Male bowerbirds deck up their love nest to attract a mate!

WASHINGTON – The male bowerbird builds and decorates an elaborate nest to attract a partner.

It can take weeks for this bird to plan and build its bower, which is used purely for mating, reports Discovery News.
The bower – a structure woven around a sapling that …. Original article  : Male bowerbirds deck up their love nest to attract a mate!.

Why some people develop depression after experiencing stress

WASHINGTON – A new mouse model may provide some clues about what makes some people more likely to develop depression after experiencing stress.

A collaborative group of European researchers have created a mouse that carries a genetic change associated with …. Read the original article  : Why some people develop depression after experiencing stress.

Babies unwittingly absorb toxic bisphenol the most

LONDON – Many synthetic and packaging materials contain the hormonally active substance bisphenol A. Consequently, the substance can find its way into the food chain and the human organism. And babies who are fed with polycarbonate bottles are especially at risk.

A new study from ETH Zurich showing just who is exposed and to what extent …. Original article  : Babies unwittingly absorb toxic bisphenol the most.

Exposure to 3 kinds of chemicals likely to derail puberty

WASHINGTON – Exposure to three common chemical classes – phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens – in young girls may disrupt the timing of pubertal development, and put girls at risk for health complications later in life.

“Research has shown that early pubertal development in girls can have adverse social and medical effects, including cancer and diabetes later … Read more >>.

Record-holding Sherpa to scale Mount Everest again to scatter Hillary’s ashes

Sherpa to scale Everest to scatter Hillary’s ashes

KATMANDU, Nepal – A record-setting Nepalese Sherpa flew to Mount Everest on Tuesday to prepare to ascend the world’s highest mountain once again and scatter the ashes of its most celebrated climber, Sir Edmund Hillary.
Apa, who with 19 successful climbs holds the record for the most trips to …. Original article  : Record-holding Sherpa to scale Mount Everest again to scatter Hillary’s ashes.

3-year-old tigress found injured in Ranthambore

JAIPUR – In what appears to be one more instance of tigers fighting for territory, a three-year-old tigress was found severely injured in Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park, a forest official said Tuesday.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the tigress must have been injured in a fight with another wild cat over territory,” a forest official said.
“Proper …. Read the original article  : 3-year-old tigress found injured in Ranthambore.

Birds protect trees by eating insects

WASHINGTON – Birds, bats and lizards protect trees by reducing the numbers of leaf-eating insects, a new research has found.

“Our findings are relevant to natural communities like grasslands and forests, but also to human food production, as these insect-eating animals also reduce insect pests on crop plants,” said Sunshine Van Bael, scientist at the Smithsonian …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Birds protect trees by eating insects.

Gene mutation quadruples double breast cancer risk

WASHINGTON – A new study has shown that women who develop breast cancer before the age of 55 and carry the inherited gene which causes the disease are four times more likely to develop it in the other breast as well.

Only about five percent of breast cancer patients across all age groups have the inherited … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Gene mutation quadruples double breast cancer risk.

Cosmetics ‘disrupt timing of pubertal development in young girls’

WASHINGTON – Exposure to three common chemical classes-phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens-in young girls may disrupt the timing of pubertal development, putting them at risk for health complications later in life, a new study has shown.

“Research has shown that early pubertal development in girls can have adverse social and medical effects, including cancer and diabetes later … Original article on : Cosmetics ‘disrupt timing of pubertal development in young girls’.

How a novel class of antibodies inhibits HIV infection

WASHINGTON – A set of naturally occurring antibodies that can block one of the key ways the AIDS virus gains entry into certain blood cells has been identified by scientists at Duke University Medical Center.

They say the discovery, published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, expands traditional notions about how the immune system fights … Read more : How a novel class of antibodies inhibits HIV infection.

Residues of medicines ‘threaten fish reproduction’

WASHINGTON – Traces of many medicines can be found in fish that have been swimming in treated waste water, scientists at Umea University and the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg have found.

