Plastic containers have been used for storing food for a while now. Of late there has been quite a bit of concern pertaining to the safety of the food. Hence the use of plastic for storing is being tested and investigated as an option. Research has indicated that Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC), are present in plastics. EDCs are known to cause cancer and disruption of sex hormones. A better and safer choice would be to store food in containers that are made of any other material. In fact, glass containers or boxes made of stainless steel can be tried out as options, say experts.

There are other doubts being raised too. For instance, how safe is it to use plastic dishes in microwave ovens. Researchers warn against putting plastic plates with food inside the microwave oven. They recommend minimizing the amount of direct contact between plastic cling wraps and food that is heated in it.

With the temperatures of this planet on a steady rise, low gray clouds are likely to be a rare sight in the future. Not a very bright prospect, say experts. Because a recent study reveals that grey skies help in keeping the earth's temperature cooler. The increase of greenhouse gases has ensured an increase in the temperature which is now common knowledge. The approximate change in the temperature is in the range from 2 - 4.5 degree celsius.

Axel Lauer of the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu and his colleagues used a relatively new climate model called the International Pacific Research Center Regional Atmospheric Model (iRAM) to find out the exact variance in the temperature. There were sixteen other models which were also tested but their results were far less accurate than iRAM.The researchers first tested iRAM's ability to simulate cloud cover between 1997 and 2008, and found it reproduced the amount and pattern of cloud cover and how it changed from year to year. They then ran iRAM for possible scenarios for 2090 to 99.

We bring to you some of the biggest (and coolest) breakthroughs of 2010, recently published in Time magazine.

The Malaria-Proof Mosquito
One of the best lifesaving inventions ever, the malariaproof mosquito – genetically engineered by scientists at the University of Arizona – is immune to the Plasmodium parasite, the malaria-causing agent it transmits with its bite.

The (Almost) Waterless Washing Machine
Here is some good news for conservation. A British firm, Xeros Ltd, is developing a machine that draws cleaning power from residual, stain-absorbing nylon beads, requiring much less water – as much as 90 percent less – than a normal washing machine. You have to wait until next year to be able to purchase the commercial version.

BioCouture
A material made by the bacteria that are usually used to turn green tea into the fermented beverage kombucha – now that’s what we call BioCouture. Suzanne Lee, a researcher at London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design has developed the material, which can be molded and sewn into shirts and coats.

NeoNurture Incubator
This one is the world’s best way to recycle a car. The NeoNurture incubator, developed by university students in the US, uses old car parts to nurture premature newborns. While headlights provide heat, a repurposed dashboard fan circulates air.

Lab-Grown Lungs
No, this isn’t science fiction. It is now possible to grow new body parts in the lab. Researchers have re-created the delicate architecture of a rat lung accurately enough for it to assume 95 percent of a normal lung’s inhaling and exhaling functions. The ultimate goal of replicating the feat on a larger scale is to aid patients with lung cancer.

Spray-On Fabric
The British company Fabrican has developed a way to bond and liquefy fibers so that textiles can be sprayed out of a can or spray gun straight onto a body or dress form. The solvent then evaporates, and the fibers bond, forming a snug-fitting garment.