Telescope captures galactic super volcanic explosion

LONDON – A spectacular “super volcano” that erupted trillions of miles away from earth has been clicked by a NASA telescope.

The staggering eruption was filmed by NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the National Science Foundation’s Very Large Array.
Astronomers said shock waves between a giant black hole and cooling gas, caused the mind …. Original source  : Telescope captures galactic super volcanic explosion.

Brit woman is world’s fastest texter typing 26-word message in 25 secs

LONDON – A British woman has become the world’s fastest texter after she sent a tongue-twisting 26-word message in just 25 seconds.

Melissa Thompson, 27, wrote the message- “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human” in just 25.94 … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Brit woman is world’s fastest texter typing 26-word message in 25 secs.

Malaysia closes parks, warns public after up to 10 die from disease spread by rats

Malaysia warns of waterborne disease after deaths

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia has closed parks and warned the public about swimming and dumping trash in rivers after up to 10 people died from a disease spread by rats.
The latest reported death from the bacterial disease leptospirosis was Saturday. The 17-year-old boy in northern Kedah state had … Read more : Malaysia closes parks, warns public after up to 10 die from disease spread by rats.

Oil hovers below $74 in Asia amid growth uncertainty, hurricane risks in Gulf of Mexico

Oil hovers below $74 amid growth uncertainty

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Oil prices hovered below $74 a barrel Monday in Asia as uncertainty about the global economy’s prospects outweighed possible production disruptions in the Gulf of Mexico due to hurricane season.
Benchmark crude for October delivery was down 7 cents to $73.75 a barrel at late afternoon …. Original article  : Oil hovers below $74 in Asia amid growth uncertainty, hurricane risks in Gulf of Mexico.

NGO wants oil spills on Maharashtra coast probed

MUMBAI – The Awaaz Foundation, a prominent NGO working in the area of pollution, Monday demanded a full-fledged inquiry into the number and extent of oil spills along the Maharashtra coast in the past few years.

The issue has suddenly come to the limelight after the recent oil spill following collision of two foreign ships Aug … Read more : NGO wants oil spills on Maharashtra coast probed.

Flood threat looms over Punjab, Haryana towns

CHANDIGARH – District administrations in Punjab and Haryana Monday alerted the Indian Army and asked it to remain geared up for rescue operations as the threat of floods loomed large over many towns in the two states.

The release of water from the Bhakra Dam into the Satluj river has posed an immediate threat to the … Read more »»».

Rheumatoid arthritis may protect against Alzheimer’s disease

WASHINGTON – In a recent experiment, a protein released during rheumatoid arthritis lessened the intensity of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.

University of South Florida researchers found that the protein, GM-CSF, likely stimulates the body’s natural scavenger cells to attack and remove Alzheimer’s amyloid deposits in the brain.

The USF researchers are among the first to look at …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Gulf War veterans experience severe muscle pain

WASHINGTON – Some 100,000 veterans who returned from the Gulf War have reported chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) similar to fibromyalgia.

A new study from Middleton Memorial Hospital in Madison and the University of Wisconsin showed that acute exercise can exacerbate the pain but long-term exercise has the opposite outcome and reduces it.

Researchers reported that vets with …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Zapping potatoes can boost their antioxidant content

WASHINGTON – Zapping potatoes with ultrasound, high frequency sound waves or giving spuds an electric shock could boost the amounts of healthful antioxidant substances in the vegetables, found scientists.

According to the scientists, these are the two simple, inexpensive ways of boosting the amounts of healthful antioxidant substances in potatoes.

“We found that treating the potatoes with …. Original article  : Zapping potatoes can boost their antioxidant content.

Scientists unlock secret behind Mona Lisa’s mystic smile

SYDNEY – For years and years, Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile has baffled experts. But not any more.

Leonardo Da Vinci was a genius in many ways, and his technique of sfumato was just one such example.

