I don't think so, this soon possible unless we are struck with Natural disaster. This claim was made by an Australian scientist named Frank Fenner.
He was the one who helped in eradicating smallpox around the world.
Professor Frank Fenner, emeritus professor of microbiology at the Australian National University, has claimed that the human race will be unable to survive a population explosion and “unbridled consumption”.
“It’s an irreversible situation. I think it’s too late. I try not to express that because people are trying to do something, but they keep putting it off,” Prof. Fenner said.
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Plans for largest biomedical research facility in Europe unveiled.
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Plans for Europe's largest biomedical research facility, which will study everything from stem cells to influenza when it opens in 2015, were announced yesterday by Nobel laureate Sir Paul Nurse.
The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) is being funded to the tune of £600m by a range of government and charitable organisations including the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and University College London. Around 1,250 scientists will work at the new complex on a 1.4 hectare (3.5 acre) site behind the iconic St Pancras railway station in central London.
Biologists, clinical scientists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists will work alongside each other at the new facility. "UKCMRI aims to break down the traditional barriers between different research teams and different disciplines," said Nurse, who chairs the scientific planning committee for the new lab. "UKCMRI will provide the critical mass, support and unique environment to tackle difficult research questions."
The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) is being funded to the tune of £600m by a range of government and charitable organisations including the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and University College London. Around 1,250 scientists will work at the new complex on a 1.4 hectare (3.5 acre) site behind the iconic St Pancras railway station in central London.
Biologists, clinical scientists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists will work alongside each other at the new facility. "UKCMRI aims to break down the traditional barriers between different research teams and different disciplines," said Nurse, who chairs the scientific planning committee for the new lab. "UKCMRI will provide the critical mass, support and unique environment to tackle difficult research questions."
Bones of first king of England's sister found in cathedral.
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She ate lots of fish, rode frequently, may have suffered from a disease or an eating disorder at 10 and regularly moved around the chalky uplands of southern England, presumably as she followed her regal father around his kingdom.
Analysis of remains found in a German cathedral have not only confirm they belonged to the granddaughter of the English king Alfred the Great but also given an insight into the life and times of a Saxon princess.
Eadgyth (roughly pronounced Edith) was packed off by her brother as a diplomatic gift to Otto, the king of Saxony, more than 1,000 years ago. She died aged 36 and her remains were thought to have been lost forever until body parts were found wrapped in silk in a lead coffin two years ago.
Earlier this year the skeletal fragments were brought back to Britain, and experts at Bristol University will today spell out why they are sure the remains are those of Eadgyth and what they know of her life.
Mark Horton, an archaeology professor at Bristol, said it was "incredibly exciting" to confirm that the bones were the princess's and to find out more about her life.
"This period was when England was really formed," he said. "We don't know much about these dark age queens and princesses. This has created a connection with one of them."
Eadgyth was born in Wessex in 910 into one of the most powerful families in England. She was daughter of Edward the Elder, and half-sister to Athelstan, the first king of all England.
Analysis of remains found in a German cathedral have not only confirm they belonged to the granddaughter of the English king Alfred the Great but also given an insight into the life and times of a Saxon princess.
Eadgyth (roughly pronounced Edith) was packed off by her brother as a diplomatic gift to Otto, the king of Saxony, more than 1,000 years ago. She died aged 36 and her remains were thought to have been lost forever until body parts were found wrapped in silk in a lead coffin two years ago.
Earlier this year the skeletal fragments were brought back to Britain, and experts at Bristol University will today spell out why they are sure the remains are those of Eadgyth and what they know of her life.
Mark Horton, an archaeology professor at Bristol, said it was "incredibly exciting" to confirm that the bones were the princess's and to find out more about her life.
"This period was when England was really formed," he said. "We don't know much about these dark age queens and princesses. This has created a connection with one of them."
Eadgyth was born in Wessex in 910 into one of the most powerful families in England. She was daughter of Edward the Elder, and half-sister to Athelstan, the first king of all England.
