— Hogchoker - the new Internet star — A small flatfish living along the coast of North America is the…
— Cancer deaths are projected to double by 2030 — Cancer deaths are projected to double in the next two decades.…
More Boiling point…
— Entangled diamonds vibrate together — Objects big enough for the eye to see have been placed in a weirdly…
— How animals predict earthquakes — Animals may sense chemical changes in groundwater that occur…
— New Icelandic volcano eruption could have global impact — Hundreds of metres under one of Iceland's largest glaciers there…
More Minuscule…
Or subscribe for our Newsletter, a free e-mail publication. It is published practically every day.
News | Archive (8 January 2009)
Half of world's population could face serious food shortages by the end of this century
— 19:00 GMT | EnvironmentThe warming climate is likely to seriously alter crop yields in the tropics and subtropics by the end of this century and, without adaptation, will leave half the world's population facing serious food shortages, according to a new research appearing in the 9 January edition of Science. To compound matters, the population of this belt - from about 35 degrees north latitude to 35 degrees south latitude - is among the poorest on Earth and is growing faster than anywhere else…
'Museum of the spider' exhibition to be opened at NMNHS
— 16:20 GMT | BiologyA temporary exhibition 'Museum of the spider' will be opened at 02:00 PM on 10 January 2009 in the foyer of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, located at 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd…
Hubble finds stars that go 'ballistic'
— 14:22 GMT | AstronomyEven some stars go ballistic, racing through interstellar space like bullets and tearing through clouds of gas. Images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reveal 14 young, runaway stars plowing through regions of dense interstellar gas, creating brilliant arrowhead structures and trailing tails of glowing gas. These arrowheads, or bow shocks, form when the stars' powerful stellar winds, streams of matter flowing from the stars, slam into surrounding dense gas. The phenomenon is similar to that seen when a speeding boat pushes through water on a lake…
Researchers measure elusive repulsive force from quantum fluctuations
— 14:22 GMT | PhysicsResearchers from Harvard University and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have measured, for the first time, a repulsive quantum mechanical force that could be harnessed and tailored for a wide range of new nanotechnology applications…
False light: Reflection from human structures leads creatures into peril
— 14:22 GMT | EnvironmentSmooth, dark buildings, vehicles and even roads can be mistaken by insects and other creatures for water, according to a Michigan State University researcher, creating 'ecological traps' that jeopardise animal populations and fragile ecosystems…
Ahead of the games: Test will catch sports cheats on new endurance drugs
— 14:22 GMT | HealthAvoiding detection just got harder for drug cheats who try to use a particular range of untested, but potentially enhancing, compounds. In the past, tests have been developed once a drug is known to be in circulation. Now a German research team has developed tests for a class of drugs that they believe could be used in the near future…
Researchers estimate number of smoking deaths in China
— 14:22 GMT | HealthA study published this month in The New England Journal of Medicine, 'Mortality Attributable to Smoking in China,' provides an estimate of the number of premature deaths in China in 2005 that were caused by smoking. The study, carried out by a multinational team led by researchers at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, offers additional strong documentation that smoking is a significant risk factor for mortality and disease…
Destroying amyloid proteins with lasers
— 14:22 GMT | HealthResearchers have found that a technique used to visualise amyloid fibres in the laboratory might have the potential to destroy them in the clinic. The technique involves zapping the fluorescently-tagged fibres with a laser, which can inhibit their growth and degrade them. This study, appearing in this week's JBC, may offer a non-drug alternative to treat amyloid-based disorders like Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington diseases…
Conference to learn about sun's bubble in stuff between the stars
— 14:22 GMT | AstronomyThe first report on data from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) satellite, which is measuring the size and shape of the sun's 'bubble' in space, is scheduled to be presented this weekend at a conference in Hawai'i…
Women's access to donated kidneys declines with age, particularly compared with men
— 14:22 GMT | HealthYounger women have equivalent access to kidney transplants compared with their male counterparts, but older women receive transplants much less frequently than older men, according to a study appearing in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results suggest that steps are needed to ensure that women are provided with equal opportunities to receive kidney transplants as they age…
Hubble sees the graceful dance of two galaxies
Researchers race ahead with latest spintronics achievement