Bhutanese Medical System: The Bhutanese medical system goes well beyond the notion of medicine in the narrow western sense. It forms a part of their culture and tradition, in which "Buddhism" is the…

1.1 Biomass currently supplies about one third of the developing countries energy varying from about 90% in countries like Uganda, Rawanda and Tanzania, to 45 percent in India, 30 percent in China…

There has been much discussion lately on this blog and elsewhere about the relationships among skepticism, atheism, and politics. I have roundly criticized Richard Dawkins for extending scientific…

Nepotism has a bad connotation in the workplace or French politics but being surrounded by relatives does lead to better group dynamics and more cooperation in some animals, and certainly spiders,…

In light of recent discussions about vaccines and scientific consensus it is sobering to consider that fully one-third of medical studies turn out to be wrong. "A study in 2005, published in the…

Art is many things, but not often enough is it scientific. Fear not, art/science lovers, for Sir Isaac's Loft in the Franklin Institute is here to save the day! I began describing the Loft in my…

In a religious quandary? Don't know which traditional/cult/New Age group to join? Fear not, the Holy Taco has worked it out for you. Simply follow the flow chart to your transcendental bliss: The…

Caltech researchers have created a nanoscale crystal device that allows them to confine both light and sound vibrations in the same tiny space. The interactions between sound and light in this…

Later this evening I’ll be giving a talk to a group of astronomers on what its like to see like an alien. The beauty of this is that I can speculate until the cows come home without fear of any…

Body builders will tell you that protein is key to bigger, stronger muscles.   For the truly elite, that may be the case but for the all but 50 of you who are not elite muscle builders, a…

"Speciation is one of the most fascinating, unsolved problems in biology," says Harmit Malik, Ph.D., an associate member of the Hutchinson Center's Basic Sciences Division.   The first…

Exercise makes cigarettes less attractive, says a new study from the University of Exeter. Exercise can lessen the power of cigarettes and smoking-related images to grab the attention of smokers,…

I started looking for a seasonally appropriate squid cartoon, and found this cute little flash game called Halloween Squid. "Mr. Squidly" follows your cursor around an underseacape littered with…

Jatropha curcus General introduction Jatropha is bush that grows in the warm regions of the world as it is sensitive to colder climates. Once it’s planted it grows and produces nuts that contain oil…

Scientific Name Commiphora mukul(Hook. ex Stocks) Engl. syn. Balsamodendron mukul Hook. ex Stocks syn Commiphora wightii (Arn.)Bhandari Family Burseraceae Used Part Gum Distribution Area…

A marine crustacean could inspire the next generation of DVD and CD players, says a new study in Nature Photonics. Mantis shrimps found on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia have the most complex…

With the changing pattern of life style most of the diseases are now becoming lifestyle diseases. The traditional systems of medicine based on ancient cultures are primarily concerned with building…

The great diversity of male sexual traits, ranging from peacock's elaborate train to formidable genitalia of male seed beetles, is the result of female choice, say researchers from Uppsala University…

A report examining the impact of biofuels on greenhouse gas emissions during the 21st century has found that carbon loss stemming from the displacement of food crops and pastures for biofuels crops…

One small step for mankind, one giant leap for ... averting natural and man-made disasters? A new Tel Aviv University technology combines sensors in orbit with sensors on the ground and in the air to…