- April 2006 in science
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2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - →Events in Science
April 26 2006 *A team of researchers working for
IBM publishes the results of a "pattern discovery" analysis of "junk DNA ". In contrast to expectations, they discovered similar patterns in "junk DNA" andDNA sections containinggene s. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4940654.stm (BBC)]April 21 2006 *ESA scientists publish an analysis of
Mars Express data in the journal "Science" that proposes three main geological ages forMars , named the "phyllosian", "theiikian", and "siderikian" eras. Only the first era (from 4.5 until 4.2 thousand millionyear s ago) might have supported life on thatplanet . [http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=19644 (SpaceRef.com)]
*TheIntegrated Ocean Drilling Program is the first drilling program to reach a hardenedmagma chamber underneath the ocean crust and confirms the formation ofgabbro during the cooling process. The data are released in "Sciencexpress". [http://www.iodp.org/News-Releases/superfast-spreading-crust-3-news-release/ (IODP News Release)]April 20 2006 *Multiple security flaws are discovered in the
Mozilla software package used by programs likeMozilla Firefox andMozilla Thunderbird . Users are urged to download the latest updates. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4925606.stm (BBC)]
*An attempt to raise theorbit of theInternational Space Station is cancelled when arocket engine fails to reach its correct configuration. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060420/sc_afp/russiaspaceiss (AFP/YahooNews)]April 19 2006 *
NASA scientists publish results of the first successful detailedcomputer simulation of the merger of twoblack hole s. The model will be used to predict signals ingravitational radiation observatories. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4923396.stm (BBC)]April 18 2006 *The discovery of multiple
fossil es of "Mapusaurus roseae " in close proximity provides evidence that they may have hunted in packs. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4918292.stm (BBC)]April 15 2006 * The six
satellite s of theCOSMIC program (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate), a joint U.S.-Taiwan ese project, are launched fromVandenberg Air Force Base inCalifornia . COSMIC, known in Taiwan as FORMOSAT-3, is meant to provide advances in meteorology, ionospheric research, climatology, and space weather by using GPS satellites in conjunction withLow Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. [http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sfn_minotaur_cosmic_cntdwn.html (SPACE.com)]April 12 2006 * Four million year old fossilized bones of "
Australopithecus anamensis ", belonging to a hominin species that anatomically falls between "Ardipithecus ramidus " and "Australopithecus afarensis ", are found inMiddle Awash ,Ethiopia . Scientists publish their conclusion that these species are demonstrating theevolution of hominids, since all three fossils types were found in the same geographic area. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060412/sc_afp/sciencepaleontology (AFP/YahooNews)]April 11 2006 * The "
Venus Express " spacecraft of theEuropean Space Agency arrives atVenus approximately 5 months after it was launched and goes intoorbit around theplanet . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4895792.stm (BBC)] [http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=39060 (ESA)]8 April 2006 *Brazilian
astronaut Marcos Pontes returns to Earth withExpedition 12 crew William McArthur andValery Tokarev after leaving theInternational Space Station . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4892556.stm (BBC)]5 April 2006 *A new fossilized
species is discovered that resembles a cross between afish and acrocodile , called "Tiktaalik roseae ". It was found onEllesmere Island and is estimated to be 375 million years old. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060405/ap_on_sc/landfish_fossil (AP/YahooNews)]4 April 2006 *Researcher publish the result of
X-ray images taken by Swift of the Deep Impact collision withcomet Tempel 1. It reveals that the comet ejected material in large amounts for many days. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4871934.stm (BBC)]2 April 2006 *The Navy Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (Iranian Navy) successfully test fires a high-speed "underwater missile", most probably a supercavitating
torpedo . [http://iran-daily.com/1385/2527/html/index.htm (Iran Daily)] [http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAN_MISSILE?SITE=NMALJ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT (AP)]1 April 2006 *The Soyuz TMA-8
spacecraft docks with the ISS and delivers the first Brazilianastronaut ,Marcos Pontes , as well as the Expedition 13 crewPavel Vinogradov andJeffrey Williams . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4867132.stm (BBC)] [http://spaceflightnow.com/station/exp13/060331docking.html (Spaceflight Now)]
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