non-stick gum: New easy-to-remove chewing gum is ready. Initial experiments show that the gum degrades naturally in water. The new gum adds a special polymer to modify its formulation, which alters the interfacial properties of the discarded gum cuds, making them less adhesive. The new gum is result of polymer research at England's University of Bristol. Revolymer, a company associated with the university, will commercially launch the product next year.

feeding smoke: Smoking mothers hamper sleep in their infants. Nicotine in breast milk is found to be disrupting the sleeping patterns in babies. Infants sleep less and wake up from their naps sooner after they are breast fed if their mothers had smoked prior to feeding. Nicotine is a stimulant that affects the developing brain and has been shown to cause long-term behavioural and learning deficits. The study comes from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in USA.

mercury link: Mercury content in fish is directly linked to emissions from factories. The study proves mercury emissions will end up in fish in as little as three years. The link had not been established previously. New research says if mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants and other industrial units can be reduced immediately, the amount showing up in fish would begin to go down within a decade. Biologists from Canada have carried out the experiment.