Drug booster

ONE of the most challenging features of malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum is its ability to evolve and render anti-malarial drugs ineffective. The emergence of multidrug resistant strains of the parasite in South-East Asia and other tropical countries in recent years is undermining international efforts to eradicate malaria.

Water’s ways

HOW many years does it take for a reservoir to fill with sediments? How fast are nutrients supplied to streams and soils? Many a time such questions come in the way of policymaking. The answers lie in the rate at which the hill slopes upstream are eroding. It is important to know the propensity with which river currents cut rocks in the riverbed and carve paths for the water. Called river incision, the phenomenon plays an important role in shaping the structure of mountains, controls carbon cycle and delivers sediment to coast and reefs.

High on power

WE HAVE developed ultra-fast means of telecommunication and swankiest of electronic devices. But no matter how high-tech these gadgets are, they still rely on the humble battery for sustenance. The device has evolved much over the years. Lithium-ion batteries have replaced the basic carbon-zinc and alkaline ones, which are still used in flashlights and TV remotes. Now, a study on power storage capacity of lithium-ion battery has ensured the omni-present device would be doubly efficient in future.

Science and Technology - Briefs

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Shield melts off

Death crawl

MANY new taxa of colourful terrestrial Streptaxidae snails have been found in Thailand, a biodiversity hotspot. They live in rock crevices of limestone.

Cool cover

COME summer, air-conditioners and coolers are plugged into electrical sockets once more. Though effective against hot Indian summers, the accompanying high electricity bills and energy consumption make them a cause of worry for consumers and environmentalists.

Watch the clock

MOST heart attacks occur in the morning. Depression and suicidal thoughts peak in the middle of the night. Travelling across time zones makes people feel out of sorts. While these appear to be different observations, there is one interesting phenomenon common to them all: a clock that constantly ticks inside of us.

Science and Technology - Briefs

ECOLOGY Saviour pest European green crab is one of most hated invasive species. But it has helped save critically damaged Cape Cod marshes in the US by driving down the population of purple marsh crab, a native species that has multiplied out of control.

Gut reaction

MALARIA kills over a million people each year, most of them children below five. Ninety per cent of these deaths are caused by the deadliest malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. An international team of researchers has taken the fight against this parasite a step further by solving the age-old puzzle of how it survives inside the human body.

Bitter is better

BITTER food might be bad in taste but is good for health. Scientists at University of Massachusetts Medical School in the US have found bitter substances can halt asthma attacks and respiratory problems, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.