Brazil approves world’s first commercial GM sugarcane
Reading Time: 2 minutesBRAZIL has approved the commercialization of a genetically modified sugarcane, developed by the Brazilian sugarcane breeding and technology company, Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira (CTC). This is the first time such permission has been granted any-where in the world. The approval came from the National Technical Biosafety Com-mission (CTNBio). The GM sugarcane contains the gene Bt […]
Textile Town set to become herbal hub in North Johor
Reading Time: 2 minutesTANGKAK — well known as the Textile Town of Malaysia – owing to the scores of textile merchants and retailers selling fabrics and other cloth products will soon another moniker, perhaps as the country’s Kacip Fatimah Hub. Kacip Fatimah (Labisia pumila), a herb said to be the ideal tonic for women’s health and wellness is […]
How geodes are formed?
Reading Time: < 1 minutePEOPLE are crazy for geodes right now. A geode may look like a plain, ugly rock from the outside, but when it is broken open, it is filled with beautiful crystals. People use the crystals for decoration and jewellery. But where do they come from? Geodes are born when a cavity develops in a rock. These holes are often formed by […]
How do solar panels work?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE sun is the ultimate source of all life on earth. It is also an infinitely renewable and 100% pollution free energy source. Therefore, it is not surprising that we should look to solar energy as a great potential energy source. How do we harness energy from the sun? One way is through the use of solar panels. […]
Why do animals remember differently?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteWE often say that someone with a strong memory has a memory “like and elephant”, while someone who is forgetful might have a memory “like a goldfish”. But can we really compare our memories to that of animals? A recent study showed that animals don’t have much recollection of specific events at all, but instead, they store away information about what […]
The most influential species of all evolution
Reading Time: 2 minutesEVER wonder what is the most influential (defined as the species that has most changed life on Earth) species in the history of the planet? Homo sapiens? You got it wrong. Though we’d like to think we are the masters of the universe, we don’t even make it in the top five. It is … the earthworm. Yeah, you read that […]
MICRONES helps overcome loss of crude palm oil during extraction
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY AZMAN ZAKARIA SERDANG: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researchers, along with their research partners, have succeeded in developing Maceration Induced Cell Rupturing Oil Nut Extraction Synthesis (MICRONES), a new technology to help overcome the problem of loss of crude palm oil during extraction process. MICRONES will change the extraction process of crude palm oil (CPO) […]
USM Archaeology team confirms prehistoric presence on local shores
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY MAZLAN HANAFI BASHARUDIN SEBERANG PERAI UTARA: The archaeology team from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has unearthed skeletal remains estimated to be at least 5,000 years old at a construction site here. The team from the USM Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) led by its Director, Professor Dato’ Dr Mohd Mokhtar Saidin, has provided […]
Microbe buddies convert heat- trapping methane to energy
Reading Time: 2 minutesResearchers from the Department of Energy at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have recently discovered that the ubiquitous heat-trapping methane gas can be converted into beneficial and environmental-friendly energy by simply creating a harmonious environment for two very different microbes. Per biotechnology news portal Bionity.com on April 13, the discovery published in the Bioresource Technology journal […]
From coffee-waste to biofuels
Reading Time: 2 minutesFuture Americano, cappuccino and latte drinkers could help produce the raw material for a greener biofuel that would reduce our reliance on diesel from fossil fuels. Purpose-grown feedstocks (used to extract oils) for biodiesels are controversial because of their cost and the demand they place on land and water. However, spent coffee grounds, which have […]