SPARKS, Okla. — A 5.6 magnitude quake rocked central Oklahoma late Saturday after a day of smaller quakes, leaving cracked buildings and a buckled highway but no major damage. The temblor was so strong it rattled a college football stadium 50 miles away and could be felt in Tennessee. The quake, centered about 44 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, may be the strongest in state history if the reading is confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey after it initially reported a 5.2 magnitude event. Emergency authorities had no immediate reports of injuries or major damages. But the quake shook a packed college football stadium as fans departed just minutes after third-ranked Oklahoma State had beaten No. 17 Kansas State. Read full article > >

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5.6 magnitude quake rocks central Oklahoma on day of quakes; officials report no injuries

Too much time spent sitting increases the risk of developing cancer, even for those who exercise regularly. That’s according to research presented Thursday morning at the American Institute for Cancer Research’s annual conference . The AICR presented data suggesting that about 100,000 new cases of breast cancer and colon cancer per year can be associated with physical inactivity. One study presented at the conference and published in October in the journal Cancer Prevention Research found that among post-menopausal women, taking frequent breaks from sitting was associated with smaller waist circumference and lower levels of C-reactive proteins, both biomarkers associated with elevated risk of some cancers. In an analysis of data for 4,757 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) published in the European Heart Journal, even short periods of light activity — frequently standing up and walking for as little as a minute at time — reduced risk for such biomarkers as large waist circumference, elevated triglyceride levels and increased insulin resistance, which are linked to heightened cardiovascular disease but might also boost cancer risk. Read full article > >

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Inactivity boosts cancer risk, research finds

WASHINGTON — Home prices rose in August in half of major cities measured by a private survey, a sign that prices are stabilizing in some hard-hit portions of the country. The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index showed Tuesday that prices increased in August from July in 10 of the 20 cities tracked. That marked the fifth straight month that at least half of the cities in the survey showed monthly gains. Read full article > >

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Private survey shows prices rose in 10 of 20 cities tracked, fifth straight month of gains

Another survey of major employers shows that workers may shoulder an even larger burden of health care premiums in 2012.

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Prescriptions Blog: New Survey Projects Higher Employee Health Premiums

Hispanics surpassed blacks in 2010 to become the second-largest racial or ethnic group of young adults in America’s colleges, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data. The number of Hispanic college students ages 18 to 24 rose by a remarkable 24 percent in one year, to 1.8 million, according to a report released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center . The federal Current Population Survey found 7.7 million white college students in that age group, 1.7 million black students and 800,000 Asian Americans. Read full article > >

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Hispanics surpass blacks in college enrollment

Still, the survey found that even at relatively shipshape beaches, some bathrooms lacked hand towels and dryers, and stall doors could not be locked.

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Report Finds ‘Vast Improvement’ at the City’s Beaches

Famous people don’t come much more trustworthy than Betty White . At least that’s the perception of the American public, based on a new Reuters/Ipsos poll on the most popular and trustworthy celebrities. White ranked first on the lists of most popular and trusted celebrities, with a favorability rating of 86 percent; the results of the survey also indicate people are likely to consider buying a product endorsed by the former “Golden Girl.” Read full article > >

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Betty White: The most trusted celebrity in America

Among the findings of a sweeping federal government survey of American sexual behavior is one that may surprise those bewailing a permissive and eros-soaked popular culture: More than one-quarter of people interviewed in their late teens and early 20s had never had sex.

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A sweeping survey of Americans’ sexual behavior

IC 443, which is also known as the Jellyfish Nebula, is seen here as photographed by NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). ”IC 443 is the remains of a star that went supernova between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago,” NASA explains. ”The blast from the supernova sent out shock waves that traveled through space, sweeping up and heating the surrounding gas and dust in the interstellar medium, and creating the supernova remnant seen in this image. This nebula is especially colorful because of energy differences. The northeastern shell (violet-colored semi-circle) was created by a fast shock wave moving nearly a quarter million miles per hour, while the southern shell (bright cyan) was created, NASA suspects, by a slow-moving shock wave. View more Pictures of the Day . Image: NASA.

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Picture of the Day: IC 443, the Colorful Jellyfish Nebula

If you’re considering signing a new cell phone contract (perhaps you’re switching from AT&T to Verizon ?) anytime soon, take a look at the results of this year-long survey conducted by BillShrink, which found that most people overestimate their wireless data needs and pay for more than they need to. We’ve overcalculating by so much, in fact, that we could be handing over as much as $79 million more than is necessary every year. A few key findings from the survey : People estimate that they need 711 wireless anytime minutes per month, but in truth they need quite a bit less. BillShrink found 651 minutes to be the average The average person uses 1,555 text messages per month, yet most consumers believe they use 2,566. People assume that they need 54MB of data per month, yet most need 81MB. Ironically, most tiered carrier plans start at 150 MB. Read the full story at All Things Digital .

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You’re Probably Wasting Hundreds of Dollars on Your Wireless Plan

A 3.5 magnitude earthquake is recorded in western Scotland, the British Geological Survey confirms.

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Earthquake hits west of Scotland

Forget earthquakes, the biggest threat to California is a massive “megastorm” that scientists say comes every 100 to 200 years. At a conference sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and its California branch, a…

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Scientists Predict Megastorm in CA

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 struck Wednesday morning in southwestern Pakistan, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

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Major quake hits southwest Pakistan

It would take about half a million HDTVs, according to Discover magazine, to properly appreciate this image, which is the most complete map of the universe ever made. Produced by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, what you see here is about one-third of the entire sky, which was built by assembling images taken over a dozen years by the Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico. Visit the Sloan website to blow up some of the images used to create this map and it’s clear that the massive amounts of data contained here will be invaluable for astronomers who previously worked with a map constructed by the Palomar Sky Survey in the 1950s using photographic plates. View more Pictures of the Day . Image: Sloan Digital Sky Survey . Via Discover magazine .

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Picture of the Day: The Most Complete Map of the Universe

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the central coastal area of Chile on Sunday, some 70 kilometers (45 miles) northwest of Temuco, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Major earthquake strikes central Chile