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Natural gas has emerged as a cheap, abundant fuel source because of hydraulic fracturing, and energy companies are now racing to develop it. Gas isn’t perfect. Its environmental reputation is controversial at best; emissions from methane that escapes during drilling give it a big carbon footprint. But natural gas releases 50 percent less carbon dioxide than coal at the smokestack, so proponents have championed its use as a bridge to still-cleaner sources of power....

Some fossil experts across the globe had their doubts about the footprints coming from a predator, though. But they couldn’t quite disprove the carnivore idea because all they had access to was black and white photos and a drawing of the tracks. With 3D modeling technology today, researchers have been able to analyze the impressions further, and identify the mysterious creature as an herbivore from the group Prosauropoda. “We can now make 3D models, 3D visualizations, and augmented reality so that we can get not only a clearer and more detailed understanding of the fossil that we’re examining, but also communicate that in a more complete manner,” says Anthony Romilio, paleontologist at University of Queensland and lead author on the new study published in Historical Biology....

Canoe or kayak camping is a lot different than car camping or even backpacking, so many outdoor enthusiasts are reluctant to try it. Fortunately, this kind of adventure is not as daunting as it may seem at first glance, and a little know-how will help you keep things safe, fun, and dry. When planning your first trip, it’s a good idea to do some online research or stop by your local outdoor store or outfitter and ask questions....

But the relationship between plant and chemical has grown volatile. According to research out of the University of Missouri, dicamba is has harmed more than 3 million acres of soybeans in more than 1,400 separate incidents, across 20 states. Are we planting the seeds of our own demise? Why are we using dicamba? As far as modern herbicides go, dicamba is fairly old. But while the chemical has been in use since the 1940s, that use has been limited until recently....

“Our therapy shows that by treating livers in the perfusion machine, it is possible to alleviate the lack of functioning human organs and save lives,” lead study author Pierre-Alain Clavien, director of the Department of Visceral Surgery and Transplantation at the University Hospital Zurich, says in a press release. There is a high demand for organ transplants. About 20 people die each day waiting for an organ, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and every 10 minutes a new person is added to the national transplant waitlist....

First, researchers conditioned mice to fear the scent of jasmine by administering a shock every time the mice sniffed the scent. The mice showed the characteristic sign of fear the next day when the scent was present–they froze up anticipating the shock. One group of mice got the conventional treatment of extinction therapy– repeated exposure to to the scent without the shock. The fear dissipated, but returned when they were placed in different environments....

Most binary systems include two comparably sized neutron stars locked in a fiercely tight orbit. But PSR J1913+1102 contains a pair of mismatched neutron stars — one of them a pulsar — with masses that are 1.62 and 1.27 times the mass of the Sun. That makes it “the most asymmetric merging system reported so far,” according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature detailing the system and its impending collision....

Thanks to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer continues to recover, according to the 2018 Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion released Monday by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. This includes the “hole” over Antarctica where the ozone layer is exceptionally thin, which has been gradually shrinking since the early 2000s and is projected to heal by the 2060s. This year, the hole spanned about 9 million square miles, an area slightly smaller than the entire North American continent....

Workers and queens have socially distinct roles in their colonies. The masses of workers find food and fight invaders, while the sole queen gives birth to more workers. When workers become gamergates, their bodies change to reflect their new potential role—their venom sacs shrink and their ovaries expand. Previous research also shows that the transformation from worker to gamergate involves changes in brain size, altered hormones, and a 5-fold lifespan increase....

In a recent PLOS One study, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich put numbers to that: If China pushed an aggressive set of policies aimed at curbing air pollution from its fossil fuel-powered sectors down to nearly zero, by 2040 its fleet of photovoltaic solar panels could produce nearly 160 terawatts per year of extra energy. That’s an additional $7 to 10 billion dollars annually—in case the public health benefits aren’t enough incentive....

