Saturday, September 4
Boulder, Colo., named brainiest U.S. city
NEW YORK, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Boulder, Colo., tops the list of America's brainiest cities; followed by Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.; Washington; Boston and Trenton, N.J., an analysis found.
Summit: Pain treatment as a human right
MONTREAL, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Eighty percent of people with chronic pain do not get relief and there are those want pain treatment to be a human right, an Australian pain expert says.
EMS safety perceptions vary widely
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Safety perceptions among U.S. and Canadian emergency medical services agencies vary widely, researchers found.
Guidelines for insomnia, sleep disorders
LONDON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- The British Association for Psychopharmacology has created guidelines to help psychiatrists and physicians treat those with sleep problems, researchers say.
Hair proves stress, heart attack linked
LONDON, Ontario, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Human hair shows chronic stresses -- including job, marital and financial -- play an important role in heart attacks, researchers in Canada say.
Friday, September 3
Lower surgery risk for Crohn's disease
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The risk of bowel surgery for Crohn's disease in children is lower than previously reported, a U.S. physician says.
Study: Inner-city violence adds to asthma
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Those exposed to violence in the inner city are more likely to need asthma treatment, U.S. researchers said.
Medical pot a dilemma for nurses, staff
BRIGHTON, England, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Any drug use, including medical marijuana, should be put into patients' medical records but British researchers say there is a lot of reluctance to do so.
New technique could help ozone layer
NORWICH, England, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A new way to measure atmospheric gases could track down sources of CFCs thought to be slowing the recovery of Earth's ozone layer, European researchers say.
Intact Roman lantern discovered in Britain
IPSWICH, England, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A British man using a metal detector has found what is thought to be the only intact Roman bass lantern ever found in Britain, authorities say.
Osteoporosis drug linked to cancer
OXFORD, England, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Long-term use of oral bisphosphonates -- used to prevent bone loss -- may double the risk of developing esophageal cancer, researchers in Britain say.
Mars life may have been missed years ago
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- New analysis of data sent from Mars 34 years ago showing there was no organic material on the planet suggests maybe there was after all, U.S. scientists say.
Chemical basis for first life theorized
ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The start of life on Earth presents a paradox, scientists say: How did amino acids arise before there were biological catalysts needed to build them?
Path of giant iceberg tracked from space
PARIS, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Scientists say a European satellite has been tracking an iceberg, the largest in the Northern Hemisphere, that cracked from the Greenland ice sheet Aug. 4.
Farmland comes at expense of forests
PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- More than 80 percent of the new farmland created in the tropics since 1980 has come from felling forests, which drives global warming, researchers say.
Widow gored by bull
NORTHHAMPTON, England, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- An elderly churchwarden was killed when a bull she was herding on her rural English farm broke loose and knocked her to the ground, a villager said.
Lasers could protect helicopters from harm
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A new laser technology could protect helicopters in combat from heat-seeking missiles, University of Michigan researchers say.
Cambodian vultures defying extinction
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Vultures in Cambodia are increasing in number, making it the only country in Asia with an increasing population of the scavengers, researchers say.
Hepatitis drug passes first trial step
CARDIFF, Wales, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Researchers say they've completed the first trials of a drug to treat infections caused by the Hepatitis C virus that affects 170 million people worldwide.
Toxic bacteria present in Greek lake
ATHENS, Greece, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A type of bacteria that can present a toxic threat exists in the waters of a lake in northern Greece, scientists say.
World's oldest 'drinkable' beer salvaged
HELSINKI, Finland, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Divers have discovered what is being called the world's oldest beer in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea east of Stockholm, researchers say.
Tanker grounded in Northwest Passage
ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- There appears to be no danger of spilled oil from a Canadian tanker grounded on a sandbar in the Northwest Passage, officials say.
Russia expects U.S. to approve arms treaty
MOSCOW, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Russian officials say they expect the United States to ratify a new strategic arms reduction treaty by the end of this year.
NASA plans close encounter with the sun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- NASA has started development of Solar Probe Plus, a mission to study the sun more closely than ever before, with a target launch date of 2018, the agency says.
Woman fears police will use nude pix
ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- An Illinois woman police say is a suspect in a car vandalism case says she fears what officers will do with the nude pictures on her confiscated cellphone.
China covered up cooking oil contamination
BEIJING, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Authorities in China allegedly covered up the discovery of cancer-causing chemicals in cooking oil for five months, an Internet watchdog site said.
Smuggler of 95 snakes pleads guilty
SEPANG, Malaysia, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A man caught at a Malaysian airport with 95 boa constrictors in his luggage pleaded guilty to exporting without a permit, court officials said.
Japan imposes additional Iran sanctions
TOKYO, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Japan's announcement that it has imposed additional sanctions on Iran over its nuclear policies is a welcome action, U.S. officials say.
Source of Legionnaires' outbreak found
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A water-cooling tower was the source of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, a military spokesman said.
Bears killed after home intrusion
COLORADO SPRINGS, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A mother bear and two cubs were killed after they broke into a Colorado Springs home, wildlife officials said.
Thursday, September 2
Sleep lack, mental stress in ages 17-24
SYDNEY, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Researchers in Australia say they have found a link between shorter sleep times and higher risk of mental distress in young adults.
Dementia and PTSD may be linked
HOUSTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder have a greater risk for dementia than veterans, who didn't have PTSD, researchers say.
Asteroid survey gathers mixed bag
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A survey of near-Earth asteroids shows they come in a far wider variety of shapes, sizes and surfaces than previously thought, U.S. researchers say.
MD: No antibiotic for chronic Lyme disease
FARMINGTON, Conn., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A U.S. doctor says he is against using antibiotics long-term or intravenously for chronic Lyme disease.
It's 'lights out' in N.Y. -- for the birds
NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- An increasing number of New York skyscrapers are turning their lights off at night -- not to save energy but to save birds' lives, officials say.
Nanostructure stores gas -- and is edible
EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they've discovered a class of nanostructures that could be used for gas storage and food or medical technologies -- oh, and they're edible.
Diabetes drug may have cancer uses
HOUSTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- An ancient herbal remedy whose active ingredient is the main constituent of a modern diabetes drug may help combat cancer, two U.S. studies show.
Computers predicted Gulf oil movement
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Scientists in California say they were successful in predicting the spread of oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill and when and where it would wash ashore.
Tiniest creatures defend trees
GAINSVILLE, Fla., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Researchers say one of Africa's smallest creatures -- the ant -- is up to the job of protecting trees from one of the continent's largest animals -- elephants.
Poland supports lifting visa restrictions
WARSAW, Poland, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Poland will support a plan to scrap the visa requirement for travel between Russia and the European Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
Vancouver bans smoking in public outdoors
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A new smoking law in Vancouver, Canada, bans lighting up in 244 parks and various other outdoor public places, but not everyone is complying.
Evidence of ancient antibiotic use found
ATLANTA, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The making of antibiotics, officially dated to 1928 and the discovery of penicillin, was common practice more than 1,400 years ago, U.S. researchers say.
Myster of star's cloud of water solved
PARIS, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A distant dying star surrounded by water is using an unexpected ingredient -- ultraviolet starlight -- to create it, European scientists say.
