Being
a good driver is no more the sole
criteria for getting a driving license… at least not in Britain.
One has to show that he or she can be environment-friendly too
by simply using fuel effectively. The British government
informed that from 2008, fuel efficiency would be made part of
the driving test to help reduce polluting emissions, save money
on bills, and make driving safer.
Ultrasonic Frogs!
We
all know that bats, whales, and dolphins use ultrasound to
communicate with each other. A new member has entered this list-
a rare Chinese frog Amolops tormotus that lives alongside
fast-flowing streams in Anhui Province, China. Its unique
ultrasonic (greater than 20 kilohertz) calls can be heard beyond
the spectrum of the background hub-bub of running water!
Time, Before Time
In
ancient times, Indian astrologers used Sky Maps to determine the
calendar and the seasons with precise information about sun
rise-sun set with exact directions.
Scientists have recently discovered a 500 BC Sky Map in
Hyderabad, India. The map
is probably the oldest in Asia and was carved out by megalithic
Indians with astounding accuracy. This ancient map represents
the Saptarishi Mandalor the Great Bear (Ursa Major).
Eyeing the future
Did
you know that insect eye is possibly the most complex miniature
structure as it is made of thousands of minuscule lenses?
Enthused by this fact, the researchers at the University of
California, Berkeley,have developed an artificial insect eye
containing over 8,500 hexagonal lenses packed into an area the
size of a pinhead. The dome-shaped structure would be used in
tiny, omni-directional surveillance devices, ultra thin cameras,
and high-peed motion sensors. It may have medical applications
and could even help develop artificial retinas for the blind.
Hormone kills Horror
Scientists have discovered that
the stress hormone, Cortisol, may help relieve people of their
phobias. A study involving 60 people with arachnophobia and fear
of public speaking were given a dose of Cortisol, which impairs
memory retrieval, before being exposed to their personal fears.
This helped in alleviating own their phobias.This treatment
along with behavioral therapy could be used to reduce phobia and
post-traumatic stress.
Ant-y Slavery
Amazon
ants (red ants found in the western US) raid nests of certain
black ants and carry back the cocoons and larvae to their own
homes. When the cocoons hatch, the newborns become slaves of
these army ants and do all their work. The slave ants build
homes for and feed the Amazon ants, who can do nothing but
fight. They depend completely on their slaves for survival.
Being
a good driver is no more the sole
We
all know that bats, whales, and dolphins use ultrasound to
communicate with each other. A new member has entered this list-
a rare Chinese frog Amolops tormotus that lives alongside
fast-flowing streams in Anhui Province, China. Its unique
ultrasonic (greater than 20 kilohertz) calls can be heard beyond
the spectrum of the background hub-bub of running water!
In
ancient times, Indian astrologers used Sky Maps to determine the
calendar and the seasons with precise information about sun
rise-sun set with exact directions.
Did
you know that insect eye is possibly the most complex miniature
structure as it is made of thousands of minuscule lenses?
Enthused by this fact, the researchers at the University of
California, Berkeley,have developed an artificial insect eye
containing over 8,500 hexagonal lenses packed into an area the
size of a pinhead. The dome-shaped structure would be used in
tiny, omni-directional surveillance devices, ultra thin cameras,
and high-peed motion sensors. It may have medical applications
and could even help develop artificial retinas for the blind.
Amazon
ants (red ants found in the western US) raid nests of certain
black ants and carry back the cocoons and larvae to their own
homes. When the cocoons hatch, the newborns become slaves of
these army ants and do all their work. The slave ants build
homes for and feed the Amazon ants, who can do nothing but
fight. They depend completely on their slaves for survival.