Use of prescribed burns to manage western forests may help US cut CO2 emissions

WASHINGTON – A new study has suggested that the use of prescribed burns to manage western forests may help the United States reduce its carbon footprint.

Results of the study found that such burns, often used by forest managers to reduce underbrush and protect bigger trees, release substantially less carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than wildfires of … Original source on Gaea Times at : Use of prescribed burns to manage western forests may help US cut CO2 emissions.

Birds may have evolved head feathers as sensory device

LONDON – In a new research, scientists have suggested that birds may have evolved elaborate feathers first for touch sensing, with sexual selection coming later.

According to a report in New Scientist, the research was carried out by Ian Jones of Memorial University in St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, and Sampath Seneviratne, now at the University of [..] Read the original article: here.

Endangered orangutans being wiped out to make KitKat chocolates

LONDON – A new probe has claimed that endangered orangutans are being wiped out to make KitKat chocolates.

According to a report in The Sun, the palm oil ingredient in the KitKat chocolate is allegedly grown on Indonesian land cleared of rainforest where the rare apes live.
Greenpeace claims that the work is carried out by a …. Original article  : Endangered orangutans being wiped out to make KitKat chocolates.

US ambassador urges disputes with China be separated from cooperation on international issues

US ambassador urges China cooperation on Iran
BEIJING – Beijing needs to take seriously American concerns about the value of the Chinese currency, but bilateral disputes should not impede cooperation on global issues such as climate change and Iran’s nuclear program, the U.S. ambassador to Beijing said Thursday.
Washington and other trading partners are pressing … Original source on Gaea Times at : US ambassador urges disputes with China be separated from cooperation on international issues.

US-backed proposal to ban trade of polar bear skins voted down at UN meeting

Polar bear ban defeated at UN conservation meeting

DOHA, Qatar – A U.S.-backed proposal to ban the trade of polar bear skins and parts has been voted down at a U.N. wildlife trade meeting.
The Americans argued at the 175-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species that the sale of polar bears skins was compounding the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

All a terrorist needs is 50 dollars to bring down a plane

WASHINGTON – Reports indicate that a terrorist needs just about 50 dollars to purchase a GPS jammer, an electronic device small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, which can conceivably bring down an airplane.

According to a report by Fox News, despite being illegal and potentially dangerous, GPS jammers are cheap and readily available online.
With …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : All a terrorist needs is 50 dollars to bring down a plane.

Scientists see first quantum effects in visible object

LONDON – In a new research, scientists have observed the first ever quantum superposition in an object visible to the naked eye.

According to a report in New Scientist, Aaron O’Connell and colleagues at the University of California, Santa Barbara, US, showed that a tiny resonating strip of metal – only 60 micrometres long, but big … Original article on : Scientists see first quantum effects in visible object.

“Hobbits” had million-year history on Indonesian island, suggests new evidence

WASHINGTON – A new study has suggested that newfound stone tools on the Indonesian island of Flores indicate that the evolutionary history of the “hobbits” in the region stretches back a million years, which is 200,000 years longer than previously thought.

The hobbit mystery was sparked by the 2004 discovery of bones on Flores that belonged …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : “Hobbits” had million-year history on Indonesian island, suggests new evidence.

‘Pregnant’ fish fathers abort babies of ugly mums

LONDON – A new research has found that pregnant male pipefish give birth to more young ones from attractive mates.

When it comes to mating, pipefish males always wait for bigger females to come along because ‘pregnant’ fathers kill off embryos conceived by an undesirable female to make room for the offspring of a potentially more … Read more >>.

Dogs likely originated in the Middle East, not Asia or Europe

WASHINGTON – A new genetic analysis by an international team of scientists has determined that dogs likely originated in the Middle East, not Asia or Europe.

“Dogs seem to share more genetic similarity with Middle Eastern gray wolves than with any other wolf population worldwide,” said Robert Wayne, UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.
“Genome-wide analysis … Read more : Dogs likely originated in the Middle East, not Asia or Europe.

