Humpback whale undertakes record 6,200-mile journey

LONDON – A humpback whale has swum into the record books after travelling a quarter of the way around the world.

In the longest recorded migration by any mammal, the female travelled 6,200 miles from the coast of Brazil to Madagascar. This is more than twice the distance humpbacks usually manage in a single migratory … Original article on : Humpback whale undertakes record 6,200-mile journey.

Now, a mobile video game to train you to choose healthier diet

WASHINGTON – A candidate from Georgia Tech College of Computing has shown that playing health-related video games on a mobile device can help adults learn to live more healthfully by making smart diet choices.

OrderUP! Includes “exergames,” in which players get a genuine workout while playing. It educates players about how to make healthy eating choices … Read more »»».

Whale poop ups productivity of ocean fisheries

WASHINGTON – A new study from Harvard University and University of Vermont has revealed that whale faeces is rich in nutrients, and has a huge positive influence on the productivity of ocean fisheries.

Most whales actually deposit waste that floats at the surface of the ocean, “very liquidy, a flocculent plume,” said University of Vermont whale … Original source on Gaea Times at : Whale poop ups productivity of ocean fisheries.

Scientists voice concern over new ’superbugs’

WASHINGTON – Scientists worldwide have voiced their concerns regarding the health threat caused by a fresh generation of so-called superbugs.

For instance, the gene NDM-1’s ability to affect different bacteria and make them resistant to many medications marks a worrying development in the fight against infectious diseases, which can mutate to defeat humans’ antibiotic arsenal.

“You …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

New gene could explain relationship between diabetes, Alzheimer’s

WASHINGTON – Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers have found that a gene associated with the onset of Type 2 diabetes is also found at lower-than-normal levels in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The new study provides insight into a potential mechanism that might explain the relationship between Type 2 diabetes and the onset and progression of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : New gene could explain relationship between diabetes, Alzheimer’s.

Jaundice in newborns may be linked to autism

LONDON – Newborn babies diagnosed with jaundice may be at higher risk of developing autism later on, according to a new study.

As part of the research, Rikke Damkjaer Maimburg of Aarhus University in Denmark and colleagues studied all Danish births between 1994 and 2004.

They found that 2.37 per cent of full-term babies treated for … Read more >>>.

Android phones more popular than iPhones

WASHINGTON – It looks like Android would quickly move past the iPhone in market share.

Android phones are officially more popular with new smart phone consumers than iPhones, according to figures that have just been released by Nielsen Company.

Google gives its app developers more freedom than Apple does, and the Android operating system is available …. Source  : Android phones more popular than iPhones.

Google’s new apps to help the blind navigate

NEW YORK – Google has released two new applications that would help blind users of their Android smartphones navigate the world.

The Walky Talky app gives audio walking directions to the user. Unlike the standard Navigation app, it also calls out street addresses as you pass them, helping the user keep their bearings when travelling in … Read more >>>.

Scientists reveal new clues to origin of diabetes

WASHINGTON – Scientists have identified events inside insulin-producing pancreatic cells that set the stage for a neonatal form of non-autoimmune type 1 diabetes, and may play a role in type 2 diabetes as well.

The study from the University of Michigan scientists has pointed a potential target for drugs to protect normally functioning proteins essential for …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Fossils suggest earliest land plants were 472 million years old

LONDON – Fossils of the oldest plants ever to colonise land have been found in Argentina, claim scientists.

The new find puts back by 10 million years the colonisation of land by plants, and suggests that a diversity of land plants had evolved by 472 million years ago.

The discovery of the oldest known land plants was … Original source on Gaea Times at : Fossils suggest earliest land plants were 472 million years old.

Early humans may have been prey, not predators

WASHINGTON – A new study from University of Minnesota suggests that our human ancestors were not hunters right from the beginning; in fact they were hunted by prehistoric beasts like hungry birds and carnivorous mammals.

The team discovered multiple de-fleshed, chomped and gnawed bones from the extinct primates, which lived 16 to 20 million years ago …. Original source  : Early humans may have been prey, not predators.

3.3bn years old ‘microscopic tunnels’ point to ancient life

LONDON – London, Oct 13 (ANI): Scientists have discovered tiny tubes that have been etched into South African rocks by microbes at least at least 3.3 billion years ago, and believe that the tubules could represent the earliest ‘trace’ evidence of activity by microbes on Earth.

Researchers at University of Bergen analysed the material filling the …. Original article  : 3.3bn years old ‘microscopic tunnels’ point to ancient life.

Memory booster pill for the elderly in the offing

SYDNEY – A pill that prevents forgetfulness among the elderly is being developed by British doctors.

The drug, aimed at treating absent-mindedness rather than brain diseases, has been tested on animals, with encouraging results.
Human trials are expected to begin next year. If successful, the drug will be available commercially within the next five years, …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Memory booster pill for the elderly in the offing.

Men never forget sexy women’s sexual overtures even years after event

WASHINGTON – A new study suggests that college-aged men are very likely to remember a woman’s initial sexual interest (attraction or rejection), especially when the woman in question is thought to be attractive, is dressed more provocatively, and expresses positive sexual interest.

Men who were shown full-body photographs of college-aged women who expressed cues of sexual …. Read the original article  : Men never forget sexy women’s sexual overtures even years after event.

Soon, drug to stop memory loss

WASHINGTON – Scottish researchers have come up with a new treatment, which could be used to improve memory and mental performance in older people.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh say that a new experimental compound can improve memory and cognitive function in ageing mice.

The team has identified a preclinical candidate that they hope to take … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Soon, drug to stop memory loss.

Females as good as males in math skills: Study

WASHINGTON – A new examination of existing studies has indicated that the mathematical skills of boys and girls, as well as men and women, are substantially equal.

One portion of the new study looked systematically at 242 articles that assessed the math skills of 1,286,350 people, says chief author Janet Hyde, a professor of psychology and …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Females as good as males in math skills: Study.

Our brains more responsive to friends than to strangers: Study

WASHINGTON – A new study has shown that people’s brains are more responsive to friends than to strangers, even if the stranger has more in common.

Researchers examined a brain region known to be involved in processing social information, and the results suggest that social alliances outweigh shared interests.

In a study led by graduate student Fenna …. Original source  : Our brains more responsive to friends than to strangers: Study.

Achilles’ heel in aggressive breast tumours uncovered

WASHINGTON – Fox Chase Cancer Centre researchers have discovered that a loss of protein that initially slows breast cancer formation but then makes the tumours that do arise more aggressive.

However, the lack of Nedd9 also makes the aggressive tumours more sensitive to a class of drugs that are already used in the clinic.

“It is reminiscent …. Original article  : Achilles’ heel in aggressive breast tumours uncovered.

Record-breaking whale swims 9,800 kms in search of love

LONDON – A female humpback whale has astonished marine biologists by swimming over 9,800 kilometres from breeding areas in Brazil to those in Madagascar, setting a record for the longest mammal migration ever documented.

According to Peter Stevick, a biologist at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, and his colleagues, the journey is …. Original source  : Record-breaking whale swims 9,800 kms in search of love.

Why some people always have a runny nose while others don’t

LONDON – Ever noticed how some people always seem to falling prey to cold, be it summers or winters? It may be genetic, and now a leading science writer, Jennifer Ackerman, busts some other common myths about cold in her book ‘Ah-Choo’.

Vitamin C won’t stop a cold: Studies have shown that there’s no evidence that …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Why some people always have a runny nose while others don’t.