Apr 08 The Science of Protecting Antique Silver The National Science Foundation's* latest Science Nation piece looks at a team of conservateurs working to protect antique silver from overpolishing, heavy lacquer and the ravages of time. A material scientist and his team have developed a… Continue reading
Apr 07 7.1-Magnitude Quake Hits off Japan Coast By Ray Suarez Updated 12:10 p.m. ET | Japan's meteorological society has lifted its tsunami warning, an hour and a half after the quake hit at 11:30 p.m. local time, the Associated Press reports. Updated 12 p.m. ET | The U.S. Geological Society… Continue reading
Apr 06 Watch Estrogen Study Lead Researcher on Risks, Benefits of Hormone-Replacement Therapy Once a popular treatment for menopause symptoms, hormone-replacement therapy had come under scrutiny for raising the risk of certain diseases, but a new study found a reduced risk of breast cancer and other benefits for some women. Jeffrey Brown discusses… Continue watching
Apr 06 Heavy Rockets, Higgs and TV Science Company Planning Biggest Rocket Since Man on Moon Space X's Falcon Heavy rocket will be the most powerful heavy rocket ever built, primed to carry twice as much weight into orbit as a NASA space shuttle, according to… Continue reading
Apr 06 Nuclear Reactors and Nuclear Bombs: What Defines the Differences? By Jenny Marder What is the difference between the nuclear material in a bomb, versus a reactor? A nuclear reactor works by using the energy that is released when the nucleus of a heavy atom splits. That process is called fission. In reactors,… Continue reading
Apr 04 Miles O’Brien: Cracks in the System at Southwest If you have ever unwound and bent a paper clip to and fro until it snapped, you understand the concept behind metal fatigue. Railroad engineers in the late 19th century were the first to recognize the problem. As… Continue reading
Apr 04 Staring at the Sun By Jenny Marder As the sun enters its stormy season, and as GPS systems and electricity networks become increasingly vulnerable to solar eruptions, NASA scientists are working to better understand the mysteries of space weather. Continue reading
Apr 01 ‘Lord of the Tree Rings’ Peers Into the Past There's an interactive spirit at the University of Arkansas' department of geosciences, where dendochronologist David Stahle encourages visitors to touch a cross-section of a redwood tree. In the latest Science Nation series for the National Science Foundation*, NewsHour… Continue reading
Mar 31 Japan’s Radioactive Leak: What Are the Long-Term Consequences? By Talea Miller Fukushima nuclear power plant. Environmental and nuclear scientists in the U.S. are watching apparent leakage discovered at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor site this week with a concerned eye, for both health effects and impact on the environment. Japanese safety… Continue reading
Mar 30 Miles O’Brien Visits Deserted Town at Chernobyl The nuclear crisis in Japan has churned up memories of the Chernobyl meltdown, the worst nuclear accident in history. Miles O'Brien and crew returned last week to survey the scene, 25 years later. They took pictures of abandoned dolls, homes,… Continue reading