Science and Technology Archives

ENVIRONMENT: Ozone Deal to Cut Down CO2 Emissions

More than 190 nations agreed this week to combat global warming and accelerate the healing of the ozone layer, although critics say more could have been accomplished.

TECHNOLOGY-CUBA: Widespread Resistance to Free Software

By Patricia Grogg

Although Cuba proclaimed its intention to change its computer operating systems for free software in 2005, the shift seems to depend more on the efforts of a small community of enthusiasts than on the state agencies that are officially in charge.

EUROPE: Microsoft Loses Case, Not Business

By IPS Correspondents

Microsoft will still wield enormous power in the global computer industry despite this week's ruling by a European court that the Seattle-based corporation has abused its monopoly.

ENVIRONMENT: The Chemical That Must Not Be Named

By Stephen Leahy

Delegates from 191 nations are on the verge of an agreement under the Montreal Protocol for faster elimination of ozone-depleting chemicals, but the United States insists it must continue to use the banned pesticide methyl bromide.

Ceppi after winning the 800 m dash at Bangkok&#39s Transplant Games Credit: Lynette Lee Corporal/IPS

HEALTH-THAILAND: Legal Hassles, Taboos Hamper Organ Donation

By IPS Correspondents

"I feel great! I've never felt better," said Gisele Ceppi of Switzerland. At 61, she exudes vitality and is positively glowing with health. The toned muscles, lithe steps, bright eyes and smile belie the fact that she is a kidney recipient.

Coastal Residents Flee Inland on Tsunami Alert Credit: M.A. Pushpakumara

ENVIRONMENT-SRI LANKA: Tsunami Alert Systems Working – Too Well

By Feizal Samath

A tsunami alert, last week, sent thousands of Sri Lankans living along the coasts of this island nation fleeing inland, but authorities were exultant that the early warning systems installed after the disastrous Dec. 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami were working.

RIGHTS-AUSTRALIA: Aborigines Insist on Ancestors’ Repatriation

By Stephen de Tarczynski

Successful negotiations with the renowned Natural History Museum (NHM) in London, for the repatriation of human remains against claims made by indigenous Australian communities, have extended the hope that more institutions will follow suit.

Snow Leopard Caught Marking Credit: SLC camera trap

ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: Snow Leopards Earn Their Keep in Tourist Dollars

By IPS Correspondents

Tsring Angmo a student from Rumbak village in Ladakh attended a workshop conducted by the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) in India out of sheer curiosity. "I came away feeling responsible for the safety of the endangered animal,’’ she said.

Blue represents the Antarctic ozone layer in 2006. Credit: Nasa image

ENVIRONMENT: Ozone Treaty Could Slow Climate Change

By Stephen Leahy

Delegates from 191 nations are in Montreal, Canada this week to celebrate and extend the world's most successful environmental treaty, the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer.

Anopheles stephensi mosquito, a natural vector of malaria, which kills a million people per year. Credit: US CDC

SCIENCE: Geneticists Crack the Species Code

By Stephen Leahy

Scientists are enthusiastic about a new DNA barcoding technology that will help keep illegal fish and timber out of global markets, slow the spread of invasive pests, and improve food safety and disease prevention and offer better environmental monitoring.

Controls on the armrest of a hi-tech toilet for warming, shower, drier and vibrator. Credit: Suvendrini Kakuchi

CULTURE-JAPAN: Flushing Away Toilet Taboos

By Suvendrini Kakuchi

The evolution of the toilet in Japan, from the humble squat latrines of a few decades ago to today’s hi-tech, cockpit-like contraptions, parallels the dramatic rise of this country from post-war ruination to global technological leadership.

HEALTH: Medical Research Hits Cultural Roadblocks

By Stephen Leahy

Many new medical technologies to improve the lives of people in the global South fail to be adopted not because of the costs but because of ethical, social and cultural issues, a new study reveals.

Beekeeper inspecting Langstroth bee hives in Alberta, Canada. Credit: migco

ENVIRONMENT: Breakthrough on Mystery of Vanishing Bees

By IPS Correspondents

Over the past year, honey bees have been dying across North America in unprecedented numbers and, until this month, no one seemed to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt what the cause may have been.

LATIN AMERICA: Scientists Second-Guessing the Path of the Whirlwind

By IPS Correspondents

Hurricanes Dean, Felix and Henriette caused dozens of deaths and millions of dollars worth of damage in the tropical zone of the Americas in just over two weeks. But worse may lie ahead, as five large cyclones are expected to materialise before the storm season is over.

ENERGY: World Bank in Bid to Light Off-Grid Africa

By IPS Correspondents

The World Bank hopes to bring modern lighting to one-fourth of Africa's people by developing markets for products not hostage to fossil fuels or the continent's lamentable electricity grid.

CUBA-US: Academic Exchange Continues, Despite Embargo

By Patricia Grogg

Relocating the 27th Latin American Studies Association (LASA) International Congress from the United States to Canada has meant that 138 Cuban academics have been able to take part in the event, which promotes dialogue and academic exchange in the region.