Science News – Newsletter for December 26, 2010

Smartphones too smart for owners

LONDON – With hundreds of thousands of applications available, smartphones allow users to do anything from checking their bank balance to booking a flight. But 71 percent of owners use them simply to make a call, text or log on to Facebook, a new study shows.

The study by Envirofone, which recycles mobiles, revealed that …. Original article  : Smartphones too smart for owners.

Google’s Nexus S works fine at 60,000 feet: Report

LONDON – Google techies have been taken by pleasant surprise after Nexus S, the new Android smart phone the company launched early December, was found ticking even from the Earth’s outer atmosphere – at 60,000 feet.

The tiny Androids strapped to seven payloads to test the outer limits of Nexus S were carried into the …. Read the original article  : here.

Vaccine for deadly meningitis strain in offing

LONDON – A vaccine against the deadly meningitis B – the strain against which there is currently no defence – may be available next year.

Experts predict it will dramatically cut the risk of children dying from the disease, which kills dozens each year and leaves hundreds with lifelong disabilities.
Bexsero is the first vaccine … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Vaccine for deadly meningitis strain in offing.

Futuristic fridge will automatically order fresh food

LONDON – A ‘fridge of the future’ that tells you what to cook with your left-overs and automatically re-orders fresh food is being designed in Britain.

The self-cleaning ‘fridge of the future’ will automatically place supermarket home delivery orders when required and move food near its use-by date to the front shelves.
Researchers hope the …. Read the original article  : Futuristic fridge will automatically order fresh food.

Sea urchin’s teeth: Key to everlasting sharp tools

LONDON – Scientists have found how sea urchins keep their teeth sharp and believe that the same principle could help make knives which do not need sharpening.

The creatures have self-honing teeth which allow them to chomp through stone, carving out hideaways on rocky shores.
Scientists have learned how the urchins keep their teeth … Read more >>.

Pelvic pain may lead to migraine in women

LONDON – Migraine and chronic pelvic pain, the two most common chronic conditions in women, may be linked, says a new study.

Seven out of 10 women with chronic pelvic pain also have migraine, three times the normal rate.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health in the US investigated the relationship between migraine … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Pelvic pain may lead to migraine in women.

Snow to add to Himachal’s New Year’s Eve festivities

SHIMLA – There is good news for winter revellers. The Met department Sunday predicted that Shimla and other popular hill destinations of Himachal Pradesh are likely to witness mild to moderate spells of snow, adding to the New Year’s Eve festivities.

This has brought cheer to the state’s hospitality industry and the hope that Shimla …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Snow to add to Himachal’s New Year’s Eve festivities.

Holiday spirit stirs up allergies

WASHINGTON – The holidays are supposed to be some of the happiest times of the year. But dust from boxes of stored decorations, fresh trees, scented air fresheners, live plants and more can cause all sorts of allergies.

For allergy sufferers at holiday time, the best gift of all may be relief from respiratory symptoms, an … Original source on Gaea Times at : Holiday spirit stirs up allergies.

Can apps help us keep our New Year’s resolutions?

WASHINGTON – Today there is an app for almost everything, from losing weight to finding a job. Can any of them help us keep our New Year’s resolutions?

Yes and no, says Ananda Mitra, professor of communication at Wake Forest and the author of “Alien Technology” and several other books on digital media. He says an …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Can apps help us keep our New Year’s resolutions?.

Levytator – the moving staircase that can glide round corners!

LONDON – For escalators, it’s no longer just up and down. A newly invented moving staircase, called Levytator, will be able to twist, bend, spiral and even snake around sharp corners.

It consists of curved modules like those used in sushi restaurant conveyor belts, reports the Independent.

Inventor, Jack Levy, professor of mechanical engineering at London’s City …. Source article  : Levytator – the moving staircase that can glide round corners!.

Jairam Ramesh blazed new trail for Indian environment (2010 in Retrospect)

NEW DELHI – A no to Vedanta’s mega mining project, a moratorium on Bt Brinjal, a question mark on steel major Posco’s plans…The Indian environment scene suddenly hotted up in 2010 thanks to green minister Jairam Ramesh who was not afraid to take controversial decisions whenever he thought ecological balance was at stake.

While there …. Source article  : Jairam Ramesh blazed new trail for Indian environment (2010 in Retrospect).

Nearly 25 percent UK kids are obese by age 4

LONDON – Britain is facing a growing weight crisis among primary school children with a quarter already overweight or obese when they start school at the age of four, revealed a report.

And by the time the children leave primary school at the age of 11, more than one in three will be too … Original source on Gaea Times at : Nearly 25 percent UK kids are obese by age 4.

Beijing to go smoke-free by 2015

BEIJING – Authorities are trying hard to make Beijing’s all indoor public places, workplaces and public transport smoke-free by 2015.

Hospitals, schools, theatres, museums, business halls, stadiums, offices of enterprises and government organisations, as well as buses, taxis and subways, should hopefully be smoke-free by then, said Mao Yu, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Health … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Beijing to go smoke-free by 2015.

Enjoy nature on China’s Chengdu-Kunming railway

BEIJING – At 500 meters above the sea-level, China’s Chengdu-Kunming railway meanders through the scenic mountains of the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and offers a spectacular view of the blue rivers downhill, stone and black forests and the 534 A.D. Buddha statues. It’s an experience that you will treasure forever.

The railway traverses against the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Enjoy nature on China’s Chengdu-Kunming railway.

Chronic statin therapy linked to reduced postoperative mortality

WASHINGTON – A new French study has found that statin therapy is associated with reduced postoperative mortality.

It is the first to analyze the impact of preoperative chronic statin therapy on postoperative adverse events in surgical patients.

“Preoperative uses of statins have demonstrated major cardiac and non-cardiac protective effects, including in this study. Since we are now …. Source  : Chronic statin therapy linked to reduced postoperative mortality.

Holidays can be deadly for those who don’t have friends and family

WASHINGTON – Holidays bring happiness to most people, but it is a lonely and depressing time for those who have no company.

At this time of the year, more people indulge in potentially lethal behaviour.

“For those who have no support system, no friends, family, loved ones or even co-workers, the holidays can prove very deadly,” said … Read more >>.

New technology to recycle most challenging Christmas plastic wrapping

WASHINGTON – University of Warwick researchers have developed a new technology that could process 100 percent of Christmas and other household plastic instead of the tiny fraction that currently gets recycled.

Typically only 12 percent of such waste is truly recycled often the rest is often put into landfill or simply burnt as fuel.

The simple process …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Microsoft warns about flaw that makes hacking easier

LONDON – Microsoft has warned about a flaw on the Internet Explorer browser that could allow hackers to take control of unprotected computers.

The bug allows hackers to inject malware onto any system if they manage to trick users into visiting booby-trapped websites. Anyone with Internet Explorer (IE) 6 to 8 is potentially affected.
The … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Microsoft warns about flaw that makes hacking easier.

Shimla’s snow ritual continues, but no sign of snow!

SHIMLA – The British are long gone. But one of their legacies still remains in this hill town even though its relevance has by and large melted away like snow – the Shimla Snow Manual.

The official manual for clearing snow is no longer in force. But the district administration still follows the ritual annually … Original article on : Shimla’s snow ritual continues, but no sign of snow!.

Delhi fogged out, to get colder

NEW DELHI – Dense fog enveloped the national capital Sunday morning and visibility dropped to near zero, making it difficult for drivers. The weatherman said the skies would clear as the day progressed.

“The early morning fog will clear up later in the day,” an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The …. Original source  : Delhi fogged out, to get colder.