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Showing posts from August, 2011

Tasmanian tiger's jaws were too weak to kill sheep

By Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC Nature Closer examination of the animal's jaws showed they were too weak to trap a struggling adult sheep. Continue reading the main story Related Stories Extinct Tasmanian tiger's weak jaws How a sabretooth cat 'bit down' Great white's weakness revealed At the end of the 19th Century, the thylacine had a price on its head. The strange marsupial carnivore, which became extinct in 1936, was thought to kill sheep. Sheep farming was the backbone of the Australian economy, and the government duly set up a bounty scheme to exterminate the species. But a new study has now revealed that the marsupial carnivore's jaws were too weak to snare a struggling adult sheep. The findings are reported in the Journal of Zoology. As well as revealing the injustice of its being hunted, the study also suggests tha

Healthy Thames 'key for return of salmon'

By Mark Kinver Environment reporter, BBC News Continue reading the main story Atlantic salmon in detail Scientific name: Salmo salar Found throughout the North Atlantic region After long migrations, the fish return to their natal river to spawn Abundance of Atlantic salmon has declined markedly since the 1970s Increased mortality at sea appears to be a major factor in this decline Other threats include river pollution, overfishing and dams Atlantic salmon in detail (from BBC Nature) (Source: IUCN Red List) Continue reading the main story Related Stories Salmon 'losing genetic character' Project to improve salmon habitat Extinction threat to wild salmon Salmon in the Thames are more likely to be fish that have "strayed" from nearby rivers rather than a result of a multi-million pound restocking effort. Researchers collected genetic data from returning fish, which suggested

Jupiter probe's 'goodbye for now' to Planet Earth

By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News This Earth (L) and the Moon (R) pictured by Juno on 26 August from a distance of 9.5 million km Continue reading the main story Related Stories Nasa launches Jupiter probe Juno Comet chaser goes into deep sleep Nasa picks three in space contest The departing Juno probe has looked back and pictured Planet Earth. Nasa's Jupiter-bound spacecraft imaged the pale blue dot at a distance of 9.5 million km during an early check-out of its camera and other onboard systems. Juno was launched on 5 August and should arrive at the gas giant in 2016. This is but a brief farewell. The probe must sweep back by Earth in 2013 for the "gravitational slingshot" that will give it the required speed to chase down Jupiter three years later. The current plan is for Juno to spend a little over a year at the giant planet, orbiting over its poles. It will use its remote

Microchip implant monitors tumour growth

The sensor chip is implanted close to a tumour Continue reading the main story Related Stories Drug 'is new way to kill tumours' Chip implant 'to help paralysed' Researchers in Germany have developed a microchip sensor that can be implanted close to a tumour to monitor its growth. The device tracks oxygen levels in nearby tissue to detect if a tumour is expanding. Results are then transmitted wirelessly to a patient's doctor - reducing the need for frequent hospital scans. Future designs will include a medication pump that can deliver drugs directly to the affected area. Researchers hope this will lead to less aggressive and more targeted cancer treatments. Medical engineers at the Technical University in Munich developed the device as a way to track and treat tumours that are difficult to reach, or better left alone. "There are some tumours which are hard to remove - for example,

Brothers turn female marmots into 'tom boys'

By Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC Nature The team has 50 years worth of data about the Rocky Mountain marmots Continue reading the main story Related Stories Males make pregnant horses abort Testosterone 'breeds fair play' 'Stress' is shrinking polar bears Female yellow-bellied marmots that have many male litter-mates become "tom boys", according to a study of these big, playful rodents. Developing males produce testosterone, which circulates in the mother's uterus; this male sex hormone "masculinises" the females. The phenomenon has been seen in many species, but this study shows its long-term impact on animal behaviour. The findings are published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. Lead researcher Raquel Monclus explained that the results emerged from a 50-year study of the marmots in the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Colorado. "We have

Mobile internet use nearing 50%

Mobile internet use rose fastest among 16 to 24-year-olds Continue reading the main story Related Stories 100,000 net champions recruited Lane Fox 'to get all Britons online' Almost half of UK internet users are going online via mobile phone data connections, according to the Office for National Statistics. 45% of people surveyed said they made use of the net while out and about, compared with 31% in 2010. The most rapid growth was among younger people, where 71% of internet-connected 16 to 24-year-olds used mobiles. Domestic internet use also rose. According to the ONS, 77% of households now have access to a net connection. That figure was up 4% from the previous year, representing the slowest rate of growth since the ONS survey began in 2006. Among the 23% of the population who remain offline, half said they "didn't need the internet." Continue reading the main story Household

FT pulls app over customer data dispute with Apple

The FT already offers a web-based app accessible on Apple devices Continue reading the main story Related Stories Amazon launches web Kindle reader The web strikes back Steve Jobs quits as Apple chief The Financial Times has withdrawn its app for iPhones and iPads after a dispute with Apple over ownership of customer data. Apple insisted sales must take place via its App Store, giving it ownership of the data and a 30% cut of revenues. However the newspaper, owned by media group Pearson, will continue to be accessible by Apple devices via a browser-based web app . The decision to pull its apps followed months of negotiations. About 25% of the FT's sales come via its website, and mobile devices comprise some 22% of the traffic on ft.com. An FT spokesman said the disagreement with Apple was "amicable", and the newspaper still intended to offer other apps via the App Store, including one for its

