World’s first cloned, glowing rabbit to reproduce soon
By Xinhua
Shanghai(China) : Chinese scientists are expecting the world's first cloned rabbit will be able to reproduce in three months.
The genetically-modified cloned rabbit, born in a hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University's medical school Sep 14, glows green under a fluoroscope, a result of being injected with special genes. Scientists hope this special trait will be transferred to the rabbit's offspring.
Indian-American scientist on trail of polluters
By IANS,
Washington : Cloaked in the clouds of emissions and exhaust that hang over the city are clues about the polluting culprits.
A University of Houston (UH) research team, headed by Shankar Chellam, is hot on their trail. The case hinges on unique identifiers found in fine particulate matter, a mixture of organic, inorganic or metal material.
This material is given off by natural sources, such as sea spray and grassfires, and manmade sources, such as vehicles and industrial operations, and then suspended in the air.
Precursors of miniaturised machines developed
By IANS
London : The precursors of miniaturised machines are here. Packed with instrumentation, these marble sized probes float freely under water, measure local temperatures to a millionth of a degree, and send the data back wirelessly.
Developed by researchers at the Université de Lyon in France, these mini machines will be released in large numbers to collect data on ocean currents and atmospheric winds, sciencedaily.com reported.
Robots to now learn from experiences
By IANS,
London : Robots, like children, will soon learn best from their own experiences, according to a team of EU scientists working on a new robot platform.
The team behind the EU-funded RobotCub project, which designed the iCub robot, discovered that teaching robots to understand enough to act independently is more difficult than initially believed, ScienceDaily reported.
But the technologies developed on the iCub platform - grasping, locomotion and interaction - are relevant to further advances in the field of industrial service robotics.
China launches Shenzhou-9 with first woman astronaut
By IANS,
Beijing: China launched its Shenzhou-9 spacecraft with the country's first female astronaut aboard Saturday.
Microsoft plans new Windows operating system for mobile devices
By DPA,
San Francisco : Microsoft is working on a new Windows system for mobile devices like tablet computers, according to reports.
Moon, Venus, Mercury to align for Buenos Aires residents
By Xinhua
Buenos Aires : The Moon, Mercury and Venus are going to align at 5:46 a.m. (0746 GMT) Wednesday, which can be spotted with naked eye by residents in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, a local astronomical club announced Monday.
The planet lineup is expected to start at 5:20 a.m. Wednesday when the Moon first ascends, followed by Mercury at 5:34 a.m. and Venus at 5:46 a.m., according to the Astronomy Friends Association.
Clouds mar solar eclipse spectacle in Orissa
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Those who had hoped to witness the century's longest solar eclipse in Orissa were disappointed Wednesday as the sky remained overcast in most parts of the state.
Thousands of people woke up early in the morning and were armed with special glasses to see the phenomenon. However, clouds spoiled the party although there was a partial eclipse in the state.
The solar eclipse was only visible for three minutes at the Pathani Samant Planetarium in Bhubaneswar, where thousands of people gathered to watch the rare sight.
Glaciers melting 100 times faster
By IANS,
London : The world's glaciers are melting up to 100 times faster than any time during the last 350 years.
Russia, France develop new satellite platform
By RIA Novasti
Moscow : Russia's Reshetnev Applied Mechanics Production Association (NPO-PM) and France's Thales Alenia Space are developing a new multifunctional satellite platform, Russian officials said Wednesday.
Thales Alenia Space, a major payload provider for the Russian telecom satellite market, and NPO-PM are closely working on a joint programme to build new multi-mission satellite platform, optimised for a direct injection in the Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO) and High-Elliptical Orbit (HEO) missions.
Truncated Delhi Metro service till 2 p.m.
New Delhi: Due to maintenance work ongoing on a part of a track, Delhi Metro will run single-line train services between the Mandi House...
Dinosaurs survived mass extinction by 700,000 years
By IANS,
Toronto : A fossilised dinosaur bone unearthed in New Mexico shows that dinosaurs survived mass extinction by 700,000 years, according to a new dating method.
US scientists develop substance to absorb carbon dioxide
By Xinhua
Los Angeles : US researchers have developed a substance that can absorb carbon dioxide from smokestacks and tailpipes.
Researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) developed the gas sucker by synthesising a new class of sponge-like crystals that can soak up carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas in industrial emissions, said the study published in the journal Science Friday.
China to broadcast spacewalk live
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China will broadcast live the spacewalk by one of its astronauts aboard the Shenzhou spacecraft now in orbit, according to Wang Zhaoyao, spokesperson of the manned space programme.
The spacewalk, or extra-vehicular activity (EVA), slated for 4.30 p.m. Saturday will last about 30 minutes, he told a press conference here Friday.
One of the three astronauts aboard the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft, Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, will undertake the spacewalk, Wang said.
Microsoft buys into $15 billion Facebook
By DPA
San Francisco : Microsoft beat off a rival bid from Google to invest $240 million in hit social networking site Facebook, in a deal that values the start-up at $15 billion.
Microsoft's $240 million payment gives it just a 1.6 percent stake in the Silicon Valley start-up founded three years ago by Mark Zuckerberg, 23.
He dropped out of Harvard to develop the company and his 20 percent stake now makes him worth a cool $3 billion.
China’s first lunar probe enters moon’s orbit
Beijing, Nov 5 (Xinhua) China's lunar probe Chang'e-1 successfully entered moon's orbit Monday, becoming China's first circumlunar satellite.
Chang'e-1, following the instructions of the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre (BACC), started braking at 11.15 a.m. at a position around 300 km away from the moon and entered the moon's orbit at around 11.37 a.m. after completing the braking, according to the BACC.
Mahindra Racing join hands with Swiss firm
By IANS,
New Delhi: Mahindra Racing will team up with former Grand Prix rider Eskil Suter's company to produce an all new bike for the 2013 Moto3 season.
India discovers 67 animal species, 29 plant species
By Prashant K. Nanda, IANS,
New Delhi : Indian scientists have discovered 67 new animal species, including fishes, spiders and crop eating insects, and 29 plant species, including grass and flower varieties, last year.
"All these discoveries were made in 2007 and they are vital additions to the plant and animal science of India and the world," Ramakrishna, director of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), told IANS Thursday.
Russia launches US telecom satellite
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's Proton-M carrier rocket with US telecom satellite Intelsat-23 blasted off Sunday from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan.
