Two Japanese, American win 2008 physics Nobel

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Two Japanese scientists and a Tokyo-born American shared the 2008 Nobel Prize for physics for helping to explain the behavior of subatomic particles, work that has helped shape modern physics theory, the prize committee said on Tuesday.

Gene discovery may help hunt for blindness cure

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have discovered a gene mutation linked to the most common cause of blindness in the developed world, holding out the prospect of better treatments and perhaps eventually a cure.

Climate change seen aiding spread of deadly diseases

BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - A "deadly dozen" diseases ranging from avian flu to yellow fever are likely to spread more because of climate change, the Wildlife Conservation Society said on Tuesday.

Asteroid to burn up before hitting Earth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A tiny asteroid discovered earlier Monday by an Arizona observatory will hit Earth's atmosphere over Sudan in a few hours but will burn up before it can hit the ground or endanger aircraft, astronomers said.

India's first moon mission to take off on October 22

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will launch a locally built rocket for the country's first unmanned mission to the moon on October 22, the head of the project said on Tuesday. "If at all there is any delay, it will be because of the weather, otherwise I don't foresee any technical difficulties," M. Annadurai told Reuters.

NASA spacecraft zooms above surface of Mercury

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A car-sized NASA spacecraft zoomed above the surface of Mercury on Monday, viewing rocky terrain never before seen up close on our solar system's sun-baked innermost planet, scientists said.

AIDS pioneers and cancer scientist win Nobel prize

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Two French scientists who discovered the AIDS virus and a German who bucked conventional wisdom to find a virus that causes cervical cancer were awarded the 2008 Nobel prize for medicine on Monday.

Safer prenatal Down's syndrome test found in U.S

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A prenatal blood test can be used to determine if an unborn baby has Down's syndrome without the small risk to the fetus posed by invasive testing methods such as amniocentesis, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

ADHD drugs cut risk of drug abuse, smoking: study

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Girls who take stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are less likely than others with the condition to start smoking or to abuse alcohol or drugs, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Indonesia raises alert level of Sulawesi volcano

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has raised the alert level for a volcano on Sulawesi island after it began spewing hot clouds and lava, a vulcanology official said on Tuesday.

'Deepest ever' living fish filmed

The "deepest ever" living fish are discovered 7.5km down, scientists say.

Cosmic imperfections celebrated

The Nobel Prize for physics this year lauds three individuals who described tiny flaws in the fabric of the Universe.

Disease warning on climate change

Climate change may hasten the spread of diseases that can move from wild animals to humans, researchers warn.

UK 'needs tougher climate target'

The UK's official climate advisers say an 80% emissions cut by 2050 should include international aviation and shipping.

Europe follows fusion twin track

An alternative fusion project is initiated in Europe that would seek abundant clean energy using a colossal laser.

'Safer' test developed for Down's

Scientists develop a blood test that could tell a pregnant women if her unborn baby has Down's syndrome.

Success for plants' pest control

Researchers develop a potential new method of making plants significantly more resistant to pests.

Telescope detects odd-ball object

The European planet-hunter Corot has spotted an object orbiting a star that is quite unlike anything seen before.

Mammals facing extinction threat

About 25% of the world's mammal species are at risk of extinction, according to a global assessment.

Brazil's air force picks up hundreds of lost penguins

Hundreds of penguins lost along Brazil's coast are returned to native territory in the south Atlantic ocean by an air force plane.

The 'knot' so astonishing research honoured with Ig Nobel Prizes

Why wires tie themselves in knots and other astonishing research are honoured with Ig Nobel Prizes.

Economic problems must not derail the Millennium Development Goals

Why economic problems must not derail progress on the Millennium Development Goals, which the UN assesses this week.

The plight of the bluefin

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is in a parlous state - does it represent a oceans-wide legacy of overfishing?

Seeing red

Richard Black on the bleak outlook for mammals

Silver lining

Why climate change is good news for conservationists

Seeds of hope

Why Malawi is enjoying bumper maize harvests

Feilden's blog

Has human evolution stopped short?

