Commercial ships spew half as much pollution as world’s cars
By IANS,
Washington : Commercial ships account for almost half as much particulate pollution as the total amount released by cars, according to a new study.
The study estimate that worldwide, ships emit about a million kilos of particulate pollution each year. Shipping also contributes almost 30 percent of smog-forming nitrogen oxide gases.
Rare turtle travels 7,000 km to breed!
By IANS,
Toronto : How could a contemporary of the great dinosaurs survive to this day?
A rare leatherback turtle, which has existed since the time of the dinosaurs, has been found to be adept at making the longest ocean journey to breed in warmer places.
Fitted with a satellite transmitter by Canadian scientists to track its journey, the turtle - which is the also world's largest turtle growing up to two metres long and weighing up to 500 kilogramme - travelled over 7,000 km to be found on the coast of Colombia in South America.
New technology to detect forged signatures
By IANS
Washington : Think twice if you are about to forge a signature. A newly developed technology will help forensic specialists find out when you signed a cheque, the pen you used, and the origin of the ink.
The technology that is used at present can only trace the ink if a piece of the document is soaked in certain solutions.
Washington : Think twice if you are about to forge a signature. A newly developed technology will help forensic specialists find out when you signed a cheque, the pen you used, and the origin of the ink.
The technology that is used at present can only trace the ink if a piece of the document is soaked in certain solutions.
India, Brazil, South Africa to develop satellites
By NNN-Bernama,
Brasilia : India, Brazil and South Africa on Friday will jointly develop two satellites and forged closer cooperation on global issues like UN reforms, climate change and world trade talks.
This emerged after the fourth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) summit here, according to Press Trust of India (PTI).
The two satellites will be used for studying climate to help agriculture sector in the three countries.
Happy Birthday Google!
By IANS,
New Delhi: Google turned 14 Thursday and celebrated its birthday with a doodle of a rich chocolate cake.
IBSA to take scientific research cooperation to next
By IANS,
Mamallapuram: Taking the trilateral developmental initiative between India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) to the next step, programme coordinators are mulling ways to expand the programme's reach.
Three decades of circling the sky
By IANS,
New Delhi : Thirty-one years back India's first satellite Aryabhatta was launched via Russian space vehicle Intercosmos. Monday India's own rocket created history by placing 10 satellites including eight from other countries in orbit around the earth.
India's space odyssey started in April 1975 as an experiment. Today, it is a multipurpose commercial programme.
Here are the high points of India's space programme:
1975: First Indian satellite Aryabhatta launched on April 19, 1975. It provided technological experience in building and operating a satellite system.
Scientists puzzled over intense swarm of earthquakes
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : An unusually intense swarm of earthquakes has struck beneath a small suburb of Reno in Nevada, leaving residents shaken and scientists puzzling over the cause, the Los Angeles Time said on Thursday.
Totaling more than 1,000 over the last two months, more than 20quakes of magnitude 2 or higher have hit on some days, and the intensity and frequency of the quakes have been increasing rather than following the normal pattern of tailing off, according to the paper.
New technique to compress light opens doors to optical computing
By IANS,
Mountain View (California) : Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have devised a way to squeeze light into tighter spaces than ever thought possible, potentially opening doors to new technology in the fields of optical communications, miniature lasers and optical computers.
15-yr-old Sahil Khan writes his third book on computer science
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: This Delhiite Muslim teenager is very different from millions of boys of his age. Sahil Khan, only 15, has come out with his third book on computer science. His latest book “The Tricks of E. Mail Hacking” was launched today at India Islamic Cultural Centre by its president and renowned Muslim entrepreneur Sirajuddin Qureshi.
With Indian-built satellite, Ariane set for lift-off from Kourou
By Fakir Balaji, IANS,
Bangalore : The countdown has begun for the launch of Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou spaceport in French Guiana, South America, early Sunday, carrying the Indian-built European satellite W2M along with Eutelsat's Hot Bird 9 satellite for broadcasting services, a top space official said here Saturday.
The 3,462-kg W2M was designed and built at the satellite centre of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bangalore at $80 million (Rs.4 billion) for the European satellite operator (Eutelsat) under the ISRO-EADS-Astrium alliance formed in 2006.
Moon has deep core – similar to earth
By IANS,
Washington : The moon possesses an iron-rich core with a solid inner ball nearly 150 miles in radius, which is similar to that of the earth, according to a new study.
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.
Global warming brings tropical birds to Hong Kong
By DPA,
Hong Kong : The sighting of two rarely seen tropical birds in Hong Kong could be due to climate change, bird experts here have said.
The birds - a great frigate and the white-tailed tropic-bird - were both spotted around Po Toi, Hong Kong's southern most island, over the last month.
It was the first time the white-tailed tropic has ever been spotted in Hong Kong and only the fourth sighting of the frigate.
Both birds are usually seen in more tropical climates such as the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Indian device for cancer treatment gets EU certification
By IANS,
Bangalore : Cytotron, a device developed by the city-based medical technology firm Scalene Cybernetics for treatment of cancer and osteoarthritis, has received the European Union (EU) certification from Underwriters Laboratories, a worldwide independent product safety certification organisation.
The Conformity Europa (CE) certificate, a regulatory requirement for compliance, will enable Scalene to sell the 2,400 kilogram medical device to hospitals and institutes in European and other international markets.
Managing Internet Explorer plug-ins
By DPA
Washington : Everyone knows the story: When Internet Explorer (IE) is first installed, it flies. The browser itself opens quickly, and pages load without incident.
But after a while, things start to break down. The browser crashes, freezes, or loads slowly. Sometimes it won't load at all. Typically the blame falls on security holes in IE. But there can be other causes too - plug-ins.
You could ditch IE altogether and move to Mozilla's Firefox, but most Firefox users swear by plug-ins, so there's really no escape from plug-in issues there, either.
Now essence from Ajmer shrine roses
By IANS,
Lucknow: Tonnes of flowers offered at the Ajmer shrine will now be used to make essence from them, thanks to a project undertaken by an institute here.
"Our project would bring into use several tonnes of flowers that are presently being dumped," A.K. Singh, technology and business development head at the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), told IANS.
Futuristic telescope to shed light on ‘Dark Ages’ of space
By DPA
Washington : For astronomers the Dark Ages represent the far-flung corners of the universe about which precious little is known, and which could yet hold the key to how planets were first formed. NASA hopes a "next generation" telescope slated for launch in 2013 will shed light on the question.
Anti-virus software losing effectiveness
By DPA
Hanover : Anti-virus software is increasingly losing ground in the battle to provide reliable protection for PCs.
The Hanover-based c't magazine tested 17 current programmes recently. Each piece of software was tested for recognition of more than a million different pests, including trojans, viruses, worms and bots.
