Brain's 'homing signal' helps us navigate

LONDON: Scientists have discovered where our 'sense of direction' comes from in the brain, a finding that explains why some people are better navigators.

It has long been known that some people are better at navigating than others, but until now it has been unclear why.

The latest study by University College London researchers showed that the strength and reliability of 'homing signals' in the human brain vary among people and can predict navigational ability.

In order to successfully navigate to a destination, you need to know which direction you are currently facing and which direction to travel in, researchers said.

The latest research shows that the part of the brain that signals which direction you are facing, called the entorhinal region, is also used to signal the direction in which you need to travel to reach your destination.

This part of the brain tells you not only which direction you are currently facing, but also which direction you should be facing in the future.

In other words, the researchers have found where our 'sense of direction' comes from in the brain and worked out a way to measure it using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

"This type of 'homing signal' has been thought to exist for many years, but until now it has remained purely speculation," said Dr Hugo Spiers, who led the study.

"Studies on London cab drivers have shown that the first thing they do when they work out a route is calculate which direction they need to head in.

"We now know that the entorhinal cortex is responsible for such calculations and the quality of signals from this region seem to determine how good someone's navigational skills will be," Spiers said.

In the study, 16 healthy volunteers were asked to navigate a simple square environment simulated on a computer. Each wall had a picture of a different landscape, and each corner contained a different object.

Participants were placed in a corner of the environment, facing a certain direction and asked how to navigate to an object in another corner.

"In this simple test, we were looking to see which areas of the brain were active when participants were considering different directions," said Spiers.

"We were surprised to see that the strength and consistency of brain signals from the entorhinal region noticeably influenced people's performance in such a basic task.

"We now need to investigate the effect in more complex navigational tasks, but I would expect the differences in entorhinal activity to have a larger impact on more complex tasks," Spiers said.

The entorhinal region is one of the first parts of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease, so the findings may also help to explain why people start to get lost in the early stages of the disease.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Whole-genome sequencing can identify cancer-linked mutations

WASHINGTON: Scientists have found that whole-genome sequencing can be used to identify patients' risk for hereditary cancer.

In a first of its kind study, researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center used whole-genome sequencing to evaluate a series of 258 cancer patients' genomes to improve the ability to diagnose cancer-predisposing mutations.

"Whole-genome sequencing is a new genetic tool that can determine more of a person's DNA sequence than ever before," said Dr Theodora Ross, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of UT Southwestern's Cancer Genetics Programme.

"Our results show that nearly 90 per cent of clinically identified mutations were confidently detected and additional cancer gene mutations were discovered, which together with the decreasing costs associated with whole-genome sequencing means that this method will improve patient care, as well as lead to discovery of new cancer genes," Ross said.

About 5 to 10 per cent of all cancers are caused by known inherited gene mutations. These mutations are passed down from generation to generation.

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common cause of hereditary breast cancer. BRCA gene mutations are best known for their breast cancer risk, but they also cause increased risk for ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers.

In addition, there are many different genes, including ATM, CDH1, CHEK2, PALB2, PTEN, and TP53, that are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, and researchers are continually discovering additional genes that may affect cancer predisposition.

In the study, researchers developed new methods to analyse the large amount of data generated by whole-genome sequencing.

Ross' team devised a method to compare the group of patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations to a group of patients without BRCA mutations.

All expected BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were detected in the BRCA group, with at least 88.6 per cent of mutations confidently detected. In contrast, different cancer gene mutations were found in the cohort without BRCA mutations.

"The results demonstrate that whole-genome sequencing can detect new cancer gene mutations in non-BRCA 'mystery' patients, demonstrating the added value whole-genome sequencing brings to the future cancer clinic," Ross said.

"Mystery patients are those who have a strong family history for cancer but after standard genetic testing, no genetic diagnoses are made.

"In our study, sequencing allowed us to discover novel candidate cancer gene mutations in mystery patients," said Ross.

The study is published in the journal EBioMedicine.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chicken flu virus can help spot deadly influenza strain

NEW YORK: Warning signs of the avian influenza A (H7N9) virus could be traced in flu viruses circulating in poultry firms, research suggests.

With a few changes in the H9N2 chicken virus flu virus, researchers were able to create the novel avian H7N9 influenza A virus.

"Sequencing the viral genome allowed us to track how H9N2 evolved across time and geography to contribute to the H7N9 virus that emerged as a threat to human health in 2013," said Robert Webster from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in the US.

The results underscore the need for continued surveillance of flu viruses circulating on poultry farms.

The research identified changes in the H9N2 virus that could serve as an early warning sign of emerging flu viruses with the potential to trigger a pandemic and global health emergency.

"Tracking genetic diversity of H9N2 on poultry farms could provide an early warning of emerging viruses with the potential to spark a pandemic," said Webster.

The H9N2 chicken virus causes egg production to drop and leaves chickens vulnerable to deadly co-infections.

For the study, the researchers used whole genome sequencing to track the evolution of the H9N2 chicken virus between 1994 and 2013.

The analysis also provided insight into the creation of the H9N2 virus that emerged as the predominant subtype in 2010.

"The emergence of this dominant H9N2 virus was the first step in the genesis of the H7N9 viruses because it greatly increased the likelihood of reassortment between H9N2 and other flu subtypes," co-corresponding author Jinhua Liu from China Agricultural University pointed out.

Reassortment refers to the tendency of flu viruses to swap genes.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,Jinhua Liu,H9N2,China Agricultural University,avian influenza A

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22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Whole-genome sequencing can identify cancer-linked mutations

WASHINGTON: Scientists have found that whole-genome sequencing can be used to identify patients' risk for hereditary cancer.

In a first of its kind study, researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center used whole-genome sequencing to evaluate a series of 258 cancer patients' genomes to improve the ability to diagnose cancer-predisposing mutations.

"Whole-genome sequencing is a new genetic tool that can determine more of a person's DNA sequence than ever before," said Dr Theodora Ross, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of UT Southwestern's Cancer Genetics Programme.

"Our results show that nearly 90 per cent of clinically identified mutations were confidently detected and additional cancer gene mutations were discovered, which together with the decreasing costs associated with whole-genome sequencing means that this method will improve patient care, as well as lead to discovery of new cancer genes," Ross said.

