News w/e 11/3/2012
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ronacollina acula: Oldest animal with a skeleton discovered
Coronacollina acula may also help us recognise life elsewhere in the universe By Ted Thornhill PUBLISHED: 09:55 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 12:23 GMT, 9 March 2012
Images of solar flares and northern lights taken during solar storms
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 09:22 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 07:46 GMT, 12 March 2012 This week there have been huge solar storms on the sun - and Nasa has been snapping away with its high-tech cameras, producing some incredible photographs. They capture the sun in all its violent glory, with its surface a maelstrom of activity. Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory is able to differentiate between different temperature levels on the sun, so it's able to take amazing kaleidoscopic pictures. Scroll down for solar flare videoBy Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:48 GMT, 8 March 2012 | UPDATED: 09:51 GMT, 9 March 2012 Shiver me tubers! This giant parsnip bears more than a passing resemblance to the tyrannical Davy Jones of Pirates of the Caribbean fame.
Guinness World Record secured by green-fingered David Thomas for the heaviest ever parsnip
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 18:51 GMT, 8 March 2012 | UPDATED: 12:28 GMT, 9 March 2012 A new photograph shows two atoms vibrating together inside a molecule - a first for science. Researchers used a mind-boggling technique where they turned an electron into a 'flash bulb' to capture the image. The precise control required to set off the 'flash' has offered hope that scientists may one day be able to control chemicals at the atomic scale.
Extreme close-up: Scientists capture first image of two atoms INSIDE a molecule (but we'll just have to take their word for it)
New clock is 100 times more accurate than any on Earth - it loses less than a second every 14 BILLION years
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 13:36 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 13:36 GMT, 9 March 2012 A proposed new clock will be the most accurate ever created by mankind - losing or gaining less than 1/20th of a second every 14 billion years A proposed new clock will be the most accurate ever created by mankind - losing or gaining less than 1/20th of a second every 14 billion years. The universe itself is around 14 billion years old - so had we been armed with one of these since the moment of the Big Bang, we would still be on time for work. It's 100 times more accurate even than the best atomic clocks today, which are used to 'set' the time for mobile phone networks and GPS systems around the world.By Ted Thornhill PUBLISHED: 11:33 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 13:04 GMT, 9 March 2012 The mystery of whether feathers evolved to aid flight or attract mates has been solved by researchers studying the flashy plumage of a meat-eating dino-bird. Scientists from the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Paleontology revealed the colour and detailed feather pattern of Microraptor - a pigeon-sized, four-winged dinosaur that lived about 130 million years ago. It’s the earliest record of iridescent feather colour and the researchers believe their finding shows that the Microraptor's plumage was used as a way of demonstrating sexual prowess. Winging it: The Microraptor had flashy feathers that researchers believe were purely ornamental
Glossy plumage of Microraptor shows feathers evolved for courtship
MPs and their staff make 10,000 changes to Wikipedia pages in bid to hide embarrassing information
Bureau of Investigative Journalism finds 10,000 edits on Wikipedia are directly traceable to within the Houses of Parliament Pages for one in six MPs were edited from within the Houses Edits included removing unflattering facts, adding praise, or slandering political enemies ... and even frivolous edits about Pringles and Harry Potter By Eddie Wrenn PUBLISHED: 12:39 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 12:19 GMT, 12 March 2012
Just like the chocolate bar, the Milky Way galaxy is 'full of bubbles', say scientists
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 16:39 GMT, 8 March 2012 | UPDATED: 17:58 GMT, 9 March 2012 Just like the fluffy nougat in the chocolate bar, the Milky Way galaxy is full of bubbles, a new survey by 'citizen scientists' has found. More than 35,000 astronomy fans sifted through data from the Spitzer space telescope, and found bubbles in space - blown out by young, hot stars into the gas and dust around them.Film made in 1901, 31 years after Dickens' death Thought to have been inspired by Dickens' novel Bleak House By Rachel Rickard Straus PUBLISHED: 11:09 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 00:04 GMT, 10 March 2012
Charles Dickens film from 111-years ago found after going missing for half a century
By Nick Pisa UPDATED: 12:28 GMT, 9 March 2012 Drug enforcement chiefs have for the first time identified the Vatican as a possible centre for money laundering from criminal activity. The report by the American State Department's International Narcotics Control Strategy lists the Holy See as one of 68 countries including Yemen, Algeria and North Korea, describing it as a 'country of concern' for money laundering or other financial crimes. Officials said they had placed the Vatican on its watch list because of the 'huge amount of cash' that flows into the tiny city state and also because it was still unclear how effective anti money laundering legislation introduced last year by Pope Benedict XVI had been.
Vatican classed as being as likely to be involved in money laundering as Yemen, Algeria and North Korea
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 10:48 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 12:13 GMT, 9 March 2012 Archaeologists have solved a 1900-year-old 'cold case' mystery - using a medical CT scanner to scan the head of an Iron Age murder victim.
Very cold case: 2,000-year-old murder is solved as CT scan reveals Iron Age man was bludgeoned, strangled, then beheaded in a human sacrifice
Google's 'unbreakable' Chrome browser falls prey to TWO hacks - including one that takes over a PC just from visiting a website
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 11:32 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 12:15 GMT, 9 March 2012 Google's 'unbreakable' Chrome browser has fallen prey to computer hackers. The browser - the world's second most-popular - was hacked in five minutes at a hacking conference in Vancouver by French security researchers. Another researcher then showed off a second hack that could take over a Windows machine using an infected website - and earned a $60,000 'bounty' from Google for the hack.UK consumers to miss out on functions such as instant-playing web video Device ships with aerial UK users cannot use Much-hyped '4G' network will only be available at end of 2012 at best Fears iPad may not even work with UK network AFTER launch New data-hungry device may hit consumers with 'bill shock', tech sites warn By Rob Waugh UPDATED: 00:33 GMT, 9 March 2012 British iPad fans could be missing out on one of the best features of Apple's new model - a super-fast 4G phone connection - but will end up paying for the privilege anyway. Apple made much of the new device's 4G network connection at the device's launch last night, showing off web videos which played near-instantly over the LTE connection. But British users won't be able to enjoy the function: 4G networks have yet to roll out in the UK, with even optimistic projections putting the launch at the end of the year, by which time, Apple will no doubt be on the verge of launching another iPad.
iPad 3 features: New Apple tablet, with HD screen and '4G' connection, too smart for UK?
By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 10:06 GMT, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 10:06 GMT, 9 March 2012 Microsoft's Xbox 360: Leaks hint that the successor to the machine will be released in 2013 - and will no longer have a DVD drive The follow-up to the Xbox 360 is due out next year - and the machine will no longer have a disc drive, according to a source within Microsoft. Instead, games will download to the hi-tech new console - or gamers can carry them on a memory card. No exact release date has been revealed, but the leak lends weight to the rumour that Microsoft might show off the new Xbox at the games industry conference E3 in Los Angeles in May.
New Xbox is 'due out next year' - and the hi-tech machine will no longer have a disc drive
By Tamara Abraham PUBLISHED: 21:31 GMT, 8 March 2012 | UPDATED: 21:35 GMT, 8 March 2012 A Swiss watchmaker unveiled today what is believed to be the world's most expensive timepiece. Hublot's new watch, which has a price tag of $5million, dazzles with a staggering 140 carats of diamonds, all set in white gold. The precious stones cover the entire face, as well as the band, giving an appearance more akin to fine jewellery than practical accessory. Arm candy: Swiss watchmaker Hublot has unveiled what is believed to be the world's most expensive watch.