Technology

Researchers have found increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cause soil microbes to produce more carbon dioxide, accelerating climate change.

Two Northern Arizona University researchers led the study, which challenges previous understanding about how carbon accumulates in soil. Increased levels of CO2 accelerate plant growth, which causes more absorption of CO2 through photosynthesis.

Scientists have discovered the first pair of super-massive black holes in orbit around one another in a non-active galaxy.

The black holes were spotted by The European Space Agency’s X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, XMM-Newton, because they ripped apart a star when the space observatory happened to be looking in their direction.

Two super-massive black holes are the smoking gun that the galaxy has merged with another.

Finding binary super-massive black holes can tell astronomers about how galaxies evolved into their present-day shapes and sizes, researchers said.

Researchers have identified an ancient piece of Africa stuck onto the southeastern US. Geologist Robert Hatcher of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville said there are some large faults in the magnetic data which have not been active for a very long time, Discovery News reported.

The faults appear to be part of the rocks formed when parts of Africa and North America were pressed together nearly 250 million years ago.

Researchers have claimed to have solved mysteries of one of the most fascinating nearby planetary systems now have been solved.

The study, which presents the first viable model for the planetary system orbiting one the first stars discovered to have planets-the star named 55 Cancri-was led by Penn State University graduate student Benjamin Nelson in collaboration with faculty at the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds at Penn State and five astronomers at other institutions in the United States and Germany.

More than a billion people around the world celebrated Earth Day Tuesday with the theme ‘Green Cities’ calling for transformation in the public transportation systems to make them more accessible, convenient, and clean fuel-run.

The celebrations of the 44th edition of Earth Day also called for switching over to electric, hybrid, and other eco-friendly vehicles, the Earth Day Network reported.

Earth Day was first mooted by US Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 after an oil spill incident in Santa Barbara, California.

Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), the moon exploring robot of NASA was annihilated when it impacted the surface of the moon, as planned last weekend, the US space agency announced.

“At the time of impact, LADEE was travelling at a speed of 3,600 miles (5,700 km) per hour – about three times the speed of a high-powered rifle bullet,” said Rick Elphic, LADEE project scientist.

LADEE lacked fuel to maintain a long-term lunar orbit or continue science operations and was intentionally sent into the lunar surface.

Researchers have claimed that the use of the probiotic L reuteri for infant colic does not reduce crying or fussing in infants nor is it effective in improving infant sleep, functioning or quality of life.

Joel Lavine, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center, said the role of different intestinal microbes in producing or alleviating colic remains a subject of interest.

What if moon emits enough light to make the night sky brighter so that you do not need to switch on power to illuminate roads and streets?

A Swedish cosmetics firm Foreo has a definite plan: to brighten the surface of the moon to achieve super night brightness!

The idea is to use materials already on the moon to lighten its surface.

“A brighter night sky would mean less need for streetlights, less electricity usage and fewer globe-warming carbon emissions,” a press release from the company said.

Scientists have used high-resolution structural biology methods in the malaria pathogen’s cellular skeleton to investigate the different versions of this protein in the parasite in high detail, which can help in developing tailor-made drugs for fighting the disease.

Scientists of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Germany investigated the different versions protein called actin found in Plasmodium parasite, which causes malaria.

The researchers have succeeded in detecting filament assembly of the parasite actin II proteins.

Recent research on the domestication of donkeys, camelids (which includes dromedaries, Bactrian camels, llamas and alpacas) pigs, cattle, sheep and goats suggests that neither intentional breeding nor genetic isolation were as significant as traditionally thought.

There was a green and forested landscape prior to the time that the ice sheet began to form in Greenland and scientists have now discovered that the three-million-year-old landscape still exists beneath the Greenland ice sheet.

“Pre-glacial landscapes can remain preserved for long periods under continental ice sheets, said the study.

“Rather than scraping and sculpting the landscape, the ice sheet has been frozen to the ground, like a giant freezer that has preserved an antique landscape,” said Paul R. Bierman from the University of Vermont in the US.

Two psychologists from Simon Fraser University have made a discovery that could revolutionize doctors’ perception and treatment of attention-deficit disorders.

This discovery opens up the possibility that environmental and/or genetic factors may hinder or suppress a specific brain activity that the researchers have identified as helping us prevent distraction.

The discovery was done by John McDonald, an associate professor of psychology and his doctoral student John Gaspar, who made the discovery during his master’s thesis research.

: Sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, which peaked at 9:03 EDT, on April 18.

The solar flare was classified as an M7-class solar flare.

The image was captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory in 304 angstrom.

This flare is classified as an M7-class flare, wh

Researchers at the University of Central Florida’s College of Optics and Photonics and the University of Arizona plan to develop a new technique which will aim a high-energy laser beam into clouds to make it rain or trigger lightning.

They plan to surround the beam with a second beam to act as an energy reservoir, sustaining the central beam to greater distances than previously possible.

The secondary “dress” beam refuels and helps prevent the dissipation of the high-intensity primary beam, which on its own would break down quickly.