Washington, Sept 24 : Hate waking up to the loud morning alarm that leaves you stressed after a deep sleep? Well, then brace yourself up, for ‘HappyWakeUp’ has arrived – a smart ‘arousal’ alarm clock for mobile phones that wakes people up when they are awake or "almost awake" naturally.

By detecting a person’s movements using a sensitive microphone, HappyWakeUp uses statistical analysis to decide when your sleep rhythms reach a natural ''almost awake'' state, and will wake you gently at that moment - up to 20 minutes before your latest-possible alarm time.

Washington, September 24: A new report has suggested that genetic traces of extinct species of Galapagos tortoises exist in descendants now living in the wild, a finding that could spur breeding programs to restore the species.

When Darwin first visited the island of Floreana in 1835 and wrote about the giant tortoises, heavy human exploitation was already decimating the population. Within a few decades, 4 of the 15 known species had disappeared.

On some islands, tortoises were sacrificed for oil that was used to light the streetlights of Quito, Equador. Others were taken as food or ballast for pirate and whaling ships.

Washington, September 24 : A scientist has claimed the discovery of America’s smallest dinosaur, based on the analysis of bones found during the excavation of an ancient bone bed near Red Deer, Alberta, US.

Called Albertonykus borealis, the slender bird-like creature is a new member of the family Alvarezsauridae and is one of only a few such fossils found outside of South America and Asia.

The analysis indicates that the unusual breed of dinosaur, which was the size of a chicken, ran on two legs and scoured the ancient forest floor for termites.

Washington, September 24 : A new study has shown ammonia emissions from seabirds to be a significant source of nitrogen in remote coastal ecosystems, contributing to nutrient enrichment (eutrophication) and acidification in ecosystems.

While most ammonia emissions originate from domesticated animals such as poultry and pigs, seabirds are the most significant emitters of ammonia to the atmosphere in remote regions.

A recent study, “Temporal variation in atmospheric ammonia concentrations above seabird colonies”, has shown how emissions may vary between seabird species, with a higher proportion of ammonia volatilized from bare ground nesting birds compared to burrow nesters.

Washington, Sept 24 : Women who’re not comfortable revealing their age should stay miles away from University of Illinois-developed computer software that reveals a person''s age just by looking at his or her face.

But, unlike age-guessers at carnivals, who look at a person''s body, the software works by examining only the person''s face.

"Age-estimation software is useful in applications where you don''t need to specifically identify someone, such as a government employee, but would like to know their age," said Thomas S. Huang, the William L. Everitt Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the U. of I.

Washington, Sept 24 : US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has reportedly said that the US was justified under international law in conducting unilateral military operations inside Pakistan to protect American troops.

He also said that the US State Department must have consulted appropriate international laws before going ahead on launching unilateral strikes on Pakistani soil.