About 5 to 10 per cent of all cancers are caused by known inherited gene mutations. These mutations are passed down from generation to generation.

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common cause of hereditary breast cancer. BRCA gene mutations are best known for their breast cancer risk, but they also cause increased risk for ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers.

In addition, there are many different genes, including ATM, CDH1, CHEK2, PALB2, PTEN, and TP53, that are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, and researchers are continually discovering additional genes that may affect cancer predisposition.

In the study, researchers developed new methods to analyse the large amount of data generated by whole-genome sequencing.

Ross' team devised a method to compare the group of patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations to a group of patients without BRCA mutations.

All expected BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were detected in the BRCA group, with at least 88.6 per cent of mutations confidently detected. In contrast, different cancer gene mutations were found in the cohort without BRCA mutations.

"The results demonstrate that whole-genome sequencing can detect new cancer gene mutations in non-BRCA 'mystery' patients, demonstrating the added value whole-genome sequencing brings to the future cancer clinic," Ross said.

"Mystery patients are those who have a strong family history for cancer but after standard genetic testing, no genetic diagnoses are made.

"In our study, sequencing allowed us to discover novel candidate cancer gene mutations in mystery patients," said Ross.

The study is published in the journal EBioMedicine.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Britain to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017

The author has posted comments on this articleKounteya Sinha, TNN | Dec 22, 2014, 06.42PM IST

The National Health Service on Monday named the first 11 hospital trusts that will map DNA on a scale never before attempted. 

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: In one of the world's most ambitious scientific endeavours, Britain has decided to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017. An estimated 75,000 patients will be invited to donate their DNA for research into causes of rare diseases and cancers.

The National Health Service on Monday named the first 11 hospital trusts that will map DNA on a scale never before attempted. By the end of the project, about 100 other NHS trusts will be involved.

It is estimated that one in seventeen people are born with or develop a rare disease during their lifetime. At least 80% of rare diseases have an identified genetic component, with 50% of new cases of rare diseases being identified in children.

However, it can take considerable time and expense between a patient first presenting at a doctors and receiving an accurate diagnosis. The time taken to sequence a whole human genome has been dramatically reduced and will become more affordable for routine use as the price continues to fall.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the new project "will let us make ground-breaking discoveries about how diseases work".

"Earlier diagnoses will help to reduce uncertainty and stress for patients and families involved."

The 3-year project, launched by the prime minister David Cameron aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with cancer and rare diseases.

NHS said "The project has the potential to improve our ability to predict and prevent disease. It may also lead to new and more precise diagnostic tests and the ability to more accurately personalise drugs and other treatments to specific genetic variants. It is anticipated that over 75,000 people will be involved, which will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease".

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman said "Our understanding of genomics is transforming the landscape for disease diagnosis and medicines research".

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England's National Medical Director, said "This is an achievable ambition which positions Britain to unlock longstanding mysteries of disease on behalf of humankind".

Up to 25,000 cancer patients will have the genetic code of their healthy tissue compared to the genetic code of their tumour. This would allow targeted medicines to be developed.

Meanwhile, 15,000 patients with rare diseases will have their genome compared with those of their parents and grandparents. Thousands of genetic diseases - which are individually rare but combined affect large numbers of people - could be identified by finding mistakes in the three billion pairs of letters that make up our genetic code.

Article continues

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22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brain's 'homing signal' helps us navigate

LONDON: Scientists have discovered where our 'sense of direction' comes from in the brain, a finding that explains why some people are better navigators.

It has long been known that some people are better at navigating than others, but until now it has been unclear why.

The latest study by University College London researchers showed that the strength and reliability of 'homing signals' in the human brain vary among people and can predict navigational ability.

In order to successfully navigate to a destination, you need to know which direction you are currently facing and which direction to travel in, researchers said.

The latest research shows that the part of the brain that signals which direction you are facing, called the entorhinal region, is also used to signal the direction in which you need to travel to reach your destination.

This part of the brain tells you not only which direction you are currently facing, but also which direction you should be facing in the future.

In other words, the researchers have found where our 'sense of direction' comes from in the brain and worked out a way to measure it using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

"This type of 'homing signal' has been thought to exist for many years, but until now it has remained purely speculation," said Dr Hugo Spiers, who led the study.

"Studies on London cab drivers have shown that the first thing they do when they work out a route is calculate which direction they need to head in.

"We now know that the entorhinal cortex is responsible for such calculations and the quality of signals from this region seem to determine how good someone's navigational skills will be," Spiers said.

In the study, 16 healthy volunteers were asked to navigate a simple square environment simulated on a computer. Each wall had a picture of a different landscape, and each corner contained a different object.

Participants were placed in a corner of the environment, facing a certain direction and asked how to navigate to an object in another corner.

"In this simple test, we were looking to see which areas of the brain were active when participants were considering different directions," said Spiers.

"We were surprised to see that the strength and consistency of brain signals from the entorhinal region noticeably influenced people's performance in such a basic task.

"We now need to investigate the effect in more complex navigational tasks, but I would expect the differences in entorhinal activity to have a larger impact on more complex tasks," Spiers said.

The entorhinal region is one of the first parts of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease, so the findings may also help to explain why people start to get lost in the early stages of the disease.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Power solution lies in champagne bubbles?

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 20, 2014, 07.00AM IST

Page 1 of 4

TOKYO: Using Japan's most powerful computer, researchers have explored how the physics of champagne bubbles may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers.

"Uncork a bottle of champagne, and as the pressure of the liquid is abruptly removed, bubbles immediately form and then rapidly begin the process of "coarsening," in which larger bubbles grow at the expense of smaller ones," researchers said.

This fundamental nonequilibrium phenomenon is known as "Ostwald ripening," and though it is most familiar for its role in bubbly beverages, it is also seen in a wide range of scientific systems including spin systems, foams and metallic alloys.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, Kyusyu University and RIKEN in Japan were able to simulate bubble nucleation from the molecular level by harnessing the K computer at RIKEN, the most powerful system in Japan.

At the heart of their work were molecular dynamics simulations.

