Thursday, February 18, 2010

Science News – Newsletter for February 15, 2010

Monday, February 15, 2010


Scientists revamp genetic coding
LONDON – Scientists at the University of Cambridge have created a new way of using the genetic code, allowing proteins to be made with properties that have never been seen in the natural world.

According to Jason Chin and his colleagues from the university, the … Read more : Scientists revamp genetic coding.

Cognitive and motor delays linked to ‘flat head syndrome’ in infants
WASHINGTON – A new study has linked cognitive and motor delays to ‘flat head syndrome’ in young babies.

In the study, researchers found that infants averaging six months of age who exhibited positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) had lower scores than typical infants in observational …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Cognitive and motor delays linked to ‘flat head syndrome’ in infants.

Tyrannosaurus Sex – an insight into dinosaur reproduction
WASHINGTON – The female Tyrannosaurus rex must move her tail to the side for sex – this is one of the new paleobiological findings highlighted in The Discovery Channel show ‘Tyrannosaurus Sex.’

The show, created by production firm … Read more >>.

IPCC scientist dismisses furor over Himalayan goof up
LONDON – The scientist behind the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report that falsely claimed the Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035 has dismissed the furor over the errors as “a clamour without substance”.

According to a report in the Telegraph, the scientist in question is Martin … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : IPCC scientist dismisses furor over Himalayan goof up.

Scientists create revolutionary photographic technique
WASHINGTON – A team of scientists has developed revolutionary way of capturing a high-resolution still image alongside very high-speed video.

The team, led by Dr Peter Kohl, was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the British Heart Foundation at the … Read more »».

Physicists construct quantum toy houses
WASHINGTON – A team of physicists from the University of Calgary (U of C) in Canada has manipulated a mysterious property of light to stack together a variety of quantum states of light, or two-storied quantum …. Source  : Physicists construct quantum toy houses.

Combined PCs beat second fastest supercomputer in mapping Milky Way
WASHINGTON – Legions of personal computers (PCs), engaged in a project to map the Milky Way, beat the world’s second fastest supercomputer in sheer performance.

At this very moment, tens of thousands of PCs worldwide are quietly working together to solve the largest and most basic mysteries of our galaxy.
Enthusiastic volunteers from Africa to … Original source on Gaea Times at : Combined PCs beat second fastest supercomputer in mapping Milky Way.

Now, capture speed and detail simultaneously
WASHINGTON – Scientists have developed a revolutionary way of capturing a high-resolution still image alongside very high-speed video.

By combining off-the-shelf technologies found in standard cameras and digital movie projectors, they have successfully created a tool that will transform many forms of detailed scientific imaging.
They could also provide access to high-speed video with high-resolution still …. Read the original article  : here.

Navodaya students lend mite for bio-conservation
BHOPAL – More than 20,000 students of Navodaya schools in Madhya Pradesh will lend their mite for conserving the varied bio-diversity of the state.

The children selected as ‘Jaiv Sanrakshan Doots’ (bio-conservation ambassadors) will make other kids aware of the region’s bio-diversity and motivate them to conserve it.
The campaign was started by Navodaya Vidyalaya, Ratibad …. Original source  : Navodaya students lend mite for bio-conservation.

How do we perceive the human brain?
LONDON – A scientist has charted how over the past four centuries humans have regarded the brain.

Sarah de Rijcke, who will receive her doctorate Thursday at the University of Groningen in Holland, studied numerous documents from all over Europe and the US such as illustrations, manuals, atlases, articles, lab reports, diary fragments, manuals of …. Original source  : How do we perceive the human brain?.

Computer simulations as good as direct observations
WASHINGTON – Students can learn some science concepts just as well from computer simulations as they do from direct observation, says a new research.

A study found that people who used computer simulations to learn about moon phases understood the concepts just as well – and in some cases better – than did those who learned … Original article on : Computer simulations as good as direct observations.

Nausea drug may help treat heart disease and stroke
LONDON – American scientists have identified new effects of drugs approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drugs, which can help shift cellular energy metabolism and may even come useful in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

The findings of the study team, led by Massachusetts … Read more >>.

Brit scientists identify gene clue to early dementia speed
LONDON – Cambridge scientists have discovered a gene, which may trigger a higher risk of a distressing early form of dementia.

The study has appeared in the journal Nature.ronto-temporal dementia (FTD) is the second most common type of dementia in people under 65 years of age and can … Read : Brit scientists identify gene clue to early dementia speed.

Diamond-based nanowire devices advance quantum science and technology
WASHINGTON – A team of scientists at Harvard University has taken another step towards making applications based on quantum science and technology possible, by creating diamond-based nanowire devices.

The research was led by Marko Loncar, Assistant Professor of Electrical … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Diamond-based nanowire devices advance quantum science and technology.

Carpet of silicon whiskers could make solar cells cheaper
LONDON – Reports indicate that a new solar-cell design based on a carpet of silicon rods could produce electricity at a fraction of the cost of conventional solar devices.

