Following is a summary of current science news briefs.
Florida scientists induce spawning of Atlantic coral in labfor first time
Scientists in Florida have artificially induced reproductivespawning of an endangered Atlantic coral species for the firsttime in an aquarium setting, a breakthrough they say holds greatpromise in efforts to restore depleted reefs in the wild. Theachievement, announced this week at the Florida Aquarium inApollo Beach near Tampa, borrowed from lab techniques developedat the London-based Horniman Museum and Gardens and usedpreviously to induce spawning of 18 species of Pacific coral,officials said.
Russian spacecraft carrying robot fails to dock with spacestation
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a humanoid robot failedto dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday,Russian news agencies reported, citing a live broadcast. TheFEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) roboton its way to the ISS on a planned two-week mission to supportthe crew and test its skills.
Boeing spacecraft astronauts see new frontier for commercialspace
A crew of veteran U.S. astronauts and aviators are trainingin Houston for a manned mission to the International SpaceStation aboard Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft, which couldalso be used to take tourists into space on future missions.The Boeing Starliner mission was originally scheduled for thismonth, but that has been delayed to at least the end of the yearor into 2020 due to technical issues and amid a shakeup in thetop echelons of the space agency.