On Saturday May 14th, UC Berkeley senior Austin Whitney, was able to do something he would have never thought possible - Walk up to the Chancellor to receive his diploma. While the few steps may not seem like a big deal, it was nothing short of a miracle, for this 22-year old student, who is paralyzed from the waist down....

Since we are always in the hunt for the purest, cleanest and freshest sources of water, it is hard to swallow the fact that really really pure water, the kind that is necassary to clean electronic chips used in devices like computers and smart phones could actually be harmful for the human body....

Earlier this week, researchers from the University of Washington released pictures and a hi-definition video of a rarely seen white 'winged' octopus that looks more like a ghost from outer space, than the eight-armed cephalopod mollusk that we are all accustomed to....

How's this for an excuse the next time you are caught yapping away on your cell phone or singing loudly to the music on your iPod? I was just charging it! If the team of scientists from Korea's Sungkyunkwan University have their way, that is exactly what you may be doing pretty soon!...

Need a good reason to set that alarm clock a little early? How about the unusual opportunity to view four of the nine planets of our Solar System at the same time? Even better is the fact, that in order to do so, you don't have to rush to some far-off observatory - Simply grab a cup of cocoa, seek out an east-facing window and enjoy the show!...

There are very few new frontiers left for humans to explore, especially on Earth. We have scaled the tallest mountains, gone deep into our deepest oceans and far into our densest forests. However, the one place no one has dared to go, is inside the Magma Chamber or heart of a volcano - Until now....

For over two centuries, scientists have maintained that hummingbirds suck in nectar by capillary action (the same way liquid gets sucked up by a straw), using the tube-like channels that lie inside their tongues. However, a new study conducted by Alejendro Rico-Guevara, an ornithologist from the University of Connecticut, refutes that, and he has video footage to prove it....

Living creatures adapt to their environment in all kinds of ways, in order to survive. Some camouflage themselves to blend in, while others learn to survive on arsenic substances. The biggest hazard to survival for the South American red ants is the constant flooding - So they get around it, by holding onto each other and floating away on their 'living' rafts....

When the powerful tsunami that devastated the coastal areas near Sendai, Japan on March 11th receded, it took back with it an estimated 200,000 buildings along with all their belongings, countless cars and whatever else lay in its path. Now scientists are trying to see if they can track the debris, in order to be prepared for them, when they wash up ashore....

The fact that male humpback whales sing long sweet melodies has been known for many years - However, a new finding suggests that some melodies get so popular, that they are sung by whales all over the world!...

The increasing amount of plastic debris that ends up in our oceans is a cause for big concern for scientists, worldwide. For not only does the synthetic material take hundreds of years to decompose, but it also, kills marine animals, who mistake it for food....

Fifty years ago, on April 12th 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, made history, by becoming the first human to orbit the earth. The 108-minute flight hailed as the greatest feat in Soviet Space history, also helped reignite interest in space exploration....

If Green Island, NY based start-up Ecovative Design and US car manufacturer Ford have their way, you will soon have a new option to choose from - mycelium filled bumper, side doors and dashboards. However, before you wrinkle your nose at this fungus root network, bear in mind that this may be one of the biggest 'green' ideas to hit the automobile industry, since the invention of the electric engine....

Japan's devastating 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami has not only resulted in indescribable destruction, but also, caused a meltdown at its Fukushima nuclear plant leading to an unprecedented nuclear crises - One, that nobody know how to control, yet....

Green leaves are amongst the cheapest and most efficient creators of energy. In the presence of sunlight they are able to transform carbon dioxide and water into glucose - A process we call photosynthesis. While it sounds simple, trying to imitate this has been one of the holy grails for science for decades - Now, there may finally be a breakthrough....

The next time you see a seagull soaring in the sky, be sure to look again, for while it may resemble the graceful white bird, it may actually be an ultra light flying robot, that could possibly be spying on your activities!...

With major earthquakes striking three continents since 2010, there is speculation about where the next big one will be. Since they all occurred along the 40,000km horeshoe-shaped area called the 'Ring of Fire', there is some speculation that it was caused by a domino effect - that is, the one in Chile triggered the one in New Zealand, which in turn, caused the one in Japan....

Researchers from the Department of experimental psychology at England's Cambridge University recently revealed that the mighty elephant is not only strong, but intelligent too. In fact, so much so, that it has been put in the elite category of the world's smartest animals, along with the chimpanzee, dolphin and common crow. Not only that, these highly social animals are very cooperative and quick to help out fellow members in distress....

When the tiny nation of Qatar, beat out the USA, Australia, Japan and South Korea, as the venue for the 2022 World Cup Soccer, there were gasps of surprise from the fans - And it was not just because of the size of the competitors, but also the fact, that the World Cup is held in June and July, which happen to be Qatar's hottest months, when temperatures can soar upto 50°C (120° F)....

When faced with natural disasters like the ones that just occurred in Japan, it brings to the forefront the question that is constantly at the back of everyone's mind. Have we tilted the equilibrium balance of our Planet so badly, that it is now rebelling, and if so, is there a way to fix things, before its too late? David Milrach, a nursery tree operator from Michigan thinks we can - by cloning the best specimens of the world's oldest and most ecologically valuable trees....

If you have ever been to Hawaii's Big Island, you may have noticed that it's beaches are covered with black volcanic sand - that's because the Island is home to some of the world's most active volcanoes....

According to scientists, the archipelago of 700 islands and 2,400 islets and cays that constitute The Bahamas, are very unique. Unlike other land formations, these were formed entirely in shallow waters from layers of sediment that compressed atop each other and gradually got converted into limestone....

It seems as though robots can do almost anything these days - They can be waiters, teachers and even astronauts. However, judging from the results of the just completed robotic marathon in Japan, neither Usain Bolt nor 95-year-old Ida Keeling, have much to worry about - Yet!...

One of the worst ailments astronauts and people who are bed-ridden for long periods of time suffer from, is loss of bone and muscle. However, bears, which are about the same size as humans, are able to snooze for seven months at a stretch and while they lose their body fat, their muscle mass remains intact....