Two products were able to identify more than 99 percent of the malicious intruders. Four other virus scanners caught at least 95 percent and were hence awarded a grade of very good.
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.
Russia could stop tourist flights to space from 2010
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Tourist flights to the International Space Station (ISS) could be stopped from 2010 due to a planned increase in crew numbers on the station, the head of the Russian space agency has said.
"As part of our current programme, space tourist flights to the ISS will continue. But from 2010, difficulties could emerge due to planned increases in ISS crew numbers to between six and nine members," Anatoly Perminov told journalists Friday.
Space tourists started flying to the ISS in 2001.
Chandrayaan’s moon impact photos to be released soon
By Devirupa Mitra, IANS,
New Delhi : It is a set of pictures that is among the most anticipated in India - around 3,200 frames tracking the descent of the first-ever Indian-built device to the moon's surface.
But the Indian public may have to wait for some more time to take a peek at that journey.
The images were taken by the 35-kg Moon Impact Probe (MIP) as it hurtled down for nearly 25 minutes after detaching from India's maiden lunar probe Chandrayaan-I and landed on the lunar surface at 8.31 p.m. Nov 14.
Two new frog species discovered in Panama
By DPA,
Panama City : Scientists have discovered two new frog species in Panama's rainforests at a time when many of the amphibians are threatened by a fungal disease driving them toward extinction.
Pristimantis educatoris was discovered in the Omar Torrijos nature reserve in Cocle province, scientists from the US Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute said Thursday.
The frog is two to four centimeters long, varies from dark purple to dark grey in its colouring, and has red or yellow eyes. Its fingers and toes also end in bulbous disks.
Mouse is everything – from gadget to gaming tool
By DPA
Hanover : They might all look similar, but there are actually significant differences between the kinds of computer mice available.
The price is one of the main variables, ranging from 5 euros ($7) to more than 100 euros ($136).
"You can get something decent for 20 euros ($30)," says Peter Roebke-Doerr, a computer expert with the Hanover-based computer magazine c't.
Conditions supporting life found on Saturn’s moon
By Xinhua
Beijing : Scientists found warmth, water and organic chemicals on Saturn's small moon Enceladus which are the basic ingredients for life, media reported Thursday.
Scientists did not say they had detected any actual evidence of life on this moon where geysers at its south pole continuously shoot watery plumes some nearly thousand km off its icy surface into space.
But they said the building blocks for life are there, and described the plumes as a surprising organic brew sort of like carbonated water with an essence of natural gas.
Android set to overtake iPhone
By DPA,
San Francisco : Phones running Google's Android operating system are selling at the rate of 200,000 a day, according to Google chief executive Eric Schmidt.
Schmidt made the comments at the Techonomy Conference Thursday, in a video of his talk posted on YouTube.
Schmidt said that the success of Android has more than made up for the huge amounts of money the company poured into its development.
"Trust me that revenue is large enough to pay for all of the Android activities and a whole bunch more," he said.
Possible ice volcano found on Saturn moon
By DPA,
Washington : NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spotted what could be an ice volcano on Saturn's moon Titan, scientists said Tuesday.
Scientists rush to southern India to study ‘Ring of Fire’
By Richa Sharma, IANS,
Kochi : It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and scientists from across the globe are thronging southern India to watch the 'Ring of Fire' during the millennium's longest annular solar eclipse Friday. The southern tips of Kerala and Tamil Nadu will offer the best view of the moon obscuring the sun.
Over 1,000 aircraft needed in India by 2028: Airbus, Boeing
By IANS,
Hyderabad: Airbus and Boeing, the two leading aircraft makers in the world, Thursday forecast robust growth of Indian civil aviation, projecting the aircraft demand of over 1,000 by 2028.
Raising India's plane demand forecast for next two decades following signs of recovery, Airbus Industrie projected that the country will require 1,032 aircraft valued at $138 billion while its competitor Boeing put the figure at 1,000 valued at $100 billion.
Airbus said the requirement would be to serve strong demand for passenger air travel and freight, and to replace ageing fleets.
Shenzhou VII ready for final test
By Xinhua,
Beijing : The team that developed Shenzhou VII, China's third manned spacecraft, will begin the final test at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province in a few days.
Zhang Bainan, chief designer of the spacecraft, said on Tuesday that the research and development team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) will leave for Jiuquan early this month.
This, according to insiders, signals the final preparation stage of the country's third manned space mission.
ISRO-built satellite fails after five weeks
By K.S. Jayaraman, IANS,
Bangalore : The very first communications satellite sold by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to the European operator Eutelsat has failed abruptly after five weeks in orbit, in a setback to ISRO which just celebrated the 100th day of its successful moon mission.
"Scientists at ISRO are analyzing the anomaly in the hope of reviving the satellite," ISRO spokesman S. Satish told IANS.
Kerala to host global conference on Raman spectroscopy
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : An international conference on "Perspectives in Vibrational Spectroscopy" will be held here next week, drawing in a galaxy of participating scientists from various countries.
The scientists will be speaking on recent developments in Raman spectroscopy, named after India's physicist Nobel laureate C.V. Raman eight decades back.
Raman spectroscopy is a spectroscopic technique used in condensed matter physics and chemistry to study vibrational, rotational, and other low-frequency modes.
All India Science Conf. concludes in Bhopal with emphasis on promoting traditional scientific knowledge...
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Curtain was drawn on the three-day Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan (All India Science Conference) 2007 with 10-point recommendations that emphasized on promoting traditional scientific knowledge along with modern science and increased community participation for balanced and sustainable development here on Sunday.
Indian American helps design cheaper, better solar cells
By IANS,
Washington : An Indian-American researcher is working with a team of Utah University engineers to design cheaper, lighter and better solar cells.
Dinesh Rakhwal, doctoral student in mechanical engineering, said: "We're coming up with a more efficient way of making germanium wafers for solar cells - to reduce the cost and weight of these solar cells and make them defect-free."
Children can benefit from well-monitored interaction with PCs
By DPA,
Hamburg : Time spent working with computers can have a positive effect on children. Many games demand strategic thinking and skill. Online communities can also help children learn to report on their experiences, reports the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), a German health insurer.
Satyam to remain stand alone entity, says Mahindra
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Tech Mahindra, the new owner of Satyam Computer Services, Monday said the fraud-hit IT major would remain a stand-alone entity in the foreseeable future.
Excited about the prospects of the fraud-hit IT major, the buyer declared that restoring Satyam's financial health will be its priority.
After the first meeting with the government-appointed board, Anand Mahindra, chief of Mahindra Group, said Satyam would remain a stand-alone unit in the foreseeable future and its leadership would continue with marginal changes.
