Woman Dies in Midair as Flight Diverts Too Late

Apparent heart attacks claim two men, including Penn State student

(NEWSER) - Two runners in the Philadelphia marathon died of apparent heart attacks close to the end of the race yesterday. One man was in his 40s, and the other was a 21-year-old Penn State student from California, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . The day offered the kind of cool, dry weather that usually protects runners. Mariska Kramer, 37, of the Netherlands was the first woman to cross the finish line with a time of 2:35:46. Folisho Tuko of Ethopia took the men's title with a time of 2:19:14 More»

Supplements don't prevent fractures, either

(NEWSER) - Calcium supplements may make heart attacks more likely in older patients, a new study suggests. Researchers looking to confirm calcium supplements' ability to prevent bone fractures instead found the patients taking the supplements were 30% more likely to suffer a heart attack, the BBC reports. And it turns out the pills are not very good at preventing fractures, either. More»

Nigerian claims ties to al-Qaeda; plane lands safely in Detroit

(NEWSER) - Authorities have taken a Nigerian man into custody after he reportedly tried to ignite a powdery substance—initially reported as firecrackers—aboard a Northwest jet that landed in Detroit from Amsterdam today. The man told federal officials he had links to al-Qaeda and wanted to blow up a plane over the US, reports ABC News , though his credibility is in question. He and two others on the plane were injured in the incident, and the 23-year-old suspect is being treated for minor burns. More»

(NEWSER) - Nobody likes the middle seat on an airplane, and a recent study shows fliers would rather endure some novel discomforts than sit squeezed between two seatmates. BlackBook runs down a few—as well as what's particularly unpleasant about the middle seat.

• 56% of respondents would rather have their teeth drilled at the dentist's.
• 54% would prefer a doctor's visit to the middle seat.
• 20% of fliers would spend the night at an airport hotel for a chance at an aisle seat the next day.

AirTran is using him to pump wi-fi service

(NEWSER) - The best way to get over fear of flying? If you’re comedian Mark Malkoff, living on a plane for 30 days. Malkoff—who once lived in an Ikea store for a week—embarked upon his journey this month, but it wasn’t all for the sake of therapy. He’s also flogging AirTran’s new in-flight Wi-Fi by keeping followers up to date while he’s in the air, the Boston Globe reports. More»