Science News – Newsletter for February 6, 2011

Computers can intuit for people: Google chief

LONDON – In 50 years, computers will be able to intuit for people, Eric Schmidt, the chief of internet search engine giant Google, predicts.

“There will be a ubiquitous computational capability so amazing that people will assume that it is an assistant. It knows who you are, it knows what you do, it makes suggestions, … Read more »».

Bottle-feeding linked to tooth decay in infants

MELBOURNE -In wake of rising rates of severe tooth decay in infants as young as 12 months, a leading children’s hospital in Australia has urged parents to stop bottle-feeding their babies.

According to Children’s Hospital at Westmead, prolonged feeding with bottles of breast milk and … Original article on : Bottle-feeding linked to tooth decay in infants.

Wind blows 12 times faster than sound in biggest wind tunnel

LONDON – The world’s biggest wind tunnel can generate a windspeed that is 12 times that of sound.

Journalists were offered a glimpse of the 24-metre-girth steel tubes at the National Centre for Aeropsace Research (Onera), where propellers, weighing over a tonne each, power the huge gusts of wind.
Despite their size, the fans [..] Read the original article: here.

Here’s how you can make this Valentine’s Day greener

WASHINGTON – Valentine’s Day is filled with cards, sweets, flowers and gifts, but its celebrations can create unintentional environmental side effects.

However, that doesn’t have to be the case this time, say experts.

“It is possible to have a special, perhaps even more creative and memorable than usual, Valentine’s Day celebration while still being environmentally responsible,” said …. Original article  : Here’s how you can make this Valentine’s Day greener.

Plants ‘can cause a garden variety of pesky skin problems’

WASHINGTON – Dermatologists have come up with preventative tips for gardeners after seeing how common plants can leave their mark on the skin and cause a host of mild to even severe skin reactions.

Dermatologist Julian J. Trevino, MD, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, discussed …. Source  : Plants ‘can cause a garden variety of pesky skin problems’.

Race to reach Antarctica’s buried Lake Vostok ‘nearly over’

WASHINGTON – Russian scientists are on the brink of revealing the secrets of Lake Vostok – they are left with only 20 meters (164 feet) away to hit their goal depth.

Vostok is a sub-glacial lake in Antarctica, hidden some 4,000m (13,000ft) beneath the ice sheet.

Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute has been overseeing the …. Source  : Race to reach Antarctica’s buried Lake Vostok ‘nearly over’.

Giant ray gun to control unruly prisoners in US

WASHINGTON – A giant beam-emitting weapon that triggers a painful burning sensation but apparently causes no tissue damage is being tested here to break up fights between prison inmates.

Officials at the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department are currently testing the weapon.
According to Christian Science Monitor, officials plan to set up the beam-emitting machine, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Hills overlooking Manali get snow again

SHIMLA – Hills overlooking Himachal Pradeshs picturesque tourist resort of Manali saw another spell of snowfall Sunday but the entire state has been experiencing unusually high temperatures.

“The minimum temperature in the state recorded Sunday was four to seven degrees above the average for this time of the year mainly due to partly cloudy skies,” … Read more : Hills overlooking Manali get snow again.

How does brain sniff out a predator?

WASHINGTON – Mice fear the scent of a predator — but how do their brains sniff out that a cat is nearby?

It’s a complex process that starts with the scent being picked up by specific receptors in their noses. But until now it wasn’t clear exactly how these scent signals proceeded from the nose … Original article on : How does brain sniff out a predator?.

Little ants impact environment in big way

LONDON – Little ants impact the environment in a big way, thanks to their role as ‘ecosystem engineers’ and predators, a British study has found.

A University of Exeter study found that ants have two distinct effects on environment. They move soil by building nests and they affect the level of nutrients in the soil … Original article on : Little ants impact environment in big way.

China displays 54 million-year-old rabbit skull

BEIJING – A rabbit skull, believed to be about 54 million years old, has been put on display at a museum here.

The fossil is part of a special exhibition at the Paleozoological Museum to mark the Chinese Lunar Rabbit Year, which is being celebrated across the country.
The miniature skull, which can be seen …. Original source  : China displays 54 million-year-old rabbit skull.

A strong community protects adolescents from risky health behavior

WASHINGTON – It is well known that growing up poor increases a person’s likelihood of health problems as an adult, but a new study shows that being raised in a tight-knit community can help offset this disadvantage of poverty.

The study, led by a Cornell University environmental psychologist, found that poor adolescents who live in communities …. Read the original article  : A strong community protects adolescents from risky health behavior.

Chernobyl birds ‘have 5 percent smaller brains’

LONDON – A team of researchers has discovered that birds living around the site of the Chernobyl nuclear accident have 5 percent smaller brains, an effect directly linked to lingering background radiation.

The finding is based on a study of 550 birds belonging to 48 different species living in the region, reports the BBC.

Brain size was … Read more »».

New contraceptive jab for men gets thumbs up

LONDON – Women may soon be liberated from the burden of family planning, thanks to a contraceptive jab for men, which has proved successful in preventing unplanned pregnancies after tests in Scotland.

With no pregnancies reported in the Scottish arm of the international study in the past year, Edinburgh University researchers hope it could become a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Leisure ‘as important as keeping cholesterol levels in check’

WASHINGTON – When was the last time you had time for yourself doing things you really enjoyed? This is something you probably may not even remember owing to the fast paced life.

However, US researchers have suggested that leisure may be the best medicine for many people – from refreshing the mind and psychological well being … Read more >>>.

Good cops better than bad cops at getting confessions: Study

WASHINGTON – Police officers who use a soft approach are more likely to get a confession from a criminal than those who are rough with the suspects, according to a new research.

To gain a better understanding of why and how criminals admit to their crimes, forensic psychologist Michel St-Yves and lead author Nadine Deslauriers-Varin, both …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Good cops better than bad cops at getting confessions: Study.

Now, ’self-destructing’ SMSs to spell end to late-night drunken rants

LONDON – For anyone who has ever sent a text message in a hurry and then regretted later, here’s some good news: A ’self-destructing’ text message system could spell the end for the leaked sex message, or the embarrassing late-night drunken rant.

The messaging system, TigerText Inc, makes sure that once a text has … Read more : Now, ’self-destructing’ SMSs to spell end to late-night drunken rants.

Tiger, tiger burning bright in Goa’s forests

PANAJI – English poet William Blake’s “tyger” might continue to burn bright if a spark lit by young poets and artists at a poetry camp in Goa – with the animal as its theme – catches on, even as the wilds are threatened by illegal mining.

More than two centuries after Blake immortalised India’s alpha …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Atopic dermatitis is a strong precursor to food allergies

WASHINGTON – Increasing evidence indicates that atopic dermatitis is a precursor to allergic diseases rather than a consequence. And now, dermatologists are advising parents of infants and young children affected by this common skin condition to be aware of the potential for future food allergies.

Atopic dermatitis, one of the most common forms of eczema in …. Original source  : Atopic dermatitis is a strong precursor to food allergies.

Facebook bug that allows personal data access, phishing repaired

WASHINGTON – A Facebook security threat that would allow anyone to access your personal data has been repaired by the company.

The vulnerability was discovered by Rui Wang and Zhou Li. It enabled malicious websites to impersonate legitimate websites, and then obtain the same data access permissions on Facebook that those legitimate websites had received.

The bug …. Original article  : Facebook bug that allows personal data access, phishing repaired.