Scientists study Earthly 'flip-flop'
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Scientists studying rocks in Nevada say they've found evidence that Earth's magnetic field can reverse or "flip-flop" more rapidly than previously believed.
Gulf platform fire out
HOUMA, La., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A fire aboard a Gulf of Mexico oil platform Thursday has been extinguished and no oil spilled as a result, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
'Ice' technique could keeps eggs safe
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- With millions of eggs recalled in the United States for possible salmonella contamination, a way to create ice within shells shows promise, researchers say.
Rev. plans cellphone blessing
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A Canadian Anglican reverend is asking parishioners to bring in their cellphones and other technological gadgets to receive a special blessing.
'Sleepwalking' rapist gets 2 years
HAPARANDA, Sweden, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A 35-year-old man was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail for raping a sleeping woman at a party, despite claims he was sleepwalking.
Researchers seek 'humor' from computers
EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- An Illinois researcher says his team's controversial government-funded "machine-generated humor" project is a serious attempt to model "human cognitive skills."
Fla. man detained for cutting dead whale
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A man was detained and questioned in Florida after he was observed mutilating a dead whale on a beach, conservation officials said.
School performance linked to gene variants
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Academic performance in adolescents will suffer if their DNA contains one or more of specific dopamine gene variations, a U.S. study says.
Pandas still at risk despite 'baby boom'
BEIJING, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Despite a panda "baby boom" in China zoos, giant pandas remain an endangered species, researchers say.
FDA urged to pull diet drug from shelves
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is being urged to take a diet drug off the market because it allegedly raises the risk of heart attack, officials said.
Zoo apologizes for snake escape
ATLANTA, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Zoo has apologized to a couple who killed an escaped tiger rattlesnake on their porch after finding it 4 feet from their toddler son.
Gulf crews set to lift blowout preventer
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Engineers said they hoped to have the blowout preventer that malfunctioned in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill hoisted to a recovery ship by Sunday.
Heart attacks rise among Italian women
BRINDISI, Italy, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The heart attack rate among young women rose in Italy by almost 30 percent from 2001 and 2005, researchers say.
Wednesday, September 1
Explosives to be used to kill whale
ALBANY, Australia, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Australian authorities said they expected to use explosive charges to euthanize a beached whale off the south coast of Australia.
Selenium may decrease bladder cancer risk
MADRID, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A meta-analysis by researchers in Spain indicates selenium may help decrease bladder cancer risk.
Smallpox-related disease thriving
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Elimination of the smallpox vaccine in 1980 because the disease had ended has allowed a related virus -- human monkeypox -- to thrive, U.S. researchers say.
Veggie variety may lessen lung risk
UTRECHT, Netherlands, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Quitting smoking is the best way to prevent lung cancer but eating a variety of vegetables may help decrease lung cancer risk, Dutch researchers say.
HIV test a routine part of NYC healthcare
NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- New York residents should expect to be routinely offered a voluntary HIV test when receiving healthcare, health officials say.
More CO2 means more poison ivy
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may threaten climate change and be bad news for humans but poison ivy likes it, U.S. researchers say.
Men who don't sleep may die sooner
HERSHEY, Pa., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Men who complain of chronic insomnia and who sleep less than 6 hours a night have an increased risk of dying, U.S. researchers say.
Geothermal power gaining attention
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The heat in the upper six miles of Earth's crust contains many times the energy found in all the world's oil and gas reserves combined, experts say.
Italian electric car to go on sale in U.K.
LONDON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A British retailer of electric vehicles says it will start selling an Italian-made two-seat electric car in its showrooms this month.
More sleep leads to more teen weight loss
BOSTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A U.S. doctor suggests teens wishing to lose weight consider getting enough sleep -- 8 hours or more a night.
Bacteria could make self-healing concrete
DELFT, Netherlands, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Concrete might heal its own hairline fractures -- as living bone does -- if bacteria are added to the wet concrete during mixing, European researchers say.
Micro-plane can do autonomous surveys
PARIS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- An inexpensive unmanned aircraft system developed with the European Space Agency can provide quick monitoring of land areas or disaster zones, researchers say.
Snail mail beats telephones in home survey
DALLAS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A letter with a stamp -- old fashioned "snail mail" -- may help officials struggling to stop overfishing of U.S. coastal waters, researchers say.
China corners world 'rare earth' supply
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- China's monopoly on elements used in computer disc drives, electric cars, military weapons and other key products could mean a crisis for the West, experts say.
Deicing of roads making city streams toxic
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Using salt to deice city pavements can make city streams toxic to aquatic life, a government study of winter runoff in northern U.S. cities says.
New genetic map will help in disease hunt
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A new map of human genetic variations will help researchers in studies aimed at finding genetic variants associated with complex diseases, U.S. scientists say.
NASA says new satellite ready for service
GREENBELT, Md., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- NASA and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say their newest weather and solar satellite has completed testing and is entering service.
What to do to start the school year right
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Before children start school, a U.S. doctor says they should get an eye exam, a dental cleaning and get the recommended immunizations.
Scientists create 'smarter' materials
WATERLOO, Ontario, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- New "smart materials" could revolutionize the manufacture of diverse products ranging from medical devices to automotive components, Canadian researchers say.
NASA spots ninth system of busy storm year
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- NASA says its Aqua satellite has captured the birth of the ninth tropical depression of a busy Atlantic storm year, trailing east of Tropical Storm Fiona.
BP, La. companies in pay dispute
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Several Louisiana companies supporting the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response say they've not been paid by BP and threaten to stop work until they are.
Virginia restoring crashed state computers
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A Virginia state government computer system remained crashed for an eighth day Wednesday, state IT officials said.
Some schools ban breast cancer bracelets
CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- School districts in at least five states have banned bracelets meant to raise awareness of and money for breast cancer.
Legionnaires outbreak points to Fla. hotel
MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A faulty water system at a Miami luxury hotel probably caused an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease that killed an English tourist last year, officials said.
Wildfires contained in sourthern France
MARSEILLE, France, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Thousands of acres of forests have been destroyed by wildfires in France that also burned houses and cars, authorities said.
Lawmakers reject plastic bag ban
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The California Grocers Association denounced lawmakers Wednesday for failing to approve a measure banning single-use plastic grocery bags.
Most disadvantaged, African-American men
CHICAGO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The most needy and least helped of the U.S. disadvantaged are most likely to be African-American men, researchers suggest.
Tuesday, August 31
Heart drug may prevent cocaine relapse
ATLANTA, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston completed a Phase I safety trial studying a heart failure drug for treatment of cocaine, researchers say.
Gas mileage could triple with 'evolution'
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Cars could get triple current fuel economy figures by 2035 if U.S. drivers will accept smart technology over pure horsepower, a researcher says.
Study: Marine life at risk in CO2 rise
PLYMOUTH, England, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A "natural laboratory" in the Mediterranean revealing effects of carbon dioxide levels in oceans paints a bleak picture for future marine life, researchers say.
NASA tests prospective launch motor
BRIGHAM CITY, Utah, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- NASA says it has successfully tested the largest and most powerful solid rocket motor that could be used for future U.S. heavy lift launch vehicles.