Going ballistic

Korean astronaut Yi So-Yeon describes her rocky return

Future of flagship Mars mission up in the air (AP)

AP - Will NASA's flagship mission to Mars fly next year? The space agency could decide as early as Friday whether to cancel, delay or proceed with plans to launch a nuclear-powered, SUV-size rover to the red planet.

Nobel physics prize goes to 2 Japanese, 1 American (AP)

AP - Two Japanese scientists and an American won the 2008 Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday for theoretical advances that help explain the behavior of the smallest particles of matter.

Penguins ride air force jet to South Atlantic (AP)

AP - More than 370 penguins that mysteriously washed up on Brazil's equatorial beaches were flown south on a huge air force cargo plane and released closer to the frigid waters they call home, animal advocates said Monday.

Small asteroid headed for light show over Africa (AP)

AP - A small asteroid was headed for a fiery but harmless dive into Earth's atmosphere early Tuesday morning over Africa, astronomers said in a first of its kind advance warning.

Narcissists Tend to Become Leaders (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - Narcissists like to be in charge, so it stands to reason that a new study shows individuals who are overconfident about their abilities are most likely to step in as leaders, be they politicians or power brokers.

Heating costs to jump 15 percent this winter: government (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. household heating fuel costs will rise 15 percent this winter from last year, the government's top energy forecasting agency said on Tuesday, citing more expensive fuel and the likelihood of much colder weather than last winter.

Spacecraft Reveals Stunning New Views of Mercury (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - A NASA probe has begun beaming back stunning new images from its successful second flyby of Mercury, the planet closest to the sun.

Animal rights group opposed to fur targets Armani (AP)

AP - The PETA animal rights organization is targeting Armani in its latest anti-fur campaign.

US scientists find oldest fossil tracks of legged animal (AFP)

AFP - US scientists have found the oldest fossilized tracks of a tiny legged animal, from 570 million years ago, that push back the advent of more complex creatures on Earth by some 30 million years, a report said Sunday.

Energy Department warns of higher heating costs (AP)

AP - Heating U.S. homes with oil this winter will cost a painful $450 more than a year ago, another slap to families already reeling from high gasoline and food costs and fearful of losing their heat because of unpaid bills.

Parents Get Key To Slow Teen Drivers

Ford will roll out a new feature on many 2010 models that can limit teen drivers to 80 mph, using a computer chip in the key.

Judge Halts Sales Of RealDVD

A judge has ordered RealNetworks to suspend the sale of RealDVD, the controversial software that hands users the ability to copy and store films to a hard drive.

The Race For The Electric Car

The race to develop and build the first viable, affordable electric car is on, as Silicon Valley has gotten into the game. And as Lesley Stahl reports, Detroit is taking notice.

3 Europeans Take Nobel Prize In Medicine

Three European scientists will share the 2008 Nobel Prize in medicine for separate discoveries of viruses that cause AIDS and cervical cancer, breakthroughs that helped doctors fight the deadly diseases.

Attempt To Breed Rare Chinese Turtle Fails

When the two rare Yangtze giant soft-shell turtles mated last spring, scientists were hopeful that their attempts to keep the species from fading into extinction would be a success. But conservationists announced that the turtles' eggs didn't hatch.

Strippers, Coke Inspire Sci-Prize Winners

The Ig Nobel prize, the annual award given by the Annals of Improbable Research magazine to oddball but often surprisingly practical scientific achievements, were announced.

Diary Survives 37-Mile Fall To Earth

Pages from an Israeli astronaut's diary that survived the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia and a 37-mile fall to earth are going on display this weekend for the first time in Jerusalem.

Cincinnati Offers Grants For Green Roofs

Officials want to see more green roofs on building tops in Cincinnati. The City Council became the first in Ohio with a plan to channel grants and loans to residents and businesses to replace tar and shingles with vegetation.

U.K. Honors Online Music Community

Not surprisingly, the 2008 BTDMA Artist of the Year award went to Radiohead.