Science News

How scientists made fast quantum communication possible

How scientists made fast quantum communication possibleWashington, April 30 : Researchers from Toshiba and Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory have developed high speed detectors that are capable of receiving information with much higher key rates, thereby able to receive more information faster, in a technique known as quantum cryptography.

Meteor hunting begins in Ontario

 Meteor hunting begins in OntarioToronto, April 30 : Researchers have issued a call for meteorite-hunters and interested locals to start searching for a meteorite that landed on rural land north of Newmarket, Ontario, in Canada.

The space rock fell to Earth at 8:37 p. m. on March 15 and its blazing trail was picked up by five cameras used by the University of Western Ontario's Physics and Astronomy Department to scour the Southern Ontario sky for fireballs.

Researchers have since been calculating the most likely place the meteorite fell.

Technique for modifying plant genes could help provide sustainable food, fuel and fiber

 Technique for modifying plant genes could help provide sustainable food, fuel and fiberWashington, April 30 : Scientists have used a genome engineering tool they developed to make a model crop plant herbicide-resistant without significant changes to its DNA, which could help provide sustainable food, fuel and fiber.

The research team was from the University of Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital in the US.

ISRO planning to turn its focus on study of oceans

ISRO planning to turn its focus on study of oceansScripting a new tale of success with successful launch of its moon mission Chandrayaan-1 last year, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is now looking to turn its focus on the study of oceans. The ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair on Wednesday said that ISRO is planning to start its study of oceans, the driving force for monsoons, which play important role in the national food production.

Female Oz lizards literally turn their backs on mates to avoid sex

lizardMelbourne, Apr 30 : Females of an Australian species of lizard rely on testosterone when they want to put off a male from copulating with her, according to researchers at University of Melbourne.

Evolutionary ecology Dr Devi Stuart-Fox of the University of Melbourne, and colleagues studied the female Lake Eyre dragon lizard (Ctenophorus maculosus) and found that she displays a bright orange belly and throat during parts of her breeding season, which researchers think is driven by the hormone testosterone.

They found that the colour features prominently when the female wants to keep amorous males off their back.

Indus Valley seals may not be proof of advanced linguistic skills

Indus Valley Hong Kong, April 30 : A team of scientists has refuted claims made by a research group that the puzzling symbols that were found on Indus Valley seals are proof of a written script of a language from an ancient civilization, and therefore a literate culture.

According to a report in Asia Times Online, the claims have been challenged by historian Steve Farmer and Harvard University Indologist Michael Witzel.

Pages