Science 15.9.2020 06:15 pm

Venus gas ‘most significant’ find yet in alien life search – NASA chief

‘It’s time to prioritise Venus,’ says Bridenstine.

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine on Monday hailed the discovery of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus, a gas which on Earth can be attributed to living organisms.

Science Scientists detect mysterious ‘intermediate mass’ black hole

A so-called stellar-class black hole forms when a dying star collapses, and is typically three to ten solar masses in size.

Science 18 whales die in Mauritius stranding

Eighteen melon-headed whales washed up on the shores of Mauritius on Wednesday, the country’s fisheries minister said, dismissing any link to a devastating oil spill earlier this month.

Science Space oddity: bacteria can survive cosmic trip, study shows

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected.

Science World’s biggest rooftop greenhouse opens in Montreal

Building on a new hanging garden trend, a greenhouse atop a Montreal warehouse growing eggplants and tomatoes to meet demand for locally sourced foods has set a record as the largest in the world.

Science Tropical songbirds stop breeding to survive drought

Songbirds in tropical rainforests curtail their reproduction to help them survive droughts, according to a study Monday.

Science Small asteroid becomes closest ever seen passing Earth

An asteroid the size of an SUV passed 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) above Earth, the closest asteroid ever observed passing by our planet, NASA said Tuesday.

Science Scientists discover 30 new species in Galapagos depths

An international team of marine scientists have discovered 30 new species of invertebrates in deep water surrounding the Galapagos, the Ecuadoran archipelago’s national park authorities announced Monday.

Science Greenland ice melting past ‘tipping point’ – study

The melting of Greenland’s ice cap has gone so far that it is now irreversible, with snowfall no longer able to compensate for the loss of ice even if global warming were to end today, according to researchers.

Science Surfer punches shark to save wife

An Australian man has been hailed a “hero” after repeatedly punching a shark until it released his wife’s leg.

Science How climate change could expose new epidemics

Long-dormant viruses brought back to life; the resurgence of deadly and disfiguring smallpox; a dengue or zika “season” in Europe.

Science Male Brazilian frog stays loyal to two females in ‘harem’

A species of frog from the Brazilian rainforest has become the first amphibian shown to live in a harem, where one male mates with two females who remain loyal to him.

Science Indonesia starts human trials of China-made virus vaccine

Indonesia on Tuesday launched human trials of a Chinese-made coronavirus vaccine with some 1,600 volunteers slated to take part in the six-month study.

Parenty What we know so far about Covid-19 and children

President Donald Trump has been censored on Facebook and Twitter after saying children are ‘almost immune’ from Covid-19. What do the facts say?

Science Dinosaurs got cancer too, say scientists

Dinosaurs loom in the imagination as forces of nature, but a new study that identifies the first known case of cancer in the creatures shows they suffered from the debilitating disease too.

Science ‘Like an animal’: NASA astronauts describe noisy, jolting descent

SpaceX’s crewed capsule isn’t called Dragon for nothing.

Science Watch live: SpaceX craft departs International Space Station for Earth

NASA footage showed the capsule drifting slowly away from the ISS in the darkness of space, ending a two month stay for the first US astronauts to reach the orbiting lab on an American spacecraft in nearly a decade.

Science US astronauts prepare for SpaceX-NASA return home from ISS

The first US astronauts to reach the International Space Station on an American spacecraft in nearly a decade prepared Saturday for their return home, which is tentatively on schedule for the weekend despite the arrival of Hurricane Isaias off Florida.