Science

MIT researchers have devised a technique that could make carbon fiber hundreds of times stronger than steel, at only a fraction of the weight.

The powerful twister that hit Moore was a result of the right atmospheric conditions, as well as bad luck: It was the third time since 1999 that the town has been struck by a powerful tornado.The city of Moore, Okla., was struck by a devastating tornado Monday because all the familiar ingredients were in place to spawn such a massive storm.

Utilitarian judgment may arise not simply from enhanced cognitive control but also from diminished emotional processing and reduced empathy, according to a report by Liane Young, assistant professor of psychology at Boston College in Massachusetts and Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht of the Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Favaloro University in Argentina.

Declines in the biodiversity of pollinating insects and wild plants have slowed in recent years, according to a new study. Researchers led by the University of Leeds and the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in the Netherlands found evidence of dramatic reductions in the diversity of species in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands between the 1950s and 1980s.

A "stocktake" of UK nature suggests 60% of animal and plant species have declined in the past 50 years - and one in 10 could end up disappearing.

Translocation – or moving animals to safer places – is a vital tool for saving species from extinction. Many factors influence the success of these new populations, including habitat quality, predators, capture and release techniques, the number and sex of individuals, and their genetic diversity. Now new research, the first of its kind suggests bird song could also be important.

Fifty five beaches in England meet tough new EU standards on water quality to achieve Blue Flag awards.

Wired reports on a cluster of mini-satellites that will soon be launched into orbit that will assist U.S. special forces personnel during manhunts. "SOCOM is putting eight miniature communications satellites, each about the size of a water jug, on top of the Minotaur rocket that's getting ready to launch from Wallops Island, Virginia. They’ll sit more than 300 miles above the earth and provide a new way for the beacons to call back to their masters." When special forces are able to tag their target, the target can be tracked and located through the use of satellites and cell towers, but coverage is poor in many areas of the world. The satellites going up in September will help to fill in some gaps. "This array of configurable 'cubesats' is designed to stay aloft for three years or more. Yes, it will serve as further research project. But 'operators are going to use it,' Richardson promised an industry conference in Tampa last week." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Enter the 3-D printer: your all-in-one solution to habitat-building, gun-making and now space pizza preparation! Continue reading ?

We no longer have to wonder what self-awareness looks like, says neuroscientist Daniel Bor – now we can see for ourselves