22 September, 2010

Pi record smashed as team finds two-quadrillionth digit

Pi record smashed as team finds two-quadrillionth digit

Researcher Nicholas Sze, of tech firm Yahoo, has calculated the 2,000,000,000,000,000th digit of the mathematical constant pi – and a few digits either side of it. He said that when pi is expressed in binary, the two quadrillionth “bit” is 0. Mr Sze used Yahoo’s Hadoop cloud computing technology to more than double the previous […]

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Weblog
16 August, 2010

Malaria-proof mosquito engineered

Malaria-proof mosquito engineered

The researchers, from the University of Arizona, have succeeded in genetically engineering a malaria-resistant mosquito by introducing a gene that affected the insect’s gut, meaning the malaria parasite could not develop. Although the ultimate goal was to introduce malaria-resistant mosquitoes into the environment, is also reduces the insects’ lifespan. In the study the researchers altered […]

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DNA, Humans, Nature, Neuroscience, Weblog
16 June, 2010

Blow your vuvuzelas

Blow your vuvuzelas

With the World Cup 2010 being held in South Africa, a tradition is made clear to the rest of the world: the vuvuzelas. A loud trumpet-like instrument, being controversial, for they have been associated with permanent noise-induced hearing loss. AbcNEWS has an interview with Trevor Cox, president of the UK Institute of Acoustics and an […]

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Humans, Nature, Neuroscience, Weblog
14 June, 2010

World Champion Free Diver Free Falls into Blue Hole

World famous French free-diver Guillaume Nery who currently holds the world record for constant weight free diving (without fins) to a depth of 113 meters (370 feet), showcases his artistic side in a stunning video which went instantly popular. The world champion freediver took time off during a freediving competition at Dean’s Blue Hole in […]

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Humans, Nature, Photo's, Weblog
9 May, 2010

Why Dark Coffee Is Easier on Your Stomach

Why Dark Coffee Is Easier on Your Stomach

Roasting coffee beans doesn’t just impart bold, rich flavor. It also creates a compound that helps dial down production of stomach acid, according to research of the American Chemical Society. The discovery may explain why dark-roasted brews are gentler on the stomach than their lighter peers, and could lead to a new generation of tummy-friendly […]

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Coffee, Humans, Weblog