Micro-organisms can survive the most arid conditions here on Earth, raising hopes for life on planets like Mars. In the driest corner of South America’s Atacama Desert, decades can pass without any rain falling at all or just a single rainfall. These conditions mean that salt in the soil is highly concentrated and there is […]
The dollar edged down against most major currencies on Tuesday, with traders cautious ahead of testimony from new Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell that could determine whether the currency’s recovery from a three-year low has more room to run. Powell’s Congressional testimony will his first public appearance since being sworn in as chairman earlier this […]
Comcast Corp, the biggest cable operator in the United States, offered on Tuesday to pay $31 billion to buy Sky, challenging Rupert Murdoch’s Fox and Bob Iger’s Walt Disney for the European pay-TV jewel. Comcast, a $184 billion media giant which owns NBC and Universal Pictures, said it was offering 12.50 pounds per share, significantly […]
Hopes were dashed this week that the United States was finally making progress in the fight against childhood obesity. Contrary to previous reports, the epidemic of fat has not abated. In fact, there’s been a big jump in obesity among the nation’s youngest children, according to the latest analysis of federal data, published Monday in […]
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, currently under development, is designed to carry humans and cargo to the moon, Mars and deep space. During a Feb. 21 test at Stennis Space Center in southern Mississippi, the RS-25 engines reached their highest power level ever achieved, according to a recent statement by NASA. Operators accomplished this […]
Passengers onboard a United Airlines flight to Oregon suffered a bit of a scare Sunday night as the plane blew a tire during takeoff. Flight 1551 from Newark Liberty International Airport landed safely at Portland International Airport around 10:30 p.m. local time, officials said. United said there were no reported injuries. An unidentified passenger onboard […]
At least one company began evacuating non-essential personnel after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Papua New Guinea’s energy-rich interior on Monday, causing landslides, damaging buildings and closing oil and gas operations. The tremor hit in the rugged, heavily forested Southern Highlands about 560 km (350 miles) northwest of the capital, Port Moresby, at around […]
A type 2 diabetes diagnosis that comes early in life carries a deadly load of health risks, new research shows. It was associated with a 60 percent higher relative risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. Not only that, it was linked to almost a 30 percent higher risk of death from any cause, […]
The moon is a fascinating place, and scientists have just uncovered one strange mystery with regards to water on the lunar surface. As we reported recently, scientists were surprised to find that water was spread out all over the moon rather than concentrated at the poles. And while this discovery has important academic implications, it […]
One decade ago, Warren Buffett took a $1 million wager that stashing money in an index fund would make you richer than if you entrusted it with hedge fund managers. He won — big time — and in his annual letter on Saturday, the billionaire Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) Inc. outlined the […]
In the middle of the desert, six kilometres south of Tuna Al-Gabal archaeological site, Egyptian and international media gathered to witness the announcement of a new discovery. Five showcases displaying the artefacts uncovered from burial sites in the cemetery were guarded by inspectors. Minister of Antiquities Kaled El-Enany, who was on site, announced the discovery […]
As the worst flu season in a decade rages on, a potentially groundbreaking new drug that can kill the flu virus in just one day has won regulatory approval—in Japan. Japanese officials granted an accelerated approval to the treatment, Xofluza from pharmaceutical maker Shionogi, last week. It could soon prove to be a significant competitor […]
