Novel strain of coronavirus can pass from person to person: WHO

After one more case of novel coronavirus (nCoV) attack being reported from France, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that it is likely that the deadly virus is passed from person to person. The novel CoV can cause a range of illnesses—from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Energy transition is now a must

What do the people of France think of global warming? France has temperate weather, so we are not as badly hit. But there have been big storms, and floods and droughts and sometimes both. There are a few scientists who are climate skeptics but do not have much support. Interviewee:  Marie-Helene Aubert

Denmark scraps tax on fat

IN A blow to the anti-obesity drive across the globe, Denmark’s tax ministry has scrapped tax on food high in fat content within a year of implementing it. The ministry also decided against the sugar tax it had proposed to introduce this year.

Crust falls apart

SEISMOLOGISTS say the two undersea quakes that struck near the Indonesian province of Aceh on April 11, 2012, could have been triggered by changes happening at the faults on the Indo-Australian plate of the Earth’s crust. The plate spans Australia, eastern Indian Ocean and the Indian subcontinent.

GM maize and its health implications for humans

What are the major takeaways from the research? It shows multiple impacts, most acutely in liver and kidney function and immune system disturbances. Most worrying is the extraordinarily large number of tumours developing earlier and more aggressively in the rats. I am shocked because it was so unexpected. Interviewee:  Michael Antoniou

Sunshine sector loses sheen

Goodbye Minitel

On June 30, French telecom authorities switched off the groundbreaking Minitel service which had brought online banking, travel reservations and porn to millions of people a decade and a half before the world wide web.

Heart-friendly

NOT all trans fats are bad for health. At least not the natural ones found in ghee, butter and cheese. Scientists have found that naturally occurring trans fats in milk and meat products obtained from ruminant animals like cows and buffaloes do not increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases the way industrial trans fats do.

Polymeristic world

With a pinch of salt

Claims made by fast food giants that they cannot reduce the high salt content in their products, which is a serious health concern, have been belied by a study.