Rover roadblocks
Hundreds of unsolved problems could delay the lift-off of NASA鈥檚 next rover, the Mars Science Laboratory, by two years and add more than $500 million to its cost, the agency鈥檚 inspector general said in a report last week. NASA says it is still 鈥渧ery confident鈥� it will meet its launch window, which opens in November.
Tornado鈥檚 disease toll
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At least three survivors of the tornado that tore through Joplin, Missouri, on 22 May have since died from mucormycosis. State health officials say most of those struck by the fungal disease had sustained serious wounds in the tornado, and that these may have been penetrated by disease-causing spores.
Teeny-weeny dino
A fossil fragment found in southern England could be from the smallest dinosaur on record. Based on a single fossilised neck bone, Darren Naish of the University of Portsmouth, UK, estimates that the bird-like creature was no more than 40 centimetres long, and possibly as little as 33 centimetres (Cretaceous Research, ).
Womb transplant
Swedish doctors hope to achieve the world鈥檚 first successful womb transplant early next year. Led by Mats Br盲nnstr枚m of the University of Gothenburg鈥檚 Sahlgrenska Hospital, the team is reviewing 10 possible recipients. At least one would receive the womb she was born from 鈥� belonging to her donor mother.
Christchurch shaken
The New Zealand city of Christchurch was struck by a magnitude 6.3 quake this week, four months after a tremor there claimed 181 lives. The quake occurred on a different fault from the February event and may trigger more aftershocks, says John Townend at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.