Giuliani to move trash for shoplifting
NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A judge Tuesday ordered former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's daughter to do community service for her shoplifting attempt earlier this month.
Human impact on a food source unexpected
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Human impact on a shellfish consumed in the Pacific for thousands of years may have caused the species to actually increase in size, U.S. researchers say.
Salt is a four-letter word, expert says
DALLAS, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The average U.S. adult eats about 1.5 teaspoons of salt a day, more than twice the recommended amount, a U.S. professor of clinical nutrition says.
Silicone oil may help treat eye cancer
AURORA, Colo., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Silicone oil applied inside the eye can block up to 55 percent of harmful radiation to prevent blindness in patients with eye cancer, a U.S. researcher says.
Canadian student finds 19 new bee species
TORONTO, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A Canadian doctoral student has identified 19 new species of bees, including one in downtown Toronto close to his research lab, researchers say.
Camera 'traps' track world biodiversity
LONDON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- U.K. scientists have developed a method to monitor rare and endangered species over large landscapes -- and it's as easy as clicking a camera shutter, they say.
AARP warns of 'doughnut hole' check scams
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. seniors in Medicare Part D get their $250 "doughnut hole" checks in the mail, and people who say they can help get the checks are scammers, AARP warns.
Students help end satellite mission
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Colorado students took part in an unusual decommissioning of a satellite, bringing the craft into Earth re-entry to burn up in the atmosphere, scientists say.
Largest neutrino observatory readied
COLLEGE PARK, Md., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- After two decades of planning and construction, the world's largest neutrino observatory, beneath arctic ice, will open in December, scientists say.
Ground features affect bird flight paths
COLUMBIA, Mo., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- "Free as a bird" may not be as free as it sounds, researchers say, as a study suggest what's on the ground greatly affects where birds fly.
Stinkbugs descend on eastern U.S.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Stinkbugs, known for emitting a foul odor when disturbed, are in Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- and may be preparing to settle in for the winter, experts say.
Universal, Disney report ride injuries
ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Roller coasters at two theme parks in Orlando, Fla., reported multiple rider injuries during the second quarter of 2010, reports indicate.
Castro talks about his medical crisis
HAVANA, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro says he "came to be dead" during his health crisis four years ago and hoped "for the world to stop."
Healthcare workers should get flu vaccine
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel is a professional and ethical responsibility, a U.S. group of physicians and infection preventionists says.
New heart-failure treatment employed
HOUSTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A new method to treat heart failure is being tried with a device implanted to electrically stimulate parts of a patient's spinal cord, Texas doctors say.
Quest for more computer memory ongoing
NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say new technologies may bypass barriers to the miniaturization of computer memory, vital to the consumer electronics revolution.
Dress doubles as cellphone
LONDON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A London fashion company said it has developed a dress that doubles as a cellphone using gesture recognition software.
North Korea wants resumption of nuke talks
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The leaders of China and North Korea say they have agreed to seek an early resumption of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program.
Obama ready to ease technology export regs
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The Obama administration is ready to ease rules on exporting sensitive U.S. military products and other technology, administration officials said.
Drilling begins to free trapped miners
SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Crews have begun the task of drilling through more than 2,300 feet of rock to rescue 33 men trapped since Aug. 5 in a Chilean mine, government officials say.
Other butters may replace peanut butter
DALLAS, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Some U.S. schools are banning peanuts and peanut butter from school lunches but a Dallas nutrition expert says other nut butters can be used as substitutes.
Vitamin D aids cystic fibrosis patients
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say vitamin D may help treat and prevent allergic reaction to mold in cystic fibrosis patients.
Smoking may increase depression in teens
TORONTO, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Teens may smoke to "self-medicate" against depression but researchers in Canada say smoking may increase depressive symptoms in some adolescents.
Canadian teens have more freedom
MONTREAL, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Canadian teenagers have more freedom than French or Italian peers and their parents are the most tolerant, researchers in Canada, France and Italy say.
Monday, August 30
Broccoli may curb Crohn's progression
LIVERPOOL, England, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Fibers from broccoli and plantain may help curb development of Crohn's disease, researchers in Britain suggest.
Intel takes new tack in expanding to mobile devices
Aug. 30--With two of the biggest deals in its history -- including one announced Sunday night -- Intel is taking a new tack in trying to get its chips in mobile gadgets.
Supplement may boost athletic endurance
EXETER, England, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A supplement that increases nitric oxide can increase athletic endurance, British researchers have learned.
Groups want whale meat health ban
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Anti-whaling groups say they want the World Health Organization to act on possible health hazards of eating whale meat.
Sad mothers may have small babies
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Researchers in Sweden and Bangladesh have linked depression and anxiety during pregnancy to low birth weight.
Group wants protection for SoCal squirrel
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Environmentalists say they want the San Bernardino flying squirrel, a nocturnal glider native to Southern California mountains, listed as an endangered species.
China boosts, boasts hydroelectric power
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- China, whose latest hydropower station came on line last week, has laid claim to having the world's largest hydropower capacity, authorities said.
Review: EU falling down on environment
BRUSSELS, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The European Union has earned a failing grade on its environmental commitments in almost all areas, recent officials studies say.
Breastfeeding may help prevent diabetes
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A U.S. researcher says mothers who don't breastfeed their children may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, than mothers who do breastfeed.
Gentler method of dolphin study described
BALTIMORE, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have demonstrated a kinder, gentler way of collecting dolphin DNA for scientific study, scientists say.
Dry weather reveals ancient British sites
LONDON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Long-hidden buried archaeological sites in Britain, not visible for more than 30 years, have been spotted by their distinctive "cropmarks," researchers say.
Horseshoe crabs suffer with climate change
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Horseshoe crab population decline is being blamed on climate change and compared to similar declines at the end of the last Ice Age, U.S. scientists say.
Study: Oil sands mining polluting river
CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Oil sands mining in Canada is polluting the Athabasca River with metals known to be toxic at even low concentrations, a team of university researchers says.
Ancient 'relic' coral reef studied
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The remains of an ancient and extensive coral reef in the southern Pacific Ocean, the southernmost of any existing reef, have been discovered, researchers say.
Food fight! Tomatoes thrown for charity
RENO, Nev., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- An estimated 2,500 people pelted each other with ammunition from a pile of 150,000 ripe tomatoes in a food fight for charity, observers in Reno, Nev., said.
Signs of ancient feasting uncovered
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Communal feasting on significant occasions goes back in human history at least 12,000 years, say researchers investigating an ancient burial site in Israel.
New fossil field found in Canadian Rockies
FIELD, British Columbia, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A fossil bed in Canada, one of paleontology's most revered locations, now has a neighbor yielding up newly discovered ancient treasures, researchers say.
Shark attack less likely than lightning
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Shark attacks, though they catch the public's attention, are rare and less likely than being hit and killed by lightning, experts say.
N. Korea entities, individuals targeted
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Two U.S. agencies Monday designated five North Korean entities and three individuals as supporters of that country's weapons of mass destruction program.
Scientists ponder dolphin mystery
VICTORIA, British Columbia, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Canadian scientists say they are puzzled why dolphins, which normally stay in offshore waters, are showing up close to shore and in inlets on Vancouver Island.
