Bowl-shaped molecule can capture CO2 from thin air

August 24th, 2009 LONDON - A research team led by Indian-origin scientist claims to have identified a cellular molecule that not only helps recognize viruses that cause respiratory problems but also direct cells to produce defensive immune response. Dr Santanu Bose and colleagues have identified a cellular molecule, called NOD2, that detects respiratory viruses and can instruct cells to defend against them.

August 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a reusable organic liquid that can pull harmful gases such as carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide out of industrial emissions from power plants. The process could directly replace current methods and allow power plants to capture double the amount of harmful gases in a way that uses no water, less energy and saves money.

August 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Creating a slim and physically fit Second Life avatar, or virtual representation of oneself can push people to become healthier and more physically fit in their real lives as well, according to a study by researchers at RTI International. The study found support for the idea that individuals are more likely to engage in physical activities in their real lives if their avatars in Second Life engage in physical activities.

July 23rd, 2009 LONDON - For the first time, researchers at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have used nanoscale devices to develop a technique to determine the mass of a single molecule, in real time. Traditionally, the mass of molecules is measured using mass spectrometry, in which samples consisting of tens of thousands of molecules are ionized, to produce charged versions of the molecules, or ions.

July 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The accidental discovery of a bowl-shaped molecule that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air paves the way for exciting new possibilities to deal with global warming. These possibilities include genetically engineering microbes to manufacture those carbon dioxide "catchers", said J.A.

July 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists at the University of Illinois, US, have determined that a toxic molecule, 'superoxide', known to damage cells and cause disease may also play a pivotal role in bird migration, as it allows them to 'see' Earth's magnetic field. According to principal investigator Klaus Schulten, who holds the Swanlund Chair in Physics at Illinois, the discovery occurred as a result of a 'mistake' made by a collaborator.

July 4th, 2009 LONDON - An optical transistor, successfully crafted from a single molecule, brings researchers a step closer to an optical computer, which would be much faster and more powerful than existing counterparts. Existing central processing units (CPUs) limit the performance of computers, for example, because they produce an enormous amount of heat.

July 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Swiss researchers have made an optical transistor that uses one laser beam to control another, an instrument that could form the heart of a future generation of ultrafast light-based computers. Conventional computers are based on transistors, which allow one electrode to control the current moving through the device and are combined to form logic gates and processors.

June 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has explained how marine mammals like seals and whales evolved to dive in the sea, and cope with the needs of a life in the aquatic environment. An aquatic lifestyle imposes serious demands for the organism, and this is true even for the tiniest molecules that form our body.

June 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists at the University of Illinois, US, have determined that a toxic molecule, 'superoxide', known to damage cells and cause disease may also play a pivotal role in bird migration, as it allows them to "see" Earth's magnetic field. According to principal investigator Klaus Schulten, who holds the Swanlund Chair in Physics at Illinois, the discovery occurred as a result of a "mistake" made by a collaborator.

June 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have discovered a new species of phallus-shaped mushrooms on the African island of Sao Tome. The new species of stinkhorn mushroom, dubbed 'Phallus drewesii', is two inches long, grows on wood, and is shaped like a phallus.

May 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Austrian scientists at the University of Innsbruck have explained an important developmental mechanism that makes the thumb of the right hand grow on the left hand side, and vice versa. Lead researcher Pia Aanstad, a molecular biologist at the university, this process depends upon the concentration of a signalling molecule called Hedgehog.

April 23rd, 2009 EagleBank Bowl goes post-Christmas for 2009WASHINGTON — The second edition of the EagleBank Bowl will get a better time slot than the first. Bowl organizers announced Thursday that the only bowl game played in the nation's capital will take place on Dec.

April 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Club moss Lycopodium serratum is a flowerless plant whose potent brew of alkaloids, which could have anti-cancer properties and may combat memory loss, have drawn considerable scientific and medical interest. Now scientists have made one of the alkaloids in a lab, in quantity sufficient for use.

March 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel says she can help talk show queen Oprah Winfrey lose those pesky pounds and keep them off. And the trick is: her new book, Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting.