Nutrient-stealing plant discovered by Malaysian botanists
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA DISTINCTIVE PLANT, which steals nutrients from underground fungi, has been published as a new species in the open-access journal Phytokeys by botanists from the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) in collaboration with local naturalists and stakeholders. Discovered in the tropical rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia, Thismia malayana belongs to a group of plants known as […]
A ‘sound byte’ on bioacoustics
Reading Time: < 1 minuteBIOACOUSTICS delves into how living organisms create, transmit, receive, and process sounds. It’s like decoding a universal language that animals use to communicate and navigate their world. Picture a journey unraveling the stories told through the sounds of diverse life forms, revealing the fascinating tapestry of the natural symphony. Researchers utilize bioacoustics to understand the […]
JCF launches nationwide sustainable development education programme
Reading Time: 2 minutesJCF launches nationwide sustainable development education programme The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation (JCF) has launched a teacher professional development programme to advance Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Malaysia. This initiative was unveiled during the opening ceremony of the “ESD for 2030 Regional Meeting on Transforming the Futures of Education” at Sunway University. JCF, recognized as […]
Let’s all become science storytellers !
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn the New Straits Times article titled “Many positives of palm oil untold, leading to misjudgment” published on June 28, the author, Ahmad Ibrahim urged NGOs to continue discussing the benefits of palm oil. By fostering more positive conversations about this commodity, we can ensure it receives the recognition and perception it deserves. I fully […]
Change of guard at ISAAA Inc
Reading Time: 2 minutesISAAA Inc recognizes Dr. Paul S. Teng, who has been the Chair of the ISAAA Board of Trustees from 2013 to June 1, 2024. Teng has been the Dean and Managing Director of the National Institute of Education International at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore since 2018. He previously held other leadership positions at […]
‘Stop the brain drain, we need more R&D Talent to propel innovation-led economy
Reading Time: 3 minutesFEW would disagree that talent is critical in nation-building. Countries which attract and retain the best talent prosper more. Lately, much public discussion has touched on the country’s talent dilemma. A recent World Bank report paints a poor picture. The article questioned the efficacy of our education system in a world economy fast embracing science, […]
Screening for Risks of SCA
Reading Time: 2 minutesA recent UK study shows that the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in athletes is still unknown. It may be due to hidden heart problems at a molecular level that can cause arrhythmias. Even though SCA during sports is rare, it can have serious consequences. This highlights the need for pre-participation health screenings, […]
Researchers identify mechanism behind drug resistance in malaria parasite
Reading Time: 3 minutesResearchers from the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have discovered a link between the malaria parasites’ ability to develop resistance to antimalarial drugs – specifically artemisinin (ART) – through a cellular process called transfer Ribonucleic acid (tRNA) modification. In collaboration with MIT’s research enterprise in […]
Dr Jane Gew champions environmental sustainability
Reading Time: 2 minutesDr Jane Gew Lai Ti, an Associate Professor at Sunway University, stands as a beacon of environmental stewardship and sustainability. Her unwavering dedication to mitigating plastic pollution and promoting eco-friendly practices stems from a transformative anecdote she shared, reflecting a profound shift in her personal and professional ethos. In 2018, Dr Gew embarked on a […]
Malaysian primate infants in peril after plantation visits
Reading Time: 2 minutesA STUDY reveals a link between the infant mortality rate among wild southern pig-tailed macaques and their visits to oil palm plantations to scavenge for food. According to the study published in Current Biology, frequent visits to oil palm plantations are leading to a sharp increase in mortality rates among infant southern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca […]