Monthly Science News 2016 February

Rare nine crore-year-old coral fossil found in Narmada valley

In a rare discovery, palaeontologists have stumbled upon a nine crore-year-old rare coral fossil similar to that of brain coral in Bagh beds of Narmada valley region.
2016-02-29

NASA invites India to jointly explore Mars, send astronauts

2016-02-28

Asteroid 2013 TX68 may impact Earth in 2017: Nasa

Nasa has dramatically changed its mind about the risks posed by asteroid 2013 TX68, a 100ft-wide rock which is currently heading towards the Earth.
 2016-02-28

India to establish lab to study gravitational waves: Narendra Modi

India has decided to establish a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) where gravitational waves can be studied, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced . In his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat, Modi said Indian scientists were also in the research team that studied gravitational waves.
2016-02-28

Study finds a link between oral bacteria and oesophageal cancer

2016-02-28

The left half - right half divide in human brains is a myth, scientist says

It is a common belief that left and right halves of brains have opposing skill sets. However, Jeffrey Anderson, a leading scientist from the University of Utah, has conducted research to compare how different sides operate and confirmed that the left-right, creative-logic dichotomy is simply a myth.
2016-02-28

The wealthier you are, the more you chase well-being, says survey

A recent survey on womens health across five countries, including India, has confirmed what weve known all along: that wealth and well-being go hand in hand.
2016-02-27

Vision impairment of over 100 million people correctable: Study

Nearly 108 million people in the world are suffering from correctable vision impairment, a global study has estimated. Uncorrected refractive error (URE); nearsightedness, farsightedness, and other focusing problems are correctable, according to the study.
2016-02-27

Why planes dim their lights when landing, according to a pilot

The custom of dimming lights for landing is a security measure which has long perplexed many aeroplane passengers. Many travellers are unclear if its meant to force those on board to put down their books or phones and pay attention, or if the lighting is simply a ploy by airline staff to ensure a dramatic finale when they finally touch down.
2016-02-27

Chinese researchers in South Pole expedition grow vegetables

For the first time, Chinese scientists taking part in a 400-day South Pole research expedition could eat fresh vegetables grown regularly on-site. Wang Zheng, the grower came home last month from Antarctica. It is similar to The Martian, a sci-fi movie, where astronaut goes potatoes on Mars.
2016-02-27

Bacteria overgrowth could be major cause of stunting in children

A study conducted in neighbouring Bangladesh has shown that excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine of children could be the reason for stunted growth.
2016-02-27

British scientists say depleting enzyme hastens aging

British scientists have identified a key enzyme whose activity levels diminishes with age, triggering wrinkles and drooping of skin. Their study, published online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, could pave the way for newer anti-aging therapies.
2016-02-27

New Penn study links moving more with longer life

Every bit of activity counts. People who walk around, wash dishes or sweep the floor are likely to live longer than people who sit at a desk, concluded a new research at the University of Pennsylvania.
2016-02-27

Pollinators no. falls, to hit global food supply

Study Says Crop Production Worth $577Bn Faces Risk
2016-02-26

Ray of hope: Doctors perform 1st uterus transplant in US

Surgeons at the Cleveland Clinic have performed the first uterus transplant in the US, the clinic announced .
2016-02-26

Computer tablets, smartphones can empower people with intellectual disabilities, says research

New research from Concordia University in Montreal shows that digital devices such as tablets and smartphones can go a long way in helping people with intellectual disabilities face up to the stigma of their condition.
2016-02-26

Single human antibody shows promise against Ebola

A single monoclonal antibody isolated from a human survivor of Ebola virus disease completely protects monkeys from the lethal virus, and promises a potential treatment for infected humans, a new research shows. The antibody mAb114 was effective even when given five days after exposure to the virus.
2016-02-26

˜As happy for LIGO as I was for my prediction 45 years ago

Professor CV Vishveshwara, 77, is a quiet man bubbling with potential energy which is only a question away from being converted into kinetic. Physics has kept him active for over five decades now and the announcement made by scientists from the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) project on February 11 has added a new spring to his life.
2016-02-26

Scott Kelly poised to set NASA record for consecutive days in space

, Scott Kelly is to turn over command of the International Space Station to his fellow NASA astronaut Timothy L Kopra and climb into a Russian Soyuz capsule. A few hours later, he will land in Kazakhstan, ending 340 consecutive days in space ” a record for a NASA astronaut.
2016-02-26

Zika virus linked to stillbirth: Study

According to a recent study, Zika virus could lead stillbirth among other physical and neurological disorders. It is the first report to indicate a possible association of congenital Zika virus and damage to tissues outside the central nervous system, said Yale researchers.
2016-02-26

Students ready with satellite to study pollution

D V A Raghava Murthy, who retired last month as the head of earth observation systems, Isro, said the engineering model of SB Sat was undergoing tests and is ready for clearance of the flight model.
2016-02-26

The language you speak does not change how you hear music, study finds

A study on bilingual English and German speakers found that when speaking English, they were more action-orientiated than when speaking German.
2016-02-26

Fast radio bursts: Scientists hint at source of universes most mysterious message

Scientists have found the source of the universes most mysterious message, tracing it to two colliding stars far away from us. Scientists have been hunting for years for the source of fast radio bursts ” strange messages that come to us from deep in the universe. They sometimes last for less than a millisecond, and scientists have been able to learn very little about why they are happening or where they might be coming from.
2016-02-26

Ageing skin may become a thing of the past as scientists hail breakthrough in fight against wrinkles

2016-02-26

A robot that has fun at telemarketers expense

By night, Roger Anderson wages battles against evil telemarketers, tweaking and honing a robot that can talk endlessly to telemarketers, wasting their time so they dont have to waste yours.
2016-02-25

New bio-inspired material to harvest water from thin air

Harvard scientists have designed a new material inspired by organisms such as cacti, pitcher plants and desert beetles that can effectively harvest water from thin air. The research is the first step towards developing a system that can efficiently collect water and guide it to a reservoir, researchers said.
2016-02-25

Using thin avatars in gaming can help you stay fit

Gamers who use thin avatars show increased physical activity compared to those who use obese avatars, a new study has found.
2016-02-25

Moon to eclipse Aldebaran in night sky

The moon will hide star Aldebaran (Rohini Nakshtra) in March in an interesting astronomical phenomenon.The event will take place close to 8pm in India on March 14.
2016-02-25

Has LIGO proved Indian black hole experts 45-yr-old prediction?

LIGOs finding hasnt just proved Einstein right, according to Research Collective Gubbi Labs, whose statement has claimed that the finding of gravitational waves has proved an important concept predicted by Bengaluru-based scientist CV Vishveshwara, a black holes experts.
2016-02-25

Talcum powder and the Big C

This question must have troubled everyone who read the front-page news of an American court asking Johnson & Johnson company to pay $72 million of damages to the family of a woman whose death from ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the company's talc-based baby powder and Shower to Shower for decades.
2016-02-25

National Science Festival to showcase 200 projects on 27th

NES International School Mumbai - IB World School in association with South Asian IB Schools Association (SAIBSA) is hosting the NES National Science Festival, A tribute to Nobel Laureate Sir C.V. Raman on his discovery of Raman Effect since last 5 years
2016-02-25

Huge fireball explodes over Atlantic as meteor strikes

A meteor flew into the atmosphere about 960 km off the coast of Brazil. As it did so, it exploded in the air and unleashed a huge blaze in the Atlantic sky, unleashing the same amount of energy as the first atomic bomb, but nobody was really around to see it.
2016-02-25

Startup puts diagnostic lab on a chip

Bengaluru-based biotech start-up Achira Labs, which boasts of 25 patents for six unique inventions, says has mastered the technique of lab-on-chip with their product -- Acix 100-- which will hit the market mid 2016, while their silk stiprs for diabetes, HIV and other tests is the next in the line scheduled for a year-end launch.
2016-02-25

30 million-year-old rock found during stadium construction

Rock samples of the 'Dukhan rock' about 20 to 30 million years old have been unearthed under one of the stadiums being built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar‹. The project manager said that this is a remarkable find for a stadium construction site, as usually this type of rock is found in deeper tunneling works.
2016-02-25

Dodos were not that dumb, new research finds

The famous extinct bird dodo, popularly thought to be stupid, was actually quite smart, new research shows. Its brain size compared to its body size was on par with pigeons, who are considered to be moderately intelligent, said researchers who analyzed a preserved dodo skull.
2016-02-24

Dodos were not that dumb, new research finds

The famous extinct bird dodo, popularly thought to be stupid, was actually quite smart, new research shows. Its brain size compared to its body size was on par with pigeons, who are considered to be moderately intelligent, said researchers who analyzed a preserved dodo skull.
2016-02-24

Sea sponges were the first animals on Earth, scientists discover

According to researchers at the world-famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sea sponges pre-date the Cambrian explosion, an evolutionary period that began around 540 million years ago, during which a large number of new animals appeared.
2016-02-24

Otzi the icemans vocal tract to be recreated to hear Stone Age vowels

It has been more than 5,000 years since an unfortunate encounter with another stone-age man armed with a bow and arrow saw Otzi the iceman in South Tyrol meet his maker.
2016-02-23

Sea level rising at fastest rate in last 28 centuries

The worsening of tidal flooding in American coastal communities is largely due to greenhouse gases from human activity, and the problem will grow far worse in coming decades, scientists have reported.
2016-02-23

Nasa releases 'Moon music' heard by astronauts

Nasa has made public the recording of the mysterious 'outer-space music' that Apollo 10 mission astronauts heard as their spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon in 1969.
2016-02-23

Shifting tide: Breast cancer is number 1 killer of women

Breast cancer has surpassed cervical cancer as the most common form of cancer In India. Doctors are worried as diagnosis is expensive and challenging. In 2015, the estimated number of cervical cancer patients is 93,000 and for breast cancer the number is 1,34,000.
2016-02-23

Soon, a non-invasive, saliva-based diabetes test

In a matter of months, diabetics may no longer have to suffer a painful prick to test sugar levels. DiabetOmics, a global medical diagnostics company, is developing the worlds first patented non-invasive, saliva-based diabetes monitoring test.
2016-02-23

Take concrete steps to fight antibiotic resistance, turn pledges into action: WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) sought urgent measures to curb antibiotic resistance, warning that if steps were not taken, even common bacterial infections would become untreatable and fatal.
2016-02-23

Peanut had its origin in Bolivia: Icrisat scientist part of groundnut gene sequencing

In a scientific breakthrough that promises accelerated gene discovery and development of improved peanut (also known as groundnut) cultivars, researchers have completed high quality sequencing of the ancestral genomes of the crop.
2016-02-23

Ligo India: Big science project with big benefits

The project of Ligo India will not just help a new generation of physicists, but it will also bring precision engineering to the Indian industry. Prime Minister Modi hints at building a gravitational wave observatory in the country. The Union Cabinet has cleared Rs.1,200 crore for the project.
2016-02-23

This app helps improve workplace nutrition, up productivity

A growing number of companies are offering their employees digital tools to help improve their eating habits in hopes of increasing productivity, reducing sick days and cutting healthcare costs.
2016-02-23

Apollo 10 astronauts heard odd ˜music on far side of moon

Apollo 10 astronauts heard an œeerie and œouter spacey music as they passed around the dark side of the Moon, it has been revealed in an audio, declassified by Nasa.
2016-02-23

Coming, a `smart' window that turns into a TV screen

Imagine a window in your living room that could double as a giant thermostat or a big TV screen. A new glass technology may make it possible.
2016-02-23

You can soon download films on mobiles in 5 sec

On the outskirts of this sleepy commuter town just south o London, plans are underway to build the fastest cellphone network in the world.
2016-02-23

Stanford comes with cheap blood test to detect TB

A blood test devised by Stanford University's researchers could emerge as the easiest and cheapest way to diagnose active tuberculosis, which kills 1.5 million people every year. They have identified a gene expression that distinguishes patients with active tuberculosis from those with either latent tuberculosis or other diseases, said a research paper published online in Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.
2016-02-22

Urological cancers on the rise in India

While oral cancer is the most common cancer among Indian men, experts at an international symposium held in Mumbai over the weekend pointed out that cases of urological cancers too are on the rise in the country.
2016-02-22

A portable device that can detect Ebola

Researchers have developed a low-cost and portable diagnostic device that can be used to detect Ebola infection and many other diseases. The device runs on battery and is completely self-sustained. It operates seamlessly with inexpensive microscopes and provides high levels of accuracy.
2016-02-22

Researchers develop portable device that can detect Ebola, other diseases

Researchers have developed a low-cost and portable diagnostic device that can be used to detect Ebola infection and many other diseases. The device runs on battery and is completely self-sustained. It operates seamlessly with inexpensive microscopes and provides high levels of accuracy.
2016-02-22

Dengue vaccination starts in the Philippines

French vaccine-maker Sanofi Pasteur announced that vaccinations with Dengvaxia-the first vaccine approved for the prevention of dengue-- have commenced in the Philippines.
2016-02-22

Ventilation ˜corridors to tackle Beijing smog

Authorities in Beijing plan to develop a network of ventilation œcorridors to help tackle the citys notorious air pollution, news agency Xinhua reported .
2016-02-21

Exposure to air pollution may up obesity, diabetes risk

Exposure to polluted air may increase the risk of obesity and lead to high cholesterol and more insulin resistance, a precursor of Type 2 diabetes, a new study has warned.
2016-02-21

A black hole in 5D could spell doom for relativity theory

Scientists have shown how a ring-shaped black hole could cause Einsteins general theory of relativity, a foundation of modern physics, to break down ” assuming the universe contains at least five dimensions.
2016-02-21

Shape-shifting nanoparticles to deliver drugs

Scientists have designed a set of shape-shifting nanoparticles attached to strands of DNA that can deliver drugs directly to cancer cells, while minimising side effects such as hair loss and skin damage.
2016-02-21

Diagnosis of liver fibrosis possible through blood test

Now, there is a blood test that can detect liver fibrosis, which is caused due to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, providing an option less invasive than the existing ones.
2016-02-21

Our organs too may have sexual identities

The organs in our body may have a sexual identity of their own, according to new research which may shed light on why some cancers are more common in women, and others in men. The idea that our organs could be "male" or "female" raises the possibility that women and men may need different treatments as a result, researchers said.
2016-02-21

Richard Branson unveils spaceship

Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic venture unveiled a new passenger spacecraft , nearly 16 months after a fatal accident destroyed its sister ship during a test flight over Californias Mojave Desert.
2016-02-20

Stars with longest duration stellar eclipse discovered

An unnamed binary star system, known only by its astronomical catalogue number TYC 2505-672-1, has set a new record. One, for the longest duration stellar eclipse (3.5 years) , which is a near-total eclipse that lasted for three and a half years, along with the longest period between two eclipses, 69 years, in a binary system.
2016-02-20

China hunts for aliens. And scientists

This week, China announced that its relocating 9,110 villagers to make way for a giant telescope that will search for extraterrestrial life.
2016-02-20

How genes may influence ageing decoded

Previous studies have found that blood levels of the hormone GDF11 decrease over time. Restoration of GDF11 reverses cardiovascular ageing in old mice and leads to muscle and brain rejuvenation, Scientists have now discovered that levels of this hormone are determined by genetics.
2016-02-20

Homeopathy found to be effective for 0 out of 68 illnesses

A total of 57 systematic reviews, containing the 176 individual studies, focused on 68 different health conditions - and found there to be no evidence homeopathy was more effective than placebo on any.
2016-02-20

Nasa to simulate growing potatoes on Mars

Do Perus potatoes have the right stuff ? Thats the question scientists will be asking in Lima next month, when a selection of tubers will begin undergoing tests to determine whether theyre fit to grow on Mars.
2016-02-19

Poor diet causes more premature deaths than smoking or drinking

Unhealthy eating has been named as the most common cause of premature death around the globe, new data has revealed.
2016-02-19

Coming: Bat-inspired micro air vehicles

Researchers, led by an Indian-origin scientist, have designed innovative membrane wings inspired by bats, paving the way for a new breed of unmanned micro air vehicles (MAVs) that can fly over long distances and are more economical to run.
2016-02-19

The biggest cause of early death in the world is not smoking or alcohol - it's what you eat

Unhealthy eating has been named as the most common cause of premature death around the globe, new data has revealed.
2016-02-19

Vegetarians are 'less healthy and have a lower quality of life than meat-eaters', scientists say

Vegetarians are less healthy than meat-eaters, a controversial study has concluded, despite drinking less, smoking less and being more physically active than their carnivorous counterparts.
2016-02-19

New Nasa telescope to help unlock secrets of universe

Nasa has started work on a new telescope with a view 100 times bigger than that of Hubble Space Telescope that may help unravel the mysteries of dark matter and advance the search for alien life. The mission is led by Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland.
2016-02-19

Experience of beauty can be measured, says British neurobiologist

AHMEDABAD: Can experience of beauty be measured? 'Yes' was the answer that Professor of Neurobiologist at University College London, UK, Semir Zeki had to this subjective question.
2016-02-18

Myopia may affect half by world by 2050

Blame it on increasing computer use or a genetic disposition, but half the world's population - that is, early 5 billion people -- will be short-sighted (myopic) by 2050.
2016-02-18

Zika virus: Study supports link to microcephaly

In what experts describe as another piece of evidence linking Zika with the risk of birth defects, researchers reported finding the virus in the amniotic fluid of two pregnant women whose foetuses were diagnosed with microcephaly.
2016-02-18

'Bullying could lead to ADHD in childhood, depression in adulthood'

The medical problem of low birth weight could haunt children right up to their adulthood. A new study from Canada says that low birth babies children born prematurely or with low birth weight could develop mental illness as adult if they are bullied.
2016-02-18

On this world, a solar eclipse lasts three and a half years

A team of astronomers discovered an astonishing world, currently called TYC 2505-672-1, which sets a new record for both the longest duration stellar eclipse and the longest period between eclipses in a binary system.
2016-02-18

Take precautions to lower cholesterol with age

With emerging evidence in support of cholesterol, many doctors have started harping on the fact that the fat-like substance is not all evil. Doctors say it is a very important biological molecule and even essential for our body.
2016-02-18

IPR to build world's most powerful gravity-sensing LIGO

The Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar, is going to build the world's most advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory (LIGO-India) to detect gravitational waves.The IPR-built observatory will be the third of its kind in the world.
2016-02-18

India moves to create own LIGO project to study graviational waves

The government gave an œin-principle approval for establishing a state-of-the-art LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) project in the country which will bring unprecedented opportunities for scientists to dig deeper into the realm of gravitation wave.
2016-02-18

Nasa invites ISRO to US for possible collaboration

As American space agency Nasa looks forward to sending astronauts to Mars, it has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for a possible international collaboration.
2016-02-17

New way to turn sunlight into hydrogen developed

Inspired by the way plants convert sunlight into energy, Korean scientists have developed a new type of multi-layered photoelectrode that boosts the ability of solar water-splitting to produce hydrogen.
2016-02-17

Anti-inflammatory properties of green tea can cure rheumatoid arthritis

Good news for all green tea lovers, a new study has found that green tea can help curing debilitating autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis.
2016-02-17

Isro orbiter to scan India's air for pollutants

The Space Applications Centre (SAC) of Isro and Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) of University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies are collaborating on developing the `Next Generation Earth Monitoring and Observation and Aerosol Monitoring' (NEMO-AM) satellite. This is among Isro's most important high-performance nano-satellite missions for the country.
2016-02-17

Socialize after retirement to live long: Study

Joining social groups such as book clubs or church groups after retirement is linked to a longer life, a new study has claimed.
2016-02-16

New microbes that thrive deep inside Earth discovered

Scientists have discovered a group of microbes that live several kilometres under the surface of Earth, need no light or oxygen and can only be seen in a microscope. They were able to determine how these microbes should be classified and what physiologies they use to thrive under extreme conditions.
2016-02-16

Cancer breakthrough: T-cell therapy offers prospect of lasting cure, say scientists

Patients with advanced blood cancers who were not expected to live beyond five months show complete remission after 18 months. Scientists find ways of commandeering the natural killing capacity of T-cells to identify, memorise and attack tumour cells.
2016-02-16

Poisonous flower fossil of potato-tomato family found frozen in amber

NA 20-30 million year old flower, preserved in amber, is the ancestor of everything from the potato to tomatoes, tobacco, petunias and our morning cup of coffee, researchers from Oregon State University and Rutgers University have announced.
2016-02-16

3D 'bioprinters' could soon make organs and human tissue good enough for transplant, researchers say

Human tissue and organs good enough to be used for transplants could soon be made using a custom-designed 3D œbioprinter that would help solve the problem of donor shortages.
2016-02-16

Virtual reality therapy can help fight depression

A virtual reality therapy could help people with depression be less critical and more compassionate towards themselves, reducing depressive symptoms, a new study has found.
2016-02-16

Southeast Asia to see total solar eclipse on March 8

Ever witnessed a total solar eclipse? Here's a chance for all the space lovers. Come March 8, 2016, the moon will cast its shadow on earth as it is all set to pass in front of the sun.
2016-02-15

India is one of the best places for locating another gravitational wave detector: LIGO executive director David Reitze

In his first interaction with any Indian newspaper, physicist and Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Executive Director David Reitze tells TOIs Chethan Kumar that India is the first choice for the expansion of the project and that they are anxious to have a detector here at the earliest.
2016-02-15

Speech disorder can lead to brain disease

Apraxia, a problem with speech programming, can lead to neurodegenerative disease - a condition that affects neurons in the human brain, a study says.
2016-02-15

2116: Underwater cities, downloadable meals and 3D-printed houses just a century away, report claims

Super skyscrapers, underwater cities and 3D-printed homes will all be a reality in 100 years' time, according to a new report on life in the future.
2016-02-15

Learning second language can delay ageing of the brain, say scientists

Learning a second language can boost thinking skills, improve mental agility and delay the ageing of the brain, according to scientists who believe that speaking minority languages should be positively encouraged in schools and universities.
2016-02-15

500-year-old ship is raised from riverbed

A medieval ship has been raised after half a century of resting on a riverbed in the Netherlands.
2016-02-15

Iceberg grounding in Antarctica kills 150,000 penguins

Some 150,000 penguins died after a massive iceberg grounded near their colony in Antarctica, forcing them to make a lengthy trek to find food, scientists say in a newly-published study.
2016-02-15

Chinese scientists achieve temperatures three times hotter than the sun

A nuclear reactor in China has created plasma at a temperature of 50 million Kelvins (49.999 million degrees Celsius or 90 million Fahrenheit) for 102 seconds.
2016-02-14

New computer model to predict right-size heart valves

Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have developed computer simulations to determine if a pulmonary valve will fit an individual's heart, even before the surgery takes place.
2016-02-14

Increasing water on land slowing down rising seas

While ice sheets and glaciers continue to melt, climate change over the past decade has caused Earth's continents to soak up and store an extra 3.2 trillion tons of water in soils, lakes and underground aquifers -- temporarily slowing the rate of sea level rise by about 20 percent, scientists have revealed.
2016-02-13

IVF doctors making impossible possible: Harsh Vardhan

Union minister Harsh Vardhan hailed the role of doctors performing In vitro fertilisation (IVF) saying they were making the impossible possible.
2016-02-13

Prepare for ˜Guerrilla warfare with Zika-carrying mosquitoes, experts warn

Nearly a year after the first cases of Zika were diagnosed in Brazil, the virus, which is suspected to cause birth defects and other neurological problems, is bearing down on American shores. It is already in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. There have been more than 50 cases of Americans infected abroad, and most experts believe that by summer, the continental United States will have some of its own homegrown cases, meaning that domestic mosquitoes will have the virus.
2016-02-13

New-age drugs can prevent strokes

There is evidence to show that popping right dosages of new-age blood thinners can reduce risks of strokes in thousands of Indian patients with irregular heartbeats, said doctors during a discussion at the ongoing heart convention at the India Society of Cardiology in Chennai.
2016-02-12

Experts stop calling out to comet lander as hope fades

European scientists said that they have stopped sending commands to the Philae space probe, which became the first to touch down on a comet more than a year ago.
2016-02-12

Now well listen to the stars, courtesy gravitational waves

The landmark discovery of the first direct evidence of gravitational waves or ripples in space-time, which Albert Einstein predicted a century ago, will enable mankind to listen to the stars, and not just see them, scientists say.
2016-02-12

Coming, shoes that can charge smartphones as you walk

Scientists have developed an innovative energy-harvesting technology that can capture the power of human motion to charge mobile electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops.
2016-02-12

A chip in brain to help paraplegics move prosthetics

Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have developed a smart chip that can be paired with neural implants for efficient wireless transmission of brain signals to help combat Parkinsons disease or allow paraplegic people to move their prosthetic limbs.
2016-02-12

Scientists bid farewell to comet lander Philae

It is time to bid final good bye to the Philae lander, a fridge-sized machine that landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12, 2014, the European Space Agency announced . Philae lander is facing conditions on the comet from which it is unlikely to recover.
2016-02-12

˜Find comes exactly 100 years after Einsteins paper

It's existed since the beginning of time, when the Universe was created by the Big Bang. Humanity has always accepted it as an immutable force. The detection of gravitational waves is a big moment and an overwhelming one, said Sanjeev Dhurandhar, one of the key scientists involved in the announcement made at a US National Science Foundation news conference. I never thought I would see this detection of gravitational waves happen in my lifetime, director of Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Somak Raychaudhury, said .
2016-02-11

Its like a new world opening up for us: Indian scientist

Varun Bhalerao from InterUniversity Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUUCA), who is also a part of the gravitational waves project, has an interesting way of explaining the discovery of gravitational waves to a layman. Think of a person with a hearing impairment.
2016-02-11

Education cuts dementia risk

The risk of developing dementia is decreasing for people with at least a high school education, says a new study that suggests that changes in lifestyle and improvements in physical health can help prevent or delay cognitive decline.
2016-02-11

US hospital to perform 1st HIV+ organ transplants

Johns Hopkins said it was set to perform the first kidney and liver transplants between HIV positive donors and HIV positive patients in the US, a development that advocates said could create a lifesaving pipeline for HIV patients while shortening organ donor waiting lists for all.
2016-02-11

