Health & Science

• Thursday, August 23rd 2012 - 06:24 UTC

  Animal welfare demand inquiry into death of 400 pregnant heifers en route to Russia

  

  The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Compassion in World Farming are calling on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take immediate action following reports that 400 pregnant cattle among a total of 3,900 cattle being transported by ship from the United States to Russia have died en route.

• Wednesday, August 22nd 2012 - 06:06 UTC

  UN warns of risk of African swine fever in Caucasus region

  

  Following the first-ever detection of African swine fever (ASF)in Ukraine, the United Nations is warning that while control measures appear to have temporarily halted the disease's spread, it has established a firm foothold in the Caucasus and poses an ongoing risk to neighbouring areas.

• Saturday, August 18th 2012 - 05:28 UTC

  US scientists develop a translucent polymer robot inspired in the squid

  

  Scientists in the United States said they had devised a rubbery robot, inspired by the squid and octopus, which can crawl, camouflage itself and hide from infrared cameras. The Pentagon-backed gadget is the latest type of a so-called soft machine, meaning silicone-based robots that are made from squidgy, translucent polymers.

• Friday, August 17th 2012 - 11:20 UTC

  Cuban health authorities admit dengue and yellow fever outbreaks

  

  The Cuban Public Health Ministry (MINSAP) this week again called on people's support to help eradicate the proliferation of the dengue transmitter Aedes aegypti mosquito during the summer months, when vector-associated diseases are on the increase.

• Friday, August 17th 2012 - 06:46 UTC

  Dallas in state of disaster; aerial spraying of mosquitoes to combat West Nile virus

  

  The city of Dallas in Texas is joining other municipalities declaring a state of disaster during what has become the worst outbreak of West Nile virus in the United States in 2012.

• Thursday, August 16th 2012 - 19:37 UTC

  Ship linked to Captain Scott’s failed South Pole expedition found off Greenland

  

  The wreck of the ship that carried Captain Robert Scott on his doomed expedition to the Antarctic a century ago has been discovered off Greenland. The SS Terra Nova was found by a team from a US research company.

• Wednesday, August 15th 2012 - 23:40 UTC

  World Health Organization praises Australia’s high court ruling on cigarette packaging

  

  The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday it strongly welcomes the landmark decision from Australia’s High Court to dismiss a legal challenge from the tobacco industry, and calls on the rest of the world to follow Australia’s tough stance on tobacco marketing.

• Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 10:56 UTC

  Bill Gates finances research project to improve corn yields

  

  Billionaire computer magnate Bill Gates is to fund a €8m research project into whether cereal crops can be genetically engineered with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

• Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 07:02 UTC

  New strain of swine flu advances in the US Midwest region; 200 cases reported

  

  United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that a new strain of swine flu is raising concerns as it continues to infect people throughout the Midwest region.

• Friday, August 10th 2012 - 22:37 UTC

  Ice patrol HMS Protector crew to visit the affiliated city of Cambridge

  

  The university city of Cambridge might be more used to punts, but it is about to welcome the crew of a Royal Navy ship. HMS Protector, the Navy's 5.000-ton Antarctic patrol vessel is to visit the region on Monday, marking her first visit to her affiliated city of Cambridge since the formal link was established a year ago.