Do Joint Study Sessions Do More Harm Than Good? - FoxNews.com
Two heads aren't always better than one, at least when it comes to memory.
People who memorize facts in groups remember less than solo students do, according to a newly published overview of memory research. The group as a whole remembers more than any single memorizer would have, but the people in the group fail to live up to their full memory potential, each recalling less than if they'd studied alone.
April 29, 2011
Database on environmental impact of major urban ecosystems created
Database on environmental impact of major urban ecosystems created
A team of scientists has produced an innovative new study of the environmental impact of major urban ecosystems, published in the April issue of the journal Ecological Applications.
A team of scientists has produced an innovative new study of the environmental impact of major urban ecosystems, published in the April issue of the journal Ecological Applications.
April 28, 2011
You're not as kinky as you think
You're not as kinky as you think - NYPOST.com
Upon leaving his work as a biodefense researcher at MIT and a Department of Homeland Security fellow, Ogi Ogas decided to pursue a field with even more opportunities for practical applications: Sex.
His new book, “A Billion Wicked Thoughts,” co-authored with Sai Gaddam, is billed as the first massive undertaking in the field since the Kinsey Reports in the mid-20th century. By analyzing a billion web searches from around the world, Ogas and Gaddam have emerged with the most complete survey yet of our collective sexual id.
Upon leaving his work as a biodefense researcher at MIT and a Department of Homeland Security fellow, Ogi Ogas decided to pursue a field with even more opportunities for practical applications: Sex.
His new book, “A Billion Wicked Thoughts,” co-authored with Sai Gaddam, is billed as the first massive undertaking in the field since the Kinsey Reports in the mid-20th century. By analyzing a billion web searches from around the world, Ogas and Gaddam have emerged with the most complete survey yet of our collective sexual id.
Detroit mother's heroism sends message to all parents: Say "no" to child drugging
Detroit mother's heroism sends message to all parents: Say "no" to child drugging
The story of the Detroit mother, Maryanne Godboldo, undergoing a police siege on her home after refusing to give her daughter a psychotropic drug has set off a national outcry. Many facts not only vindicate her defiance but point the finger squarely at the correct villains: the psychiatric and pharmaceutical industries.
As a recap, on March 24 a Children's Protective Services (CPS) case worker petitioned to remove Maryanne Godboldo's 13-year-old daughter from her care and place her in state custody. Only two weeks on the assignment (scarcely knowing the girl), the case worker claimed the mother was medically neglecting her child by taking her off Risperdal - a highly toxic antipsychotic drug.
The story of the Detroit mother, Maryanne Godboldo, undergoing a police siege on her home after refusing to give her daughter a psychotropic drug has set off a national outcry. Many facts not only vindicate her defiance but point the finger squarely at the correct villains: the psychiatric and pharmaceutical industries.
As a recap, on March 24 a Children's Protective Services (CPS) case worker petitioned to remove Maryanne Godboldo's 13-year-old daughter from her care and place her in state custody. Only two weeks on the assignment (scarcely knowing the girl), the case worker claimed the mother was medically neglecting her child by taking her off Risperdal - a highly toxic antipsychotic drug.
Electron ping pong in the nano-world
Electron ping pong in the nano-world
An international team of researchers succeeded at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics to control and monitor strongly accelerated electrons from nano-spheres with extremely short and intense laser pulses.
When intense laser light interacts with electrons in nanoparticles that consist of many million individual atoms, these electrons can be released and strongly accelerated. Such an effect in nano-spheres of silica was recently observed by an international team of researchers in the Laboratory for Attosecond Physics (LAP) at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics. The researchers report how strong electrical fields (near-fields) build up in the vicinity of the nanoparticles and release electrons. Driven by the near-fields and collective interactions of the charges resulting from ionization by the laser light, the released electrons are accelerated, such that they can by far exceed the limits in acceleration that were observed so far for single atoms.
An international team of researchers succeeded at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics to control and monitor strongly accelerated electrons from nano-spheres with extremely short and intense laser pulses.
When intense laser light interacts with electrons in nanoparticles that consist of many million individual atoms, these electrons can be released and strongly accelerated. Such an effect in nano-spheres of silica was recently observed by an international team of researchers in the Laboratory for Attosecond Physics (LAP) at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics. The researchers report how strong electrical fields (near-fields) build up in the vicinity of the nanoparticles and release electrons. Driven by the near-fields and collective interactions of the charges resulting from ionization by the laser light, the released electrons are accelerated, such that they can by far exceed the limits in acceleration that were observed so far for single atoms.