Python found in Ohio park
NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Visitors to an Ohio park said they were shocked to discover a 6-to-7-foot python sunning itself in a picnic area.
Mother cat adopts squirrel
WILMOT, Ohio, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- An Ohio woman said her cat has adopted a baby squirrel as one of its litter of kittens, but experts said the experience may not end well for the squirrel.
Tiger's escape triggered by sneaky ape
MIAMI, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Visitors at Jungle Island in Miami won't be able to see two Bengal tigers while the zoo tries to determine how one leaped over his pen's fence, officials said.
Peacock returns to Ohio town
NEW RICHMOND, Ohio, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The mayor of New Richmond, Ohio, says a peacock that disappeared about a week ago is back.
Zoo rhino set to give historic birth
CINCINNATI, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A female rhino at the Cincinnati Zoo will make history by giving birth to the first Indian rhino calf conceived by artificial insemination, zoo officials say.
Nuclear deal with U.S. advances in India
NEW DELHI, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A crucial piece of India's nuclear pact with the United States cleared Parliament Monday.
Florida coral reefs damaged by cold water
PALM BEACH, Fla., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A rare series of cold-water upwellings from the deep ocean has severely damaged coral reefs in Florida already stressed by pollution, scientists say.
High seas delay planned BP well-sealing
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- High seas churning in the Gulf of Mexico delayed the start of an operation to replace the blowout preventer on the crippled BP well, the company said Monday.
Agent Orange disabilities expanded
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- An expansion of the list of disabilities linked to Agent Orange exposure among U.S. Vietnam veterans is creating controversy, observers say.
Intel to buy Infineon's wireless division
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. microchip giant Intel said Monday it would purchase European chip maker Infineon's wireless product division for $1.4 billion.
Deep water drilling issues a concern
NEW YORK, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The technology to drill for oil deep underwater is developing faster than the expertise needed to deal with the risks of another blowout, some fear.
Egyptian nuke experts to train in Moscow
CAIRO, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A group of Egyptian nuclear technicians will travel to Russia to undergo training, sources at Egypt's Ministry of Electricity and Energy said.
Quick testing developed for Down syndrome
TUCSON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A new battery of tests taking only 2 hours can assess the best drug and behavioral help for children with Down syndrome, U.S. researchers say.
Sunday, August 29
Baboons plague South Africa wine country
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The wine country around Cape Town has become used to throngs of tipsy tourists, but baboons are driving vintners crazy, South African officials say.
Oil slick spotted off California
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Coast Guard officials said they were trying to find the source of a reported 15-mile-long oil slick stretching from Southern California to Mexico.
Obama: 'New Orleans is coming back'
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama, marking five years since Hurricane Katrina Sunday, told a crowd at Xavier University of Louisiana, "New Orleans is coming back."
Rare raptor in Ohio comeback
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Ohio birdwatchers have discovered the nest of a rare Mississippi kite raptor, proving the birds are returning to a former habitat, researchers say.
Island importing drinking water
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- A Lake Erie island popular with U.S. tourists is importing drinking water after recent algae blooms in the lake reduced its water plant's output, officials say.
China and Russia to protect big cats
BEIJING, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Russian and Chinese officials have agreed to set up a wildlife reserve to save endangered Siberian tigers and Amur leopards.
Passenger death forces landing at Denver
DENVER, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- A Las Vegas-Milwaukee flight had to land in Denver when a passenger died of a heart attack on board, a Denver International Airport spokeswoman said.
Pa. firm recalls 8,500 lbs. of beef
WYALUSING, Pa., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania company is recalling about 8,500 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O26, federal officials said Saturday.
Saturday, August 28
BP to replace failed preventer
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Thad Allen, incident commander for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill, said BP would try to replace the failed preventer at the deep water well this weekend.
Man gets new kidney in transplant 'chain'
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- San Diego doctors say a patient awaiting a kidney transplant has a new organ after his wife donated hers -- but to a stranger, not to her husband.
Death toll rises in Pakistan floods
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Nearly 1,700 people have died in flooding that has destroyed more than 1.2 million homes, leaving millions homeless in Pakistan, officials say.
New Russian space center planned
VOSTOCHNY, Russia, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Construction of a new space center is one of modern Russia's biggest and most ambitious projects, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says.
Oklahoma man gets double hand transplant
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- An Oklahoma man has received a double hand transplant in an operation lasting more than 17 hours, hospital officials say.
U.S. analyst charged with leaking report
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Lawyers for a U.S. State Department analyst are downplaying charges their client leaked top secret information to the news media.
Weather ripe for new Idaho lightning fires
POCOTELLO, Idaho, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Weather forecasters say blustery winds and lightning will likely cause new wildfires in Idaho Saturday.
Hospital-acquired infections = longer stay
ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. patients who acquired infections while hospitalized had to stay an average of 19 days longer than those who didn't get an infection, officials say.
Smoking causes inflammation in lungs
WESTMINSTER, Colo., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Secondhand smoke triggers a complex inflammatory response and inflammation is linked to heart disease, diabetes and other diseases, U.S. researchers say.
Diabetes impairs but does not end sex
CHICAGO, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Many middle-aged and older adults with diabetes are sexually active but their activity might not be very rewarding, U.S. researchers suggest.
Harvard scientist's work scrutinized
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist known for his work on the evolution of morality may have fabricated data in a paper on monkeys, Harvard University has announced.
Friday, August 27
Oxytocin not the magical 'trust elixir'
LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, Belgium, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Belgian researchers have linked oxytocin -- dubbed the "love hormone" or "liquid trust" -- to increased trust, but not to gullibility.
Alzheimer's, insulin resistance linked
FUKUOKA, Japan, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A researcher in Japan has linked insulin resistance in diabetes and the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers listen to 'ringing' star
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A distant star U.S. scientists say is "ringing like a bell" could provide clues to other stars that might have planets that might be able to host life.
Oddly shaped Mars crater a cosmic puzzle
PARIS, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- An elongated crater on Mars is a mystery, say European scientists scrambling for an explanation of its odd shape.
Cinnamon extracts may reduce diabetes
BELTSVILLE, Md., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Cinnamon extracts -- a water soluble extract of cinnamon -- may reduce diabetes and heart attack risks by lowering glucose levels, a U.S. researcher says.
'Double whammy' may have done in dinosaurs
ABERDEEN, Scotland, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A U.K. researcher says the theory of a meteor impact killing off dinosaurs needs to be tweaked at bit, suggesting there was not one but many cosmic collisions.
Plants can summon help with chemical 'SOS'
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Plants can send out a chemical "mayday" distress signals to summon insects to save them from being consumed by caterpillars, Dutch and German researchers say.
China plans safety screening for cosmetics
YIWU, China, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The Chinese State Food and Drug Administration has drafted a plan to monitor the safety of cosmetics and beauty products, an official said Friday.
High-res camera snaps water ice on Mars
TUCSON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A NASA spacecraft with a high-resolution camera has photographed a young Mars crater and found frozen water in it, scientists say.
Fertilizers found to damage aquatic life
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Fertilizer chemicals that end up in streams and rivers may be causing development abnormalities in aquatic life, U.S. researchers say.
