Gondwana was a ‘supercontinent’ that existed between 500 and 180 million years ago. Dr Eagles, working with Dr Matthais König from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany, has devised a new computer model showing that the supercontinent cracked into two pieces, too heavy to hold itself together. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

A much-discussed idea to offset global warming by injecting sulfate particles into the stratosphere would have a drastic impact on Earth's protective ozone layer, new research concludes. The study, led by Simone Tilmes, warns that such an approach might delay the recovery of the Antarctic ozone hole by decades and cause significant ozone loss over the Arctic. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

A team of Genographic researchers have published the most extensive survey to date of African mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Analyses of the extensive data presented in this study provide surprising insights into the early demographic history of human populations before they moved out of Africa, illustrating that these early human populations were small and isolated from each other for many tens of th... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

A vanished glacier with a mysterious calling card suggests Mars went through many ice ages in its very recent past. A fresh look at images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter indicates thick glaciers may have existed in the past 100 million years in the planet's equatorial region, but vanished after planetary wobbles changed the climate in certain areas. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

An Israeli medical team has started tests using the drug ecstasy as a treatment for conflict-linked post-traumatic disorders, according to reports in the Maariv daily. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

There's a growing buzz in the astrobiology community that ancient hydrothermal springs may have been spotted on Mars. Thanks to the eagle-eyed work of Carlton Allen and Dorothy Oehler of NASA's Johnson Space Center, "spring-like" mounds have been found in Vernal Crater in Arabia Terra on the red planet. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

Menstrual blood can be used to repair heart damage, Japanese researchers said today. Scientists obtained menstrual blood from nine women and cultivated it for about a month, focusing on a kind of cell that can act like stem cells. Some 20 per cent of the cells began beating spontaneously about three days after being put together in vitro with cells from the hearts of rats. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

Bird of prey found dead along road had claw sticking through its chest. picked by arsphidius 6 months ago

Pollution is stifling the fragrance of plants and preventing bees from pollinating them – endangering one of the most essential cycles of nature. picked by deEPCHill 6 months ago

Women can influence the gender of their child with what they eat before they conceive, according to new research that lends scientific support to age-old superstitions about pregnancy. picked by super 6 months ago

Most scientists involved in Aids research believe that a vaccine against HIV is further away than ever and some have admitted that effective immunisation against the virus may never be possible. picked by 2manyusernames 6 months ago

Low Income? Uninsured? Looking for a way to save on your prescription medication costs? Since September 2006 Wal-Mart has been trying to capture patients just like you with their $4 Generic Prescription Program. With such a low price, it's no wonder that Wal-Mart has been able to increase their reach in that specific market, but the program isn't as beneficial as it would seem. picked by negativeopt 6 months ago

Obesity is 2-3 times more prevalent in USA than in France. Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer in the US, but not in France. Why? picked by karenben 6 months ago

Black holes don't just consume everything nearby - occasionally they fire out huge corkscrews of gas. Now the first look down the barrel of one of these jets has uncovered its origins. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

"A jet of molten metal, hurled through space at several hundred kilometres per second by the most powerful electro-magnets ever built." picked by Bornbad 6 months ago

Scientists investigating the reasons why early humans -- the so-called hominins -- began walking upright say it's unlikely that the need to carry children was a factor, as has previously been suggested. picked by mutil8or 6 months ago

A zebra made its way up to the 3rd floor of a building at Emory University. Not sure if it was looking for its textbooks.

Will be wearing prison stripes shortly. picked by suebe 6 months ago

Parthenogenesis or reproduction without males (all children are female clones of their mothers) generally is not a long-term solution for species. Problems seep into the DNA and they are unable to be fixed via mutations. One species of fish seems to have found a "trick" to allow them to thrive for 70,000, reproducing asexually. picked by deepcleanfun 6 months ago

How will life on Earth end? The answer, of course, is unknown, but two new studies suggest a collision with Mercury or Mars could doom life long before the Sun swells into a red giant and bakes the planet to a crisp in about 5 billion years. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

A new prosthetic hand uses individually movable fingers to hold a credit card, use a keyboard and lift a heavy bag. Researchers bill it as the world's first commercially available prosthetic hand that can move each finger separately. The i-LIMB, made by the Scottish company Touch Bionics, is being tested at the Orthopedic University Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

Researchers seeking new and more abundant sources of stem cells for use in regenerative medicine have identified a potentially unlimited, noncontroversial, easily collectable, and inexpensive source – menstrual blood. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

A grizzly bear that appeared in a recent Will Ferrell movie killed a trainer with a bite to his neck and had to be subdued with pepper spray. picked by arsphidius 6 months ago

Sunspot activity has not resumed up after hitting an 11-year low in March last year, raising fears that - far from warming - the globe is about to return to an Ice Age. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

(Warning: serious lack of pics) picked by cb__ 6 months ago

The lotus flower is nature’s “slip n’ slide,” where water beads skate along each petal’s surface like liquid metal. Now, chemists reveal the ying to the lotus’ frictionless yang: rose petals. Chemists have found the physical basis for the rose’s ability to grip water droplets in place, even when the flower is upside down. This newly described “petal ... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago