By Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON–Damage to the US space shuttle Endeavour’s protective thermal shield caused by a piece of debris during launch appears to be less serious than previously believed, a NASA official said.

But astronauts will go ahead with a scheduled inspection, during which the protective shield will be examined with the help of a laser attached to Endeavour’s robotic arm, said John Shannon, a mission manager, during a press conference late Saturday.

Video footage of Wednesday’s launch showed a piece of foam detaching from the external fuel tank, according to Shannon.

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By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology Science Education Institute (DoST-SEI) is calling on public elementary school teachers to be part of an online training program to improve their teaching capabilities in Mathematics and Science, according to a statement by the DoST.

The training is the third conducted by the DoST-SEI, with the first having been held in 2005, it said.

The third e-training on Mathematics and Science will begin this October and will end July 2008, it said.

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By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

“THE PROBLEM is that an integrated plan (on climate change) does not yet exist,” according to World Wildlife Fund Philippines climate change officer Rean Tirol, referring to a set of strategies to manage the effects of the drastically changing climate.

Tirol, in a statement, cited a report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that up to 30 percent of plant and animal species could be extinct even with a temperature change of just 2 degrees Celsius.

Moreover, the increase in temperature could affect people from rising sea water as the polar ice melts.

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By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

VIRGIN coconut oil (VCO) is now such a buzzword in the health and beauty industry that the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development (PCIERD) is setting its sights on providing the most accurate information regarding the supposed benefits gathered from VCO.

Acting on numerous stories and unverified claims, the DOST-PCIERD would conduct a series of research and development activities that would take up the different health aspects of VCO.

The DOST-PCIERD has partnered with the Philippine Coconut Authority, the Bureau of Food and Drugs and VCO producers for this program.

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