Washington, Dec 6: Mimicking the structure of mother of pearl, scientists with the U. S. Department of Energy''s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), have created what could turn out to be the toughest ceramic ever produced.

Robert Ritchie who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab''s Materials Sciences Division and the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of California, Berkeley, led the research effort.

The researchers produced the novel ceramic via controlled freezing of suspensions in water of an aluminum oxide (alumina) and the addition of a well known polymer, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).

The resultant ceramics are 300 times tougher than their constituent components.

The union government is planning to define cyber crimes under the IT Act 2000 and is likely to introduce Amendment Bill in the winter session of parliament. It would cover all crimes where technology is used for terror and unsocial activities. It would cover cyber terrorism, child pornography, spam and phishing besides data security and privacy.
 

Washington, Dec 6 : Natalie Maines, the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, has been slapped with defamation lawsuit for statements she made at a rally in 2007 about the murders of three young boys.

Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of one of three 8-year old boys murdered in 1993, has filed a complaint on November 25, claiming that Maines wrongfully made a "false and reckless claim that [Hobbs] committed the murders of the three boys."

His stepson Steve Branch, along with Christopher Byers and Michael Moore, was found dead May 5, 1993, reports Fox News.

London, Dec 6 : New scientific evidence has emerged that has shown pollution is a bigger problem in terms of human health than previously thought, and can kill as many people as climate change in the coming years.

According to a report in the Telegraph, the evidence has been gathered by Met Office experts in the UK, who say that pollution is just as important for the world to stop pollution, which is set to kill 800 more people every year by 2020 in the UK alone.

Dr Vicky Pope, head of climate change advice at the Met Office, said that pollution can exacerbate the effects of climate change with deadly consequences.

The Dabhol power plant in Maharashtra would get gas from Krishna-Godavari (K-G) basin on a priority basis. K-G basin is being developed by Reliance Industries in Andhra Pradesh. RIL is directed by the union petroleum ministry to sell gas at $4.2 per million British thermal unit (mBtu) after the judgment of the court. It also asked RIL to supply gas to some fertilizer plants.
 

Washington, Dec. 6 : The nature of the recent attacks in Mumbai suggests collaboration between internal dissidents and foreign intelligence agencies, says a University of Indianapolis international relations specialist.

Unlike previous attacks in India, this time the terrorists came via sea, firing indiscriminately rather than using bombs and specifically targeting numerous centers.