Design and build of synthetic DNA goes back to 'BASIC'
London UK (SPX) Mar 18, 2015 -
A new technique for creating artificial DNA that is faster, more accurate and more flexible than existing methods has been developed by scientists at Imperial College London. The new system - called BASIC - is a major advance for the field of synthetic biology, which designs and builds organisms able to make useful products such as medicines, energy, food, materials and chemicals.
To engin ...
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Rare glimpse into how coral procreates could aid future conservation
London, UK (SPX) Mar 18, 2015 -
A rare and threatened Caribbean coral species has for the first time been successfully bred and raised in the lab, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Ecology.
The study provides the first photos and documentation of juveniles of this species, and could provide information to help bolster local coral reef conservation. The team also plans to 'out-plant' these lab ...
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Cold comfort in Ulan Bator, world's chilliest capital
Ulan Bator (AFP) March 18, 2015 -
Clad in a fox fur hat and dog hair boots, Mongolian merchant Undrakhiin Batulzii says his compatriots have over centuries mastered the art of beating the brutal winters of the steppes.
Ulan Bator is regarded as the world's coldest national capital and can see bone-chilling winter lows of minus 40 degrees Celsius, tough even for the hardy descendants of Genghis Khan.
For a newcomer the t ...
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Rapid coastal population growth may leave many exposed to sea-level rise
London, UK (SPX) Mar 12, 2015 -
The number of people potentially exposed to future sea level rise and associated storm surge flooding may be highest in low-elevation coastal zones in Asia and Africa, according to new projections published March 11, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Barbara Neumann from Kiel University, Germany, and colleagues.
Many coastal areas are densely populated and exposed to a range of c ...
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Hidden greenhouse emissions revealed in new Board of Agriculture report
Gothenburg, Sweden (SPX) Mar 18, 2015 -
Restoration of wetlands can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is shown in a report that has been written in part by researchers from the University of Gothenburg.
Former wetlands that have been drained and which are currently used for forestry and agriculture give off 11.4 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. That can be compared with Sweden's total emissions of 57.6 million ton ...
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West Coast waters shifting to lower-productivity regime
Portland OR (SPX) Mar 18, 2015 -
Large-scale climate patterns that affect the Pacific Ocean indicate that waters off the West Coast have shifted toward warmer, less productive conditions that may affect marine species from seabirds to salmon, according to the 2015 State of the California Current Report delivered to the Pacific Fishery Management Council.
The report by NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center and ...
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Iran reports economic growth momentum
Tehran (UPI) Mar 17, 2015 -
The Iranian economy grew by 3.6 percent during the nine-month period that began in March 2014 despite Western sanctions, the Central Bank of Iran said.
Iran's economy emerged from recession in late 2014, though sanctions still curb the country's ability to generate revenue from oil and gas sales. The Central Bank of Iran, however, said a nine-month growth rate of 3.6 percent represents ...
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