Graphene 'could help boost broadband internet speeds'

By Katia Moskvitch Technology reporter, BBC News The scientists managed to increase the light-harvesting performance of graphene by 20 times Continue reading the main story Related Stories Graphene technology moves closer Is graphene a miracle material? How sticky tape trick led to Nobel Prize Graphene, the strongest material on Earth, could help boost broadband internet speed, say UK researchers. Scientists from Manchester and Cambridge universities, have found a way to improve its sensitivity when used in optical communications systems. Their discovery paves the way for faster electronic components, such as the receivers used in fibre optic data connections. Graphene was discovered in 2004 and has been hailed as a "wonder material". Optical communications Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote Many le

Irene floods in North Carolina and New York 'disaster'

US President Barack Obama has declared a "major disaster" in North Carolina and New York state, where swollen rivers have swamped communities in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. Mr Obama's move allows the two states to tap extra funds for relief efforts. Raging rivers along the eastern seaboard have given way to extensive flooding and prompted new rounds of evacuations in states like New Jersey. The storm has been blamed for at least 45 deaths in 13 states. Irene barrelled along the east coast over the weekend, delivering hurricane force winds in North Carolina and torrential rains in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont, which forced rivers to swell and prompted extensive flooding. Nuclear reactors affected The storm drenched the east coast with up to 15in (38cm) of rain at the weekend, setting river level records in 10 states, the US Geological Survey said. New Jersey and upstate New York have been badly affected by floods At

Obama reschedules Congress speech after Boehner objects

President Obama had been expecting to address both chambers on 7 September Continue reading the main story US Economy US consumer confidence 'slumps' Fed divided over interest rates US consumer spending up in July Bernanke signals no new stimulus President Barack Obama has agreed to reschedule a Congressional speech on the economy, after objections from House Speaker John Boehner. President Obama wanted to outline his much-anticipated jobs creation plan next Wednesday evening, which clashed with a Republican debate. Mr Boehner requested Mr Obama speak a day later instead, and the White House has agreed to his recommendation. US unemployment - still over 9% - could dominate 2012's presidential elections. The White House had earlier insisted the primetime speech's scheduling clash with a televis

Report: Up to $60 Billion Wasted in Iraq, Afghanistan

The United States' extensive outsourcing of military functions in war zones has been controversial since the beginning of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. A report by the bipartisan Commission on Wartime Contracting has heightened concerns with details of allegations of billions of dollars lost due to waste and corruption. To lessen wartime strains on America’s all-volunteer military force, the Pentagon hires private businesses to provide a vast array of support services. Reliance on contractors expanded drastically during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, feeding what is now a large for-profit military industry funded by U.S. taxpayers. The commission's co-chairman, Michael Thibault says not all of the money has been well-spent. “Total spending on contract and grants in Iraq and Afghanistan amounts to $206 billion. We estimate that $31-$60 billion of that total has been or is being lost to waste and fraud,” said Thibault. At a news conference Wednesda

Gadhafi sons weigh 'victory or martyrdom' versus surrender

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Two sons of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi appeared to offer divergent and sometimes contradictory answers Wednesday to a question many of their countrymen are grappling with: Keep fighting or surrender? "Victory or martyrdom!" a defiant Saif al-Islam Gadhafi told Rai TV, a Syrian television station, in a telephone call during which he called on his countrymen to rise up. "Everyone should move now, begin to attack these gangsters," he said. "Attack everyone, day and night, until we clean this country from those gangsters and those traitors." He added, "Wherever you see the enemy, attack them. They are weak, they have suffered lots of losses and they are now licking their wounds." Gadhafi did not divulge the whereabouts of his father, but said, "The leader is fine. We are fighting and we are drinking tea and drinking coffee and sitting with our families and fighting." Gadhafi said he was speaking from a s

Libya conflict: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi vows resistance

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is the most prominent of Muammar Gaddafi's sons Continue reading the main story Libya Crisis Tripoli mulls future Islamists among rebels? 'Mass killing' sites Where is Gaddafi? Fugitive Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's most prominent son has promised victory for Gaddafi loyalists faced with an ultimatum to surrender. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said he was speaking from Tripoli's outskirts, and that his father was fine. "The resistance continues and victory is near," he said in an audio message. Minutes earlier his brother, Saadi, said he had been authorised to negotiate with interim authorities to end the fighting in Libya. Gaddafi loyalists have been issued an ultimatum to surrender before Saturday. Libya's interim leaders have made it clear they are not int

