Science and Technology

Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Is your home making you sick?

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancer rates are on the rise in humans. While sperm count and fertility is on a downward slide in some populations. What if chemical exposure was partly responsible for these trends?

One hypothesis is that a group of chemicals — known as 'endocrine disrupting chemicals' (EDCSs) — could affect human reproduction, puberty, metabolism and other functions controlled by hormones in our endocrine system.

Many suspected EDCs are already in your home — but how much risk do they really pose? At what exposure level do they become unsafe?

How your life could change the cells of your grandkids

We explain what the new science of epigenetics means for your children and grandchildren.

Everyone's heard of the genome: that double helix DNA code that is uniquely yours, unless you happen to have an identical twin. But there's another layer of complexity responsible for creating us — and that's the epigenome.

Your epigenome sits in your cells with your genome. It's a set of instructions that decides which bits of your DNA are activated, or which genes are switched on or off.

Can you get pregnant during a pregnancy?

The technical term for this is superfetation. In humans, it's possible, but it's very uncommon.

Two thousand years ago, that great Greek thinker Aristotle wondered about this very topic, specifically as regards the hare.

Aristotle noticed that when a hare gave birth, quite often the offspring in a single litter would fall into two distinct classes: there would be a bunch of full-sized robust baby hares, and another bunch of scrawny frail baby hares.

Why your TV, radio and internet might drop out in the next fortnight

But in the fortnight after the autumnal equinox — and the fortnight before the spring equinox — in the southern hemisphere, you may notice that your radio or TV broadcast briefly drops out.

If you're in a regional area, the internet might be patchy, too. What's going on?

What is an equinox?

If you were standing at the geographic equator and looked up during an equinox, you'd see the Sun pass directly overhead.

Can giving girls pink toys and boys blue ones REALLY affect what kind of job they'll get?

That's according to the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), which says we should rethink choosing pink presents for girls.

It says 89% of girls' toys are pink but only a small number are focused on science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem).

The IET says that suggests toys are being chosen based on stereotypes.

'Your toys could affect the rest of your life'

Business College boasts new Infrastructure

The K2 million government funded infrastructure is one of the many developments undertaken by the school to cope with increasing enrollments.

The hall was formally opened by Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Francis Marus and witnessed by the school board & management, teachers and students.

School Principal, John August, said several other projects were financed by the college itself through fundraising as a communal effort to develop the institution. 

“I believe in doing first before asking.”

OHE to issue tickets to sponsored students only

The Department of Higher Education and Research, Science and Technology secretary Professor David Kavanamur made this statement in a media release.

He added that all international students from Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, under the bilateral scholarship agreements between the PNG Government and their respective governments, will be issued tickets if they wish to return.

Tickets will be collected at Air Niugini offices nationwide.