The basic concept behind these simulations is to put some virtual molecules in a box, assign them initial velocities and study how they continue moving -by using Newton's law of motion to determine their position over time.

"A huge number of molecules, however, are necessary to simulate bubbles -on the order of 10,000 are required to express a bubble," said Hiroshi Watanabe, a research associate at the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics.

An enhanced understanding of the behaviour of bubbles is important for the field of engineering as it may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers, researchers said.

Article continues

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22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Britain to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017

The author has posted comments on this articleKounteya Sinha, TNN | Dec 22, 2014, 06.42PM IST

The National Health Service on Monday named the first 11 hospital trusts that will map DNA on a scale never before attempted. 

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: In one of the world's most ambitious scientific endeavours, Britain has decided to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017. An estimated 75,000 patients will be invited to donate their DNA for research into causes of rare diseases and cancers.

The National Health Service on Monday named the first 11 hospital trusts that will map DNA on a scale never before attempted. By the end of the project, about 100 other NHS trusts will be involved.

It is estimated that one in seventeen people are born with or develop a rare disease during their lifetime. At least 80% of rare diseases have an identified genetic component, with 50% of new cases of rare diseases being identified in children.

However, it can take considerable time and expense between a patient first presenting at a doctors and receiving an accurate diagnosis. The time taken to sequence a whole human genome has been dramatically reduced and will become more affordable for routine use as the price continues to fall.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the new project "will let us make ground-breaking discoveries about how diseases work".

"Earlier diagnoses will help to reduce uncertainty and stress for patients and families involved."

The 3-year project, launched by the prime minister David Cameron aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with cancer and rare diseases.

NHS said "The project has the potential to improve our ability to predict and prevent disease. It may also lead to new and more precise diagnostic tests and the ability to more accurately personalise drugs and other treatments to specific genetic variants. It is anticipated that over 75,000 people will be involved, which will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease".

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman said "Our understanding of genomics is transforming the landscape for disease diagnosis and medicines research".

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England's National Medical Director, said "This is an achievable ambition which positions Britain to unlock longstanding mysteries of disease on behalf of humankind".

Up to 25,000 cancer patients will have the genetic code of their healthy tissue compared to the genetic code of their tumour. This would allow targeted medicines to be developed.

Meanwhile, 15,000 patients with rare diseases will have their genome compared with those of their parents and grandparents. Thousands of genetic diseases - which are individually rare but combined affect large numbers of people - could be identified by finding mistakes in the three billion pairs of letters that make up our genetic code.

Article continues

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22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Whole-genome sequencing can identify cancer-linked mutations

WASHINGTON: Scientists have found that whole-genome sequencing can be used to identify patients' risk for hereditary cancer.

In a first of its kind study, researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center used whole-genome sequencing to evaluate a series of 258 cancer patients' genomes to improve the ability to diagnose cancer-predisposing mutations.

"Whole-genome sequencing is a new genetic tool that can determine more of a person's DNA sequence than ever before," said Dr Theodora Ross, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of UT Southwestern's Cancer Genetics Programme.

"Our results show that nearly 90 per cent of clinically identified mutations were confidently detected and additional cancer gene mutations were discovered, which together with the decreasing costs associated with whole-genome sequencing means that this method will improve patient care, as well as lead to discovery of new cancer genes," Ross said.

About 5 to 10 per cent of all cancers are caused by known inherited gene mutations. These mutations are passed down from generation to generation.

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common cause of hereditary breast cancer. BRCA gene mutations are best known for their breast cancer risk, but they also cause increased risk for ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers.

In addition, there are many different genes, including ATM, CDH1, CHEK2, PALB2, PTEN, and TP53, that are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, and researchers are continually discovering additional genes that may affect cancer predisposition.

In the study, researchers developed new methods to analyse the large amount of data generated by whole-genome sequencing.

Ross' team devised a method to compare the group of patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations to a group of patients without BRCA mutations.

All expected BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were detected in the BRCA group, with at least 88.6 per cent of mutations confidently detected. In contrast, different cancer gene mutations were found in the cohort without BRCA mutations.

"The results demonstrate that whole-genome sequencing can detect new cancer gene mutations in non-BRCA 'mystery' patients, demonstrating the added value whole-genome sequencing brings to the future cancer clinic," Ross said.

"Mystery patients are those who have a strong family history for cancer but after standard genetic testing, no genetic diagnoses are made.

"In our study, sequencing allowed us to discover novel candidate cancer gene mutations in mystery patients," said Ross.

The study is published in the journal EBioMedicine.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=University of Texas,Southwestern Medical Center,hereditary cancer,EBioMedicine

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22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Britain to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017

LONDON: In one of the world's most ambitious scientific endeavours, Britain has decided to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017. An estimated 75,000 patients will be invited to donate their DNA for research into causes of rare diseases and cancers.

The National Health Service on Monday named the first 11 hospital trusts that will map DNA on a scale never before attempted. By the end of the project, about 100 other NHS trusts will be involved.

It is estimated that one in seventeen people are born with or develop a rare disease during their lifetime. At least 80% of rare diseases have an identified genetic component, with 50% of new cases of rare diseases being identified in children.

However, it can take considerable time and expense between a patient first presenting at a doctors and receiving an accurate diagnosis. The time taken to sequence a whole human genome has been dramatically reduced and will become more affordable for routine use as the price continues to fall.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the new project "will let us make ground-breaking discoveries about how diseases work".

"Earlier diagnoses will help to reduce uncertainty and stress for patients and families involved."

The 3-year project, launched by the prime minister David Cameron aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with cancer and rare diseases.

NHS said "The project has the potential to improve our ability to predict and prevent disease. It may also lead to new and more precise diagnostic tests and the ability to more accurately personalise drugs and other treatments to specific genetic variants. It is anticipated that over 75,000 people will be involved, which will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease".

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman said "Our understanding of genomics is transforming the landscape for disease diagnosis and medicines research".

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England's National Medical Director, said "This is an achievable ambition which positions Britain to unlock longstanding mysteries of disease on behalf of humankind".

Up to 25,000 cancer patients will have the genetic code of their healthy tissue compared to the genetic code of their tumour. This would allow targeted medicines to be developed.

