Topic: National Academy of Sciences

Were early humans cooking their food a million years ago?

The discovery of million-year-old ash and charred bone in a South African cave suggests that human ancestors were using fire much earlier than previously thought.

Climategate sequel? Scientist lies to get Heartland Institute documents.

Climate scientist, Peter Gleick, lied to acquire – then leak to the press – documents from the Heartland Institute, an organization that argues that global warming poses no threat. 

Obama's NASA budget favors a space telescope over Mars exploration

The proposed 2013 federal budget shifts funding away from missions to Mars and emphasizes manned spaceflight and astronomy.

Fukushima meltdown could be template for nuclear terrorism, study says

The Fukushima meltdown showed how some nuclear plants are vulnerable to cooling-system failures. That might be of interest to Al Qaeda, which considered attacking US nuclear facilities after 9/11, a new study says.

Casey Anthony case resembles real-life CSI crime drama

Prosecutors have established that Casey Anthony lied about the disappearance of her daughter Caylee. But physical evidence linking Anthony to her daughter's death has been hard to come by.

Report: 'Unacceptable threat' from spent-fuel pools at US nuclear power plants

Overcrowded spent-fuel pools at US nuclear power plants pose an 'unacceptable threat to the public,' says risk assessor. Much of the leaked radiation from Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi came from spent-fuel pools.

Fukushima warning: US has 'utterly failed' to address risk of spent fuel

Nuclear experts told Congress Wednesday that spent-fuel pools at US nuclear power plants are fuller than safety suggests they should be. They say the entire US spent-fuel policy should be overhauled in light of the nuclear crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant.

Japan nuclear crisis: Seven reasons why we should abandon nuclear power

The disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station underscores – yet again – the need to abandon nuclear power as a panacea for energy independence. Experts may never determine what caused all of the emergency cooling safety systems at Daiichi to fail completely. But they have learned that they are nearly powerless to bring the smoldering units under control. In the meantime, significant amounts of radioactive gas have vented, and partial meltdowns of at least two reactors have occurred. Indeed, nuclear power will never live up to industry promises. As a whole it is ultimately unsafe, an accident waiting to happen, and far more expensive than proponents admit.

Colby College professor Paul Josephson gives seven reasons why we should abandon nuclear power and instead turn to solar, wind, and other forms of energy production that won’t experience such catastrophic accidents.

The new cyber arms race

Tomorrow's wars will be fought not just with guns, but with the click of a mouse half a world away that will unleash weaponized software that could take out everything from the power grid to a chemical plant.

Solar flare 2011: How a dazzling display can wreak electrical havoc

Solar flare 2011: A massive eruption of charged solar plasma glanced off the earth this week, a reminder that our star can still surprise us.

Toyota recall investigation reports cars are 'safe'

Toyota recall of cars with 'sticky' gas peddles is not due to an electronic cause, government says after 10-month investigation.

'Report card' on science: Most US students aren't 'proficient'

Just 34 percent of fourth-graders, 30 percent of eighth-graders, and 21 percent of 12th-graders performed at or above 'proficient' in a national science assessment, according to a NAEP report card.

Creationists have gotten clever, but there's still no debate over evolution

Creationists and intelligent design proponents have gotten clever. Instead of pushing for creationism to be taught in science classes, they're merely asking that schools fairly present 'the scientific evidence' against evolution. The only problem? There isn't any.

Religion doesn't belong in public schools, but debate over Darwinian evolution does

Students need to learn about Darwinian evolution. But they also deserve to hear countervailing scientific evidence – evidence that is censored in many current textbooks.

Toyota lawsuit: Did automaker buy up cars to hide defects?

Toyota lawsuit charges the automaker with buying up defective cars in exchange for confidentiality agreements. Toyota denies the allegations.

Fuel efficiency will be focus for future generations of government vehicles

Fuel efficiency: For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department released proposed fuel economy requirements and reductions in tailpipe emissions for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Gulf oil spill: BP grants $500 million for independent research

Some experts wonder how 'independent' BP's grants for Gulf oil spill research on ecosystem damage and recovery will be. But so far, it looks like the money comes with no strings attached.

Asteroid! Earth's largest digital camera scans for killer meteors

Asteroid: Earth's largest digital camera is a 1,400-megapixel marvel peering through a telescope in Hawaii. It is on the lookout for potentially dangerous space rocks.

Solar storms to erupt soon. What will be the impact on Earth?

Solar storms on their way. Natl Academy of Sciences: "Major solar storm could cause twenty times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina..."

Study finds that young hotshots make better mentors

A study of mathematicians found that academics did a much better job mentoring students during the first third of their careers than the during last third.

Gulf oil spill's environmental impact: How long to recover?

What scientists know about how oil spills affect the environment is drawn from a range of past events, no two of which have been alike. Because the blowout occurred 5,000 feet below below the water surface, the Gulf oil spill is unchartered territory.

NASA to study Toyota recall cars. Are cosmic rays the culprit?

Sudden acceleration of Toyota recall cars will be the focus of the NASA investigation, probably not cosmic rays.

For Templeton Prize, intelligent design opponent Francisco Ayala

UC Irvine evolutionary biologist Francisco Ayala has won the 2010 Templeton Prize, which honors those who make 'an exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension.'

US trains nuclear detectives to trace 'loose' nukes

As nuclear safety concerns rise, the US government is building a stable of nuclear detectives – offering summer internships to those interested in radiochemistry nuclear forensics.

As Climate Change debate wages on, scientists turn to Hollywood for help

Politicians and the public question global climate change evidence, so scientists look to Hollywood and websites for a new voice. Lights, camera, science!