Satellite Theory Proven

First proposed by an American physicist in 1984, engineers have finally proven the feasibility of using solar sails to achieve "displaced orbits" to the north or south of Earth's equator for satellites in geostationary positions to meet the increased demands for communications.

American/Australian Marsupials

After the resequencing of genomes from the South American opossum and the Australian wallaby, a new study shows that the many Australasian marsupial species likely have a common American-species ancestry, including those of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Colossal Magnetoresistance

The microscopic mechanism of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) has been demonstrated, where powerful magnetic field strengths can change the character of some exotic materials from insulating phase to a metallic phase, and may lead to low-power, smaller alternatives to conventional circuits.

Coffee and Genetic Diversity

A new study shows that shade-grown coffee farms preserve the genetic diversity in tropical regions by supporting native bees, migratory birds, bats and other creatures as they cross-pollinate native tree populations of the region.

Social Data from Social Networks

Modern electronic participation such as cellphone usage and online social networking websites are providing the first real-time statistical data for social scientists, transforming previously "soft" social research filled with subjective fact collection into a true data-drivien, mathematical science.

"Fresh" Meteorite Crater

A relatively small impact crater has been discovered in the Egyptian desert that is believed to have occurred only a couple thousand years ago and would have remained whole until impact, making astronomers reevaluate their estimates of the frequency and threats of significant meteorite impacts.

Buckyballs in Space

Astronomers working with NASA's Spitzer telescope have detected the third molecular form of carbon ("buckyballs") occurring naturally in the dust surrounding a star 6500 light years away, making these the largest molecules yet detected in space.

Macabre Mayan Tomb

A newly discovered and highly preserved 1600-year-old Maya king's tomb in Guatemala reveals bowls of human fingers, a partially burned infant, gem-studded teeth and a wealth of gold and untouched artifacts providing many new examples of Mayan architecture and preserved textiles.

New Structure at Stonehenge

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a wooden version of Stonehenge less than a kilometer away from the famous prehistoric site using ground-penetrating radar, and are confident other similar sites remain to be discovered in the same area.

Wooden "Stonehenge" in Ohio

A wooden version of concentric circles aligned with astronomical points dating back 2000 years has been uncovered by archaeologists just northeast of Cincinnati, Ohio, named Moorehead Circle (dubbed "Woodhenge") and believed built by the pre-agricultural Hopewell culture.

Comet Impact on Neptune

Distribution of carbon monoxide and other indicators detected in the atmosphere of Neptune by the Herschel satellite indicate a comet impacted the planet about two hundred years ago, evidence largely learned after observation of Comet Shoemaker-Levy impacting Jupiter in 1994.

Unusual Electron Flow

Researchers have found that the conductive electrons on the surface of some compounds containing elements such as antimony seemingly alter their wave properties to flow around imperfections in the material that otherwise provide obstacles limiting electron flow.

"Power Surges" on Mercury

The MESSENGER spacecraft has detected tremendous "power surges" in the magnetic tail of Mercury as it passed the planet, periodically building up strength by 200% in a process called tail loading and then dissipating that energy within minutes.

Cave of Marsupial Fossils

Paleontologists have discovered a cave in Northwest Queensland containing a wealth of rare, well-preserved 15-million-year-old marsupial fossils, providing a broad insight into Australia's prehistoric past never before seen.

Planet with Comet-Like Tail

The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered an exoplanet (HD209458b) orbiting so close to its parent star that its heated atmosphere is escaping into space, with stellar winds providing the planet with a comet-like tail.

Ship Recovered at WTC Site

The wooden remains of an eighteenth-century commercial vessel has been uncovered while excavating space for a future underground parking garage at the former site of the World Trade Center towers, possibly junked and buried in an effort to extend the shores of Manhattan Island.

Deep Marine Species Discovered

A deep-water expedition to the Great Barrier Reef has revealed dozens of prehistoric-like species at depths along the sea floor at 4600 feet, including ancient six-gilled sharks, nautiloids, giant oil fish and swarms of previously unknown crustaceans and jellyfish.

Geo-Neutrinos Discovered

The discovery of geo-neutrinos, antineutrinos originating from the radioactive decay of uranium, thorium and potassium some 1800 miles deep within Earth's crust and mantle, provide a new method for analyzing the interior of the planet.

New Planet-Finding Technique

A team of astronomers has developed a new technique called transit timing variation (TTV) for detecting extrasolar planets as small as Earth, comparing the deviations from predictions of the transits of larger planets to determine the makeup of the star's planetary system.

4300-Year-Old Egyptian Tomb

Archaeologists have discovered a new and highly preserved tomb in the necropolis of Saqqara near Cairo estimated to be 4300 years old, and possibly indicating a vast undiscovered cemetery in the area.

Huge Cache of Roman Coins

An amateur treasure-hunter has discovered a huge cache of more than 52,000 Roman coins buried in a clay pot in a field in Somerset, UK, dating back to the third century AD, most likely buried as a ceremonial offering.

Sleep Restores Brain Energy

A new study demonstrates that the brain experiences a dramatic surge of the cellular energy chemical adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during sleep in areas that are normally active during waking hours, suggesting that sleep is a method to power restorative processes that are unable to be accomplished in the awake brain.

Fastest Human Evolution

A new study comparing the genomes of Tibetans and Han Chinese populations proposes that at least 30 genes have undergone evolutionary change in the adaptation of Tibetans to life at 13,000 feet above sea level, an ethnic and cultural split that separated these two peoples only about 3000 years ago.

Human Brain Noisy, Unreliable

A new study has determined that despite its tremendous computing power, the human brain is naturally and inherently unreliable with very small perturbations growing large through a "butterfly effect," leaving the brain functional but with high levels of background "noise."

Two-Billion-Year-Old Life

A collection of more than 250 fossils found in Gabon reveals that complex multicellular organisms were present more than 2.1 billion years ago, dramatically pushing back the previously known threshold of the so-called "Cambrian explosion" some 600 million years ago.

First Directly Imaged Planet

A team using high-resolution adaptive optics at the Gemini Observatory has directly imaged a planet for the first time, the planet being about eight times the mass of Jupiter orbiting the sun-like star 1RXS 1609, and confirming their initial imaging work of 2008.

Ancient Monster Whale

Paleontologists have found fossils in Peru's Inca desert of a monster toothed whale (Leviathan melvillei) that grew up to 18 meters long and has the largest predatory teeth ever discovered, which it most likely used to prey upon other baleen whales.

T. Rex Nerve Study

A comparative nerve study of modern vertebrates concludes that instead of being a quick and agile hunter, the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex likely plodded along like the modern elephant, both animals limited by the speed of their nerve impulses.