Drones to trace those lost in forests

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence software for drones to autonomously recognise and navigate through complex environments, and help rescue people lost in forests and mountain areas.
2016-02-11

Einstein's century old prediction confirmed; Gravitational wave detection: How binary stars turn into tight pairs of massive black holes

The Advanced LIGO team has announced the direct detection of gravitational waves, a major milestone in the history of science that confirms one of Einsteins predictions and opens a new window into the near and far Universe. The detection of gravitational waves could allow scientists to build something like a time machine to look into the earliest and darkest parts of the universe.
2016-02-11

The world's most sophisticated science machines: LIGO

The machines that gave scientists their first-ever glimpse at gravitational waves are the most advanced detectors ever built for sensing tiny vibrations in the universe.
2016-02-11

Einsteins was right, gravitational waves do exist

In 1915, Albert Einstein had said that Isaac Newton, who had unified Galileo Galileis theory of falling bodies with German astronomer Johannes Keplers laws of planetary motion and published his laws of motion and universal gravitation, was not entirely correct.
2016-02-11

Hundreds of galaxies hidden behind Milky Way discovered

Scientists have discovered hundreds of galaxies just 250 million light years away from Earth that had been hidden from view by our Milky Way. This may help explain the mysterious gravitational anomaly ” "Great Attractor" ” that seems to be pulling hundreds of thousands of other galaxies towards it.
2016-02-11

Auto industry cannot justify diesel plan projecting Europe as their poster boy: CSE

In a dramatic development in December, 2015, a group of 24 scientists from leading scientific institutions in Europe, supported by scientists from the US, issued an open letter to the European policy-makers, expressing strong concern over impact of diesel cars on air quality of Europe, says NGO Centre for Science and Environment.
2016-02-11

Removing sugar from diet for just nine days can have 'dramatic results,' new study claims

The study, published by the journal Obesity, substituted the sugar intake of 43 obese children with starch and claims to have demonstrated sugar is dangerous not because of its calories but because of the strain it places on the bodys metabolism.
2016-02-11

Now, study links Zika virus to eye damage in babies

Infants infected with the Zika virus may be born not only with unusually small heads, but also with eye abnormalities that threaten vision, researchers reported in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.
2016-02-10

WHO lauds Indias mission to deworm 270 million children in a day

World Health Organization congratulated India for launching one of the largest public health campaigns to deworm 270 million people in the age group of one to 19 years, in a single day across the country. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for South-East Asia, confirmed on the same.
2016-02-10

Bacteria can see like human beings

It has taken scientists over 300 years to finally figure out how bacteria "see" their world, and they do it in a remarkably similar way to us.
2016-02-10

Cotton candy inspires tech to produce organs

Taking a cue from cotton candy machines, scientists have developed a 3D artificial capillary system that can keep living cells viable and functional for more than a week, thus paving the way for making life-sized artificial livers, kidneys, bones and other essential organs.
2016-02-09

Global warming likely to extend for next 10,000 years, says study

The damaging climate consequences of carbon emissions will grow and persist for millennia without a dramatic new global energy strategy, a new study has warned.
2016-02-09

Bacteria can 'see' by using their body as lens

A team of British and German researchers claimed to have found that a tiny bacteria can see their world the same way humans see. Bacterial cells act as the equivalent of a microscopic eyeball or the world's oldest and smallest camera eye, the scientists have found.
2016-02-09

Too much or too less: India battles body mass index blues

A staggeringly large number of Indians in 15 states are either overweight or underweight, and suffer from anaemia, according to the latest release of National Family and Health Survey (NFHS 4).
2016-02-08

46 years on, Beatles still boost Liverpool economy

Money, the Beatles sang in 1963, was what they wanted. Now, 53 years later, and 46 years after the group split in 1970, their home town of Liverpool is raking in more and more hard cash on the back of the Fab Four.
2016-02-08

Nasa taps sports balls to decode aerodynamics

Nasascientists, including one of Indianorigin, are studying the aerodynamics involved in sports balls moving through the air in order to learn how to make aircraft more Earth-friendly or help a spacecraft take the most efficient route to Mars.
2016-02-08

X-rays, nanoparticles can kill cancer

Nanoparticles used in combination with X-rays are a viable method for killing cancer cells deep within the living body, a new study has found.
2016-02-08

Found: Cold dust grains in ˜Flying Saucer

An international team has found unexpectedly cold dust grains in a planetforming disc nicknamed the œFlying Saucer, about 400 light years from Earth.
2016-02-08

