Researchers find gears in nature – on planthopper insects

Gears aren't just man-made, say scientists who have found some that help put the spring in planthopper insects.



Gears may seem like a purely human invention. And yet the basic interlocking mechanism found inside grandfather clocks and car steering systems has now turned up in the remarkably powerful legs of young planthopper insects.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/zezirkVyiWg/la-sci-leg-gears-20130914,0,1476077.story

L.A. is on track to set dry-weather record

2013 is shaping up as the driest year since official record keeping started in 1877. But officials say water supplies are in good shape.



As 2013 draws to a close, it is headed for the record books as the driest year in downtown Los Angeles since 1877, when official measurements began.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/MDUftKT5sDA/la-me-dry-la-20131228,0,7112092.story

College recruiters give low-income public campuses fewer visits

Recruiters' patterns mean students at underserved schools may lose out in the competition for college entrance and aid, experts say.



The Webb Schools, a private high school in Claremont, is a magnet for college recruiters from around the country and the world. This fall, 113 Ivy League and other schools sent representatives to the campus — more than the 106 students in the senior class.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/9dlXelLqKS8/la-me-college-visits-20131228,0,3252621.story

Dr. Hooman Melamed's tips for avoiding workout injuries

Orthopedic spine surgeon Hooman Melamed gives advice on avoiding workout injuries.



Those fitness resolutions will do you no good if they lead you to visit the likes of Hooman Melamed.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/Ijb8vqkI5_0/la-he-do-it-right-20131228,0,7193818.story

Guitarist Joe Satriani finds the right chord for fitness

Guitarist Joe Satriani talks about finding a fitness routine that works without compromising his strum.



Your favorite guitar player wishes he could play like Joe Satriani. Those righteous riffs you hear when Metallica is on the radio? Satriani taught that band's Kirk Hammett and many other metal greats, including Steve Vai and Larry LaLonde, to play.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/jETcXRmv9Qw/la-he-five-questions-satriani-20131228,0,1128003.story

Fryman Canyon stats

Distance: 3 miles



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/__CBo54yz6g/la-he-la-walks-fryman-canyon-box-20131228,0,7245813.story

China's moon landing is part of a new space race by emerging nations

While NASA wrestles with budget problems, dozens of countries are aiming to show the world their technological prowess in space exploration.



China watched this month as the nation's first lunar rover rolled across the moon's surface.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/fTyNc6vxXfw/la-fi-chinese-moonshot-20131227,0,1667176.story

An ecosystem of our own making could pose a threat

The plastisphere, a marine ecosystem that starts with bacteria on particles of discarded plastic, is drawing increasing attention. Scientists fear it might host pathogens and leach dangerous chemicals.



Elizabeth Lopez maneuvered a massive steel claw over the side of a 134-foot sailboat and guided its descent through swaying kelp and schools of fish 10 miles off the coast of San Diego. She was hoping to catch pieces of a mysterious marine ecosystem that scientists are calling the plastisphere.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/ybkcmpAczYc/la-sci-plastisphere-20131228,0,811701.story

Soil contamination a hurdle for new Jordan Downs housing plan

The L.A. city housing authority has promised to remove contaminated soil, but some argue the chemical levels will still be too high.



As if the task of transforming one of the city's most notorious housing projects into a new "urban village" wasn't daunting enough, Los Angeles has run into another hurdle in the redevelopment of Jordan Downs: concerns over contaminated land.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/MZvhgVs75nY/la-me-jordan-downs-20131226,0,6659270.story

UC forging ahead with cross-system online courses

UC program will let students take Web classes not offered at their home campus or already filled up in the traditional format.



UC Riverside senior Matthew Emeterio was worried that he might be short of degree credits and have to delay graduation past next spring. But thanks to a soon-to-debut online program linking far-flung UC campuses, he expects to finish on time.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/BfJC6gJWo8Y/la-me-uc-online-20131222,0,5031084.story

Squat with lateral kick builds firmness

Extreme Bootcamp fitness expert Lacey Stone gives the squat exercise her seal of approval in working glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings.



