Poacher gang consisting of former forest guards busted

GUWAHATI – Wildlife rangers in Assam have arrested seven poachers, of whom two are former forest guards, close to the famed Kaziranga National Park, officials said Tuesday.

The poachers were arrested early Tuesday while they were in the process of selling a rhino horn to an international animal organ smuggling syndicate.
“The surprise element is that … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Poacher gang consisting of former forest guards busted.

Delhi’s highest minimum temperature in May in five years

NEW DELHI – At 32 degrees Celsius, Delhi Tuesday recorded the highest minimum temperature in May in the last five years, the weather office said.

“The minimum recorded temperature for Tuesday was 32 degrees, which was five notches above normal this time of the year,” an India Meteorological Department official told IANS.
The record came a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Delhi’s highest minimum temperature in May in five years.

People think their skin is darker than it is

SYDNEY – People tend to overestimate the darkness of their natural, non-tanned skin.

The researchers identifying the pattern have called it “the dark shift” and believe it may have important implications for how well skin cancer risk messages are heeded.
The findings are based on a study involving nearly 300 University of Otago students.
Study …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : People think their skin is darker than it is.

Storm warning in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR – A storm warning has been issued in all port areas of Orissa after a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a storm, officials said Tuesday.

The Bhubaneswar meteorological centre said the depression was centred in the sea about 875 km south of Gopalpur in Ganjam district.
“This is likely …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Storm warning in Orissa.

World’s oldest sex toy, a siltstone phallus, was used to light fire!

NEW YORK – The world’s oldest sex toy, a 30,000-year-old pre-historic siltstone phallus, was also used as a tool to ignite fires.

The relic, discovered in a cave in Germany, has marks suggesting it was used for striking against flints.

Experts at the University of Tubingen insist the purpose of the …. Read the original article  : here.

Heavy rain in Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR – A western disturbance has led to a wet summer in Jammu and Kashmir, with experts predicting more rains in the next 24 hours.

On May 6, Srinagar recorded 19.6 mm of rain. So far, 29.6 mm of rain has been recorded this month.
“A western disturbance still persists over Jammu and Kashmir. There will … Read more >>.

Sri Lanka storms leave eight dead, 200,000 displaced

COLOMBO – Torrential rains and lightning in Sri Lanka have caused the deaths of at least eight people and driven more than 200,000 from their homes, officials said Tuesday as the weather worsened.

At least four people have been killed in the flooding and another four by lightning since Saturday, government officials said.
More than 50 … Read more >>.

Ancient mass extinction of fish paved way for modern vertebrates

WASHINGTON – A new study says that modern-day lizards, snakes, frogs and mammals – including humans – owe their existence to a mass extinction of fish 360 million years ago.

According to the study, the prehistoric fish extinction hit the reset button on Earth’s life, setting the …. Read the original article  : here.

How kids understand the relationship between human and other animals

WASHINGTON – It has long been believed that as children begin reasoning about the biological world, they adopt an ‘anthropocentric’ stance, favouring humans over non-human animals when it comes to learning about properties of animals. Now, a new study … Read : How kids understand the relationship between human and other animals.

Temple of Tut’s grandad could be home to ancient statues

WASHINGTON – The funerary temple of Tutankhamun’s grandfather Amenhotep III could be home to several colossal granite statues representing an ancient deity, say reserachers.

Egyptian archaeologists led by Dr. Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, have unearthed one of …. Original source  : Temple of Tut’s grandad could be home to ancient statues.

YouTube marks 5th b’day with 2 billion hits everyday

LONDON – It has been 5 years since the inception of YouTube, the video sharing website, and it is still going strong – with an astounding 2 billion hits per day.

According to Google – its owner – that’s nearly double the number of people who tune into the US’s three prime time …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : YouTube marks 5th b’day with 2 billion hits everyday.

Solar Sail spacecraft can travel ten times faster than conventional rockets

WASHINGTON – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was set to launch its solar sail hybrid spacecraft which can not only negate the need for on board fuel, but also travel 5 to 10 times faster than conventional spacecrafts in space.

However, the launch was delayed due to bad weather at the [..] Read the original article: here.

Bacterial growth could reveal Earth’s origins

WASHINGTON – For years, geologists have analyzed modern microbial mats to decipher how cells functioned as far back as 3 billion years.

Now, researchers have found a way to garner new information from cells by linking the even spacing between the thousands of tiny cones …. Original article  : Bacterial growth could reveal Earth’s origins.

20th-century warming in Lake Tanganyika endangers fish, livelihoods

LONDON – Lake Tanganyika, the second-oldest and second-deepest lake in the world, has recorded unprecedented high temperatures during the last 100 years.

Situated in East Africa, the lake’s surface waters are the warmest on record, according to geologists.

This will inevitably affect fish stock and consequently, … Read : 20th-century warming in Lake Tanganyika endangers fish, livelihoods.

Delhi records highest minimum temperature in 5 years

NEW DELHI – Delhi Tuesday recorded the highest minimum temperature in the last five years at 32 degrees Celsius, the weather office said.

“The minimum recorded temperature for Tuesday stood at 32 degree Celsius, which was five notches above normal for this time of the year,” an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told IANS. … Read more : Delhi records highest minimum temperature in 5 years.

Fish dislike their own reflections

WASHINGTON – When facing themselves in a mirror, fish become feisty but fearful, say two Stanford biologists.

“It seems like something they don’t understand,” said Julie Desjardins, a post-doctoral researcher in biology and lead author of a paper to be published in Biology Letters … Read more »».

Newborns learn while asleep

WASHINGTON – Sleeping newborn infants are better learners than previously thought, according to a University of Florida researcher.

The boffin’s study could lead to identifying those at risk for developmental disorders such as autism and dyslexia.

“We found a basic form of learning in sleeping newborns, a … Read : Newborns learn while asleep.

“Pinocchio” frog’s nose grows when it calls others

LONDON – A frog with a Pinocchio-like nose is among the new species discovered in Indonesia’s remote Foja Mountains, say scientists.

Scientists have called it the “Pinocchio” frog because of its long nose which grows when the animal calls to others, reports The Telegraph.

During an expedition to the Foja mountains of western New Guinea, a [..] Read the original article: here.

Atlantis astronauts, in high spirits, work overtime

WASHINGTON – Two astronauts grappled with an unruly cable and struggled with an antenna Monday during the first spacewalk of shuttle Atlantis’ final scheduled mission.

Astronauts Steve Bowen and Garrett Reisman had to pause mid-walk because a power outage shut down the external video cameras needed for the spacewalk.
In the end, they spent 45 minutes …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

China launches electric taxis for city commuters

BEIJING – China has launched a fleet of electric taxis in booming Shenzhen and is aiming to add more battery-operated vehicles in order to check the impact of global warming.

With the launch of 40 electric taxis Monday, Shenzhen city of southern Guangdong province has become the country’s first city to have environment-friendly transport in operation, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : China launches electric taxis for city commuters.