Astronomers banking on new tech to trace ETs
By IANS,
Washington : Astronomers are banking on a promising new technology to trace extra-terrestrials in the same way that one locates "a needle in a haystack".
The Allen Telescope Array (ATA) comprises hundreds of small dishes that combine modern, miniaturised electronics and innovative technologies with computer processing.
It endows researchers with the capability to search for possible signals from advanced civilisations elsewhere in our galaxy - if they are transmitting in this direction.
NASA praises Endeavour mission as global effort
By Xinhua
Beijing : NASA gave credit where credit is due, saying the successful return of the shuttle Endeavour was the culmination of a global effort to bring the International Space Station (ISS) one step closer to completion.
Chinese astronauts test suit for spacewalk mission
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou VII spacecraft Friday finished assembling a spacesuit for tests before carrying out the country's first spacewalk mission.
Two of the three astronauts unpacked the Chinese-made suit inside the orbital module of the spacecraft as the third astronaut waited in the re-entry module.
The spacewalk, or extra-vehicular activity (EVA), slated for 4.30 p.m. Saturday will last about 30 minutes, Wang Zhaoyao, spokesperson of the manned space programme said Friday.
Reliance Communications wins top CDMA operator award
By IANS
New Delhi : Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Communications has been adjudged the world's top mobile service provider based on code division multiple access (CDMA) technology.
The award was conferred upon the company by the CDMA Development Group (CDG), a trade body aimed at fostering worldwide development, implementation and use of CDMA technologies.
ISRO touches milestone in foreign payload launches
By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) : Indian space agency ISRO Monday crossed a new milestone Monday in launching third party satellites by slinging three foreign satellites into orbit, reaching a total of 25 satellite launches.
Digital cameras: dealing with dust in DSLRs
By Jay Dougherty, DPA
Washington : In digital photography, dust is the enemy. It's especially true for owners of interchangeable lens digital cameras (DSLRs), the sales of which are growing faster than for any other type.
When dust gets inside the camera, it ends up on the sensor - the camera's main light-gathering chip - and can show up on your digital photographs as spots. Some of these spots are large, some small, some faint and some dark.
Russia launches Proton-M carrier rocket with military satellite
By Ria Novosti
Moscow : A Russian Proton-M carrier rocket carrying a military satellite has been launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, Russia's space agency (Roskosmos) said on Sunday.
The Proton-M carrier rocket with a Kosmos satellite was launched at 3:16 a.m. Moscow time (00:16 a.m. GMT) on Sunday. The carrier rocket is expected to put the satellite into orbit at 12:17 p.m. Moscow time (09:17 a.m. GMT), Roskosmos said.
Fangs evolving from teeth helped snakes spread worldwide
By IANS,
Sydney : Fangs which had evolved from early teeth enabled snakes to expand across all continents except Antarctica nearly 60 million years ago, according to a new study.
"Understanding the evolution of fangs sheds light on how snakes colonised new environments or adapted to feed on new prey," said Bryan Fry of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology in Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne. Fry worked on the study with a team from the Netherlands, US, Israel and Australia.
Two Europeans, four Russians to go on simulated “Mars mission”
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Two Europeans and four Russians have been selected to participate in an experimental Mars mission simulation, Mars-500, a medical institute spokesman said Monday.
The experiment, which is being run by the Russian Institute of Biological Problems, will sequester the six volunteers in a "Mars Expeditionary Complex" for 520 days beginning late 2008.
Party under a blue moon this new year eve!
By IANS,
New Delhi : Take out some time from new year eve revelry Thursday and look at the sky to catch a glimpse of a rare celestial phenomenon - a blue moon. A partial lunar eclipse will also be observed early Jan 1, 2010.
The full moon on Thursday will be a "blue moon".
A blue moon has nothing to do with the colour of the moon but when two full moons occur within the same month, the second full moon of the month is called a "blue moon", a term used metaphorically to describe the rarity of an event, as in the idiomatic expression -- once in a blue moon.
Computer programmed to read human faces
By IANS,
Sydney: Scientists have programmed computers to read human expressions and to tell whether one is in pain.
"Each facial expression is made up of many different components - a twitch of the mouth here, a widening of the eyes there - some lasting only a fraction of a second," said Simon Lucey of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
"Our computer program looks at these components, matches them against a list drawn up by expert psychologists and decides what expression just flitted across a face," said Lucey, a computer scientist.
Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 hits snags
By DPA,
San Francisco : Despite some initial glowing reviews, Microsoft has been flooded with complaints about its new Internet Explorer 8 and has seen early users downgrade to the previous version, Information Week has reported.
The software giant is hoping that its new browser will help stem a steady flight of surfers to rival products, most notably the open-source Firefox browser.
According to the latest figures, Firefox now controls 22 percent of the browser market compared to 67 percent for Internet Explorer, which once enjoyed more than 90 percent of the market.
Why is the sun’s core cooler than its crust?
By IANS
Washington : Why is our sun's outer crust some 200-300 times hotter than its core? One lot of astrophysicists claimed to have the answer last year. But now another group says the first lot got it all wrong, leaving the paradox unexplained.
The sun's core is about 6,000 degrees Celsius, but its outer layer, the corona, is far hotter. It's a phenomenon that influences solar weather forecasting and the theory behind fusion reactors.
Higher CO2 levels delaying autumn leaf colour change
By IANS
London : Scientists across Europe have been recording a strange phenomenon -- a progressive delay in leaves changing colour and falling in autumn, and an earlier re-greening in spring.
Till now, the phenomenon was ascribed to rising global temperatures or global warming.
But a new study by researchers at Southampton University says the increasing level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is to be blamed for the phenomena, sciencedaily.com reports.
Copenhagen aims to be first carbon neutral capital
By IANS,
Copenhagen : The capital of Denmark has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the world's first carbon-neutral capital by 2025 by bringing its net carbon dioxide emissions down to zero.
The target was announced by the seven mayors of Copenhagen here Tuesday, while they launched the city's new climate plan. The plan has 50 specific initiatives to achieve the city's target of a 20 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2015.
Watching eclipse from 41,000 ft – breathtaking!
By IANS,
New Delhi : "It was a breathtaking experience," said 70-year-old Deepak Bhimani, one of the 35 passengers onboard the special flight to watch the century's longest total solar eclipse from 41,000 feet above the ground.