One such medicine, the hormone levonorgestrel, was found in higher concentrations in the blood of fish than in women who take the … Original article on : Residues of medicines ‘threaten fish reproduction’.

The older we get, the more different we become

WASHINGTON – ‘Old people are usually thought of as a rather homogenous group – they are considered to be ill, lonely and unable to take care of themselves. But the truth is that the differences among people grow with age,’ says a researcher at the University of Gothenburg.

As part of his doctoral thesis, Bo G … Original source on Gaea Times at : The older we get, the more different we become.

Shimla records second hottest March since 1901

SHIMLA – Shimla, fondly known as the queen of hills, experienced its second hottest March since 1901 this year.

“Both the minimum and maximum temperatures were above normal this March,” said Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office Tuesday.
He said the highest temperature (25.8 degrees Celsius) was recorded March 23, making it the warmest …. Original source  : Shimla records second hottest March since 1901.

Cracking the Oriental Yeti mystery

LONDON – An animal that looks like a bear, has a tail like a kangaroo and the voice of a cat has baffled scientists in China, a media report said Tuesday.

Called the Oriental Yeti, the creature is being examined by scientists after it came out from woodlands in central China, The Telegraph reported.
The beast, … Read more : Cracking the Oriental Yeti mystery.

Tooth decay detector could spell the end of drilling and fillings

LONDON – Drilling and fillings may soon be history, all thanks to a new device that helps dentists detect tooth decay early.

The device, called CarieScan PRO, clips onto the mouth and through the tooth passes a small electrical current.
Traffic light colours indicate the level of decay, which give health experts a correct status of the … Original source on Gaea Times at : Tooth decay detector could spell the end of drilling and fillings.

Why are some people smarter than others

LONDON – Scientists have found why some people are smarter than others-because they have more efficient neural networks in their brains.

Martijn van den Heuvel, a neuroscientist at Utrecht University Medical Center in the Netherlands, found that smarter brains seem to have more efficient networks between neurons.
This means that it takes fewer steps to relay a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Why are some people smarter than others.

Toyota’s Prius tops Japan’s March auto sales despite recall woes

Toyota Prius tops Japan’s March auto sales

TOKYO – Toyota’s Prius hybrid was Japan’s top-selling car in March for an 11th straight month despite global recall woes, an industry group said Tuesday.
Toyota Motor Corp., reeling after recalls over issues that included braking problems with the Prius, sold 35,546 units of the gas-electric vehicle in Japan last …. Original article  : Toyota’s Prius tops Japan’s March auto sales despite recall woes.

Utah regulator: Tenn. lab says SC radioactive waste meets Utah’s disposal requirements

Utah: SC waste won’t have to be shipped elsewhere

SALT LAKE CITY – About 3,500 tons of waste from a former nuclear weapons complex in South Carolina awaiting disposal near Salt Lake City meets Utah’s health and safety standards, state regulators said Monday.
Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality said test results from a Tennessee lab confirmed that …. Source article  : Utah regulator: Tenn. lab says SC radioactive waste meets Utah’s disposal requirements.

Raytheon awarded 1-year extension on National Science Foundation contract in the Antarctic

Raytheon gets extension on Antarctic contract

RESTON, Virgina – Raytheon Co. said Monday that it has been awarded a one-year extension on its contract to assist the National Science Foundation’s work in the Antarctic.
Raytheon’s Polar Services division provides science, operations and logistics support for the U.S. Antarctic Program. Raytheon Polar Services employs about 350 full-time staff …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Study: 1 hour daily exercise fights effect of ‘fatso’ gene in teenagers

1 hour daily exercise fights ‘fatso’ gene in teens

CHICAGO – One hour of moderate to vigorous exercise a day can help teens beat the effects of a common obesity-related gene with the nickname “fatso,” according to a new European study.
The message for adolescents is to get moving, said lead author Jonatan Ruiz of the Karolinska … Read more »».