New gene promises kidney stone cure
Scientists have isolated a gene that can break down oxalic acid, the primary culprit that damages tissue and leaves the victim gasping in pain
Confronting cholera in Peru
The year-long cholera epidemic in Peru refocussed scientific attention worldwide on the causes of the disease and the various strains of cholera …
Climate changes alter height of Himalayan range
The average height of the Himalay has been going down over the last two million years because of climatic changes, surveys indicate.
Yeast genes spring surprise on scientists
Chromosome III in yeast, the first to have its DNA fully described, opened up a wealth of new genes whose functions are completely unknown
Learning from lasagne
Porous layers of slurry, zapped with electricity, may revolutionise the treatment of contaminated clay soils
What shaped human intelligence?
Scientists are trying to uncover the adaptive pressures that transformed primates into intelligent humans
Spin-off to space
The billion-dollar Star Wars programme lies abandoned, but the technology will now be used to combat asteroids
The strength of the future
Composite materials, which can be tailored to specifications and strengths and ultimately replace even steel, have come of age in India.
It's mama's fault
Scientists suggest a disorder that causes periods of ecstasy and depression is passed on through mothers.
Lung power
What does it take for a lay athlete to take on a Serge! Bubka or a Carl Lewis? Good,powerful lungs, say scientists
Super chip
Human work done over 57,000 years would be accomplished in one second flat by a wonder computer developed by the US
New era semiconductors
From missiles to VCRs, a scintillating change is foreseen, At a smart new breed of semiconductors enter the realm of electronics
A quest for the best
A combination of optical microscopes and magnetic drives might be the answer to today's problems of data storage
Unfair gender banter
Society is primarily responsible for differences in aptitudes between the sexes, says a recent survey
New light on black holes
Researchers almost catch a glimpse of the ravenous vortexes in the Universe which don't even let light escape their gravitational grip
Cometary commune edged out
Observations support the hypothesis that thousands of comets are present in a belt on the periphery of our Solar System
Ignorance is no bliss
Coronary heart disease is more prevalent among the poorly educated rural Indians than the well-educated
Humanising machines
Scientists have incorporated a facet of human logic into a computer programme to help in disease diagnosis
Tough coats
Development of new carbon thin films could translate into protective covering for a wide range of products
Knocking strange doors
The study of sleep patterns in environments as wierd as outer space and underwater could be beneficial to public health in general
Brain-teasers
Recent studies not only reveal that functions of the human brain are highly localised but also that the brain responds to different stimuli in a …
A taste of nerves
By studying a gene causing a taste anomaly in fruit flies, researchers are trying to interpret the working patterns of the human brain
For a safer landing?
An experiment ultimately aimed at protecting the threatened whooping crane -- by teaching it to migrate to relatively safer winter locations -- …
Genuine stuff
Lasers passed through a fluoride glass doped with rare elements could end the search for genuine three-dimensional images
Seeing beyond the lights
In road safety equipment, the latest is an infrared camera for enabling vehicles to traverse safely on treacherous roads