Turkish dam will bury ancient Roman city
ISTANBUL, Turkey, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- An ancient city in Turkey's Aegean area will be covered with sand instead of silt and clay then inundated with reservoir water from a new dam, officials say.
New clashes in Kashmir leave 45 hurt
SRINAGAR, India, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Almost 45 people were injured when new clashes broke out between stone-throwing protesters and security forces in the Kashmir Valley, observers say.
Endangered snapping turtle found in Rome
LATINA, Italy, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A 2-foot-long snapping turtle, a species on Italy's endangered list, was found near a national park south of Rome, officials say.
Cancer cluster identified in Greece
ATHENS, Greece, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The incidence of cancer fatalities in a heavily industrialized area of southern Greece is higher than in the surrounding region, health authorities say.
Ancient Roman villa in fact a mansion
ROME, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Italian archaeologists uncovering what they thought was a typical Roman villa say it's much more, calling the complex covering a full block a majestic mansion.
Moderate 5.7 quake hits northwest Iran
TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A moderate magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck northwest Iran Friday night.
Study finds key to West Nile virus
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist has made a key discovery about the West Nile virus that could lead to success in the battle against the disease, researchers say.
Judge: Ill infant to stay in state custody
PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- An Oregon judge refuses to return an 8-month-old girl to her parents, who face charges of failing to provide adequate medical care for her, officials say.
Scientists say Mayans 'tiled' their pools
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Scientists investigating an ancient Mayan city in Mexico say they've uncovered water reservoirs using a no-leak technology not seen before in similar sites.
Sick child's mother may have to leave U.S.
ATLANTA, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A Barbados mother who took her cancer-stricken daughter to an Atlanta hospital for treatment, and has stayed with her, could be sent home, officials said.
Frogs may solve antibiotics hunt
BOSTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Frog skins contain natural secretions that could lead to new antibiotics to fight infections that have become resistant to existing drugs, researchers say.
Google calls hit 1 million on Day 1
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Calls made computer to mobile phone through Google's new phone system topped 1 million calls on its first day of use, PC World reported Friday.
Pipeline was rotting before Michigan spill
MARSHALL, Mich., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A pipeline that leaked more than 1 million gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan was decayed in several places, investigators discovered.
British man sentenced in pedophile sting
MELBOURNE, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A British man has been sentenced to four years in prison for publishing up to 100,000 pictures of sexual child abuse on Facebook, officials say.
1st U.S. face transplant has last surgery
CLEVELAND, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The first U.S. face transplant recipient has had a final surgery, the last of 30 procedures to rebuild her skull and give her a reason to smile, doctors say.
Michigan raids two medical marijuana sites
PONTIAC, Mich., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Michigan lawmen have raided two medical marijuana dispensaries and made 15 arrests on charges of illegal drug sales.
Wheat genome could fight food shortages
LONDON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- British scientists say their research on the genome of wheat could help farmers develop new strains with greater yields to combat food shortages.
Report: Safe to resume ocean oil drilling
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A finding by the Bipartisan Policy Center says procedures enacted since BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill make it safe to resume deep-water drilling.
Thai tiger cub found drugged in luggage
BANGKOK, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A 2-month-old tiger cub, drugged so it would look like a stuffed animal, was found in a traveler's baggage, Thai wildlife officials said.
Boeing, again, delays Dreamliner delivery
CHICAGO, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. plane maker Boeing announced a sixth delay in delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner airplanes due to a lack of engines for test flights.
FDA: TimeOut may pose risk
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A dietary supplement marketed for sexual enhancement contains an active drug ingredient that may dangerously lower blood pressure, U.S. officials say.
Thursday, August 26
A drug may reset the body clock
MANCHESTER, England, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. and British researchers say they have succeeded in resetting the 24-hour body clock in mice.
Doctors' beliefs influence end-of-life
LONDON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A survey of British doctors indicates their religious beliefs influenced end-of-life decisions of their patients.
25 percent report problems post-surgery
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A Dutch researcher says up to 25 percent of patients report more physical and other problems a year after surgery than before.
HP counters Dell again, raises offer for 3Par to $1.8 billion
Aug. 26--Hewlett-Packard swung back at Dell on Thursday afternoon by once again raising its bid to buy the data-storage company 3Par, offering $1.8 billion just hours after Dell announced that it had raised its own bid to $1.6 billion.
Spacecraft finds two planets orbiting star
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A NASA spacecraft has discovered the first planetary system with more than one planet transiting, or crossing in front of, the same star, researchers say.
'Stickybot' can walk up a pane of glass
PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Scaling vertical surfaces like Spider-Man could one day be a reality as new advances learn to mimic nature's best climbers, researchers say.
North America continent called layer cake
BERKELEY, Calif., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The North American continent is not one single, solid slab, researchers say, but rather a layer cake of old and new material dating back 3 billion years.
Feed may be source of egg salmonella
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Chicken feed at two Iowa egg farms may have been contaminated with salmonella after heat treatment, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
NASA asked for help for trapped miners
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Chile says it is seeking advice from NASA on how to keep 33 trapped Chilean miners mentally and physically healthy for the months it may take to rescue them.
Oldest arrowheads found in Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Anthropologists in South Africa say they've discovered 64,000-year-old stone points that are the earliest direct evidence of human-crafted arrows.
Scientists see uses for odd 'dry water'
BOSTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Scientists say a substance dubbed "dry water" resembling powdered sugar could absorb and store carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas causing global warming.
Ancient Roman mill uncovered in U.K.
LONDON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- British archaeologists say they've discovered a Roman "industrial park" that may have been home to a famous missing legion.
New artificial lung keeps toddler alive
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A 2-year-old Missouri boy has become the first person in the United States to be kept alive by a new type of artificial lung, doctors say.
China 'e-waste' recycling said hazardous
CORVALLIS, Ore., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Much of the world's electronic waste ends up in China for recycling, an activity creating significant health and environmental hazards, researchers say.
Cuba ends smoking subsidy to help economy
HAVANA, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Cuba will end its monthly handouts of subsidized cigarettes to 2.5 million people as part of a plan to modernize the economy, the government said.
Salmon, smiles, return to Fraser River
STEVESTON, British Columbia, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Sockeye salmon are running up the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada, in numbers unseen in decades, fishing regulators said.
CDC: 3,000 to 49,000 flu deaths per year
ATLANTA, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- From the 1976-1977 influenza season to the 2006-2007 season, some 3,000 to 49,000 have died annually from influenza in the United States, health officials say.
Greenpeace: Danish fish operations illegal
GILLELEJE, Denmark, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Environmentalists illegally put global positioning devices on Danish fishing boats to claim falsely the fishermen operate in banned waters, the fishermen said.
New theory about Italy's 'Iceman' proposed
BOLZANO, Italy, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Italy's prehistoric "Iceman" was not buried where he was killed, an Italian researchers says.
Searchers find traces of Canadian hiker
YALETOWN, British Columbia, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Canadian police said they discovered footprints and other evidence of a hiker who went missing 10 days ago.
Canadian sentenced for cancer drug scam
PHOENIX, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A Canadian man has been sentenced to almost three years in a U.S. prison for selling what he claimed was an experimental cancer drug on the Internet.
