A butterfly"s first flight inspires a new way to produce force and electricity
The wings of a butterfly are made of chitin, an organic polymer that is the main component of the shells of arthropods like crustaceans and other insects. As a butterfly emerges from its cocoon in the final stage of metamorphosis, it will slowly unfo.....»»
SpaceX Crew-9 mission launches carrying two astronauts to ISS
The much-delayed mission launched with just two crew members due to issues with the test flight of the Boeing Starliner......»»
SpaceX launches mission to bring Starliner astronauts back to Earth
SpaceX is bringing back propulsive landings with its Dragon capsule, but only in emergencies. Enlarge / SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft climbs away from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on Saturday atop a Falcon 9 roc.....»»
Progress on high seas treaty, but change still far off
A year after a historic treaty to protect the high seas was opened to signatures, it has now received 13 ratifications—leaving it still far from coming into force......»»
After Click to Cancel, California law protects you when buying digital content
After Click to Cancel legislation for subscriptions, California has introduced another piece of consumer protection legislation for buying digital content. It will force companies to tell you when you won’t actually own the content you think you.....»»
Rocket Report: SpaceX salvages Starship wreckage; pessimism for Virgin Galactic
The penultimate flight of Japan's workhorse H-IIA rocket deploys a spy satellite. Enlarge / A salvage ship raises a portion of SpaceX's Super Heavy booster from the Gulf of Mexico. This booster was used on the most recent Starshi.....»»
Plan to overturn commercial whaling moratorium sinks in Peru
A four-decade-old moratorium on commercial whaling will remain in force after a proposal to overturn it was withdrawn Thursday at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Peru's capital Lima......»»
Ailing New Zealand butterfly collector gives away life"s work
A New Zealand enthusiast spent half a century amassing one of the world's largest private butterfly collections. As death nears, he has handed this life's work of 20,000 specimens to a museum......»»
Citizens" panels help young people with special needs, disabilities make their voices heard on life-affecting policies
A new study shows participating in a citizens' panel can help young people with special educational needs/disabilities to produce new policy ideas about school inclusion. The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Education......»»
Hummingbirds thrive on an extreme lifestyle. Here’s how.
Nightly suspended animation, sugary diet, backwards flight, and long migrations help. Enlarge / Hummingbirds—like this golden-tailed sapphire from South America—draw the eye with their bright colors and busy, hovering flight......»»
South Florida study finds mosquito populations increased dramatically after Hurricane Irma
More than 600 cellphone towers were inoperable. Close to 900,000 Florida Power and Light customers were left without electricity. Flooding in portions of Coconut Grove and Matheson Hammock Park reached 6 feet. And agricultural damages totaled $245 mi.....»»
Study reveals mallards" flight responses ineffective in preventing vehicle collisions
An article published in PeerJ Life & Environment has uncovered insights into how mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) respond to approaching vehicles, revealing that these common waterbirds are poorly equipped to avoid collisions, particularly at high speed.....»»
See SpaceX’s Starship rocket get stacked ahead of its fifth test flight
SpaceX has shared images of it Starship rocket, which is stacked and ready for a launch on its fifth flight test......»»
Microchip can save millions of liters of milk from going down the drain
Large amounts of the food we produce do not end up in our stomachs, but in landfills, sewers, or elsewhere. According to the UN, in 2022, this was the fate of 1.05 billion tons of food, which ended up as food waste—corresponding to approximately 13.....»»
Broadcom responds to AT&T’s VMware support lawsuit: AT&T has “other options”
Broadcom defends against renewal, citing "End of Availability" provision. Enlarge (credit: Getty) Broadcom is accusing AT&T of trying to "rewind the clock and force" Broadcom "to sell support services for perpetual soft.....»»
NASA is ready to start buying Vulcan rockets from United Launch Alliance
The second test flight of the Vulcan rocket is scheduled for liftoff on October 4. Enlarge / The first stage of ULA's second Vulcan rocket was raised onto its launch platform August 11 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Flori.....»»
Ant queens cannibalize their sick offspring and "recycle" them, new study reveals
Instead of nurturing their sick young, ant queens eat their infected offspring at the first sign of illness then "recycle" them into energy to produce new eggs, a new study led by the University of Oxford has shown. The findings have been published i.....»»
How a butterfly invasion minimizes genetic diversity
Until a few years ago, the butterfly known as the southern small white could barely be found north of the Alps. That was before a Europe-wide invasion that brought a huge increase in the insect's distribution—at the same time as a rapid decrease in.....»»
What happens to a person when they"re stuck in space?
What was supposed to be a weeklong test flight in space has turned into a months-long stay for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. While the unexpected delays from their mission may not have any negative side effects on the future of space ex.....»»
Florida company"s space balloon takes big step toward 1st human flight
The weekend trip was a success for Space Perspective, the company that already has more than 1,800 people waiting for their chance to take balloon rides in a posh capsule up to the edge of space......»»
"Pirate birds" force other seabirds to regurgitate fish meals. Their thieving ways could spread lethal avian flu
It's not easy finding food at sea. Seabirds often stay aloft, scanning the churning waters for elusive prey. Most seabirds take fish, squid, or other prey from the first few meters of seawater. Scavenging is common......»»