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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: scientist

scientist stories: 20 news summaries

 Call-Girl Scientist's Dad:
 I Had 150 Hookers

Belle du Jour's father stunned by daughter's double life

Nov 17, 09 8:23 AM CST
(Newser) - The father of Britain's most famous call-girl-turned-research-scientist Brooke Magnanti says he has used more than 150 prostitutes himself, and introduced his daughter to some of them. Paul Magnanti, whose daughter's double life has captivated the British press, says meeting the women showed her the "human face" of selling sex.... More »

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scientist • prostitute • call girl • sex worker • Belle du Jour • Brooke Magnanti

 Ex-Hooker Blogger 
 Is Cancer Researcher 

London's 'Belle du Jour' finally spills identity

Nov 16, 09 3:06 AM CST
(Newser) - A former London hooker whose blog posts have been turned into books and a popular British TV series has finally revealed her identity as a scientist who works in a hospital on kids' cancer research. Dr. Brooke Magnanti, 34, has been writing under the pen name "Belle du Jour"... More »

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London • blog • scientist • prostitute • hooker • call girl • blog posts • Belle du Jour

 Top US Scientist 
 Busted for Spying 

Space researcher accused of trying to sell secrets to Israel

Oct 20, 09 5:35 AM CDT
(Newser) - A leading American space scientist has been charged with attempted espionage after being busted in an FBI sting operation. Stewart Nozette, who worked on classified aerospace projects for agencies including NASA and the Department of Defense, was arrested when he attempted to pass secrets to an FBI agent posing as... More »

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NASA • espionage • Mossad • Department of Defense • scientist • Stewart Nozette

 Hadron Collider 
 Physicist Admits He 
 Was Al-Qaeda Mole 


Standford University Ph.D. was about to mount attack: officials

Oct 12, 09 2:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - A top-level nuclear physicist working on the Hadron Collider has admitted being an Al-Qaeda spy, French officials are reporting. Adlène Hicheur, 32, is expected to be charged today after investigators discovered he suggested targets to the terror organization, reports the Independent. French officials believe the Stanford University Ph.D.... More »

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Algeria • France • physicist • scientist • al-Qaeda • terror network • CERN • Large Hadron Collider • terror attack • Adlène Hicheur

Iran Fingers
US in Scientist's Disappearance

Researcher, AWOL in Saudi Arabia, rumored to work at Qom facility

Oct 8, 09 8:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - Iran’s foreign minister has accused the US of conspiring with Saudi Arabia in the disappearance of Shahram Amiri, a scientist thought to be involved in Iran’s nuclear program. Amiri disappeared four months ago on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia—around the time President Obama asked for a report... More »

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Iran • Saudi Arabia • nuclear • disappearance • scientist • Manouchehr Mottaki

 Massive Ancient 
 Gold Trove Likely 
 Battle Booty 

Experts compare record find to discovery of King Tut's tomb

Sep 25, 09 2:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - Experts dazzled by a record trove of ancient gold and silver unearthed in an English field believe the hoard of coins, hilts and parts of shields was war booty stripped from fallen soldiers and buried on the run. It was finally unearthed by a man with a metal detector 14... More »

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England • British Museum • gold • scientist • ancient history • body armor • King Tut • archeologist • metal detector • anglo saxon • Staffordshire Hoard • Terry Herbert

Plague Bacteria Linked to Death of Scientist

University of Chicago geneticist exposed to weakened strain

Sep 22, 09 10:26 AM CDT
(Newser) - A 60-year-old researcher at the University of Chicago died earlier this month from an infection that may have been set off by the bacteria that causes the plague. Malcolm Casadaban was working with a weakened strain of the bacteria that is normally harmless, and the CDC has been called in... More »

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Chicago • plague • University of Chicago • bacteria • research • scientist • academic scientists

(Newser) - Schizophrenia experts are using a grab-bag of tools to help young people experiencing early signs of the disease, the AP reports. Hormone research, DNA studies, and brain scans are helping patients in the early "prodrome" phase, before deeper psychosis sets in. Many sufferers are trying the 8-year-old PIER ... More »

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schizophrenia • medical treatment • psychosis • scientist • medication

 New Lichen Named for Obama 


Apr 16, 09 6:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - The latest honor for the president: A University of California scientist has named a new species of lichen after him, the Los Angeles Times reports. It's a compliment. The scientist did much of his research on Caloplaca obamae during the campaign and says the strain shares a characteristic with the... More »

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University of California • scientist • honor • President Obama • lichen

 Italy Squelched Scientist 
 Who Predicted Quake 

Researcher cited for 'spreading alarm,' forced to retract findings

Apr 6, 09 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) - An Italian scientist had predicted the quake that killed at least 92 early this morning near L’Aquila, but was silenced by the authorities, Reuters reports. Gioacchino Giuliani found evidence a month ago that a strong quake was brewing and organized a public-awareness campaign—which earned him a reprimand from... More »