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.
China launches new satellite
By IANS,
Beijing : China successfully launched a new satellite into space Sunday, which will improve television and radio broadcasting signals in the country.
The "SinoSat-6" was launched at 12:14 a.m. from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The Long March 3B rocket took SinoSat-6 into a geostationary transfer orbit 26 minutes after the launch, Xinhua reported.
Mobility and green technology will rule the next decade
By Prasanto K. Roy, IANS,
Technology in the second decade of this millennium will build on the foundation laid in the first 10 years for mobility, cloud computing and green technology that saw the birth of the iconic iPhone, third generation telephony, notebooks, netbooks and the iPod with a camera.
Here's a peek into what's in store:
Earth Hour: lights, camera, but where’s the action?
By Sid Astbury, DPA,
Sydney : It's easy to poke fun at Earth Hour, an Australian initiative now into its third year in which people around the world are asked to switch off their lights for 60 minutes to show their concern about global warming.
The poster boy for this year's switch-off is British business tycoon and space tourism pioneer Richard Branson, a powerboat racer and sponsor of a fuel-hungry Formula One team and an individual with a giant-sized environmental footprint.
NASA moon mission to pave way for humans’ return
By DPA,
Washington : US space agency NASA has said it is ready to send two missions to the moon in a launch next month that will set the course for the resumption of human lunar exploration.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) are to launch aboard a single rocket June 17.
Together they will send data back to NASA to help scientists find the best location for a spacecraft landing to bring humans to the moon.
Man on Moon revolutionised ideas behind vehicles, medicine
By IANS,
Washington : Forty years ago, on July 20, 1969, the United States achieved a historic feat when Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," were Neil Armstrong's prophetic words that opened the pathway for new medical procedures and 'holistic reinvention' of vehicles.
America's race to the moon also launched a generation of scientists. They were inspired by a sense of patriotism and the wonders of space.
Ahmadinejad inaugurates Iran’s first nuclear fuel plant
By DPA,
Isfahan (Iran): Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Thursday inaugurated the country's first nuclear fuel manufacturing plant (FMP) located near this central Iranian city.
The FMP, reportedly based solely on work by Iranian experts, is to provide the Arak 40-megawatt research reactor with fuel, producing nuclear fuel tablets, rods and assemblies for the plant, which is to be launched within the next two or three years.
Iran says that with the launch of the FMP, it has de-facto mastered the final stage of the nuclear fuel production process.
Astronomers discover new planet in constellation Leo
By Xinhua
London : British and Spanish scientists have discovered a possible terrestrial-type planet orbiting a star in the constellation of Leo, science news weibsite Alpha Galileo reported on Wednesday.
A team of astronomers from the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) working with Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, a visiting astrophysicist at University College London (UCL), made the discovery from model predictions of a new exoplanet (extrasolar planet) orbiting a star in the constellation of Leo.
Airport scanner can damage diabetes device
By IANS,,
Washington : Full-body scanners used at airports can damage the insulin pump or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device used by diabetics, caution experts.
India schedules auction of third generation telecom spectrum
By IANS,
New Delhi : India Wednesday announced the schedule for auctioning radio frequency spectrum to private players for third generation (3G) telephony, with the process due to begin Thursday by issuing a general notice to interested players.
The schedule calls for the process to end April 10. The government also said auction for spectrum for broadband services will also be held two days after the process concludes for 3G spectrum.
Exhibition on train to inspire science among youth
By IANS
Chennai : A unique exhibition on board a train will travel to 57 destinations across India to encourage youths into the world of science.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will officially flag off the Science Express here Oct 30.
The journey covering 57 destinations in 200 days, "will enthral everyone into the world of science," said T. Ramasai, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST).
The exhibition is a joint initiative of DST and a chemical firm BASF.
India successfully tests own cryogenic rocket engine
By IANS,
Bangalore : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted a test of its indigenous cryogenic (supercooled fuel) engine to be used in the next geosynchronous launch vehicle (GSLV-D3) mission, the space agency said here Saturday.
"The flight acceptance hot test of the Cryogenic engine was carried out at the liquid propulsion systems centre at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu Thursday. This engine will be used in the next GSLV launch in April 2009 for carrying the 2.3-tonne geo-stationary experimental satellite (GSAT)," ISRO said in a statement.
Scientists identify gene that influences alcohol consumption
By Xinhua
Washington : A variant of a gene involved in communication among brain cells has a direct influence on alcohol consumption in mice, according to a new study by US scientists.
If approved in human beings, the finding may lead to new opportunities for developing drugs to treat alcohol dependence.
Known as Grm7, the gene encodes a receptor subtype that inhibits the release of glutamate and other neurotransmitter molecules that brain cells use to communicate with one another.
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.
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.
Cargo ship to undock from ISS, serve as technical platform
By RIA Novosti,
Russia's unmanned Progress spacecraft, due to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on June 30, will be used as a technical space platform before being dumped in the Pacific, mission control said Monday.
"The undocking is planned for 22:30 Moscow time, June 30. The operation will be carried out automatically," mission control spokesman Valery Lyndin said. "As for when the freighter will be buried, a decision has yet to be made."
Google Play store hits 25 bn downloads
By IANS,
San Francisco: Google announced Wednesday that its online store for media and applications Google Play has hit 25 billion downloads.
China criticised for serving dog meat to astronauts
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A Hong Kong-based animal welfare charity Thursday criticised China's space programme for serving dog meat to its astronauts.
Yang Liwei, China's first man in space, revealed in his recent autobiography that dog meat was included in the special diet for astronauts preparing for missions.
The Hong Kong-based charity Animals Asia Thursday hit out at the revelation by Yang, who made history when he orbited earth in the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft in October 2003.
375 million-year-old fossil of ‘mother fish’ discovered
By IANS,
Sydney : A Museum Victoria team announced its latest and the most remarkable find Thursday -- a 375 million-year-old fossil of placoderm fish with intact embryo and mineralised umbilical cord.
The fossil, one of the most significant discoveries ever made by scientists, also happens to be that of the world's oldest known vertebrate mother.
It provides the earliest evidence of vertebrate sexual reproduction, wherein the males (possessing clasping organs similar to modern sharks and rays) internally fertilised females.
3 orbiters being moved into position to watch Mars mission
By Xinhua
Los Angeles : Three satellites from Earth orbiting Mars are getting moved into position to watch the mission of NASA's latest Mars lander which will descend on the red planet in May, local media reported Saturday.
The Phoenix lander, the first robotic spacecraft in the Mars Scout program, was launched on Aug. 4, 2007, and is scheduled to land in the icy northern polar region of Mars on May 25, 2008.