April 27, 2011
Broccoli Compound May Combat COPD - NIH Research Matters - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Broccoli Compound May Combat COPD - NIH Research Matters - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), damage to immune cells limits the lungs’ ability to fight off bacterial infections. According to a new study, boosting the activity of a specific molecule in these cells can restore their defensive powers.
COPD is the third leading cause of death nationwide. It’s often brought on by cigarette smoking. COPD can cause shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, among other symptoms. In patients with COPD, immune cells called macrophages lose their ability to engulf and remove bacteria, making the lungs more vulnerable to infection. Infection can lead to inflammation, which is a major cause of impaired lung function and death in these patients. Until now, no one knew how to reverse this damage to the macrophages.
In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), damage to immune cells limits the lungs’ ability to fight off bacterial infections. According to a new study, boosting the activity of a specific molecule in these cells can restore their defensive powers.
COPD is the third leading cause of death nationwide. It’s often brought on by cigarette smoking. COPD can cause shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, among other symptoms. In patients with COPD, immune cells called macrophages lose their ability to engulf and remove bacteria, making the lungs more vulnerable to infection. Infection can lead to inflammation, which is a major cause of impaired lung function and death in these patients. Until now, no one knew how to reverse this damage to the macrophages.
Seven daily sins: Shower every day? Rinse after brushing teeth? These 'healthy' habits could be devilishly bad for you
Seven daily sins: Shower every day? Rinse after brushing teeth? These 'healthy' habits could be devilishly bad for you | Mail Online
Could your daily routine be ruining your health? We all know that smoking, drinking and bingeing on junk food are behaviours to avoid if we want to keep fit - but an increasing amount of research is emerging to suggest other seemingly benign habits could also be bad for us.
Here, MATTHEW BARBOUR asks the experts to reveal these seven daily sins, and what we can do about them...
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1380504/Seven-daily-sins-Shower-day-Rinse-brushing-teeth-These-healthy-habits-devilishly-bad-you.html#ixzz1KjpTcb4k
Could your daily routine be ruining your health? We all know that smoking, drinking and bingeing on junk food are behaviours to avoid if we want to keep fit - but an increasing amount of research is emerging to suggest other seemingly benign habits could also be bad for us.
Here, MATTHEW BARBOUR asks the experts to reveal these seven daily sins, and what we can do about them...
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1380504/Seven-daily-sins-Shower-day-Rinse-brushing-teeth-These-healthy-habits-devilishly-bad-you.html#ixzz1KjpTcb4k
Phys Ed: Does Exercise Really Boost Your Mood?
Phys Ed: Does Exercise Really Boost Your Mood? - NYTimes.com
There exists a large and soothing body of scientific literature suggesting that regular exercise can improve someone’s mood and fight anxiety. And then there is this experiment from Germany, in which researchers placed running wheels in the cages of a group of laboratory mice and let them exercise at will.
Mice generally love to run, and these rodents spent almost every waking hour on their wheels, skittering through more miles than most animals are allowed to complete during exercise studies, averaging about seven miles per mouse per day. The scientists, from the Central Institute of Mental Health at the University of Heidelberg, then placed these avid runners in unfamiliar situations. What they found was surprising, in part because it contradicted earlier experiments by other researchers. The mice froze or quickly fled to dark corners, behaviors considered by some researchers to signify anxiety. It was as if the marathon runners in this experiment had become more anxious and neurotic than the nonrunners, presumably because of the volume of their running.
There exists a large and soothing body of scientific literature suggesting that regular exercise can improve someone’s mood and fight anxiety. And then there is this experiment from Germany, in which researchers placed running wheels in the cages of a group of laboratory mice and let them exercise at will.
Mice generally love to run, and these rodents spent almost every waking hour on their wheels, skittering through more miles than most animals are allowed to complete during exercise studies, averaging about seven miles per mouse per day. The scientists, from the Central Institute of Mental Health at the University of Heidelberg, then placed these avid runners in unfamiliar situations. What they found was surprising, in part because it contradicted earlier experiments by other researchers. The mice froze or quickly fled to dark corners, behaviors considered by some researchers to signify anxiety. It was as if the marathon runners in this experiment had become more anxious and neurotic than the nonrunners, presumably because of the volume of their running.
Study Finds Botox May Stunt Emotional Understanding
Study Finds Botox May Stunt Emotional Understanding - FoxNews.com
Botox injections can smooth out lines and wrinkles — but the procedure can also cause bumps in relationships because it apparently leads to an inability to read people's emotions, the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to a new study by researchers from the University of southern California (USC) and Duke University, and published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, women who received Botox were less able to read expressions on other people's faces.
