Munich, Nov 12: The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope has revealed how an expanding bubble of ionised gas about ten light-years across is causing the surrounding material to collapse into dense clumps that are the birthplaces of new stars.

The region, called RCW120, is about 4200 light years from Earth, towards the constellation of Scorpius.

Munich  - The Toyota Prius hybrid continues to lead the Eco-Test rankings conducted annually by Germany's automobile association (ADAC) which measured fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in a special test.

None of the 800 cars tested achieved the maximum number of five stars. The ADAC says its test is more realistic than the fuel consumption tests conducted under laboratory conditions by the car makers. The Eco-Test takes the cars on motorways, stop-and-go city traffic while the air conditioning systems run.

Munich - Condoms can help support the healing process of viral infections that affect the cervix, according to the Munich-based professional association for German gynaecologists.

Mutations that occur in cells affected by the human papilloma virus (HPV) are better contained when condoms are used because they the prevent the virus from spreading, the association said. In addition they protect from other sexually transmitted diseases that can slow down the healing process.

Munich, Nov 8 : Astronomers have obtained the deepest ever ground-based ultraviolet image of the Universe, which shows millions of distant galaxies of different shapes and colors.

Obtained in part with the ESO’s (European Southern Observatory’s) Very Large Telescope, the image contains more than 27 million pixels and is the result of 55 hours of observations with the VIMOS instrument.

Munich - German sports car manufacturer Porsche announced a huge jump in profits for the 2007/2008 financial year on Friday as Daimler AG and BMW reported a major slump in October sales.

Group profit before taxes in the 12 months up to the end of July soared to 8.57 billion euros (11.2 billion dollars) from 5.85 billion euros the previous year, Porsche said in a statement.

Munich - Bayern Munich defender Martin Demichelis expressed his delight Friday at a visit from new Argentina head coach Diego Maradona.

The former playing great stopped over in Munich for talks with Demichelis and fellow Bayern Argentine Jose Ernesto Sosa Thursday evening as he continues his preparations for his first match in charge.

"You can't ask for more when Argentina's greatest football idol and the last World Cup winning coach (Carlos Bilardo) come to Munich to visit me and Jose," he said.