What makes us human? An international team of researchers has found a clue: A gene carried only by people – not apes or other animals – appears to have played a crucial role in the rapid evolutionary changes in the human brain that allowed us to use complex tools and language. Reseachers from the University […]
Newly Identified Gene Is Part of What Makes Us Human
Report Blames Management for Pike River Mine Disaster
A probe into a New Zealand coal mine explosion that killed 29 people in 2010, blames the operator for neglecting safety standards and putting workers at risk. A royal commission into the blast at the Pike River colliery on November 19, 2010, said on Monday that the South Island mine had consistently recorded dangerously high […]
100-Million-Year-Old Fish Discovered in Texas
A paleontologist in Texas has identified a new species of coelacanth , an ancient fish most closely related to land-dwelling vertebrates, including humans. John Graf, of Southern Methodist University, says the pieces of the tiny fossil skull found recently near Fort Worth are 100 million years old, and represent a new family of this remarkably […]
US Lifts Ban on Visits by New Zealand Warships
The United States has lifted a 25-year-old ban that prevented New Zealand naval ships from entering U.S. military ports, in a key step toward restoring military relations between the two nations. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday during a visit to Auckland that Washington is also removing restrictions to make it easier to hold […]
US Lifts Ban on Visits by New Zealand Warships
The United States has lifted a 25-year-old ban that prevented New Zealand naval ships from entering U.S. military ports, in a key step toward restoring military relations between the two nations. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday during a visit to Auckland that Washington is also removing restrictions to make it easier to hold […]
Dormant 115 Years, New Zealand Volcano Unexpectedly Blows
A volcano on New Zealand’s North Island has erupted for the first time in over 115 years, creating a thick cloud of ash that disrupted regional travel and prompted nearby residents to stay indoors Tuesday. After having lied dormant since 1897, Mount Tangariro unexpectedly erupted late Monday, sending a wall of ash over 6,000 meters […]
Dormant 115 Years, New Zealand Volcano Unexpectedly Blows
A volcano on New Zealand’s North Island has erupted for the first time in over 115 years, creating a thick cloud of ash that disrupted regional travel and prompted nearby residents to stay indoors Tuesday. After having lied dormant since 1897, Mount Tangariro unexpectedly erupted late Monday, sending a wall of ash over 6,000 meters […]
Yahoo Names Google Exec As New CEO
Internet giant Yahoo has named a longtime executive from rival company Google as its new chief executive. Marissa Mayer begins her position on Tuesday, becoming a rare female CEO in Silicon Valley. The 37-year-old was one of Google’s earliest employees, and was involved in the development of its well-known search engine and iconic homepage. She […]
New Zealand to Crack Down on Party Pills
New Zealand announced plans Monday to ban the use of party pills and fake cannabis – drugs offering so-called legal highs – unless producers can provide clinical evidence that they are safe. Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said Monday that current laws are failing, because as soon as regulators ban a synthetic drug, manufacturers alter […]
New Poll Says Most Americans Think Health Care Law A Tax Hike
A recent poll says most American voters think the new health care law is a tax hike. The Quinnipiac poll released Thursday, showed 55 percent of voters regarded the law as a tax increase, while 36 percent said it is not. A plurality of 49 percent of voters said the health care law should be […]