Russian wildfires shrink but smog still hangs over Moscow

Smog lingers over Russian capital
MOSCOW – The number of wildfires in Russia has shrunk significantly, but clouds of acrid smog generated by them are still hanging over the Russian capital.

Mosecomonitoring environment watchdog said that the level of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and other pollutants continued to exceed safe limits Wednesday. Smoke has periodically shrouded large sections …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Moons around ‘hot Jupiter’ can’t exist due to gravitational pulls

Washington, Au6 18 (ANI): A new study has shown that any moons around the distant large planets would be stripped away by gravitational pulls.

A study by astronomer Fathi Namouni, with the Universit??? de Nice in France, shows that as a giant Jupiter migrates inward toward its solar system, any moons in tow would be stripped [..] Read the original article: here.

Evolution made human race more susceptible to diabetes: Study

WASHINGTON – Earlier humans with genes that were prone to type-1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis may have provided them with previously unknown benefits, as a result of which, over the years, the modern man has become more prone to some complex diseases, says a new study.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine speculate that …. Source article  : Evolution made human race more susceptible to diabetes: Study.

Scientists admit goof up in oil spill report, say 80 pc oil still remains

WASHINGTON – Georgia scientists have said that their report, which said that the Gulf was mostly free of oil spill, was miscalculated and that 80 percent of the oil is still polluting the waters.

Earlier this month federal scientists said that only about a quarter of the oil remained and the rest was removed, dissolved or …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Scientists admit goof up in oil spill report, say 80 pc oil still remains.

Vitamin B may keep dementia at bay

WASHINGTON – University of California-San Francisco researchers have conducted studies to look at the role B vitamins-B-6, B-12 and folate may play in preventing decline in brain function.

The research is important because many studies of B vitamins and brain function have given inconsistent or conflicting results.

The study showed that in participants with lower levels …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Mystery of ‘beer goggles’ cracked

WASHINGTON – Scientists have finally solved the mystery of ‘beer goggles’ – a phenomenon where less attractive people suddenly become more appealing when the onlooker has tipped back a pint or two.

According to researchers who tested the idea on both sober and inebriated college students in England, alcohol dulls people’s ability to recognize cockeyed, asymmetrical …. Original source  : Mystery of ‘beer goggles’ cracked.

Spain hauls Google on Street View

LONDON – Spain has taken on internet search giant Google over alleged privacy violations during Street View’s mapping.

The Daily Telegraph reported that a Madrid judge ordered a Google representative to appear before a court in October as part of a probe into whether Google committed a “computer crime” when shots of city streets were being …. Read the original article  : Spain hauls Google on Street View.

It’s official! Marriage and committed romance can buffer against stress

WASHINGTON – Previous studies have shown that exchanging marital vows is good for people’s health, and now, a new study suggests that having that long-term commitment also alters hormones in a way that reduces stress.

Dario Maestripieri, Professor in Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study, said that unmarried …. Source  : It’s official! Marriage and committed romance can buffer against stress.

iPods, MP3 players linked to hearing loss in teens

LONDON – An American research has suggested that iPods, MP3 players and increased exposure to live music have led to a surge in hearing loss in teens.

The number of teenagers experiencing hearing problems has gone up by nearly a third in the last 20 years, it is claimed.

Between 2005 and 2006, one in five …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : iPods, MP3 players linked to hearing loss in teens.

‘Hacker’ application on Facebook stealing users’ personal info

MELBOURNE – A new tool called Facebook Hacker is doing the rounds on the social networking website. The tool tricks users into sending their personal information to the sender.

According to News.com.au, Facebook Hacker sends other people an executable file (.exe) that, if clicked on, will steal their login details and secretly email it back to … Original source on Gaea Times at : ‘Hacker’ application on Facebook stealing users’ personal info.

Eve – the mother of all humans, lived 200,000 years ago

WASHINGTON – Eve, the maternal ancestor of all humans, lived about 200,000 years ago, confirms a new study.