"It was very exciting and I really have no words to describe it. It was like the Sun was so near to me and we had a very pristine image. We could even see Mercury and Venus as the sky darkened and the whole phenomenon was breathtaking," Bhimani, who was the oldest passenger on the flight, told IANS.
Russian rocket sends Germany spy satellite into orbit
By Xinhua
Moscow : A Russian rocket sent a Germany spy satellite into orbit on Thursday night, Itar-Tass news agency reported.
The Russian carrier rocket Kosmos-3M lifted off from the Plesetsk space center in the north of European part of Russia at 20:15 Moscow Time (1715 GMT), carrying into orbit the Germany spy satellite SAR-Lupe-4.
Lieutenant-Colonel Alexei Zolotukhin, a spokesman for Russia's Space Troops said the satellite is expected to get to the designated orbit at 20:43 Moscow Time.
Singapore plans to create animals with human DNA
By DPA
Singapore : Scientists eager to splice human genes with animal cells are seeking public feedback on the prospect of such controversial research, a news report said Wednesday.
As Singapore moves into performing clinical trials for drugs, research in this field could prove to be a boon for scientists," The Straits Times quoted Lim Pin, chairman of the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC), as saying.
Biometric system to monitor endangered species
By IANS,
Washington : Biologists will now be able to identify and monitor endangered animals without capturing or trapping them.
University of Bristol scientists have devised an intelligent, non-intrusive surveillance system that can be integrated with wildlife habitats and provide detailed and reliable data on endangered species.
The research develops computer vision and human biometrics in order to better understand and conserve endangered species, especially the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus).
Berlin to have electric car ‘filling stations’
By IANS,
New York : German automobile giant Daimler and utility company RWE would launch a network of 500 charging stations for electric cars in Berlin in 2009.
Under the project, called "e-mobility Germany", Daimler and its subsidiary Smart would provide 100 electric cars from its Mercedes Benz and Smart brands, as well as service for the cars while RWE would handle the development, installation and operation of the charging stations, CNET.com reported Tuesday.
Scientists obtain 1st images of asteroid 2007 TU24
By Xinhua
Beijing : Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., have obtained the first images of asteroid 2007 TU24 using high-resolution radar data, media reported Monday.
The data indicate the asteroid is somewhat asymmetrical in shape, with a diameter roughly 250 meters in size.
Beijing : Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., have obtained the first images of asteroid 2007 TU24 using high-resolution radar data, media reported Monday.
The data indicate the asteroid is somewhat asymmetrical in shape, with a diameter roughly 250 meters in size.
‘Nuclear-capable Agni-V to be tested soon’
By IANS,
Chandigarh: India's ambitious 5,000-km range Agni-V nuclear-capable missile will be launched soon, a senior scientist said here Sunday.
Axis Bank deploys Polaris’ software solution
By IANS,
Chennai : Private lender Axis Bank has implemented Polaris Software's solution for trade finance, cards and cheque truncation processes, the city-based banking software company said Monday.
The solution, "Intellect Business Process Studio", will enable Axis Bank to eliminate the paper-based cheque clearing activity, Polaris said in a statement.
Capital cost for Microsoft: court says pay up
By Kanu Sarda, IANS,
New Delhi : It's a capital cost all right! Delhi High Court has asked Microsoft Corporation to shell out Rs.800,000 ($16,000) for choosing to fight four copyright violation cases in the Indian capital even though they originated in other cities.
The order came after the court found that the alleged violations occurred in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Mumbai.
China launching center says it’s getting prepared for Shenzhou VII
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is getting prepared for the Shenzhou VII spacewalk mission scheduled for late September and early October, said director of the center Zhang Yulin.
"Preparations for the mission are in full swing, and we're confident in its success," said Zhang, a deputy to the 11th National People's Congress, in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday.
Stage set for Internet Governance Forum meet in Hyderabad
By IANS,
Hyderabad : The stage is set for the third edition of Internet Governance Forum (IGF), the world's largest Internet congregation formed by the Union Nations Secretary General.
About 1,500 participants from 100 countries will participate in the four-day meet beginning at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) Wednesday.
With the theme 'Internet for all', the conclave will deliberate on key issues like reaching out to the next billion, promoting cyber security and trust, managing critical Internet resources and the Internet of tomorrow.
Soya shake may help reduce fat in postmenopausal women
By IANS
New York : A study by US scientists suggests that a soya based drink a day may help postmenopausal women to reduce fat, particularly the fat that accumulates on the stomach.
Abdominal fat is particularly bad for health. It raises the risk of heart attacks and diabetes. Soya may also help women cut risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, the study suggests.
Chinese people to select country’s 10 best scientists
By IANS,
Beijing : The Chinese public will help select the country's 10 best scientists and technicians in a vote that will show "respect for knowledge and innovation".
Indian space programmes on demand worldwide: ISRO
By Fakir Balaji, IANS
Hyderabad : Indian space programmes for education, healthcare, management of natural resources and weather forecast and disaster management are in great demand the world over due to their domino effect on living standards, a top Indian space agency official said here Thursday.
"Nations across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific are making a beeline to seek our expertise and resources for replicating the success of our space programmes and applications.
420 mn Chinese now use the internet
By IANS,
Beijing : The number of Chinese internet users has reached a staggering 420 million, authorities said.
Website sina.com.cn citing a report published by China Internet Network Information Center (CINIC) reported that 277 million people access the internet via cell phones.
The population of China's internet users climbed to 420 million as of June 2010, 36 million more than at the end of 2009.
China Daily Wednesday reported that broadband was the most popular way to access the internet, instead of a wired connection.
Aim to create positive influence for women within the boundaries of Shari’ah: The Muslimah...
The Muslimah Network is a website dedicated to stories and commentary on Muslim women from an Islamic perspective. Started by the UAE-based writer/graphic designer...
Indian R&D of US giant achieves micro-chip breakthrough
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Indian research arm of global semi-conductor manufacturing leader Texas Instruments has achieved a breakthrough: enhancing the processing and memory power of ultra-low power micro-controllers.
The breakthrough generation of the ultra-low power micro-controllers can aid thousands of applications in fields as diverse as medicine, security, home automation and consumer goods, the company said Monday.
Cloudy sky plays spoilsport in Bihar’s ‘eclipse village’
By IANS,
Taregna (Bihar) : Thousands of people who have gathered in this Bihar village to witness the century's largest total eclipse were disappointed Wednesday as the sun remained hidden under cloudy skies.
