Science

Why The First Name On The Ballot Often Wins

7:42am July 27, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Presidential elections draw lots of attention, but voters also have to make lots of less familiar choices. The order in which their names are listed on the ballot can help candidates, a study shows.

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A CT scan of the skull of a 2,200-year-old Egyptian mummy on display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem shows osteoporosis and tooth decay, the museum said Tuesday.

Mummified Egyptian Was Just As Sedentary And Carb-Hungry As Modern Men

6:32pm July 26, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

A 2,200-year-old mummy going on display in Israel shows some of the same ailments modern people suffer from: osteoporosis, tooth decay and other effects of an inactive, carbohydrate-rich lifestyle.

Four sheep cloned from the same genetic material as Dolly roam the paddocks in Nottingham, England.

'Sister Clones' Of Dolly The Sheep Are Alive And Kicking

6:13pm July 26, 2016

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Dolly, the first cloned mammal, had early arthritis and died young, raising concerns that clones age prematurely. But a study confirms the sheep's four sister clones are healthy and aging well.

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Solar-Powered Plane Completes Historic Circumnavigation

4:25pm July 26, 2016

The Solar Impulse 2 landed in Abu Dhabi, where its journey began 17 flights ago in March 2015. Alternating with another pilot, Bertrand Piccard flew around the world with no fuel.

Parkinson's disease, smoking, certain head injuries and even normal aging can influence our sense of smell. But certain patterns of loss in the ability to identify odors seem pronounced in Alzheimer's, researchers say.

A Sniff Test For Alzheimer's Checks For The Ability To Identify Odors

4:25pm July 26, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

New research suggests it may be possible to spot people in the early stages of Alzheimer's by testing their ability to recognize fragrances. The goal is a quick and inexpensive screening test.

When the Solar Impulse 2 airplane arrived in Spain from New York last month, it was greeted by the Spanish Eagle Patrol.

Sun-Powered Airplane Completes Historic Trip Around The World

11:07am July 26, 2016

by Bill Chappell

"This is not only a first in the history of aviation; it's before all a first in the history of energy," Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard says. His plane flew more than 26,700 miles without using fuel.

Firefighters battle part of the Sand Fire after flames jumped across a road in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Sunday. As the blaze changed direction multiple times over the weekend firefighters were forced to retreat and thousands of people have been evacuated

Some Evacuation Orders Lifted In Southern California Wildfire

9:40pm July 25, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

The body of a man was found in an area burned by a 33,000 acre wildfire north of Los Angeles. The Sand Fire has destroyed more than a dozen homes and is one of 19 major fires burning in California.

Canadian Oil Spill Threatens Drinking Water

6:50pm July 25, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

An oil slick has forced the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to shut down its water treatment plant, after a pipeline dumped tens of thousands of gallons into the North Saskatchewan River.

A Jan Davidsz de Heem still life with ham, lobster and fruit, circa 1653

Science
Arts

#FoodPorn, Circa 1600s: Then And Now, It Was More About Status Than Appetite

3:09pm July 25, 2016

by Tove Danovich

A new study of old masters finds that capturing and showing off decadent and expensive meals is a decidedly old-fashioned practice. Like today's Instagrammers, it was all about projecting an image.

The Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft prepares to take off from the Cairo International Airport in the Egyptian capital on Sunday as it heads to Abu Dhabi on the final leg of its world tour.

Experimental Plane Sets Off On Final Leg Of Its Round-The-World Journey

3:29pm July 24, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

It's the first time for a solar-powered plane to circumnavigate the globe. Now it's en route to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — and you can watch the journey in a live video from the cockpit.