Guatemala sinkhole not a sinkhole, says expert

WASHINGTON – The giant sinkhole in Guatemala City that has caught attention of the world shouldn’t be called a sinkhole, according to an expert.

Geologist Sam Bonis claims “sinkholes” mean areas where bedrock is solid but has been eaten away by groundwater.

However, the situation beneath the Republic of Guatemala’s capital, according to Bonis, is far …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Model to calculate earthquake risks goes global

LONDON – Scientists are working towards developing a global model that will calculate seismic risks and help them reduce vulnerability to seismic shocks.

The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) will calculate seismic risk based on the geological characteristics of an area, as well as the types of building and the building regulations in place.

So far, the project … Original source on Gaea Times at : Model to calculate earthquake risks goes global.

US military develops ‘green’ decontaminants for terrorist attack sites

WASHINGTON – Chemists with the United States military have developed a set of ultra-strength cleaners that can get rid of nerve gas, mustard gas, radioactive isotopes, and anthrax, after a terrorist attack.

They are also non-toxic, based on ingredients found in foods, cosmetics, and other consumer products, unlike chlorine- and lye-based products that can react with …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : US military develops ‘green’ decontaminants for terrorist attack sites.

‘Brain pacemaker’ – effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease

LONDON – New studies show that a “brain pacemaker” called deep brain stimulation (DBS) is successful in treating Parkinson’s disease.

The study also puts an age-old debate to rest of which region of the brain to stimulate-the globus pallidus interna or the subthalamic nucleus. It says that stimulating either region resulted in similar improvements in motor …. Read the original article  : ‘Brain pacemaker’ – effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Nanosponge drug treatment 3-5 times more effective than jabs

WASHINGTON – Scientists have found that a delivery system based on a technique called nanosponge is three to five times more effective at reducing tumor growth than direct injection.

“Effective targeted drug delivery systems have been a dream for a long time now but it has been largely frustrated by the complex chemistry that is involved,” …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Nanosponge drug treatment 3-5 times more effective than jabs.

Mars expedition starts in Moscow

Moscow, June 3 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A team in a simulated Mars expedition will “take off” for a 520-day “space trip” Thursday, an official said.

Six people will take part in the experiment in the Mars-500 module, which will simulate all aspects of a journey to the red planet, with a 250-day trip there, a 30-day stay …. Original source  : Mars expedition starts in Moscow.

Now, paper ‘dipstick’ test to determine blood type

WASHINGTON – Scientists have developed the first “dipstick” test for instantly determining a person’s blood type at a cost of just a few pennies.

Appearing in ACS’ semi-monthly journal Analytical Chemistry, the study explains the test which involves placing a drop of blood on a specially treated paper strip.

Gil Garnier and colleagues explain that determining …. Source  : Now, paper ‘dipstick’ test to determine blood type.

Monsoon may hit Orissa June 10

BHUBANESWAR – The south-west monsoon may arrive in Orissa as per schedule by June 10, an official said Thursday.

“We are expecting a normal monsoon. It may arrive in Orissa by June 10,” S.C. Sahu, director of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre, told IANS.
The monsoon, which reached the Andamans three days ahead of its normal …. Source  : Monsoon may hit Orissa June 10.

Insulin pills for diabetics may make painful jabs history

WASHINGTON – Good news for diabetics on insulin: After years of research, insulin pills that could make it easier for patients to manage diabetes are finally moving ahead in clinical trials.

The new development may soon make painful insulin jabs a thing of the past.

The topic has been highlighted in the current issue of Chemical … Read more >>>.

Peaches, plums can help fight breast cancer

WASHINGTON – Peach and plum extracts can help fight breast cancer cells, according to lab tests at Texas AgriLife Research.

AgriLife Research scientists say two phenolic compounds are responsible for the cancer cell deaths in the study, which was published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. The phenols are organic compounds that occur in … Original source on Gaea Times at : Peaches, plums can help fight breast cancer.

