Michael OlsonThe wolf population on Isle royale is down to eight individuals. For the first time in 50 years of intense study, there is no evidence of reproduction. In considering what to do next, the National Park Service is investigating three options: the first is to do nothing, let nature take its course. The wolves may Read more →
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The new Gorilla Forest exhibit at Como zoo opens today and will be home to seven gorillas, six of which are new to the zoo. The $11 million redesign includes what is said to be the largest all-mesh enclosure in North America. The changes to the exhibit exceed the requirements for holding, exhibiting and managing Read more →
“Scientists in Siberia say they’ve extracted blood samples from the carcass of a 10,000-year-old woolly mammoth, reviving speculation that a clone of the extinct animal might someday walk the earth, if scientists are able to find living cells. But researchers say the find, which also included well-preserved muscle tissue, must be studied further to know Read more →
There might be a technological solution to reducing gun violence. A high-tech start up has created “a wireless controller that would allow gun owners to know when their weapon is being moved — and disable it remotely,” reports the AP. Smart guns aren’t a new idea, but technology has advanced since they were first introduced. Read more →
The Internet is making us poor, asserts Christopher Mims, science and technology writer for Quartz. “History is littered with technological transitions,” he says. “Many of them seemed at the time to threaten mass unemployment of one type of worker or another, whether it was buggy whip makers or, more recently, travel agents. But here’s what’s Read more →
TV time for children younger than 2 has been discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics for decades. A recent study suggests that screen time leads to lower psychological ability. But some parents, educators and a growing industry of educational app makers are making a case to allow young children touch-screen time. Today’s Question: Should Read more →
Eric RinghamScholars in England have identified the remains of Richard III, the king described in Shakespeare as a “pois’nous bunch-back’d toad.” Shakespeare’s version of history blames Richard for the presumed murders of the young princes in the Tower of London, among other deaths. Today’s Question: Among great figures of history, whose remains would you like to Read more →
Estimates suggest that Minnesota misses out on $400 million each year by failing to collect sales taxes on purchases made online, through catalogues or by other means. State officials are considering whether and how to collect some of that money. Today’s Question: Would having to pay sales tax for online purchases change your shopping habits?
In a recent op-ed piece, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., argued that the United States needs to change its policy regarding the use of drones. Ellison says strikes by the unmanned aircraft undermine U.S. standing around the world and may be killing more innocent civilians than the United States has acknowledged. Today’s Question: What rules should Read more →