Owl monkey only primate to exhibit ‘early birds’ and ‘night owls’ behaviour

WASHINGTON – University of Pennsylvania anthropologists have shown that in Azaro’s owl monkeys, temperature and light are just as important environmental factors as the circadian rhythm that regulates periods of sleep and wakefulness.

The study indicates that changes in sensitivity to specific environmental stimuli may have been an essential key for evolutionary switches between diurnal and …. Original source  : Owl monkey only primate to exhibit ‘early birds’ and ‘night owls’ behaviour.

High-speed graphene transistors could mean faster mobiles, computers

LONDON – A group of UCLA researchers has fabricated the fastest graphene transistor to date, which could translate into faster electronic devices such as radios, computers and mobiles.

Graphene, a one-atom-thick layer of graphitic carbon, has the highest known carrier mobility making it a great candidate for high-speed radio-frequency electronics.

The UCLA team has developed a new …. Read the original article  : here.

Fuel-free space tethers to manoeuvre spacecraft in orbit

WASHINGTON – A team at NASA is testing a chemical-free propulsion system that will use Earth’s magnetic field to move satellites and spacecraft in orbit.

Space tethers collect current when they fly near the ionosphere-the charged, upper layer of atmosphere-and magnetic field. The current flowing through the wire will be pushed on by Earth’s magnetic field, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Scientists find culprit behind dying ‘doughnut’ of Michigan Lake

WASHINGTON – The ‘doughnut’ of Lake Michigan, a roughly circular river of phytoplankton-algae and other tiny plants, is ‘dying’ and scientists believe that quagga mussel are the culprits.

When Michigan Technological University biologist W. Charles Kerfoot and his research team first saw it in 1998, they found that zooplankton, the tiny animals that feed on phytoplankton, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Scientists find culprit behind dying ‘doughnut’ of Michigan Lake.

Transition metal catalysts led to origin of life?

WASHINGTON – Scientists have proposed that a third type of catalyst, apart from biochemicals-such as amino acids and nucleotides and biological catalysts (proteins or ribozymes), was responsible for origin of life on Earth.

According to Harold Morowitz of George Mason University (GMU), Vijayasarathy Srinivasan of GMU, and Eric Smith of the Santa Fe Institute, molecular structures … Original article on : Transition metal catalysts led to origin of life?.

Parkinson’s patients ‘perform automated tasks better’

WASHINGTON – People with Parkinson’s disease can perform automated tasks better than people without the disease, but have significant difficulty switching from easy to hard tasks, find Queen’s researchers.

The findings are a step towards understanding the aspects of the illness that affect the brain’s ability to function on a cognitive level.

“We often think of Parkinson’s …. Source article  : Parkinson’s patients ‘perform automated tasks better’.

How bone-marrow stem cells survive in low-oxygen environments

WASHINGTON – Unique metabolic properties that allow a specific type of stem cell in the body to survive and replicate in low-oxygen environments have been identified by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers.

Investigators found that the low-oxygen microenvironments that ordinarily deprive and starve other kinds of cells are tolerated by a type of stem cell used … Read more >>.

Non-invasive therapy for depression

WASHINGTON – UCLA researchers have found a unique new therapy that could help those suffering from depression.

The therapy applies electrical stimulation to a major nerve emanating from the brain is showing promise.

In a recently completed clinical trial at UCLA, trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) achieved an average of a 70 percent reduction in symptom severity over … Original article on : Non-invasive therapy for depression.

Bangalore cool to virtual telescope idea

BANGALORE – India’s premier science city failed to live up to its reputation as it gave a tepid response to a Microsoft-sponsored workshop here on the concept of the “virtual telescope”.

Though the city is host to about 70 scientific and research institutions, including the renowned Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) …. Read the original article  : here.

Burger King to stop buying palm oil from Indonesian company accused of rainforest destruction

Burger King to stop buying oil from Indonesian co.

