Science

Cara Santa Maria

How Old Is Life On Earth, And How Do We Know?

HuffingtonPost.com | Cara Santa Maria | Posted 05.24.2012

The Earth is 4.54 billion years old; 3.8 billion years ago, the very first life form came into existence; 225 million years ago, dinosaurs came on the...

TONIGHT: How To See Moon's 'Dark Side'

Posted 05.24.2012

By: Geoff Gaherty Published: 05/23/2012 04:04 PM EDT on SPACE.com Skywatchers, take note: Tonight (May 23) and tomorrow night will offer excellent...

U.S. Spaceport Site Could Fly Passengers To 'Australia In A Couple Of Hours'

Posted 05.23.2012

By: Leonard David Published: 05/23/2012 01:14 PM EDT on SPACE.com Colorado’s mile-high altitude and welcoming attitude could bring a commercial ...

WATCH: Asteroid Comes Oh-So-Close To Satellites

The Huffington Post | Jacqueline Howard | Posted 05.23.2012

Space scientists at NASA have an eye on asteroid 2012 DA14. Why? The 45-meter-wide space rock is expected to come extremely close to Earth next year--...

The Natural Selection Of The Immortal Soul: A Thought Experiment (VI)

Evan Eisenberg | Posted 05.22.2012

Evan Eisenberg

Following Darwinian logic, we end up in some unexpected places. Of course, to get there we must accept the premise that the human mind might be capable of existing independently of the neuronal activity on which it usually depends.

Coyote-Sized Dino May Be Missing Ancestor In Utah Raptor Family

The Huffington Post | Jacqueline Howard | Posted 05.22.2012

Those swift and scary raptor dinosaurs that took a turn in the 1993 sci-fi movie Jurassic Park seem to have their real-world roots in the American Sou...

Make the Perfect Presentation: 5 Lessons From Steve Jobs's Innovative Use of Imagery

Danny Groner | Posted 05.21.2012

Danny Groner

Here are five ways that Jobs changed the way we think about presentations, and how you can improve yours by following Jobs's lead.

Saving Social Science

Paul Stoller | Posted 05.21.2012

Paul Stoller

STEM is important in the future of higher education, but so are the social sciences and humanities which teach students how to think critically and to how assess the social and cultural ramifications of rapid technological change.

Why We Create Moral Issues

Art Markman, Ph.D. | Posted 05.21.2012

Art Markman, Ph.D.

The concept of fairness is a moral value. Why are discussions of issues like gay marriage turned into moral issues? According to a new study, the psychological value of creating a moral issue is that it gives people a legitimate reason to have an opinion on an issue.

Humility and Hubris in Science and Technology

Terry Newell | Posted 05.21.2012

Terry Newell

In April, researchers discovered that the dysbindin-1 gene may be linked to general cognitive ability. This was reported in scientific journals but its potential impacts were not seriously discussed.

'Glorious Nation' Where Apples Originated

| Sam Kean | Posted 05.19.2012

Nearly every child has bitten into a crabapple (left) at some point and spit it back out--yuck! But a new study in PLoS Genetics shows that modern s...

WATCH: SpaceX Stalls Historic Mission In Last Second

AP | MARCIA DUNN | Posted 05.19.2012

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A new private supply ship for the International Space Station remained stuck on the ground Saturday after rocket engine t...

STEM Education = Scientific Success

Elizabeth Marincola | Posted 05.18.2012

Elizabeth Marincola

Yesterday I watched as the world's top young high school scientists, researchers and innovators took home more than $3 million in awards. Each of these competing students are a force for profound good.

Can a Chimp Outwit a Scientist?

David Edmund Moody | Posted 05.18.2012

David Edmund Moody

Scientists are mistrustful of anthropomorphism, the tendency to attribute human qualities to animals and other non-human entities. But what about the equal danger of the insistence that certain abilities are unique to humans?

Putting Irish Science on the (Google) Map

John Lee | Posted 05.18.2012

John Lee

It's a digital, interactive, online, tricked-out Google map called The Atlas of Ingenious Ireland. Dedicated to "Putting Irish Science on the Map," it locates and annotates key science, tech and natural history landmarks.

Will the Future Be As Bright As You Think?

Tom Huston | Posted 05.22.2012

Tom Huston

Are you a pessimist or an optimist? When you've eaten all the whipped cream and upper midsection of your Venti Soy Mocha Frappuccino, is that cup half empty or is it half full of stuff you probably shouldn't be drinking at the start of your day?

The "Best Hope" for AIDS Vaccine Advocacy

Mitchell Warren | Posted 05.17.2012

Mitchell Warren

If the world acts with strategy and speed to implement the proven and emerging options, the epidemic should be on a measurable downward trajectory over the next five to ten years. Why, then, do we still need an AIDS vaccine? Because we want to end the epidemic.

How Reliable Is 'Gaydar?' New Study Yields Surprises

Posted 05.17.2012

By: Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer Published: 05/16/2012 02:19 PM EDT on LiveScience People can judge with surprising accuracy whether...

Scary Asteroid Survey Spotlights 'Impact Hazard ' Of Space Rocks

The Huffington Post | Jacqueline Howard | Posted 05.17.2012

Know that space rock that wreaked havoc on the world in the 1998 action movie Armageddon? Well, that might have been fiction--but a new NASA study ide...

Sea Turtle Conservation Boosted by New Research

Laura DiMugno | Posted 05.16.2012

Laura DiMugno

Scientists have uncovered new details about sea turtle migrations in what could potentially be a breakthrough in the conservation of these endangered animals.

Creativity, Persistence and Working Memory

Art Markman, Ph.D. | Posted 05.16.2012

Art Markman, Ph.D.

Working memory capacity is the amount of information that people can hold in mind at once. All of us have a relatively limited amount of information we can think about at any one time, but there are differences between people in the size of working memory.

Slow and Steady Will Not Win the Race

Linda Rosen | Posted 05.16.2012

Linda Rosen

We should not deny the progress we've made thus far. But business leaders learned long ago that slow and steady will not win the race.

Strange Fossil Reveals Plight Of Prehistoric 'Sea Monster'

Posted 05.16.2012

By: Charles Choi, LiveScience Contributor Published: 05/15/2012 06:09 PM EDT on LiveScience Ancient creatures resembling stout-necked Loch Ness ...

ECLIPSE SAFETY ALERT: Protecting Your Eyes While Viewing 'Ring Of Fire'

The Huffington Post | Jacqueline Howard | Posted 05.18.2012

For those in the right place at the right time, Sunday's solar eclipse will appear as a stunning "ring of fire." The ring will appear in the sky as th...

Will Harry Potter-Style 'Invisibility Cloak' Make Real-World Appearance?

Posted 05.16.2012

By: Adam Hadhazy, Life's Little Mysteries Contributor Published: 05/15/2012 01:08 PM EDT on Lifes Little Mysteries In this weekly series, Life's ...