Solution for oil spill by indian origin scientist.
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As BP struggles to contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an Indian-origin scientist from Texas University has created a special cotton fabric that can clean up crude oil up to 40 times its weight and help in cleaning efforts.
Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor of the Texas Tech Institute of Environmental and Human Health, has created a non- oven environment-friendly cotton carbon absorbent wipes, Fibertect.
"Cotton fibre contains 0.5 per cent wax, which enables it to soak up 40 times its weight," Ramkumar said.
"The chemistry of cotton makes it the ideal material for oil absorption with its waxiness, strength when wet, absorption capacity and ability to biodegrade," explained Professor Ramkumar, who described his discovery as "a blessing in an ironic situation."
"The synthetic booms soak up only a third of what cotton absorbs and are not biodegradable. You take those plastics and where do you put them? In landfills. They will stay put forever," he added.
"Add chemicals and it could absorb up to 70 times its weight," he said.
Through his research with nonwoven cotton, Ramkumar may have found an all-natural way to absorb oil from spills.
Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor of the Texas Tech Institute of Environmental and Human Health, has created a non- oven environment-friendly cotton carbon absorbent wipes, Fibertect.
"Cotton fibre contains 0.5 per cent wax, which enables it to soak up 40 times its weight," Ramkumar said.
"The chemistry of cotton makes it the ideal material for oil absorption with its waxiness, strength when wet, absorption capacity and ability to biodegrade," explained Professor Ramkumar, who described his discovery as "a blessing in an ironic situation."
"The synthetic booms soak up only a third of what cotton absorbs and are not biodegradable. You take those plastics and where do you put them? In landfills. They will stay put forever," he added.
"Add chemicals and it could absorb up to 70 times its weight," he said.
Through his research with nonwoven cotton, Ramkumar may have found an all-natural way to absorb oil from spills.
Being superstitious brings luck ??
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As someone who strives – sanctimoniously – to be right, I'm a masochistic fan of research showing that people who are wrong have better lives than I do. This is why I particularly enjoyed a study from Psychological Science showing that being superstitious improves performance in a whole string of different tasks.
Now, I'm always a bit conflicted about this kind of psychology research. On my left shoulder is an angel who points out it's risky to extrapolate from laboratory conditions to the real world; that publication bias in this field (the phenomenon where uninteresting findings get left in a desk drawer unpublished forever) is probably considerable; and that it's uncommon to see a genuinely systematic review of the literature on these kinds of topics, bringing together all the conflicting research in one place. I am not Malcolm Gladwell, if that helps to frame the issue more clearly, and I think his books are a bit silly and overstated. On my right shoulder is a devil who thinks this stuff is all really cool and fun. He is typing right now.
The researchers did four miniature experiments. In the first, they took 28 students, more than 80% of whom said they believed in good luck, and randomly assigned them to either a superstition-activated or a control condition. Then they put them on a putting green. To activate a superstition, for half of them, when handing over the ball the experimenter said: "Here is your ball. So far it has turned out to be a lucky ball." For the other half, the experimenter just said: "This is the ball everyone has used so far." Each participant had 10 goes at trying to get a hole in one from a distance of 100cm (39in). And lo, the students playing with a "lucky ball" did significantly better than the others, with a mean score of 6.42, against 4.75 for the others.
Now, I'm always a bit conflicted about this kind of psychology research. On my left shoulder is an angel who points out it's risky to extrapolate from laboratory conditions to the real world; that publication bias in this field (the phenomenon where uninteresting findings get left in a desk drawer unpublished forever) is probably considerable; and that it's uncommon to see a genuinely systematic review of the literature on these kinds of topics, bringing together all the conflicting research in one place. I am not Malcolm Gladwell, if that helps to frame the issue more clearly, and I think his books are a bit silly and overstated. On my right shoulder is a devil who thinks this stuff is all really cool and fun. He is typing right now.
The researchers did four miniature experiments. In the first, they took 28 students, more than 80% of whom said they believed in good luck, and randomly assigned them to either a superstition-activated or a control condition. Then they put them on a putting green. To activate a superstition, for half of them, when handing over the ball the experimenter said: "Here is your ball. So far it has turned out to be a lucky ball." For the other half, the experimenter just said: "This is the ball everyone has used so far." Each participant had 10 goes at trying to get a hole in one from a distance of 100cm (39in). And lo, the students playing with a "lucky ball" did significantly better than the others, with a mean score of 6.42, against 4.75 for the others.
Scientists zoom in on infant solar system.
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A team led by University of Arizona astronomer Joshua Eisner has observed in unprecedented detail the processes giving rise to stars and planets in nascent solar systems.
The discoveries provide a better understanding of the way hydrogen gas from the protoplanetary disk is incorporated into the star.
They are swirling clouds of gas and dust that feed the growing star in its centre and eventually coalesce into planets and asteroids to form a solar system.
By coupling both Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea in Hawaii with a specifically engineered instrument named ASTRA (Astrometric and phase-Referenced Astronomy), Eisner and his colleagues were able to peer deeply into protoplanetary disks. The big challenge facing Eisner's team lies in obtaining the extremely fine resolution necessary to observe the processes that happen at the boundary between the star and its surrounding disk — 500 light years from earth.
The discoveries provide a better understanding of the way hydrogen gas from the protoplanetary disk is incorporated into the star.
They are swirling clouds of gas and dust that feed the growing star in its centre and eventually coalesce into planets and asteroids to form a solar system.
By coupling both Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea in Hawaii with a specifically engineered instrument named ASTRA (Astrometric and phase-Referenced Astronomy), Eisner and his colleagues were able to peer deeply into protoplanetary disks. The big challenge facing Eisner's team lies in obtaining the extremely fine resolution necessary to observe the processes that happen at the boundary between the star and its surrounding disk — 500 light years from earth.
For men it just take milliseconds to fall for attractive women.
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Blame it on their genes, but men take just a fraction of a second to judge a woman on her looks and whether she will be a potential partner or not.
They weigh up potential partners based on their appearance because their "ancient" genetic preference for attractive mates leads them to, experts claim.
According to research, men take a woman with an attractive face to be fertile and able to continue the family line, which appeals to the man's survival instinct.
On the other hand, women take longer to decide their feelings for a man because they need to weigh up whether he will be a committed partner who will provide for them well - part of their survival programming.
Professor Mark van Vugt and Dr Johanna van Hooff, from the University of Amsterdam, and postgraduate student Helen Crawford, from the University of Kent, were behind the study.
They weigh up potential partners based on their appearance because their "ancient" genetic preference for attractive mates leads them to, experts claim.
According to research, men take a woman with an attractive face to be fertile and able to continue the family line, which appeals to the man's survival instinct.
On the other hand, women take longer to decide their feelings for a man because they need to weigh up whether he will be a committed partner who will provide for them well - part of their survival programming.
Professor Mark van Vugt and Dr Johanna van Hooff, from the University of Amsterdam, and postgraduate student Helen Crawford, from the University of Kent, were behind the study.
New strain of bacteria discovered that could aid in oil spill, other environmental cleanup.
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Researchers have discovered a new strain of bacteria that can produce non-toxic, comparatively inexpensive "rhamnolipids," and effectively help degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs - environmental pollutants that are one of the most harmful aspects of oil spills.
Because of its unique characteristics, this new bacterial strain could be of considerable value in the long-term cleanup of the massive Gulf Coast oil spill, scientists say.
More research to further reduce costs and scale up production would be needed before its commercial use, they added.
The findings on this new bacterial strain that degrades the PAHs in oil and other hydrocarbons were just published in a professional journal, Biotechnology Advances, by researchers from Oregon State University and two collaborating universities in China. OSU is filing for a patent on the discovery.