Sudden cardiac death may soon be a thing of past

Scientists at a US university have developed a possible treatment to prevent hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - a common cause of sudden death in young athletes - using a study conducted by researchers more than 15 years ago.
2016-02-07

Psychiatric disorders genetically linked to diabetes

US scientists have found link between psychiatric disorders and type 2 diabetes. According to them, the "DISC1" gene which plays a role in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, influences function of pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
2016-02-07

New tarantula named after Johnny Cash

Scientists scouring the fields of Folsom, California found a new kind of black tarantula which they have named after Johnny Cash, the American music legend.
2016-02-06

Dinosaur-like features in ancient mammal found

Scientists have discovered that an ancient hoofed mammal had very unusual features similar only to the nasal crests of lambeosaurine hadrosaur dinosaurs, showing a convergent evolution across millions of years between two very distantly related species.
2016-02-06

Nasa craft spots floating hills in Plutos heart

Nasas New Horizons spacecraft has captured images of frozen nitrogen glaciers on Pluto carrying numerous floating hills that may be fragments of water ice, giving an insight into the dwarf planets fascinating and abundant geological activity.
2016-02-05

Michelangelo defied arthritic hands to create masterpieces

Renowned Italian artist Michelangelo likely suffered from arthritis in his later years, but addiction to work may have extended the use of his hands until he died, a new study suggests.
2016-02-04

Fixing worn-out cells ups elixir of youth hope

Elixir-of-youth treatments that slow ageing could be on the horizon after an experiment on mice in which its lifespan was extended by up to 35%.
2016-02-04

Elixir of youth tested successfully on mice

Elixir-of-youth treatments that slow ageing could be on the horizon after an extraordinary experiment in which the lifespan of mice was extended by up to 35 per cent.
2016-02-04

Nasa's Juno to complete its six-year journey to Jupiter

Nasa's Jupiter-bound solar-powered Juno spacecraft has successfully executed a manoeuvre to adjust its flight path, setting the stage for its rendezvous with the solar system's largest planet. Juno was launched in 2011, will arrive at Jupiter in July.
2016-02-04

Mystery of Ice age causing missing CO2 solved

A long standing environmental mystery appears to have been solved “ and it may contain lessons for todays runaway global warming. Scientists have long puzzled over the fact that twenty thousand years ago, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere fell so low that the earth was enveloped in ice, the era now known as the Ice Age.
2016-02-04

The 'five second rule' is real, say Nasa engineers

The five second rule - the urban food myth, ever-justifying your decision to eat a dropped tasty treat “ does exist, according to two Nasa engineers.
2016-02-03

CSIR launches first ayurvedic anti-diabetic drug

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) launched BGR-34 -- the country's first anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug designed for Type-2 diabetes mellitus, which has been scientifically validated for its efficacy and safety.
2016-02-03

Killing cancer cells: Get them addicted to drugs

Scientists in the UK have found a new way to combat cancer by getting tumour cells addicted to drugs that will kill them in minutes.
2016-02-02

Centre to set up a research lab to understand earthquake mechanism in Mahrashtra's Koyna region

The ministry of earth science will set up up a research lab - Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory at Karad in Maharashtra to understand earthquake mechanism in the Koyna region of the state.
2016-02-02

Earth made up of two planets after 'violent collision' with Theia 4.5bn years ago, UCLA scientists find

A planetary embryo called Theia, thought to be around the size of Mars or Earth, collided with Earth 4.5 billion years ago when our planet was just 100 million years old. Scientists also say the event also created the moon.
2016-02-02

Worlds first robot-run farm set to open in Japan

A Japanese firm said it would open the worlds first fully automated farm with robots handling almost every step of the process, from watering seedlings to harvesting crops.
2016-02-01

Scientists give C-section babies healthy germs

Researchers have found a way to give beneficial bacteria to C-section babies. Bacteria in and on the human skin, mouth and gut play a crucial role in digestion, metabolism and immunity. But babies born by caesarean section have different microbes than their peers who travel through the birth canal.
2016-02-01

Graphene in implants may help control robotic arms in amputees

Scientists have developed graphene electrodes that can be implanted in the brain to control robotic arms n amputees or help restore sensory functions in patients with motor disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
2016-02-01

Vaccine for Zika Virus may be years away, disease experts warn

The search is on to develop a vaccine to halt the disease, which could infect as many as 4 million people by the end of the year. But even as a host of companies have announced plans to develop a vaccine, disease experts say it could be years before an effective product makes its way to the public.
2016-01-31
Source: Times of India News