From Airbus: The Airbus system appears similar to one by Italy’s Selex ES, which also tracks drones and then seeks to jam them. For defense companies that already make tracking and jamming technology, bundling them together as an anti-drone tool seems a smart business move. It’s hardly the only way to stop drones, though. Boeing and others are developing anti-drone lasers, to just destroy the flying machines. Bullets work too, if you’re a marine sniper with great aim or you have a bunch of machine guns and aren’t worried about where the bullets fall....

For drivers, the most recognizable change will be a new software system for tools like navigation, maintenance, and entertainment. According to a press release from both companies, this platform, called the “STLA SmartCockpit,” will be customized by vehicle brand and model with additional personalizations and upgrades available through an app store. Notably, the companies boast that the SmartCockpit may have AI-enhanced entertainment applications and Alexa-enabled voice assistance. It will also individually “adapt to customers’ behaviors and interests,” the companies claim, such as offering road trip planning options in popular family vehicles that could suggest on-the-go entertainment and possible stops....

“The Commission should proceed carefully to ensure that SpaceX’s deployment does not come at the expense of competition and innovation from other emerging NGSO (non-geostationary fixed service satellite) FSS systems,” Kuiper corporate counsel Michael J. Carlson wrote in the FCC letter, adding that, “Once launched, satellites remain in orbit for years, or even decades.” According to CNBC, SpaceX had launched around 2,700 Starlink satellites in total as of last Tuesday, which provide Internet services for nearly 500,000 people (though the exact number of current active satellites is unclear, given that some have been lost)....

The North Atlantic right whale (NARW) has been migrating over 1,000 miles from Florida to calve and Canada to feed for thousands of years. Razor toothed predators like great white sharks or orca attacks haven’t been their biggest threat over all that time. Instead, it’s been human activity from commercial whaling (now banned), vessel strikes, and certain types of fishing. There are currently fewer than 340 NARWs remaining and the population has dwindled by 28 percent over the past 10 years....

At first glance, the Stadia controller looks like a mashup of current gamepads. The rounded grips and dimpled thumbsticks evoke Microsoft’s Xbox One controller, while the elongated handles and pronounced triggers more closely resemble those found on Sony’s PlayStation 4 model. According to Olsson, however, the Stadia controller isn’t a Frankenstein’s monster of familiar features, but rather the result of a full development process that started from the ground. During an interview via Hangout, Olsson showed off some of the objects that inspired the Stadia controller’s final design....

One of the major physics faux pas that you’ll see in movies is what is known as “the sudden stop.” It could be stated something like this: As long as you are caught before you hit the ground you’ll be okay. Let’s say Lex Luthor throws you off of the top of a 50-story building but Superman, who is waiting on the street below, catches you before impact. Although Superman’s arms may slightly reduce the time in which you decelerate to a stop compared to the concrete sidewalk, you will still experience bone-shattering force upon impact....

In most cases, it makes sense to either get an outdoor antenna to mount on your roof, or place an indoor antenna near a window in the same room as your TV. However, there’s a third, less obvious option that splits the difference between the two: mounting your antenna inside your attic. An attic antenna should give you a stronger signal than an in-room antenna while avoiding the hassles of having a rooftop antenna installed....

Ultimately, cancer is one of the biggest threats to humans and dogs, but there’s a naturally occurring compound that is extracted from a plant that can provide all-natural, effective relief from even the worst cancer or cancer treatment symptoms: CBD oil.CBD oil is a natural compound found in a certain strain of Cannabis called hemp. Hemp is used to make paper, biofuel, and hundreds of other useful items, but CBD is where the plant really shines....

A cordless model frees you from the tether of an electrical cord and outlet. There’s no getting tangled, wrapped around furniture, or changing outlets while you work. Innovative designs give the best cordless vacuums the power to suck it up for 20 minutes or more and offer versatile uses for cleaning cars, stairs, upholstery, and drapery. Best overall: Tineco A11 Hero Cordless Vacuum CleanerBest value: Shark Navigator Freestyle Cordless Stick VacuumBest for pet hair: Shark Anti-Allergen Pet Power Cordless Lightweight Stick VacuumBest for hardwood floors: Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Stick Vacuum CleanerBest handheld vacuum: BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum...