Things We Didn't Cover...

As the year draws to a close, and the Wonder of Stuff celebrates it's first birthday, it's time to catch up on some of those stories that we've always intended to cover, but never had quite enough time.  So, here is a a catch up on some stories you might have missed.  Enjoy!

Space

• For 50 Years Now, the US Has Had a Nuclear Reactor Orbiting the Planet - http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2015/04/for-50-years-now-the-us-has-had-a-nuclear-reactor-orbiting-the-planet

• What was here before the solar system? - http://phys.org/news/2015-05-solar.html

• Universe Expansion Is Slowing Down - http://guardianlv.com/2015/04/universe-expansion-is-slowing-down

• Our universe may be a Matrix-like computer game designed by aliens, says NASA scientist - http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/575653/The-Matrix-Universe-Planet-Earth-NASA-Scientist

• Scientists are figuring out some weird things about a star they’ve nicknamed ‘Nasty’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/05/23/scientists-are-figuring-out-some-weird-things-about-a-star-theyve-nicknamed-nasty/?wprss=rss_health-science

• This lonely galaxy is all by itself near a cosmic void - http://mashable.com/2015/06/12/lonely-galaxy-photo/?utm_campaign=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=rss#VFlw.VlJTiqb

• The Rosetta spacecraft’s extended mission may end with a spectacular crash - http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/23/8832385/esa-rosetta-spacecraft-mission-extended-september-2016

• Dark Side of the Pluto - http://boingboing.net/2015/07/25/dark-side-of-the-pluto.html

• Scientists stumped by enormous pyramid on dwarf planet Ceres - http://www.technobuffalo.com/2015/06/30/scientists-stumped-by-enormous-pyramid-on-dwarf-planet-ceres

• "Failed Stars" Host Stunningly Bright Auroras - http://www.forbes.com/sites/bridaineparnell/2015/07/30/failed-stars-host-stunningly-bright-auroras/

• Philae lander sniffs out organic molecules on comet's surface - http://mashable.com/2015/07/30/philae-organic-molecules-comet/?utm_campaign=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=rss#97d1y9d2ikqE

• NASA contemplates high-flying 'windbots' for exploring gas giant - http://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-thinking-about-exploring-jupiter-with-high-flying-windbots/#ftag=CADf328eec

• The 6 Most Earth-like Alien Planets - http://www.space.com/30172-six-most-earth-like-alien-planets.html

• International Space Station Can Now Grow Edible Vegetables -- http://interestingengineering.com/international-space-station-can-now-grow-ediblevegetables

• We are not alone, says Vatican: Pope's chief astronomer says alien life exists, but it is unlikely to have been visited by Jesus - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3184769/We-not-says-Vatican-Pope-s-chief-astronomer-says-alien-life-exists-unlikely-visited-Jesus.html#ixzz3tTElXOua 

• Astronomers discover a tenth transiting "Tatooine" - http://phys.org/news/2015-08-astronomers-tenth-transiting-tatooine.html

• Astronomers Discover New Planet Less Than 20 Million Years Old - http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertszczerba/2015/08/13/astronomers-discover-new-planet-less-than-20-million-years-old/#%2Fweb%2Fsaved%2F

Science

• How Europeans evolved to have white skin, starting from around 8,000 years ago - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-europeans-evolved-to-have-white-skin-starting-from-around-8000-years-ago-10160120.html

• 6 Animals That Are Rapidly Evolving - http://mentalfloss.com/article/64300/6-animals-are-rapidly-evolving

• First glimpse of new concepts developing in the brain - http://www.kurzweilai.net/first-glimpse-of-new-concepts-developing-in-the-brain

• Polar Bears Seen Eating Dolphins For The First Time As Seal Habitat Melts Away - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/12/polar-bears-eat-dolphin-seal-global-warming_n_7572728.html

• Some Intriguing New Hints About What Ant Consciousness Is Really Like - http://gizmodo.com/some-intriguing-new-hints-about-what-ant-consciousness-1711031054

• DOES YOUR BLOOD TYPE REVEAL HOW YOUR BRAIN WILL AGE - http://brainmysteries.com/does-your-blood-type-reveal-how-your-brain-will-age/

• Brain scans of passengers who experienced nightmare flight offer new clues about trauma memory - http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-brain-scans-passengers-experienced-nightmare.html

• Shimmering, Squishy Comb Jellies Once Had Skeletons - http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/shimmering-squishy-comb-jellies-once-had-skeletons/

• Study shows tropical fish genetically adapting to cope with warmer waters - http://www.smh.com.au/environment/study-shows-tropical-fish-genetically-adapting-to-cope-with-warmer-waters-20150720-gigiph.html

• Molybdenum Is the Most Important Element You've Never Heard of - http://io9.com/molybdenum-the-most-important-element-youve-never-hear-1718443869

• Researchers show new Ice Age may begin by 2030 - http://phys.org/news/2015-07-ice-age.html

• Scientists found a creepy fanged fish in Australia that's far more common than everyone thinks - http://uk.businessinsider.com/creepy-looking-fish-found-in-australia-2015-7?r=US&IR=T

• Climate change turns up heat on bumblebees - http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/Science-Notebook/2015/0710/Climate-change-turns-up-heat-on-bumblebees-video

• Newton thwarted by the ascent of sap - https://aobblog.com/2015/07/newton-thwarted-by-the-ascent-of-sap/

• Honeybees Trained to Sniff Out Drugs - http://mentalfloss.com/article/65709/honeybees-trained-sniff-out-drugs

• Clocks 'SPEAK' to each other: The mystery of how pendulum clocks self-synchronise their ticks is solved after 350 years - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3176193/Clocks-SPEAK-Mystery-pendulum-clocks-synchronise-ticks-tocks-solved-350-years.html#ixzz3tTCAgY56 

• Tongue-rolling myth busted! It's not a single gene you inherit from your parents - http://uk.businessinsider.com/tongue-rolling-gene-is-a-myth-2015-8?r=US&IR=T

• Looks really don't run in the family! Strange new deep-sea anglerfish discovered - and it's just as grotesque as its cousins - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3187146/Looks-really-don-t-run-family-Strange-new-deep-sea-anglerfish-discovered-s-just-grotesque-cousins.html#ixzz3tTDGOQLZ 

• Natural selection, key to evolution, also can impede formation of new species - http://phys.org/news/2015-08-natural-key-evolution-impede-formation.html

Engineering & Technology

• How Google is making sure cows won’t foil its self-driving cars - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2015/04/07/how-google-is-making-sure-cows-wont-foil-its-self-driving-cars/

• The one-cable future of gadgets: simpler, but still confusing - http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/05/usb-c-the-future-of-gadgets-still-confusing/?ncid=rss_truncated

• Cheap, fast & pure: Breakthrough method for hydrogen fuel may revolutionize car industry - https://www.rt.com/usa/247437-hydrogen-corn-fuel-cars/

• Google Made a Chatbot That Debates the Meaning of Life - http://www.wired.com/2015/06/google-made-chatbot-debates-meaning-life/

• 5 Crazy Bridges That Push The Limit Of Design - http://wonderfulengineering.com/5-crazy-bridges-that-push-the-limit-of-design/

• Indian Airport Becomes The First In The World To Run Entirely On Solar Power - http://wonderfulengineering.com/indian-airport-becomes-the-first-in-the-world-to-run-entirely-on-solar-power/