The Rice University study was based on a side-by-side comparison of 10 human genetic models that each aim to determine when Eve lived.

“Our findings underscore the importance of taking into account the random nature of population processes like … Original article on : Eve – the mother of all humans, lived 200,000 years ago.

No concrete proof to pin Leh cloudburst on global warming: Experts

LONDON – Two weeks back, a Himalayan desert town, Leh was ravaged by a fatal cloudburst – but scientists insist that there isn’t sufficient evidence to confirm that it occurred as a result of global warming.

Heavy rainfall is common elsewhere in the Himalayas, but not in Ladakh.

Instead, it’s a rain shadow area, making it a …. Source  : No concrete proof to pin Leh cloudburst on global warming: Experts.

Why drunk drivers feel they are fit to get behind the wheel

WASHINGTON – Researchers have found why some people feel they have recovered enough to drive after drinking.

The new study, led by Dr. Peter J. Snyder, vice president of research for Lifespan, shows the impact of alcohol intoxication on reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

The research is the first to explore how these cognitive abilities are impacted during … Read more : Why drunk drivers feel they are fit to get behind the wheel.

Achilles heel of chronic inflammatory pain uncovered

WASHINGTON – In what could be called the Achilles heel of chronic inflammatory pain, scientists have for the first time discovered that genes involved in chronic pain are regulated by molecules inside cells called small RNAs.

The breakthrough could lead to a brand new class of drugs to treat chronic pain caused by inflammatory conditions … Original source on Gaea Times at : Achilles heel of chronic inflammatory pain uncovered.

Long space travel results in astronauts’ muscles loss

WASHINGTON – Spending too much flight on long space flights, result in wasting of muscles in Astronauts, which in turn reduces their capacity for physical work by more than 40 percent, according to research.

This is the equivalent of a 30- to 50-year-old crew member’s muscles deteriorating to that of an 80-year-old.

The destructive effects of [..] Read the original article: here.

Chickens ‘have Machiavellian tendencies like humans’

MELBOURNE – Australian researchers have found that chickens communicate in their own language and have Machiavellian tendencies like humans.

Macquarie University’s Lynn Smith and Chris Evans have done the study, reports News.com.au.

The researchers portrayed chickens as social and intelligent creatures, which alter what they say according to who’s listening.

Doctor Smith said chickens, living in an …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Special yoga classes for breast cancer survivors boost recovery

WASHINGTON – A research has found that the new specialized Iyengar yoga program for breast cancer survivors and those undergoing breast cancer treatment affects the recovery positively.

For two years groups of study participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their physical and mental health at the beginning of a 10-week session of Iyengar [..] Read the original article: here.

Climate change, not hunting, killed woolly mammoths: Study

LONDON – A new study has revealed that the woolly mammoths died out because of dwindling grasslands – rather than being hunted to extinction by humans.

There was a severe decline in the pasture on which the mammoths fed after the ice age 21,000 years ago.

“What our results have suggested is that the changing climate – …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Climate change, not hunting, killed woolly mammoths: Study.

Rogue Italian farmer sows more debate over genetically modified foods with 2 fields of corn

Italian farmer pushes genetically modified crops

PORDENONE, Italy – Giorgio Fidenato has made a habit of carrying a raw ear of yellow corn and taking a hearty bite whenever a camera is in sight.
It’s a provocation. The Italian farmer’s corn is genetically modified, grown surreptitiously in fields in the northeast not far from the Austrian and [..] Read the original article: here.

A cactus took 52 years to bloom

LONDON – A British couple are elated after their cactus began to bloom – a good 52 years after it was planted.

John, 90, and his wife Barbara Long, 85, patiently waited all these years for the cactus to bloom. They had bought the plant in 1958.
The cactus is outside their home in Hitchin, and …. Source  : A cactus took 52 years to bloom.