Bone drug may help fight breast cancer

LONDON – Zoledronic acid (Zometa), the bone strengthening drug, can help fight metastatic breast cancer when given before surgery, suggests a new research by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

In the study, when the drug was given along with chemotherapy for three months before breast cancer surgery, it reduced the number of women … Read more : Bone drug may help fight breast cancer.

Scientists devise part-human, part-machine transistor

WASHINGTON – Scientists have implanted a nano-sized transistor inside a cell-like membrane and powered it using the cell’s own fuel, paving way for new types of man-machine interactions.

The experiment is believed to be the most intimate linking between man and machine till date.

The technology may help experts learn the inner workings of disease-related proteins inside …. Source  : Scientists devise part-human, part-machine transistor.

Soon, ‘green’ cars that could run on CO2 and sunlight

LONDON – A team at Sandia National Laboratories is working on creating building blocks for synthetic liquid fuels that could reduce carbon dioxide emissions significantly.

Their cerium-oxide-based system can convert CO2 into carbon monoxide, and can also turn water into hydrogen.

The machine, called the Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (CR5) consists of two chambers separated …. Source  : Soon, ‘green’ cars that could run on CO2 and sunlight.

Official: China faces challenge on cutting pollution emissions, ‘not optimistic’ about efforts

China ‘not optimistic’ on emissions cuts
BEIJING – China, the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, faces serious challenges to its efforts to cut environmental pollution, with one key pollutant increasing for the first time in three years, a senior Chinese official said Thursday.

Sulfur dioxide emissions increased by 1.2 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of … Original source on Gaea Times at : Official: China faces challenge on cutting pollution emissions, ‘not optimistic’ about efforts.

Eat less meat to tackle climate change: UN panel

LONDON – Eating meat causes environmental degradation and the world population needs to become vegetarian to tackle climate change, says a UN panel.

Experts believe that the greatest cause of greenhouse gas emissions is food production and the use of fossil fuels.
“A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial …. Original source  : Eat less meat to tackle climate change: UN panel.

Thursday brings dust, haze and heat in Delhi

NEW DELHI – The national capital was unusually warmer Thursday with a dust haze clouding everything and the minimum temperature at 34.7 degrees Celsius, seven notches above the average for this time of the year.

The low was higher than Wednesday’s 34 degrees when it broke a five-year record.
“Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7 …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Coast Guard: BP engineers turn to giant shears to saw off leaking pipe spewing oil into Gulf

Giant shears to try to cut pipe leaking Gulf oil
COVINGTON, La. – The Coast Guard says BP engineers will try to use a pair of giant shears to slice off a leaking pipe spewing millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico after a diamond-tipped saw became stuck.
The saw had sliced …. Original source  : Coast Guard: BP engineers turn to giant shears to saw off leaking pipe spewing oil into Gulf.

Calif. moves to ban plastic bags at grocery stores, encourages shoppers to bring own bags

Calif. moves to ban plastic bags at grocery stores

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – It could soon cost California shoppers at the checkout aisle if they forget to bring their own bags to the store under what would be the nation’s first statewide plastic bag ban.
The California Assembly on Wednesday passed legislation prohibiting pharmacies and grocery, liquor and …. Source article  : Calif. moves to ban plastic bags at grocery stores, encourages shoppers to bring own bags.

British physicist Stephen Hawking, black hole theorist, honored at celebrity-filled gala in NY

Stephen Hawking honored at NYC science, arts gala

NEW YORK – Luminaries from the fields of physics, opera, poetry, theater, music and dance gathered to pay tribute to British physicist Stephen Hawking on Wednesday, with performances and speeches at a gala in his honor.
After outliving his predicted death from his degenerative disease by more than 40 … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : British physicist Stephen Hawking, black hole theorist, honored at celebrity-filled gala in NY.

DOE report on Hanford workers’ protection from beryllium finds improvements but weaknesses

Report: Hanford beryllium program has weaknesses

RICHLAND, Wash. – A program to protect workers from a toxic metal at the nation’s most contaminated nuclear site has a number of weaknesses and could have been implemented more quickly, but it’s an improvement over past practices, a federal report concluded Wednesday.
The U.S. Department of Energy initiated an independent … Read more >>>.