US-Russian deal on nukes could build momentum and trust on other key nuclear issues

US-Russia deal on nukes could build momentum
PARIS – Nearly a year after President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered negotiators to start work on a new treaty to reduce their nuclear arsenals, the two countries say they are finally close to completing a deal – taking a small but important step toward … Read more >>>.

Animal population grows in the Arctic

LONDON – The overall number of animals in the Arctic has increased over the past 40 years, says a new study.

The first analysis of a 40-year database of Arctic species, led by Louise McRae at the Zoological Society of London, has revealed that populations grew by about 16 percent since 1970, reports New Scientist.
The Arctic … Original article on : Animal population grows in the Arctic.

An extra hour of sleep ‘can boost pupils’ exam results’

LONDON – A comprehensive school in the UK is giving pupils an extra hour in bed in the hope that it will boost their concentration levels.

The usual 9am start at Monkseaton High School has been pushed back to 10am as part of an experiment.
The preliminary results of the experiment, overseen by three scientists including an …. Original source  : An extra hour of sleep ‘can boost pupils’ exam results’.

Robot that suffers from illnesses, bleeds being used for medical staff training

SYDNEY – A new robot that expresses pain and suffers from multiple health problems is being used for the training of medical staff.

The robot called ‘SimMan 3G’ can talk, cry and bleed apart from imitating symptoms ranging from anaphylaxis to cardiac arrest.
“SimMan 3G is a mannequin who can behave just like a real patient,” the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Robot that suffers from illnesses, bleeds being used for medical staff training.

Brit military boffins developing Star Trek-style force-field armour

LONDON – British military scientists are in the process of developing a space-age “force field” capable of protecting armoured vehicles and tanks by repelling incoming fire.

Using pulses of electrical energy to repel rockets, shrapnel and other ammunition, the new type of armour will provide protection to vehicles, reports The Telegraph.
According to scientists at the Defence …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

New method uses patient’s own breast tissue to make boobs fuller

LONDON – Silicone implants may soon be a thing of the past, all thanks to a surgeon who has developed a revolutionary boob job.

In the three-hour op, costing from 8,000 pounds, Laurence Kirwan uses the patient’s own breast tissue to make boobs fuller.
By doing so, the surgery cuts out the risk of complications from the … Read more : New method uses patient’s own breast tissue to make boobs fuller.

Blame your genes for your jokes falling flat

LONDON – Being funny, apparently, is not something that can be learned. You’re either born with funny bones or not. That’s what a leading psychologist and humour researcher says.

Professor Richard Wiseman, who will take part in Edinburgh’s International Science Festival, that will talk about the psychology of comedy, said plenty of evidence showed that funny, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Greenland Vikings had ‘Celtic blood’, reveals DNA analysis

COPENHAGEN – An analysis of DNA from a Viking gravesite near a 1000 year-old church in southern Greenland shows that those buried there had strong Celtic bloodlines.

According to a report in The Copenhagen post, the analysis was performed by Danish researchers on bones from skeletons found during excavations in south Greenland.
It revealed that the settlers’ … Read more »»».

How bird skeletons can look so delicate and still be heavy

WASHINGTON – A scientist has explained how bird skeletons can look so delicate and still be heavy.

The scientist in question is modern bat researcher, Elizabeth Dumont of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
In her research, Dumont determined that bird bones are denser than mammal bones, which makes them heavy even though they are thin and sometimes … Original source on Gaea Times at : How bird skeletons can look so delicate and still be heavy.

Here’s the science behind quakes

WASHINGTON – In a new study, Northeastern earth and environmental sciences professor Jennifer Cole has discussed what causes earthquakes and how one natural disaster can lead to another.

As to what causes earthquakes, Cole says that they result from the movement of tectonic plates.
As tectonic plates slide past each other, energy builds up in the rocks …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Here’s the science behind quakes.

Sensors to detect engineered nanoparticles to gauge environmental impact

WASHINGTON – A chemist is developing sensors that would detect and identify engineered nanoparticles, a research work that will advance our understanding of the risks associated with the environmental release and transformation of these particles.

The chemist in question is Omowunmi Sadik, director of Binghamton University’s Center for Advanced Sensors and Environmental Systems.
“We need to think …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Sensors to detect engineered nanoparticles to gauge environmental impact.

Superconducting materials can solve power loss problem in electricity towers

WASHINGTON – In a new research, it has been suggested that superconducting materials can solve the problem of the power lost due to electrical resistance in steel lattice towers.

Conventional aluminum or copper power lines have a certain amount of natural resistance to the flow of electricity, so some energy is lost as heat during transmission.
About …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Silver nanoparticles may lead to a host of innovative applications

WASHINGTON – A team of scientists has introduced a new method to deterministically and precisely position silver nanoparticles onto self-assembling DNA scaffolds, which could lead to a new generation of microelectronics, semiconductors, biological and chemical sensing devices.

In the new research, Hao Yan and Yan Liu, professors at the Biodesign Institute’s Center for Single Molecule Biophysics …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Santa Monica, Calif., sushi restaurant accused of serving illegal, endangered whale closes

SoCal restaurant accused of serving whale closes

LOS ANGELES – A Santa Monica sushi restaurant accused of serving illegal and endangered whale meat is closing its doors.
A statement posted on the restaurant’s Web site, thehump.biz, says it’s voluntarily closing its doors on Saturday. A sushi chef at the high-end restaurant allegedly was caught serving whale meat.
Typhoon … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Santa Monica, Calif., sushi restaurant accused of serving illegal, endangered whale closes.

Government to set up e-waste treatment facilities: Ramesh

NEW DELHI – Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Saturday said the government will establish e-waste treatment facilities in the country.

“It is for the first time we are including e-waste recycling facilities as part of hazardous waste management programme for 140 highly contaminated sites in the country,” Ramesh told reporters here.
The Cabinet Committee … Read more »»».

New dinosaur species found in China

BEIJING – Paleontoligists in China Saturday claimed to have found the skeleton of a new species of carnivorous dinosaur that believed to have lived about 80 million years ago.

Experts have found an intact and complete skeleton fossil of a previously undiscovered dinosaur species in north China, the team’s leading scientist Xu Xing said.
The species … Read more >>.

Trapped Sundarbans tiger to be released Sunday

KOLKATA – A tiger from the Sundarbans biosphere reserve, which strayed into a village on the outskirts and was later tranquilised, would be released back into the forest Sunday, according to a top forest department official.

The big cat has been kept under medical observation. It was roaming in the jungles with a tigress when it … Original article on : Trapped Sundarbans tiger to be released Sunday.

One killed, six injured in bison attack

KOLKATA – One person was killed and six others injured in a bison attack in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district Saturday, police said.

“The incident took place near Birpara area at Alipurduar sub-division as a bison killed one and injured six others in a village,” Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) K.L Tamta told IANS.
… Read the original article on Gaea Times at : One killed, six injured in bison attack.

India-China agreement on glaciology in two weeks: Ramesh

NEW DELHI – Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Saturday said an agreement with China for glaciological studies would be finalised in two weeks.

Noting that China was following India’s stand in climate change negotiation, Ramesh added: Shrinking glaciers is a big area of cooperation. When I went to China in September, we almost had an … Read : India-China agreement on glaciology in two weeks: Ramesh.

Haryana to plant 50 million trees in 2010-11

CHANDIGARH – Announcing the launch of its ‘Mission Green Haryana’, the state government Saturday said 5 crore (50 million) saplings would be planted across the state during 2010-11.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said plants would be made available in the nurseries of the forest department for plantation and free distribution to farmers, public and institutions [..] Read the original article: here.