CDF precision measurement of W-boson mass suggests a lighter Higgs particle

CDF precision measurement of W-boson mass suggests a lighter Higgs particle
   Scientists at Fermilab announced the world's most precise measurement by a single experiment of the mass of the W-boson, the carrier of the weak nuclear force and a key parameter of the Standard Model of particles and forces. The new W-mass value leads to an estimate for the mass of the yet-undiscovered Higgs boson that is lighter than previously predicted, in principle making observation of this elusive particle more likely by experiments at the Tevatron particle collider at Fermilab.

Bad smell foxes New york emergency services (AFP)

Bad smell foxes New york emergency services (AFP)
   

AFP - Emergency services in New York City were hunting for the source of a strong odor, but were at a loss to explain what many reported to be the smell of natural gas, officials said.

Hybrid structures combine strengths of carbon nanotubes and nanowires

Hybrid structures combine strengths of carbon nanotubes and nanowires
   A team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has created hybrid structures that combine the best properties of carbon nanotubes and metal nanowires. The new structures, which are described in a recent issue of Applied Physics Letters, could help overcome some of the key hurdles to using carbon nanotubes in computer chips, displays, sensors and many other electronic devices.

Emergency crews hunting for possible gas leak in New York (AFP)

Emergency crews hunting for possible gas leak in New York (AFP)
   

AFP - Emergency services in New York City are investigating a possible natural gas leak after receiving hundreds of calls reporting the smell of gas throughout Manhattan.

Wet in Northeast; windy Southwest (weather.com)

Wet in Northeast; windy Southwest (weather.com)
   weather.com -

Baby vulture born in captivity in India (AP)

Baby vulture born in captivity in India (AP)
   AP - One of the world's most endangered birds, the oriental white-backed vulture, has bred in captivity for the first time in India, scientists said Monday.

Stem cells discovered in amniotic fluid (AP)

Stem cells discovered in amniotic fluid (AP)
   

AP - Stem cell researchers reacted with enthusiasm and reservations to a report that scientists have found stem cells in amniotic fluid, a discovery that would allow them to sidestep the controversy over destroying embryos for research.

Hybrid embryo ban threat

Hybrid embryo ban threat
   UK scientists planning to mix human and animal cells to find disease cures fear authorities will ban their work.

Vast halo extends galaxy's size

Vast halo extends galaxy's size
   The Andromeda galaxy, our largest galactic neighbour, may be five times bigger than previously thought.

'Plutoed' voted US word of year

'Plutoed' voted US word of year
   "Plutoed" - to be demoted as the former planet - is voted word of the year by the American Dialect Society.

GM betting on a greener future

GM betting on a greener future
   Why General Motors is showing off its green credentials at this year's Detroit motor show.

Quake hits central Japan (AFP)

Quake hits central Japan (AFP)
   

AFP - An earthquake measuring 4.6 magnitude has struck central Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Storm damages homes in South (AP)

Storm damages homes in South (AP)
   AP - Severe storms swept through the South on Sunday, spawning possible tornadoes, damaging homes and bringing the threat of flooding.

Scientists Shining Light Into Black Holes

Scientists Shining Light Into Black Holes
    It wasn't all that long ago that black holes existed only in the realm of theory, a space- and mind-bending musing of Albert Einstein, who posited the existence of objects in the universe so dense that even light could not escape them. Even after scientists began to accept several decades ago that these extremely exotic and powerful objects were not the stuff of science fiction, they still knew virtually nothing about them....

Scientists See Potential In Amniotic Stem Cells

Scientists See Potential In Amniotic Stem Cells
    A type of cell that floats freely in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women has been found to have many of the same traits as embryonic stem cells, including an ability to grow into brain, muscle and other tissues that could be used to treat a variety of diseases, scientists reported yesterday.

Wars Ultimately Measure Tolerance of Pain

Wars Ultimately Measure Tolerance of Pain
    Here's a question with three different answers. The first answer is derived from arithmetic. The second comes from common sense. The third is based on psychology.

Daniel R. Raichel, 71, an Expert on the Characteristics of Sound, Is Dead

Daniel R. Raichel, 71, an Expert on the Characteristics of Sound, Is Dead
   Daniel R. Raichel was a mechanical engineer who studied how sound travels in symphony halls and across industrial workplaces.

Wild game herds of Serengeti: wonder or worry? (Reuters)

Wild game herds of Serengeti: wonder or worry? (Reuters)
   

Reuters - More than a million snorting wildebeest may not need the plug, but a media endorsement of their annual migration is raising fears of a tourist stampede to the Maasai Mara game reserve.