US: NASA telescope IRIS launched to investigate the sun

A small telescope has been launched on a mission to determine how the sun heats up its atmosphere. The findings could help understand how solar storms disrupt telecommunications on Earth. NASA launched the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, IRIS, on a … Continued

US: Firms cannot patent human genes, US court rules

The US Supreme Court has ruled against patents for extracted human DNA, though synthesized genetic strains remain eligible. The court ruled that isolating naturally occurring material did not satisfy patent requirements. In a unanimous vote on Thursday, the US Supreme … Continued

Kenya:  30 countries in Africa at risk of yellow fever   NAIROBI, (Xinhua): The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that 30 countries in Africa with a total population of 508 million are considered to be at different … Continued

US: Scientists report human stem cells cloning success

Scientists in the United States have recovered human stem cells from cloned human embryos, in what is a world first. They have described it as a “significant step forward” in medicine. Scientists have been trying to obtain stem cells from … Continued

UAE: Aquaponics expert brings sustainability to the desert

Jabber Al Mazroui has succeeded in building one of the world’s largest aquaponics farms in the desert climes of the United Arab Emirates. He hopes aquaponics can boom, but local farmers are proving slow to adjust. Jabber Al Mazroui peers … Continued

SARS-like virus confirmed in France, Saudi Arabia

  The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed cases of the SARS-like coronavirus in France and Saudi Arabia. The new cases bring the worldwide total beginning in September 2012 to 34, 18 of which were fatal. In a press statement … Continued

US: Astronomers see “shockingly bright” gamma-ray burst

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): Astronomers have witnessed a record-setting blast of gamma rays from a dying star in a distant galaxy that produced the highest-energy light ever detected from such an event. The eruption, which is classified as a gamma-ray burst(GRB), and … Continued

EU Commission okays moratorium on bee-killing pesticides

The European Commission has approved a temporary ban on several pesticides that are harmful to bees. The decision followed a split vote from EU member states. In a vote in Brussels on Monday, EU member states remained divided on a … Continued

US: Astronomers discover “greenest” galaxy ever seen

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): Astronomers said Tuesday that they have spotted the most environmentally friendly galaxy ever seen, one that converts fuel into stars with almost 100-percent efficiency.   Stars are formed out of collapsing clouds of gas in galaxies. In a … Continued

US: Exclusive breastfeeding lowers mother-to-child HIV risk

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): HIV-infected women who fed their babies exclusively with breast milk for more than the first four months of life had the lowest risk of transmitting the virus to their babies through breast milk, according to a new study … Continued

US: Brain scans let doctors measure pain

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): Scientists may objectively measure anxiety, depression, anger or other emotional states by using brain scans, findings published in Wednesday’s New England Journal of Medicine showed. “Right now, there’s no clinically acceptable way to measure pain and other emotions … Continued

China confirms 4 new H7N9 cases

BEIJING, (Xinhua): Chinese health authorities have said that, during the 24-hour period ending 5 p.m. on Monday, China has confirmed four new cases of H7N9 avian influenza, including one death. This has brought the total number of people infected with … Continued

Hong Kong: New study gauges novel coronavirus lung damage

HONG KONG, (Xinhua): The novel coronavirus is as virulent as or more virulent than the SARS coronavirus in causing lung damage, a new study by Hong Kong University (HKU) researchers has showed. The research has recently been published in the … Continued

Chile: Stars seen forming perilously close to black hole

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): Astronomers using a telescope in Chile say they have spotted signs of star formation perilously close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.   If confirmed, it would be the first time … Continued

Scientists find possible evidence of mysterious dark matter

An instrument aboard the International Space Station has discovered what may be evidence of the mysterious “dark matter.” The material makes up more than a quarter of the universe, but has never been seen. An international research team said Wednesday … Continued