Population census is a mandatory requirement under the United Nations’ framework for international state system, and it serves as a basis for formulation of public policies related to finance and economy as well as health, education and other social sectors. Under the …Continue reading
DNA found in ancient graveyard provides insight into Indus Valley Civilization
At its peak, the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) stretched from what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan all the way to the northwestern part of India. Even 5,000 years ago, they had urban centers and towns with baked brick houses and an elaborate …Continue reading
Defective cilia linked to heart valve birth defects
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common heart valve birth defect and one of the most common birth defects of any type, affecting around 70 million people worldwide. A healthy aortic valve has three leaflets; in BAV disease, two of the …Continue reading
Scientists detect a ‘ringing’ black hole
For the first time, astrophysicists have heard a black hole ringing like a bell. By reanalyzing the first black hole merger ever detected, the astrophysicists measured the gravitational wave ‘tones’ emitted following the event. The breakthrough comes 10 years earlier than expected …Continue reading
Two studies show promise, safety of proton therapy in the brain of children with cancer
From improving outcomes in children with brain cancer to lowering the risk of damage to the brainstem in children with central nervous system tumors, a pair of new studies published today add to the growing body of research showing the potential benefits …Continue reading
Hubble telescope finds water on habitable-zone planet for the first time
Its size and surface gravity are much larger than Earth’s, and its radiation environment may be hostile, but a distant planet called K2-18b has captured the interest of scientists all over the world. For the first time, researchers have detected water vapor …Continue reading
What the head of an ancestor of modern humans would have looked like
Despite having lived about 300,000 years ago, the oldest ancestor of all members of Homo sapiens had a surprisingly modern skull—as suggested by a model created by CNRS researcher Aurélien Mounier of the Histoire Naturelle de l’Homme Préhistorique laboratory (CNRS / Muséum …Continue reading
Keeping pace with the new space age
Space, the final frontier, is on the advent of commercialization. The age of space exploration a.k.a. the New Space Age is now opening up this unlimited expanse to anyone who has ever dreamt of going there. I joined Virgin Galactic as a …Continue reading
Government launches ‘Polio WhatsApp Text Helpline’
Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme has established a round-the-clock ‘Polio WhatsApp Text Helpline’ service. The announcement was made on social media by Babar Bin Atta, the Prime Minister’s focal person on polio eradication, on September 3. The aim of launching this service is …Continue reading
Plant gene discovery could help reduce fertilizer pollution in waterways
Over-fertilization of agricultural fields is a huge environmental problem. Excess phosphorus from fertilized cropland frequently finds its way into nearby rivers and lakes. A resulting boom of aquatic plant growth can cause oxygen levels in the water to plunge, leading to fish …Continue reading