New satellite being developed for rural net connectivity: ISRO
By NNN-PTI,
Bangalore, India : India is developing an "unconventional" satellite which would focus on providing internet connectivity to the rural masses and render timely advice on various aspects of agriculture.
It's a fast-track spacecraft for rural connectivity, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, G Madhavan Nair told PTI here.
"You know, if you take the country, even today more than 30,000 villages don't have proper connectivity. (With) Conventional type of satellites, we cannot meet that requirement", he said.
Intel, Micron develop new high speed flash memory chips
By Xinhua
Beijing : Intel and Micron Technology have developed technology for a high-speed solid-state drive that's five times faster than current products used in consumer and professional devices, like notebooks and digital cameras, media reported Saturday.
The NAND flash memory chips developed jointly by the two companies can reach speeds of up to 200 MB per second for reading data and 100 MB per second for writing data. Current memory chips have maximum read-write speeds of 40 MB and 20 MB, respectively.
India to have 3rd largest number of internet users by 2013
By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : The number of internet users worldwide is expected to touch 2.2 billion by 2013 and India is projected to have the third largest online population during the same time, says a report.
"The number of people online around the world will grow more than 45 per cent to 2.2 billion users by 2013 and Asia will continue to be the biggest Internet growth engine.
"... India will be the third largest internet user base by 2013 with China and the US taking the first two spots, respectively," technology and market research firm Forrester Research said in a report.
Yahoo profit plunges, layoffs announced
By DPA,
San Francisco : Troubled internet giant Yahoo saw quarterly profits plunge 64 percent and announced Tuesday that it would cut 10 percent of its estimated 14,300 staff to help control costs.
The internet pioneer reported net income of $54 million, or 4 cents a share, compared to $151 million, or 11 cents a share, in the same period last year.
The company said revenue rose slightly to $1.78 billion compared to $1.76 billion in the year-ago quarter. The results were in line with analysts' expectations, while the layoffs had also been widely reported in recent days.
iPhone debuts big in BlackBerry country
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Apple's iPhone 3G debuted in the country of BlackBerry Friday with an unprecedented response.
In cities across Canada, people started making lines at stores as early as 2 a.m. to lap up the magic wireless device. Rogers Communications, the exclusive carrier of iPhone in Canada, had a tough time controlling the crowds as supplies sold out quickly at its stores.
In fact, at its flagship store in downtown Toronto, the iPhone was sold out immediately after it opened at 8 a.m.
Google prevails in legal battle in Australia
By IANS/EFE,
Sydney: Australia's High Court ruled in favour of Google Inc Wednesday in a case over the search-engine giant's responsibility for deceptive advertising in sponsored links.
Three rules ‘must’ for optimising technology use for progress
By IANS,
Washington : Use of technology can be optimised for ensuring social progress if policy makers are clear about how to apply it and know what to expect from their efforts.
Daniel Sarewitz of Arizona State University (ASU) and Richard Nelson of Columbia University described three rules that can help technology and science policy makers become smarter about where to apply technological fixes and what to expect as a result.
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.
Dell buys software firm Gale Technologies
By IANS,
San Francisco: Computer maker Dell has announced that it has acquired Gale Technologies, a provider of infrastructure automation software.
Ghazal festival to be live-streamed online
Mumbai : The annual ‘Khazana - A Festival of Ghazals’ concert, which will bring together renowned ghazal artists like Pankaj Udhas and Rekha Bhardwaj,...
Software can sense ‘depression’ in blogs
By IANS,
London: Researchers have developed a software programme that can detect depression in blogs and online texts. The software is capable of identifying language that can indicate a writer's psychological state, which could serve as a screening tool.
Developed by a team headed by Yair Neuman, associate professor of education at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev, Israel, the software was used to scan more than 300,000 english language blogs posted on mental health websites.
NASA’s next generation rocket makes booming debut
By DPA,
Washington : A giant next generation space rocket Wednesday shot off its launchpad at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in the US for its very first test flight.
The 100-metre tall Ares I-X rocket sped into the sky over the Florida coast trailing a plume of flames and steam in a trial that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) hoped would provide crucial information about technology that is to replace the ageing space shuttle fleet.
‘N-submarines with missiles offer best second-strike chance’
By IANS,
Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu): Nuclear-powered submarines with capacity to launch ballistic missiles offer the best second-strike capability for a nation, an Indian naval officer said here Sunday.
"It is the only system that offers safe second-strike capability. The normal range of submarine-launched ballistic missiles will be 8,000 km. Compared to land-based missile launch pads, submarines are difficult to detect," Rear Admiral Michael Moraes, Flag Officer (submarines), told reporters at Kalpakkam, around 45 km from Chennai.
Apple’s iPhone 3G – what’s different
By Saurabh Yadav, IANS,
New Delhi : After the much-awaited launch of Apple's 3G iPhone Friday and announcements by Vodafone and Airtel regarding its introduction in India in September, the Indian customer is waiting eagerly for what is currently the world's most wanted gizmo. So what does Apple's new baby have that its peers don't?
An important thing about the iPhone is that it stands out in comparison with other smartphones not for what it does, but how it does it.
India test-fires new medium-range missile
By IANS,
Balasore/New Delhi : India Wednesday successfully test-fired a new nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile, that can also be launched from an attack-proof underground silo and is meant to give the Indian Army a credible second-strike capability, an official said.
"The test was successful," an official of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that has developed the missile, told IANS.
5,000 pounds of scientific cargo on way to ISS
Washington : NASA late Sunday sent a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft skyward laden with 5,000 pounds of scientific equipment and supplies destined for use by...
Ancient mass migration of men from Africa populated world
By IANS,
Washington : Modern humans quit Africa over 60,000 years ago in a migration that many believe populated the earth.
Now, researchers have revealed that men and women weren't equal partners in that exodus. By tracing variations in the X chromosome and in the non-sex chromosomes, they found evidence that men probably outnumbered women in that migration.
Proposals sought for studying India-French satellite data
By IANS,
Chennai : The Indian and French space agencies have sought research proposals on data to be generated from a payload on a satellite to be launched next year.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency have called for research proposals on the data to be generated from AltiKA, a payload in Satellite with ARgos and AltiKa (SARAL).
Arctic methane may trigger abrupt climate change
By IANS,
Washington : An abrupt release of methane from ice sheets 635 million years ago triggered a spell of global warming, says a study that contends something similar is just waiting to happen.
Researchers believe the greenhouse gas was released gradually and then abruptly from clathrates - methane ice that forms beneath polar ice sheets. The release had resulted in a series of cataclysmic events and ended the last Ice Age.
