Medical grade 3D print allows doctors simulate patients’ surgery
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY AZMAN ZAKARIA SERDANG: A group of researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has succeeded in developing an innovative 3D Medical Grade Print (MeG3rD) or ‘Method’ that is able to replicate a 3D anatomic printing of patients’ actual defect organ (pathology) at a 1:1 ratio. The texture quality is also realistic and reflects the uniqueness […]
Dining out danger!
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDining out more at restaurants, cafeterias and fast-food outlets may boost total levels of potentially health-harming chemicals called phthalates in the body, according to a study out today. Phthalates, a group of chemicals used in food packaging and processing materials, are known to disrupt hormones in humans and are linked to a long list of […]
Mycologist: 16 species of Magic Mushrooms found in Sabah
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY JOSEPH MASILAMANY According to a mycologist (mushroom expert) 16 species of Magic Mushroom have been identified in Malaysia. These mushrooms were discovered from 2012 till 2016 on different types of “substrates” such as soil, grassland, deadwood and animal dung. According to Dr Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan, from the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, […]
Breakthrough world staple crop
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new study has isolated a gene controlling shape and size of spikelets in wheat in a breakthrough which could help breeders deliver yield increases in one of the world’s most important crops. The team from the John Innes Centre say the underlying genetic mechanism they have found is also relevant to inflorescence (floral) […]
Elusive male of spider species found in Sabah
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY JOSEPH MASILAMANY KINABATANGAN: At long last, the “missing male” counterpart of the orb-weaving spider species Opadometa sarawakensis has finally been found. A team of 16 students from Holland on a recent ecology field trip to the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary here discovered the species known for its flamboyant red and blue colours. The species was […]
Funky fungi!
Reading Time: 4 minutesParty-going drug-users turn to Magic Mushroom to revel in psychedelic euphoria BY JOSEPH MASILAMANY & SHAMIRA SHAMSUDDIN Kuala Lumpur: Move over meth! Yuppie clubbers are now dancing to sound-enhancing auditory hallucinations that come with a puff of the Magic Mushroom. Also known by its other street name, “shroom” or “shroomie”, plant compounds from the Psilocybe […]
M’sian-Indian firms ink agreement
Reading Time: < 1 minuteHYDERABAD: Central Spectrum (M) Sdn Bhd has marked another milestone in its history with the signing of a collaboration agreement with Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) during the 15th edition of Bio Asia exhibition in the presence of Industries and IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao. The collaboration will cover a few areas and includes […]
ISAAA: Women drive biotech initiatives
Reading Time: < 1 minuteAS THE world celebrates the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2018, more women are speaking up for their rights, equality, and justice. With the theme “Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives”, the United Nations Commission puts a focus on the activism of rural women, who make up over a quarter of the […]
Women take the limelight
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY NAZIFA TABASSUM In conjunction with International Women’s Day on March 8, five high profile women share their success. KUALA LUMPUR: THE US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in collaboration with the University of Malaya, held an International Women’s Day Forum – dedicated solely to women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics). Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, […]
USM making science more accessible with hands-on exposure
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY MAZLAN HANAFI BASHARUDIN ENHANCING the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in education is a major initiative in the Malaysian Education Development Plan (PPPM) 2013-2025. However, currently less than 50 percent of students are undergoing studies in STEM-related fields in the country. Various efforts and initiatives have been implemented to spur the […]