Latest Science News
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Greenland ice sheet melting could expose 400 million people to flooding by end of century, study says
![Greenland ice sheet melting could expose 400 million people to flooding by end of century, study says](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/_OHczCGjv0OzbWPS.oddJQ--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/gma/us.abcnews.go.com/greenland-ice-melting-01-file-ap-jef-191211_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Greenland ice sheet melting could expose 400 million people to flooding by end of century, study says)
About 400 million people could be at risk for flooding by the end of the century should the Greenland ice shelf continue to melt at its current pace, according to a new study. The ice shelf, one of Earth's largest, is widely considered to be the largest annual contributor of water into the ocean, and it's expected to be a major contributor to global sea-level rise, according to the study, published in the journal Nature on Tuesday. The study, commissioned by NASA and the European Space Agency, compared a combination of 26 satellite measurements of changes in the ice sheet's volume, flow and gravitational potential to produce a "reconciled estimate" of its mass balance. Wed, 11 Dec 2019 18:24:00 -0500
A potential vaccine for the Zika virus just passed a major milestone: It protected mice from getting sick
The vaccine neutralized the Zika virus in young albino mice, but it hasn't been tested in humans yet. Wed, 11 Dec 2019 14:00:00 -0500
Scientists to harness the sun to break down plastic![Scientists to harness the sun to break down plastic](http://l.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/pYvyQoBzZkgsHTVjTb.p3w--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/74c2db5a034ce57874bfd128fa57fc5f0174fe21.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Scientists to harness the sun to break down plastic)
Scientists said Wednesday they have come up with an environmentally-friendly method that uses artificial sunlight to transform plastic into power-generating chemicals, as countries worldwide battle to reduce waste. Huge quantities of plastic have piled up on land and been dumped in the sea across the world, with Asian nations in particular facing criticism for failing to tackle the problem. Researchers in Singapore say they have converted plastic into "formic acid", which can be used in power plants to generate electricity, by using a catalyst which neither damages the environment nor costs a lot of money. Wed, 11 Dec 2019 05:50:19 -0500
Harvard research: Impact of poverty begins in the womb, but it doesn't have to
Scientific evidence shows that the toxic stresses of poverty can affect the brains of babies in the womb — but also that they can be reversed with some radical shifts to our approach to prenatal care. It's the subject of a new mini-documentary from Yahoo News, "Baby Brain." Tue, 10 Dec 2019 05:00:20 -0500
At least 8 people are dead after a New Zealand volcano erupted. Experts say the disaster was not predictable, despite warning signs.
Geologists and tourists knew that the volcano that recently erupted on New Zealand's White Island was active. It last erupted in 2016. Wed, 11 Dec 2019 16:49:00 -0500
A potential vaccine for the Zika virus just passed a major milestone: It protected mice from getting sick
The vaccine neutralized the Zika virus in young albino mice, but it hasn't been tested in humans yet. Wed, 11 Dec 2019 14:00:00 -0500
I visited the top of the tallest building in the world, and it was a colossal waste of time
While the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is a marvel from below, heading to the top is an exhausting, overhyped, and, frankly, boring experience. Wed, 11 Dec 2019 12:05:00 -0500
After weather delay, Blue Origin counts down to test flight of suborbital spaceship
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space venture is counting down to today's uncrewed flight test of its New Shepard suborbital spaceship, with a cargo manifest that should warm kids' hearts for the holidays. The company plans to fly thousands of postcards that have been gathered through its educational program, known as the Club for the Future. It'll also send up two student-built art projects inspired by OK Go's geeky music videos. This will be the 12th New Shepard test mission, and it will mark the flight of Blue Origin's 100th commercial payload to space and back. Launch from Blue Origin's… Read More Wed, 11 Dec 2019 12:00:46 -0500
Humans aren't the only species that rely on grandmothers to watch the kids: Orca grannies ensure baby whales live longer
Orca whales and humans share a trait that's rare among mammals: Females survive long past their reproductive period and take care of grandchildren. Mon, 09 Dec 2019 15:01:00 -0500
Vessel, the $200 million art installation at New York's Hudson Yards, just won a major prize. Here's what it's like to climb it.
The honeycomb-like structure, designed by architect Thomas Heatherwick, was recently honored at the World Architecture Festival. Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:21:00 -0500
![A potential vaccine for the Zika virus just passed a major milestone: It protected mice from getting sick](http://l.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/X_YUHybg2sg08VoHWVETOg--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/4a288bc48a8681d9d2df90eb324aab1e" width="130" height="86" alt="A potential vaccine for the Zika virus just passed a major milestone: It protected mice from getting sick)
![Harvard research: Impact of poverty begins in the womb, but it doesn't have to](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/Fudx3WXzm20R.adpt1Qyhw--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com/creatr-uploaded-images/2019-12/cb2b62e0-1a9c-11ea-b3fb-88e0b5204a2f" width="130" height="86" alt="Harvard research: Impact of poverty begins in the womb, but it doesn't have to)
![At least 8 people are dead after a New Zealand volcano erupted. Experts say the disaster was not predictable, despite warning signs.](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/JfsnWX_qk908n08zV2sV.g--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/ad7d23b170e73723f9968f3e3dcc568c" width="130" height="86" alt="At least 8 people are dead after a New Zealand volcano erupted. Experts say the disaster was not predictable, despite warning signs.)
![A potential vaccine for the Zika virus just passed a major milestone: It protected mice from getting sick](http://l.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/7jFHi2A82ReScacD54mRzQ--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/77bed3d7125f0c66ee7f4dfa54d3ca47" width="130" height="86" alt="A potential vaccine for the Zika virus just passed a major milestone: It protected mice from getting sick)
![I visited the top of the tallest building in the world, and it was a colossal waste of time](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/m0eZBJuF_lck5mvCflNF0g--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/b0521eebf38b6885a9ff2df0e8b81247" width="130" height="86" alt="I visited the top of the tallest building in the world, and it was a colossal waste of time)
![After weather delay, Blue Origin counts down to test flight of suborbital spaceship](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/gExA5.r_bmXvaR2GcRsljA--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/en-US/geekwire_312/b5e1c2949a4f0d2a5d542ea43b0cc869" width="130" height="86" alt="After weather delay, Blue Origin counts down to test flight of suborbital spaceship)
![Humans aren't the only species that rely on grandmothers to watch the kids: Orca grannies ensure baby whales live longer](http://l.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/YWpsu3yhSNaCOPkP0ArvHg--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/fe17488567e720bf49d28a06bc3ab064" width="130" height="86" alt="Humans aren't the only species that rely on grandmothers to watch the kids: Orca grannies ensure baby whales live longer)
![Vessel, the $200 million art installation at New York's Hudson Yards, just won a major prize. Here's what it's like to climb it.](http://l2.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/T.4zVVQXnuhGtrdC3NW7aw--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/8e0cd672e77d923c088dbfa9150c5a3f" width="130" height="86" alt="Vessel, the $200 million art installation at New York's Hudson Yards, just won a major prize. Here's what it's like to climb it.)