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Sep172022 by adminNo Comments

Colourful songbirds could be traded to extinction

Science

Rick Stanley/Gabby SalazarUniquely coloured songbirds are at high risk of extinction, because they are in demand as pets, research has shown. The pet songbird trade in Asia has already driven several species close to extinction, with birds targeted primarily for their beautiful voices.Now a study has revealed that particular colours of plumage put birds at greater risk of being taken from the wild and sold.Researchers say breeding birds in captivity for the trade could help."That won't work for all species," said lead researcher Prof Rebecca Senior, from the University of Durham. "But there's hope that we could shift the sourcing [of some pet birds] - so they're captive-bred rather than caught in the wild."Why scientists are freezing threatened speciesEndangered bird 'has forgotten its son...

May222022 by adminNo Comments

Future foods: What you could be eating by 2050

Science

Getty ImagesScientists have drawn up a list of little-known plants that could be on the menu by 2050.In the future, you could be breakfasting on false banana or snacking on pandanus tree fruit.The Ukraine war has highlighted the dangers of relying on a few globally-traded crops. With 90% of calories coming from just 15 crops, experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London are hunting for ingredients to future-proof our diets. False banana offers hope for warming worldLab-grown meat 'good for planet and health' Fossilised berry clue to plant evolutionClimate change is increasing the risk of severe 'food shocks' where crops fail and prices of staples rise rapidly around the world.Diversifying the food we eat is one of the solutions to alleviating hunger, addressing biodiversity loss, an...

Apr92022 by adminNo Comments

Rejuvenation of woman’s skin could tackle diseases of ageing

Science

Fátima SantosResearchers have rejuvenated a 53-year-old woman's skin cells so they are the equivalent of a 23-year-old's.The scientists in Cambridge believe that they can do the same thing with other tissues in the body.The eventual aim is to develop treatments for age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and neurological disorders.The technology is built on the techniques used to create Dolly the cloned sheep more than 25 years ago.The head of the team, Prof Wolf Reik, of the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, told BBC News that he hoped that the technique could eventually be used to keep people healthier for longer as they grow older."We have been dreaming about this kind of thing. Many common diseases get worse with age and to think about helping people in this way is super ex...

Oct12021 by adminNo Comments

Seismic forensics could inform a warning system for future floods

Science

Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Seismic forensics could help scientists develop an early warning system for rockslides and floods in the future. On Feb. 7, 2021, a large rockslide trigged a deadly flood in India's Dhauli Ganga Valley. The rush of water killed more than 200 people and destroyed a pair of hydroelectric power plants. In a new study, published Thursday in the journal Science, researchers used data from a network of seismometers to piece together the minute-by-minute seismic signatures of the rockslide and subsequent flood. Although scientists have yet to determine what exactly triggered the catastrophe, they know that just after 10:20 in the morning, local time, 20 million cubic meters of ice and rock plunged down the slopes Ronti Peak, a mountain glacier, and into the Ronti Ga...

Apr42021 by adminNo Comments

Erling Haaland could cost more than Barcelona got for Neymar transfer as Real Madrid, Manchester United, Man City and Chelsea hunt for goalscorer

Sports

Manchester United, Man City, and Chelsea transfer target Erling Haaland could cost more than Neymar if he moves clubs this summer. The Borussia Dortmund star has been the subject of intense speculation this season as he continues his excellent goalscoring form domestically and in the Champions League. Getty Images - Getty Haaland is one of Europe’s most feared strikers at the moment The 20-year-old has netted 21 time in 22 Bundesliga appearances, while in Europe he’s hit the back of the net 10 times in six matches. Last week, his agent Mino Raiola and father, former Man City and Nottingham Forest midfielder Alf-Inge, travelled Europe to court interested parties. Barcelona and Real Madrid have been visited, while it’s believed similar t...