Now, an alarm clock that creates dawn

LONDON – For people who experience “winter blues” when waking up early morning, a cure has been found. A British firm has invented an alarm clock that creates an artificial dawn.

Nearly one in four Britons suffer varying degrees of depression brought on by a lack of light during winters.
But Cambridge-based firm Lumie says [..] Read the original article: here.

Islands flanking Mississippi ‘might vanish’ due to oil spill, sea level rise

WASHINGTON – Researchers have warned that the islands flanking the Mississippi river might entirely disappear in the coming decades not only due to sea level rise and local subsidence but also because of unknown impacts from oil recovery operations.

The Chandeleur Islands to the east of the river outlet are remote, tenuous strips of sand that … Read : Islands flanking Mississippi ‘might vanish’ due to oil spill, sea level rise.

Frozen piles of CO2 on Mars may trigger avalanches

WASHINGTON – Images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed that mysterious gullies are forming on Mars as a result of frozen carbon dioxide that’s piling up on Martian dunes.

The piles may trigger avalanches that carve out the mysterious gullies.

“Gullies that look like this on Earth are caused by flowing water, butars is a different … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Frozen piles of CO2 on Mars may trigger avalanches.

Apple iPhone sales outshine BlackBerry: Report

LONDON – Apple’s iPhone range has outdone BlackBerry, as one of the world’s biggest mobile phone companies, new figures have suggested.

Apple shipped 14.1 million handsets during the most recent financial quarter, up 91 per cent on the same quarter last year, according to analysts at Strategy Analytics.

Bumper sales of Apple’s flagship iPhone 4 has …. Original source  : Apple iPhone sales outshine BlackBerry: Report.

Universe to end in 5 billion years, predict scientists

WASHINGTON – Right around the time when Sun is slated to die, the universe too would come to an end-in just five billion years-a new study has predicted.

The prediction comes from the theory of eternal inflation, which says our universe is part of the multiverse.

The problem with a multiverse is that anything that can happen … Read more »»».

Is El Nino causing ice to melt at the South Pole?

WASHINGTON – Scientists at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences believe that the climate phenomenon El Nino may be causing ice at the South Pole to melt.

The year-by-year change in the ice mass covering Antarctica are mainly attributable to fluctuations in precipitation, which are controlled significantly by El Nino.

For some glaciers the ice …. Source  : Is El Nino causing ice to melt at the South Pole?.

‘Space mice’ may pave way to help keep humans fit in space

WASHINGTON – On its last flight, Discovery will not just carry astronauts, but 16 rodent passengers too.

The project is aimed at understanding why space flights make humans more vulnerable to infection by viruses and bacteria.

“Since the Apollo missions, we have had evidence that astronauts have increased susceptibility to infections during flight and immediately post-flight – … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : ‘Space mice’ may pave way to help keep humans fit in space.

120 tombs found in China construction site

BEIJING – Around 120 ancient tombs from different periods have been discovered at a construction site in China’s Guangzhou city.

Covering an area of 8,000 square metres, the tombs are from the Western and Eastern Han dynasties, the Three Kingdoms period as well as the Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, the People’s … Original source on Gaea Times at : 120 tombs found in China construction site.

Unplanned pregnancies more common in women with anorexia nervosa

WASHINGTON – Women with anorexia nervosa are much more likely to have both unplanned pregnancies and induced abortions than women who don’t have the serious eating disorder, according to a new study.

The study has been conducted by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Norwegian researchers.

Lead author Cynthia M. Bulik said that these results … Original source on Gaea Times at : Unplanned pregnancies more common in women with anorexia nervosa.

Co-founder of YouTube steps down as CEO

LONDON – The co-founder of YouTube, world’s largest video-sharing website, Clad Hurley, has terminated his stint as the website’s CEO.

However, Hurley said he would continue as an adviser to YouTube.

Google bought the YouTube website in 2006 for 1.65bn dollars and since then has been asserting more control over the popular site.

