The reason astronomers want to observe reflected sunlight during the transit of Venus is to test whether they can detect the faint imprint of passage of the sun's light through the atmosphere of Venus.

CNN: A transit of Venus, an age of wondrous science

Jay Pasachoff, an astronomer at Williams College, in Massachusetts, and a member of Dr Schneider's team, will be observing the transit of Venus from Thessaloniki, in Greece, to test this theory.

ECONOMIST: Transits of Venus

If the SenesTech taste test proves successful and birth-control bait is used throughout the transit system, the average life span of subway rats which now tops out at about one year, according to Mr. Lamb would probably rise slightly even as the total population declines.

WSJ: MTA Sets New Tactic in Rat War

White House spokesman Brian Cullen said the United States does "reserve the right to transit international waters, " but also declined to say whether U.S. forces will test China's warning.

CNN: U.S. official avoids direct response to China's warning on Taiwan

The researchers will test the participants' glucose tolerance, the time it takes for digested food to transit through the intestinal tract, and the amount of calories in the patients' stool.

CNN: Can you smell obesity?