High energy prices and the concept of renewable energy has some people thinking. And devising new ways of harnessing the natural energy already available in ways we might be able to use in the future.

One such person is John Mankins, president of the Space Power Association and proponent of harnessing solar energy in space and sending it Earthward as power. Mankins presented a small scale demonstration of…[more]

Melanoma researchers say there is no such thing as “safe” tanning.

Publishing their findings in October’s issue of a trade journal for the International Federation of Pigment Cell Societies (IFPCS) and the Society for Melanoma Research, scientists in the United States and Great Britain show that any exposure to UV rays can be damaging to the skin.

The scientists say that exposure to sunbathing outdoors or…[more]

The results of a new study published by Sabine Begall and a group of colleagues from the University of Duisberg-Essen in Germany, demonstrate a preference by cattle to align themselves in a north-south manner.

After studying satellite photos from Google Earth to examine the habits of about 8500 cows in 308 sites around the world, Begall and her team concluded a preference for bovines to line up in…[more]

A study released by The Nature Conservancy shows that interest in the outdoors is dropping in the United States as well as in developing countries around the world.

Some researchers are saying this trend could have far reaching affects for human health as well as for the environment. In fact, those researchers are already drawing similarities to previous studies which showed a decline in attendance at U.S. national…[more]

A researcher at the University of Missouri is using a simple video game called “Space Race” in an effort to “retrain” the brainwaves of autistic children. The hope is to improve skills in concentration and being able to focus.

Guy McCormack, chair of the occupational therapy and occupational science department in the MU School of Health Professions, said he and his team of researchers want to “awaken their…[more]

A modern computer contains two different types of components: magnetic components, which perform memory functions, and semiconductor components, which perform logic operations. A University of Missouri researcher, as part of a multi-university research team, is working to combine these two functions in a single hybrid material. This new material would allow seamless integration…[more]

COLUMBIA, MO - Before swatting at one of those pesky flies that come out as the days lengthen and the temperature rises, one should probably think twice. A University of Missouri researcher has found, through the study of Drosophila (a type of fruit fly), that by manipulating levels of certain compounds associated with the “circuitry” of the brain, key genes related to memory can be isolated and tested. The results…[more]

Scientists have speculated that the building blocks of life might not exist on any of our neighboring planets, but could be present on some of the moons that circle those planets.

Now NASA reports that radar waves it has sent through the heavy methane atmosphere of Titan, a moon orbiting Saturn, detect a shift in landmarks by as much as 19 miles.

Researchers who have studied…[more]

Cancer cells get a helping hand from platelets, specialized blood cells involved in clotting. Platelets shelter and feed tumor cells that stray into the bloodstream, making it easier for cancer to spread, or metastasize. Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that inactivating platelets could slow down or prevent metastasis.

In advance online publication in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, the scientists report that…[more]

In today’s edition of the journal Science, Louisiana State assistant professor Brent C. Christner reported his findings of significantly large numbers of bacteria in snow and rain.

Scientists have realized for some time that cold conditions in the upper atmosphere are where rain and snow form. They have long known that, in order to condense into liquid, the moisture must be able to cling to something. What moisture…[more]