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A new discovery of a 14,000 years old thigh bone is all set to amend the history of human evolution. Scientists believe the fossilized femur could add a new branch in family tree of humans.

Previously, historians thought other ancient human species vanished after the appearance of modern humans. But now, the new femur unearthed from Red Deer Cave in southwest China has suggested that human’s distant cousins walked the earth with some other species of humans for quite a long time.

About three years ago, researchers found fossilized skulls in Red Deer Cave situated near Maludong. Earlier this year, researchers also found clues of another possible human species around the cave named after an extinct species of deer.

Oxford University, in co-operation with nearly 30 other educational and industrial partners, is progressing with its project, the Networked Quantum Info Applied sciences (NQIT – pronounced ‘N-kit’) Hub. The Hub is one of the four Hubs whose development is being financed by EPSRC. In 2014, the UK authority announced an expenditure of £270 million over a period of five years.

The NQIT Hub involves developing completely distinct methods for quantum networking and computing. The ultimate goal is to develop a functioning quantum pc. Oxford, along with its allies, is working towards the reduction of the processing energy used by the existing supercomputers by developing quantum applied sciences.

It seems like the orca baby boom on the West Coast is not going to stop after years of population decline. The Centre for Whale Research, on Wednesday, gave confirmation to the birth of the 8th calf this year in the endangered southern residents. The birth has pushed the population to 84.

In a statement, Michael Harris, the director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, said 1977 was the only year in the last 4 decades, wherein as many baby killer whales took birth into this community of whales. Harris said that 9 births have taken place in 2015.

The calf seen first on December 1, besides San Juan Island in Washington State, however, researchers were able to capture a photo in Haro Strait on Wednesday. They confirmed that it was not among the other calves born in 2015.

The federal officials on Thursday said they don’t think Iowa is completely ready for transition of $5 billion Medicaid program to managed care on January 1. They said that the shift delayed to March 1 will be the suitable option.

According to a letter to Iowa Medicaid Director Mikki Stier, “The CMS expects that we will ultimately be able to approve Iowa’s managed-care waivers. However, we do not believe that Iowa is ready to make that transition on January 1”.

The plan to shift Iowa’s $5 billion Medicaid system to four out-of-state private care companies for the first was introduced by Gov. Terry Branstad earlier this year. The state in August awarded contracts to Amerigroup Iowa, AmeroiHealth Caritas Iowa, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley and WellCare of Iowa.

The observations of the first results after the major upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) outside Geneva, Switzerland, were revealed on December 15, and scientists said they noted the Higgs boson in 2012 sensed an intriguing, hinting discovery of a new elementary particle.

Scientists at the LHC recreated conductions of Big Bang, and physicists were able to go back in time and see for a very brief moment what primordial particles can be created by Nature.

In the case of the Higgs boson, the physicists required huge energies to produce the massive particle weighing in at a mass of 125 gigaelectronvolts (GeV). The discovery of Higgs boson confirmed that the Standard Model of physics correctly described all known particles and forces in the cosmos.

Following directions from American lawmakers, the Food and Drug Administration has prohibited the sale of genetically engineered salmon, a move that has been adopted to ensure the consumers know whether the fish they are consuming has been genetically altered.

The step, which is likely to have a major impact on the sea food world, comes almost a month after the FDA approved AquAdvantage salmon, which is produced by Massachusetts-based AquaBounty, as the first genetically modified animal species “safe” for human consumption.