Science

WATCH: William Shatner goes to space on Blue Origin rocket

By Marcia Dunn, Rick Taber, Associated Press

Shatner became the oldest person in space, eclipsing the previous record — set by a passenger on a similar jaunt on a Bezos spaceship in July — by eight years. The flight included about three minutes of weightlessness and a…

German companies urge next government to step up on climate

By Frank Jordans, Associated Press

Dozens of large German companies have urged the country's next government to put in place ambitious policies to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris climate accord.

Scientists urge speedy switch to renewables in Middle East

By Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press

A scientist at the Cyprus Institute's Climate and Atmosphere Research Center said that although this "can't happen overnight," governments have to make the switch within the next two decades to avert potentially "irreversible effects" such as desertification.

White House proposes tech ‘bill of rights’ to safeguard against harmful use of biometric data

By Matt O'Brien, Associated Press

The White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy on Friday launched a fact-finding mission to look at facial recognition and other biometric tools used to identify people or assess their emotional or mental states and character.

Summer storms were a climate-change wake-up call for subways

By Philip Marcelo, David Porter, Associated Press

Transit officials and experts say this summer’s storms were the latest reminders that more needs to be done to prepare the East Coast’s vital transit systems in the face of more extreme and unpredictable weather caused by climate change.

WATCH: Officials give update on California oil spill

By Associated Press

Some of the crude oil that spilled from a pipeline into the waters off Southern California has been breaking up naturally in ocean currents, a Coast Guard official said Wednesday as authorities sought to determine the scope of the damage.

Henrietta Lacks estate sues company using her ‘stolen’ cells

By Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press

The estate of Henrietta Lacks sued a biotechnology company on Monday, saying it's been selling her cervical cells without her knowledge or consent.

California oil spill renews calls to ban offshore drilling

By Kathleen Ronayne, Matthew Daly, Associated Press

Oil spilling into federal waters off California's coast has prompted fresh calls for an end to offshore oil drilling in state and federal waters. But that's easier said than done.

WATCH: Nobel in chemistry honors ‘greener’ way to build molecules

By David Keyton, Frank Jordans, Associated Press

Two scientists have won the Nobel Prize for chemistry for finding an “ingenious” and environmentally cleaner way to build molecules that can be used to make a variety of compounds, including medicines and pesticides.