Top news for December 21, 2008

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Despite sacrificing people after catastrophic El Niño flooding, ancient societies were generally peaceful

Satellite monitoring of the world’s oceans is being restricted by legal barriers, study suggests

Crystals hint at a volcano's ability to erupt

‘Nice’ by any other name … means essentially the same thing

Prehistoric whale reveals extreme skull asymmetry

Less rain, more intense storms: Climate change strengthens extreme urban floods

Promising new biomarkers to diagnose feline chronic kidney disease

- EurekAlert!

How to watch 'Musk' online — stream the SpaceX billionaire biography from anywhere

What's that bright 'star' in the early morning sky? It's not a star at all!