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Launch of an Israeli Shavit rocket via Wikimedia Commons Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Daniel Hershkowitz , Israel s minister of science and technology, to talk about his country s capabilities and ambitions in space. We spoke about Israel s homegrown platforms for launching satellites into space; the commercial, military and scientific applications of those satellites; and whether the country has plans to return to the human spaceflight arena, almost 10 years after its first foray ended in tragedy.

House mouse; courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/George Shuklin Four-legged stowaways hitched a ride aboard the wooden 10th- and 11th-century Viking ships that braved the northern seas.

Slide of invasive prostate adenocarcinoma, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/NIH Circumcision might reduce a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer by 15 percent, according to new research published online March 12 in Cancer .

Anthrax courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Marcus007 The white powder that arrived in envelopes addressed to lawmakers and journalists in 2001 proved to be a deadly delivery for several people. The lethal substance spores commonly known as Anthrax (from the bacterium Bactillus anthracis ) can cause a toxic reaction in a host’s blood stream , killing cells and leading to tissue damage, bleeding and death

XMRV image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention A recent research paper that linked a retrovirus to chronic fatigue syndrome was fully retracted Thursday, following more than a year of growing doubts and incremental backpeddling by researchers and journals alike

image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Opa Cigarette maker Philip Morris spent years studying whether additives, such as menthol, added to the toxicity of their smokes . And several published studies conducted by the company have claimed that the additives had no impact on the danger of their products. [More]

image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Opa Cigarette maker Philip Morris spent years studying whether additives, such as menthol, added to the toxicity of their smokes . And several published studies conducted by the company have claimed that the additives had no impact on the danger of their products

Paul Farmer: Wikimedia Commons/Billigan PHILADELPHIA Paul Farmer is used to uphill battles. After decades working to fight HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in impoverished areas of Haiti, the seemingly tireless doctor and anthropologist is now struggling to reassemble a health strategy for the country after last year’s earthquake and subsequent cholera outbreak .

courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Samuel The millions of monarchs ( Danaus plexippus ) that flit on fragile wings from the U.S.to a particular area of fir forest in Mexico as far as 4,000 kilometers are making the journey for the first time. [More]

As governments and universities around the world take a more active interest in Wikipedia's accuracy and reach, Wales talks about his site's new status. "I'm not sure if we are becoming a default 'official' source of information" he tells us, "but we are certainly the first port of call for hundreds of millions of people already." Wikipedia has evolved from the hobby of amateur enthusiasts to a fully-financed priority of academics and government agencies looking to improve what is quickly becoming the world’s first source of information. Just last month, the United States National Archives announced a "Wikipedian In Residence," a full-time liaison to the Wikipedia community.