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Environmentalists on Saturday praised Burger King’s decision to stop buying palm oil from an Indonesian company accused of destroying rainforests.
The U.S. hamburger chain giant – which recently sealed a deal to sell itself for $3.26 billion to 3G Capital – said Friday that it …. Original source  : Burger King to stop buying palm oil from Indonesian company accused of rainforest destruction.

Soon, pill to shake off lethargy may one day be a reality

LONDON – Why does it feel like the toughest thing in the world to get up on a Saturday and hit the gym or to get off the couch and do the laundry? It’s all in your genes, says a new study.

Scientists now claim a desire to keep fit and do regular exercise is hereditary, … Read more : Soon, pill to shake off lethargy may one day be a reality.

Dodgy breast implants not likely to explode, say experts

LONDON – Experts in the UK say that tests on a type of breast implant filled with an unapproved gel have shown no evidence they are unsafe.

Poly Implant Prostheses – or PIPs – had been under scanner after a French inquiry identified problems.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said in March that no … Read : Dodgy breast implants not likely to explode, say experts.

Verbal clues offer insights into how couples cope with divorce

WASHINGTON – How you cope with your divorce is revealed by how you talk about it than what you say about it, says a new study.

University of Arizona researchers found that people in the midst of a divorce typically reveal how they are handling things by how they speak.

The team recruited couples, which had recently … Read more >>.

Laziness may all be in the genes

LONDON – Why does it feel like the toughest thing in the world to get up on a Saturday and hit the gym or to get off the couch and do the laundry? It’s all in your genes, says a new study.

Scientists now claim a desire to keep fit and do regular exercise is hereditary, … Original article on : Laziness may all be in the genes.

Why our brains flip over optical illusions

LONDON – Optical illusions, images that appear to be one picture for one moment, and then look something entirely different the next, have always fascinated us. But scientists, until now, had never quite been able to put a finger on how our brain flips between the two images.

Now researchers from University College London are one … Original article on : Why our brains flip over optical illusions.

Computer games may be encouraging teens to drive recklessly

LONDON – Those rough and thrilling driving-based computer games that adolescents play could be leading to reckless driving when they take to the roads for real, a study of teenagers’ attitudes to road risks suggests.

With around 1000 people under the age of 25 killed on the world’s roads every day, Kathleen Beullens of the Catholic [..] Read the original article: here.

Drink blackcurrant juice to prevent aches and strains of exercise

LONDON – A new study has shown that drinking blackcurrant juice can help prevent aches and strains during exercise.

Researchers say compounds called flavonoids in the berries protect the body from the stresses of working out.

The experiment, led by Dr Roger Hurst at New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, monitored the impact … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Drink blackcurrant juice to prevent aches and strains of exercise.

Seaweed extract could drive away acne woes in teens

LONDON – Acne is probably the worst part of turning into a teenager for many, but now studies show that seaweed extract could solve this spotty problem.

An active ingredient from a type of brown seaweed could be the solution to spots and oily skin. Found off the coast of Brittany, the extract was found to …. Read the original article  : here.

Larry Ashmead, editor of Asimov, Hillerman and other writers, dies at age 78 in NY

Longtime book editor Larry Ashmead dies at 78

NEW YORK – Larry Ashmead, a former book editor who worked with Isaac Asimov, Tony Hillerman and other authors, has died at 78, his former employer, former employer, HarperCollins, said Friday.
Ashmead died at a hospital in Hudson, N.Y., after a brief illness.
Ashmead was a native of Rochester in …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Larry Ashmead, editor of Asimov, Hillerman and other writers, dies at age 78 in NY.

Court reverses verdict in $926 million contamination lawsuit against Rocky Flats contractors

Court throws out $926 million Rocky Flats award

DENVER – A $926 million award to thousands of Colorado homeowners in a lawsuit involving plutonium contamination from a now-defunct nuclear weapons plant was thrown out Friday by a federal appeals court.
A three-judge panel also tossed the jury verdict in the case and ruled that homeowners failed to … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Court reverses verdict in $926 million contamination lawsuit against Rocky Flats contractors.