Health & Science

• Tuesday, August 25th 2009 - 22:30 UTC

  South Korea launched its first space rocket with “partial success”

  

  South Korea has launched its first space rocket, though a scientific satellite it was carrying failed to enter into its proper orbit. South Korean officials described the launch as a “partial success”.

• Saturday, August 22nd 2009 - 11:34 UTC

  World Health officials urge to prepare for likely second wave of A/H1N1 virus flu

  

  World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan on Friday urged governments to prepare for a likely second wave of A/H1N1 flu cases. About 1,800 people have died since the flu virus was first uncovered in April, according to the latest update from the WHO issued this week.

• Saturday, August 22nd 2009 - 11:23 UTC

  Turkey layers in Chile infected with the human A/H1N1 virus flu

  

  Two turkey farms in Chile have been put under quarantine restrictions after fears the birds have caught swine flu from humans. Vets in the country said the A/H1N1 flu virus had been discovered in the two poultry plants in Valparaiso.

• Friday, August 21st 2009 - 13:32 UTC

  Ink from fossilized squid 150 million years old found in Wiltshire

  

  Palaeontologists have drawn with ink extracted from a preserved fossilised squid uncovered during a dig in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

• Tuesday, August 18th 2009 - 13:24 UTC

  German research vessel will operate year round in Antarctica

  

  The next five to six years will represent a great infrastructure and logistics leap forward for Antarctic activities mainly because of the greater technological advances of the scientific research vessels, according to Professor Heinz Miller a distinguished academic from Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.

• Wednesday, August 12th 2009 - 12:30 UTC

  President Oscar Arias sick with H1N1 virus.

  

  Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is said to have the H1N1 virus. He was placed under medical care at his home, but he will not delegate power in the meantime, Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias said.

• Tuesday, August 11th 2009 - 11:10 UTC

  Oxford University warns against Tamiflu drug for children

  

  Children should not be given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to combat swine flu, Oxford University researchers have said. They urged the United Kingdom Department of Health to urgently rethink its policy on giving the drugs to youngsters affected by the current flu pandemic.

• Monday, August 10th 2009 - 11:37 UTC

  South America agrees on price ceilings for the A/H1N1 vaccine

  

  South America's twelve nations on Saturday pledged to respect regional vaccine price ceilings to prevent businesses from exploiting fear of the A/H1N1 flu pandemic, Ecuador's Health Minister Caroline Chang said.

• Thursday, August 6th 2009 - 16:09 UTC

  Hazardous waste illegally sent to Brazil returned to UK

  

  Brazil announced it was returning 1.500 tonnes of hazardous waste that arrived from Britain labelled as recyclable plastic. The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources said 89 containers left for Felixstowe, UK from the port of Santos on board MSC Oriane.

• Thursday, August 6th 2009 - 03:40 UTC

  The future of Antarctic science will depend on international cooperation

  

  The National Antarctic Programs have reached a consensus that international cooperation will be the clue for the future development of polar science. This is the main topic of discussion at the XXI Annual Meeting of the Council of Managers of Antarctic Programs (COMNAP), especially with increased costs associated with support, logistics and infrastructure necessary to carry out the scientific research in the White Continent.