An overseas territory governed by France is to ask Paris for nearly $1bn in compensation for damage caused by nuclear weapons tests, it’s been reported. The assembly of French Polynesia, based in Papete, has prepared a demand for $930m (£594m) over the 193 tests carried out by France in the South Pacific between 1966 and 1996, Radio New Zealand International reports. The ruling Tahoeraa Huiraatira party, which opposes independence from […]
Stanford scientists have developed a new gecko-inspired climbing technology that enables a human to scale a glass wall using two large adhesive pads. Researchers hope to use the adhesives in manufacturing equipment, making grippers for manipulating huge solar panels, displays, and other objects without the need for suction power or chemical glues. They are also working with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to adapt the adhesive for use by robots, according […]
Beijing: China today launched a new remote sensing satellite into scheduled orbit from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre. The satellite Yaogan-23 will mainly be used for scientific experiments, natural resource surveys, crop yield estimates and disaster relief, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. It was carried by a Long March-2C rocket, marking the 198th mission for the Long March rocket family. China launched the first satellite in the “Yaogan” […]
A British hi-tech start-up has invented a light bulb fitting capable of acting as the equivalent of a wireless network in the home. PureLiFi, a spin-out from Edinburgh University, is poised to announce new technology that can create a two-way high-speed connection using signals sent by LED lightbulbs for the first time. The company’s creation has attracted the interest of a club of hi-tech investors who are close to agreeing […]
Memory loss is worrying young Indians, but experts say you need to know when to fret. You meet a former colleague at a party, and can’t for the life of you place him. We’ve all encountered the embarrassment. But what if you forget to perform a daily task or can’t recall a route you frequently take? “The brain is programmed to filter out data and retain information that’s important. […]
Washington: A sounding rocket fitted with technology to gather 1,500 images of the Sun in flat five minutes is set for launch on Monday.Capturing five images per second, the Rapid Acquisition Imaging Spectrograph Experiment (RAISE) mission will focus in on the split-second changes that occur near active regions on the Sun. These are areas of intense and complex magnetic fields that can give birth to giant eruptions on the Sun […]
Beijing, China: China completed its first return mission to the moon early Saturday with the successful re-entry and landing of an unmanned probe, state media reported, in the latest step forward for Beijing’s ambitious space programme. The probe landed safely in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region, state news agency Xinhua said, citing the Beijing Aerospace Control Center. Xinhua said the probe took “some incredible pictures” of the Earth and […]
Toronto: As compared to men who have had only one partner during their lifetime, having sex with more than 20 women is associated with a 28 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, research shows. However, having more than 20 male partners in one’s lifetime is associated with a two-fold higher risk of getting prostate cancer compared to those who have never slept with a man, according to […]
In the last hundred years, we have made a significant amount of progress when it comes to the exploration of space. One century we are riding horse and buggy, and the next we are setting foot on the moon. We are all humbled when we see photos of other planets and galaxies because of their sheer beauty, but even more humbling is the fact that we still know very […]
A billion years ago, the Earth was an exceptionally unpleasant place. Temperatures were unbearable and the air was unbreathable, with carbon dioxide comprising about one-third of the atmosphere. Then a tiny new life form entered the picture and changed everything. Known as microalgae, these single-celled organisms evolved from the primordial soup, absorbing atmospheric gasses and reducing CO2 levels to a fraction of a percent, fostering an environment in which higher […]
