Small plants use superior ’staying power’ to win over bigger rivals

September 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Engineering and Construction major Larsen & Toubro Tuesday said it can build nuclear power plants with generating capacity of 3,000-4,000 MW a year. L&T chairman and manging director A.M.

September 24th, 2009 LONDON - Reports indicate that a rare species of lotus is on the verge of disappearing from India. According to a report by BBC News, leading botanist Pramod Tandon said that efforts to save Nymphaea tetragona, found only in a small private pond in India, have not been effective.

September 15th, 2009 EPA to place limits on power plant water pollutionWASHINGTON — For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to limit the quantity of toxic metals that coal-fired power plants release into waterways. The agency said Tuesday that equipment required to reduce pollution in the air has increased harmful contaminants in water discharged by power plants, particularly heavy metals such as selenium, cadmium, mercury and lead.

September 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Chinese researchers have discovered a natural plant hormone that can help plants eliminate residues of certain pesticides. Researchers have been seeking new ways of minimizing pesticide residues that remain in food crops after harvest - with little success.

September 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has determined that flowering plants originated not as trees, but as relatively non-woody "pre-trees" that could outcompete ancient plants like conifers, thus reinventing the concept of weediness. Flowering plants widespread and are phenomenally successful, but how did they get to be so successful and where did they come from? This question bothered Darwin and others, and a research paper published in the September issue of the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society indicates that their ability to adapt anatomically may be the answer.

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 18th, 2009 TORONTO - Methane emission by plants in dry or drought prone areas could aggravate global warming more than previously suspected, says a new study. A University of Calgary (U-C) study warns that plants exposed to environmental factors -- rising temperature, drought and ultraviolet-B radiation -- show enhanced methane emissions.

August 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at the University of Calgary (U of C) in Canada have found that methane emission by stressed crops could be a bigger problem in global warming than previously thought. According to a U of C study, when crops are exposed to environmental factors that are part of climate change - increased temperature, drought and ultraviolet-B radiation - some plants show enhanced methane emissions.

July 7th, 2009 LONDON - A new research has indicated that although trees might hog the bulk of the resources, they still leave enough "crumbs" for smaller neighbouring plants to eke out a living. The finding contradicts previous notions of plant competition and adds support to a new view of how a plant's size affects the survival and composition of its neighbouring species.

June 22nd, 2009 LONDON - Plants do talk to one another to warn about predators, and are "capable of more sophisticated behaviour than we imagined", according to a new study. Researchers from the University of California and Kyoto University have found that subtle chemical messages to discuss pollinators such as bees, potential dangers and even animals, which might attack their enemies.

June 19th, 2009 Study: US technology key to China and climateWASHINGTON — Finding an economical way to capture carbon dioxide from existing coal burning power plants is key to getting China to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as well as for U.S. efforts to combat global warming, says a study being released Friday.

June 6th, 2009 GM workers in Tenn. want to go 'small' againSPRING HILL, Tenn.

May 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists in Germany and India are reporting development of a new "smart" polymer that reduces the amount of radioactive waste produced during routine operation of nuclear reactors. Their study, which details a first-of-its-kind discovery, has been published in the ACS' Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, a bi-weekly journal.

April 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Welsh pop singer Tim Jones will be honoured with a special award in recognition of his "exceptional staying power" at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony. The 68-year-old singer will be conferred with the Howie Richmond Hitmaker prize at the event in New York on 18 June (09), reports Contactmusic.

March 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has suggested that the concept of delaying global warming by adding particles into the upper atmosphere to cool the climate could unintentionally reduce peak electricity generated by large solar power plants by as much as one-fifth. The study was conducted by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).