Morning rainfall greets Chandigarh, surrounding areas

CHANDIGARH – Moderate to heavy rainfall greeted Chandigarh and its surrounding areas Sunday morning, making the weather somewhat cool and pleasant.

However, it was soon followed by bright sunshine.
Weathermen have predicted more rainfall in various parts of Punjab and Haryana.
“We are expecting light to moderate showers in various parts of this region till …. Source  : Morning rainfall greets Chandigarh, surrounding areas.

Global warming-induced water changes to continue for decades

WASHINGTON – A reversal of human-induced temperature changes will not quickly return the hydrological cycle to its prewarming state, contrary to popular belief, according to a new study.

Peili Wu and colleagues used climate model simulations to show how the hydrological cycle could react to changes in future amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in [..] Read the original article: here.

Robot helping boffins to determine how we decide to trust strangers

WASHINGTON – American researchers are using a robot to find out how humans decide to trust strangers and if those decisions are accurate.

Northeastern University psychology professor David DeSteno is collaborating with Cynthia Breazeal, director of the MIT Media Lab’s Personal Robots Group, Robert Frank, an economist, and David Pizarro, a psychologist, both from Cornell, for …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Robot helping boffins to determine how we decide to trust strangers.

‘Fake’ blood could soon be used to treat wounded soldiers in battle

LONDON – Scientists in the US have created ‘artificial’ blood that could soon be used on the battlefield to treat wounded soldiers.

The blood is developed by using hematopoietic cells taken from umbilical cords in a process called ‘pharming’ – using genetically engineered plants or animals to create mass quantities of useful substances.

One umbilical cord can … Read more : ‘Fake’ blood could soon be used to treat wounded soldiers in battle.

‘315bn pounds of plastic in oceans right now’

WASHINGTON – An ocean conservationist has claimed that there is approximately 315 billion pounds of plastic in the oceans as of today.

Stiv Wilson of the ocean conservation group 5 Gyres has made the first attempt to tally how much plastic is in the global ocean.

According to him, if one visualizes a ’super tanker’ that … Read : ‘315bn pounds of plastic in oceans right now’.

Early malnutrition linked to arthritis in moose

WASHINGTON – Scientists have described a link between malnutrition early in a moose’s life and osteoarthritis as the animal ages.

“I’ve long thought that there was a nutritional link to the increase in osteoarthritis in moose on Isle Royale-a wilderness island national park in northwestern Lake Superior-as the population of the animals grew in the 1960s … Read : Early malnutrition linked to arthritis in moose.

Scientists explain record low atmospheric density during solar minima

WASHINGTON – Scientists have explained the reason for the record low mass density of the upper thermosphere during the 2008 solar minimum.

During a solar minimum, EUV (extreme ultraviolet) irradiance is lower than it is during more active times in the solar cycle, producing a cooler, contracted thermosphere and decreased density at a given altitude.

Solar EUV … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Scientists explain record low atmospheric density during solar minima.

Female toads ‘grow fat’ to thwart unwanted mates!

WASHINGTON – A new study has revealed that female toads can thwart unwanted suitors by simply inflating their bodies.

The female toad, when grasped by its unwanted male counterpart, inflates itself so that the rival males can throw off the unwanted one, scientists found.

“Our study shows that females can exert mate choice by inflating their …. Source  : Female toads ‘grow fat’ to thwart unwanted mates!.

Oxygen therapy helps fight wrinkles caused by UVB radiation in mice

LONDON – A new study showed that mice placed in an oxygen chamber following prolonged exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation had fewer wrinkles and less skin thickening than mice that did not receive the oxygen treatment.

As part of the study, Shigeo Kawada and colleagues from the University of Tokyo, Japan, exposed mice to UVB …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Oxygen therapy helps fight wrinkles caused by UVB radiation in mice.

‘Cell phone ban at petrol stations is based on urban mythology’

SYDNEY – The ban on the use of cell phones at petrol pumps is nothing more than an ‘urban myth’, according to a top industry body representing Australia’s mobile telecoms sector.

The myth that mobile phones and petrol are an explosive combination surfaced in the 1990s and has since been perpetuated through warning signs at gas … Original source on Gaea Times at : ‘Cell phone ban at petrol stations is based on urban mythology’.

Rosetta flies by asteroid Lutetia

LONDON – ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft has flown past asteroid Lutetia, providing valuable data to scientists.

Lutetia – nearly 120km in its longest dimension – is the biggest asteroid yet visited by a space probe.

Images show Lutetia is quite irregular in shape, its surface scarred by numerous wide impact craters and even some intriguing grooves.

“It’s a new …. Read the original article  : Rosetta flies by asteroid Lutetia.

Muggy weather in store for Delhi

NEW DELHI – The national capital was set for a hot and humid day Sunday though the met office forecast a partly cloudy sky.

The day temperature is expected to stay above normal at 38 degrees Celsius. The minimum was 28 degrees, a notch above normal for this time of the year.
The humidity recorded was …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Activists buy 172 horses at Nevada auction to keep them from slaughterhouse

Activists keep Nev. horses from going to slaughter

RENO, Nev. – With the financial backing of a California winery owner, activists on Saturday purchased almost all 174 horses up for sale at a state-sanctioned auction in Nevada to keep the horses from going to the slaughterhouse.
Stephanie Hoefener of the Lancaster, Calif.-based Livesavers Wild Horse Rescue group … Original source on Gaea Times at : Activists buy 172 horses at Nevada auction to keep them from slaughterhouse.

Researchers: Population of Amazon river dolphins dropping as they’re slaughtered for fish bait

Amazon river dolphins being slaughtered for bait

RIO DE JANEIRO – The bright pink color gives them a striking appearance in the muddy jungle waters. That Amazon river dolphins are also gentle and curious makes them easy targets for nets and harpoons as they swim fearlessly up to fishing boats.
Now, their carcasses are showing up in … Read more »»».

Scientists roll out rubber mats on bottom of Lake Tahoe to thwart invasive clam infestation

Scientists roll out mats to kill Lake Tahoe clams

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Scuba-diving scientists are unrolling long rubber mats across the bottom of Lake Tahoe coves in an attempt to quell a clam invasion that could cloud the world-reknown cobalt waters.
The half-acre mats are designed to smother dime-sized nonnative Asian clams that can reach …. Source article  : Scientists roll out rubber mats on bottom of Lake Tahoe to thwart invasive clam infestation.

European Space Agency taking a close look at asteroid Lutetia far out in space

European Space Agency looking closely at asteroid

BERLIN – The European Space Agency has taken the closest look yet at asteroid Lutetia in an extraordinary quest some 280 million miles in outer space between Mars and Jupiter.
The comet-chaser Rosetta transmitted its first pictures from the largest asteroid ever visited by a satellite Saturday night after it … Read more >>>.

Cleanliness drive launched in Delhi

NEW DELHI – A cleanliness drive — Let’s do it Delhi — was launched Saturday by the capital’s Health Minister Kiran Walia, who asked people to take a pledge to make the city clean and green.

“We ourselves have to take the initiative and also ask others to change their habits and perspective,” she said after … Read more : Cleanliness drive launched in Delhi.

Hot, humid weather as rains elude Delhi

NEW DELHI – High humidity, coupled with a rise in the maximum and minimum temperatures to three to four notches above average, made Delhiites sweat Saturday as rains eluded the city after lashing it two days ago.

The maximum temperature settled three notches above average at 38.7 degrees Celsius, an India Meteorological Department official said. …. Read the original article  : Hot, humid weather as rains elude Delhi.

European Space Agency preparing for close look at asteroid Lutetia far out in space

ESA preparing for close look at asteroid
BERLIN – The European Space Agency is preparing to take the closest look yet at asteroid Lutetia in an extraordinary quest some 280 million miles in outer space between Mars and Jupiter.

ESA says its comet-chaser Rosetta will fly by Lutetia as close as 1,900 miles (3,200 kilometers) Saturday and …. Original source  : European Space Agency preparing for close look at asteroid Lutetia far out in space.

Boffins discover enhanced delivery method of DNA payloads into cells

WASHINGTON – Chemical engineers at Virginia Tech have discovered an enhanced delivery method of DNA payloads into cells.

The work, by Chang Lu and his colleagues, appears in the journal Lab on a Chip and Nature.

Lu’s ultimate goal is to apply this technique to create genetically modified cells for cancer immunotherapy, stem cell therapy and tissue … Original source on Gaea Times at : Boffins discover enhanced delivery method of DNA payloads into cells.