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Saturday's full moon is a 'supermoon'

 
Published July 11, 2014

Today's full moon is a 'supermoon'

The full moon today will appear to be unusually big. In fact, it will be a "supermoon." That's the nickname for full moons that happen when our celestial neighbor is relatively close to Earth. That distance varies because the moon follows an elliptical orbit. When it's close and full, it appears bigger and brighter than normal, although in fact the difference can be hard to detect. If you see today's moon close to the horizon it may seem huge, but that's just an illusion caused by its position in the sky. Two other full moons this summer, on Aug. 10 and Sept. 9, are also supermoons.

FDA weighs Fibroid removal risks

Federal health advisers say there's little to no evidence that a popular technique for removing fibroids can be performed without the risk of spreading undetected cancers to other parts of the body. The panel of Food and Drug Administration experts also said Friday that women who undergo the procedure should sign a written consent form stating they understand the serious risks of laparoscopic power morcellation, in which electronic tools are used to grind tissue and remove it through a small incision in the abdomen. Surgeons developed the technique as an alternative to traditional surgery, which requires a larger incision that often results in more bleeding and longer hospital stays. But the FDA convened a two-day meeting this week after concluding the risk of accidentally spreading undetected cancer to other organs may be far more common than previously thought.

Repairs on Brazil's Christ statue Made

Brazil's famous Christ the Redeemer statue has been fitted with new gear to protect it from future storms. Rio de Janeiro Archbishop Orani Tempesta on Friday presided over a ceremony marking the end of repairs that were made to the 98-foot-tall hilltop figure. The repair project began six months ago after lightning damaged two fingers on the statue as well as its head. Crews installed new lightning rods as part of the $850,000 project.

Times wires