The eclipse was to begin at 5:29 a.m just after the sunrise but cloudy skies spoiled the mood of the thousands of people, children and adults, who thronged there to watch the celestial spectacle
However, people are optimistic for a more clear picture when the eclipse will reach its totality at 6:24 a.m.
NASA satellite pins down timer in ‘stellar bomb’
By IANS,
Washington : A NASA satellite helped astronomers pin down the timing mechanism in a ticking “stellar bomb” some 20,000 light years away.
The twin-neutron star, designated as 4U 1636-53, produces between seven and 10 bursts daily, releasing more energy in 10 to 100 seconds than the sun radiates in an entire week.
The astronomers said they were equivalent to 100 hydrogen bombs detonating simultaneously on a city-sized surface.
Galileo International adds podcast to its travel network
By IANS,
Mumbai : Global travel technology solutions leader Galileo International has added a podcast or internet radio to its distribution network.
The introduction of podcast has made Galileo International the first company to implement this medium of electronic communication "in travel technology repertoire".
A company spokesperson said the first message through this medium was shared by International Air Transport Association's (IATA) country director Amitabh Khosla on e-ticketing.
Murthy kicks off Indo-US hackathon at Google
Bangalore: India's IT guru N.R. Narayanan Murthy Friday launched the first Indo-US hackathon, being held simultaneously at the campuses of global search engine Google...
Aksh Optifibre launches IPTV ‘icontrol’ in rural Rajasthan
By IANS,
Jaipur : Optical fibre manufacturer Aksh Optifibre Ltd, in association with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Thursday announced the launch of its IPTV brand 'icontrol' in Kukus of Jaipur district, making it the first IPTV service to be launched in rural India.
Simultaneously, Aksh also announced the commercial launch of icontrol in Jaipur, which will now enable BSNL broadband customers to avail IPTV (internet protocol television) service.
Scientists dispute virtues of ‘black gold’
By IANS,
London : The virtues of biochar -- or “black gold” -- in the soil, which was being touted as a possible carbon sink to counteract global warming, has been disputed by scientists.
A new study suggests that the supposed benefits of biochar (charcoal derived from wood) may be exaggerated. When charcoal was mixed with humus, there was a substantial increase in soil micro-organisms (bacteria and fungi), the study found.
‘A galaxy is like a giant soap bubble’
By IANS,
London : Although little is known about how the universe is structured, latest observations support the theory that large galaxies are clustered together in structures similar to giant soap bubbles, with tinier galaxies sprinkled on the surface of this "soapy" layer.
Scientists innovate hydrogen powered car
By IANS,
London : University of Sunderland scientists have developed a hydrogen-powered car believed to be a step forward in creating a mass-produced green machine.
The team, led by Dirk Kok from the Institute of Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP), in partnership with the Centre for Process Innovation at Wilton, have successfully adapted a Nissan Almera to run on hydrogen so that it only emits water from its exhaust.
The HyPower Nissan Almera was unveiled at the Partners4Automotive 2008 conference on Wednesday at the University campus, reports Eurekalert.
Discovery shuttle carrying seven astronauts enters orbit
By DPA,
Washington : Discovery shuttle blasted off Saturday and reached orbit en route to the International Space Station to deliver the second large piece of a Japanese research laboratory and fix a malfunctioning lavatory.
Doubling speeds to Mach III in mere seconds, after eight and a half minutes the shuttle reached outerspace to continue the trip for seven astronauts on board, all according to plan, said astronaut Doug Wheelock.
Smartphone games a hit in Tokyo
By IANS,
Tokyo: Social networking games installed on smartphones are the rage at a game show in Tokyo.
Human stem cells aid stroke recovery in rats
By IANS
New York : In what is billed as a first, researchers using human embryonic stem cells to generate neural cells in the lab have found that they helped repair stroke related damage to a rat's brain.
The study, by researchers at Stanford University, said it showed the potential for using stem cell therapies in treating strokes in humans.
Findings of the study have been published in the latest issue of PLoS ONE journal.
Abu Dhabi hosts information technology summit
By IANS,
By WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The 6th information and communication technology summit of the Middle East's oil and gas sector opened in Abu Dhabi Tuesday.
Cast away eclipse superstitions, but view safely
By IANS,
New Delhi : As the world looks forwards to the century's longest total solar eclipse Wednesday, there are superstitions galore in India. But science experts have urged people to do away with "false beliefs" and watch the celestial spectacle -- as long as they do so the right way.
"There are several false beliefs prevalent in our society regarding solar eclipse. Some people even lock themselves up in their homes to avoid 'the bad rays' from the eclipse," said Nehru Planetarium director N. Rathnashree.
Some plant species seem to defy climate change: study
By IANS,
London : Some plants defy odds and adapt to changes in patterns of temperature and rainfall, according to what is being described as the longest-running study of the impact of climate change on natural vegetation.
For instance, the study, which has thrown up new insights into the effects of warming on plant ecosystem, found that grasses clinging to steep cliffsides in England have shown an exceptional ability to adapt.
"Contemporary wisdom suggests that climate changes cause plants to move or die," said Jason Fridley of Syracuse University and the study’s co-author.
Now send free SMS to Middle East
By IANS,
Hyderabad: City-based 160by2.com, one of the leading free SMS service providers in the country, has launched a service for its customers to send free text messages to and from the Middle East.
"The first-of-its-kind service is open to all internet users in India and enables free SMS connectivity to mobiles in these countries and vice versa. 160by2 users from the Middle East can also send messages to India and between those countries," said a company release.
Machine to deliver ultra-short flashes of X-ray light
By DPA
Hamburg : An underground machine which can deliver ultra-short flashes of X-ray light and peer into atoms is to be built in this north German city.
Indian-American scientist bags top honours
By IANS,
Washington : Rama Ranganathan, professor of pharmacology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, earned recognition as one of the top rising research stars by The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST).
TAMEST members include the state's Nobel Prize winners - four of whom are active faculty members at UT Southwestern - and the 200-plus Texas members of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences.
Phoenix probe lands successfully on Mars
By DPA,
Washington : NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander landed successfully on the red planet, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory learned late Sunday.
Confirmation of the landing took more than 15 minutes to be transmitted from the robotic probe, due to the time needed for radio signals to reach Earth from Mars.
