Thanks to Bill Ingalls and NASA

Does that mean there won’t be any more episodes of  “Teen Mom” ? New reports say that the teen birth rate has dropped 6% this year.

Another unfortunate accident on the set of Broadway’s ‘Spider-Man,’ makes us wonder if this multi-million dollar show needs a super-hero to save it…

And in case you missed it- there was a lunar eclipse Monday evening. Don’t worry though, it will come around again in 2,000 years!

We’re dreaming of a white Christmas…until we saw Europe’s snow storm and changed our minds!!

Snow is canvassing Europe from London to Brussels to Paris to Frankfurt and shutting down public transport all over.

Even England’s Prime Minister David Cameron admits he is frustrated by the delays, but  London Heathrow hopes to start operating flights again Thursday.

Curious about the predicted MILLIONS who will be affected by delays abroad? See the map below!!

BBC

If you’ve never heard the phrase “net neutrality,” you’re probably not alone.  Actually, you’re definitely not alone.

To put it plainly, net neutrality keeps the Internet “free.”  It allows all users to access the Web and its content equally.  Until now, this has just been good practice by Internet providers, but that could change today.

The Federal Communications Commission is planning to hold a vote on a plan which would turn this theory to law.

Some have classified the FCC’s plan as a fight for freedom of speech and others have claimed it an unnecessary expansion of government regulation.  Either way, it is expected to pass, becoming the first law of its type.

This has been quite a contentious issue for many…

Take our poll and give us your opinion!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Contact:
Anthony Lane
Communications Manager: Science, Technology and Environment
(410) 455-5793
alane@umbc.edu

Michael Summers, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been recommended for a fourth five-year term as an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

HHMI is a nonprofit medical research organization that provides funding for about 350 investigators across the country to equip and staff their labs as they conduct groundbreaking biomedical research.

Summers, who was recently named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, has been an HHMI investigator since 1994. His research focuses on HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS.

Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, he and his research team — which includes undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows — are mapping the internal structure of HIV and related retroviruses, providing insights that could lead to new treatments for AIDS and other human diseases.

“I am thrilled to have HHMI’s continued support,” Summers said. “HHMI has enabled us to take strides in our understanding of HIV’s structure while also developing the talents of young researchers working in the lab.”

The police report detailing the sex crime allegations against Julian Assange of WikiLeaks gets (you guessed it) leaked. ..And it’s kind of embarrassing. So, his lawyers complain about the leak. Julian, it sucks to get your secret info leaked to the world-wide media, doesn’t it? It’s OK though; New York Magazine will tell you why everything is going just according to Mr Assange’s plan.

Who saw this coming? You know the Dannon’s “Activia Challenge” which allegedly makes you  more — ahem — regular after eating their yogurt. GUESS WHAT? It is actually a regular load of crock.

Looks like the New START Treaty, an arms deal reached with Russia a few months ago, might finally get to see ratification! This is a good thing to people who are interested in international relations, and stuff like that. Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the military leaders who advise the president on this kind of stuff), even said it was a good thing, and he knows more than we do for sure.

By now you know we at USDemocrazy are a bunch of caffeine-crazed college kids. This time of year it’s no joke that our holiday spirit can get seriously muffled by an avalanche of final exams.

So, no, we haven’t really had time (or money — hello credit card!) to buy you a Christmas gift just yet. Sorry!

Thankfully, we’re not the only ones who are masters of procrastination! We’ve discovered a few pretty great last-minute (and entertaining!) gift guides while browsing the Web (when, of course we should be studying)

We can always count on those snarks at Gawker to get us snorting, and their gift guide is both useful and hilariously topical.

Who else has a decent recommendation for “The Significant Other You’re Going to Break Up With After New Year’s”? (Hint: West Wing DVDs. There’s a whole explanation for it.)

The Daily Beast is proving to be helpful with down-to-the-day analysis of what you can realistically mail or make, depending on how badly you’re doing on time. The recommendation for the “Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels” crochet pillow is harsh and hilarious all at once.

Then, if you want to help you parents figure out what you really don’t want to see under the tree this year (we hate to be picky, but…), link them to this HuffPo slideshow that adeptly explains why a guidebook to being successful even with a degree in the humanities isn’t super ideal.

OK. Back to procrastinating work.

But first — THIS: