Chances are high that the Unites States of America will lapse into yet another economic downturn during 2012-2013 as the economy has been facing a number of roadblocks that could possibly derail the already sluggish growth. The consensus among economists about the probability of the double-dip recession rose to 35% in November from 25% in […] … learn more→

In what has been labelled a “bad day for the internet”, Google last week changed its search engine to include personalised results from Google+. The introduction of Google Search plus Your World has led some commentators to claim the search giant has “changed the way search works”, in favouring posts from Google+ over relevancy. But […] … learn more→

The scientists of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), including astronomers at Penn State, have produced a new map of the universe that is in full color, covers more than one quarter of the entire sky, and is full of so much detail that you would need 500,000 high-definition TVs to view it all. The […] … learn more→

Adventurers and nature enthusiasts sometimes avoid college. Let\’s face it – the hallowed halls of higher education don\’t exactly seem conducive to a life lived outdoors. However, gone are the days of stuffy, run-of-the mill classes and boring majors. Especially with the invention of online degrees. College shouldn\’t compromise your relationship with nature, and it […] … learn more→

Around 250 million years ago, the most devastating mass extinction in Earth’s history marked a definitive end to the Permian geologic period. The global event extinguished more than 90 percent of the planet’s marine species and 70 percent of its terrestrial species. Exactly what caused the collapse has been an ongoing puzzle for scientists: Their […] … learn more→

The emergence of fake and poor quality anti-malarial drugs could dash hopes of controlling malaria in Africa, warn experts writing in the Malaria Journal. Millions of lives could be put at risk unless urgent action is taken, they argue. The international team led by Oxford University researchers report cases where medicines are on sale in […] … learn more→

A popular misconception in the public mind is that science “proves” things by turning them from ideas and theories into absolute “facts”. This more or less confuses science with mathematics. Mathematical theories can be proven; in science, nothing is absolutely certain. Scientists apply statistical criteria: they conclude theories are well-established if they have less than […] … learn more→

There are critics and readers who say American historian Richard White should not have made fun of rich people in his new book, Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America. \”I don\’t make fun of rich people,\” he told a standing-room-only crowd at Cubberley Auditorium on Wednesday. \”I just quote other people making […] … learn more→

While the health implications of diabetes are well understood, new research led by the Yale School of Public Health finds that the disease also comes with high non-medical costs for young patients in the form of lost education and future earnings potential. The study is published in the January issue of the journal Health Affairs. […] … learn more→

The use of gender quotas to achieve equal opportunity is a controversial political strategy, but one that seems to be achieving positive results in India. A new research paper co-authored by Harvard Kennedy School Professor Rohini Pande finds that the system designating female leaders for selected village councils in India has resulted in substantive gains […] … learn more→