Meanwhile, 15,000 patients with rare diseases will have their genome compared with those of their parents and grandparents. Thousands of genetic diseases - which are individually rare but combined affect large numbers of people - could be identified by finding mistakes in the three billion pairs of letters that make up our genetic code.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Professor Dame Sally Davies,National Health Service,London,DNA,Britain

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NASA finds methane in Mars

The author has posted comments on this articleKounteya Sinha, TNN | Dec 18, 2014, 01.39AM IST

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: Nasa on Tuesday announced that the Mars Curiosity rover has detected methane on the red planet.

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

The team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover announced it has made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars. This comes a year after the Curiosity rover team announced that it had found no evidence of methane on the Red Planet.

The surface of Mars is currently inhospitable to life but there is evidence that the Red Planet once had a climate that could have supported life billions of years ago. For example, features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water have been discovered on the Martian surface.

The organic molecules found by the team were in a drilled sample of the Sheep bed mudstone in Gale crater, the landing site for the Curiosity. Scientists think the crater was once the site of a lake billions of years ago and rocks like mud stone formed from sediment in the lake.

The mud stone was also found to contain 20% smectite clays. On Earth such clays are known to provide high surface area and optimal interlayer sites for the concentration and preservation of organic compounds when rapidly deposited under reducing chemical conditions.

The discovery shows that the ancient environment offered a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source for life.

"We think life began on Earth around 3.8 billion years ago, and our result shows that places on Mars had the same conditions at that time - liquid water, a warm environment and organic matter," said Caroline Freissinet of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

"So if life emerged on Earth in these conditions, why not on Mars as well," Freissinet added.

Article continues

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22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Power solution lies in champagne bubbles?

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 20, 2014, 07.00AM IST

Page 1 of 4

TOKYO: Using Japan's most powerful computer, researchers have explored how the physics of champagne bubbles may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers.

"Uncork a bottle of champagne, and as the pressure of the liquid is abruptly removed, bubbles immediately form and then rapidly begin the process of "coarsening," in which larger bubbles grow at the expense of smaller ones," researchers said.

This fundamental nonequilibrium phenomenon is known as "Ostwald ripening," and though it is most familiar for its role in bubbly beverages, it is also seen in a wide range of scientific systems including spin systems, foams and metallic alloys.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, Kyusyu University and RIKEN in Japan were able to simulate bubble nucleation from the molecular level by harnessing the K computer at RIKEN, the most powerful system in Japan.

At the heart of their work were molecular dynamics simulations.

The basic concept behind these simulations is to put some virtual molecules in a box, assign them initial velocities and study how they continue moving -by using Newton's law of motion to determine their position over time.

"A huge number of molecules, however, are necessary to simulate bubbles -on the order of 10,000 are required to express a bubble," said Hiroshi Watanabe, a research associate at the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics.

An enhanced understanding of the behaviour of bubbles is important for the field of engineering as it may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers, researchers said.

Article continues

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

NASA finds methane in Mars

The author has posted comments on this articleKounteya Sinha, TNN | Dec 18, 2014, 01.39AM IST

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: Nasa on Tuesday announced that the Mars Curiosity rover has detected methane on the red planet.

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

The team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover announced it has made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars. This comes a year after the Curiosity rover team announced that it had found no evidence of methane on the Red Planet.

The surface of Mars is currently inhospitable to life but there is evidence that the Red Planet once had a climate that could have supported life billions of years ago. For example, features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water have been discovered on the Martian surface.

The organic molecules found by the team were in a drilled sample of the Sheep bed mudstone in Gale crater, the landing site for the Curiosity. Scientists think the crater was once the site of a lake billions of years ago and rocks like mud stone formed from sediment in the lake.

The mud stone was also found to contain 20% smectite clays. On Earth such clays are known to provide high surface area and optimal interlayer sites for the concentration and preservation of organic compounds when rapidly deposited under reducing chemical conditions.

The discovery shows that the ancient environment offered a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source for life.

"We think life began on Earth around 3.8 billion years ago, and our result shows that places on Mars had the same conditions at that time - liquid water, a warm environment and organic matter," said Caroline Freissinet of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

"So if life emerged on Earth in these conditions, why not on Mars as well," Freissinet added.

Article continues

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Power solution lies in champagne bubbles?

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 20, 2014, 07.00AM IST

Page 1 of 4

TOKYO: Using Japan's most powerful computer, researchers have explored how the physics of champagne bubbles may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers.

"Uncork a bottle of champagne, and as the pressure of the liquid is abruptly removed, bubbles immediately form and then rapidly begin the process of "coarsening," in which larger bubbles grow at the expense of smaller ones," researchers said.

This fundamental nonequilibrium phenomenon is known as "Ostwald ripening," and though it is most familiar for its role in bubbly beverages, it is also seen in a wide range of scientific systems including spin systems, foams and metallic alloys.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, Kyusyu University and RIKEN in Japan were able to simulate bubble nucleation from the molecular level by harnessing the K computer at RIKEN, the most powerful system in Japan.

At the heart of their work were molecular dynamics simulations.

The basic concept behind these simulations is to put some virtual molecules in a box, assign them initial velocities and study how they continue moving -by using Newton's law of motion to determine their position over time.

"A huge number of molecules, however, are necessary to simulate bubbles -on the order of 10,000 are required to express a bubble," said Hiroshi Watanabe, a research associate at the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics.

An enhanced understanding of the behaviour of bubbles is important for the field of engineering as it may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers, researchers said.

Article continues

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Britain to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017

LONDON: In one of the world's most ambitious scientific endeavours, Britain has decided to sequence 100,000 whole genomes in the human body by 2017. An estimated 75,000 patients will be invited to donate their DNA for research into causes of rare diseases and cancers.

The National Health Service on Monday named the first 11 hospital trusts that will map DNA on a scale never before attempted. By the end of the project, about 100 other NHS trusts will be involved.

It is estimated that one in seventeen people are born with or develop a rare disease during their lifetime. At least 80% of rare diseases have an identified genetic component, with 50% of new cases of rare diseases being identified in children.

