Alternative to coal can save water
Reading Time: 2 minutesTHE ongoing transition from coal to natural gas and renewables in the U.S. electricity sector is dramatically reducing the industry’s water use, a new Duke University study finds. “While most attention has been focused on the climate and air quality benefits of switching from coal, this new study shows that the transition to natural gas […]
New way to turn heat into electricity
Reading Time: 2 minutesAN INTERNATIONAL TEAM of scientists has figured out how to capture heat and turn it into electricity. The discovery, published last week in the journal Science Advances, could create more efficient energy generation from heat in things like car exhaust, interplanetary space probes and industrial processes. “Because of this discovery, we should be able to […]
Daily exposure to blue light may accelerate aging
Reading Time: 2 minutesPROLONGED exposure to blue light, such as that which emanates from your phone, computer and household fixtures, could be affecting your longevity, even if it’s not shining in your eyes. New research at Oregon State University suggests that the blue wavelengths produced by light-emitting diodes damage cells in the brain as well as retinas. The […]
Three inspiring Malaysian women scientist awarded L’OréalUNESCO Fellowship
Reading Time: 3 minutesTHE L’ORÉAL FOUNDATION, is celebrating the achievements of three distinguished women scientists in Malaysia by awarding them its prestigious L’Oréal UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science (FWIS). In recognition of their groundbreaking research efforts, the For Women in Science also award these outstanding women with RM30,000 grant money to help fund their projects. The projects, […]
Biodiversity of insects modeled from space satellite data
Reading Time: 2 minutesTHE QUANTITY and diversity of plants and animals, especially insects, are decreasing, also in Germany. For this reason, science would like to see opportunities to document the biodiversity of the planet as extensively and comprehensively as possible. In this way, it could be determined whether measures against the insect dieback are effective or not. Satellite […]
Pre-empting intruders and fires
Reading Time: 2 minutesA SIMPLE theft can bother us a little too much. Good if we would detect and stop an intruder or a fire from happening immediately. Dr Mohammad Hanif Saad, a senior lecturer from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, (UKM) has invented an intelligent system called CAISER to help pre-empt untoward events that are about to happen and […]
The Philippines yields new species of early human
Reading Time: 2 minutesAN international team of researchers have uncovered the remains of a new species of human in the Philippines, proving the region played a key role in hominin evolutionary history. The new species, Homo luzonensis is named after Luzon Island, where the more than 50,000-year-old fossils were found during excavations at Callao Cave. Co-author and a lead member of the team, Professor Philip Piper […]
Marsupial lived among Arctic dinosaurs
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA RESEARCH team has discovered a previously unknown species of marsupial that lived in Alaska’s Arctic during the era of dinosaurs, adding a vivid new detail to a complex ancient landscape.The thumb- sized animal, named Unnuakomys hutchisoni, lived in the Arctic about 69 million years ago during the late Cretaceous Period. Its discovery, led by […]
New Bombali ebola virus found in Kenyan bat
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS have identified Bombali ebola virus in an Angolan free-tailed bat captured in the Taita Hills, southeast Kenya. No ebola viruses have been previously reported from wildlife in countries along the east coast of Africa. There is no current evidence that Bombali ebola virus infects people. Until recently, five ebola virus species were known, with […]
Engineers create ‘lifelike’ machines
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTAPPING into the unique nature of DNA, Cornell engineers have created simple machines constructed of biomaterials with properties of living things. Using DASH (DNA-based Assembly and Synthesis of Hierarchical) materials, engineers constructed a DNA material with capabilities of metabolism, in addition to self-assembly and organisation — three key traits of life. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ] […]