Technology News for May 8, 2008

University research too adds to global warming
A Canadian environmentalist says that university research should be listed among human activities that are contributing to global warming. ANI

Cleaner air threatens Amazon rainforest
Climate scientists from the UK and Brazil have come with an unusual theory, which suggests that the Amazon rainforest, so crucial to the Earths climate system, is coming under threat from cleaner air. ANI

Male seagulls more vulnerable to environment during embryonic development
According to a new study by British scientists, male seagulls may be more vulnerable to their environment during embryonic development than females. ANI

Dancing hair cells are key to humans acute hearing: Study
St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital investigators in their new study have shown how dancing hair cells contribute to amplifying sounds in the inner ear, a finding that could explain how hearing loss can result from genetic mutation or overdose of drugs ANI

Dads baby blues affects kids speech development
Its not just mums who suffer from postnatal depression. A new study has found that dads also get the baby blues, which in turn may affect their childs language development. ANI

Indians, Brazilians consumers top greenest citizens survey; US scores least
Indian and Brazilian customers have the most environmentally friendly lifestyles, according to a new global survey. ANI

Higher fuel prices could slash US greenhouse gas emissions
Economists have suggested that increasing the prices of gasoline could lead to a dramatic saving in US greenhouse-gas emissions. ANI

Burma could have had a 72 hr warning about devastating cyclone
An analysis by Australian researchers has revealed that Burmese authorities could have had as much as 72 hours notice of the devastating Cyclone Nargis, which is now estimated to reach a death toll of about 100,000. ANI

Bluetooth makes your every move trackable
You might be having the all technologically advanced air around you, courtesy the Bluetooth facilitated mobile phone, but before getting drawn in that heres some shock for you - the wireless link makes your every move trackable. ANI

Unstable post-divorce family situations lower kids well being
Kids who live in unstable family situations after their parents divorced fare much worse later on in life on a variety of measures as compared to children who had stable post-divorce family situations, according to a new study. ANI

Scientists succeed in controlled extraction of hydrogen from formic acid
Scientists have succeeded in the controlled extraction of hydrogen from formic acid-without the need for the high-temperature reforming process usually involved in other hydrogen generation systems. ANI

Water dynamics play a pivotal role in fish biodiversity
A new method developed by researchers from Princeton University has shown that water dynamics play a pivotal role in the biodiversity of fishes in river networks. ANI

Study unveils beneficial, harmful effects of silicon supplements on sunflower
Scientists have shown beneficial and detrimental effects of silicon supplements on sunflowers grown in greenhouse environments. ANI

Ponds can absorb as much carbon as the worlds oceans
A new research has revealed that ponds around the globe absorb as much carbon as the worlds oceans. ANI

Bear mums not to blame for cubs habit of stealing human food
A team of researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has found that the black bears that become habituated to human food and garbage might not be learning these behaviours exclusively from their mothers, as widely assumed. ANI

Scientists develop tiny nanoworms to destroy tumours
A collaboration between UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and MIT scientists has resulted in the development of nanoworms that could be the next generation of bio-devices to trace and destroy tumours too small to detect by conventional methods. ANI

Global climate models have overstated warming in Antarctica
A new research by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Ohio State University has determined that computer analyses of global climate have consistently overstated warming in Antarctica. ANI

Movement of iron snow helps to maintain Mercurys magnetic field
New scientific evidence has suggested that the movement of iron snow helps to maintain Mercurys magnetic field. ANI

NASA spacecraft spots giant dust devils on Mars
NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has spotted two whirling dust devils, towering nearly a kilometre high, at the exact spot where the Phoenix Mars lander is due to touch down in a few weeks. ANI