However, it can take considerable time and expense between a patient first presenting at a doctors and receiving an accurate diagnosis. The time taken to sequence a whole human genome has been dramatically reduced and will become more affordable for routine use as the price continues to fall.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the new project "will let us make ground-breaking discoveries about how diseases work".

"Earlier diagnoses will help to reduce uncertainty and stress for patients and families involved."

The 3-year project, launched by the prime minister David Cameron aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with cancer and rare diseases.

NHS said "The project has the potential to improve our ability to predict and prevent disease. It may also lead to new and more precise diagnostic tests and the ability to more accurately personalise drugs and other treatments to specific genetic variants. It is anticipated that over 75,000 people will be involved, which will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease".

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman said "Our understanding of genomics is transforming the landscape for disease diagnosis and medicines research".

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England's National Medical Director, said "This is an achievable ambition which positions Britain to unlock longstanding mysteries of disease on behalf of humankind".

Up to 25,000 cancer patients will have the genetic code of their healthy tissue compared to the genetic code of their tumour. This would allow targeted medicines to be developed.

Meanwhile, 15,000 patients with rare diseases will have their genome compared with those of their parents and grandparents. Thousands of genetic diseases - which are individually rare but combined affect large numbers of people - could be identified by finding mistakes in the three billion pairs of letters that make up our genetic code.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Professor Dame Sally Davies,National Health Service,London,DNA,Britain

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NASA finds methane in Mars

The author has posted comments on this articleKounteya Sinha, TNN | Dec 18, 2014, 01.39AM IST

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: Nasa on Tuesday announced that the Mars Curiosity rover has detected methane on the red planet.

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

The team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover announced it has made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars. This comes a year after the Curiosity rover team announced that it had found no evidence of methane on the Red Planet.

The surface of Mars is currently inhospitable to life but there is evidence that the Red Planet once had a climate that could have supported life billions of years ago. For example, features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water have been discovered on the Martian surface.

The organic molecules found by the team were in a drilled sample of the Sheep bed mudstone in Gale crater, the landing site for the Curiosity. Scientists think the crater was once the site of a lake billions of years ago and rocks like mud stone formed from sediment in the lake.

The mud stone was also found to contain 20% smectite clays. On Earth such clays are known to provide high surface area and optimal interlayer sites for the concentration and preservation of organic compounds when rapidly deposited under reducing chemical conditions.

The discovery shows that the ancient environment offered a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source for life.

"We think life began on Earth around 3.8 billion years ago, and our result shows that places on Mars had the same conditions at that time - liquid water, a warm environment and organic matter," said Caroline Freissinet of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

"So if life emerged on Earth in these conditions, why not on Mars as well," Freissinet added.

Article continues

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Voyager 1 buffeted by "tsunami wave", 19.5 billion kms away from Earth

NEW DELHI: Messages received from Voyager 1, the Nasa spacecraft travelling 19.5 billion kms away from Earth, show that it is continuing to experience a "tsunami wave" as it penetrates the interstellar medium beyond the solar System.

The spacecraft launched in 1977 is the farthest a manmade object has gone from Earth ever. So far, signals from its instruments travelling at the speed of light take 36 hours and 14 minutes to reach Earth.

"Most people would have thought the interstellar medium would have been smooth and quiet. But these shock waves seem to be more common than we thought," said Don Gurnett, professor of physics at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Gurnett presented the new data Monday, Dec. 15 at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

A "tsunami wave" occurs when the sun emits a coronal mass ejection, throwing out a magnetic cloud of plasma from its surface. This generates a wave of pressure. When the wave runs into the interstellar plasma -- the charged particles found in the space between the stars -- a shock wave results that perturbs the plasma.

"The tsunami causes the ionized gas that is out there to resonate -- "sing" or vibrate like a bell," said Ed Stone, project scientist for the Voyager mission based at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This is the third shock wave that Voyager 1 has experienced. The first event was in October to November of 2012, and the second wave in April to May of 2013 revealed an even higher plasma density. Voyager 1 detected the most recent event in February, and it is still going on as of November data. The spacecraft has moved outward 250 million miles (400 million kilometers) during the third event.

It is unclear to researchers what the unusual longevity of this particular wave may mean. They are also uncertain as to how fast the wave is moving or how broad a region it covers.

The second tsunami wave helped researchers determine in 2013 that Voyager 1 had left the heliosphere, the bubble created by the solar wind encompassing the sun and the planets in our solar system. Denser plasma "rings" at a higher frequency, and the medium that Voyager flew through, was 40 times denser than what had been previously measured. This was key to the conclusion that Voyager had entered a frontier where no spacecraft had gone before: interstellar space.

"The density of the plasma is higher the farther Voyager goes," Stone said. "Is that because the interstellar medium is denser as Voyager moves away from the heliosphere, or is it from the shock wave itself? We don't know yet." Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, were launched 16 days apart in 1977. Both spacecraft flew by Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 2, launched before Voyager 1, is currently at a distance of about 16 billion kms from Earth. It is the longest continuously operated spacecraft and is expected to enter interstellar space in a few years.

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Power solution lies in champagne bubbles?

TOKYO: Using Japan's most powerful computer, researchers have explored how the physics of champagne bubbles may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers.

"Uncork a bottle of champagne, and as the pressure of the liquid is abruptly removed, bubbles immediately form and then rapidly begin the process of "coarsening," in which larger bubbles grow at the expense of smaller ones," researchers said.

This fundamental nonequilibrium phenomenon is known as "Ostwald ripening," and though it is most familiar for its role in bubbly beverages, it is also seen in a wide range of scientific systems including spin systems, foams and metallic alloys.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, Kyusyu University and RIKEN in Japan were able to simulate bubble nucleation from the molecular level by harnessing the K computer at RIKEN, the most powerful system in Japan.

At the heart of their work were molecular dynamics simulations.

The basic concept behind these simulations is to put some virtual molecules in a box, assign them initial velocities and study how they continue moving -by using Newton's law of motion to determine their position over time.

"A huge number of molecules, however, are necessary to simulate bubbles -on the order of 10,000 are required to express a bubble," said Hiroshi Watanabe, a research associate at the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics.

