News

In today’s Academic Minute, Dr. Michael Habib of the University of Southern California reveals why rarely-used behaviors can determine an animal’s evolutionary success. 

Michael Habib is an assistant professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. As a paleontologist, he explores the relationships between animal structure and motion with a particular focus on collective behaviors such as swarming.

Dr. Michael Habib – Novel Behavior and Evolution

Although some high school students might disagree with this, science is not a dry topic.  In fact, studying life on Earth, or on any other planet for that matter has to begin in water.  Today on The Best Of Our Knowledge, our Astrobiology Series returns with a look at the importance of water in the study...and the origins of life.

Plus we’ll spend an academic minute finding out why humidity makes it harder to keep your cold drink cold.

A congressional representative from New York introduced a bill today that would extend credit card protections for individuals to small businesses. The legislation comes during the 50th annual National Small Business Week.

Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey of the 17th district introduced her “Small Business Credit Card Act of 2013,” saying many small businesses across the country need credit cards to help keep their doors open.

The state of Vermont is planning to help communities in Chittenden, Lamoille and Essex counties hit by severe storms apply for federal assistance to help pay for repairs.

Authorities have recovered a body from a lake near where a commercial photographer was reported missing last week.

Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says the body was pulled Tuesday from Lake Lillinonah in Bridgewater after a homeowner spotted it from a dock. The body was transferred to the chief medical examiner for identification.

Police have been searching for 33-year-old Eric Langlois of New Milford since he went missing a week ago. He had told his wife he was heading to the Housatonic River to retrieve a lost bicycle.

A new temporary psychiatric facility in Middlesex is expected to start admitting patients this week.

Incessant rain over the past few weeks has saturated farm fields and garden plots.

Last Wednesday, the board of the Vermont State Employees Association, known as the VSEA, sacked executive director Mark Mitchell after 18 months on the job. But on Monday, the board changed course and decided to reinstate him, placing him on paid administrative leave.

In a victory for environmentalists one of the last coal burning industrial power plants in Massachusetts is being converted to natural gas.

Eastman Chemical announced Tuesday that it plans to convert to natural gas the coal burning boiler that produces steam and electricity at its chemical manufacturing facility in Springfield.  The company said the change over will occur by January 2016 . Michaelann Bewsee , executive director of Arise for Social Justice said a campaign calling for an end to coal-burning at the facility had just begun.

There were several arrests at the New York State Capitol Tuesday. Advocates took out their anger and frustration on Cuomo and leaders of the State Senate, after it became clear that a progressive agenda that includes abortion rights and public campaign financing are likely dead for the legislative session.