Gadhafi Son Vows Fight Until Death

One of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's sons told a Syrian television station late Wednesday he is in the suburbs outside Tripoli and that loyalist commanders have told him their men would fight to the death. Seif al-Islam Gadhafi vowed that he and other family members would never surrender and said his father "is fine." He told the pro-Gadhafi al-Rai satellite station in an audio message that morale among loyalist fighters is high. His defiant comments contrasted with those of his brother, Saadi, who told al-Arabiya television he is ready to discuss forming a coalition government with anti-Gadhafi forces in order to stop the bloodshed. Saadi claimed he was speaking with his father's blessing. Also Wednesday, The New York Times quoted the deputy chairman of Libya's National Transitional Council as saying his commanders believe Mr. Gadhafi is staying in the desert town of Bani Walid, 240 kilometers southeast of Tripoli. Abdul Hafith Ghoga said NTC force

Libya rebels give loyalist towns Saturday deadline

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The head of Libya's interim council set a Saturday deadline for remaining loyalist towns to surrender or face fierce military battles. Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of the National Transitional Council, told reporters Tuesday that the rebels are in negotiations with tribal elders and hope that by the end of the Eid holidays, loyalists will surrender in places like Sirte, Moammar Gadhafi's hometown. Jalil said the rebels hope to "avoid more bloodshed and to avoid more destruction and damage." But in the end," he said, "it might have to be decided militarily. I hope this will not be the case." As fighting continued for the last bastions of Gadhafi's grip, the strongman's whereabouts still were unknown. Members of his family, including Gadhafi's wife Safia, two sons -- Moahamed and Hannibal -- and daughter Aisha escaped to Algeria. Mourad Benmehidi, Algeria's ambassador to the United Nations, said his nation al

Facebook pays for security loopholes

Facebook has paid $5000 to those who found the biggest security holes in its site Continue reading the main story Related Stories Riots prompt social media review Online photos can expose identity TalkTalk offers website blocking Facebook has spent $40,000 (£25,000) in the first 21 days of a program that rewards the discovery of security bugs. The bug bounty program aims to encourage security researchers to help harden Facebook against attack. One security researcher has been rewarded with more than $7,000 for finding six serious bugs in the social networking site. The program runs alongside Facebook's efforts to police the code it creates that keeps the social site running. A blog post by Facebook chief security officer Joe Sullivan revealed some information about the early days of the bug bounty program. He said the program had made Facebook more secure by introducing the networking site to "nov

File-sharing site Bayfiles 'to respect copyrights'

Unlike The Pirate Bay, the new site will be respecting copyrights, the founders say Continue reading the main story Related Stories Music industry's piracy battle Hackers attack US defence group Pirate boss to make the web pay Two founders of The Pirate Bay have launched a fresh venture - a file-sharing site called Bayfiles they claim will respect copyright rules. Designed as a one-click-hosting service, it is similar to other sites such as RapidShare and MegaUpload. The founders claim that Bayfiles will let users share and store movie, music and other files all while respecting copyrights. But lawyers say it is still likely to bust copyright laws. The Pirate Bay was launched in 2003 by a group of friends from Sweden and rapidly became one of the most famous file-sharing sites on the web. Although it hosts no files itself, it does allow users to search for and get at lots of copyrighted content inc

Google boss 'knew about' unlicensed pharmacy adverts

Larry Page's involvement is revealed in company documents, said US attorney Peter Neronha Continue reading the main story Related Stories Drug ads case costs Google $500m Page takes over Google: Reactions Google's chief executive Larry Page knew that adverts for unlicensed Canadian pharmacies were running on its US site, according to a government prosecutor. Rhode Island attorney Peter Neronha told the Wall Street Journal that incriminating emails had been uncovered as part of an official investigation. The search giant agreed last week to pay $500m (£306m) to settle the case. It declined to comment on the specifics of Mr Neronha's allegations. Instead, it issued a statement reiterating its regret about what had happened. "With hindsight, we never should have allowed those ads on Google in the first place," it said. Revealing documents Peter Neronha, who led a Justice Department inv

Irene: Death toll reaches 40 as recovery begins

Post-Tropical Cyclone Irene has killed 40 people in the US, and authorities warn that flooding could continue for up to three days in northern US states. More than five million people remain without power, while Vermont is reeling from its worst floods in many decades. Insurance claims could top $7bn (£4.3bn), the Consumer Federation of America estimated. Irene has passed into Canada, after causing havoc on the US east coast from North Carolina to Vermont. Driving rains and flood tides damaged homes and cut power to more than three million people in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York alone. Vermont governor lashes out Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will visit North Carolina and Virginia on Tuesday to survey the storm damage.

Julius Malema supporters clash with South Africa police

Continue reading the main story Related Stories Malema and Zuma battle for the ANC's soul Profile: Julius Malema ANC's Malema testifies over song South African police have fired stun grenades at supporters of controversial ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema ahead of his disciplinary hearing. Mr Malema, 30, is accused of "sowing divisions" in the party and bringing it into disrepute by calling for Botswana's government to be overthrown. Once a close ally of President Jacob Zuma, the populist Mr Malema has become a fierce critic. His supporters threw stones at police who were blocking them in Johannesburg. The police have erected a steel gate and barbed wire to close the main street leading to Luthuli House, the African National Congress headquarters where the hearing is being held. Hundreds of Mr Malema's supporters are outside, chanting and setting rubbish on fire. Some set on fire a T-shirt emblazoned with Presiden