Health & Science

• Wednesday, September 23rd 2009 - 12:13 UTC

  Big drop in heart attacks after smoking bans, according to several studies

  

  The ban on smoking in public places, such as bars and restaurants, has been one of the greatest public health debates of the early 21st century. Now, two large studies suggest that communities that pass laws to curb secondhand smoke get a big payoff -- a drop in heart attacks.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 11:20 UTC

  Surprise, surprise: when in summer try watermelons

  

  A juicy slice of watermelon may be more than just delicious; it could be the answer to problems with erectile dysfunction, or ED. The idea of eating watermelons for erectile dysfunction treatment might sound absurd but it is a reality according to latest medical reports from the US.

• Friday, September 18th 2009 - 10:53 UTC

  Less profound melt of Arctic sea ice again baffles scientists

  

  This summer's melt of Arctic sea ice has not been as profound as in the last two years, scientists said as the ice began its annual autumn recovery. At its smallest extent this summer, on 12 September, the ice covered 5.10 million sq km.

• Thursday, September 17th 2009 - 20:06 UTC

  Top marks for South Georgia fishery management

  

  SOUTH Georgia has been marked as the third highest scoring fishery in the world in terms of good management.

• Thursday, September 17th 2009 - 13:30 UTC

  Antarctica ozone hole predicted to be the smallest in recent years

  

  The hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica this year should reach 25 million square kilometers, or two million square kilometers less than in 2008, announced Wednesday the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

• Tuesday, September 15th 2009 - 06:24 UTC

  Re-sail of Darwin’s global travel calls in Falklands next November

  

  The international project “Beagle, on the Future of Species” a re-sail of Charles Darwin’s global travels which 150 years ago drastically changed the concepts of creation and evolution, but now geared to investigate the earth’s future is scheduled to call in the Falkland Islands next November

• Tuesday, September 15th 2009 - 04:31 UTC

  French unions against military technology transfer to Brazil

  

  French unions are not pleased with the transfer of military technology to Brazil recently agreed between presidents Nicholas Sarkozy and Lula da Silva, according to press reports.

• Tuesday, September 15th 2009 - 02:30 UTC

  Scientists confirm link between declining CO2 levels and Antarctica ice cap

  

  The link between declining CO2 levels in the earth's atmosphere and the formation of the Antarctic ice caps some 34 million years ago has been confirmed for the first time in a major research study.

• Monday, September 14th 2009 - 09:12 UTC

  Brazilian minister calls for the de-criminalization of marihuana

  

  Brazil’s Environment Minister Carlos Minc called on the country’s Supreme Court to imitate Argentina and de-criminalize possession of drugs by adults for personal consumption.

• Monday, September 14th 2009 - 09:01 UTC

  Father of the Green Revolution and Nobel Peace Prize dies in Texas

  

  Norman Borlaug, the man known as the father of the Green Revolution in agriculture, died in Texas aged 95. Prof Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for agricultural innovation and the development of high-yield crops.