"PAHs are a widespread group of toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds, but also one of the biggest concerns about oil spills," said Xihou Yin, a research assistant professor in the OSU College of Pharmacy.
"Some of the most toxic aspects of oil to fish, wildlife and humans are from PAHs," Yin said. "They can cause cancer, suppress immune system function, cause reproductive problems, nervous system effects and other health issues. This particular strain of bacteria appears to break up and degrade PAHs better than other approaches we have available."
Because of its unique characteristics, this new bacterial strain could be of considerable value in the long-term cleanup of the massive Gulf Coast oil spill, scientists say.
More research to further reduce costs and scale up production would be needed before its commercial use, they added.
The findings on this new bacterial strain that degrades the PAHs in oil and other hydrocarbons were just published in a professional journal, Biotechnology Advances, by researchers from Oregon State University and two collaborating universities in China. OSU is filing for a patent on the discovery.
"PAHs are a widespread group of toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds, but also one of the biggest concerns about oil spills," said Xihou Yin, a research assistant professor in the OSU College of Pharmacy.
"Some of the most toxic aspects of oil to fish, wildlife and humans are from PAHs," Yin said. "They can cause cancer, suppress immune system function, cause reproductive problems, nervous system effects and other health issues. This particular strain of bacteria appears to break up and degrade PAHs better than other approaches we have available."
Software to measure emotions of Internet users.
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Aude Dufresne, professor at the University of Montreal (UofM) Department Of Communications, led a team of researchers that are designing a new software to evaluate the biological responses of Internet users.
Simply put, the new software measures everything in web users from body heat to eye movements to facial expressions and analyses how they relate to online activities.
The technology is now being tested at the newly opened Bell User Experience Centre, which is located at the telecom giant's Nun's Island campus.
Bell will use the University of Montreal technology to investigate how people react to websites. Such studies will provide companies with facts on how they can improve online experiences.
"With e-commerce and the multiplication of retail websites, it has become crucial for companies to consider the emotions of web users," says Dufresne, according to an UofM release.
Simply put, the new software measures everything in web users from body heat to eye movements to facial expressions and analyses how they relate to online activities.
The technology is now being tested at the newly opened Bell User Experience Centre, which is located at the telecom giant's Nun's Island campus.
Bell will use the University of Montreal technology to investigate how people react to websites. Such studies will provide companies with facts on how they can improve online experiences.
"With e-commerce and the multiplication of retail websites, it has become crucial for companies to consider the emotions of web users," says Dufresne, according to an UofM release.
Vegetarian chicken that tastes just like original chicken!
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Scientists at the University of Missouri may have finally cracked the code to realistic tasting fake chicken with the first soy product.
Lots of meat substitutes are on the market right now, such as the ever-popular Tofurky. But there isn't one that tastes like chicken or, more importantly to these researchers, has the texture of real meat.
Fu-Hung Hsieh, a professor of biological engineering and food science at MU, and colleagues have now created the first soy product that can be flavoured to taste like chicken, but also breaks apart in your mouth the way chicken does.
The fake meat is made by mixing up a batter of soy protein, wheat flour and water, and then pushing the batter through a high-heat extruder.
Lots of meat substitutes are on the market right now, such as the ever-popular Tofurky. But there isn't one that tastes like chicken or, more importantly to these researchers, has the texture of real meat.
Fu-Hung Hsieh, a professor of biological engineering and food science at MU, and colleagues have now created the first soy product that can be flavoured to taste like chicken, but also breaks apart in your mouth the way chicken does.
The fake meat is made by mixing up a batter of soy protein, wheat flour and water, and then pushing the batter through a high-heat extruder.
Now, 'dipstick' test to determine blood type.
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Scientists have developed what they say is the first 'dipstick' test which can instantly determine blood type of a patient or donor.
The inexpensive and portable test involves placing a drop of blood on a specially treated paper strip which then changes colours to determine the type of the blood.