Earlier in the day, Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona had said that Mars was literally pulling on our spacecraft, and at the same time it was pulling on our emotions.
SMS to know CAT answers within hours of exam
By IANS
Mumbai : Months of fretting after taking the Combined Admission Test (CAT) for admissions to top management institutes may become a thing of the past with the launch of an SMS service that will give the answers within hours of taking the exam.
Space shuttle Discovery blasts off
By DPA,
Washington : Space shuttle Discovery blasted off in a midnight launch on a mission taking it to the International Space Station (ISS).
Discovery lifted off the launching pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida at 11.59 p.m. Friday (0359 GMT Saturday) after days of postponements due to a questionable valve on the shuttle's external fuel tank and poor weather.
Biocon chief unveils radiology training centre
By IANS
Bangalore : Biotechnology firm Biocon's chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw late Tuesday unveiled a radiology training centre at Teleradiology Solutions (TS) facility in India's silicon hub.
Purported to be first-of-its-kind in the country, the centre, christened Rad Gurukul, will train and refine skills of radiologists, technologists and those involved in healthcare IT.
Teleradiology services include interpretation of non-invasive imaging studies, namely CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine studies and digitised X-rays.
PSLV’s success shows India’s proficiency: Chavan
By IANS,
New Delhi : The successful launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), carrying five satellites, is proof of the country's proficiency in space science, Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan said Monday.
Congratulating the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists, Chavan said the launch was "textbook perfect".
"It is the proof of our increasing proficiency in the space science," he said.
China did have clearer skies during Olympics: Satellite imagery
By IANS,
Washington : China did have clearer skies and easier breathing when it shut down factories and banished many cars in a pre-Olympic sprint to clean up Beijing's air.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, researchers have since analysed data from NASA's Aura and Terra satellites that show how key pollutants responded to the Olympic restrictions.
Sunita is like Shah Rukh in Swades, says US official
By IANS
New Delhi : One could not help comparing American-Indian astronaut Sunita Williams with Shah Rukh Khan, who played the role of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineer who came back to India to ignite the minds of people in the Hindi movie "Swades".
The metaphor may sound somewhat remote, but a senior US embassy official Monday drew a comparison between the two stars in a programme where Williams interacted with around 150 school students.
Chandrayaan nudged closer to moon
By IANS,
Bangalore : India's first unmanned lunar mission Chandrayaan-I was nudged closer to the moon late Monday in a second orbit-reduction manoeuvre, a top Indian space official said.
The manoeuvre lasted 866 seconds.
"The spacecraft is at 187 km from the moon (periselene) and 255 km away (aposelene), orbiting elliptically once in every 2 hours and 16 minutes over the polar regions of the lunar planet," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) director S. Satish told IANS.
NASA’s Mars rover Spirit begins new chapter
By IANS,
Washington : After six years of unprecedented exploration, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit will no longer be a fully mobile robot.
NASA has designated the once-roving scientific explorer a stationary science platform after efforts during the past several months to free it from a sand trap were unsuccessful.
The venerable robot's primary task in the next few weeks will be to position itself to combat the severe Martian winter.
Microsoft sues Motorola over Android phones
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: Microsoft Corp has filed a lawsuit against Motorola, saying the smartphone maker had infringed on nine patents in its Android-based devices.
Endeavour astronauts finish final spacewalk
By Xinhua,
Washington : Two US astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour Monday finished the mission's fourth and final spacewalk to work on joints on the solar panels that power the International Space Station (ISS), according to NASA TV.
Mission specialists Steve Bowen and Shane Kimbrough completed the cleaning and lube job on the station's right-side solar array joint and replaced the final bearing of the 12 bearings for the massive gear.
Technology to help crops use saltwater being developed
By IANS,
Sydney : Technology being developed by the University of New South Wales could offer new hope to farmers in drought-hit areas by enabling them to grow crops by using salty groundwater.
Greg Leslie, of University's UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology, is working with the University of Sydney on technology which uses reverse-osmosis membranes to turn previously useless, brackish groundwater into a valuable agricultural resource.
Lunar polar craters likely to be live with electricity
By IANS,
Washington : Polar lunar craters may be live with hundreds of volts of electrical energy, potentially triggered by solar winds blowing over natural obstructions.
Polar lunar craters are of interest because of resources, including water ice, which exist there.
The moon's orientation to the sun keeps the bottoms of polar craters in permanent shadow, allowing temperatures there to plunge below minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit, cold enough to store volatile material like water for billions of years.
Arianespace to soon decide on launching Indian GSAT-15
Chennai: European space agency Arianespace will have its Launch Readiness Review (LRR) this Friday for the November 10 flight of Ariane 5 rocket with...
NASA’s Spitzer detects light of alien ‘Super-Earth’
By IANS,
Washington : NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected light emanating from a "super-Earth" planet beyond our solar system for the first time.
This space engineer has licence to kill
By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Chennai : The name's Krishnamurthy. S. Krishnamurthy. He is 59 and has a dull designation: general manager safety. But he is the only man licensed to kill in midair the rockets of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) without seeking anybody's permission.
The aerospace engineer at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) has used his 'licence' once, in 2006 - destroying ISRO's Geosynchronous Space Launch Vehicle (GSLV F02) that was carrying the 2,168-kg Insat 4C communication satellite.
Asteroids are linked to meteorites striking earth
By IANS,
Sydney : Asteroids in space are linked to meteorites that land on earth, a new discovery claims. Analysis of dust samples from an asteroid known as Itokawa has unspooled these links.
Sony Computer to launch seven Indian games this year
By IANS,
Kolkata : London-based Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) would launch six to seven Indian games this year, a top official said here Monday.
"We will launch games based on Indian contexts, like traditional Indian outdoor and indoor games and another game based on the underworld activities in Mumbai," Atindriya Bose, country-manager - Playstation, part of Sony Computer Entertainment, told IANS.
Scientists create living heart for dead rat
By IANS
New York : Scientists in the US have created an artificial rat heart using the cells of baby rats.
The breakthrough by researchers at the University of Minnesota offers hope that the day is not far when scientists will be able to create human hearts for transplant.
The researchers removed all the cells from a dead rat heart, leaving the valves and outer structure as scaffolding for new heart cells injected from newborn rats.
NASA concludes Mars lander programme
By RIA Novosti,
Washington : US space agency NASA said Tuesday its Phoenix Mars Lander had ceased communications after operating for more than five months on the red planet, and announced the termination of the successful space exploration project.
