Bill Hewlett famously said, "You cannot manage what you cannot measure."  In our efforts to understand and manage our environment, one thing we lack are "baseline stations" -- places where the…

News delivery and consumption has rapidly changed in the digital era.  Sites like Science 2.0 were once dismissed by corporate-controlled media, but now the BBC, The New Yorker and Forbes use…

As of June 5th, there were 24 confirmed casesof dengue fever and 18 cases of chikungunya according to health officials, in the state of Florida. So what are these diseases? Dengue is a  flu-like…

A misconception arises when we ask people about the role that gravity plays in space.  If you watch movies set in space — or for that matter, read statements from NASA —you will be led to think…

Researchers have discovered how a protein molecule in immune cells promotes the production of nitric oxide, a potent weapon in the cells' arsenal to defend the body from bacterial attack. The protein…

Did you know that when you drink water, you are not really being vegetarian? I didn't either. It turns out that when you drink water, it could have microbes and other small stuff - well, I knew that…

Computed tomography scans are the standard of care for diagnosing heart and lung conditions but there is worry more CT scans could mean a higher lifetime risk of cancer from radiation exposure. A…

In the past years, invisibility cloaks using metamaterials have developed for various senses. At certain wavelengths, objects can be hidden from light, for example, and even heat or sound. But touch…

Every time you see a model or actress on a magazine cover with an article bragging about how she lost her 'baby weight' a month after delivery, you should know it's probably not because she works…

In May, NASA's Swift satellite imaged comet Siding Spring, which is going to play a bit of a game of chicken with  Mars later this year.  "Fresh" comets like Siding Spring, which is…