An enhanced understanding of the behaviour of bubbles is important for the field of engineering as it may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers, researchers said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Tokyo,RIKEN,Kyusyu University,champagne

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Scientists create new type of ice

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 14, 2014, 03.52PM IST

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Page 1 of 4

BERLIN: Scientists have for the first time created a new super-low density form of ice.

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Water molecules can sometimes form crystal structures called a clathrate hydrate by surrounding impurities, such as methane or carbon dioxide, with frozen 'cages'.

Scientists realised that if they could extract these molecules they could create a new type of ice.

This was, however, difficult to achieve because the ice structure is fragile without these extra molecules.

Researchers at the University of Gottingen in Germany have now done just this by using a vacuum pump at low temperatures, sciencealert.com reported.

The trick was to mix in neon atoms, which are relatively small and easily coaxed out of the solid ice.

Researchers said that if they can figure out how to replace energy-rich methane trapped in the huge amounts of clathrates on the ocean floor with carbon dioxide, then they could harvest energy from the ocean.

"It is important to note that clathrates could also be formed with carbon dioxide gas which would create stable compounds on the ocean floor. This means there is a possibility we could extract methane and convert it to useful energy, and replace it with the CO2," researchers said.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

Article continues

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Voyager 1 buffeted by "tsunami wave", 19.5 billion kms away from Earth

NEW DELHI: Messages received from Voyager 1, the Nasa spacecraft travelling 19.5 billion kms away from Earth, show that it is continuing to experience a "tsunami wave" as it penetrates the interstellar medium beyond the solar System.

The spacecraft launched in 1977 is the farthest a manmade object has gone from Earth ever. So far, signals from its instruments travelling at the speed of light take 36 hours and 14 minutes to reach Earth.

"Most people would have thought the interstellar medium would have been smooth and quiet. But these shock waves seem to be more common than we thought," said Don Gurnett, professor of physics at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Gurnett presented the new data Monday, Dec. 15 at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

A "tsunami wave" occurs when the sun emits a coronal mass ejection, throwing out a magnetic cloud of plasma from its surface. This generates a wave of pressure. When the wave runs into the interstellar plasma -- the charged particles found in the space between the stars -- a shock wave results that perturbs the plasma.

"The tsunami causes the ionized gas that is out there to resonate -- "sing" or vibrate like a bell," said Ed Stone, project scientist for the Voyager mission based at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This is the third shock wave that Voyager 1 has experienced. The first event was in October to November of 2012, and the second wave in April to May of 2013 revealed an even higher plasma density. Voyager 1 detected the most recent event in February, and it is still going on as of November data. The spacecraft has moved outward 250 million miles (400 million kilometers) during the third event.

It is unclear to researchers what the unusual longevity of this particular wave may mean. They are also uncertain as to how fast the wave is moving or how broad a region it covers.

The second tsunami wave helped researchers determine in 2013 that Voyager 1 had left the heliosphere, the bubble created by the solar wind encompassing the sun and the planets in our solar system. Denser plasma "rings" at a higher frequency, and the medium that Voyager flew through, was 40 times denser than what had been previously measured. This was key to the conclusion that Voyager had entered a frontier where no spacecraft had gone before: interstellar space.

"The density of the plasma is higher the farther Voyager goes," Stone said. "Is that because the interstellar medium is denser as Voyager moves away from the heliosphere, or is it from the shock wave itself? We don't know yet." Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, were launched 16 days apart in 1977. Both spacecraft flew by Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 2, launched before Voyager 1, is currently at a distance of about 16 billion kms from Earth. It is the longest continuously operated spacecraft and is expected to enter interstellar space in a few years.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

NASA finds methane in Mars

The author has posted comments on this articleKounteya Sinha, TNN | Dec 18, 2014, 01.39AM IST

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: Nasa on Tuesday announced that the Mars Curiosity rover has detected methane on the red planet.

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

The team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover announced it has made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars. This comes a year after the Curiosity rover team announced that it had found no evidence of methane on the Red Planet.

The surface of Mars is currently inhospitable to life but there is evidence that the Red Planet once had a climate that could have supported life billions of years ago. For example, features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water have been discovered on the Martian surface.

The organic molecules found by the team were in a drilled sample of the Sheep bed mudstone in Gale crater, the landing site for the Curiosity. Scientists think the crater was once the site of a lake billions of years ago and rocks like mud stone formed from sediment in the lake.

The mud stone was also found to contain 20% smectite clays. On Earth such clays are known to provide high surface area and optimal interlayer sites for the concentration and preservation of organic compounds when rapidly deposited under reducing chemical conditions.

The discovery shows that the ancient environment offered a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source for life.

"We think life began on Earth around 3.8 billion years ago, and our result shows that places on Mars had the same conditions at that time - liquid water, a warm environment and organic matter," said Caroline Freissinet of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

"So if life emerged on Earth in these conditions, why not on Mars as well," Freissinet added.

Article continues

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

NASA finds methane in Mars

LONDON: Nasa on Tuesday announced that the Mars Curiosity rover has detected methane on the red planet.

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane is a potential sign of life.

The team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover announced it has made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars. This comes a year after the Curiosity rover team announced that it had found no evidence of methane on the Red Planet.

The surface of Mars is currently inhospitable to life but there is evidence that the Red Planet once had a climate that could have supported life billions of years ago. For example, features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water have been discovered on the Martian surface.

The organic molecules found by the team were in a drilled sample of the Sheep bed mudstone in Gale crater, the landing site for the Curiosity. Scientists think the crater was once the site of a lake billions of years ago and rocks like mud stone formed from sediment in the lake.

The mud stone was also found to contain 20% smectite clays. On Earth such clays are known to provide high surface area and optimal interlayer sites for the concentration and preservation of organic compounds when rapidly deposited under reducing chemical conditions.

The discovery shows that the ancient environment offered a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source for life.

"We think life began on Earth around 3.8 billion years ago, and our result shows that places on Mars had the same conditions at that time - liquid water, a warm environment and organic matter," said Caroline Freissinet of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

"So if life emerged on Earth in these conditions, why not on Mars as well," Freissinet added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Sample Analysis At Mars,NASA,methane,Mars

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22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Voyager 1 buffeted by "tsunami wave", 19.5 billion kms away from Earth

NEW DELHI: Messages received from Voyager 1, the Nasa spacecraft travelling 19.5 billion kms away from Earth, show that it is continuing to experience a "tsunami wave" as it penetrates the interstellar medium beyond the solar System.

