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Science

Wednesday

Powerful Earthquake Rocks Western Indonesia

Earthquake survivors receive medical treatment Wednesday at a hospital in Padang Panjang in West Sumatra after a 7.6 magnitude temblor rocked western Indonesia. Tundra Laksamana/AP hide caption

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Tundra Laksamana/AP

Asia

Powerful Earthquake Rocks Western Indonesia

The underwater temblor, which had a preliminary magnitude of 7.6, collapsed buildings in the coastal city of Padang, in Southern Sumatra province and briefly triggered a tsunami alert. Indonesian officials said at least 200 people were killed.

Grunts And Gurgles Signal Love For Grouse

An aggressive encounter between two male greater prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido). During aggressive encounters, males leap into the air and strike their opponent with feet, wings and/or beak. Fort Pierre National Grassland, South Dakota. Gerrit Vyn/gerritvynphoto.com hide caption

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Gerrit Vyn/gerritvynphoto.com

Wild Sounds

Grunts And Gurgles Signal Love For Grouse

Every spring, male grouse gather in the Great Plains and engage in a mass act of strutting, showmanship and general vocal frenzy that would put Mick Jagger to shame. For researchers, it's an opportunity to observe how these animals interact in a rapidly changing American West.

Grunts And Gurgles Signal Love For Grouse

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Senate Unveils Plan To Reduce Emissions

California Sen. Barbara Boxer unveils a bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent to help slow climate change. The plan uses a cap and trade system and would rework the nation's energy economy.

Senate Unveils Plan To Reduce Emissions

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Tuesday

Europe

In Europe, A Cow Over Hormone-Treated U.S. Beef

Europeans accustomed to grass-fed beef don't understand why Americans are willing to eat beef pumped up with synthetic hormones. A French farmer says the two cattle industries are run differently: One focuses on profit and the other on quality.

In Europe, A Cow Over Hormone-Treated U.S. Beef

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Monday

Solar Plan Ignites Some Environmental Concerns

Sierra SunTower, a new solar facility in Lancaster, Calif., generates electricity for Southern California Edison. It was activated in August. Courtesy of eSolar hide caption

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Courtesy of eSolar

Energy

Solar Plan Ignites Some Environmental Concerns

An Obama administration plan to build huge new solar energy plants in the Southwest is causing heartburn in the environmental community. The proposal would allow the construction of two dozen industrial solar energy facilities that require vast amounts of land and water.

Solar Plan Ignites Some Environmental Concerns

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Space

Plutonium Shortage Could Stall Space Exploration

NASA is running out of the radioactive material used to power missions to the outer reaches of the solar system. To avoid future delays, the White House has asked for funds to produce more of the fuel source, but it's unclear whether Congress will approve the expense.

Plutonium Shortage Could Stall Space Exploration

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Sunday

Spider Wranglers Weave One-Of-A-Kind Tapestry

A stunning golden tapestry woven from spider silk is unveiled at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City after four years of work — and the help of more than 1 million spiders. R. Mickens/AMNH hide caption

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R. Mickens/AMNH

Spider Wranglers Weave One-Of-A-Kind Tapestry

The American Museum of Natural History in New York unveiled something never before seen: an 11-by-4-foot tapestry made completely of spider silk. The tapestry took four years to make, with the help of more than 1 million spiders.

Spider Wranglers Weave One-Of-A-Kind Tapestry

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Friday

Studio Sessions

Serenading Science In A New Rock Album

In Here Comes Science, They Might Be Giants tackles the scientific process, plasma physics, the role of blood in the body and the importance of DNA, all in song. Band members John Linnell and John Flansburgh discuss the album and play some science tunes.

Serenading Science In A New Rock Album

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Books

Exploring How We Connect, And What It Means

How do our friends, and friends of our friends, affect us? In their new book Connected, Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler describe research into how social networks tie into health and human behavior, including obesity, smoking, voting and happiness.

Exploring How We Connect, And What It Means

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Research News

Paleontologists Unveil New Fossil Finds

Scientists met this week in England to share their findings at the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Science News writer Sid Perkins reports on discoveries presented there, including a fossil that may explain the transition from dinosaurs to birds.

Paleontologists Unveil New Fossil Finds

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Education

Making Science Class The Coolest Period In School

Ira Flatow and guests talk about some creative ways to make science class more fun for students and teachers, including blogging about original research, using social networks with classmates, making online video presentations and doing hands-on experiments with cockroaches.

Making Science Class The Coolest Period In School

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Must-See Science: Videos From Science Friday

Saving Turtles From The Wrong Side Of The Tracks

Michael Musnick is a citizen scientist who studies wood turtles in the Great Swamp — a stretch of wetland 60 miles north of New York City. He found turtles dying in the railroad tracks and proposed a solution to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority: tiny turtle bridges.

Saving Turtles From The Wrong Side Of The Tracks

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Thursday

Exploring Shale: The Quest For Natural Gas

With Little Clout, Natural Gas Lobby Strikes Out

There is almost a century's worth of natural gas in shale rock formations all over the county, enough to make a significant change in the debate about America's energy future. But as Congress moves toward writing a new national energy policy, natural gas lobbyists have been mostly missing in action.

With Little Clout, Natural Gas Lobby Strikes Out

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Surprise! Water Found On Moon's Surface

The moon is generally thought to be a dry place, and the discovery of water on its surface comes as an unexpected — and exciting — surprise for researchers. Carolina K. Smith/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Carolina K. Smith/iStockphoto.com

Space

Surprise! Water Found On Moon's Surface

Three different space probes have gathered evidence that the top layer of the moon's surface contains hidden stores of water. The moon is generally thought to be a dry place, and the discovery comes as an unexpected — and exciting — surprise for researchers.

Surprise! Water Found On Moon's Surface

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