ESA’s orbiting X-ray observatory XMM-Newton has been used by a team of international astronomers to uncover part of the missing matter in the universe. 10 years ago, scientists predicted that about half of the missing ‘ordinary’ or normal matter made of atoms exists in the form of low-density gas, filling vast spaces between galaxies. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

Close-up views of the planet's biggest squid. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

For years scientists have tried to build an electronic tongue, a robotic tasting device that could have profound applications in improving food quality and safety. But before machines learn to taste their food, they first need to learn how to chew it. Scientists report the design of an artificial mouth that mimics the first vital steps of human digestion -- chewing, saliva release and the initial ... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

The asteroid presumed to have wiped out the dinosaurs struck the Earth with such force that carbon deep in the Earth's crust liquefied, rocketed skyward, and formed tiny airborne beads that blanketed the planet, say scientists from the U.S., U.K., Italy, and New Zealand in this month's Geology. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

A gene that contributes to obesity has been identified for the first time, promising to explain why some people easily put on weight while others with similar lifestyles stay slim. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

In a distant galaxy, a star orbiting a massive central black hole strays too close to the insatiable giant and is torn apart. But before it can be devoured, the star lets out one last scream in a flare of light that slowly echoes across the galaxy. Astronomers on Earth pick up this faint call and use it to map the nucleus of the galaxy from which it emanated. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

Paleontologists have long been perplexed by dinosaur fossils with missing pieces – sets of teeth without a jaw bone, bones that are pitted and grooved, even bones that are half gone. Now a Brigham Young University study identifies a culprit: ancient insects that munched on dinosaur bones. picked by mutil8or 1 week ago

The mere act of folding your arms increases perseverance and activates an unconscious desire to succeed, new research shows. picked by maxriter 1 week ago

4 incredibly bacteria-laden things in your house. picked by karenben 1 week ago

Stunning images were obtained by ESO staff at Paranal, of the green and blue flashes, as well as of the so-called 'Gegenschein'. The Earth's atmosphere is a gigantic prism that disperses sunlight. In the most ideal atmospheric conditions, such as those found regularly above Cerro Paranal, this will lead to the appearance of so-called green and blue flashes at sunset. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

Substituting chicken, fish or vegetables for red meat can help combat climate change, a new study suggests.

In fact, putting these foods on the dinner table does more to reduce carbon emissions than eating locally grown food. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

Tropical insects rather than polar bears could be among the first species to become extinct as a result of global warming, a study has found. picked by AutumnLotus 1 week ago

Not entirely unsurprisingly, it turns out that the story of the man who regrew his finger using pixie dust was hogwash. picked by pocksucket 1 week ago

Boobs make children cleverer.

Funny that, they make grown men dumber. picked by pocksucket 1 week ago

More and more pets are being dumped for frivolous reasons, including a cat given away because she didn't match the new carpet, and a dog who was unwanted because "she hurts my legs when she wags her tail" picked by ceflory 1 week ago

After being rescued from New Orleans during Katrina, Molly was attacked by a dog who destroyed one of her front legs.
Instead of being put down Molly was given a new leg! picked by Marz 2 weeks ago

Beginning this crop season, farmers will be able to receive text messages on their cell phones from their plants saying whether they are thirsty or not. picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

A new study reveals solar flares cause seismic waves to ripple across the sun's surface. The findings will help scientists study other stars. picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

Munir Humayun co-authored a paper, "Partitioning of Palladium at High Pressures and Temperatures During Core Formation," that was recently published in the journal Nature Geoscience. The paper provides a direct challenge to the theory which suggests that all of our water, as well as several so-called "iron-loving" elements, were added to the Earth late in its formation by impac... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

Happy tourists visiting the wildlife park in Japan might have thought they were treating the monkeys.

But they have left many of them so overweight they can hardly get around. picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

She has been named Beauty, though this eagle is anything but. Part of Beauty's beak was shot off several years ago, leaving her with a stump that is useless for hunting food. A team of volunteers is working to attach an artificial beak to the disfigured bird, in an effort to keep her alive. picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

At the request of the Swiss government, an ethics panel has weighed in on the "dignity of plants" and opined that the arbitrary killing of flora is morally wrong. This is no hoax. The concept of what could be called "plant rights" is being seriously debated. picked by doggylives 2 weeks ago

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is sending a spacecraft closer to the sun than any probe has ever gone – and what it finds could revolutionize what we know about our star and the solar wind that influences everything in our solar system. picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

A team of physicists has detected a few exceptionally massive atoms in a solution prepared from natural minerals, which they say could be element 122, the heaviest element found till now. picked by AutumnLotus 2 weeks ago

While photographing his catch, the fish's last meal started crawling out of its mouth.

Links to photos in article. picked by suebe 2 weeks ago