When you remove a rubber band from your newspaper or fix a tire on your bicycle, you may understandably believe that rubber is a one-size-fits-all sort of substance. Now that you are in a business that uses o-rings and other materials made from rubber, you realize that this amazing and versatile material is available in […]
Tag: Science News
Scientists Focus On Bats For Clues To Prevent Next Pandemic
RIO DE JANEIRO — Night began to fall in Rio de Janeiro’s Pedra Branca state park as four Brazilian scientists switched on their flashlights to traipse along a narrow trail of mud through dense rainforest. The researchers were on a mission: capture bats and help prevent the next global pandemic. A few meters ahead, nearly […]
Nature Conservancy Publishes Maps of The Caribbean’s Coral Reefs
ARLINGTON, Virginia — The Nature Conservancy (TNC) published detailed maps of important shallow underwater habitats throughout the entire Caribbean — including all shallow water coral reefs. For the first time ever, countries and territories now have a clear picture of the habitats found beneath the waves of the Caribbean. TNC said these maps will “help guide the sustainable use […]
Huge Puerto Rico Radio Telescope, Already Damaged, Collapses
ARECIBO, Puerto Rico — A huge, already damaged radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has played a key role in astronomical discoveries for more than half a century completely collapsed on Tuesday. The telescope’s 900-ton receiver platform and the Gregorian dome — a structure as tall as a four-story building that houses secondary reflectors — […]
NOAA Scientists Discover New Species Of Translucent Jellyfish Near Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN — Scientists have discovered a new species of ctenophore, or comb jelly, near Puerto Rico. The newly named Duobrachium sparksae was discovered two and a half miles below sea level by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries research team. It was found during an underwater expedition using a remotely operated vehicle in […]
How Did Mammals Get To The Caribbean Islands?
GUSTAVIA — The islands of the Caribbean — comprising the Greater Antilles, Bahamas, and Lesser Antilles — feature remarkable biodiversity, with species mainly having originated from South and Central America. These islands are regarded collectively as one of the 25 main biodiversity hot spots on Earth and the third in terms of endemism (a measure […]
Huge Radio Telescope In Puerto Rico To Close In Blow To Science, Search For ET
SAN JUAN — The National Science Foundation announced today that it will close the huge telescope at the renowned Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico in a blow to scientists worldwide who depend on it to search for planets, asteroids and extraterrestrial life. The independent, federally funded agency said it’s too dangerous to keep operating the […]
NASA Flight Crew On SpaceX Rocket Includes 1st Black Astronaut To Live Aboard International Space Station
CAPE CANAVERAL — Four astronauts lifted off Sunday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket bound for the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred right on schedule at 7:27 p.m., despite concerns about weather earlier in the day. NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi reached orbit […]
Female Mongooses Pick Fights With The Neighbors In Order To Mate With Rival Males, Avoid Inbreeding
WASHINGTON — When families of banded mongooses prepare to fight, they form battle lines. Each clan of about 20 animals stands nose to nose, their ears flattened back, as they stare down the enemy. A patch of scrubby savannah separates them, until the first animals run forward. “Then they bunch up into writhing balls, chaotic […]
DIRTY BUSINESS: Scientists Say Sediment Kicked Up By Container Ships, Tourists, Fishing Boats Kills Sea Life
KINGSTON — Sediments in water are finely-grained particles which are traditionally generated as a by-product of natural weathering and soil erosion, but are increasingly the result of human activities, such as container ships, tourists and fishing trawlers. When they accumulate in large enough quantities, sediments can often threaten the sustainability and survival of marine life […]