Science & Technology

AMES, Iowa, Nov. 20 (UPI) — After three years and $30 million, U.S. scientists have finished mapping the complete genome sequence of corn, the most widely eaten cereal after rice.
A strain of corn called B73 may prove to be a textbook of how genes work, said Patrick Schnable, a geneticist at Iowa State University, [...]

This NASA photo taken by STS-129 astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis shows Astronaut Robert L. Satcher Jr., STS-129 mission specialist, as he works on the flight deck of Atlantis during flight day two activities, November 17, 2009. UPI/NASA
Date Taken: November 19, 2009

This NASA photo taken by STS-129 astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis shows the International Space Station as the two approach each other during rendezvous and docking activities on flight day three, November 18, 2009. UPI/NASA
Date Taken: November 19, 2009

HOUSTON, Nov. 19 (UPI) — Space shuttle astronauts Mike Foreman and Robert Satcher Jr. whizzed through their first spacewalk of the STS-129 mission Thursday in 6 hours, 37 minutes.
The spacewalk started at 9:24 a.m. and ended at 4:01 p.m. EST. Not only did Foreman and Satcher complete all the tasks scheduled for the initial spacewalk [...]

PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 18 (UPI) — NASA says it failed to free its stuck Mars explorer Spirit on the first attempt.
Officials at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said preliminary data from Tuesday’s experiment indicate the rover stopped moving less than 1 second after it sensed more lateral tilt than permitted.
A tight limit on vehicle roll [...]