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Italy • predictions • scientist • earthquake • disaster • seismology

(Newser) - Scientists suspected of plagiarism have answered questionnaires explaining why they did it, USA Today reports. After researchers found that 1 in 200 papers is a rip-off, they contacted about 160 alleged thieves for explanations. "Over time, the responses just got crazier and crazier," said one researcher. "There's... More »

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plagiarism • science • data theft • scientist

Scientists, Artists Dominate MacArthur 'Genius' Grants

25 innovators receive this year's $500 prizes

Sep 23, 08 2:29 PM CDT
(Newser) - Of the 25 recipients of this year's MacArthur Foundation "genius award," 13 are scientists and eight are artists, the New York Times reports. This year, they are “people working on the very edge of discovery and people at the edge of a new synthesis,” says the... More »

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New Yorker magazine • innovation • MacArthur genius • artist • MacArthur Foundation • scientist

Anthrax Suspect Was Eccentric, Respected

Colleagues say scientist was innocent; others recall dark side

Aug 1, 08 4:54 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bruce Ivins, the government scientist who committed suicide this week as FBI investigators working the case of the 2001 anthrax attacks were closing in, was known as a quiet, introverted researcher, the Washington Post reports. One ex-colleague described him as "a well-respected scientist” although he “always seemed on... More »

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suicide • FBI • indictment • infectious diseases • scientist • anthrax • domestic terrorism • Bruce Ivins

Feds Were Closing In on Anthrax Expert

They planned to indict, seek death penalty;
scientist killed himself

Aug 1, 08 10:15 AM CDT
(Newser) - If Army microbiologist Bruce Ivins hadn’t killed himself, he might have been executed. Federal prosecutors were on the verge of indicting Ivins in the 2001 anthrax mail attacks that killed five people, and they would have sought the death penalty, the AP reports. One official says an ongoing grand... More »

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suicide • FBI • scientist • anthrax • biological weapons • Bruce Ivins

Anthrax Case Scientist Commits Suicide

Microbiologist took
drug overdose as investigators closed in

Aug 1, 08 4:41 AM CDT
(Newser) - A government scientist in Maryland about to be charged in the 2001 anthrax attacks has apparently committed suicide, the Los Angeles Times reports. Microbiologist Bruce Ivins was questioned after the attacks for failing to report anthrax contamination at his workplace, but the investigation soon switched focus. Colleagues say Ivins became... More »

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suicide • FBI • scientist • anthrax • biological weapons • Steven Hatfill

 8 Signs the Animal
 Kingdom Is in Trouble 

On land, at sea, and in sky, planet's woes threaten inhabitants

Jul 21, 08 3:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Biologists have mounting evidence that human activity is causing real damage to the natural world. LiveScience lists overlooked indications that things are seriously out of whack.
  1. Earlier migration: Several bird species are getting their timing wrong.
  2. Jellyfish rule: The creatures are hitching rides on ships.
More »

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pollution • global warming • migration • penguin • scientist • jellyfish • animal • reptiles

 Mercury Is Shrinking   

Messenger spacecraft reveals planets core still molten

Jul 3, 08 6:35 PM CDT
(Newser) - The planet Mercury is shrinking, the LA Times reports. Data from NASA’s Mercury Messenger spacecraft reveal that the planet’s diameter has shrunk by a mile over its history, probably because its core is cooling. Messenger flew in for a close-up in January, and scientists are now piecing together... More »

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NASA • planet • Earth • solar system • scientist • magnetic field • Mercury • molten rock

 Lousy Figure?
 Blame Mom and Dad 

Another reason to get mad at your parents: body shape is inherited

Apr 9, 08 9:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - Still struggling to get that 36-24-36 figure? Science can’t help you, but it can explain why some girls are leaner than others, reports the Telegraph. Researchers have found a link between parental DNA and female muscle mass, which could explain “why many people will never obtain the perfect... More »

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genetics • DNA • scientists • gene pool • scientist • genetic research • scientific study • muscle mass • scientific research

Naps Boost Long-term Memory

90-minute snooze helps brain lock in events, skills

Jan 7, 08 6:50 PM CST
(Newser) - A daily siesta can boost long-term recall and help people learn instruments and remember decisive events, a new study says. A University of Haifa researcher taught people tapping: He showed participants a tricky rhythm, then let half sleep for an hour. Those who stayed up failed to tap better, while... More »

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Israel • sleep • study • research • scientist • nap • long term memory • memory consolidation

10 Careers With Staying Power

Career site lists the jobs that won't wear out before you do

Jul 15, 07 3:17 PM CDT
(Newser) - For most people job security is a thing of the past, and obsolescence a looming threat.  Happily though, there are some roles that never go out of style. Careerbuilder.com lists the most unshakable jobs, along with median annual income.
  1. Doctor: We always need someone to care for
... More »

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list • doctor • scientist • job • career • barber • mortician • waste disposal management

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