Washington, April 11 : A team of astronomers has found a sample of massive galaxies with properties that suggest they may have formed relatively recently, a discovery that poses challenge to galaxy formation theories.

This runs counter to the widely-held belief that massive, luminous galaxies (like our own Milky Way Galaxy) began their formation and evolution shortly after the Big Bang, some 13 billion years ago.

Further research into the nature of these objects could open new windows into the study of the origin and early evolution of galaxies.

As part of the research, the team of astronomers, led by IU (Indiana University) astronomer John Salzer, uncovers the unique properties of 15 galaxies.

Washington, April 11 : Johns Hopkins researchers say that several factors may explain why a stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) leads many patients to report depression after they go home, including a high level of organ failure and being given relatively high doses of a benzodiazepine sedative.

"The hope is that as we learn more about the effect of variations in ICU care, we''ll be able to predict which patients are most susceptible to depression, prevent some depression by changing ICU practices, and make sure patients receive adequate mental health monitoring after discharge," says Dr. O. Joseph Bienvenu, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Washington, Apr. 11: It was reportedly Secretary of State Hillary Clinton''s idea to hold her afternoon meeting with President Barack Obama outside.

Fierce campaign rivals just a year ago, Obama and Clinton were the picture of political bliss earlier this week when they ditched the Oval Office for a little quality time in the White House garden, reports the New York Daily News.

On a glorious spring day in the nation’s capital, the pair decamped for a picnic table next to a new swing set the Obamas recently purchased for daughters Sasha and Malia.

Washington, Apr. 11 : Pakistan has expressed its unhappiness over the `stringed' US aid, terming the conditions put under the new AFPAK policy as `intrusive'.

Addressing delegates at the Washington think-tank, the Atlantic Council, with his Afghan counterpart, Pakistan's envoy to the United States Hussain Haqqani said America must understand the root cause of extremism in the region.

"Once again there's talk of fixing Afghanistan and Pakistan. Please do not fix us. The world is not a problem for America to fix. The world is a place for the Americans to understand," the Dawn quoted Haqqani, as saying.

Washington, April 11 : Scripps Research scientists say that they have determined the molecular structure of a plant photolyase protein, which is very similar to the two proteins that control the circadian clock in humans and other mammals.

The researchers claim that their study has even enabled them to test how structural changes affect the function of such proteins.

"The plant photolyase structure provides a much better model to use to study how the cryptochrome proteins in the human clock function than we have ever had before," says Dr. Kenichi Hitomi, a postdoctoral research fellow at Scripps Research.

Washington, April 11: Barack Obama may finally receive Arizona State University’s honorary degree after the institution’s president hinted that they were reconsidering their honour plans for the US President.

The school had drawn many frowns after deciding against conferring the honour upon Obama, saying his “body of work is yet to come”.