Washington, Oct 9 : The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, working with federal agencies as well as the insurance and energy industries, has launched an intensive study to examine how global warming will influence hurricanes in the next few decades.

As part of the study, researchers are homing in on the hurricane-prone Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea to assess the likely changes, between now and the middle of the century, in the frequency, intensity, and tracks of these powerful storms.

The goal of the project is to provide information to coastal communities, offshore drilling operations, and other interests that could be affected by changes in hurricanes.

Washington, Oct 9 : Engineers in the UK have developed a new kind of thermometer that is tough enough to measure the temperature inside big explosions, while managing to survive the powerful impacts as well.

The thermometer, developed by the UK’s National Physical Laboratory, comprises of an optical fibre protected inside a steel tube with one end exposed picks up thermal radiation that reveals the temperature inside an explosive fireball.

Conventional temperature sensors such as thermocouples, which measure the voltage produced when a metal is subject to a temperature gradient, are too slow to react and are easily damaged.

Washington, Oct 9: Afghanistan is in a "downward spiral" and there are serious doubts on the ability of the Afghan Government to stem the rise in the Taliban''s influence there, according to a draft report by US intelligence agencies.

The report finds that the breakdown in central authority in Afghanistan has been accelerated by rampant corruption within the government of President Hamid Karzai and an increase in violence by militants who have launched increasingly sophisticated attacks from safe havens in Pakistan.

Washington, Oct. 9: Republican presidential candidate John McCain uttered two words that could turn out to be the only ones people remember from Tuesday night''s presidential debate -- That one.

Washington, Oct 9 : A new study by Stanford researchers has revealed that the circadian rhythm that quietly pulses inside us all, guiding our daily cycle from sleep to wakefulness and back to sleep again, may be crucial to learning and memory.

Biologist Norman Ruby, the lead author of the study, worked with Siberian hamsters and found that having a functioning circadian system is critical to the their ability to remember what they have learned.

Without the system, Ruby said, "They can''t remember anything." The findings have implications for diseases that include problems with learning or memory deficits, such as Down syndrome or Alzheimer''s disease.

Washington, Oct 8: Even though the Bush administration was “not interested” (in its help), after the 9/11 air attacks, Iran had provided it with key assistance in identifying hundreds of Arabs to counter terrorist organization Al Qaeda, by sending copies of passports of around 300 passports, revealed a former US administration official.

With the objective of having a broader relationship with the US, Iran also denied sanctuary to suspected al Qaeda operatives, added the former US official.

On the basis of the copies of passports, the US investigators interrogated these Arab nationals and even expelled many.