Woman's jellyfish-sting death Europe's 1st
SARDINIA, Italy, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A woman had an apparently allergic reaction and died after she was stung by a jellyfish on an Italian beach, authorities said.
U.S.-India nuke deal passes Indian house
NEW DELHI, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A U.S.-India nuclear pact cleared a legislative hurdle when Indian lawmakers approved a bill on damages foreign suppliers must pay if a nuclear mishap occurs.
Doctors remove 50-pound tumor from woman
BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Doctors in Argentina say they've removed a tumor weighing 50 pounds from the uterus of a 54-year-old woman.
Ky. doctors perform double hand transplant
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Doctors in Kentucky replaced a man's burned hands with two new ones in the region's first double-hand transplant, officials said.
Hackers raiding iTunes accounts
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Hackers are raiding Apple iTunes accounts and racking up charges on consumer credit cards, a report says.
3Par accepts Dell's raised $1.6 billion bid; will HP counter again?
Aug. 26--In the latest round of a bidding war with Hewlett-Packard, Texas computer maker Dell raised its bid to buy Fremont data-storage company 3Par, offering $24.30 a share, or slightly more than Hewlett-Packard's earlier offer of $24.
Battle on to claim 'honor' of snail name
LONDON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A battle royal is on in England between two of the country's historic country houses, as each seeks the honor of having a snail named after it, observers say.
Nigeria hit by cholera epidemic
ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- An outbreak of cholera has killed 352 Nigerians since the onset of that country's dry season, officials say.
Tests show Mississippi oysters safe to eat
JACKSON, Miss., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Oysters harvested in Mississippi fishing waters are not contaminated with oil and are safe to eat, officials say.
Tainted eggs sold to pasteurization plants
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Shell eggs subject to a huge recall are reaching U.S. consumers via facilities that pasteurize the eggs to get rid of any possible salmonella, officials said.
Iran to search for uranium deposits
TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The head of Iran's atomic energy organization said plans are under way to expand the search for new uranium deposits in the country.
BRIEF: Google calling: Gmail gets new Skype-like phone capabilities
Aug. 26--Google is offering the ability to make and receive phone calls on a Web browser from Gmail -- putting the Mountain View Internet giant into competition with online phone services such as Skype.
Study: Star dust could be smashed planets
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Large clouds of dust found around binary star systems could be the pulverized remains of planets, U.S. scientists say.
Herbicide linked to prostate inflammation
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Male rats exposed in vitro to low doses of widely used herbicide are more likely than others to develop prostate inflammation, U.S. researchers say.
Wednesday, August 25
Migraine linked to higher risk of dying
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- People with migraines with aura -- temporary visual or sensory disturbances -- have an increased risk of heart disease or stroke, researchers in Iceland say.
Laughter: Key role in group dynamics
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Laughter can be used as a tool -- intentionally and strategically -- to control communication and affect group dynamics, U.S. researchers suggest.
New imaging linked to higher cancer risk
DENVER, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. researcher says two new nuclear-based breast imaging exams increase cancer risk.
Wildcat mining a world danger, experts say
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- The mining accident in Chile that has trapped 33 miners underground has drawn attention to the worldwide problem of wildcat, or illegal, mining, experts say.
Chronic drinking upsets circadian rhythms
TAIPEI, Taiwan, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Researchers in Taiwan say they found an association between dysregulation of circadian clock genes and chronic drinking in humans.
Study: Old galaxies surprisingly energetic
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Giant halos of ultraviolet light around ancient galaxies have some U.S. scientists re-thinking the evolution of galaxies in the universe, they say.
New turtle species found in U.S. river
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Scientists have announced the surprise discovery of a new turtle species -- not in some far-off exotic location, but in the southeastern United States.
Oil pipeline waiting for pressure testing
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A pipeline operated by a Canadian company remained shut down Wednesday, almost a month after a break sent oil spilling into a Michigan river, officials said.
Doctors encouraged by melanoma drug
BOSTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- An experimental drug treatment for advanced melanoma, a disease that often kills sufferers within nine months, has encouraged medical professionals, they say.
One of world's tiniest frogs discovered
KUCHING, Malaysia, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- One of the world's tiniest frog species has been discovered in the forests of the island of Borneo, researchers say.
Huge pot bust in San Diego County
SANTA YSABEL, Calif., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. drug agents say they found about 25,000 marijuana plants worth $100 million on a farm near San Diego believed to be run by Mexican drug traffickers.
Scientists look at what 'bugs' bugs
BALTIMORE, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Research into just what insects find so "repellent" about insect repellents could reduce the spread of diseases, U.S. scientists say.
Colombian volcano causes evacuations
GALERAS, Colombia, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A non-explosive eruption of an ancient volcano Wednesday caused officials to ask 7,000 residents in southwest Colombia near Ecuador to evacuate, they say.
Microsoft, Yahoo! integrate searches
REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. technology giants Microsoft and Yahoo! said the partnership step of launching Bing engine searches from Yahoo! Web sites was up and running.
How cranberry juice prevents infection
BOSTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. researcher explains how cranberry compounds may help prevent urinary tract infections.
Canada may test MS procedure
REGINA, Saskatchewan, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Canada is considering clinical trials of the "liberation procedure," a treatment for multiple sclerosis that involves opening veins in the neck.
Climate affecting Alaskan spruce forests
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Alaskan forests of white spruce and other trees are suffering from the effects of climate change and rises in temperature, researchers say.
Scientists describe 'new' El Nino pattern
PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A new type of El Nino phenomenon with its warmest waters further west is becoming more common and progressively stronger, a study by U.S. researchers says.
Groups urge Serengeti protection
LONDON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- British wildlife groups say they are urging the government of Tanzania to reconsider plans to build a highway through the heart of Serengeti National Park.
U.K. wind farms deny causing seal deaths
LONDON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- British wind farm developers have strongly denied allegations their construction ships are responsible for a recent rash of seal deaths, authorities said.
56 burros die at dried-up desert spring
NEEDLES, Calif., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A rancher found the carcasses of 56 burros around a California mine shaft where they had been seeking water from a dried-up spring, federal officials say.
Putin visits gray whale study site
MOSCOW, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin joined scientists studying endangered gray whales during a visit Wednesday to Kamchatka Island.
Young seal released into wild
LYNNWOOD, Wash., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A Washington state wildlife center said a baby seal has been released back into the wild now that it has grown enough to survive on its own.
Motor vehicle crashes cost $99B a year
ATLANTA, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Every 10 seconds, someone is treated in a U.S. hospital for a vehicle crash injury and 40,000 die each year from these injuries, health officials say.
EPA proposes California ban on ship sewage
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday proposed a ban on sewage discharges from ocean-going ships sailing along the California coast.
Uranium detected in New Mexico water wells
SANTA FE, N.M., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Water wells in several New Mexico communities show uranium levels three to six times higher than federal recommended levels for drinking water, officials said.
Blacks and Hispanics big cellphone users
NEW YORK, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Blacks and Hispanics are the groups most likely to use cellphones for talking and texting, The Nielsen Co. reports.