Launched Aug 4, 2007, Phoenix landed on the Martian surface May 25, 2008. The $420-million mission lasted much longer than the planned three months, and verified the presence of water-ice in the Martian subsurface, among other important scientific findings.
Bangalore declared as ‘nano city’ of India
By IANS,
Bangalore : Vice President Hamid Ansari Saturday declared Bangalore the "nano city of India" after the Karnataka government announced it would take measures to encourage research and development in nanoscience and facilitate development of the nanotechnology industry in the state.
Making the declaration at the second 'Bangalore Nano 2008' conference-cum-exposition here, Ansari said nanotechnology, which was changing the face of industry and economy, would be a transformative force in India in the coming years.
Google to introduce new features for “live” election results
New Delhi : Google said Wednesday it will introduce new features to help provide comprehensive latest news and live update of election results scheduled...
Chandrayaan-I enters lunar orbit
By IANS,
Bangalore : India's first unmanned moon mission Chandrayaan-I was Saturday put into lunar orbit at around 5.15 p.m., scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here.
The spacecraft was successfully put into an elliptical orbit after complex manoeuvres.
"The liquid apogee motor on board the spacecraft was fired for about 805 seconds to put Chandrayaan-1 into an elliptical orbit with 7,500 km aposelene (farthest from moon) and 500 km pericelene (nearest to moon)," ISRO director S. Satish told IANS.
Mars mission delayed two years on conflict of interest
By DPA
Washington : The next NASA mission to Mars has been delayed two years after a conflict of interest was discovered in proposals for the unmanned exploration craft, the US space agency said.
The next mission for the Mars Scout programme has been pushed back to 2013 from 2011, Mars exploration programme director Doug McCuistion told reporters.
NASA gives “go” for space shuttle launch on May 31
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission to the International Space Station is officially scheduled for launch on May 31, NASA announced Monday after the final Flight Readiness Review.
"Preparations are going really well," Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach said, pointing out that Discovery's remarkably smooth processing flow will allow shuttle work crews to take off the Memorial Day holiday.
Astronaut takes a second, closer look at Brahmaputra
By IANS,
Guwahati : US astronaut Mike Fincke Tuesday took a close look here at the river Brahmaputra, which he had viewed from space some months ago.
"I saw the Brahmaputra from space. Today I have seen it with my own eyes. It is indeed a pleasure to be by the side of this great river," Fincke told IANS.
Fincke and his wife Renita, an engineer with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), arrived here to attend a series of functions.
The visit is special for the couple as Renita originally hails from Assam.
Spacewalkers attach European lab to ISS
By Xinhua
Washington : Atlantis shuttle astronauts wrapped up nearly eight hours of spacewalk Monday after successfully attaching Europe's Columbus Laboratory to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
Astronauts Rex Walheim and Stanley Love spent almost eight hours working to help attach the 10-ton Columbus laboratory to the ISS and add a new room to the high-flying outpost.
Washington : Atlantis shuttle astronauts wrapped up nearly eight hours of spacewalk Monday after successfully attaching Europe's Columbus Laboratory to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
Astronauts Rex Walheim and Stanley Love spent almost eight hours working to help attach the 10-ton Columbus laboratory to the ISS and add a new room to the high-flying outpost.
ISRO presents Cartosat-2A images to PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was Monday presented with images of the national capital taken by the recently launched satellites Cartosat-2A and IMS-1.
A group of scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), led by its chairman G. Madhavan Nair, met Manmohan Singh and briefed him about the space programme, a statement of the science and technology ministry said.
Indiegenous combat jet successfully lands at high altitude air base
New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) India's indigenously developed Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) has achieved another milestone by successfully landing at the Leh airbase in Jammu and Kashmir, one of the highest airfields in the world at 10,600 ft, an official said Tuesday.
SPV incorporated for Hyderabad animation, gaming city
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Preparations are on in full swing to set up an Animation and Gaming City near here. The government has incorporated a special purpose vehicle (SPV) - Hyderabad Digital Media City - for this.
The SPV, under a public private partnership model, will have representatives of the government, and animation, gaming, visual effects and digital entertainment sectors.
Officials of the information technology and communication department said a total of 41 animation and gaming companies have shown expression of interest to be part of the SPV.
Technology vital to counter terror: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said the role of technology in supporting India's counter terrorism and internal security efforts was not being given adequate emphasis and there was need for greater investment in security technologies.
Scientists develop method to help regain hearing
By IANS,
Washington : Swiss and South African scientists have outlined a method to potentially overcome hearing defects, even remedying substantial hearing loss.
The method could help restore functional regions of the damaged ear to be able to recognise frequencies originally associated with them.
Existing hearing-aid and cochlear implant technology have only been partially successful in recreating the experience of the fully functioning ear.
Orbiting ISS crew begins space walk mission
By DPA,
Washington : Two crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) began a space walk late Monday to collect science experiments attached to the outside of their orbiting home.
US Commander Mike Fincke and Russian flight engineer Yury Lonchakov used the Pirs airlock to leave the space station and begin a six-hour retrieval mission.
Scientists find strange ring circling dead star
By Xinhua,
Washington : Scientists have found a bizarre ring of material around the magnetic remains of a star that blasted to smithereens, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has said.
The stellar corpse, called SGR 1900+14, belongs to a class of objects known as magnetars.
These are the cores of massive stars that blew up in supernova explosions, but unlike other dead stars, they slowly pulsate with X-rays and have tremendously strong magnetic fields.
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope had spotted the ring.
India to launch maiden mission to moon on April 9 next year
By NNN-APP
New Delhi : India has planned to launch its maiden mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-I on April nine next year.
Media reports said the mission planned by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Hyderabad.
Quoting Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director of Chandrayaan-I, the reports said “a launch windows are available for the next two days in case the launch does not happen on that day.”
How to avoid e-mail threats
Washington, Feb 14 (DPA) Checking your e-mail has become a dangerous business. The number and types of e-mail borne threats that can cause harm to your computer or your privacy are growing.
Sometimes the actual danger imposed by these threats can be over hyped, but you still need to know what could constitute a dangerous e-mail message and how to respond to the threat.
Q: Can I get a virus just by reading an e-mail message?
