22/10/2012

A whale with a distinctly human-like voice

For the first time, researchers have been able to show by acoustic analysis that whales—or at least one very special white whale—can imitate the voices of humans. That's a surprise, because whales typically produce sounds ...

Italy scientists sentenced to jail in quake trial (Update 2)

Six Italian scientists and a government official were sentenced to six years in jail on Monday for multiple manslaughter in a watershed ruling that found them guilty of underestimating the risks of a killer earthquake in ...

Venus caught transiting the Sun

The very rare astronomical event of Venus, the nearest planet to Earth, passing in front of the solar disk on June 5th and 6th, 2012, was captured by an international team headed by Jay Pasachoff (Williams College and Caltech) ...

Split-personality elliptical galaxy holds a hidden spiral

(Phys.org)—Most big galaxies fit into one of two camps: pinwheel-shaped spiral galaxies and blobby elliptical galaxies. Spirals like the Milky Way are hip and happening places, with plenty of gas and dust to birth new stars. ...

Kittens: Their microbiomes are what they eat

For animals as well as people, diet affects what grows in the gut. The gut microbial colonies, also known as the gut microbiome, begin to form at birth. Their composition affects how the immune system develops and is linked ...

Leisure boats threaten the Swedish West Coast archipelago

The number of leisure boats along the Swedish West Coast has risen dramatically over the last 20 years, resulting in a risk that the inner archipelago might be destroyed. These are the findings of new research from the University ...

Want the shortest path to the good life? Try cynicism

(Phys.org)—Research by a University of Cincinnati classics professor sheds new light on the philosophy of the ancient Cynics. They actually held values they viewed as a shortcut to happiness.

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