Researchers using a new chemical process have converted the cellulose in sawdust into hydrocarbon chains, building blocks for gasoline.  Cellulose is the main substance in plant matter and is…

Epidemiologists have linked El Niño, a recurring pattern where every 2-7 years warm waters in the Equatorial Pacific change the weather, to short stature, also known as stunting,  which is…

Worry only if you have something to hide. Finchen By Andrew Smith, The Open University The computer-security firm Symantec says it may have found some of the most sophisticated malicious software…

A week ago I offered readers of this blog to review a paper I had just written, as its publication process did not include any form of screening (as opposed to what is customary for articles in…

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on earth. They inhabit nearly all terrestrial habitats. One of the factors underlying this success is the ability of insect eggs to survive in adverse…

Jacob and Wilhelm were Grimm. Wikimedia Commons By Marguerite Johnson, University of Newcastle Fairy tales have a tumultuous and fragile history. They originated as tales told by “folk”. They were…

Honeybees pollinate a third of Australia's food crops. Losing them due to varroa might would cost the economy billions of dollars. David McClenaghan, Author provided By Gary Fitt, CSIRO A nationwide…

On Nov. 22, 2014 from 5:29 to 6:04 p.m. EST., the moon partially obscured the view of the sun from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), orbiting more than 22,000 miles above our planet's surface…

Take a spot that only gets 6 to 8 inches of rain per year, with erosion causing such blinding dust that there is zero visibility, and build a wheat farm. Wait, why would you do that? Washington State…

There has been concern about a lessening of social engagement, mostly created by older people who see young people behaving differently than they did (and do). Last decade it was noted that young…