EARTH
Could the Recent California Earthquakes Set Off the San Andreas Fault?
It is theoretically possible, though there is no known connection between the fault systems
Stories by Tia Ghose
Engineering
DARPA Contest Aims to Take People Underground
Challenges include navigating tunnel network, subterranean transit system and natural caves
Natural Disasters
Why the Earthquake in Italy Was So Destructive
A complex underground collision ripped apart Earth's crust, killing more than 100 people
Culture
Ötzi the Iceman’s Wild Wardrobe Revealed
DNA reveals Ötzi's leather overcoat was made of a grab bag of at least four different individual animals
Computing
Robots Could Hack Turing Test by Keeping Silent
While it's not news that the Turing test has flaws, the new study highlights just how limited the test is for answering deeper questions about artificial intelligence, study co-author says...
Space & Physics
The Kilogram May Be Redefined
The egg-size platinum alloy standard kilo in Paris could be replaced by a calculation
Biology
Human Brain's Bizarre Folding Pattern Re-Created in a Vat
Scientists have discovered exactly how the human brain gets its crinkly, wrinkly appearance in utero
The Sciences
What 2016 Holds for the Mysterious World of Physics
Here are some of the things physicists are most excited for in the coming year
Environment
5 Facts to Know about the California Methane Leak
It could be months before the gas leak that has forced thousands from their homes in southern California is stopped
The Sciences
Incan Child Sacrificed to the Gods Reveals History of American Expansion
The remains of an Incan boy, about 6 or 7 years old and sacrificed to the gods more than 500 years ago, belonged to a previously unknown offshoot of an ancient Native American lineage, new research finds...
Technology
Real-Life "Tractor Beam" Can Levitate Objects Using Sound Waves
The device relies on a precisely timed sequence of sound waves that create a region of low pressure that traps tiny objects, which can then be manipulated solely by sound waves
Environment
Strong El Niño to Usher in Lots of Winter Rain
This winter is likely to be wetter and warmer than average, thanks to a strong El Niño brewing in the Pacific Ocean
Environment
Rising Sea Levels More Dangerous Than Thought
Consequences of global sea level rise could be even scarier than the worst-case scenarios predicted by the dominant climate models
The Sciences
Magnetic Wormhole Created in Lab
Device acts like a wormhole, as if the magnetic field was transferred through an “extra special dimension”
Health
New York City Outbreak: What Is Legionnaire's Disease?
From its source to its treatment, here are some of the most important things to know about the disease and the current outbreak
Health
Why There's (Still) No Viagra for Women
Even if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves a new drug for boosting women's sexual desire, it is unlikely to work the same magic on a couple's sex life as "the little blue pill"...
Evolution
"Big Brain" Gene Allowed for Evolutionary Expansion of Human Neocortex
The newly identified gene is found in modern-day humans, Neandertals and Denisovans, but not in chimps
Space & Physics
Comet Strike to Blame for Canada's Iconic Sudbury Basin
Scientists confirm that a comet carved out Ontario's Sudbury Basin 1.8 billion years ago, forming the second largest impact crater on Earth
Evolution
Fresh Mammoth Carcass from Siberia Holds Many Secrets
Scientists will examine the mammoth to learn whether it will yield enough undamaged DNA to make cloning the extinct creature a reality
Health
One Fifth of U.K. Kids with Persistent Coughs May Have Pertussis
A booster vaccination may be warranted for adolescents in England to help diminish the spread of this highly contagious respiratory disease...
