News 360°- Briefs

ENERGY BP FINDS ITS WAY TO ARCTIC

Aspirin boosts accuracy

COLORECTAL cancer is a leading cause of mortality in both developed and developing countries. Screening methods for colon cancer depend on detecting the precancerous changes. Generally, colonoscopy is carried out but the test is expensive (Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000) and the procedure highly invasive. An alternative is Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) which detects subtle blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract. The test does not directly detect colon cancer and shows positive in case of any kind of gastrointestinal bleeding. This results in many false positives.

News 360°

RARE EARTH MINERALS CHINA TIGHTENS GRIP

Undercover agents

with chemical pesticides accumulating in crops, entering the food chain and creating pests with the next level of immunity, biocontrol is taken a little more seriously. Bacteria, fungi and insect parasitic nematodes assume greater importance in agricultural research.

Many hands in media

What is waste for someone is survival for another. This is the theme behind a short one-minute film made by a young school student of Kolkata when she looked charpashe or around. The Films by Children project aims to encourage children from Germany and India to take a closer look at their immediate environment and share their experiences interactively through films. Students from schools of Kolkata and Hamburg were selected and trained to make these films. We have 38 films here.

"Emissions targets a must for developing countries"

Developing nations want Kyoto Protocol commitments honoured. Developed nations cannot stop talking of targets for all. Juergen P Kropp , senior scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany talks to Amarjyoti Borah , giving the western viewpoint How does Germany plan to meet emissions targets after phasing out nuclear power plants? Interviewee:  Juergen P Kropp

Anders Levermann on geopolitics of climate change

Climate change is for real The indicators state the obvious. The global mean temperature is increasing, glaciers and sea ice in the Arctic are retreating and sea levels are rising. Tipping point Interviewee:  Anders Levermanns

Meinhard Von Gerkan on GMP's entry into India

On architecture Architecture, like all arts, originates from the human desire to give form and shape to ideas. But unlike other arts it has a utilitarian aspect the physical maintenance of human beings. However, this aspect has produced the unfortunate distinction between buildings that are erected purely on utilitarian grounds and those constructed for a 'higher' aesthetic function. Interviewee:  Meinhard Von Gerkan

Book: Windpower Development in India

The first chapter of this book begins with an announcement. "Wind power has arrived," it says. The proclamation is, perhaps, a bit too late. Wind energy has actually been big for more than a decade or so. Globally, and in India, the sector has witnessed substantial growth in the last five years.

About energy security

Would it be cynical to interpret the conference's call to revive the nuclear power sector as hardsell? No. The present is as opportune a moment as can be. And for two sets of reasons.