Bees see the world almost five times faster than humans

WASHINGTON – A new research from scientists at Queen Mary, University of London, has revealed that bees see the world almost five times faster than humans.

Dr Peter Skorupski and Prof Lars Chittka, who are both based at the university, said that this gives bumblebees the fastest colour vision of all animals, allowing them to easily …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Bees see the world almost five times faster than humans.

26 per cent decline reported in species populations in high Arctic

WASHINGTON – A new assessment of the Arctic’s biodiversity has reported a 26 per cent decline in species populations in the high Arctic.

Populations of lemmings, caribou and red knot are some of the species that have experienced declines over the past 34 years, according to the first report from The Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI), …. Source  : 26 per cent decline reported in species populations in high Arctic.

Monkeys pay more attention to females than males

LONDON – Monkeys learn better from female teachers than male ones, according to a new study.
The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, based its findings on wild vervet monkeys in South Africa and found that the animals were better able to learn a task when it was demonstrated by a … Read more >>>.

‘Loyal’ horses remember kind-hearted human buddies

WASHINGTON – A new research has found that horses remember people who treat them well and understand words better than earlier believed.

Carol Sankey, an ethologist at the University of Rennes, who led the research, insists that horses have “excellent memories,” and can recall their human friends even after being separated.
Moreover, they can even remember complex, … Read : ‘Loyal’ horses remember kind-hearted human buddies.

Why silk is so super strong

WASHINGTON – In a new research, scientists have untangled some of the most closely guarded secrets of silk and explained why it is so super strong.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) Center for Materials Science and Engineering say the key to silk’s pound-for-pound toughness, which exceeds that of steel, is its beta-sheet crystals, … Read more : Why silk is so super strong.

Caring, active dads may have helped early humans to have more kids

WASHINGTON – Ever wondered why our early ancestors were able to have so many kids? Well, it was because most of them were apparently active fathers, claim researchers.

Northwestern University researcher Lee T. Gettler suggests in a new anthropological model of human evolution that the fathers among our earliest human ancestors may have helped jumpstart human …. Original source  : Caring, active dads may have helped early humans to have more kids.

Newly discovered Jupiter-sized exoplanet might become cosmic ‘Rosetta stone’

WASHINGTON – An international team of scientists has reported the discovery of a new planet the size of Jupiter that has a temperate climate, which might turn out to be the Rosetta stone in exoplanet research.

The planet, called CoRoT-9b, was discovered by using the CoRoT space telescope satellite.
The newly discovered planet orbits a star similar … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Newly discovered Jupiter-sized exoplanet might become cosmic ‘Rosetta stone’.

Facebook beats Google as US most-visited site

MELBOURNE – Facebook has become the most-visited site in the US after beating former titleholder Google.

The popular social networking page toppled the search giant after accounting for 7.07 per cent of all US web traffic compared to Google’s 7.03 per cent, web analysts Hitwise revealed.
“It’s definitely a big moment for Facebook, even though they beat … Read more >>>.

Authorities: Officer responding to report of runaway Prius in Calif. saw flashing brake lights

Authorities: Prius seen with flashing brake lights

EL CAJON, California – A California Highway Patrol report released Wednesday said an officer saw brake lights flashing after arriving to help slow a speeding Toyota Prius on a Southern California freeway.
The account in the report is consistent with details the driver and CHP officer gave reporters shortly after …. Read the original article  : here.

VP Joe Biden plans to visit NC-based lighting manufacturer Cree; firm rides efficiency boom

Biden to visit NC manufacturer of semiconductors
DURHAM, N.C. – Vice President Joe Biden plans to visit a North Carolina maker of light-producing semiconductor chips that the Obama administration is offering as an example of the potential for job growth in manufacturing energy-efficient products.
Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu were scheduled to visit the …. Original source  : VP Joe Biden plans to visit NC-based lighting manufacturer Cree; firm rides efficiency boom.