The spacecraft launched in 1977 is the farthest a manmade object has gone from Earth ever. So far, signals from its instruments travelling at the speed of light take 36 hours and 14 minutes to reach Earth.

"Most people would have thought the interstellar medium would have been smooth and quiet. But these shock waves seem to be more common than we thought," said Don Gurnett, professor of physics at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Gurnett presented the new data Monday, Dec. 15 at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

A "tsunami wave" occurs when the sun emits a coronal mass ejection, throwing out a magnetic cloud of plasma from its surface. This generates a wave of pressure. When the wave runs into the interstellar plasma -- the charged particles found in the space between the stars -- a shock wave results that perturbs the plasma.

"The tsunami causes the ionized gas that is out there to resonate -- "sing" or vibrate like a bell," said Ed Stone, project scientist for the Voyager mission based at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This is the third shock wave that Voyager 1 has experienced. The first event was in October to November of 2012, and the second wave in April to May of 2013 revealed an even higher plasma density. Voyager 1 detected the most recent event in February, and it is still going on as of November data. The spacecraft has moved outward 250 million miles (400 million kilometers) during the third event.

It is unclear to researchers what the unusual longevity of this particular wave may mean. They are also uncertain as to how fast the wave is moving or how broad a region it covers.

The second tsunami wave helped researchers determine in 2013 that Voyager 1 had left the heliosphere, the bubble created by the solar wind encompassing the sun and the planets in our solar system. Denser plasma "rings" at a higher frequency, and the medium that Voyager flew through, was 40 times denser than what had been previously measured. This was key to the conclusion that Voyager had entered a frontier where no spacecraft had gone before: interstellar space.

"The density of the plasma is higher the farther Voyager goes," Stone said. "Is that because the interstellar medium is denser as Voyager moves away from the heliosphere, or is it from the shock wave itself? We don't know yet." Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, were launched 16 days apart in 1977. Both spacecraft flew by Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 2, launched before Voyager 1, is currently at a distance of about 16 billion kms from Earth. It is the longest continuously operated spacecraft and is expected to enter interstellar space in a few years.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scientists create new type of ice

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 14, 2014, 03.52PM IST

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Page 1 of 4

BERLIN: Scientists have for the first time created a new super-low density form of ice.

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Water molecules can sometimes form crystal structures called a clathrate hydrate by surrounding impurities, such as methane or carbon dioxide, with frozen 'cages'.

Scientists realised that if they could extract these molecules they could create a new type of ice.

This was, however, difficult to achieve because the ice structure is fragile without these extra molecules.

Researchers at the University of Gottingen in Germany have now done just this by using a vacuum pump at low temperatures, sciencealert.com reported.

The trick was to mix in neon atoms, which are relatively small and easily coaxed out of the solid ice.

Researchers said that if they can figure out how to replace energy-rich methane trapped in the huge amounts of clathrates on the ocean floor with carbon dioxide, then they could harvest energy from the ocean.

"It is important to note that clathrates could also be formed with carbon dioxide gas which would create stable compounds on the ocean floor. This means there is a possibility we could extract methane and convert it to useful energy, and replace it with the CO2," researchers said.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

Article continues

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Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scientists create new type of ice

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 14, 2014, 03.52PM IST

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Page 1 of 4

BERLIN: Scientists have for the first time created a new super-low density form of ice.

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Water molecules can sometimes form crystal structures called a clathrate hydrate by surrounding impurities, such as methane or carbon dioxide, with frozen 'cages'.

Scientists realised that if they could extract these molecules they could create a new type of ice.

This was, however, difficult to achieve because the ice structure is fragile without these extra molecules.

Researchers at the University of Gottingen in Germany have now done just this by using a vacuum pump at low temperatures, sciencealert.com reported.

The trick was to mix in neon atoms, which are relatively small and easily coaxed out of the solid ice.

Researchers said that if they can figure out how to replace energy-rich methane trapped in the huge amounts of clathrates on the ocean floor with carbon dioxide, then they could harvest energy from the ocean.

"It is important to note that clathrates could also be formed with carbon dioxide gas which would create stable compounds on the ocean floor. This means there is a possibility we could extract methane and convert it to useful energy, and replace it with the CO2," researchers said.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

Article continues

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scientists create new type of ice

BERLIN: Scientists have for the first time created a new super-low density form of ice.

The advance will help remove pipe-blocking clathrates from natural gas and thereby improve the energy efficiency of extraction, researchers said.

Water molecules can sometimes form crystal structures called a clathrate hydrate by surrounding impurities, such as methane or carbon dioxide, with frozen 'cages'.

Scientists realised that if they could extract these molecules they could create a new type of ice.

This was, however, difficult to achieve because the ice structure is fragile without these extra molecules.

Researchers at the University of Gottingen in Germany have now done just this by using a vacuum pump at low temperatures, sciencealert.com reported.

The trick was to mix in neon atoms, which are relatively small and easily coaxed out of the solid ice.

Researchers said that if they can figure out how to replace energy-rich methane trapped in the huge amounts of clathrates on the ocean floor with carbon dioxide, then they could harvest energy from the ocean.

"It is important to note that clathrates could also be formed with carbon dioxide gas which would create stable compounds on the ocean floor. This means there is a possibility we could extract methane and convert it to useful energy, and replace it with the CO2," researchers said.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

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Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

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What makes champagne bubbly decoded

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 10, 2014, 03.20PM IST

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: Researchers have decoded the science behind the formation of bubbles in a glass of champagne.

They have discovered that ethanol is the main molecule (along with water) responsible for the value of CO2 diffusion coefficients in champagne, and is therefore an essential molecule to better understand the CO2 bubble formation and growth in these beverages.

The results from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in France could have applications for evaluating the diffusion of CO2 molecules in water/alcohol mixtures that are commonly used in physical chemistry.

Previous research has shown that two phenomena are responsible for the emission of CO2 bubbles in sparkling beverages such as Champagne wines, Phys.org reported.

