Science

A firefighter searches for people trapped in mudslide debris on Jan. 10 in Montecito, Calif.

Southern California Hillsides Remain Vulnerable After Deadly Mudslides

2:47pm January 12, 2018

by Samantha Raphelson

Deadly mudslides occured in Santa Barbara County, Calif., after heavy rain pushed debris down fire-scarred hillsides. If it rains again, more debris could be swept down the mountains.

An artist's rendition of a star cluster in the Orion Nebula, using both visible-light and infrared-light visualizations.

Science

VIDEO: Take A Trip Through The Orion Nebula, A Baby Star Nursery

1:12pm January 12, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

The constellation Orion is home to a busy, glowing nebula. Data from telescopes has been used to create a three-minute, three-dimensional tour around its colorful caverns and bright star clusters.

Image of galaxy SDSS J1354+1327 (lower center) and its companion galaxy SDSS J1354+1328 (upper right). The inset panel to the right is a four-color image that combines Hubble exposures with Chandra X-ray observations.

Science

Researchers Spot Massive Black Hole In Double 'Burp'

9:19am January 12, 2018

by Scott Neuman

The cosmic sinkhole is at the center of a galaxy 800 million light-years from Earth and supports the theory that such objects can switch their power output on and off in relatively short time-scales.

MaryJane Sarvis, an artist in Shaftsbury, Vt., weaned herself from the opioid painkillers she was prescribed for chronic nerve pain. "I felt tired all the time and I was still in pain," she says. Marijuana works better for her, but costs $200 per month ou

The High Cost Of Medical Marijuana Causes Pain In Vermont

7:27pm January 11, 2018

by Emily Corwin

Though medical marijuana is legal in most states, some patients still have a hard time affording it. The federal government won't allow states to cover medical marijuana with Medicaid dollars.

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The researchers used the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to make observations about ice on Mars.

Science

Thick, 'Rather Clean' Ice Sheets Are Spotted On Mars

7:23pm January 11, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

The size and accessibility of these ice sheets, as well as the fact that they're made of relatively clean water, could be an important resource for astronauts traveling to Mars.

Sockeye salmon swim to spawning grounds.

Government Scientists Say A Controversial Pesticide Is Killing Endangered Salmon

3:14pm January 11, 2018

by Dan Charles

The insecticide chlorpyrifos, already under attack for its risk to small children, may be killing salmon as well. The National Marine Fisheries Service is recommending restrictions on its use.

Women are catching up with men nationally in overall drinking, as well as in binge drinking, drunk driving and deaths from cirrhosis of the liver caused by alcoholism.

Alcohol-Related ER Visits Soar, Especially Among Women

2:07pm January 11, 2018

by Robin Lloyd

The nine-year period ending in 2014 saw a sharp increase in the U.S. of alcohol-related visits to emergency rooms, a study finds. And binge drinking doesn't completely explain it.

The Flu Goes Viral

1:56pm January 11, 2018

It's going around …

Pasika and her infant have been traveling alone for more than seven months.

Science

Is This Gorilla Mother Consciously Protecting Her Baby?

12:33pm January 11, 2018

by Barbara J. King

In response to a report of "heroic" behavior by a female mountain gorilla aiming to protect her baby, anthropologist Barbara J. King explores questions of conscious awareness of infanticide in apes.

Cameroonian kids were part of an experiment based on the classic "marshmallow test": Put a single treat before a child but tell the child if he or she waits, say, 10 minutes, a second treat will be given.

Does Serena Williams Have The Willpower To Ace The 'Marshmallow Test'?

10:48am January 11, 2018

by Michaeleen Doucleff

In the experiment, kids get a treat. If they don't eat it for, say, 10 minutes, they're promised a second treat. What would Williams do? What do most kids do?

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