The National Biodiversity Authority has released a new set of rules to manage sharing of benefits generated through the use of biological resources. The Biological Diversity (Access to biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulation 2025 was approved by the Central government and …
young emperor penguin chicks have been observed moving further away from their home in Antarctica to warmer waters of north. And therein lies the danger, for these waters are not bound by international treaties. The Antarctic Treaty primarily covers the Ross Sea, a frigid body of water where the penguins …
crew members on the American space shuttle Columbia may have been at a loss when a tethered satellite broke free and drifted away. But for Robert J Charlson, an atmospheric scientist with the University of Washington, Seattle, the aborted mission was a blessing in disguise. The astronauts now had the …
conservation scientists are dismayed at the proposed cuts to uk 's biodiversity programme. An as yet unpublished internal review by the department of environment ( doe ) recommends the scaling down of the programme and also reduce its bird conservation activities. Critics argue that doe has worked rather slowly on …
latest research on anti-inflammation drugs may make it possible to replace the formulation which is the most commonly used today, and is probably also the most damaging: aspirin. Few people know that it can be dangerous. The chronic and indiscriminate use of aspirin can lead to stomach bleeding, kidney failure, …
The wildlife department of the Sri Lankan government has come in for sharp criticism. Biosphere , the bulletin of the Environmental Foundation, which has on its panel several distinguished environmentalists, has accused the department of negligence in monitoring the Handapanagala elephant herd, considered to be a priceless heritage. Environmentalists wanted …
The passing of electric current can turn metal into coral reefs. Thomas Goreau, president of the Global Coral Reef Alliance, a New York-based reef protection organisation, sparked off the idea of passing electric current through sea water and causing calcium and magnesium to accumulate at the metal cathode. The minerals …
in june (17-23) this year, 150 representatives of various governments and ngo s met in Leipzig, Germany, to finalise negotiations on a global plan of action ( gpa ) for conservation and sustainable utilisation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Topmost on the agenda was the reorientation of …
• US: Losses in maize, onion, lettuce, tomato, peas, beans, cabbage and radish have been reported. From about 800 varieties of maize in 1903, the figure is down to about 50 in 1994. • China: In the 1970's, only 10 per cent of the strains of wheat in production were …
there are already numerous drugs which aid in controlling cancer or even curing it if detected in the early stages. But the drugs, as observed in so many cases, are user specific and their effects vary from person to person depending on factors like the sensitivity of a person, the …
A 17-month air analysis in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, which ended recently, has found that lead pollution is the highest in the world here during the low-rain period. The analyis, carried out by scientists of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), states that during the months of November, December and January, …
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has claimed to have found a solution to soil erosion. Vetiver grass ( Vetiver zizinoidis) boasts of the longest roots in the plant kingdom. A vetiver root can grow to a depth of 568 m in three years. Vetiver poses no threat to native plants …
the extinction of wildlife due to the harm caused by human activities in the modern world is well-documented and widely-known. For the more conspicuous groups of birds and mammals, rates of extinction have been estimated at about one species per year. Since the total number of species of living organisms …
Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, have found out the reason behind the sterlity of sinuses, and its advantage. Researchers report that epithelial cells lining these sinuses produce nitric oxide (NO) that is lethal to the bacteria invading the neighbouring nasal cavity. Acting as a vasodilator, NO travels …
The first comprehensive report on the World Health Organization's vaccination programmes, State of the World's Vaccines and Immunisation , reveals that under the expanded programme on immunisation, 80 per cent of the world's children have been immunised against six common childhood diseases, saving three million lives a year. However, new …
To most Indians, turmeric or haldi is a part of growing up, a magic cure-all for the excesses of childhood. A classic "grandmother's remedy", the virulent yellow powder or paste has been applied to the scrapes and cuts of generations of children. But in the US, two scientists were granted …
Heavy metals and organic chemicals that stick to particles of soil could get released into the groundwater. A new procedure developed by Paul Bertsch of the University of Georgia, US, aims at removing these contaminants from the soil. His technique is based on the conventional method of
experiments conducted on the fruitfly 15 years ago have done much to advance our understanding of the development of an embryo into an adult. There were two main insights that followed these researches: firstly, that varying levels of protein molecules act as guideposts
Nepal will receive a US $18.28 million World Bank (WB) credit for a rural water supply and a sanitation project. The fund will deliver sustainable health and hygiene benefits to the rural population, according to WB officials. The project will also provide for water and sanitation schemes for the Nepalese. …
Proctor and Gamble Company is developing a method that it hopes will lead to the largescale and rapid composting of most non-recyclable solid wastes. Its researchers at the Winton Hill Technical Centre in Cincinnati, US, believe that factors like temperature and aeration have a great impact on the process underlying …
a team of scientists from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre in Dallas have taken the first, albeit small steps towards making the impossible a reality. Yes, a man may be able to father a child even in his 100th year or …