Australian scientists, who reported their research in the American Chemical Society's journal Analytical Chemistry, said the new blood testing method could be a boon to health care in developing countries.
"The test also could be useful in veterinary medicine, for typing animals' blood in the field," they noted.
The inexpensive and portable test involves placing a drop of blood on a specially treated paper strip which then changes colours to determine the type of the blood.
Australian scientists, who reported their research in the American Chemical Society's journal Analytical Chemistry, said the new blood testing method could be a boon to health care in developing countries.
"The test also could be useful in veterinary medicine, for typing animals' blood in the field," they noted.
Advanced Robotic Arm Controlled by Monkey’s Thoughts [Video].
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Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have demonstrated a monkey controlling an advanced robotic arm by using its thoughts. The experiments were led by Dr. Andrew Schwartz, a professor of neurobiology and involved a high degree of complexity in the robotic arm, the level of control, and the intricacy of the manipulations.
This is not the first time that Dr. Schwartz implanted sensors in a monkey’s brain to control a robotic arm. Back in May of 2008 experiments were conducted by Dr. Schwartz, using a simpler mechanical arm, to teach a monkey to feed itself. This was a four-degrees-of-freedom arm with shoulder joints, elbow, and a simple gripper.
This is not the first time that Dr. Schwartz implanted sensors in a monkey’s brain to control a robotic arm. Back in May of 2008 experiments were conducted by Dr. Schwartz, using a simpler mechanical arm, to teach a monkey to feed itself. This was a four-degrees-of-freedom arm with shoulder joints, elbow, and a simple gripper.
Scientists solve mystery of resistant flu virus.
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Scientists have worked out how the seasonal flu virus has become resistant to the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu and why these drug-resistant strains have spread explosively in the past two years.
The H1N1 seasonal flu virus first became resistant to Tamiflu more than 10 years ago because of a single genetic mutation. But these strains were unable to spread because the same mutation that conferred resistance to Tamiflu also made the virus less infectious.
However, the researchers have discovered further genetic mutations that overcame this drawback to the drug-resistant strain. These mutations allowed the virus to spread explosively after the 2007-08 flu season so that by the following year, Tamiflu was next to useless against virtually all seasonal H1N1 flu viruses – although still effective against other flu viruses .
The H1N1 seasonal flu virus first became resistant to Tamiflu more than 10 years ago because of a single genetic mutation. But these strains were unable to spread because the same mutation that conferred resistance to Tamiflu also made the virus less infectious.
However, the researchers have discovered further genetic mutations that overcame this drawback to the drug-resistant strain. These mutations allowed the virus to spread explosively after the 2007-08 flu season so that by the following year, Tamiflu was next to useless against virtually all seasonal H1N1 flu viruses – although still effective against other flu viruses .
8 Scientists Share $3 Million in Prizes.
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Scientists competing to build humongous telescopes, elucidate the machinery by which brain cells signal each other and manipulate individual atoms and molecules into submicroscopic structures were among the winners of one of the richest prizes in science, the $1 million Kavli Prize, announced Thursday by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
The prizes, one each in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience, are awarded every other year. This year, eight scientists will share the money, $3 million in all, which comes from the Kavli Foundation, set up by Fred Kavli, a Norwegian-American physicist, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
The prizes, one each in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience, are awarded every other year. This year, eight scientists will share the money, $3 million in all, which comes from the Kavli Foundation, set up by Fred Kavli, a Norwegian-American physicist, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Near-death experiences 'explained': Scientists believe it's the last gasp of a dying brain.
A study of the brains of critically ill men and women revealed a brief burst of activity moments before death.
Researcher Lakhmir Chawla, an intensive care doctor, said: 'We think that near-death experiences could be caused by a surge of electrical energy as the brain runs out of oxygen.
As blood flow slows down and oxygen levels fall, the brain cells fire one last electrical impulse.