Why ‘7’ could be Microsoft’s lucky number
By Hitesh Raj Bhagat,
Microsoft Thursday launched the next version of Windows, dubbed Windows 7. The problem is: a majority of current Windows users still use XP, which is getting to be nine years old now.
After the launch of Windows Vista, people had no option but to buy PCs pre-loaded with Vista. Some paid extra to "downgrade" to Windows XP.
The main issues with Vista? Widespread reports of sluggishness, frequent hangs and crashes, and incompatibility with certain software and hardware. Vista was basically a troublesome experience.
Wireless sensor EcoNet to monitor environment
By IANS,
Toronto : A wireless sensor network under development will not only collect data from remote environmental locations but also help monitor them anywhere in the world.
A University of Alberta research team recently launched EcoNet, a functional model of a wireless sensor network (WSN) for environmental monitoring in the display house at the University's Agriculture/Forestry Centre.
Endeavour astronauts complete third spacewalk
By RIA Novosti
Washington : US space shuttle Endeavour astronauts have completed their third spacewalk, preparing a new robot designed for the maintenance of the International Space Station for activation, NASA said Tuesday.
Mission specialists Rick Linnehan and Robert Behnken outfitted the Canadian-built Dextre robot with tools for its work. The two-armed robot, assembled during the previous two spacewalks, is the final element in the station's Mobile Servicing System.
New ceramic can reduce cooking time, save energy: Indian-American expert
By IANS,
Washington : New ceramic microwave dishes would cut down cooking time, use less energy and also help in organic waste remediation, according to Sridhar Komarneni, an Indian-American minerologist.
Remediation is a process to reduce, isolate, or remove contamination from an environment.
World leaders condemn North Korean rocket launch
By DPA,
Washington : The US Sunday led the international condemnation of North Korea's controversial rocket launch with President Barack Obama calling it a "provocative act".
"North Korea's development and proliferation of ballistic missile technology pose a threat to the north-east Asian region and to international peace and security," Obama said in a statement issued from Prague, where he is to attend a US-European Union Summit.
Newly discovered light sensors communicate directly with brain
By IANS,
Washington : Neuro-scientists have unravelled how newly discovered light sensors in the eye detect light and communicate with the brain.
These light sensors are a small number of nerve cells in the retina that contain melanopsin molecules.
Unlike conventional light-sensing cells in the retina-rods and cones, melanopsin-containing cells are not used for seeing images.
Instead, they monitor light levels to adjust the body's clock and control constriction of the pupils in the eye, among other functions.
Iran builds new space centre
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran is building a new space centre to launch satellites, Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said Sunday.
IBM’s Lx86 allows Linux applications run on Unix servers
By Xinhua
Beijing : The "Lx86" capability, to be included in IBM's PowerVM virtualization software, allows x86-based Linux applications to run on IBM's System p and Power-based Unix systems without modification, media reported Thursday.
"The capability will simplify the consolidation of Unix and Linux server sprawls," said Scott Handy, vice president of marketing and strategy for IBM Power Systems. "Running Linux applications in the Unix environment can reduce the cost of server consolidation and energy consumption and increase asset utilization."
Text of India’s agreement with IAEA
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
FOR THE APPLICATION OF SAFEGUARDS TO CIVILIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES
download the pdf version of the text.
RECOGNIZING the significance India attaches to civilian nuclear energy as an
efficient, clean and sustainable energy source for meeting global energy demand, in particular for meeting India's growing energy needs;
WHEREAS India is committed to the full development of its national three-stage
Haryana launches e-tendering for its projects
By IANS
Chandigarh : The Haryana government Thursday launched an e-tendering facility for its projects.
The process has initially been launched in the public works department (PWD) as a pilot project.
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda launched the facility for the prime minister's rural roads project involving 15 tenders worth Rs.2.66 billion.
Hooda announced that e-tendering will be started in other government departments shortly.
Glaciers in southern Alps shrinking at alarming rate
By IANS,
Sydney : Glaciers in the southern Alps have lost 2.2 billion tonnes of permanent ice in a year since April 2007, the fourth highest annual loss since monitoring began.
For the past 32 years, the New Zealand based National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has been surveying 50 glaciers in the southern Alps, using a small fixed wing aircraft, to record the height of the snow line at the end of summer
Research team to explore hydrothermal vent in deep seas
By IANS,
Washington : A research team has embarked on deep sea exploration to study hydrothermal vents.
The team, which will be conducting research on scalding heat, high pressure, toxic chemicals and total darkness, is part of the National Science Foundation-funded "Extreme 2008: A Deep-Sea Adventure."
The scientists are being joined by students from around the world who have signed up for an exciting virtual field trip.
More than 20,000 students from 350 schools in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Great Britain and New Zealand are participating.
China launches two satellites
By IANS,
Beijing : China Wednesday launched two satellites to carry out experiments in space, Xinhua reported.
UN to turn off lights for Earth Hour Saturday
By IANS,
New York: The UN will observe Earth Hour Saturday in its facilities across the world to show its commitment to action on climate change, WAM news agency reported.
Earth Hour, promoted by WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature), the global conservation organisation, has asked people and organisations to turn off the lights for one hour Saturday night (March 27) between 8.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. in whatever time zone they may be located.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called Earth Hour "both a warning and a beacon of hope".
Iran pledges support for Iraq in fight against terrorism
Tehran: Tehran will continue supporting Baghdad in its fight against terrorism as Iraq's security was intertwined with that of Iran, President Hassan Rouhani has...
Astronauts end spacewalk early
By DPA
Washington : NASA ended a spacewalk earlier than planned as a precaution after an astronaut's glove was damaged.
US astronaut Rick Mastracchio noticed damage to the outer layer of his spacesuit's glove during a routine equipment check and NASA rules required him to return to the International Space Station around 19.00 GMT Wednesday.
Despite the interruption, Mastracchio and Clay Anderson were able to complete most of the spacewalk's planned tasks.
Bodhi tree branch cut three years ago: report
By IANS
Patna : A scientific report has vindicated allegations by Buddhists that one of their most sacred religious symbols -- the Bodhi tree at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya -- had a branch cut off three years ago.
The Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI), in its detailed report submitted to the Bihar government, said a branch of the sacred Bodhi tree was cut three years ago.
"The report has proved that a branch of the Bodhi tree was cut three years ago instead of last year as claimed," home secretary Afzal Amanullah said Friday.
21,000 respond to teen’s party invite on Facebook
By IANS,
London : A teenager in Britain set up a Facebook group for his birthday party, but was left stunned when 21,000 people confirmed themselves as guests.
Mercury is latest and deadlier threat to environment
By IANS,
Washington : As if global warming was not alarming in itself, add one more sinister threat to the list -- mercury pollution.
