Northern Hemisphere 2023 summer warmest in two millennia; study calls for urgent greenhouse gas reduction
The 2023 summer temperature was 1.19°C higher than the warmest summer in 246 AD
Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of ‘woman’, ‘man’ is now more inclusive
Definition updated to include people who identify as a gender other than their biological sex
The story of how Cambridge bounced back
A simple tale of how one of the world’s greatest centres of knowledge got to where it is today
Silent communication
New computer software uses an eye-tracking device to type letters
Here’s what people in their 90s really think about death
Death was part of life for many of the older people who often said they were taking each day as it comes and not worrying too much about tomorrow
Caterpillars could hold the key to managing plastic waste: study
Moth caterpillars, which bio-degrade polyethylene found in plastic bags, can help scientists find a viable solution to the plastic waste problem
Eminent physicist Stephen Hawking dies at 76
Hawking theoretically proved that black holes were present as singularities in the cosmic space-time continuum
Psychographics: the behavioural analysis that helped Cambridge Analytica know voters' minds
How the Cambridge academic Michal Kosinski’s model is able to predict someone’s personality profile just on the basis of 300 likes
Biodiversity loss to raise India’s bankruptcy risk 29%
The first study of sovereign credit ratings reveals that partial collapse of ecosystems will add burden of billions of dollars for at least 26 …
Global strategy needed to build new roads to minimise environmental damage: study
Researchers identify areas where new roads have most potential benefit, areas where road building should be avoided
How indigo spread
Indigo Plantations and Science in Colonial India by Prakash Kumar, Cambridge University Press, Rs 995
New technique can make flexible electronics self-repairing too
Researchers claim the new technique is novel as it does not require rare materials or the addition of any complex circuitry
Food habits getting worse around the world, warn studies
Researchers implicate the role of junk food industry in the changing food habits, particularly of the young generation
Sexism pushed Rosalind Franklin toward the scientific sidelines during her short life, but her work still shines on her 100th birthday
Franklin’s greatest and most enduring legacy is the many women who have been inspired by her example to pursue scientific carriers
Disposing of nuclear waste
>> Too Hot to Touch, the Problem of High Level Nuclear Waste, by William Alley and Rosemarie Alley, Cambridge University Press, US $ 29.9
‘Sedentary lifestyle led to lighter bones in humans’
Study suggests increased physical activity could be a way to counter weak bones
Vatican and UN join hands on climate change
Speakers at workshop organised by Pontifical Science Academy say GDP growth does not indicate damage to the environment
James Watson to auction his Nobel Prize for discovering double helix structure of DNA
The money would go to the institutions where he studied and worked
Managing food demand key to containing emissions, damage to environment, says study
Sub-Saharan Africa will see the biggest increase in food demand
Climate change brings longer spring and autumn to US
Expanding growing season has enabled the forests to store an additional 26 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, say researchers
New genealogy project allows astronomers to trace ‘ancestors’
The database provides information on more than 33,000 astronomers, their advisors and universities and the links to their dissertations
Two more vulture species under threat
Is it diclofenac?
Oxford University defers decision on divesting stake in fossil fuels
Alumni occupy office building in protest; 21 international universities have already divested their stakes
Publishing biggies target Delhi University photocopy shop
Students demand right to access study material after Cambridge and Oxford university press move move court against neighbourhood photocopy shop …
Life post Fukushima
It is one year since the great eastern Japan earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster ravaged Japan. How is the country coping? …
