3 Kuala Besut students win IAEA Nuclear Energy competition
Reading Time: 2 minutesGYEONGJU, SOUTH KOREA: With a computer game application to promote nuclear science, a secondary school team from Malaysia won the international student competition, whose winners were announced at the IAEA’s Third International Conference on Human Resource Development for Nuclear Power Programmes in Gyeongju, South Korea, today. The team from SMK Kuala Besut secondary school named […]
Why are avocados toxic to birds?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteAVOCADOS are safe for human beings but not for birds. This is due to the fact that avocados contain a compound known as “persin”, which is a fungicidal toxin that can make birds become very sick or even kill them. Persin is a type of fatty acid derivative. By consuming persin, birds will not be […]
Researchers hone their skills in science communication
Reading Time: 2 minutesPETALING JAYA: There is a strong need for scientists and technopreneurs to effectively communicate their scientific and technological ideas to non-technical stakeholders. This was the key takeaway message at a two-day training workshop themed: “Communicating Technology for Technopreneurs”. The workshop was jointly organised by the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (Mabic) and University Malaya Xcelerate Programme […]
Why is mercury a liquid at room temperature?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteMETALS are solid and they only melt when heated to their melting point. Different metals melt at different temperatures and like matter, the atoms of a metal are closely bonded. However, mercury is the only metal which remains in liquid state at room temperature and pressure. Unlike all other metals, mercury atoms do not share […]
Is monoculture a bad thing? It’s time to revise simplistic ideological narrative
Reading Time: 6 minutesBY ANDREW PORTERFIELD IN a Nebraska field, thousands of acres of winter wheat stretch to the horizon. In California, workers pick strawberries in a field that has grown no other crop for the past eight years. And in Maryland, a single tomato plant grows in a single pot. What do these have in common? They […]
How long do Luna moths live?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteIF you have been to the Eastern and Northern parts of the United States, or from Northern Mexico to Quebec and Canada, you might have spotted the Luna Moth on some trees. “Luna” means moon, and since it is nocturnal, it is also known as the American Moon Moth. This beautiful large exotic moth with […]
‘Food Evolution’ screened for legislators
Reading Time: 2 minutesMORE than 60 people composed largely of legislators, legislative staff, and students “feasted on facts” as the film’s tagline puts it, during the special screening of the documentary, Food Evolution, held on May 23 at the Philippine House of Representatives. The film was shown as part of the Biotechnology Exhibit themed: Our Nation’s Challenge, Our […]
Designer cells treat diabetes in mice
Reading Time: 2 minutesIN a study published by Cell Reports, the scientists use a new bioengineering process they developed called self condensation cell culture. The technology helps nudge medical science closer to one day growing human organ tissues from a person’s own cells for regenerative therapy, said study investigators at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in the U.S. and […]
10 Times More Power
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRussian researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), the Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials (TISNCM), and the National University of Science and Technology MISIS have optimised the design of a nuclear battery generating power from the beta decay of nickel-63, a radioactive isotope. Their new battery prototype packs about 3,300 milliwatt-hours […]
Cell-like nanorobots clear bacteria and toxins from blood
Reading Time: 2 minutesENGINEER at the University of California San Diego have developed tiny ultrasound-powered robots that can swim through blood, removing harmful bacteria along with the toxins they produce. These proof-of-concept nanorobots could one day offer a safe and efficient way to detoxify and decontaminate biological fluids. Researchers built the nanorobots by coating gold nanowires with a […]