If you're looking for a move that will get your butt "tight and right," this is it, says fitness expert Lacey Stone, who uses it on her Extreme Bootcamp app for iPhone and iPad.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/C6zRdZ7zHAo/la-he-try-this-stone-squat-20131221,0,3589626.story

Milk studies compound debate over what type to drink

New studies on raw milk and the advantages of whole over nonfat add to the debate over what's best for health.



Raw, pasteurized, organic, whole, skim. Choosing what sort of milk to drink grows ever more complicated, with several recent studies to add to the debate.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/nATFEemhl-w/la-he-milk-20131221,0,6372737.story

Drilling down on the necessity of dental X-rays

Experts say new methods reduce radiation exposure, and X-rays should be taken when necessary but not as a matter of routine.



When my son and daughter were youngsters, once a year I'd have a disagreement with their pediatric dentist. He wanted to do routine annual X-rays, and I would protest because neither child ever had any cavities. His response: Dental X-rays are an important diagnostic tool, representing a small speck in the sea of radiation that we receive by inhabiting planet Earth.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/TrtM-g5SWT0/la-he-dental-xrays-20131221,0,433346.story

Guidelines for X-rays

The American Dental Assn. urges dentists to weigh benefits against risks on an individual basis.



In 2012, the American Dental Assn. updated its guidelines for dental X-rays, including this caveat:



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/W8FWE5c5cOU/la-he-dental-xrays-box-20131221,0,6609925.story

HIV infection causes immune cells to self-destruct, study says

Scientists say they have discovered a key process by which the AIDS virus kills key immune cells: It triggers a preprogrammed self-destruct sequence within the cell that is intended to alert fellow immune cells of a crisis.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/akSjaxvuwRg/la-sci-sn-hiv-infection-causes-immune-cells-to-self-destruct-study-says-20131219,0,5568318.story

For some New Yorkers, beating 'winter blues' is a walk in the park

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, can be brutal for some Northeasterners when days grow short. A New York social worker has one remedy: a walk in the park.



NEW YORK — Karyn Anastasio would have preferred staying in bed, ignoring the early onset of cold and darkness as she huddled in her apartment and watched TV.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/bXtnzleOSbo/la-na-winter-blues-20131220,0,5929174.story

Hormone-disrupting chemicals found in water at fracking sites

A study of hydraulic fracturing sites in Colorado finds substances that have been linked to infertility, birth defects and cancer.



Water samples collected at Colorado sites where hydraulic fracturing was used to extract natural gas show the presence of chemicals that have been linked to infertility, birth defects and cancer, scientists reported Monday.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/cR7RrjrcK8g/la-sci-fracking-health-20131217,0,5154343.story

Cat fossils found in China reveal early days of feline domestication

Discovery of the 5,300-year-old bones fills an enormous gap in experts' understanding of cat domestication, but the location is a surprise.



Archaeologists in China have unearthed the first clear evidence of cats living among humans as semi-domesticated mousers about 5,300 years ago, a heretofore missing link in the history of the world's most popular pet, experts say.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/mSyoWnyJ0_I/la-sci-cats-domesticated-20131217,0,4070198.story

Air quality officials say South L.A. oil field modifying operations

Allenco Energy Co., which voluntarily suspended operations Nov. 22, plans to inspect and repair tanks, air quality officials say.



Air quality regulators say that an urban oil field blamed for chronic respiratory illnesses and nosebleeds in a South Los Angeles neighborhood is modifying its operations to prevent leaks and upgrade air pollution controls.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/ulWE9e1ArAA/la-me-1213-fumes-20131216,0,832064.story

23andMe's genetic tests are more misleading than helpful

The problem with the service provided by 23andMe and its competitors is that raw genetic information is very hard for a lay person to interpret.



Cutting edge companies often walk a tightrope between regulators trying to keep their technologies under control and marketers trying to push them out to consumers as fast as possible.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/AtnPvj39fr0/la-fi-hiltzik-20131215,0,7774367.column

Wearable gadgets pump up workouts

Raise your game with wearable tech like the Oakley Airwave 1.5 goggles, Polar Loop fitness monitor, Goji Play app and Badger Gears light-up jacket.



