Ebola outbreak in Congo still not an international crisis, WHO decides
Cases top 1000 amid funding woes, but virus has yet to jump borders".
Metallurgy, Chemicals
Can atmospheric chemists rescue the stalled quest for a human pheromone?
Measuring volatile compounds in real time offers new hope for a field in crisis".
Airborne microplastics found atop France’s remote Pyrenees mountains
The microplastics soared at least 100 kilometers from their source".
Influential senator asks NSF for data on threat from foreign influences
Senator Chuck Grassley (R–IA) adds third research agency to campaign to monitor potential misuse of tax dollars".
Baby tyrannosaur’s eBay auction sparks outrage
Paleontologists decry sale, scientific display of commercially owned specimen".
Cheap, portable scanners could transform brain imaging. But how will scientists deliver the data?
Q&A with neuroethicist Francis Shen and MRI developer Michael Garwood".
The moon is losing 200 tons of water a year to meteorite strikes
Impacts shake loose ancient water in lunar soil".
New climate models predict a warming surge
Scientists question whether stronger anticipated response to greenhouse gases is realistic".
Stanford says its researchers did not help Chinese biologist who gene edited babies
Internal investigation releases conclusions after story highlights role of bioengineer Stephen Quake".
#MeToo controversy erupts at archaeology meeting
Society’s new antiharassment policy doesn’t include mechanisms for protecting survivors of past abuse if harasser attends meeting".
Astronomers have spotted the universe’s first molecule
Helium hydride detected by airborne Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy telescope".
New way of crafting crystals could speed up flexible electronics
Cheap “supersaturating” method makes unbroken crystalline films".
A new species of ancient human and real-time evolutionary changes in flowering plants
On this week’s show: Tiny teeth, finger, and toe bones found in a cave in the Philippines appear to belong to a new species of ancient human and watching rapid plant evolution in the lab".
Drought is not just about water. It affects air pollution, too
Study reveals how stressed plants can complicate efforts to reduce ozone".
Ancient goat urine reveals how Anatolian farmers began to domesticate their herds
Urine salts buried in sediment show a slow move to domestication".
Update: Legislator asks Pentagon to restore contract for storied Jason science advisory group
Department of Defense says it will end funding by end of the month".
Israeli spacecraft crashes during attempted moon landing
“Big dreams” dashed for private developer".
Long-underfunded Lyme disease research gets an injection of money—and ideas
Federal funds offered for prevention of tickborne illnesses".
African research projects are failing because funding agencies can’t match donor money
“Counterfunding,” desired by donor countries, can be 50% of a project’s cost".
These ocean floats can hear earthquakes, revealing mysterious structures deep inside Earth
MERMAIDs offer a cheap way to “x-ray” Earth from remote places".