Science Light

UN announces ozone-killing sprays now completely banned worldwide

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Consumers who want to be sure they are not buying aerosols that damage the ozone layer no longer need worry. Yesterday, the annual International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, the United Nations announced that the ban on using materials harmful to the ozone layer is the first ecological treaty to be ratified by every country in the world.

Antibodies found that prevent HIV from causing severe AIDS

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:35:00 +0000

After nearly two decades of futile searching for a vaccine against the AIDS virus, researchers are reporting the tantalizing discovery of antibodies that can prevent the virus from multiplying in the body and producing severe disease. They do not have a vaccine yet, but they may well have a road map toward the production of one.

Failed rescue: 2 beached whales die off Florida shore

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:40:00 +0000

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Rescuers failed in a frantic bid to save a mother whale and her baby after the pair ran aground off a South Florida beach Monday as hundreds looked on, many in tears. Neither animal survived despite efforts to keep them alive with moist towels and umbrellas to protect their drying skin from the scorching sun.

Freaky Sleep Paralysis: Being Awake in Your Nightmares

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:23:00 +0000

You wake up, but you can’t move a muscle. Lying in bed, you’re totally conscious, and you realize that strange things are happening. There’s a crushing weight on your chest that’s humanoid. And it’s evil. You’ve awakened into the dream world.

Gorillas have been found, for the first time, to be a source of HIV

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Previous research had shown the HIV-1 strain, the main source of human infections, with 33m cases worldwide, originated from a virus in chimpanzees. But researchers have now discovered an HIV infection in a Cameroonian woman which is clearly linked to a gorilla strain, Nature Medicine reports.

Asia awaits longest solar eclipse of the century on Wednesday

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century, as vast swaths of India and China, the entire city of Shanghai and southern Japanese islands are plunged into darkness Wednesday for about five minutes.

Lupus drug Benlysta succeeds in clinical trial

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Human Genome Sciences Inc said on Monday its experimental drug, which was developed with GlaxoSmithKline, to treat lupus was successful in a late-stage clinical trial.

US marks 40 years since man stepped on the moon

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:57:00 +0000

The United States marks the 40th anniversary of the historic first moon walk Monday, with President Barack Obama meeting at the White House with the crew of the Apollo 11 mission.

International Space Station toilet breaks down

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:57:00 +0000

NASA's deluxe International Space Station (ISS) toilet clapped out yesterday, meaning the 13 astronauts currently aboard the orbiting outpost will temporarily have to share the Russian "Waste Management System" and space shuttle Endeavour's facilities.

Video of Moonwalk From 1969 Restored

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:38:00 +0000

NASA on Thursday unveiled refurbished video of the first human landing on the moon, restored after it became clear that the original tapes of the July 20, 1969, moonwalk had been erased and reused.

Belgian town to hold meat-free Thursdays to cut carbon emissions

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:02:00 +0000

City workers in Ghent, a Flemish town northwest of Brussels, have opted to make Thursdays a “meatless day” and to eat vegetarian meals to improve health and reduce the impact of raising livestock on the environment, according to Ethical Vegetarian Alternative, a Belgian campaign group.

Australian town, NSW state government ban bottled water

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:48:00 +0000

An Australian town has banned bottled water, claiming to be the first in the country to revert to the tap for the sake of the environment and prompting the nation's largest state government to stop buying bottled water.

Ant mega-colony takes over world

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +0000

A single mega-colony of ants has colonised much of the world, scientists have discovered.

Canadian HIV vaccine ready for human tests

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +0000

An HIV/AIDS vaccine developed in Canada has passed safety tests in animals and the researchers are awaiting approval to begin human trials in the U.S.

Eye-tracking Software Opens Online Worlds To People With Disabilities

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +0000

Technology that allows gamers to control game functions with only their eyes is helping to open virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft to people with severe motor disabilities.

Rising sea level to submerge Louisiana coastline by 2100, study warns

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:59:00 +0000

A vast swath of the coastal lands around New Orleans will be underwater by the dawn of the next century because the rate of sediment deposit in the Mississippi delta can not keep up with rising sea levels, according to a study published today.

World's first ever 'self-watering' plant discovered in Israel

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Scientists have discovered the world's first 'self-watering' plant in Israel's Negev desert – one of the driest regions on earth.

Doctors warn against 'swine flu parties'

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Health experts are warning parents against holding "swine flu parties" in the hope of infecting their children with the H1N1 virus.

Australian scientists kill cancer cells with "trojan horse"

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:57:00 +0000

Australian scientists have developed a "trojan horse" therapy to combat cancer, using a bacterially-derived nano cell to penetrate and disarm the cancer cell before a second nano cell kills it with chemotherapy drugs.

Census Bureau News - Census Bureau Reports World's Older Population Projected to Triple by 2050

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:28:00 +0000

The world's 65-and-older population is projected to triple by mid-century, from 516 million in 2009 to 1.53 billion in 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In contrast, the population under 15 is expected to increase by only 6 percent during the same period, from 1.83 billion to 1.93 billion.