News in Brief
- Climate
2014 was Earth’s warmest year on record
Record-hot 2014 marks the 38th consecutive year of temperatures above the 20th century’s average.
- Archaeology
Ancient bone hand ax identified in China
People may have dug up roots with the 170,000-year-old bone tool, the first found in East Asia.
- Environment
More toxic chemicals found in oil and gas wastewater
High levels of ammonium and iodide found in wastewater from oil and gas exploration can harm aquatic life and form dangerous byproducts in tap water.
- Plants
Tricky pitcher plants lure ants into a false sense of security
Carnivorous pitcher plants exploit social lives of ants as scouts escape and inadvertently lead nest mates to death trap.
- Astronomy
Large rocky planets excel at ocean building
Rocky planets a few times as massive as Earth may build deeper oceans – and sustain them for longer – than smaller worlds.
- Astronomy
Hubble telescope captures panorama of Andromeda galaxy
The Hubble Space Telescope captured a panoramic mosaic of the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, mapping the light from over 100 million stars.
- Climate
Warming climate will force airlines to shed weight, increase costs
More frequent hot days coming with climate change will require airlines to reduce aircraft takeoff weight.
- Astronomy
Pair of black holes prepare to take the plunge
A pair of supermassive black holes in a distant galaxy will likely collide in the next million years.
- Animals
Bowhead whales may unlock the secrets to a long, healthy life
Analyzing the genome of the bowhead whale may help scientists understand how the animals live for more than 200 years.
- Archaeology
Stones challenge dating of Easter Island collapse
Despite losing ground in some areas, Polynesian farmers outlasted European contact.
- Life
Cold coddles colds
Antiviral responses aren’t as effective against common cold viruses in cooler temperatures.
- Life
Contamination blamed in STAP stem cell debacle
Stem cells supposedly made in acid baths were really embryonic stem cells, investigation finds.