Cassini to experience close encounter with Saturn
By Xinhua
Los Angeles : The Cassini spacecraft on Wednesday will skirt the edges of Yellowstone-like geysers erupting at the south pole of Enceladus during a flyby that will bring the craft to within 30 miles (about 48 km) of the Saturnian moon, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said Tuesday.
New laser can detect roadside bombs
By IANS,
Washington : Lasers may pick out roadside bombs and help in identifying improvised explosive devices (IEDs), often used by terrorists, new research says.
Astronauts conduct final spacewalk of shuttle Endeavor’s mission
By Xinhua
Washington : Two astronauts of U.S. space shuttle Endeavor's crew stepped out of the International Space Station late Saturday afternoon to do some chores for the orbital outpost, NASA TV reported.
They entered the void of space at 4:34 p.m. EDT (2034 GMT) on Saturday, beginning the fifth and also the final spacewalk of Endeavor's flight mission.
Advance IST by 30 minutes, save Rs.10 bn: scientists
By IANS
New Delhi : A group of scientists have suggested that the Indian Standard Time (IST) be shifted forward by 30 minutes to reduce peak time energy demand and save at least Rs.10 billion per year.
According to a paper prepared by Dilip R. Ahuja, D.P. Sen, both from the National Institute of Advanced Studies, and V.K. Agrawal, Southern Regional Load Despatch Centre, Bangalore, the shift in IST by 30 minutes will help India use more daylight and reduce the peak power demand during evening.
Climate experts put EU case to India on emissions trading
By DPA,
Potsdam (Germany) : Top European Union experts on climate change briefed Indian scientists near Berlin Tuesday on an ambitious programme to "trade" carbon-dioxide emissions round the globe so as to cut the overall pollution level.
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, a leading German scientist who works from Potsdam, argued that India would be a beneficiary for decades on end from a fair scheme, since it could earn income by selling the valuable rights.
NASA regains contact with Mars spacecraft
By SPA,
Los Angeles : NASA's Phoenix Mars spacecraft regained contact with Earth more than a day after falling silent, but its days operating on the red planet are still numbered, mission managers said, according to AP.
Waning sunlight and a dust storm this week drained the lander's power, forcing it to go into safe mode. It failed to respond to two wake-up calls from Earth but sent a
signal late Thursday when the orbiting Odyssey spacecraft passed overhead.
Model to predict volcanic eruptions
By IANS,
Washington : As explosive volcanoes produce tremors at similar frequencies for minutes, days or weeks before they erupt, researchers have developed a way to predict these eruptions.
US astronauts vote from space
By DPA,
Washington : Two NASA astronauts did not let their distance from Earth deter them from voting in the US presidential election Tuesday.
Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff voted from their current home in the International Space Station - 322 km above Earth and orbiting at 28,200 km per hour - and beamed back a message urging others to exercise their franchise.
China’s recoverable moon rover expected in 2017
By Xinhua
Beijing : China will have a recoverable moon rover, which will carry back lunar soil samples, by 2017 if technical research "progresses smoothly," said the chief designer of Chang'e-1, the country's first moon probe, here Tuesday.
China plans to land a probe on the moon in 2013, said Ye Peijian, chief commander and designer of probe's satellite system, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The milestone Chang'e-1 blasted off last October, marking the first step in China's ambitious three-stage moon mission.
VXL Technologies launches safety device for seafarers
By IANS,
Kolkata: To help the seafarers in distress, VXL Technologies has launched a global positioning system (GPS) based search-and-rescue beacon, called Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT), a company official said Thursday.
"By pressing a button of this transmitter, fishermen can save themselves when they are in danger," the company's executive director B.D. Bose told reporters here.
‘No fresh evidence to indicate Bay of Bengal tsunami’
By Avijit Chatterjee, IANS
Kolkata : The Geological Survey of India has allayed fears of a tsunami hitting the Bay of Bengal soon - though the findings of an Australian geologist suggest that a giant undersea earthquake could inundate India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
BSNL to offer 3G service in June in Chennai
By IANS,
Chennai : The state-run telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is setting up the 3G telecom infrastructure here to offer the service by June, a top official said Wednesday.
"We are in the process of installing the 600 base transmitting stations (BTS) for the 3G service. Till now we have installed 25 BTS," M.P. Velusamy, BSNL chief general manager, told reporters here.
Simply put, the 3G service enables the users to see the speaker at the other end and also browse the Internet at high speed.
Atlantis starts home journey
By DPA,
Washington : The US space shuttle Atlantis separated from the International Space Station (ISS) Sunday to prepare for its home journey on the shuttle's last-ever mission before being retired.
The Shuttle with its crew of six astronauts eased away from the ISS at 1522 GMT for the return flight and its scheduled landing in Cape Canaveral, Florida Wednesday.
The shuttle had brought new Russian research equipment and a docking module to the ISS in the ongoing construction of the international station.
Intoto releases security software for SME market
By IANS
Hyderabad : US-based Intoto, a leading provider of security software, Tuesday announced the beta release of IntruPro IPS, an enterprise-class intrusion prevention system.
IBM creates world’s smallest 3D map
By IANS,
Washington : IBM scientists have created a 3D map of the earth so small that 1,000 of them could fit on a single grain of salt.
They accomplished this through a new, breakthrough technique that uses a tiny, silicon tip with a sharp apex -- 100,000 times smaller than a sharpened pencil point -- to create patterns and structures as small as 15 nanometre at greatly reduced cost and complexity.
Andhra Pradesh to launch new web portal
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh is set to launch a new web portal next month that would serve as a single gateway for all information about government departments and orders.
The portal www.ap.gov.in, which is to be launched July 1, will integrate all departments and will have updated information about the government.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who reviewed the performance of the information technology department at a high-level meeting, stressed that the portal should be a unique one.
A computer mouse that can also scan
Thiruvananthapuram : It's a computer mouse that can also do the job of a scanner.
MobScan has built-in technologies that helps to scan as well...
Chandrayaan-2 to take off in 2017
New Delhi : India's second lunar probe, Chandrayaan-2, is planned to be launched in 2017, the parliament was told on Thursday.
"The Chandrayaan-2, India's second...
Scientists finds water ice on asteroid’s surface
By IANS,
Washington : Asteroids may not be the dark, dry, lifeless chunks of rock. According to recent research, there is evidence of water ice and organic material on the asteroid 24 Themis.