Kennedy's death leaves void in Congress
BOSTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Cancer research advocates say the death a year ago Wednesday of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., has left a deep void in Congress.
Iran test fires upgraded missile
TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Iran successfully tested an upgraded version of the short range Fateh-110 surface to surface missile Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi said.
Flu vaccine for all except babies
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. government officials urge everyone age 6 months and older to get an influenza shot, which contains vaccine against H1N1 and two other strains of flu.
Disasters tough on those with disabilities
DALLAS, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina or man-made disasters like the Oklahoma bombing are life changing but are worst for the disabled, U.S. researchers say.
U.S. rectal cancer increasing in young
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Rectal cancer rates are increasing in people age 40 and under across races and in both sexes, U.S. researchers said.
Berries activate brain cleanup
BOSTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Blueberries, strawberries and acai berries activate a natural brain mechanism to clean up proteins linked to memory loss in the elderly, U.S. researchers say.
Tuesday, August 24
Hand disinfectant use helps productivity
GREIFSWALD, Germany, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Businesses that supply alcohol-based hand disinfectants and urge employees to use them increase productivity by helping reduce illness, German researchers say.
Justice Dept. to appeal stem cell ruling
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department Tuesday announced it is appealing a judge's ruling striking down an Obama administration policy on embryonic stem cell research.
Study: Tortoises, alligators in Arctic
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Scientists say Arctic regions of Earth were inhabited 50 million years ago by animals not usually associated with the area today, like tortoises and alligators.
Blood pressure drugs may help frail
GALVESTON, Texas, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers suggest blood pressure drugs may help fight frailty in the elderly.
China launches mapping satellite
BEIJING, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- China launched an Earth mapping satellite into polar orbit Tuesday, official Chinese media outlets said.
NASA prepares for asteroid rendezvous
PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- NASA is getting ready for its Dawn spacecraft's encounter with a giant asteroid, set to happen in less than a year, the agency said.
Ready for 'Danes in Space'?
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Astronauts, cosmonauts and even Chinese Sinonauts may soon have company in space, two Denmark engineers say -- so get ready for the Danonauts.
Diabetes: Sugar smothers body immunity
WARWICK, England, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Higher glucose levels in people with diabetes can form a sugar coating smothering the mechanisms the body used to fight infections, a British researcher says.
Humans blamed for extinction of cave bears
CORUNA, Spain, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The cave bear went extinct in Europe 24,000 years ago, and European scientists say fossil DNA shows it was caused more by human expansion than climate change.
Alleged Moldovan uranium dealers arrested
CHISINAU, Moldova, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Three gang members were in custody in Moldova after allegedly trying to sell uranium they had brought into the country illegally, authorities say.
Scientist: Wind, solar energy is future
BOSTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A Nobel Prize-winning U.S. scientist says the world could soon enter an era where renewable wind and solar power will be the globe's main sources of energy.
Astronomers discover many-planet system
LA SILLA, Chile, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- European astronomers say they've discovered a planetary system with at least five and possibly seven planets, the most yet seen outside our own solar system.
Astronauts' brains 'tricked' for training
HOUSTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they can trick the brains of astronauts to simulate the dizzying effects experienced when returning to Earth after a long period in space.
Tenn. floods expose graves to robbers
BELLS BEND, Tenn., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Floods in May led to an increase in the number of grave lootings along a Tennessee river bank, archaeologists said.
Nicotine binding, breast cancer linked
TAIPEI, Taiwan, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A researcher in Taipei says nicotine may play a role in promoting breast cancer.
Apple may develop touch-screen computer
CUPERTINO, Calif., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. computer giant Apple has filed for a patent for a touch-screen computer that also has mouse and keyboard capabilities, documents show.
Canada announces arctic station location
OTTAWA, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Canada has chosen a small hamlet on the Northwest Passage as the location for the country's High Arctic Research Station, officials said.
Oil spill or not, tourism rose in Florida
MIAMI, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A jump in international travelers helped push tourism-dependent Florida to a 3.4 percent boost in visitors overall April through June, the state said Tuesday.
Sea otter population declines in Calif.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- California sea otter populations are declining again after fighting back from near extinction as a result of almost a century of hunting, researchers say.
iPhone app catches burglars on camera
DALLAS, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A Dallas man said he was able to catch burglars on camera from 1,400 miles away with the help of a $4.99 iPhone application.
Doodling elevates creative thinking
OAK BROOK, Ill., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Doodling is thinking in disguise that elevates creative thinking and is often used to achieve breakthrough ideas, a U.S. doodling expert says.
DNA of Chernobyl animals studied
PRIPYAT, Ukraine, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Scientists studying wildlife in the Chernobyl region say DNA may be the key to which species are most likely to be damaged by radioactive contamination.
Judge asked to stop Asian carp migration
CHICAGO, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Attorneys from five Great Lakes states have asked a federal judge to close Chicago-area shipping locks to prevent Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan.
Virginia abortion clinics face shutdown
RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Abortion rights organizations say a legal opinion by the Virginia attorney general could prompt the shutdown of most of the state's abortion clinics.
Flooding moves south in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Floods in Pakistan have reached the southern province of Sindh where more than 200 people have died at refugee camps, officials say.
6 - year-olds reject a child with a squint
ST. GALLEN, Switzerland, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Children age 6 and older who squint or who have crossed eyes are less likely than others to be invited to birthday parties, researchers in Switzerland say.
Whole-body MRI may help detect child abuse
BOSTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging may help detect suspected child abuse in infants, U.S. researchers suggest.
Students who are bullied get lower grades
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Children who are bullied at school do worse academically and once children are labeled as "dumb" they get bullied even more, U.S. researchers found.
Monday, August 23
Alcohol ups risk of some breast cancers
SEATTLE, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Alcohol -- a risk factor overall for breast cancer -- increases the risk of some types of breast cancer, but not all types, U.S. researchers found.
South Atlantic squid catch declining
BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Environmental factors may be causing a dramatic drop in the number of squid being caught in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, experts say.
Study: Preschoolers' use of statistics
ITHACA, N.Y., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Preschoolers use statistics to figure out situations around them, U.S. researchers suggest.
Solar system said older by 2 million years
TEMPE, Ariz., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Study of a meteorite found in the Sahara Desert suggests the solar system may be almost 2 million years older than previously thought, researchers say.
British bacteria are hardy space travelers
LONDON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Bacteria from cliffs on the south coast of England have proved themselves hardy astronauts, surviving a year and a half as space travelers, researchers say.
Gene link in vitamin deficiency, diseases
LONDON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Vitamin D deficiency is known to increase susceptibility to a wide range of diseases, and British researchers say a study dramatically highlights that fact.
Canadian sewer yields dinosaur find
EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Fossil dinosaur bones unearthed in Edmonton, Alberta, are a significant find, researchers say, despite their somewhat mundane source -- a sewer tunnel.
SETI search may be seeking wrong target
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The search for extraterrestrial life might have more luck listening for sentient machines than for sentient beings, a prominent researcher in the field says.
U.S judge halts stem cell research
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A U.S. district judge Monday struck down an Obama administration policy on embryonic stem cell research, saying it violates rules on federal research funding.
