New method to make DNA sequencing faster and cheaper

WASHINGTON – Boston University biomedical engineers have developed a new method to make DNA sequencing a lot faster and cheaper – and thus closer to routine use in clinical diagnostics.

The team has demonstrated the first use of solid state nanopores – tiny holes in silicon chips that detect DNA molecules as they pass through the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : New method to make DNA sequencing faster and cheaper.

Headless Egypt king statue could give clues to Cleopatra’s tomb

WASHINGTON – A massive, headless statue of a Greek king has been found in the ruins of an ancient Egyptian temple, indicating that the structure could be the final resting place of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, experts say.

Archaeologists have been excavating around the temple of Taposiris Magna in hopes of finding the couple’s graves.

The black … Read more >>>.

Yogurt-like drink DanActive cuts rate of common infections in daycare kids

WASHINGTON – The probiotic yoghurt-like drink DanActive can cut the rate of common sicknesses such as ear infections, sinusitis, the flu and diarrhoea in day-care children, according to researchers.

An additional finding, however, showed no reduction in the number school days missed.

Led by Daniel Merenstein of Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM), the researchers studied … Original source on Gaea Times at : Yogurt-like drink DanActive cuts rate of common infections in daycare kids.

Malaria control to overcome disease spread as climate warms

LONDON – Opposing a widespread assumption, two University of Florida researchers have found that global warming is unlikely to expand the range of malaria because of malaria control, development and other factors that are at work to corral the disease.

Scientists and public policy makers have been concerned that warming temperatures would create conditions that … Original source on Gaea Times at : Malaria control to overcome disease spread as climate warms.

Scientists succeed in flying, filming replica butterfly

LONDON – Japanese researchers have built a fully functional replica of a swallowtail butterfly or ornithopter and they have filmed it in flight.

Among the various types of butterflies, swallowtails are unique as their wing area is very large in relation to their body mass.
This combined with their overlapping fore wings means that their …. Source  : Scientists succeed in flying, filming replica butterfly.

‘Avatars’ to help breed the ideal body

SYDNEY – Thousands of men and women from around the globe are participating in an experimental Sydney-based sex project that seeks to “breed” the ideal body.

For the study, volunteers rate the attractiveness of computer-generated avatars representing male and female bodies of every shape …. Original article  : ‘Avatars’ to help breed the ideal body.

Cosmic link to calcium in our bones discovered

LONDON – The calcium in our bones has a cosmic link, according to a new study.

Astronomers have come across a new type of supernova, which they believe may be the chief source of calcium in the universe, including the Earth.

According to scientists, …. Original article  : Cosmic link to calcium in our bones discovered.

Facebook considers simplifying complicated privacy settings

LONDON – Social networking site Facebook has been noting the complaints about its privacy settings being too complex and is considering simplifying them.

It has decided to take up the matter after criticism of its privacy policy came from US … Read more »»».

Over 60pc teachers suffer from voice problems: Spanish study

WASHINGTON – A new Spanish study has found that more than 60 percent of male and female teachers suffer from voice problems.

Researchers at the University of Malaga (UMA) analysed the presence of voice disorders in teachers, in order to …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Advance made in TB treatment

LONDON – A new report appearing in an eminent medical journal has highlighted the progress in the development of the global tuberculosis (TB) drug pipeline.

The paper published in the Lancet is written by a team of renowned international experts …. Source article  : Advance made in TB treatment.

Early detection of depression in preschool children important

WASHINGTON – A new American study has highlighted the importance of early detection of depression in young children.

Child psychiatrist/researcher Joan Luby from Washington University in St. Louis examined depression in …. Original article  : Early detection of depression in preschool children important.

NASA’s Mars rovers set new longevity record

WASHINGTON – NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Project has set a longevity record on the Red Planet.

The Opportunity rover will surpass the duration record set by NASA’s Viking 1 Lander, which operated on Martian soil for six years and 116 days.

Although Spirit began working …. Source  : NASA’s Mars rovers set new longevity record.

Oldest mammalian hair found in France

LONDON – The oldest sample of mammalian hair has been found in a 100 million-year-old lump of amber.

The scales on the hair are similar to those found on the hairs of today’s mammals.

This may signify that the structure of mammalian hair has not changed for much of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Oldest mammalian hair found in France.

American scientists ‘hack’ into Indian voting machines

LONDON – India’s voting machines – considered to be among the world’s most tamperproof – can be hacked, American scientists claim.

Researchers at the University of Michigan connected a home-made device to a voting machine and successfully changed results by sending text messages from a mobile. … Read more »»».

Spanish scientists clone fighting bull

LONDON – Spanish scientists have unveiled the first-ever cloned fighting bull.

According to Vicente Torrent, a specialist in veterinary genetics, the newborn calf, named Got, is an exact replica of the muscular, horned bull that takes on matadors … Read more »»».

Cyclone Laila to weaken by Thursday afternoon: IMD

NEW DELHI – Cyclone Laila, which has hit the southern parts of the country and claimed 10 lives, will weaken by Thursday afternoon, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

“The intensity of cyclone Laila has reduced in the last 12 hours and it will further weaken in the next couple of hours. But it will … Read more : Cyclone Laila to weaken by Thursday afternoon: IMD.

Having a child with autism doesn’t put stress on parents’ marriage: Study

WASHINGTON – A new study has debunked the myth that having a child with autism can put stress on the parents’ marriage.

The study by researchers from Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore found that a child’s autism has no effect on the family structure.

Brian Freedman, lead author of the study and clinical director of the Center … Original article on : Having a child with autism doesn’t put stress on parents’ marriage: Study.

Belly fat ‘increases dementia risk’

WASHINGTON – People with fat stomachs could be at a greater risk of developing dementia, scientists from Boston University School of Medicine have warned.

For the study, Sudha Seshadri, and colleagues recruited participants from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort.

The sample included 733 community participants who had a mean age of 60 years with roughly …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

China to build center where pandas will be trained to survive in wild

China to train pandas to survive in wild
BEIJING – China plans to build a center where giant pandas born in captivity will be trained to survive in the wild, state media reported Thursday.

The $8.8 million (60 million yuan) center will be located in Sichuan province’s Dujiangyan city, according to Zhang Zhihe, the head of the … Read more >>.

How beetroot juice boosts stamina

LONDON – Scientists from the University of Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences have discovered that beetroot juice boosts stamina by making muscles more fuel-efficient.

In 2009, the same researchers found that the juice can increase physical endurance. The study focused on men aged 19 to 38 cycling on exercise bikes. Drinking 500ml of beetroot …. Read the original article  : How beetroot juice boosts stamina.