Science News – Newsletter for January 17, 2011

Dying star coughs out dust cloud`

LONDON – Astronomers on the look out for black holes have stumbled on a star that was fading with a whimper rather than a bang.

Astronomers first spotted the supernova in a galaxy, some three billion light years from the Earth, in late August 2007 using NASA’s Spitzer space telescope.
A supernova, the result of …. Source  : Dying star coughs out dust cloud`.

Vitamin E pill seems to ease PMS pain

LONDON – Pre-menstrual syndrome or PMS affects around 75 percent women and up to 40 percent of those say it damages the quality of life.

PMS patients are prescribed simple things from dietary changes to hormones and anti-depressants. But they don’t work for all, and in case of drugs, can have side-effects.
In …. Source article  : Vitamin E pill seems to ease PMS pain.

Friendly bugs to help you shed weight

LONDON – Food scientists have created friendly bugs that can help you shed pounds when added to yogurt.

They found they could alter a gut bacteria to produce a type of molecule that has been shown to reduce levels of fat tissue in the body.
The scientists from the Irish Agriculture and Food … Original article on : Friendly bugs to help you shed weight.

Free milk at schools ‘key to lower bowel cancer’

WELLINGTON – A study has found that those who drank free milk supplied at schools have a reduced risk of bowel cancer.

Associate Professor Brian Cox and Dr Mary Jane Sneyd at Otago University revealed that they found a 30 per cent reduced risk of bowel cancer for those who took part in school milk programmes.

They …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Free milk at schools ‘key to lower bowel cancer’.

Humpty Dumpty-like chromosomes trigger cancer quicker than usual

LONDON – A UK scientist has discovered that a single event can release a chain of hundreds of mutations, and trigger cancers much more quickly than usual.

Peter Campbell at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, spotted that a chromosome had apparently been smashed into hundreds of fragments and stuck back together, Humpty Dumpty-like.

The …. Read the original article  : Humpty Dumpty-like chromosomes trigger cancer quicker than usual.

‘Master switch’ that triggers arthritis identified

LONDON – Scientists at Imperial College London have discovered a protein that triggers rheumatoid arthritis.

They have found a protein called IRF5 that acts as a switch, telling immune system cells, called macrophages, to promote or stop inflammation, reports the Daily Express.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable immune system disease where joints are swollen by inflammation.

The body … Read : ‘Master switch’ that triggers arthritis identified.

Kashmir’s grandpas miss winter’s icicles, storytellers

SRINAGAR – “Snow is all right, but, my dear, where are the icicles?” asked a bewildered Samad Sheikh, 75, who lives in a hamlet here in north Kashmir. Winter has been harsh this season, but the old man has an uncanny feeling that all might not be well with the valley’s environment.

“When it was [..] Read the original article: here.

Deepest secrets of the Marianas Trench revealed

LONDON – Scientists have unveiled the climate secrets of the deepest part of the ocean-the Marianas Trench in the western Pacific Ocean.

An international team of scientists used a submersible, designed to withstand immense pressures, to study the bottom of the 10.9km deep underwater canyon.

The early results have revealed that ocean trenches are acting as carbon …. Source  : Deepest secrets of the Marianas Trench revealed.

Attractive men and women are cleverer: Study

LONDON – UK researchers have found that handsome men and beautiful women tend to be cleverer.

The findings, based on studies in Britain and the US, dispel the myth of the dumb blondes or good-looking men not being very bright.

Instead, it appears that those already physically blessed attract partners who are not just good-looking, but also …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Oz scientists’ defective gene discovery solves colorectal cancer mystery

MELBOURNE – Australian scientists have discovered a ‘defective’ gene that may solve the age old mystery of why some colorectal cancer patients respond very well to radiotherapy but others not at all.

The defective gene was a “double-edged sword” – it seemed to trigger the development of a tumour, but also make these less resistant and … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Oz scientists’ defective gene discovery solves colorectal cancer mystery.

Climate change can have detrimental effect on milk

WASHINGTON – A new research has suggested that wetter, cooler summers can have a detrimental effect on the milk we drink.

Researchers found milk collected during a particularly poor UK summer and the following winter had significantly higher saturated fat content and far less beneficial fatty acids than in a more “normal” year.

“We wanted to check … Read more : Climate change can have detrimental effect on milk.

Soon, a pill that would help women fight ‘monthly blues’

LONDON – Dreadful mood swings and late-night cravings for chocolate in women with pre-menstrual tension may soon become a thing of the past as scientists come a step closer to making a pill that would reduce the symptoms of PMT (pre-menstrual syndrome).

The research found that the capsule, which contains fatty acids, reduced the emotional … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Soon, a pill that would help women fight ‘monthly blues’.

Chilly winds add to bitter cold in Kashmir

SRINAGAR – Chilly winds heightened the cold in Jammu and Kashmir Monday. Kargil town in Ladakh region was the coldest, recording the minimum temperature of 16.8 degrees Celsius below the freezing point under a clear sky.

“The minimum temperature recorded in Leh town was minus 14.4 degrees while it was minus 16.8 degrees in Kargil …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Big breakafast beacons weight loss? Nay, says study

LONDON – Far from ensuring weight loss, a hearty breakfast could be a sure recipe for piling on the pounds, say researchers.

The study, which contradicts the dieting mantra that a big breakfast takes the edge off appetite, found that those who gorge in the morning continue to eat heartily throughout the day.
The … Read more >>>.

Two poachers held with 900 tortoises

LUCKNOW – Two poachers have been arrested with around 900 tortoises in Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, police said Monday.

The two poachers, aged around 30 years, were nabbed Sunday from Ibrahimpur area and sacks full of tortoises seized from their Tata Sumo.
“Of the two men arrested, one is from West Bengal while the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Two poachers held with 900 tortoises.

Himachal gets new feathery guest

KANGRA – The Pong Dam wetlands in the Kangra Valley have got a migratory guest – the pied avocet – a wading bird species that forest officials say has been spotted here for the first time.

“Of course, spotting of pied avocets in Pong is a new record. Eight birds were seen roosting between Guglara … Read more >>>.

Frozen taps, chilling winds hit life in north (Roundup)

NEW DELHI – Frozen taps, more snow and rain Sunday caught the people helpless in the Himalayan hill towns while the continuing snowfall caused chilling winds in the plains, where cities like Delhi shivered despite the sun.

It was a harrowing day for people in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh where the water taps … Read more »»».

Demolish Adarsh building in three months: Jairam Ramesh (Roundup)

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI – The Adarsh housing society scam took a dramatic turn Sunday when Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh ordered the demolition of the building in Mumbai within three months for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations. The society said it would challenge the order in court.

The order concluded that the 31-storey structure at Block 6, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Demolish Adarsh building in three months: Jairam Ramesh (Roundup).

Icy winds chill Delhi

NEW DELHI – The residents of Delhi experienced a very chilly weekend with mild sunshine Sunday. The icy winds that blew throughout the day will continue for the week ahead, according to the weather office.

The maximum temperature Sunday evening was recorded at 18.2 degrees Celsius, three degrees below average for this time of the … Read more »».

Himachal shivers, taps freeze in Shimla

SHIMLA – The cold wave intensified in most parts of shivering Himachal Pradesh Sunday, with Shimla experiencing its coldest night of the season Saturday.

Water in taps in residential areas located in Shimla’s US Club and Jakhu hills remained frozen throughout the day due to the extreme cold.
Snowfall and rain Saturday pulled down the … Read : Himachal shivers, taps freeze in Shimla.