Science News – Newsletter for December 18, 2010

Living near freeway may be linked to autism

WASHINGTON – A new study by researchers from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) and the UC Davis MIND Institute, has revealed that living near a freeway may be associated with increased risk of autism.

“Children born to mothers living within 309 meters of a freeway …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Living near freeway may be linked to autism.

Now, access your online accounts at the touch of a fingertip

LONDON – It can be a struggle to remember all of the usernames and passwords, especially for people with various online accounts.

But now a student from Southampton University has found a solution – access all your security codes at the touch of a fingertip.

A new system, FingerID, uses fingerprint technology to automatically insert the correct …. Source  : Now, access your online accounts at the touch of a fingertip.

McCullum’s participation against Pakistan in doubt due to injury

WELLINGTON – New Zealand batsman Bredon McCullum’s involvement in the early stages of the Pakistan cricket tour is in jeopardy, as he has still not recovered from the back injury he sustained in India.

McCullum was yesterday ruled out of the remainder of Otago’s HRV Cup programme due to a lingering back injury. That layoff …. Source  : McCullum’s participation against Pakistan in doubt due to injury.

Ion channel responsible for pain discovered

WASHINGTON – Neuroscientists have demonstrated a process that could have a profound therapeutic impact on pain.

According to a study by the researchers from the University at Buffalo, targeting ion channels pharmacologically would offer effective pain relief without generating the side effects of typical painkilling drugs.

“We were able to demonstrate that a certain class of …. Source article  : Ion channel responsible for pain discovered.

Now, a smartphone app that acts like a girlfriend!

WASHINGTON – Feeling lonely, but dating sites sound like too much work? Well, a new smartphone app, called Honey, It’s Me, may be the perfect gift for you.

The app lets a user get video calls from a beautiful virtual girlfriend.

The developers of the app hired a 22-year old South Korean female model named Mina …. Read the original article  : Now, a smartphone app that acts like a girlfriend!.

Winter solstice to coincide with total lunar eclipse

WASHINGTON – This year’s winter solstice will fall on the same day as a total lunar eclipse – Tuesday, Dec. 21.

Early in the morning, a total lunar eclipse will be visible to sky watchers across North America (for observers in western states the eclipse actually begins late in the evening of December 20), Greenland and …. Read the original article  : here.

Now, iPhone app that instantly translates words as you watch

LONDON – Bewildered tourists who are lost in a foreign country don’t have to worry at all – provided they have an iPhone.

An incredible new app has been developed for iPhone users that will instantly translate words viewed through the phone’s camera, reports the Daily Mail.

Known as WordLens, it uses the iPhone’s inbuilt camera [..] Read the original article: here.

Most Chinese unhappy with government websites

BEIJING – Nearly 80 percent Chinese in a survey said they were dissatisfied with government websites as they lacked useful information.

Of the 450,000 people surveyed from June to November, only 15.8 percent were satisfied with the websites, while 78.5 percent were not, said a study by the China Software Testing Centre (CSTC).
The main … Read : Most Chinese unhappy with government websites.

Amritsar shivers at 3 degrees

CHANDIGARH – Most parts of Punjab and Haryana Saturday saw a sharp dip in the mercury and Amritsar was the coldest in the region with a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, a weather official said.

“We have recorded a plunge in the mercury in most parts of Punjab and Haryana. We have predicted …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Amritsar shivers at 3 degrees.

Beetroot juice could help people enjoy more active lives

WASHINGTON – It’s not only athletes who can benefit from beetroot juice’s performance enhancing properties – its physiological effects could help the elderly or people with heart or lung-conditions enjoy more active lives, suggests a new study.

The new study by researchers at the University of Exeter in conjunction with the Peninsula College of Medicine and … Read more >>>.

Chilly morning in Delhi, bright day ahead

NEW DELHI – It was a chilly and misty morning in Delhi Saturday but as the day advanced the skies cleared to give way to a bright day.

The minimum temperature was a notch below the average at 7 degrees Celsius.
“The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 24 degrees Celsius. There … Original source on Gaea Times at : Chilly morning in Delhi, bright day ahead.

Baby twin giraffes born in China zoo

BEIJING – A giraffe at a zoo in northern China has given birth to the country’s first pair of giraffe twins.

The mother, named Bei Bei, delivered the male giraffe twins Thursday at the zoo in Shijiazhuang city, the capital of Hebei province, Xinhua reported.
“The calves, 1.8 and 1.9 meters tall, were able …. Original article  : Baby twin giraffes born in China zoo.

India’s Pallava Bagla gets US science journalism award

WASHINGTON – India’s Pallava Bagla has been awarded the American Geophysical Union (AGU) David Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism for his articles on the impact of climate change on Himalayan glaciers.

Bagla, who is NDTV’s science editor, was presented the award comprising a plaque and a $2,000 stipend at a gala event in …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Chronic pain takes a toll on primary care providers as well as patients

WASHINGTON – A new study has pointed out that chronic pain is takes a toll on primary care providers as well as their patients.

While there are many studies that look at the treatment of chronic pain from the patient’s perspective, there has been little research on those who provide care for chronic pain.

Now, …. Original source  : Chronic pain takes a toll on primary care providers as well as patients.

Tiny 3-D images shed light on origin of Earth’s core

WASHINGTON – Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory scientists’ new method of capturing detailed, three-dimensional images of minute samples of material under extreme pressures is shedding light on the evolution of the Earth’s interior.

Previous results have suggested that the early Earth did not have to be entirely molten to separate into the rocky … Read more : Tiny 3-D images shed light on origin of Earth’s core.

Key info about breast cancer risk can be found in ‘junk’ DNA

WASHINGTON – Scientist have discovered that a new genetic biomarker, which indicates an increased risk for developing breast cancer, can be found in an individual’s “junk” (non-coding) DNA.

Researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech and their colleagues found that longer DNA sequences of a repetitive microsatellite were much more likely to be …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Key info about breast cancer risk can be found in ‘junk’ DNA.

New improved model detects seismic activity more accurately

WASHINGTON – Geologists have taken an important step toward helping the United States government monitor nuclear explosions by improving a 3-dimensional model originally developed at Harvard University.

The improvements make the model more accurate at detecting the location, source and depth of seismic activity.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Rhode Island …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : New improved model detects seismic activity more accurately.

Indian satellite launch vehicle now taller, heavier

CHENNAI – India’s satellite launch vehicle, which is scheduled to blast off Monday with an advanced communication satellite to retire one sent up in 1999 and ensure continuity of telecom, TV and weather services, is now taller by two metres and heavier by four tonnes as compared to its standard configuration.

The Indian Space Research … Original source on Gaea Times at : Indian satellite launch vehicle now taller, heavier.

Coming soon: New taxi-driver software to guide you through jams!

LONDON – Ever marvelled at a taxi-driver”s knowledge of a city”s short cuts? Well, you can now be happy, as soon you would be able to take advantage of that know-how in your own car.

Initial tests of a virtual cab driver have suggested that it …. Read the original article  : Coming soon: New taxi-driver software to guide you through jams!.

Stars forming ‘much more rapidly than previously believed’

WASHINGTON – Astronomers have presented the first conclusive evidence for a dramatic surge in star birth in a newly discovered population of massive galaxies in the early Universe.

Their measurements confirm the idea that stars formed most rapidly about 11 billion years ago, or about three billion …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Stars forming ‘much more rapidly than previously believed’.