Bill Chappell

'Four Little Girls' Awarded Congressional Gold Medal

Bill Chappell — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:13:00 +0000

They were just little girls when they were killed in 1963, in what came to be known as the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing.

Ring Nebula Is More Like A Jelly Doughnut, NASA Says

Bill Chappell — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:08:00 +0000

The Ring Nebula, whose iconic shape and large size make it a favorite of amateur astronomers, can now be seen in new detail, after NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured a sharp image of the nebula. Researchers say the new clarity reveals details that were previously unseen, and a structure that's more complex than scientists had believed.

"The nebula is not like a bagel, but rather, it's like a jelly doughnut, because it's filled with material in the middle," says C. Robert O'Dell of Vanderbilt University, who leads a team of researchers studying the Ring Nebula.

Google Reportedly Faces FTC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads

Bill Chappell — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:52:00 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

Google took the lead in the growing display ad market in 2012.

Amphibians' Population Decline Marked In New U.S. Study

Bill Chappell — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:25:00 +0000

Populations of frogs, salamanders and other amphibians are declining at an average rate of 3.7 percent each year, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study released this week.

James Joyce Coin-troversy Reportedly Could Have Been Averted

Bill Chappell — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:23:00 +0000

Irish banking officials should have known there were problems with the controversial 10-euro coin commemorating James Joyce, according to Ireland's RTE News.

For Second Time, Moore Family Loses Home To A Tornado

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:53:00 +0000

The tornado that devastated Moore, Okla., Monday destroyed some 12,000 homes, according to Oklahoma City Police. And for one family, it was the second house they've lost to a tornado in the past 14 years.

3-D Printer Makes Life-Saving Splint For Baby Boy's Airway

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:53:00 +0000

A 3-D printer is being credited with helping to save an Ohio baby's life, after doctors "printed" a tube to support a weak airway that caused him to stop breathing. The innovative procedure has allowed Kaiba Gionfriddo, of Youngstown, Ohio, to stay off a ventilator for more than a year.

The splint that changed Kaiba's life was implanted in February of 2012, when he was 3 months old.

'On Top Of The World' At 80: Japanese Climber Summits Everest

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:06:00 +0000

A Japanese mountaineer has become the oldest person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest, as Yuichiro Miura, 80, reached the 29,035-foot peak Thursday morning. The feat marks Miura's third time atop Mount Everest; he previously climbed the mountain at ages 70 and 75.

As in 2008, Miura's accomplishment is in danger of being surpassed by his main rival, Nepalese climber Min Bahadur Sherchan, 81.

British Driver Says She's Sorry In 'Twit And Run' Case

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:04:00 +0000

A British driver who struck a cyclist with her car — and who then bragged about the incident on Twitter — has issued an apology. The incident caused an uproar after the collision Sunday.

"Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax!

Oregon's Cash-Strapped Counties Reject Public Safety Levies

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:06:00 +0000

Two Oregon counties have reportedly rejected property tax increases that would have funded law enforcement and public safety services. The counties once received federal timber subsidies, but those days are over — and now they're scrambling to pay for essential services.

In Josephine County, where nearly 70 percent of the land belongs to the U.S. government, Tuesday's vote that was too close to call last night.