According to a report in Nature News, the …. Original source  : Carpet of silicon whiskers could make solar cells cheaper.

How does brain hear quietest sounds, notice head motions?
WASHINGTON – The phrase “perk up your ears” made more sense last year after scientists discovered how the quietest sounds are amplified in the inner ear before transmission to the brain.

When a sound is barely audible, extremely sensitive inner-ear ‘hair cells’ – neurons equipped with tiny, sensory hairs on their surface – pump up the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : How does brain hear quietest sounds, notice head motions?.

Global warming taking giant bites out of underbellies of Greenland’s glaciers
LONDON – In a new study, scientists have found out that water warmed by climate change is taking giant bites out of the underbellies of Greenland’s glaciers, with 75 per cent of the ice lost by the glaciers being melted by ocean warmth.

“There’s an entrenched view in the public community that glaciers only lose ice …. Source  : Global warming taking giant bites out of underbellies of Greenland’s glaciers.

One of the world’s oldest shipwrecks found off the coast of Devon
LONDON – An archaeological expedition has found one of the world’s oldest shipwrecks off the coast of Devon, UK, dating back to almost 3,000 years.

According to a report in the Telegraph, the wreck was found in just eight to ten metres of water in a bay near Salcombe, south Devon, by a team of amateur … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : One of the world’s oldest shipwrecks found off the coast of Devon.

Magnetic fields spell hope for improved wireless power supply
LONDON – Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have determined that using magnetic fields to induce a current in a distant device is the most promising approach for wireless power supply.

According to a report in new Scientist, the researchers tune the transmitter and receiver to magnetically resonate at the same frequency to maximize …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Magnetic fields spell hope for improved wireless power supply.

A boost in plants’ plumbing can make them grow faster
SYDNEY – In a new research, Australian scientists have discovered that flowering plants managed to speed up their growth and transform the planet thanks to a boost in their leaf plumbing, a finding that may be useful in developing faster-growing plants.

“The question of how angiosperms (flowering plants) became such a dominant group on Earth has … Original article on : A boost in plants’ plumbing can make them grow faster.

Google Buzz racing against time to fix biggest privacy breach in its history
MELBOURNE – Google’s Buzz is facing flak from critics over what they have dubbed as the biggest privacy breach in its history.

Google had introduced Buzz, which is similar to social networking sites like Facebook, to its email service Gmail, but in doing so it automatically made public its users’ most frequently talked-to contacts.
The tool is … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Google Buzz racing against time to fix biggest privacy breach in its history.

After frustrating mechanical problems, astronauts attach new observation deck to space station

Space station’s new lookout in final resting spot

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Astronauts successfully moved the International Space Station’s fancy new observation deck to its final resting place Monday after a long, frustrating night spent dealing with stuck bolts and wayward wiring.
But they will have to wait a few more days before gazing out the $27 …. Source article  : After frustrating mechanical problems, astronauts attach new observation deck to space station.

IPCC should investigate ‘warming bias’ in its report, says former climate chief
LONDON – The former chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said that the climate body must investigate an apparent bias in its report that resulted in several exaggerations of the impact of global warming, including the fiasco on the estimated date for the melting of Himalayan glaciers.

According to a report in …. Original article  : IPCC should investigate ‘warming bias’ in its report, says former climate chief.

Herpes drug ‘can delay’ HIV progression
LONDON – A common treatment for herpes can also slow progression of the AIDS virus among co-infected patients, say US researchers.

Most people infected with HIV are also coincidentally infected with type 2 herpes simplex virus, or HSV2.
Reporting in The Lancet, scientists said that aciclovir does have a braking effect that is modest but could become … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Herpes drug ‘can delay’ HIV progression.

Switch that turns on cancer spread found
LONDON – Researchers have discovered a specific protein that switches on the process that releases cancer cells from the original tumor and allows the cells to spread and develop into new tumors in other parts of the body.

Boffins reported the finding of disabled-2 (Dab2) in Nature Cell Biology.
The process called epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferientiation (EMT) has been … Read more »»».

Software enriches real images on museum tour
LONDON – Researchers have developed a digital technology that enriches real images on a virtual tour through ancient buildings, creating a more vivid experience for the museum visitor.

This digital technology has been highlighted by a recent exhibition in the Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam, where visitors could saunter through historical sites.
A flat screen on …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Software enriches real images on museum tour.

Space station’s new observation deck goes for ride on robot arm; stuck bolts stalled effort

Space station’s new lookout goes for ride
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jammed bolts and wayward wires made for a trying night at the International Space Station as astronauts struggled to relocate the station’s fancy new observation deck early Monday.

Astronauts used a giant robotic arm to move the $27 million domed lookout from one side of a … Original article on : Space station’s new observation deck goes for ride on robot arm; stuck bolts stalled effort.

Researchers design archaeological ‘time machine’
LONDON – Researchers have designed a new archaeological tool which could answer key questions in human evolution.

The new calibration curve, which extends back 50,000 years, is a major landmark in radiocarbon dating — the method used by archaeologists and geoscientists to establish the age of carbon-based materials. It could also help determine the effect of …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Researchers design archaeological ‘time machine’.

Space station’s new observation deck going for ride on robot arm; Stuck bolts pose problem

Stuck bolts hinder space station deck maneuver

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Astronauts ran into trouble trying to move the International Space Station’s fancy new observation deck late Sunday, and the job was put on hold as Mission Control debated what to do.
Space station commander Jeffrey Williams was loosening a series of bolts to release the domed … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Space station’s new observation deck going for ride on robot arm; Stuck bolts pose problem.

Thunderstorm expected in cloudy Punjab, Haryana
CHANDIGARH – Punjab, Haryana and their shared capital Chandigarh saw an overcast sky Monday. Weather officials forecast a thunderstorm later in the day.

“Due to the fast approaching western disturbances towards this part of the northern plains, there is a possibility of a thunderstorm in most parts of the region in the next 24 hours. Overcast … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Thunderstorm expected in cloudy Punjab, Haryana.

Delhi wakes up to grey Monday, rain likely
NEW DELHI – A grey sky greeted Delhiites Monday morning with weather officials predicting rain and thundershowers in some parts of the capital during the day.

“There is a western disturbance over north Pakistan and northeast Afghanistan because of which Delhi may see scattered rainfall in some areas,” an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) …. Source article  : Delhi wakes up to grey Monday, rain likely.

Space station’s new observation deck going for ride on robot arm; NASA solves clearance issue

Space station observation deck being relocated

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The International Space Station’s fancy new observation deck was booked for a late night ride.
Astronauts on the shuttle-station complex were going to use a giant robot arm to move the domed lookout from one side of the newly installed Tranquility room to the other. First they … Read more >>>.

28 whales euthanized after New Zealand stranding; strong winds, rough seas prevent rescue

28 whales euthanized after New Zealand stranding

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Twenty-eight pilot whales died or were euthanized by conservation workers after a mass stranding on a remote New Zealand beach, an official said Monday.
Department of Conservation workers found nine whales dead on Stewart Island’s West Ruggedy Beach on Sunday after they were alerted by a …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 28 whales euthanized after New Zealand stranding; strong winds, rough seas prevent rescue.

Fishermen heading to Washington, demand changes to fishery law to save jobs, communities

Fishermen say federal law kills jobs
BOSTON – Fishermen from around the country are planning to pack the steps in front of the U.S. Capitol this month to demand changes to a federal fisheries law they say is killing jobs and eroding fishing communities.

Organizers of the “United We Fish” rally expect up to 3,000 people at … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Fishermen heading to Washington, demand changes to fishery law to save jobs, communities.

Online voyeurs flock to webcams linking site Chatroulette
LONDON – Chatroulette, a website that links strangers’ webcams, has been soaring in popularity over its potential as a haven for explicit material.

The addictive new page describes itself as a “brand new service for one-on-one text, webcam and microphone-based chat with people around the world” … Original article on : Online voyeurs flock to webcams linking site Chatroulette.

Assassin bugs stalk and lure their victim
LONDON – A new study by scientists in Australia has shown that assassin bugs stalk their victim on its home territory, or lure it away and eat it.

For the study, Anne Wignall at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues … Original article on : Assassin bugs stalk and lure their victim.

Spacewalkers outfit new space station room
WASHINGTON – Two astronauts conducted a spacewalk outside the International Space Station Sunday to outfit the orbiting laboratory’s newest room, NASA said.

Nicholas Patrick and Bob Behnken, crew members of the visiting space shuttle Endeavour, connected outside cooling cables to the new Tranquility module. They also installed thermal covers on the Italian-made room and put in … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Spacewalkers outfit new space station room.

Single-step technique spells hope for grapheme-based electronic devices
WASHINGTON – Scientists have come up with a simple one-step process that produces both n-type and p-type doping of large-area graphene surfaces could facilitate use of the promising material for future electronic devices.

By applying a commercially-available spin-on-glass (SOG) material to graphene and then exposing it to electron-beam radiation, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology …. Original source  : Single-step technique spells hope for grapheme-based electronic devices.

New molecule could pave way for flexible organic electronics
WASHINGTON – A team of chemists from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), US, has synthesized the first-ever stable derivative of nonacene, creating a compound that holds significant promise in the manufacture of flexible organic electronics such as large displays, solar cells and radio frequency identification tags.

The team was led by professor of organic chemistry … Read more : New molecule could pave way for flexible organic electronics.

Logging can make forests more flammable
SYDNEY – In a new research, scientists have determined that logging makes forests more flammable, by shifting the composition of moist forests to resemble drier, more fire prone ones.

According to ABC Science, the study, by Australian, Canadian and US researchers, claims that commercial logging of moist native forests creates conditions that increase the severity and …. Original source  : Logging can make forests more flammable.

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