The first phenomenon arises because these beverages are supersaturated with CO2, and CO2 emission occurs at the interface between a supersaturated aqueous solution and a gas phase (the air above the glass).

The second phenomenon responsible for CO2 bubble emission is effervescence, which refers to the formation of bubbles from tiny gas pockets trapped within immersed particles, such as cellulose fibres, crystals, or even within scratches or etchings on the glass surface.

When the radius of the gas pocket trapped within the particle or scratch exceeds a critical size (about 0.2 micrometres at the opening of a Champagne bottle), dissolved CO2 can diffuse into the gas pocket and make the bubble grow.

As the CO2 diffuses, many CO2 bubbles are released in the Champagne in the form of bubble trains.

The study was published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

Article continues

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Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=University of Wisconsin,Taj Mahal,Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur,Environmental Science and Technology,Archaeological Survey of India

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What makes champagne bubbly decoded

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 10, 2014, 03.20PM IST

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: Researchers have decoded the science behind the formation of bubbles in a glass of champagne.

They have discovered that ethanol is the main molecule (along with water) responsible for the value of CO2 diffusion coefficients in champagne, and is therefore an essential molecule to better understand the CO2 bubble formation and growth in these beverages.

The results from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in France could have applications for evaluating the diffusion of CO2 molecules in water/alcohol mixtures that are commonly used in physical chemistry.

Previous research has shown that two phenomena are responsible for the emission of CO2 bubbles in sparkling beverages such as Champagne wines, Phys.org reported.

The first phenomenon arises because these beverages are supersaturated with CO2, and CO2 emission occurs at the interface between a supersaturated aqueous solution and a gas phase (the air above the glass).

The second phenomenon responsible for CO2 bubble emission is effervescence, which refers to the formation of bubbles from tiny gas pockets trapped within immersed particles, such as cellulose fibres, crystals, or even within scratches or etchings on the glass surface.

When the radius of the gas pocket trapped within the particle or scratch exceeds a critical size (about 0.2 micrometres at the opening of a Champagne bottle), dissolved CO2 can diffuse into the gas pocket and make the bubble grow.

As the CO2 diffuses, many CO2 bubbles are released in the Champagne in the form of bubble trains.

The study was published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

Article continues

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: study

WASHINGTON: Airborne carbon particles and dust are discolouring the Taj Mahal's iconic marble dome and soaring minarets, giving the gleaming white landmark a brownish case, Indian and US researchers have found.

"Our team was able to show that the pollutants discolouring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust - possibly from agriculture and road traffic," said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet.

Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures. Routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble.

Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discolouration, but no systematic study had been done.

To find out what was causing the colour change, researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012.

Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter.

The researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome.

After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analysed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures.

This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles, Bergin said.

They found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources, researchers said.

To check their analysis, the researchers refined a model for showing how the surface reflectance of the building's marble should change with the application of brown and black carbon particles, along with dust. The predictions of the model matched what was being observed on the Taj Mahal.

The research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=University of Wisconsin,Taj Mahal,Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur,Environmental Science and Technology,Archaeological Survey of India

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Smoking hampers alcohol abuse treatment

The author has posted comments on this articleIANS | Dec 9, 2014, 03.47PM IST

Smoking can inhibit the success of treatment for alcohol abuse, says a study, adding that it puts people who are addicted to both tobacco and alcohol in a double bind.

Page 1 of 4

NEW YORK: Smoking can inhibit the success of treatment for alcohol abuse, says a study, adding that it puts people who are addicted to both tobacco and alcohol in a double bind.

According to findings by the University of Buffalo' Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) in the US, people who smoke have shorter stays in alcohol treatment programmes than non-smokers and may have poorer treatment outcomes than non-smokers.

The study analysed more than 21,000 adult treatment seekers from 253 community outpatient substance abuse clinics across New York State.

"The data suggest that smoking is associated with difficulties in alcohol treatment. Tobacco smokers had shorter treatment durations and were less likely to have achieved their alcohol-related goals at discharge relative to their nonsmoking counterparts," said Kimberly Walitzer, deputy director and senior research scientist at RIA.

This should be a major concern for treatment providers as the majority of people with alcohol disorders are, in fact, smokers, she said.

For women, these associations are even stronger.

Walitzer's data indicate that 67 percent of women seeking alcohol treatment were smokers, compared to 61 percent of the men.

The results also show that women who smoke have even more difficult circumstances and poorer alcohol treatment outcomes than men who smoke.

If people can quit smoking when entering alcohol treatment, they may have better alcohol outcomes, the authors added.

The paper appeared in the journal Substance Use and Misuse.

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Male smokers face greater cancer risk: Study

The author has posted comments on this articleIANS | Dec 5, 2014, 08.22PM IST

Since only men have the Y chromosome, these results might explain why smoking is a greater risk factor for cancer among men and also why men in general have a shorter life expectancy, the researchers said.

Page 1 of 4

LONDON: In a discovery that could possibly persuade smokers to quit, researchers at the Uppsala University in Sweden have found a strong association between smoking and the loss of the male Y chromosome in blood cells.

The same team had previously shown that the loss of the Y chromosome is linked to cancer.

Since only men have the Y chromosome, these results might explain why smoking is a greater risk factor for cancer among men and also why men in general have a shorter life expectancy, the researchers said.

The team tested if there were any lifestyle or clinical factors that could be linked to the loss of the Y chromosome.

"Out of a large number of factors that were studied such as age, blood pressure, diabetes, alcohol intake and smoking, we found that loss of the Y chromosome in a fraction of the blood cells was more common in smokers than in non-smokers", said Lars Forsberg, lead researcher at Uppsala University.

The loss of the Y chromosome was more common in heavy smokers compared to moderate smokers.

In addition, the association was only valid for men who were current smokers.

Men who had been smoking previously but quit showed the same frequency of cells with loss of the Y chromosome as men who had never smoked, the authors noticed.

How loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells, induced by smoking, is connected with the development of cancer throughout the body is still not clear.

One possibility is that immune cells in blood that have lost their Y chromosome have a reduced capacity to fight cancer cells.

"The finding may explain why men in general have a shorter life span than women and why smoking is more dangerous for men," added co-author Jan Dumanski.

The study was published in the journal Science.

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