High humidity, little rain in Delhi

NEW DELHI - High humidity coupled with above-average maximum temperature forced Delhiites sweat it out Saturday. The weatherman said a light drizzle was reported in some parts of the capital but it brought scarce relief from the sweltering heat.

Himachal may get heavy rains

SHIMLA - The hills of Himachal Pradesh may experience heavy rainfall in the next two days, a weather official said here Saturday.

Cancer drugs may help battle parasite Leishmania

WASHINGTON - A parasite afflicting nearly 12 million people across the world relies on a family of genes that should make it vulnerable to compounds developed to treat cancer and other disorders, new research by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals.

Why tectonic plates move the way they do

WASHINGTON - Researchers at Monash University and Scripps Institution of Oceanography have developed a new theory to explain the global motions of tectonic plates on the earth’s surface.

Boffins find way to help cancer cells age and die

WASHINGTON - Researchers at the Washington State University have found a way to help cancer cells age and die, creating an advance in the treatment of malignant tumours.

Now, ecological cement to cut CO2 emissions

WASHINGTON - The Tecnalia Construction Unit has unveiled a new generation of environmentally-friendly cements that enable cutting direct carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere by up to 100 per cent.

‘Junk DNA’ supports development in less-than-ideal growth conditions

LONDON - Repeated instructional regions in the DNA of fruit fly may contribute to normal development under less-than-ideal growth conditions by making sure that genes are turned on and off at the appropriate times, new research reveals.

New technology could help navy tackle attacks by small boats

WASHINGTON - US Navy and coalition military ships may soon get an upper hand in swiftly defeating multiaxis attacks by small swarming boats, thanks to the Low-Cost Imaging Terminal Seeker (LCITS)- a technology sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Unusual cosmic lens discovered

WASHINGTON - Astronomers have discovered the first known case of a distant galaxy being magnified by a quasar acting as a gravitational lens.

How memory is disrupted in people with disease linked to learning disabilities

WASHINGTON - By uncovering how a genetic condition, called neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, disrupts working memory, researchers at UCLA have suggested a potential drug target for correcting learning disabilities linked with the disease.

Now, 3D printers to print tiny robotic insects

LONDON - 3D printers could soon create the perfect insect wing, a feat perfected by nature over millennia.

One tiny satellite in space, whiz kids plan two more

BANGALORE - Ignited by their maiden success in placing a tiny satellite in the polar orbit early this week, its young pioneers are raring to launch two more satellites into space.

New discovery paves way for treatment of incurable blood cancer

WASHINGTON - Researchers from Uppsala University have now presented a conceptually new model for the development and progression of multiple myeloma- one of the most common blood cancers, and at present considered to be incurable.

Mice cages alter brains, affect scientific research

WASHINGTON - In a breakthrough study, researchers at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus have found that the brains of mice used in laboratories worldwide can be profoundly affected by the type of cage they are kept in.

Probability of other sun-like stars higher than previously believed

LONDON - Turning previous theories on their head, an Indian-origin researcher has claimed that there are many solitary sun-like stars in the universe, which exist without any stellar companion.

Silicon chip speed record shattered on electron ‘racetrack’

LONDON - A “racetrack” that can shuttle electrons around at high speeds has set a new record for silicon chips.

Toxic bacteria killed Alexander the Great?

WASHINGTON - Scientists are claiming that a deadly bacterium in the The Styx River, the legendary portal to the underworld, may have ended Alexander’s life.

Soon, eye movement-based lie detector test

WASHINGTON - Our eye movements have long been thought to reveal whether we are telling the truth or lying. Now a group of University of Utah researchers are using eye-tracking technology to pioneer a promising alternative to the polygraph for lie detection.

Bearded ’super’ fish helps salvage ocean dead zone

LONDON - Scientists have discovered that a resilient fish, thriving in an inhospitable, jellyfish-infested region off Africa’s south-west coast, is helping to keep the local ecosystem going, and preserving an important fishery.

Drugs rescue fruit flies from Alzheimer’s

WASHINGTON - Researchers have successfully prevented age-related cognitive decline in fruit flies with Alzheimer’s gene mutation by treating them with drugs such as lithium, or by genetic manipulations that reduced nerve-cell signalling.

Eco-friendly insect repellents identified

WASHINGTON - Paving way for new environmental-friendly insect repellents, researchers have identified two compounds emitted by mosquito predators that make the mosquitoes less inclined to lay eggs in pools of water.

Organisms with large brains live longer and reproduce more

WASHINGTON - Confirming the protective brain hypothesis, researchers have claimed that species, which have developed large brains, live for longer than those with small brains and hence reproduce more times.

Soon, Google to ‘predict your desires’

LONDON - Google may soon be able to deliver search results to its users even before they know that they want the information.

Cooked food helped humans evolve bigger brains: Study

LONDON - Scientists have suggested that cooked food is the reason behind humans’ big brains.

According to one controversial evolutionary theory, early humans developed a taste for cooked food around 2 million years ago, and this set in motion a series of changes that made us utterly different from any other animal.

1600-year-old Mayan King’s tomb discovered in Guatemala

WASHINGTON - Archaeologists have discovered a tomb of an ancient Mayan king in Guatemala, filled with materials that have been preserved for approximately 1,600 years.

Riding with the whale sharks in India

NEW DELHI - The giant whale shark - a gentle specie of the deep sea about which very little is known - will soon be a tourist attraction off the Gujarat coastline even as it is tagged for genetic analysis and conservation.

Now, a quick and affordable microfluidic HIV test

WASHINGTON - A researcher at UC Davis has developed a “lab on a chip” device for HIV testing, which is quick and pocket friendly.

Vitamin deficiency after weight loss op ‘can cause vision loss in infants’

WASHINGTON - A new study has found that vitamin deficiency after weight loss surgery can cause vision loss in newborns.

Australia’s first woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard announces Aug 21 general elections

Australian PM Gillard announces Aug 21 elections