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Saturday, March 1, 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


NASA scientists find evidence of water in meteorite, reviving debate over life on Mars

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 07:32 AM PST

A team of scientists has found evidence of past water movement throughout a Martian meteorite, reviving debate in the scientific community over life on Mars. In 1996, a group of scientists reported biogenic evidence in the Allan Hills 84001(ALH84001) meteorite. In this new study, researchers focused on structures deep within a 30-pound (13.7-kilogram) Martian meteorite known as Yamato 000593 (Y000593). The team reports that newly discovered different structures and compositional features within the larger Yamato meteorite suggest biological processes might have been at work on Mars hundreds of millions of years ago.

Competition breeds new fish species, study finds

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 05:07 AM PST

Size differences among fish and competition for breeding space lead to the formation of new species, according to a new study, but empirical evidence for this is scarce, despite being implicit in Charles Darwin's work and support from theoretical studies. Speciation occurs when genetic differences between groups of individuals accumulate over time. In the case of Telmatochromis fish in Africa, subject of a new study, there are no obvious obstacles to the movement and interaction of individuals. But, the non-random mating between large- and small-bodied fish sets the stage for the evolutionary play.

New fast and furious black hole found

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 05:06 AM PST

Astronomers have been studying nearby galaxy M83 and have found a new superpowered small black hole, named MQ1, the first object of its kind to be studied in this much detail. Astronomers have found a few compact objects that are as powerful as MQ1, but have not been able to work out the size of the black hole contained within them until now.

Big step for next-generation fuel cells and electrolyzers

Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:45 PM PST

Researchers have discovered a highly promising new class of nanocatalysts for fuel cells and water-alkali electrolyzers that are an order of magnitude higher in activity than the target set by the US Department Of Energy for 2017.

Color of passion: Orange underbellies of female lizards signal fertility

Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:45 PM PST

Australian lizards are attracted to females with the brightest orange patches -- but preferably not too large -- on their underbelly, according to research. Lake Eyre dragon lizards are found exclusively in salt deserts in southern Australia, where they feed on dead insects. When females become fertile they develop bright orange patches on their normally pale underbelly and change their behavior towards males: instead of "waving them away" with their forelegs or fleeing, they let the males court them with showy behavior like push-ups and head bobs. Males were most attracted to females with small, bright orange patches and tended to avoid those with larger, paler ones. It is thought that bright color is attractive as it indicates peak female fertility. Pregnant females retain their coloration until laying and very large orange spots suggest the female is swollen with eggs and no longer interested in mating.

Fat or flat: Getting galaxies into shape

Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:43 PM PST

Astronomers have discovered what makes some spiral galaxies fat and bulging while others are flat discs -- and it's all about how fast they spin. The researchers found that fast-rotating spiral galaxies are flat and thin while equally sized galaxies that rotate slowly are fatter. One of the researchers said the way galaxies are formed looks a bit similar to a carousel made of an elastic disc.

Caesarean babies more likely to become overweight as adults, analysis finds

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:44 PM PST

Babies born by caesarean section are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults, according to a new analysis that is based on over 38,000 individuals. The odds of being overweight or obese are 26 per cent higher for adults born by caesarean section than those born by vaginal delivery, the study found. The authors say they cannot be certain that caesarean delivery causes higher body weight, as the association may be explained by other factors that weren't recorded in the data they analyzed, however, the results are interesting enough to encourage further study.

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