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   scientists say Chinese mitten crabs, first reported in Chesapeake Bay, are more widespread across the U.S.Four crabs were caught in Delaware Bay during the last week of May.

Seven adult male mitten crabs have been documented from the two bays since 2005.Prior to that, the potentially invasive species had never been recorded in eastern U.S.A native of eastern Asia, the crabs have invaded both freshwater and saltwater in Europe and the western United States.

Named for the unusual thick fur-like coating on its claws, the mitten crab is listed as injurious wildlife due to its potential to cause ecological and economic damage."We don't know the present status of this crab along the eastern U.S.coast," said Gregory Ruiz, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center at Edgewater, Md.

"At the moment, it is not clear whether these crabs are reproducing or established in the Mid-Atlantic region or whether the captured crabs are just a few individuals that originated elsewhere." Scientists speculate the crabs might have arrived in the ballast water of ships or through live trade.A piece of the past rides into space CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., June 5 (UPI) -- A 400-year-old piece of U.S.history will be aboard NASA's space shuttle Atlantis during its upcoming mission to the International Space Station.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said a four-century-old metal cargo tag bearing the words "Yames Towne" -- along with other commemorative mementoes -- are packed in Atlantis' mid-deck floor cargo space for the roundtrip flight to the International Space Station.The commemoration honors this year's 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Va.-- the first permanent English settlement in North America.

"We found the tag at the bottom of a well during a dig at the James Fort," said William Kelso, director of archaeology at Historic Jamestowne."It appears to be a discarded shipping tag from a crate or trunk that arrived from England around 1611.The artifact clearly marks Jamestown as a destination -- our nation's first address." When the one-inch diameter artifact returns to Earth, it will have traveled more than 4 million miles in four centuries.

Two sets of Jamestown commemorative coins, authorized by Congress and issued by the U.S.Mint, will also be aboard Atlantis.Del.icio.us | Digg it | RSS scientists say Chinese mitten crabs, first reported in Chesapeake Bay, are more widespread across the U.S.

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