It has already spurred public health officials to advise eating less fish, but it could become a more pressing concern in a warmer world.
Sue Natali, postdoctoral associate in botany at the University of Florida in a paper she co-authored compared mercury levels in soils under trees growing in air enriched with carbon dioxide to soil beneath trees in ambient air.
Kerala’s first Active Web GIS Service launched
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : The state-run Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K) Saturday launched Kerala's first Active Web Geographical Information System (GIS) service in public domain.
The GIS has been developed using Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) technology.
"The main objective of Active Web GIS is to make the dynamic geographical information available in a simplified, open Web interface," said IIITM-K Director K.R. Srivathsan, announcing the launch at the concluding session of three-day Free Map Workshop here.
Office 2010: Did Microsoft get it right?
By Jay Dougherty, DPA,
Washington : Will Office 2010 rescue Microsoft's ubiquitous productivity suite in the same way that Windows 7 resuscitated the reputation of Windows?
That's the billion-dollar question. And this week, with the official unveiling of Office 2010, answers begin to emerge.
Boasting a host of collaborative features, interface improvements, and seamless integration with the new, free Office 2010 Web Apps, Office 2010 is Microsoft's best attempt to redress the complaints that users had about Office 2007 while not throwing out the 2007 experiment entirely.
Space age prosthetic leg helps conquer world record
London, Oct 27 (IANS) German athlete Wojtek Czyz set a new world record at the Beijing Paralympics 2008, leaping an amazing 6.50 metres, beating the existing record by 27 cm.
He achieved the amazing feat with the help of space-technology enhanced prosthetic leg. In 2004, European Space Agency's (ESA) 'technology transfer programme' (TTP) broker MST Aerospace met Czyz and his trainer to perform a pre-screening of the most crucial elements of the prosthesis used by Czyz.
Wipro projects $905 million from IT services in Q3
By IANS
Bangalore : Wipro Ltd has projected $905 million (Rs.39.97 billion) from its global IT services and products business for the third quarter (Oct-Dec) of this fiscal (FY 2008).
In a notification to the stock exchanges here Friday, the IT bellwether said the robust guidance was based on the flagship IT division's performance in the second quarter (July-Sept) of this fiscal, which at $797 million was $20 million more than the projected $777 million.
India test-fires Akash missile twice
Bhubaneswar: India Saturday successfully test-fired its Akash surface-to-air missile twice from a defence base in Odisha, an official said.
The indigenously-developed missile, with a 27-km...
Biogas – from your kitchen, in your backyard
By V. Vijayalakshmi, IANS
Pune : Think twice before you dump that banana peel or spinach stem into the bin. That and more waste from your kitchen can be converted into biogas to supplement your energy needs -- that too in your own backyard.
Anand Karve, director of the Pune-based Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI), tells you how.
US carbon-dioxide emissions dropped 7 percent in 2009
By DPA,
Washington : US emissions of carbon dioxide tumbled seven percent in 2009, government figures have showed, marking the largest one-year decline in the heat-trapping gas blamed for global warming since records began in 1949.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) Wednesday attributed the sharp fall to a drop in energy use as the United States battled through its worst recession in decades, coupled with a smaller 2.3-percent drop in the "carbon intensity" of energy sources.
Milkweed plant evolves new defences to outwit caterpillars
By IANS,
Washington : Some plants are discarding elaborate defences against predatory caterpillars and evolving more favourable stratagems to ensure survival, according to a study.
The latest example is the milkweed plant, which, according to genetic analysis, instead of resisting predators, is now putting greater efforts into repairing themselves faster than their foe monarch butterfly caterpillar can eat them.
40 years after Aryabhata: Nothing too far for India
By Venkatachari Jagannathan,
Chennai : India's first satellite - Aryabhata - was launched successfully by a Russian rocket on an April day 40 years ago,...
Two die as people swarm river banks during eclipse
By IANS,
Varanasi : Two people died and four were injured when thousands swarmed the banks of the Ganga here Wednesday morning to take a dip in the holy water, believed to be further blessed by the total solar eclipse.
"One person drowned and the other got crushed in a stampede. The names of the dead are yet to be determined," said P.C. Meena, deputy inspector general of police (DIG).
Just like the Ganga was overwhelmed with people, the Saryu river in Ayodhya also attracted a crowd on this rare occasion.
Manmohan watches as 100th Indian space mission blasts off
By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Seaweed could help meet energy needs: Study
By IANS,
Washington : The humble seaweed holds the potential of not only countering climate change but also providing bio-fuels to tackle the growing energy crisis, according to a new study.
The large-scale cultivation of biofuels on land has serious environmental costs, including deforestation, water use and greenhouse gases - these are costs avoided by seaweed cultivation, reports Scidev.Net.
Intel developing devices that tap energy from environment
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : Computer chipmaker Intel is developing tiny devices that can tap the energy from the surrounding environment, a US newspaper reported Saturday.
The devices include chip-size sensors that monitor air quality while riding piggyback on street-sweepers, and cell phones that recharge themselves with energy "scavenged" from the environment, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The company has tested a version of this technology in San Francisco, putting the sensors in small boxes attached to street- sweeping machines, the report said.
India plans to launch 10 satellites every year
By Fakir Balaji, IANS,
Bangalore : Indian space scientists and engineers are bracing up to launch an average of 10 satellites per year to meet the rising demand for various space applications, including communications and remote sensing, a top space scientist said.
"We are planning to launch 10 satellites per year, beginning fiscal 2010-11. We have a series of satellites and launch vehicles at various stages of preparation," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K. Radhakrishnan told IANS.
When WhatsApp, BBM foxed poll officials
By Mohit Dubey
Lucknow: How does one prevent hate speeches and inflammatory videos from being shared through applications like WhatsApp and on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)?...
Yahoo! talking to News Corp to fend off Microsoft
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
New York : Yahoo Inc is in talks with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp for a possible merger of the media conglomerate's MySpace and other online properties with Yahoo! to fend off Microsoft's takeover bid.
The deal is not very likely but the negotiations can help Yahoo! boost its market value above Microsoft's initial offer of $44.6 billion, or $31 per share, made on Feb 1. The possible deal envisages News Corp and a private equity firm buying a significant stake - over 20 percent - in Yahoo!, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
Indian rocket puts 10 satellites in orbit at one go
By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) : India Monday significantly boosted its space capabilities with the copybook launch of a Rs.700 million ($17.4 million) rocket that simultaneously placed in orbit 10 satellites - two Indian and eight foreign.
The launch firmly established India as a major player in the $1 billion global satellite launch market, a significant milestone in the country's 45-year-old space programme.
