Catherine Griffin : Science World Report

Jun 15, 2013 04:06 PM EDT

First Woman in Space Celebrates Historic 50 Years of Women in Orbit

It's official. We're hitting the 50 year mark when it comes to the history of women in space on Sunday. In 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was launched into space, making her the first woman to blast into orbit.

Jun 14, 2013 03:11 PM EDT

Men to Blame for Menopause: Younger Women Preferred in Human Evolutionary History

Are men to blame for menopause? They might be, according to a new study. In our evolutionary past, men's preference for younger mates made fertility pointless for older women. This, in turn, may have eventually led to menopause.

Jun 14, 2013 02:12 PM EDT

NASA Solves Mystery of Black Hole's High Powered X-Rays (Video)

Black holes emit high powered X-rays as gas spirals toward them. Yet astrophysicists have been unable to explain why they produce so much energy. Now, NASA may have discovered new clues when it comes to solving this mystery.

Jun 14, 2013 01:12 PM EDT

French Chattering Toddlers Reveal 'Baby Talk' is More Advanced Than We Thought

Toddlers chatter when they first learn how to speak, forming nonsense words as they try to express themselves. Yet this speech may be more advanced than we once though. Scientists have found that toddlers are using grammar far sooner than expected.

Jun 14, 2013 12:11 PM EDT

First Fluorescent Protein in Vertebrate Discovered in Eel: New Human Liver Test Imminent

An endangered eel could save human lives--at least according to a team of scientists. They've discovered that the creature harbors a fluorescent protein that could be used as the basis for a revolutionary new clinical test for bilirubin, a critical indicator of human liver function, hemolysis and ja...

Jun 14, 2013 11:17 AM EDT

Tongue Tug-of-War: Taste Buds Battle to Decide if Salty Foods are Yummy

Some things that taste good to us, like salt and sugar, can cross the line to "bad" when too much is used. Yet scientists have been unsure how our brains can tell when saltiness crosses the line from yummy to yucky. Now, they've discovered that our taste buds may undergo a "tug-of-war" between what ...

Jun 14, 2013 10:24 AM EDT

Birdsong Phone Apps May Harm Birds: Nature Reserve Acts to Protect Species

One nature reserve has told visitors to stop using birdsong phone apps to attract certain species since they may harmful to the creatures, disrupting their usual activities.

Jun 14, 2013 09:39 AM EDT

Scientists Discover How Tiny, Transparent Spiny Lobsters Travel in Caribbean Waters

Scientists are learning a little bit more about the Caribbean spiny lobster after studying how its tiny, transparent young travel far and wide in the ocean.

Jun 14, 2013 08:30 AM EDT

Tiny Alien World Challenges Planet Formation Theories by Orbiting Distantly from its Star

We're learning a little bit more about alien worlds and how they're created. Scientists have discovered evidence that a tiny extrasolar planet may be forming quite far from its star--about the twice the distance Pluto is from our Sun. The new findings could reveal a little bit more about planets in ...

Jun 14, 2013 07:41 AM EDT

Scientists Solve Mystery Behind Diving Marine Mammals: How Whales Hold Their Breath

While we can only hold our breath for mere minutes while actively swimming, diving mammals, such as the sperm whale, can survive far longer underwater. Now, scientists have solved the mystery behind this amazing adaptation in marine mammals and have learned how they hold their breath for so long.

Jun 13, 2013 03:14 PM EDT

Scientists Solve Genetic Mystery of Medieval Leprosy: Sudden Drop Explained

In Medieval Europe, leprosy was a common disease. Yet its incidence dropped drastically at the end of the Middle Ages. So why did people stop contracting leprosy? Researchers may now have the answer.

Jun 13, 2013 02:33 PM EDT

New Technique Reveals Clearer Picture of the Origins of our Universe

There may be a new technique that will give astronomers a clearer picture of our universe. Researchers have developed a method that can be used in the next generation of radio telescopes in order to help make new findings about stars, exoplanets and space.