The research led by Josh Emery, assistant professor with the earth and planetary sciences department at the University of Tennessee (UT), found evidence that supports the idea that asteroids could be responsible for bringing water and organic material to earth.
China, India set pace in South-South scientific cooperation
By Dinesh Abrol and Purnima Rupal, IANS,
New Delhi : Growing strategic science and technology cooperation between China and India promises a new outlook for the South.
China and India are two of the fastest-growing economies in the world; they face similar opportunities and challenges, and could maximise benefits by sharing research and development (R&D), according to Scidev.Net.
BMW developing cars that ‘sense’ danger to pedestrians
By DPA,
Munich : BMW is refining a car-to-car communication system that offers more pedestrian protection by "sensing" situations and persons that cannot normally be seen by motorists, according to the car maker.
In a typical situation a child could suddenly jump onto the road from between two parked vehicles. In such a case the moving vehicle would communicate with an electronic transponder carried by the child or cyclist for protection.
Scientists pinpoint gene linked to depression
By IANS,
London : Scientists have identified a gene that may be the "primary cause" of depression, thereby enabling the development of new treatments and early diagnosis of the condition.
Iran launches satellite
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Iran has successfully launched an observation satellite, Iranian news network Press TV reported Friday.
Scientists inch closer to synthetic blood
By IANS,
Washington : Scientists have created particles that mimic some key properties of red blood cells, paving the way for the development of synthetic blood.
New Generation Of Cars To Be Launch In India
SILICON VALLEY, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- A global consortium of top students, professors and experts in various engineering fields plan to use the rapidly growing Indian automotive market as a launch pad for a new generation of cars that could revolutionise the international automobile industry.
Vehicle Design Summit, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology initiative, aims to develop a 4-passenger, 200MPGe, high-performance industry-standard car with minimal life cycle costs and wide appeal both in developed and developing countries.
Your mobile phone can also be a credit card
By IANS,
Istanbul : Imagine swiping a mobile phone to pay for all the things that you buy! This has just been made possible by latest technology that allows bank information to be stored in your mobile phones' memory cards.
Global credit card giant Visa has entered a partnership with a Turkish bank to launch this technology, the first of its kind in Europe.
This technology is used to store bank information in memory cards placed in mobile phones and allow them to be waved in front of credit card payment points, Visa Europe, which has collaborated with Turkey's Akbank, said.
World’s largest telescope network activated
By IANS,
Washington : The largest-ever telescope network has been activated. It stretches 11,000 km across North and South America, Europe and Africa, and will simultaneously observe the same objects.
The telescopes are all members of the Express Production Real-time e-VLBI Service (EXPReS) project, and became functional when the Arecibo Observatory of the National Science Foundation in Puerto Rico joined the network June 6, a press release said Tuesday.
Erotic Emails Tricks Computer Users Into Downloading Virus
By Bernama
Los Angeles : Junk e- mails that promise erotic pictures of celebrities are spreading a virus to personal computers, said a Los Angeles-based IT security company.
The e-mails generally have subjects such as "Naked Shakira Clip," "Rihanna Exposed" or other suggestive messages, which lure computer users to click a link, according to Panda Security, a leading provider of IT security solutions, was quoted by China's XINHUA news agency as saying.
Seven nations planning missions to the moon
By IANS
Hyderabad : Seven nations, including India, the US and China, are planning to launch lunar missions in the near future, even as experts have sounded a word of caution about the impact these missions would have on moon's environment.
Japan, Germany, Britain and Italy are the other countries whose delegates made their countries' plans clear at the ongoing 58th Astronautical Congress Wednesday.
Tell how you can stop rape video circulation: SC to IT ministry
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the information technology ministry on how it (ministry) can assist in the reporting...
Obama grants $8 billion to build nuclear reactors
By DPA,
Washington: US President Barack Obama Tuesday announced $8 billion worth of loan guarantees to build the country's first new nuclear reactors in three decades.
The loan will go towards two new nuclear reactors to be built at an existing power plant in Burke, Georgia, and is part of an effort by the Obama administration to ramp up nuclear power generation as a clean alternative to more polluting fossil fuels.
Watch an asteroid eclipse a star over Europe
By IANS,
London : In a rare celestial event over Europe, skywatchers will be able to see an asteroid briefly block out the light from a star as it passes in front of the star Thursday night.
It may be the only asteroid eclipse that will take place this century, observable with the naked eye.
A similar situation like a solar eclipse can happen with asteroids - the sun-orbiting, rocky or metallic objects that are left over from the formation of the solar system.
Finally, images of another solar system captured
By IANS,
Toronto : In one of the biggest breakthroughs in astronomy, Canadian, American and British astronomers have captured the images of another solar system for the first time.
Though more than 200 planets in other solar systems have been detected so far through indirect studies of their gravitational pull on their parent star, astronomers have failed to capture their images till this discovery.
Using powerful telescopes at the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii, the astronomers captured the images of three huge planets orbiting around a sun known as HR8799.
UAE’s first remote sensing satellite ready for launch
By IANS,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) first remote sensing and earth observation satellite is ready for launch later this year.
The Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), in a statement issued here, said DubaiSat 1 was now awaiting its launch later this year onboard a Russian rocket through the Moscow-based International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras.
UAE's first earth observation satellite has been developed by Satellite Technology Research Centre (SatRec) of South Korea with in-depth participation of UAE engineers from the EIAST.
Understanding Vista’s Windows experience index
By DPA
Washington : In the past, it was difficult to measure exactly how fast one computer ran Windows versus another computer. Now, thanks to Windows Vista's new experience index, the guesswork has been taken out of evaluating performance.
Understand the experience index and you'll be ahead of the game when it comes to judging the performance of a new PC or determining how best to upgrade your existing box.
Yahoo! to develop nest-generation products from India lab
By IANS
Bangalore : Leading search engine and news and entertainment portal Yahoo! has set up a laboratory here to develop next-generation products for its global customers and users, a company official said Tuesday.
"As an extension of our research and development (R&D) operations here, Yahoo! India Lab will initially have 100-member team of scientists and engineers. They will work on multiple projects to make the Web more relevant and simple for users and advertisers worldwide," Yahoo! India Research head Prabhakar Raghavan told reporters here.
Google and Microsoft innovations excite
By Andy Goldberg
DPA
San Diego : Some of the fanciest new technology in the world was unveiled this week at the high-powered All Things Digital conference in San Diego.