For the first time in history, humanity will send a sundial to another planet. Inscribed with the motto "Two Worlds, One Sun," the sundial will travel to Mars aboard NASA's Mars Surveyor 2001 lander.
Hydrogen, as any materials scientist will tell you, is a tough nut to crack. It is the simplest of the atoms, but in its molecular, or solid state it is incredibly complex. The long-sought goal of turning the element into a metal, it has been predicted, would require pressure close to that found at the center of the Earth.
Cornell will be one of 15 universities participating in a new project to support women studying science and engineering. Called "MentorNet," the project will use the Internet and electronic mail to connect female engineering, science and math students.
Workers in poorly ventilated offices are twice as likely to report the symptoms of sick building syndrome as are employees in a well-ventilated environment, a new Cornell study finds.
After months in a space habitat, astronauts on the moon or Mars will have Cornell to thank if their daily meals are culinary delights. To help NASA plan the cuisine for future lunar and Martian space colonies, a Cornell chef, nutritionist, food and biological engineer and vegetarian cooking teacher are collaborating to develop and test tasty, nutritious and economical recipes.
Reminder to tiger beetles: If you chase prey at high speeds, you'll go blind. Entomologists have long noticed that tiger beetles stop-and-go in their pursuit of prey. But until now, scientists have had no idea why this type of beetle attacks its food in fits and starts.
A potentially fatal bacterial disease that damages the liver and kidneys of dogs, humans and other animals – leptospirosis – is appearing in new forms in the United States.
Plant scientists from Cornell and the University of Tasmania, Australia, have successfully cloned one of history's first-studied genes -- the gene for stem growth in peas, according to a report in the latest issue of journal The Plant Cell, which was published today.
From one ecologist's perspective, the American system of farming grain-fed livestock consumes resources far out of proportion to the yield, accelerates soil erosion, affects world food supply and will be changing in the future.
