Names for New Elements

Names and symbols for three new elements added to the periodic table -- elements 110, 111 and 112, named darmstadtium (Ds), roentgenium (Rg) and copernicium (Cn), respectively -- have been officially approved by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP).

Ancient U.S. Megadrought

Analysis of tree growth rings have revealed a previously unknown multi-decade drought for the southwestern United States around the second century A.D., suggesting this area may have periodic extended periods of severe aridity.

de Soto Reached Interior U.S.

Glass beads and other jewelry found at a site in Georgia have historians redrawing the route of conquistador Hernando de Soto's 16th-century expedition, reaching further into what is now the United States' interior than previously believed.

Fossil Zombie Worms

Traces of the bone-eating "zombie" worms of the genus Osedax have been found among Mediterranean whale fossils, suggesting this soft-bodied worm was widespread across the oceans 6 million years ago and may be responsible for erasing parts of the fossil record by destroying bones before they fossilized.

Snake Blood Makes Heart Grow

With the hearts of some species of snakes nearly doubling in size in response to blood demand, researchers have discovered blood plasma from recently fed snakes can stimulate mammal hearts to grow without scarring, leading to potential medical treatments for human heart disease.

Complex Organic Matter

Analysis of the spectra of the dust from exploding stars reveals that complex organic molecules are unexpectedly common throughout the universe, and can be sythesized by stars and not solely the byproducts of other life processes.

Dinosaur Migration from Teeth

By measuring isotopes of oxygen in the tooth enamel of the fossilized remains of Camarasaurus and comparing those levels to known sedimentary compositions, researchers have produced the first hard evidence of dinosaur seasonal migration.

Extreme Life at Sea Bottom

Exploring the deep Mariana Trench at depths of more than 10,000 meters, researchers have documented extreme life forms called xenophyophores abundant on the sea floor, single-celled animals that can reach 10 cm in length and play host to dozens of other extreme species.

Snakes Store Sperm for Years

A rattlesnake kept isolated in a private collection in Florida gave birth to 19 young a full five years after being caught, and with DNA analysis ruling out parthenogenesis this is the first documented case of female snakes storing sperm for years until needed -- a mechanism still poorly understood.

Ancient American Hunters

Detailed CT scans and radiocarbon dating of a weapon embedded in a mastodon bone have revealed the first hunters in North America (what is now the state of Washington) were active 13,800 years ago, some 800 years before the rise of the Clovis culture.

Computers from Bacteria and DNA

Scientists have successfully constructed some basic computational logic gates out of gut bacteria (E. coli) and modified DNA that function just as their semiconductor counterparts, suggesting the feasibility of biological computers.

Viking Burial Site in Scotland

Archaeologists have uncovered a Viking chief boat burial site on the Ardnamurchan Scottish peninsula estimated to be at least 1000 years old and complete with many artifacts, one of the most significant Norse discoveries yet found in the UK.

Panda Poop Analyzed

In an attempt to discover how pandas live on an all-bamboo diet without the physiological or enzymatic traits common to most herbivores, zoologists have identified thirteen species of bacteria known to break down cellulose present in their feces, with seven of those species unique to pandas.

Unknown Gamma-Ray Sources

NASA's Fermi space telescope has completed its second all-sky map of energetic gamma-ray sources, with approximately 600 of the 1873 identified sources corresponding with no known object capable of producing such energy bursts, leaving these sources complete mysteries.