Rajat Sharma to launch another 24×7 news channel
By IANS,
New Delhi: Noted TV host and India TV co-founder Rajat Sharma is set to launch a new 24X7 news channel.
Called India TV Wiz, the channel will be a bilingual in Hindi and English and is the first channel to have got an approval after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) returned to power.
"Wiz will be up in six months, perhaps earlier in the beta form. You will see a truly unique bouquet of content that will make it a nationwide phenomenon. Thanks to its ideator, Wiz will break the mould," Sharma said in a statement released here Wednesday.
Chinese firms to make SIMs for iPhone 5
By IANS,
Beijing: Mobile phone companies in China plan to make smaller SIM cards for use in Apple iPhone 5, a media report said Saturday.
‘Switch off TV, save 10 percent of your power bill’
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Poznan (Poland) : Simple things like switching off your TV and computers, instead of keeping them on standby, can help save 10 percent of your electricity bill.
"I don't understand why people aren't doing it," says Diana Urge-Vorsatz, expert member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), referring to simple things that people can do every day to reduce power bills and fight climate change at the same time.
Smartphones can help improve kids numeracy skills
New Delhi: Smartphone and tablet-based games can help improve literacy and numeracy skills of children, a study done in India has found.
The study was...
Thuraya to develop high-speed satellite broadband solution
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Thuraya is to develop a high-speed broadband terminal for the maritime industry in partnership with Comtech, WAM news agency reported Thursday.
The new terminal, which is designed and built incorporating leading market technology, is set for launch in September.
The most influential tech products in 2007
By DPA
Washington : The year 2007 was good for technology fans. Whether you were largely desktop bound or constantly on the go, this year's technology products went some way towards making your life easier, more fun or more productive.
But a few stood out - not necessarily because they broke new ground but because it was clear that their influence would be felt well into the future. Whether you own one of these products or not, it's likely that their presence will have an impact on how you work or play in the year to come.
Windows Vista
Century’s longest eclipse sweeps into clouds in Himachal
By IANS,
Shimla : Partly cloudy sky Wednesday morning in most parts of Himachal Pradesh marred the early moments of one of nature's greatest spectaculars - the century's longest total solar eclipse, weather officials here said.
"Clouds in most parts of the hill state remained an intermittent problem, with most areas reporting partly overcast conditions," meteorological office Director Manmohan Singh said.
On the historic Ridge in Shimla, a large number of people, especially schoolchildren, have gathered to witness the eclipse through clouds.
Nitrogen dioxide level exceeds limit in 10 cities
By IANS,
New Delhi : Air pollution is increasing at an alarming rate in the country with the national capital being one of the 10 cities where nitrogen dioxide levels have exceeded prescribed standards, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has said.
"Nitrogen dioxide levels are exceeding the prescribed standards in 10 cities, namely Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Asansol, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, Faridabad, Meerut, Patna and Pune. There is an increasing trend of nitrogen dioxide levels in Asansol and Bengaluru," Ramesh said.
Tarang Software expanding India operations
By IANS,
Bangalore : Leading e-payment solutions provider Tarang Software Technologies is expanding its operations in the country to serve its growing list of customers across verticals, the city-based company said Monday.
"We are setting up a 250-seater second development centre here to meet our growth requirements. Our new customer wins include Frese International, Global Refund, Hypercom, ING Vysya, Volvo and Teligence Communications," the company said in a statement.
Climate change killed mammoths, suggest their DNA
By IANS
Sydney : Global warming might have wiped out ancient species like mammoths and bison, warning us about the potential impact of climate change.
Study of ancient DNA indicates that extinction of such species from the northern hemisphere 11,000 years ago was largely due to climate change. Human impact through hunting and overkill were only incidental, said lead researcher Alan Cooper.
He retrieved remains of genetic material from a variety of sources, including bones and teeth, preserved seeds and sediments, to examine evolution and environmental change, reports Sciencedaily.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 passes by Earth
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The massive 2012 DA14 asteroid came closest to the Earth late Friday and is now heading away from the planet, Russian astronomers said.
Space tourism comes of age as France hosts symposium
By Xinhua,
Paris : The southwestern French city of Bordeaux is hosting an international symposium on space tourism, what marks yet another sign that this form of travel is no longer confined to the realm of science fiction, the French media reported on Thursday.
With the first space tickets on sale since 2005, the "symposium which is bringing together international experts from Wednesday to Friday" in Arcachon, near Bordeaux, is expected to create more awareness regarding this form of tourism, according to organizers of the event.
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.
Oceans develop acidity, thanks to fossil fuels
By IANS,
Washington : Oceans have mitigated the effects of climate change by absorbing a third of total carbon dioxide emissions worldwide -- but this intake, caused largely by fossil fuel burning, is turning this vast carbon sink acidic.
Because of the increased acidity, less carbonate ions are available, which means the calcification rates of the organisms are decreasing and thus their shells and skeletons thinning.
Most calcifying organisms such as corals, mussels, algae and plankton investigated so far, respond negatively to the more acidic ocean waters.
Obama hails Apollo 11 crew as ‘genuine American heroes’
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama welcomed the crew of Apollo 11 to the White House Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of their journey to the moon and called the three men "genuine American heroes."
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface, while fellow crew member Michael Collins circled the moon in the command vehicle.
Saturn’s moon Rhea also may have rings, research shows
By Xinhua
Washington : NASA's Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of material orbiting Rhea, Saturn's second largest moon. This is the first time rings may have been found around a moon, said NASA on Thursday.
A broad debris disk and at least one ring appear to have been detected by a suite of six instruments on Cassini specifically designed to study the atmospheres and particles around Saturn and its moons.
Rain or shine, India’s moon mission will keep its Oct 22 date
By IANS,
Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) : Come rain or shine, India's maiden moon mission will be launched from here Oct 22 as scheduled, officials said.
Except for a a severe cyclone, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C11 will blast off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) here as scheduled.
Indian-American develops imaging system to track moods
By IANS,
Toronto : We might never know what evil lurks in the hearts of humans, but Prabir Bhattacharya's computers might.
The Indian-American scientist at Concordia University is developing a computer image processing system that detects and classifies facial expressions.
The system aims at taking and analysing photos of individuals, potentially in areas of high traffic where security is a primary concern, such as an airport.
Why WhatsApp is so big in India
By Prasanto K. Roy, IANS,
While much of India slept Thursday morning, one news of a big-time sale spread in minutes through the country, on...
Somnath congratulates ISRO scientists
By IANS,
New Delhi : Somnath Chatterjee, the speaker of the outgoing Lok Sabha, Monday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of the RISAT-2 spy satellite and an educational satellite.
