Scientists analysing the data from the European Venus Express spacecraft now orbiting Earth's prodigal twin planet have been piecing together an understanding of why the climate on both worlds is so different. Professor Fred Taylor of Oxford University presented the scenario in a talk at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in Belfast on Wednesday 2nd April.

In the early stages of the Solar System, Venus seems to have evolved very rapidly compared to the Earth. Data from Venus Express supports the theory that the Earth’s twin once had significant volume of water covering the surface but it appears that these oceans were lost in a very short geological timescale. As a result of the loss of water, the geological evolution of the surface of Venus slowed right down because it was unable to develop plate tectonics like the Earth. Biological evolution was prevented altogether. Thus, in terms of Venus being another Earth in climate and habitability terms, it evolved too quickly at first, then too slowly.

STOCKHOLM, April 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Deal Will Double the Global ad Network's Ability to Reach Target Audiences Over Scandinavia's Hottest Lifestyle Site and Social Network

Oridian, Ltd., the largest privately owned advertising network, and Swedish lifestyle and social network G life AB, today announced a joint venture. Under the terms of the agreement, G life, through its subsidiary Livsstilsnatverket, will act as agent for Oridian in Sweden, with exclusive license to sell online advertising over the Oridian network in the region.

EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Translational Molecular Medicine (CTMM) - a Dutch public-private partnership committed to the research and development of new techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of major diseases - announced today that nine projects will receive research funding amounting to a total of 150 million Euro. Dutch university medical centers, a broad spectrum of small and medium-sized enterprises, major industry leaders including Philips and Organon (a part of Schering-Plough), and the Dutch Government are involved.

PRINCETON, New Jersey, April 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Continued Momentum Results in 131.4% Increase in Revenue and Positive EBITDA for Three Consecutive Quarters

FREMONT, California, April 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- NeoVista's Novel Device Takes First Step Towards Commercialization in European Market

NeoVista, Inc. today announced that it recently received approval from BSI Product Services to apply the CE Marking to the company's focal epiretinal brachytherapy device, utilized in a new treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). With CE Marking approval (also known unofficially as "CE Mark") NeoVista now has the ability to distribute and sell its product throughout all EU countries, offering a new treatment option for two million Europeans who are afflicted with wet AMD.

MUNICH, Germany, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- By 2010 revenues from production of PV products will have nearly doubled in Germany and investment volumes will have increased by 67%. These are the assessments, based on surveys with 345 companies, of the research institutes Ifo in Munich and EuPD in Bonn. The Photovoltaic Technology Show 2008 (April 2-4, 2008) is one of the world's leading PV trade fairs and Invest in Germany will be there to present Germany's advantages as a location for PV investment.

ANDOVER, England, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- HSA's Annual Dental Survey 2008 has revealed that 1 in 5 of UK adults have put off visiting the dentist because they are concerned about the cost. The survey, by the Healthplan provider of nearly 1,000 consumers by independent research agency TNS, also found that over a quarter of adults believe that looking after their oral health is unaffordable. This could reveal a worrying picture for our future oral health.

READING, England, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- DediPower, one of the UK's fastest growing managed hosting providers, has been selected by Triad Computer Services Limited, to host their business critical IT infrastructure in DediPower's Thames Valley Hosting Centre.

Higher organisms do not have a “cost of complexity” — or slowdown in the evolution of complex traits — according to a report by researchers at Yale and Washington University in Nature.

Biologists have long puzzled over the relationship between evolution of complex traits and the randomness of mutations in genes. Some have proposed that a “cost of complexity” makes it more difficult to evolve a complicated trait by random mutations, because effects of beneficial mutations are diluted.

LEUVEN, Belgium, April 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Trial Results Expected Mid-2008

ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a biotechnology company focused on vascular diseases, eye diseases and cancer, today announces that it has completed patient enrolment for its Phase IIb MIVI III trial in the United States. This study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Microplasmin in vitrectomy (MIVI III - Microplasmin for Vitreous Injection).