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Misinformation Common Among Women With Breast Cancer

Vaccines are getting American media attention now that Republicans are engaging in misinformation...

Even With Universal Health Care, Mothers Don't Go To Postnatal Check-Ups

For decades, health care costs have been a political topic in America. Advocates argue it is the...

Happy Twelfth Night - Or Divorce Day, Depending On How Your 2026 Is Going

Today is, in Christian observance, Twelfth Night, the end of The 12 Days of Christmas in that song...

Blood Pressure Medication Adherence May Not Be Cost, It May Be Annoyance At Defensive Medicine

High blood pressure is an important risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease and premature...

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I founded Science 2.0® in 2006 and since then it has become the world's largest independent science communications site, with over 300,000,000 direct readers and reach approaching one billion. Read More »

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Curiosity And Mars: Party Like It's August 5th, 2012

Curiosity And Mars: Party Like It's August 5th, 2012

Aug 04 2012 | comment(s)

Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, remains in good health and is just one day and 12 hours from touchdown on Mars. All systems are go and it is doing so well the planned Trajectory Correction Maneuver 5 (TCM-5) and its update to parameters for the autonomous entry, descent and landing will not be necessary.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it, as they say.

As of noon yesterday the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft was about 470,000 miles from Mars, a little less than twice the distance from Earth to the moon. It is traveling at about 8,000 mph and will gradually increase in speed to about 13,200 mph by the time it reaches the top of the Martian atmosphere.
Energy Density: Why Gasoline Is Here To Stay

Energy Density: Why Gasoline Is Here To Stay

Aug 03 2012 | comment(s)

Like people who approach geopolitics with the attitude of "If people would just talk to each other, we would all along", there are a lot of naïve assumptions about just dumping gasoline.

We know it causes emissions, and emissions are bad, we know a lot of the money paid for oil goes to fund Middle Eastern terrorism, and that is bad - those things should cause both the left and the right in America to want gasoline gone. And yet it is not gone.  The reason is simple: gasoline is a lot more efficient than alternative energy proponents want to believe.
Why Candidates Ignore Science: The Disconnect Between Research And Benefit

Why Candidates Ignore Science: The Disconnect Between Research And Benefit

Aug 02 2012 | comment(s)

For as long as I can remember, academic scientists have said that applied research is great - for someone else.  But for themselves, they want to do basic research and be creative and not have to worry about any applied / societal benefit.(1)

But another election season is here and, despite $140 billion of taxpayer money being spent on research, no one in either party really gives a hoot about science topics and scientists are concerned neither candidate cares.(2)  
It Worked! US Energy Emissions Back At 1992 Levels

It Worked! US Energy Emissions Back At 1992 Levels

Aug 01 2012 | comment(s)

See? America did not need any stinking Kyoto agreement, we just needed for three areas to work in tandem to get greenhouse gas emissions back close to the magic number picked by the Germans and French a decade and a half ago.(1)

The Department of Energy released carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of the energy sector  for Q1 of 2012 and they were the lowest since 1992. American energy is positively green again, just like people wanted. We can thank right-wing energy companies for that, because it has primarily happened due to natural gas.
Real-Life Robotech Mecha Have Finally Arrived

Real-Life Robotech Mecha Have Finally Arrived

Jul 31 2012 | comment(s)

Suidobashi Heavy Industry of Japan has finally found a way to make (a) work or (b) laser tag interesting to me; put me inside a giant robot. 

But to get the "Kuratas mecha" you will have to spend $1.35 million. You will want to, because they have a polite, hot Japanese girl in shorts in their video. 

Its diesel engine sends it at an elegant 10 KPH clip, basically a decent walking pace.  But these are too cool to run in.  No one looks cool running so until it can fly or turn into a motorcyle, a cool pace will do.

This thing is huge.  Granted, the girl in the video is probably only 4 feet tall but look at the scale of it:
Aesop's Fable: Is Your Child Smarter Than That Crow?

Aesop's Fable: Is Your Child Smarter Than That Crow?

Jul 31 2012 | comment(s)

If the legend is true, Aesop lived during the sixth century B.C. He was born a slave but was given his freedom as a reward for his wit and intelligence.  

He never wrote anything down but the stories people remembered were so intriguing virtually every moralistic fable before him (and after) got attributed to him.  Now Aesop's Fables number in the 600s.  

One of them, "The Crow and the Pitcher", highlights the 'necessity is the mother of invention' concept. A thirsty crow can't get his beak far enough down into a pitcher of water to drink, so he drops stones in until the water level rises.