First ladies at Sept. 11 memorial
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Michelle Obama and Laura Bush will speak at a Sept. 11 ceremony at Pennsylvania's future site of the Flight 93 National Memorial, officials say.
Sunny weather could spark new fires
VICTORIA, British Columbia, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Despite cooler weather and rain across British Columbia, officials say more sunshine could bring on another critical fire situation and more evacuations.
Impact event on Jupiter observed in Japan
TOKYO, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Amateur astronomers in Japan have observed a fireball on Jupiter in an apparent impact event, the third in 13 months, experts said.
Computer glitch silences satellite
PARIS, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A European Space Agency observation satellite has suffered a computer glitch -- its second -- and can't transmit its data to the ground, agency officials say.
Self-cleaning solar panels described
BOSTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Technology developed for missions to Mars could improve the performance of solar energy systems on Earth, U.S. researchers say.
Study: Energy self-sufficiency is closer
BOSTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've made a discovery that could bring the era of energy self-sufficient homes and small businesses one step closer.
Oxygen 'oases' led to all life on Earth
TEMPE, Ariz., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The presence of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere came from ancient microbes inhabiting "oxygen oases" in the oceans billions of years ago, U.S. researchers say.
Weather's effect on old buildings eyed
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Scottish researchers say they've developed a method of forecasting weather damage to historic buildings and statues that could help in their preservation.
Tips offered to end cyberbullying, sexting
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Stopping a cyberbully may require saving text messages and e-mails used to harass or harm, a U.S. counselor says.
Scientist: World's helium being squandered
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The world is running out of helium, a resource that cannot be renewed, and supplies could run out in 25 to 30 years, a U.S. researcher says.
Insect found to have true bifocal vision
CINCINNATI, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they've discovered an insect with bifocal vision, the first evidence of true bifocal lenses in the animal kingdom.
Flour appeared on menus 10,000 years ago
PROVO, Utah, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Ancient Americans added a new item to their daily menu about 10,000 years ago when the grinding stone used to make flour appeared, U.S. researchers say.
5 million men suffer from male menopause
CHICAGO, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Some 5 million U.S. men suffer from male menopause -- fatigue, mood swings, less sex desire, hair loss, lack of focus and weight gain, researchers say.
Nevada nuclear bomb site given new name
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The historic Nevada Test Site outside Las Vegas has been rechristened the Nevada National Security Site, federal officials announced Monday.
3Par shares jump in bidding war
NEW YORK, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. computer giant Hewlett-Packard jumped forcefully into the bidding game for data storage firm 3Par Inc., offering $1.5 billion for the firm.
Pacific salmon to retain protected status
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A U.S. appeals court says it won't relax protection status on Pacific salmon, rebuffing efforts by California irrigation districts to have it de-listed.
Lyme disease spreading in Massachusetts
BOSTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Tick-borne Lyme disease is being reported in areas of Massachusetts where cases were considered rare 10 years ago, health officials said.
Frank moving toward Mexico
MIAMI, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Pacific Tropical Storm Frank was within 125 miles south of Puerto Angel, Mexico, Sunday evening, U.S. forecasters said.
FDA: More egg recalls may be necessary
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday more egg recalls may be necessary in the face of salmonella outbreaks.
Firm loses permit to display animals
DAVIE, Fla., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A Florida company that exhibits tigers and cougars at fairs, schools and summer camps has lost its license for violating animal welfare rules, officials say.
FDA considering genetically altered salmon
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A genetically engineered salmon that reaches market weight in half the usual time could help solve worldwide food shortages, a Massachusetts company says.
Pakistan: Water-borne disease next threat
LAHORE, Pakistan, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Survivors of Pakistan's worst flooding in decades face the threat of death and suffering from various illnesses, some communicable, officials say.
Breast cancer survivors can take planes
EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A Canadian researcher says breast cancer survivors need not fear air travel because of fear of lymphedema -- swelling in the arm.
Many hospitals don't screen for MRSA
CHICAGO, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Less than half of U.S. hospitals screen for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a strain of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, researchers say.
Sunday, August 22
Pakistan flooding brings sickness
SHAHDADKOT, Pakistan, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Concern for communicable waterborne diseases is replacing the immediate threat of flooding for almost 1 million Pakistanis, experts say.
BP boosts awareness of threat to wetlands
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Environmentalists say the BP oil spill raised public awareness of the plight of Gulf of Mexico wetlands, which were struggling well before the disaster.
Isotope shortage evokes medical concerns
BALTIMORE, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. doctors say they are concerned about a shortage of imported radioactive material used to diagnose heart conditions and other problems.
Iowa officials defend egg producer
DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Some Iowa officials say a huge egg farm at the center of an ongoing nationwide recall has been improving its operations in recent years.
Whales beach themselves in New Zealand
WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- It isn't known why 62 pilot whales stranded themselves on Karikari Beach in New Zealand, killing 49, officials say.
Egypt to build first nuke power plant
CAIRO, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is preparing to announce plans to construct the country's first nuclear power plant, an official said.
Saturday, August 21
Lack of B vitamin linked to dementia
DAVIS, Calif., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- An analysis of blood samples shows lower levels of folate -- a B vitamin -- was linked to symptoms of dementia and poor brain function, U.S. researchers say.
N. Korea reportedly ready to talk again
PYONGYANG, North Korea, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- North Korean officials told a Chinese diplomat they are willing to return to the six-party talks on the country's nuclear program, Pyongyang news agencies said.
Man fatally mauled by captive bear
CLEVELAND, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- An employee of a controversial wild animal showman in Ohio died a day after being mauled by a bear he had tended for six years.
NASA announces shuttle songwriting contest
MELBOURNE, Fla., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Would-be songwriters will get a chance at fame by penning a wake-up song for NASA's last space shuttle mission, officials said.
Commercial spacecraft in first drop test
LOS ANGLES, Calif., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. commercial spacecraft that may someday carry astronauts into space had its first successful high-altitude drop test, officials said.
Experts: Public WiFi not always secure
MIAMI, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. experts say computer users should be more security-aware and cautious when using WiFi networks in public places like libraries and coffee shops.
Drug-resistant 'superbug' seen in Canada
BRAMPTON, Ontario, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Ontario officials say they have confirmed the province's first case of the so-called superbug NDM-1, as a hospital patient tested positive for the bacteria.
Flooding forces 51,000 Chinese from homes
BEIJING, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Chinese officials bracing for more rain Saturday said floods had destroyed 230 houses and forced the evacuation of 51,000 people along the swollen Yalu River.
Winnipeg hipsters asked to curb butts
WINNIPEG, Saskatchewan, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Folks in a hip part of Winnipeg are launching a full-court press on cigarette butts in a campaign to reduce litter, Canadians say.
Satellites count fewer Russia fire spots
MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The number of wildfire hot spots in Russia appears to have been cut in half this week, according to a company monitoring satellite imagery of the region.
Iran opens first nuclear power plant
BUSHEHR, Iran, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Engineers began loading fuel Saturday into Iran's first nuclear reactor, to be operated by Russia on the Persian Gulf in southwestern Iran, the countries said.
Tribe hopes to bring condors back
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The Yurok tribe has received a $200,000 federal grant to study how to reintroduce the California condor to the northern part of the state.
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