Articles filed under Science

Show Articles : prev 20 next 20

Scott Carpenter, second U.S. astronaut in orbit, dies Oct 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Astronaut Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the Earth and first person to explore both the heights of space and depths of the ocean, died Thursday after a stroke. He was 88.Along with John Glenn, who flew three months before him, Carpenter was one of the last two surviving original Mercury 7 astronauts for the fledgling U.S. space program.
W. Dundee allows backyard beekeepingOct 1, 2013 12:00 AM
West Dundee has officially become a haven for homegrown honeybees. The village board last week voted 4-3 to remove its ban on honeybees, which allows residents to raise them in their backyards, but with several restrictions. Village President Chris Nelson cast the deciding vote.
Des Plaines Library to host student engineering expo Sep 27, 2013 12:00 AM
Students can explore engineering through a host of interactive activities led by structural engineers at an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St.
Computer mishap delays space station supply ship Sep 22, 2013 12:00 AM
A brand new commercial cargo ship making its orbital debut experienced trouble with a computer data link Sunday, and its arrival at the International Space Station was delayed at least two days.
Suburban wiz wants to lead women into tech world Sep 18, 2013 12:00 AM
Cassidy Williams was the only girl in her AP computer science class at Downers Grove South High School. Now she is one of only five women majoring in computer science, along with 57 men, in Iowa State University's Class of 2014. It's a trend the Downers Grove native hopes to urge girls to change. “If we don't have women in computer science, we're only seeing half the picture,” Cassidy said.
Poll Vault: Are we alone in the universe? Sep 13, 2013 12:00 AM
So far, Voyager 1 hasn't encountered life in outerspace. Could that change now that the spacecraft has traveled beyond our solar system? Will we meet aliens in our lifetime?
NASA: Voyager 1 probe has left the solar systemSep 13, 2013 12:00 AM
Voyager 1 has crossed a new frontier, becoming the first spacecraft ever to leave the solar system, NASA said Thursday. Thirty-six years after it was launched from Earth on a tour of the outer planets, the plutonium-powered probe is more than 11.5 billion miles from the sun, cruising through what scientists call interstellar space — the vast, cold emptiness between the stars, the space agency said.
Experts: Climate primary factor on lake levels Sep 9, 2013 12:00 AM
Placing water retention structures in the St. Clair River may not be enough to counteract the effects of a warming climate and raise Lakes Huron and Michigan to their normal levels, experts said Monday.
Arkansas girl recovering from rare infection goes swimming Sep 6, 2013 12:00 AM
The amoeba that caused Kali’s infection is often found in warm bodies of freshwater. Called Naegleria fowleri, it typically enters the body through a swimmer’s nose, where it can then travel to the brain and cause a devastating infection like the one Kali had.
Labs seeking sarin chemical signature in Syria attack Sep 6, 2013 12:00 AM
Three simple numbers will prove whether sarin was used to gas Syrians last month: 99-125-81. Chemists this week around Europe are feeding samples of bodily tissue and dirt collected after chemical attacks in Syria into sophisticated machines, waiting for those three numbers to read out in a bar graph on a computer screen. The numbers are sarin’s fingerprint, said Carlos Fraga, a chemist who specializes in nerve agent forensics at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash.
Why are chemical weapons treated differently than other killing tools? Aug 31, 2013 12:00 AM
Some question why the United States is compelled to respond to one type of killing when it took no military action to prevent the deaths of an estimated 100,000 Syrians by more conventional but often brutal methods.
Measles cases put Texas megachurch under scrutiny Aug 31, 2013 12:00 AM
Ole Anthony, president of the Dallas-based religious watchdog group Trinity Foundation, said that while there might not be specific guidance on topics such as vaccinations, the views of the leadership are clear.“The whole atmosphere is to encourage them to have faith, and it’s no faith if they go to the doctor, that’s the bottom line,” Anthony said.
Twin’s brother comes home 63 years after war deathAug 29, 2013 12:00 AM
Fighting the enemy in North Korea, 17-year-old Pfc. Donald V. MacLean was reported missing in action on Dec. 2. 1950, and presumed dead. His twin sister, Donna Mitchell of McHenry, was on hand when MacLean's remains received a solemn ceremonial welcome home at O'Hare and a motorcycle escort to McHenry for services. “Now, at least, there’s going to be closure,” his 80-year-old sister said.
Want better biofuels? Get the wood out Aug 25, 2013 12:00 AM
Wood is strong, abundant, and cheap. But when it comes to the hot prospect of turning trees and agricultural waste into an energy source for cars and trucks, wood gets in the way. Now, scientists say they’ve found a possible solution to this difficulty, one that could dramatically reduce the cost of tomorrow’s fuels.
Crews rush to clean up former California nuke lab Aug 17, 2013 12:00 AM
Environmentalists and homeowners three years ago cheered when the U.S. Energy Department and NASA agreed to clean their parcels to background levels — the most stringent standard — essentially returning the land to its natural state. But Boeing Co., which owns the lion’s share, opted to follow cleanup rules drawn up in a 2007 pact requiring the site to be scrubbed to a lesser standard.
CIA acknowledges Area 51 Aug 16, 2013 12:00 AM
Two Russians perform record spacewalk Aug 16, 2013 12:00 AM
In a record-long spacewalk, Russian cosmonauts rigged cable outside the International Space Station on Friday for a new lab that’s due to arrive in a few months.
Student-built solar home returns to UofIAug 14, 2013 12:00 AM
A solar-powered home constructed six years ago by University of Illinois students is returning to campus. The building has been a community education center in Chicago for the past five years.
Dengue epidemic looms for Central American region Aug 9, 2013 12:00 AM
Central America is on track to have one of its worst years ever for the painful, sometimes fatal disease of dengue, prompting governments across the region to mobilize against the mosquito-borne virus.
Meteors to light up suburban skies this weekendAug 8, 2013 12:00 AM
If the clouds aren't too heavy, the suburbs should have an unusually good view of this year's Perseid meteor shower. Meteor viewing parties are planned in Schaumburg and Wheaton, but you can also just watch from your back yard. "Just get a blanket, lay on your back and look up,” said Joe Kabbes, with the Henize Observatory at Harper College in Palatine.