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News | Archive (16 December 2008)
Palaeontologists discover new species of prehistoric giants in the Sahara
— 15:26 GMT | Geology and palaeontologyDinosaur hunters on a month-long expedition to the Sahara desert have returned home in time for Christmas with more than they ever dreamed of finding. They have unearthed not one but two possible new species of extinct animals. Their success marks one of the most exciting discoveries to come out of Africa for 50 years. The team have discovered what appears to be a new type of pterosaur and a previously unknown sauropod, a species of giant plant-eating dinosaur. Both would have lived almost one hundred million years ago…
Voriconazole: A highly potent treatment for fungal infections
— 15:26 GMT | HealthThe effectiveness of voriconazole in combating fungal infections has been confirmed by a new study to be featured in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, published by Elsevier. Fungal infections can kill people with weakened immune systems, which can be caused by AIDS, cancer treatment or organ replacement, and the research reinforces earlier findings that this drug is a potent treatment for a wide range of these infections…
Traditional Dutch landscape under threat
— 15:26 GMT | EnvironmentCurrent government policy is failing to protect traditional Dutch landscapes says Dutch researcher Evelien van Rij. Green areas in the Randstad region with cultural historic value will disappear unless specific agricultural policy is developed for them. This will require both considerable investments and sufficient legislation from the Dutch government…
Global challenges and global collaborations - lessons learnt from global change
— 15:26 GMT | EnvironmentGlobal challenges need global solutions. The 2nd ESF Science Policy conference held in Stockholm, Sweden on 26 and 27 November 2008, brought together heads and senior representatives of ESF's 80 Member Organisations in 30 countries, representatives of ESF's international partner organisations and others for a discussion on the big global scientific challenges and how to best collaborate in addressing them. Issues were discussed both on a European and global level and a variety of speakers ranging from science, science policy, politics and the industry contributed to the discussion. 'There is a clear and pressing need for European action and international cooperations' stated Anneli Paul, Deputy Director General, DG Research of the European Commission, in the opening session…
Pigs and dogs can bridge gap between mice and humans in developing new therapies
— 15:26 GMT | HealthHuman and veterinary medicine could receive a big boost through use of larger animals, especially pigs and dogs, in research, with Europe at the forefront. There is the prospect of bringing drugs to the market more quickly at less cost, as well as accelerating progress in other forms of therapy, notably the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine…
Autism and schizophrenia share common origin
— 15:26 GMT | HealthSchizophrenia and autism probably share a common origin, hypothesises Dutch researcher Annemie Ploeger following an extensive literature study. The developmental psychologist demonstrated that both mental diseases have similar physical abnormalities which are formed during the first month of pregnancy…
Diverse landscapes are better: Policymakers urged to think broadly about biofuel crops
— 15:02 GMT | EnvironmentDiversity is valuable socially, economically and now environmentally. Research by Michigan State University scientists has found that growing more corn to produce ethanol - creating less diverse landscapes - reduces the ability of beneficial insects to control pests, a loss valued at about $58 million per year in the four states studied (Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin)…
New maps a boon for Queensland mineral explorers
— 15:02 GMT | TechnologyCSIRO's Minerals Down Under Flagship is working with the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) to provide Queensland's mineral explorers with the benefits of exciting new advances in hyperspectral mineral mapping technologies. Last year, the GSQ released stage one of the Next Generation Mineral Mapping project - a series of over 20 maps covering more than 8000 square kilometres in the Mount Isa region…
Saturn's Enceladus shows more signs of activity
— 15:02 GMT | AstronomyThe closer scientists look at Saturn's small moon Enceladus, the more they find evidence of an active world. The most recent flybys of Enceladus made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have provided new signs of ongoing changes on and around the moon. The latest high-resolution images of Enceladus show signs that the south polar surface changes over time…
Hurricane protection system in New Orleans 'a system in name only'
— 15:02 GMT | TechnologyThe failure of the New Orleans' levees after Hurricane Katrina struck the coastal city in 2005 is now labelled 'the worst engineering disaster of the United States' by a professional organisation that knows - the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)…
A fossil placoderm fish represents the oldest mother ever discovered
Some giant flying reptiles preferred to walk