Science News – Newsletter for December 8, 2010

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Chhattisgarh tiger reserves have half the posts vacant

RAIPUR – Over 50 percent posts have been lying vacant in the three Project Tiger reserves in Chhattisgarh, Forest Minister Vikram Usendi said Wednesday.

“As many as 219 posts of the total 420 posts sanctioned for Project Tiger reserves – Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi and Achanakmar – are lying vacant till date,” the minister said in a … Read more »».

Scientists reach major milestone in fight against deadly diseases

WASHINGTON – A team of scientists has reached a major milestone in the effort to wipe out some of the most lethal diseases on the planet.

Scientists at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute and Northwestern University Feinberg School of … Read more >>>.

Special molecule helps plants ‘remember’ winter and bloom in spring

WASHINGTON – Scientists at the University of Texas, Austin has discovered the role of a key molecule that plays in a plant’s ability to remember winter, and therefore bloom in the spring.

“Plants can’t literally remember, of course, because they don’t have brains,” said Sibum Sung, assistant professor in …. Source article on Gaea Times at : Special molecule helps plants ‘remember’ winter and bloom in spring.

Music ‘eases’ stress of assisted breathing

WASHINGTON – A new study suggested that patients who need assistance to breathe through mechanical ventilation might benefit from listening to music.

The researchers found that music listening may relax patients, potentially resulting in fewer complications.

Mechanical ventilation often causes major distress and anxiety in patients. The sensation of breathlessness, frequent … Read more »»».

Air Force scientists study flying insects’ altitude control mechanisms

WASHINGTON – Scientists at a Caltech laboratory are studying flying insects’ altitude control mechanisms, which may in turn lead to technology that controls altitude in a variety of aircraft for the Air Force.

“This work investigates sensory-motor feedback mechanisms in the insect brain that could inspire new …. Source : Gaea News Network.

New 3D glasses that won’t give you a headache!

LONDON – A psychologist at the University of Liverpool, UK, has designed 3D glasses that device uses no electronics, and works on normal 2D images or video; what’s more, it doesn’t give you headaches unlike the regular 3D glasses.

Developed by Rob Black …. Source : Gaea News Network.

Frogs can ‘pee out foreign objects’

LONDON – A new study has found that frogs can absorb foreign objects present in their bodies and urinate it out.

“As far as we know, frogs are the only animals to expel foreign objects through the bladder,” New Scientist quoted Christopher Tracy of Charles Darwin University in Alice Springs, … Read more >>>.

Right medical care can cut risk for newborns in older mums

WASHINGTON – New research from Tel Aviv University suggests that the right kind of medical care and facilities can overcome risks for babies when postponing childbearing.

Prof. Yariv Yogev and his colleagues investigated the outcomes for mothers of 45 or more and their children.

“I’d been an attending physician in … Read more >>>.

Genes’ sensitivity to testosterone linked to aggression in adults

WASHINGTON – A new study from University of Alberta that looked at the link between an individual’s sensitivity to testosterone and aggressive behaviour has broken new ground.

“I looked at the gene that makes the body’s testosterone detector to determine if variations in this detector’s sensitivity to the chemical causes people …. Original article on Gaea Times at : Genes’ sensitivity to testosterone linked to aggression in adults.

Email addiction turns us into lab rats expecting rewards

LONDON – Using the internet and an obsession with email is turning us into ‘lab rats’ looking for rewards, says an expert.

Nicholas Carr, former executive editor of the Harvard Business Review, said information overload is stopping people from concentrating on tasks as they search for “pellets of social interaction”.
The non-stop information overload also …. Original article on Gaea Times at : Email addiction turns us into lab rats expecting rewards.

New bug species eating away Titanic wreck

LONDON – A newly discovered species of rust-eating bug is devouring the Titanic wreck.

The bugs, seen for the first time, are helping decompose the famous ship at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, says a research team.
The team isolated the micro-organisms from a ‘rusticle’ collected from the ship, lying 3.8 kilometers below the …. Original article : New bug species eating away Titanic wreck.

Depressed smokers ‘less likely to kick the butt’

WASHINGTON – A new study has revealed that smokers suffering from depression are less likely to stay tobacco free.

Depressed smokers want to quit the nicotine habit just as much as non-depressed smokers, but the new study found that depression can put a kink in their success.

The study showed that about 24 percent of surveyed callers …. Read the original article : Depressed smokers ‘less likely to kick the butt’.

Want a higher follower tally on Twitter? Resort to flaming!

LONDON – Want to have more people following you on Twitter or commenting on your blog post? Well, be prepared to resort to flaming to anger and upset people, says a study.

A group of Slovenian and British researchers used something called ’sentiment analysis’ to identify emotional content in posts left on the BBC’s online discussion …. Source article : Want a higher follower tally on Twitter? Resort to flaming!.

Are all movie-watching experiences enjoyable?

WASHINGTON – Remember the last time you were watching a movie with your parents when a steamy love scene appeared and you didn’t know where to hide your face? Well, that’s normal, after all, every movie-watching experience is not enjoyable or positive, says a study.

A new study has shown that all squirming and averting of … Original source on Gaea Times at : Are all movie-watching experiences enjoyable?.

Coldest day in Srinagar at minus 3.8 degrees

SRINAGAR – The minimum temperature in Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar fell to minus 3.8 degrees Celsius Wednesday, making it the coldest day of the season so far.

In Leh town of Ladakh region, the minimum temperature was recorded at a bone chilling minus 15.6 degrees.
Minimum temperature was minus 15.6 degrees Celsius in … Read more : Coldest day in Srinagar at minus 3.8 degrees.

Loss of healthy bacteria linked to depression

WASHINGTON – Researchers think that higher rates of depression among people could be because of a loss of healthy bacteria.

In an effort to pinpoint potential triggers leading to inflammatory responses that eventually contribute to depression, researchers are taking a close look at the immune system of people living in today’s cleaner modern society.

Emory neuroscientist Charles …. Read the original article : here.

33pc of Sun’s blasts are ’sneak attacks’ that occur without warning

WASHINGTON – Astronomers have revealed that one-third of the Sun’s blasts are “sneak attacks” that may occur without warning.

“If space weather forecasters rely on some of the traditional danger signs, they’ll miss a significant fraction of solar eruptions,” said Suli Ma of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA).

Ma and her colleagues studied 34 solar eruptions …. Source article on Gaea Times at : 33pc of Sun’s blasts are ’sneak attacks’ that occur without warning.

Researchers create novel, self-healing autonomous material

WASHINGTON – It’s not uncommon for us to see self-healing robots like ‘Terminator’ but only in movies. Now, researchers at Arizona State University have created a material that exhibits self-healing properties.

The material may be able to not only sense damage in structural materials, such as cracking in a fibre-reinforced composite, but to even heal it.

The … Read : Researchers create novel, self-healing autonomous material.

Sleep deprivation wipes out memories associated with fear

WASHINGTON – It’s a common conception that sleeping on a problem might drive it away, but a new study suggests that that’s not necessarily true.

An important component of anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is the formulation of memories associated with fear.

Research has also shown that sleep plays a crucial role in the development …. Original source : Sleep deprivation wipes out memories associated with fear.