National Science Foundation news stories on Newser

After Stroke, South Pole Worker Is Denied Evacuation

John Johnson — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:01:31 CDT

A compelling story out of the US South Pole station: Manager Renee-Nicole Douceur says she has suffered a stroke and needs to be evacuated for proper treatment, but the National Science Foundation says it won't be safe enough to send in a plane for at least a few more weeks....

Shrimp on Treadmill Study Not So Wacky: Irritated Researcher

Rob Quinn — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:53:34 CDT

"Shrimp on a treadmill" has become a byphrase for wasteful government spending. But the scientist behind the study says lawmakers are distorting the facts. The treadmill test—singled out by Sen. Tom Coburn in an attack on National Science Foundation funding —was designed to study shrimp's reaction to changes in...

'Wasteful' Shrimp on Treadmill Study Blasted

Rob Quinn — Fri, 27 May 2011 04:43:05 CDT

The National Science Foundation is being given too much money if it can afford to fund experiments that involve putting shrimp on treadmills or creating laundry-folding robots, grumbles Sen. Tom Coburn. The Oklahoma Republican has released a report criticizing the agency, which receives some $7 billion in federal funding a...

Schools Win; NASA Loses

Nick McMaster — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:31:54 CST

President Obama delivered his proposed 2011 budget to Congress today, and the Washington Post drills down to find the winners and losers. Winners first: K-12 education: The Department of Education's budget will increase by 6%, or $3 billion. Research: The proposal pumps up the Energy Department's budget 7%, or $2...

Scientists Discover Bigger, Faster Milky Way

Peter Fearon — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:42:01 CST

A study of the Milky Way using radio telescopes scattered across the US paints a new and dramatically different picture of our galaxy, reports Space.com. Our spiral-shaped galaxy is not only spinning faster than previously thought, it has 50% greater mass, with two hitherto unknown spiral arms where many...

Science Smackdowns Aid Search for 'Bill Gates 2.0'

Paul Stinson — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:57:00 CDT

With the days when the space program inspired American students to embrace science and math a distant memory, the US is counting on competition among schoolkids to return the country as a whole to a leading role, the Christian Science Monitor reports. High-level science fairs and math bowls are potential...

Let Facebook Ring from the Ivory Tower

Wesley Oliver — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:11:30 CST

Move over, preening teenagers: byte-thirsty academics are now frequenting social networking hangouts like Facebook and MySpace. Hoping to snatch a dissertation out of the latest digital craze, plus a side of fame, they’ll all have to line up behind danah boyd (small caps intended), a Berkeley PhD candidate who’s become...