Rescued or doomed

"I hear no objections, it is so decided," Jan Pronk, president of the meeting, said in obvious relief as he brought down the gavel at the resumed session of the sixth conference of parties to the climate change convention.

Veins tell it all

JUST LIKE the circulatory system in humans, leaf veins are the lifeline of plants. The varied networks of veins in terms of shapes, sizes and thickness decide leaf economics. Scientists have shown vein patterns also control carbon and water absorption in plants.

Beyond CO2

PLANTS soak more atmospheric pollutants than thought. A study by US scientists shows that apart from carbon dioxide, plants rid the air of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, the most abundant class of carbon-based chemicals in the atmosphere.

Science and Environment - Briefs

BIOLOGY Yellow pigment clue to evolution Bilirubin, responsible for the yellowish tinge in the skin, eyes and nails of jaundice patients, has for the first time been identified in plants. The pigment was discovered in Strelitzia reginae Aiton, commonly know as the Bird of Paradise plant. It is indigenous to South Africa and known for its orange and blue inflorescence.

Save power the smart way

Till September 6, Gujarat’s Secretariat campus in Gandhinagar boasted the largest installation of solar panels in India. Now it has another distinction— the campus has become home to the country’s first smart grid. A smart grid transmits and distributes electricity using information and communication technology. It helps control electricity use by making consumption patterns more visible.

Science & Technology - Briefs

HEALTH SCIENCES What makes a robust egg?

Energy matters

NUMEROUS tiny pores dotting leaves are the main link between plants and the atmosphere.

Science and Technology - Briefs

ENVIRONMENT Super socks to check pollution runoff

Nemo finds its predator

HOW do small fish survive predators lurking in the deep ocean?

Ocean sours

HUMAN activities are affecting the ocean, altering its composition and damaging it bit by bit. Several researchers have documented this, but as isolated cases.