Earth’s atmosphere to take beating at World Cup

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) ― The World Cup may be great for planet soccer, but it isn’t so good for planet Earth.FIFA says the 2014 tournament, which will require huge amounts of air travel to venues across Brazil, will produce the equivalent of 2.72 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.That means staging the monthlong tournament will produce as much carbon dioxide as 560,000 passenger cars do in one year, according to the greenhouse gas calculator on the U.S. Environmental Protect

Dec. 10, 2013

Chinese-Brazilian satellite fails to enter into orbit

BEIJING (AP) ― A satellite jointly developed by China and Brazil failed to enter into orbit after the rocket carrying it malfunctioned after launch on Monday, state media reported.The high-resolution remote-sensing Ziyuan I-03 satellite was launched aboard a Chinese Long March 4B rocket in northern Shanxi province, the official Xinhua news agency said.Citing unidentified military sources, Xinhua said Chinese and Brazilian experts were analyzing the cause of the malfunction.China has a range of L

Dec. 10, 2013

Kakao denies plan to purchase T Store

Kakao Corp., the operator of Korea’s largest mobile messenger Kakao Talk by subscriber base, denied news reports that the firm has considered acquiring the mobile application market T Store.“Kakao has not even discussed an acquisition plan for T Store. There is little chance of the purchase happening,” said Lee Sir-goo, co-CEO of Kakao Group.Kakao officials echoed Lee’s statement. “Even though the deal sounds attractive, the news of the acquisition is groundless,” said an official from the messe

Dec. 9, 2013

Slippery clay intensified Japan 2011 tsunami-quake

A thin layer of very fine clay with a consistency similar to some cosmetics made Japan’s tsunami-causing earthquake of 2011 much more dramatic because it acted as a lubricant, scientists say.The narrow strip of slippery, wet clay that sits between two tectonic plates off the country’s northeast coast allowed them to shift past each other at tremendous speed and to travel much further than in most regular quakes, researchers said.The finding sheds more light on a catastrophe that claimed more tha

Dec. 9, 2013

Apple’s iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display to hit S. Korea on Dec. 12

Apple’s iPad Mini Retina Display and the iPad Air are to start selling in Korea later this month, according to the nation’s top two mobile carriers. SK Telecom and KT Corp. said they would both begin selling the devices as of Dec. 16, a week before Christmas. The iPad Air and iPad Mini were launched in the U.S. in October. They are both fitted with Apple’s trademark retina displays ― 9.7 inches for the Air and 7.9 inches for the Mini ― along with top-of-the-line A7 processors. Both will support

Dec. 9, 2013

Cheil Industries to be renamed

Following its change of business from clothing manufacturer to component supplier, Samsung’s Cheil Industries is expected to change its name to fit its new role. According to those close to the Korean conglomerate, “Samsung Industries” and “Samsung Chemicals” are the two options that the company is considering.Going singular may also be an option ― “Samsung Industry” or “Samsung Chemical.” The latter is already being used by the U.S. chemicals subsidiary established in 2001 with the support of C

Dec. 8, 2013

Nobel winner: Scientists get it wrong most of time

STOCKHOLM (AP) ― One of this year’s Nobel Prize laureates says learning how to handle failure is key to becoming a successful scientist.American James Rothman, who shared the medicine prize with countryman Randy Schekman and German-American Thomas Sudhof, said Friday that doing scientific research almost always means not getting the desired result.The difference between “a great scientist and a not-so-lucky one,” Rothman, told reporters and students in Stockholm, is the former fails 99 percent o

Dec. 8, 2013

China rover enters lunar orbit

BEIJING (AFP) ― China’s first lunar rover entered the moon’s orbit, state media reported, a key step toward the vessel’s planned landing later this month.The rover ― known as Yutu or Jade Rabbit ― reached the lunar orbit, the official Xinhua news agency said, about 112 hours after it was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China.It is expected to touch down on the moon in mid-December to explore its surface and search for natural resources.The Chang’e-3 mission ― na

Dec. 8, 2013

More than 130,000 embryos discarded last year

A total of 131,708 fertilized eggs were gotten rid of last year due to an increase in the number of embryo transfers and the prevalent medical practice of collecting multiple eggs for higher chances for conception, officials said Thursday.According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, nearly 250,000 eggs were collected by registered fertility centers across the country in 2012. But only 95,000 eggs were utilized for would-be mothers. Of the remaining eggs, 50,000 were stored in freezers for fu

Dec. 5, 2013

Samsung Engineering wins $770m order in Malaysia

Samsung Engineering Co., one of South Korea’s largest industrial plant builders, said Thursday it has obtained a $770 million order for a natural gas processing plant in northeastern Malaysia. The order was jointly placed by Petronas Carigali, a unit of Malaysia’s state-run oil company Petronas, and HESS Corp., a U.S. energy company, Samsung Engineering said. The South Korean builder said it will complete the plant, to be set up within an industrial complex 260 kilometers northeast of Kuala Lump

Dec. 5, 2013