Back in the day, "Just do it" was the standard exercise mantra, a simple, silent pact between an individual and his or her motivation.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/aaBBH-JeXmY/la-he-gear-wearable-20131214,0,2401723.column

Rub away the tension with the trapezius tamer

Fitness instructor Jill Miller developed the trapezius tamer -- massage for her Rx Series classes at Equinox gyms.



After you've spent a long day hunched over a computer, the muscles in your neck and shoulders can feel like steel cables. Here's a great self-massage move using yoga therapy balls (or tennis balls) to rub away the tension. Called the trapezius tamer, this massage technique is demonstrated here by fitness instructor Jill Miller, who uses it in the Rx Series classes she developed for Equinox gyms.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/ZgIuOl5ArI0/la-he-try-this-miller-trap-20131214,0,1506252.story

Spa treatments that go beyond pampering

Hot oil and needles at Exhale in Santa Monica, sweating at Shape House on Larchmont, a facial at Dtox Day Spa in Atwater Village.



Lush smells, comfy semi-dark rooms and a sense of self-indulgence make a spa treatment appealing. But here are three treatments that aim to do more than merely pamper.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/-gtKuyP2Hmk/la-he-treatments-20131214,0,4772491.story

Water geysers erupt on Europa! Could Jupiter's icy moon host life?

Jupiter’s icy moon Europa squirts water like a squishy bath toy when it’s squeezed by the gas giant’s gravity, scientists say. Using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, they caught two 124-mile-tall geysers of water vapor spewing out over seven hours from near its south pole.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/eHK5Y3W79zY/la-sci-sn-water-geysers-europa-jupiter-icy-moon-life-agu-20131212,0,7381047.story

Proposed delta tunnels may not satisfy water needs, documents say

A $25-billion proposal to re-engineer the hub of California's sprawling water system may not yield all the water that San Joaquin Valley farmers and Southland cities want.



A $25-billion proposal to re-engineer the hub of California's sprawling water system may not yield all the water that San Joaquin Valley farmers and Southland cities want, leaving open the question of whether the massive project will be built.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/b2d4ZkOOy94/la-me-delta-tunnels-20131210,0,141342.story

Mars rover finds chemical ingredients for life to have thrived

Curiosity drills into an ancient lake to discover signs that Gale Crater was once wet and potentially Earth-like. 'It's a great leap forward,' one scientist says.



Billions of years ago, when early life was just taking hold on Earth, Mars was home to an ancient lake filled with the right chemical ingredients for life to thrive, scientists said Monday.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/wNXpOA2B_Ko/la-sci-mars-life-20131210,0,2384378.story

Air district moves ahead on Newport Beach plan for fire pits

The controversial plan to replace some wood-burning pits with gas fire rings clears a hurdle as AQMD approves $600,000 for builders.



Air quality officials on Friday approved $600,000 for contractors to design and install gas fire rings on public beaches, taking a new step in the fight over hundreds of wood-burning fire pits on Los Angeles and Orange County coast.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/ewX0XDEb9bM/la-me-adv-fire-rings-20131207,0,2582257.story

17-year study shows sharks return to give birth where their moms did

There’s no place like home – especially for lemon sharks about to give birth.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/lz7YtRtRiwQ/la-sci-sn-lemon-sharks-return-to-place-of-birth-20131205,0,613867.story

Studies warn of abrupt environmental effects of warming

One report says sudden climate shifts could appear in years or decades and calls for an early warning system. Another says a widely accepted emissions cap is too high.



Scientists sounded alarms Tuesday with a pair of studies challenging the idea that climate change is occurring gradually over the century and that its worst effects can be avoided by keeping emissions below a critical threshold.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/VHmWZ_9g8SI/la-me-climate-urgency-20131204,0,7482587.story

Valencia man's idea may better protect firefighters from intense heat

A former insurance exec and musician crafts a combination of heat-resistant materials that could offer fire protection up to 4,000 degrees.



You don't have to be a rocket scientist to fight wildfires in the West. But it helps.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/Wk9ibCp03ug/la-me-wildfire-science-20131201,0,557622.story