Fat doctors slow to diagnose obesity

Study suggests that obese doctors are more generous to patients in need of weight lossEncouraging a healthy weight has become essential in Korea. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, about 26.5 percent of women and 35.6 percent of men are considered to be either overweight or obese by WHO standards. Health authorities have estimated that the domestic weight loss industry will reach around 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion).The World Health Organization regards those with a body mass index

Feb. 2, 2012

[Status update: Facebook to go public, raise $5B]

NEW YORK (AP) _ Facebook made a much-anticipated status update Wednesday: The Internet social network is going public eight years after its computer-hacking CEO Mark Zuckerberg started the service at Harvard University.That means anyone with the right amount of cash will be able to own part of a Sil

Feb. 2, 2012

[Good times back for Korean chip firms?]

Analysts give promising outlooks for Samsung Electronics, Hynix SemiconductorThe global business environment for Korea’s top two chip makers is showing signs of improving, causing analysts to paint a rosy prospect for their business. The year of 2012 is projected to become a more exciting one than the last for the semiconductor industry, especially for Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor, since the prices of dynamic random access memory chips for PCs and mobiles are set to be stabilized

Feb. 1, 2012

Patterns of connections reveal brain functions

For more than a decade, neuroscientists have known that many of the cells in a brain region called the fusiform gyrus specialize in recognizing faces. However, those cells don’t act alone: They need to communicate with several other parts of the brain. By tracing those connections, MIT neuroscientis

Feb. 1, 2012

EU probes Samsung over wireless patents

(Yonhap News)BRUSSELS (AP) -- Samsung took a hit in its battle against arch-rival Apple on Tuesday, when the European Union announced it will investigate whether it is illegally trying to hinder competitors and Germany blocked sales of some of its tablets.Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc. are engag

Jan. 31, 2012

Samsung fails to overturn Apple's German Galaxy Tab ban

Samsung Electronics Co. lost a bid to overturn a German sales ban on its Galaxy 10.1 tablet computers obtained by Apple Inc. in an intellectual property dispute.The Higher Regional Court in Dusseldorf backed the ban in a ruling today. While Apple can't rely on a European Union design it used to win

Jan. 31, 2012

Ultrasound zaps could be used as male contraceptives: study

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Zapping testicles with ultrasound can reduce sperm counts and might be used in the future as an inexpensive, reliable and reversible male contraceptive, according to US researchers.Scientists from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who conducted experiments on ma

Jan. 31, 2012

Earth's missing energy not lost after all; study

(NASA)A new NASA study underscores the fact that greenhouse gases generated by human activity -- not changes in solar activity -- are the primary force driving global warming.The study offers an updated calculation of Earth's energy imbalance, the difference between the amount of solar energy absorb

Jan. 31, 2012

Doctors 'should check blood pressure on both arms'

Measuring blood pressure on both arms rather than only one can reveal an elevated risk of heart disease or even death, according to a study released Monday. A file picture shows a medic taking a patient's blood pressure in Connecticut, United States. (AFP)In a review of medical literature, rese

Jan. 31, 2012

Women are better at parking than men: study

Women are better than men when it comes to parking, a recent survey found, reversing the existing idea that men have better spatial awareness.The report by a car parking operator in the United Kingdom studied the parking habits of 450 drivers through CCTV footage and surveyed 2000 more to find that

Jan. 30, 2012

Korea Herald iPad app combines news, education

The Korea Herald has recently introduced a new application for the iPad, joining the drive to produce digital news customized for the rapidly growing number of tablet users.The latest mobile version of the country’s leading English daily also offers a multimedia tool for learning and practicing English through news. Harnessing rapidly developing media technologies, the company has been stepping up efforts to provide a variety of multimedia-rich content and improved user experiences.Its news cont

Jan. 29, 2012

Herald strengthens mobile news offering

New iPad app latest in efforts to provide multimedia-rich content, better user experiencesSmart phones and tablet PCs have dramatically changed the features of the news industry. A host of media companies around the world have jumped into the digital market to secure a footing in the massive shift toward online and mobile news.The tablet PC market led by Apple and Samsung Electronics is more important for newspapers. While smartphones are restricted by small screens, tablets boast bigger screen

Jan. 29, 2012

Chief of telecom regulator resigns

Choi Si-joong, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, offered his resignation on Friday amid surging public criticism over a string of bribery and influence-peddling scandals.“It’s time to leave and take responsibility,” Choi said at a hastily arranged news conference, referring to his aide’s alleged implication in the bribery scandal. “I hope that my departure will help the watchdog stave off prejudice and misunderstanding held by the public.”  Choi, one of the closest confidants of P

Jan. 27, 2012

Chief of telecom regulator resigns over bribery scandal

Choi Si-joong, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, offered his resignation on Friday amid surging public criticism over a string of bribery and influence-peddling scandals.“It’s time to leave and take responsibility,” Choi said at a hastily arranged news conference, referring to his aide’s alleged implication in the bribery scandal. “I hope that my departure will help the watchdog stave off prejudice and misunderstanding held by the public.” Choi, one of the closest confidants of Pr

Jan. 27, 2012