World Topics

1

Hope for colony: Mars soil sample holds 2% water

The first scoop of Martian soil analyzed by NASA’s Curiosity rover held about 2 percent water, offering hope for hydrating humans who may someday explore the red planet, scientists said in a study Thursday. “We saw Mars as a very dry desert, and while this is not as much water ...

Oct 1, 2013

'Night owl' brains tied to depression

They say the early bird catches the worm, but “night owls” may be missing far more than just a tasty snack. Researchers have discovered evidence of structural brain differences that distinguish early risers from people who like to stay up late. The differences might ...

| Sep 30, 2013

Law may lead to disparities

by Zachary A. Goldfarb

Half a century ago, the creation of Medicare and Medicaid was a triumph of American egalitarianism. Within a decade, the United States went from a country where 1 in 3 people lacked health insurance to a nation where just 1 in 10 went without ...

'Yellow brick road' may lead to lost pirate booty

Sep 30, 2013

'Yellow brick road' may lead to lost pirate booty

He calls it “the yellow brick road” because it is literally sprinkled with gold dust. This road runs along Cape Cod’s shifting seafloor, and undersea explorer Barry Clifford believes it leads to undiscovered treasure from the wreck of the pirate ship Whydah. Two weeks ...

Sep 30, 2013

Slow start expected for system

The White House is downplaying expectations for the first day of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces. In recent weeks, senior administration members have begun predicting that there will be relatively few takers on Tuesday, when tens of millions of Americans will, for the ...

Obama's health plan set for launch — ready or not

Sep 30, 2013

Obama's health plan set for launch — ready or not

Starting Tuesday, an estimated 50 million Americans who do not have health insurance are to start signing up for coverage as the core of President Barack Obama’s overhaul takes hold. Subsidies will be available to help those with lower incomes pay for insurance. And ...

Camera trap catches rare photos of eagle attacking a deer

Sep 27, 2013

Camera trap catches rare photos of eagle attacking a deer

The eagle, caught red-handed. Remote cameras that were intended to monitor Siberian tigers in Russia instead caught a golden eagle’s fatal attack on a deer, snapping three photos as the massive bird dug its talons into the distressed animal’s back. London’s Zoological Society, which ...

Sep 24, 2013

U.K. vows £1 billion for AIDS, malaria, TB

Britain has announced that it is giving £1 billion ($1.6 billion) to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria over the next three years and hopes the money will lead to “some incredible results.” International Development Secretary Justine Greening made the announcement ...