In a statement, Hurley … Read more »».

Scientists grow miniature liver using human cells

WASHINGTON – Scientists at the University of Wake Forest have grown a miniature liver-only an inch in diameter-using human cells.

The liver, however, is not big enough to work for a human.

But scientists hope that someday it would grow bigger livers for people who need them, or to use them for testing new drugs. … Original source on Gaea Times at : Scientists grow miniature liver using human cells.

Efforts to beat malaria may backfire, says experts

LONDON – Efforts to wipe out malaria in some countries may be counter-productive, suggests an international team of researchers.

A new report in the Lancet has suggested some countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, might be better pursuing a policy of controlling the disease, reports the BBC.

They have also criticised the World Health Organization (WHO) for not … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Efforts to beat malaria may backfire, says experts.

Math, maps used to plot malaria elimination plan

LONDON – With the help of mathematical models and maps, two University of Florida researchers have estimated the feasibility of eliminating malaria from countries that have the deadliest form of the disease.

For five years, Andrew Tatem along with David L. Smith collaborated with a team of scientists, geographers, statisticians and on-the-ground health workers to create …. Source  : Math, maps used to plot malaria elimination plan.

Study sheds light on mysterious eel-like creatures that lived before dinos

WASHINGTON – A new study has shed light on conodonts – a species of eel-like creatures that lived even before dinosaurs – and according to scientists, ate like the creature did in the movie “Alien.”

Conodonts possessed rows of sharp, interlocking cone-shaped teeth that raked prey into their mouths. They first emerged around 500 million years …. Read the original article  : Study sheds light on mysterious eel-like creatures that lived before dinos.

How 5000-yr-old Neolithic men painted their homes

LONDON – A new research has revealed that our ancestors from 5,000 years ago painted their homes to brighten up their places too.

They used red, yellow and orange pigments from ground-up minerals and bound it with animal fat and eggs to make their paint, the new study from a Stone Age settlement on the island … Read more : How 5000-yr-old Neolithic men painted their homes.

Cloudy skies likely in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Delhi woke up to a misty Saturday morning, but the mist soon gave way to a bright day. The weather department, however, forecast cloudy skies during the later part of the day.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature recorded Saturday was a notch above the average at 16 …. Source  : Cloudy skies likely in Delhi.

Gene that helps fish ‘disappear’ discovered

WASHINGTON – Scientists have discovered a new member of a gene family that has powerful influences on pigmentation and the regulation of body weight.

The new gene, called agrp2, has been found exclusively in bony fish, including zebra fish, trout and salmon and enables fish to change colour dramatically to match their surroundings.

Fish, amphibians and reptiles …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Gene that helps fish ‘disappear’ discovered.

‘Bolt from deep blue’ may have sparked life on Earth

LONDON – Scientists at the University of Tokyo in Japan have suggested that a bolt from the deep blue seas may have sparked life on Earth.

Ryuhei Nakamura and his team believe that hydrothermal vents on the deep ocean floor could have triggered life on the planet. They said the vents could generate electric currents, which … Read this article on Gaea Times at : ‘Bolt from deep blue’ may have sparked life on Earth.

UN biodiversity summit ends with agreement (Roundup)

NAGOYA – The Oct 18-29 UN biodiversity summit ended here Friday with agreement over a strategic plan on how to protect animals and plants, how to provide money for it, and how to share the revenues for medicines and cosmetics produced from medicinal plants.

After numerous delays and protracted backroom negotiations, delegates from 192 countries …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : UN biodiversity summit ends with agreement (Roundup).

India’s South Pole expedition to study climate change

NEW DELHI – India will send an expedition to the South Pole to study changes in climate patterns that have taken place in Antarctica in the last thousands of years, an official said here Friday.

Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan will flag off the expedition Nov 1, which would start the international celebration … Read more : India’s South Pole expedition to study climate change.