Washington, Jan 14 : Analysing the speech patterns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other politicians, scientists have concluded that race and gender greatly influence the way politicians speak, which is not always to their advantage.

The study by Camelia Suleiman from Florida International University and Daniel O'Connell from Georgetown University in the US, compared the language of male and female, and black and white politicians to determine if ethnicity and gender play a role in the way they speak.

The researchers examined transcripts of interviews between Larry King on CNN TV and Madeleine Albright, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice.

Washington, Jan 14 : Analysis of the chemical composition of 635-million-year-old rocks from the Norwegian island chain of Svalbard has revealed oxygen trapped inside the rocks, which suggests ancient Earth once had an alien atmosphere that might have helped melt millions of years' worth of deep freeze.

According to a report in National Geographic News, the analysis shows a surprisingly low amount of a particular type, or isotope, of oxygen.

Reduced levels of this isotope are linked to high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the new data suggest ancient Earth might have had 300 to 1,000 times more CO2 than current levels.

Washington, Jan 14: A new research has suggested that the earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx, had a similar hearing range to the modern emu, which suggests that the 145 million-year-old creature, despite its reptilian teeth and long tail, was more birdlike than reptilian.

The research was done by a team of paleontologists and biologists from London, Munich and Ohio.

Washington, Jan 14 : University of Oklahoma researchers are developing a process that would help convert biomass into eco-friendly gasoline.

The research team led by Lance Lobban, director of the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering are interested in how best to use catalysts (solids that accelerate certain chemical reactions) and chemical reactors to convert biomass into new fuels that would alleviate dependence on foreign oil.

Washington, Jan 14 : Taiwan researchers are developing a bicycle that would tell the riders when to change the gear.

They are designing a computer for pedal cyclists that tells them when to change gear to optimise the power they develop while maintaining comfort.

While riding a bicycle, few people know how to adjust the gears to get the most power out of their pedalling without becoming uncomfortable either through having to pedal too fast in a low gear on level roads or straining when going up hill or to maintain a high speed.

Researchers from National Defense University, Tashi, Taiwan, ROC have developed a computerised system that would tell exactly when to change gear.

Washington, Jan 14 : Based on a new