IBT Staff Reporter

In the last century, aliens and life on other planets have been a major part of science fiction pop culture. But a report by astrophysicist David Piegel from Princeton University and physicist Edwin Turner from the University of Tokyo could mean that ETs and such just might remain that way: sheer fiction.

Looking for a new summer house? Have $20 million dollars you just can?t find a use for? Buy an island!

The United States is courting calamity with the continuing stalemate in Congress over raising the country's debt limit, the World Bank's chief warned on Friday.

With four days left before the United States hits its debt limit, Republicans pressed ahead with a deficit plan that cannot pass Congress and President Barack Obama told lawmakers to stop wasting time and find a way "out of this mess."

With America edging closer to a default and a downgrade in credit rating, some realizations are starting to hit America's youth about their future. The consequences of the partisan squabbling of their parents' generation may leave them with little to inherit and much to despise.

Amy Winehouse's father Mitch, 60, handed out the singer's clothes, jewelry, and trinkets outside of her Camden flat Thursday. Mitch Winehouse distributed some of her clothes in the street. He said, "These are Amy's T-shirts. This is what she would have wanted - for her fans to have her clothes."

One scientist is disputing the United Nations' numbers on global warming, arguing the numbers aren't as bad as people are saying.

UBS AG has hired former Bank of America Corp banker Mike Stewart as co-head of global equities and head of securities in the Americas, according to an internal memo on Friday.

Bank of America was sued by 15 former Countrywide Financial institutional investors who said they lost money after being misled about the mortgage lender's financial condition and lending practices.

Bank of America Corp was sued by 15 former Countrywide Financial Corp institutional investors who said they lost money after being misled about the mortgage lender's financial condition and lending practices.

Chevron Corp, the second-largest U.S. oil company, booked a 43 percent jump in quarterly profit, beating estimates as high oil prices and fat refinery margins offset weaker output.

British and Swiss scientists have identified an antibody from a human patient that neutralizes main groups of influenza A viruses. The flu "super antibody" called F16 can fight all types of influenza A viruses.

Rovi Corp sued Hulu, accusing the online video site of infringing patents that cover electronic program guides.

Amy Winehouse's father Mitch Winehouse treated her fans by handing out his deceased daughter's clothes and items in front of her London home this week.

Polar Bear scientist Charles Monnett has been suspended, but reports show that polar bears may still be at risk.

Ryan Lochte capped a golden day for the United States when he overhauled a flying French 4x200 meters freestyle team to ensure the Americans won their fourth successive title in the event at the world swimming championships on Friday.

Former Germany World Cup winner and manager Juergen Klinsmann was named United States coach Friday, the U.S. soccer federation said.

AT&T will join its rival Verizon with plans of throttling the bandwidth for its heaviest data users.

Ireland's insistence that it is different from Greece and the rest of the euro zone periphery appears finally to be striking a chord among investors.

Apple's so-called No. 1 smartphone, the new iPhone 5 is speculated to be released in early September, specifically on Sept. 5. According to a tech site, the claimed sighting made by an anonymous tip of the Apple's fifth prototype model being used by an employee was credible information.

Beatles fan Gerardo Weiss ran a typical Buenos Aires barber shop until he had a dream that the Fab Four dropped in for a haircut.

BSkyB will hand out 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) to placate investors who lost out when a phone-hacking and police corruption scandal forced News Corp to drop its bid for the satellite broadcaster.

The economy stumbled badly in the first half of 2011 and came dangerously close to contracting in the January-March period, raising the risk of a recession if a stand-off over the nation's debt does not end quickly.

Stocks slid back into the red on Friday after remarks from a prominent Senate Democrat gave investors another reason to back away from stocks heading into a weekend full of uncertainty over default.

A user who rented her San Francisco apartment out through the online service Airbnb returned to an utterly trashed and vandalized home.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said on Friday his budget legislation would increase the nation's borrowing authority until March, 2013 and reiterated that he would not accept a short-term debt limit increase as Republicans are insisting.

Alibaba Group stands to get up to $6 billion in a spin-off of its Alipay e-payment division under a long-awaited deal the Chinese company struck with partners Softbank Corp and Yahoo Inc.

Colorado Rockies' ace Ubaldo Jimenez is on the trade market and it appears that division rivals Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are in the hunt for the pitcher.

The Dark Knight Rises star Christian Bale and director Christopher Nolan were warmly welcomed to the city of Pittsburgh with a laser show displaying the bat signal and a twenty minute press conference. Batman actor Christian Bale was one of the people introduced at the conference and during his one minute speech thanked the city and mentioned about plenty of fighting sequences to be shot on the streets.