Did Volcanoes Drive Dinos to Extinction?

And it's in danger of happening again

(NEWSER) - Scientists have discovered that the Dead Sea pretty much vanished 120,000 years ago when the earth was as warm, or slightly warmer, than it is today, reports the BBC . It's in danger of doing the same today, this time helped along by populated areas taking the water that would normally flow into it. This could lead to momentous problems, as those Mideast populations rely on the salt lake for agriculture, fertilizer, and salt manufacturing. More»

Depleted ozone may be risk for already-endangered animals

(NEWSER) - Whales off the coast of Mexico seem to be getting bad sunburns, and scientists say ozone damage may be why. To survive, whales have to spend long periods on the ocean’s surface, and without clothes, fur, or feathers, they’re basically “sunbathing naked,” the AP notes. The result: skin lesions and dead cell patterns that are linked to sun exposure, a study finds. More»

Satellite provides picture of planet pull

(NEWSER) - A mesmerizingly multi-hued map of the Earth's gravity has been created with the help of detailed measurements taken by Europe's Goce satellite. The data has been transformed into a "geoid," or map, highlighting the differences in the planet's pull, from its mountain ranges to ocean trenches, to create a "geoid." The map was recently presented in Norway at a special Earth observation symposium. More»

Giant fish prowled oceans in dinosaur age

(NEWSER) - Scientists have discovered a "missing link" in evolutionary history: evidence that prehistoric seas were filled with enormous, plankton-eating fish. The dino-sized fish existed between 66 and 172 million years ago, dying out around the the same time as the dinosaurs. It was only after they vanished that mammals and cartilaginous fish— like the manta ray and whale shark—adapted to fill their ecological niche. More»

(NEWSER) - We may have Erik Satie to blame for hold music—the composer “developed a very cynical attitude” toward a distracted listening public and decided modern music would be more like a chair than an intellectual pursuit—but the science behind it is state-of-the-art, Newsweek reports. Studies on the intrusion of recorded voices have found they're not so effective. But the determining factor appears to be expectation. More»