just have that opportunity. A high-fidelity replica of a NASA space shuttle has been placed as a centerpiece at Space Center Houston--and now the public is getting a chance to provide a name for it.

Jul 03, 2013 01:16 PM EDT

Gemini Observatory's New GeMS Instrument Reveals Stunning Images of the Universe

A new instrument may allow astronomers to receive a better look at our universe. Researchers have unveiled Gemini Observatory's revolutionary new adaptive optics system, called GeMS, which can remove atmospheric distortions to a new level.

Jul 03, 2013 11:55 AM EDT

Sun Slings Coronal Mass Ejection Toward Mercury and Venus

The sun is heating up these days as it nears the peak of its 11-year solar cycle. Now, our nearest star has flung a coronal mass ejection, also known as a CME, toward Mercury and Venus. The new CME shows not only that the sun is becoming more active, but also reveals the potential for an Earth-direc...

Jul 03, 2013 11:24 AM EDT

Astronomers Reveal New Details About Early Galaxies with ESO Telescope

Astronomers are learning a bit more about the galaxies of our early universe. Using the ESO Very Large Telescope, they've discovered an early galaxy and have examined it in unprecedented detail, learning all about it size and the rate at which it churns out new stars.

Jul 03, 2013 10:34 AM EDT

WMO Reveals Unprecedented Climate Extremes in Last Decade: Droughts, Floods, Heatwaves

Climate change may be having more of an impact than we first thought. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced that the world suffered unprecedented climate extremes in the decade from 2001 to 2010.

Jul 03, 2013 09:48 AM EDT

Climate Change Altering Earth's Oceanic Food Chain

Climate change may be affecting our oceans in a big way through the alteration of tiny bacteria. Scientists have discovered that changing conditions could be weeding out select strains for survival, which could be altering the entire oceanic food chain.

Jul 03, 2013 09:07 AM EDT

Russian Proton-M Rocket Veers Off Course and Crashes in Fiery Explosion (Video)

On Tuesday, an unmanned Proton-M rocket blasted off from Kazakhstan. Moments afterward, it veered off course, crashing in a fiery explosion as it sprayed fuel across the launch pad and incinerated the three satellites it was carrying.

Jul 03, 2013 08:20 AM EDT

Massive Flood Impacts Antarctic Subglacial Lake

Deep beneath the Antarctic ice cap lie buried lakes, storing hundreds of thousands of gallons of fresh water. Now, scientists are slowly realizing the dangers of these lakes--they possess the potential of unleashing massive floods as the ice melts.

Jul 02, 2013 03:16 PM EDT

New Chemical Boosts Drought Tolerance in Plants: Combating Climate Change

As our climate changes, plants face increasingly harsh conditions. Now, scientists have found a way to help plants cope with drought. They've discovered a synthetic chemical, quinabactin, that mimics a naturally produced stress hormone that improves water use and stress tolerance.

Jul 02, 2013 02:08 PM EDT

Cluster Spacecraft Detects Elusive Space Wind Above Earth's Atmosphere

The idea of space wind has been around for the last 20 years. Yet scientists have been unable to prove its actual existence. Now, researchers have finally detected this elusive plasmapheric wind with ESA's Cluster spacecraft.

Jul 02, 2013 01:08 PM EDT

Surprise Superconductor Created with Solvent: Electricity Without Resistance

Superconductivity occurs when matter is able to conduct electricity without any resistance. Now, scientists have found some surprising superconductivity in a solvent.