"The country is proud of ISRO scientists for this remarkable achievement, which will provide a boost to India's capabilities in a number of areas, including disaster management and in better management of cyclones, floods, agriculture-related activities," Chatterjee said in his congratulatory message.
Indian nano-tech group in US to create big splash
New York(IANS) : A group of Indian Americans well placed in the nano-technology industry have formed The Indus Nanotechnology Association (TINA) to create a bigger impact in the market, estimated to be worth $1 trillion (Rs.39.25 trillion) by 2015.
TINA arose from the Nanotechnology and Nano-Bio Convergence Conference held here last week, where seven of the 14 featured speakers were Indian Americans in academics, research, government and industry.
Technologies that don’t disappoint
By Jay Dougherty, DPA
Washington : Some technology products can really improve your life, allowing you to work more productively or accomplish tasks that you couldn't before. Others just promise to fall into that category but ultimately lead you to question why you bothered.
The challenge for buyers, of course, is discerning the must-haves from the rest. While all new technologies these days vie for your attention, there are a few out there now that truly deserves it. Here's a rundown.
Climate change wreaks havoc on coral reefs worldwide
By IANS,
Sydney : Ocean warming is spurring the incidence of virulent coral diseases, already wreaking havoc on reefs worldwide.
David Bourne and colleagues at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) said global warming and increased sea surface temperatures presented a major challenge to the health of the world's coral reefs.
Warming has caused significant damage to reefs in recent hot years (particularly 1998 and 2002) by sparking coral bleaching, which is a breakdown in the symbiotic relationship between the coral and its bacterial partner (zooxanthellae).
Revealed: secrets of mimic butterfly’s wing pattern
By IANS
London : The mocker swallowtail butterfly's unique ability to hoodwink predators by sporting wing patterns and colours mimicking those of poisonous species is thanks to a developmental gene, say scientists.
In a new study, biologists contend that an understanding of how these mimic patterns evolved may shed new light on whether such evolutionary changes occurred in small gradual steps, or in sudden leaps.
A team of biologists used molecular tags and DNA sequencing to pinpoint the part of its genetic code that determines wing pattern and colour.
Shuttle Endeavour Undocks from Space Station
By SPA,
Washington : Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven left the international space station Friday, ending a 12-day mission that made the orbiting laboratory more accommodating to bigger crews of researchers.
Shortly after the undocking, Mission Control advised Endeavour’s crew to delay their third and final rocket firing to avoid a piece of an old Russian satellite. The rocket firing was rescheduled for early evening.
Climate change will set back ozone layer recovery: NASA
By IANS,
Washington : Global warming will set back the recovery of the ozone layer of the earth's atmosphere, warns a NASA study.
Previous studies have shown that while the build up of greenhouse gases makes it warmer in the troposphere, up to 10 km high from sea level, these gases actually cool the upper stratosphere, between 30 to 50 km high.
This cooling slows the chemical reactions that deplete ozone in the upper stratosphere and allows natural ozone production in that region to outpace destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Google Maps to appear in petrol pumps
By DPA
San Francisco : Google Maps are moving from the computer to a place where lost drivers might find them more useful - petrol pumps.
The maps, complete with driving directions and information about local facilities, will start appearing on thousands of specially designed petrol pumps across the US beginning early next month, the company announced Wednesday.
Indian scientists learn from failed attempt to fertilise ocean
By K.S. Jayaraman, IANS,
Bangalore : Indian scientists recently carried out a controversial experiment in the ocean near Antarctica to get carbon dioxide captured from the air and stored in the sea. The experiment, meant to combat climate change, was a failure, but the scientists now say they learnt some valuable lessons.
The 75-day Indo-German experiment carried out amidst opposition from environmental groups has shown that dumping iron in the Southern Ocean does not help in capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) that is responsible for much of global warming.
British scientists discover allergy-triggering molecule
By Xinhua
London : British scientists have discovered a molecule that appears to play a key role in triggering allergies.
Researchers from Barts and the London School of Medicine managed to stop allergic attacks in mice by targeting the molecule - P110delta, BBC reported Friday.
The researchers said the method did not interfere with the rest of the body's immune defences, and it may offer the chance to prevent allergies, not just relieve symptoms.
New solar, n-power forms answer to global warming
By IANS
New Delhi : Concentrated solar power and thorium-based nuclear power are the ways to generate energy without causing climate change, Nobel laureate and head of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) Carlo Rubbia said here Friday.
Moon mission is not expensive, says ISRO
By NNN-PTI,
Bangalore, India : Dismissing suggestions that Chandrayaan-1 was an expensive mission, ISRO today said the moon odyssey will enable India to upgrade technological expertise for exploration of outer space and ultimately help in setting up a base on the earth's natural satellite.
"Moon mission cost is less than Rs 400 crore, which is just ten per cent of annual budget of ISRO spread over many years," ISRO spokesperson S Satish said, countering critics who questioned the need for such a venture when other countries have already explored the moon.
Intel announces new Atom processors
By DPA,
Santa Clara (California) : Intel, the world's biggest manufacturer of computer chips, has announced a new line of powerful, energy-saving processors for popular mini-notebooks and starter computers.
The first devices with the new Atom platform should be available starting Jan 4, announced the company, or just before the industry-standard-setting Consumer Electronics Show, which runs Jan 7-10.
Several leading companies are already working with the new processor, though no prices were announced.
230-year-old champagne found off Finnish coast
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Bottles of world's oldest champagne, believed to have been made in 1780s, have been found in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea off Finland's Aland archipelago.
"Approximately 70 bottles of exclusive champagne will be lifted from a 200-year-old shipwreck near (the island of) Foglo in the south of the Aland archipelago. The well-preserved bottles, which lie on the seabed at the depth of about 50 meters, are now being lifted to surface," Aland authorities said in a statement.
Nanotechnology sharply polarises people along cultural lines
By IANS,
Washington : Nanotech may be revolutionising research but it has also sharply polarised people along cultural lines, according to a study.
These findings have important implications for garnering support of the new technology, said Yale Law School (YLS) researchers, working in collaboration with a project on the emerging discipline.
The experiment involved a diverse sample of 1,500 Americans, the bulk of whom were unfamiliar with nanotechnology, a discipline that involves manipulation of atom sized particles, with wide commercial applications.
Virtual orchestra software coming soon
By DPA
Munich : Coming soon to a computer near you is a software that allows you to conduct a virtual orchestra by waving a stick, just like a professional conductor.
The gestures can be correctly interpreted as telling the playback device to go faster or slower, forte or piano. A team of developers in Munich, Germany devised the system, which has yet to be commercialised.
The software detects the gestures in three dimensions and transmits them from the sensor, using Bluetooth, to the computer that is 'playing' the virtual orchestral instruments.