Sfumato is a range of subtle optical effects that blur outlines, soften transitions and blend shadows like smoke. It’s a …. Read the original article  : Scientists unlock secret behind Mona Lisa’s mystic smile.

Mars ‘will be as big as the moon’ hoax doing the rounds again

WASHINGTON – It’s a tradition that comes on the same day, year after year – an email, which claims that planet Mars is going to come so close to the Earth, it will appear as big as the moon.

First, a little bit of background information on the phenomenon – planets in the solar system revolve …. Original source  : Mars ‘will be as big as the moon’ hoax doing the rounds again.

Yamuna above danger mark, many evacuated in Delhi

NEW DELHI – People were evacuated from low lying areas in Delhi Monday as the Yamuna river flowed over the danger mark for the third consecutive day and the fear of floods loomed large over the city.

The water level in Yamuna touched 205.19 metres, 36 cm above the danger level, flooding areas of Usmanpur, Yamuna …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Yamuna above danger mark, many evacuated in Delhi.

Solar System is older than previously thought

LONDON – A meteor discovered in the Saharan desert has indicated that the age of our Solar system is much older than previously thought.

Analyses of the meteorite indicate that the Solar system is at least 0.3-1.9 million years older than some previous studies projected – making it 4.568 billion years old.

The small difference means that …. Read the original article  : here.

New ’self-dusting solar panels’ inspired by Mars mission

WASHINGTON – Scientists have discovered a new technology of ’self-dusting solar panels’ that could increase the efficiency of producing electricity from sunlight and reduce maintenance costs for large-scale solar installations.

The technology is the one that was developed for space missions to Mars.

“We think our self-cleaning panels used in areas of high dust and particulate pollutant …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : New ’self-dusting solar panels’ inspired by Mars mission.

Breast-cancer protein purified

LONDON – Scientists have purified the protein produced by the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 and used it to study the oncogene’s role in DNA repair.

The research by two teams of scientists at the University of California, Davis, could pave way for understanding, diagnosing and perhaps treating familial breast cancer.

Stephen Kowalczykowski’s group has purified the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Malaysia closes parks, warns public after 10 die from disease spread by rats in waterways

Malaysia warns of waterborne disease after 10 die

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia has closed parks and warned the public about swimming and dumping trash in rivers after 10 people died from a disease spread by rats.
The latest reported death from the bacterial disease leptospirosis was Saturday. The 17-year-old boy in northern Kedah state had swam …. Source article  : Malaysia closes parks, warns public after 10 die from disease spread by rats in waterways.

Gr8: Briton smashes world texting record

LONDON – A British woman has smashed the world record for typing the fastest text message.

Melissa Thompson, 27, wrote a passage in just under 26 seconds, shaving off nearly 10 seconds from previous record holder.
She texted: “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Gr8: Briton smashes world texting record.

Soon, facial recognition software to identify people from online pics

LONDON – Netizens could soon be able to identify people from photographs posted on the internet, all thanks to a revolutionary software being developed by Face.com.

Face.com, the software company produced technology that can identify individuals on social networking sites and online galleries by comparing their image against a known picture of them.

This would mean that … Read : Soon, facial recognition software to identify people from online pics.

Rescuers get out first 2 of 9 freshwater dolphins trapped by low water in Bolivia river

2 of 9 trapped dolphins rescued in Bolivia river

RIO PAILA, Bolivia – Dozens of biologists and environmental activists rescued two freshwater dolphins Sunday among nine that have been trapped in a river by low water levels for more than a month.
The two dolphins were caught in nets and brought to shore. They were put in … Read more : Rescuers get out first 2 of 9 freshwater dolphins trapped by low water in Bolivia river.

Scientists monitoring coral in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for bleaching that can harm reefs

Researchers monitoring Hawaii coral for bleaching

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Scientists plan to monitor corals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands next month for signs of bleaching that could harm the reefs.
Corals become stressed and expel the algae that live inside them when temperatures are warmer than normal. This causes corals to lose their color and appear …. Source  : Gaea News Network.