'It starts in one part of the brain and spreads in a cascade and this may give people vivid mental sensations.'
Dr Chawla, of the George Washington University medical centre in Washington DC, monitored the brain activity of seven terminally-ill people to ensure the painkillers they were being given were working.
In each case, the gradual tailing off of brain activity in the hour or so before death was interrupted by a brief spurt of action, lasting from 30 seconds to three minutes.
Researcher Lakhmir Chawla, an intensive care doctor, said: 'We think that near-death experiences could be caused by a surge of electrical energy as the brain runs out of oxygen.
As blood flow slows down and oxygen levels fall, the brain cells fire one last electrical impulse.
'It starts in one part of the brain and spreads in a cascade and this may give people vivid mental sensations.'
Dr Chawla, of the George Washington University medical centre in Washington DC, monitored the brain activity of seven terminally-ill people to ensure the painkillers they were being given were working.
In each case, the gradual tailing off of brain activity in the hour or so before death was interrupted by a brief spurt of action, lasting from 30 seconds to three minutes.
Acupuncture does work as it stimulates a natural pain killer, scientists find.
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Acupuncture works by stimulating a natural painkiller in the body that swells arteries and allows more blood to flow through, scientists have discovered.
Scientists were able to triple the beneficial effects of simply sticking needles in mice by adding a leukaemia medication that increased their amounts of the molecule.
Dr Maiken Nedergaard, a neuroscientist at the University of Rochester, New York, said: "Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained sceptical.
Scientists were able to triple the beneficial effects of simply sticking needles in mice by adding a leukaemia medication that increased their amounts of the molecule.
Dr Maiken Nedergaard, a neuroscientist at the University of Rochester, New York, said: "Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained sceptical.
New material for higher storage for the disk found by japanese team.
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A Japanese research team has found a material that could be used to make a low-price super disc with data storage capacity thousands of times greater than a DVD, the lead scientist has said.
The material transforms from a black-colour metal state that conducts electricity into a brown semiconductor when hit by light, according to Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo.
The material, a new crystal form of titanium oxide, can switch back and forth between the metal and semiconductor states at room temperature when exposed to light, creating an effective on-off function for data storage.
The material transforms from a black-colour metal state that conducts electricity into a brown semiconductor when hit by light, according to Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo.
The material, a new crystal form of titanium oxide, can switch back and forth between the metal and semiconductor states at room temperature when exposed to light, creating an effective on-off function for data storage.
World's first: Brit scientist infects himself with computer virus.
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(ANI): Dr Mark Gasson, a cybernetics expert at the University of Reading, has become the first human to be infected with a computer virus.
Gasson has had a computer chip implanted in his hand which is programmed to open security doors to his lab. The chip also ensures that only he is able to switch on and use his mobile phone.
But the British boffin deliberately infected the chip with a computer virus. It was then automatically transmitted to affect to the lab security system.
"Once the system is infected, anybody accessing the building with their passcard would be infected too," he told Sky News.
The virus on his chip is benign. But malicious computer code could give criminals access to a building. (ANI)
Gasson has had a computer chip implanted in his hand which is programmed to open security doors to his lab. The chip also ensures that only he is able to switch on and use his mobile phone.
But the British boffin deliberately infected the chip with a computer virus. It was then automatically transmitted to affect to the lab security system.
"Once the system is infected, anybody accessing the building with their passcard would be infected too," he told Sky News.
The virus on his chip is benign. But malicious computer code could give criminals access to a building. (ANI)
CCTV with intelligence revealed by UK's Defence.
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The latest defence surveillance can "pick out" potential insurgents in an image
UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) says will be used by soldiers within five years - a package of surveillance systems that can recognise insurgents or terrorists.
This high resolution imaging with in-built software to detect and follow the fake insurgents as they planned their covert meeting, was one of the technologies tested by DSTL during what it described as a "cops and robbers" style trial.
Magnetic Suspension Device,
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Src: [Chinavasion via 7Gadgets]
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