Botox injections can smooth out lines and wrinkles — but the procedure can also cause bumps in relationships because it apparently leads to an inability to read people's emotions, the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to a new study by researchers from the University of southern California (USC) and Duke University, and published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, women who received Botox were less able to read expressions on other people's faces.
Robert W. Fogel Investigates Human Evolution
Robert W. Fogel Investigates Human Evolution - NYTimes.com
For nearly three decades, the Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert W. Fogel and a small clutch of colleagues have assiduously researched what the size and shape of the human body say about economic and social changes throughout history, and vice versa. Their research has spawned not only a new branch of historical study but also a provocative theory that technology has sped human evolution in an unprecedented way during the past century.
For nearly three decades, the Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert W. Fogel and a small clutch of colleagues have assiduously researched what the size and shape of the human body say about economic and social changes throughout history, and vice versa. Their research has spawned not only a new branch of historical study but also a provocative theory that technology has sped human evolution in an unprecedented way during the past century.
Adaptable urban birds have bigger brains
BBC - Earth News - Adaptable urban birds have bigger brains
City dwelling birds have larger brains relative to their body size, according to scientists.
They have found that family traits are key to identifying why certain birds thrive in European cities.
"Urban adapters" including tits, crows, nuthatches and wrens all come from families of related species that have large brains compared to their bodies.
City dwelling birds have larger brains relative to their body size, according to scientists.
They have found that family traits are key to identifying why certain birds thrive in European cities.
"Urban adapters" including tits, crows, nuthatches and wrens all come from families of related species that have large brains compared to their bodies.
'Peter' and 'Deborah' Are Top CEO Names
'Peter' and 'Deborah' Are Top CEO Names - Yahoo! News
Hoping to raise a future CEO? Try naming your kid Peter or Deborah. If having a child who grows up to be an athlete is more your style, Ryan, Matt or Jessica might be the way to go.
These are the top names for CEOs and athletes, according to online professional networking site LinkedIn. Drawing from over 100 million LinkedIn profiles, the site has released the most popular names for a variety of professions. Female engineers in the United States, for example, are very likely to be named Kiran, while "Thierry" is the most prevalent name in restaurant and food services worldwide. [Read: Most Popular Baby Names in History]
Hoping to raise a future CEO? Try naming your kid Peter or Deborah. If having a child who grows up to be an athlete is more your style, Ryan, Matt or Jessica might be the way to go.
These are the top names for CEOs and athletes, according to online professional networking site LinkedIn. Drawing from over 100 million LinkedIn profiles, the site has released the most popular names for a variety of professions. Female engineers in the United States, for example, are very likely to be named Kiran, while "Thierry" is the most prevalent name in restaurant and food services worldwide. [Read: Most Popular Baby Names in History]
First Look: Inside the Army’s App Store for War
First Look: Inside the Army’s App Store for War | Danger Room | Wired.com
If all of the bureaucratic and security hurdles can be overcome, the Army will soon launch its version of an app store, where soldiers can download Army-relevant software to their work computers and — with a little luck — mobile phones. This is what its homepage will look like.
Called Army Marketplace, it’ll start off featuring the few dozen applications that soldiers created last year during the Apps for the Army contest. Those early efforts ran the gamut from workout guides to digitized manuals for standard Army tasks. So far, there are 17 apps for Android phones and another 16 for iPhones.
If all of the bureaucratic and security hurdles can be overcome, the Army will soon launch its version of an app store, where soldiers can download Army-relevant software to their work computers and — with a little luck — mobile phones. This is what its homepage will look like.
Called Army Marketplace, it’ll start off featuring the few dozen applications that soldiers created last year during the Apps for the Army contest. Those early efforts ran the gamut from workout guides to digitized manuals for standard Army tasks. So far, there are 17 apps for Android phones and another 16 for iPhones.
April 26, 2011
Fluoride Poisoning – It’s All Over | Sovereign Independent
Fluoride Poisoning – It’s All Over | Sovereign Independent
German and Austrian scientists knew in the early 1930s that an overactive thyroid could be successfully treated by bathing patients in water containing minute amounts of fluoride. They had discovered nearly a century ago that fluoride blocked thyroid function.
German and Austrian scientists knew in the early 1930s that an overactive thyroid could be successfully treated by bathing patients in water containing minute amounts of fluoride. They had discovered nearly a century ago that fluoride blocked thyroid function.
Looks do matter, particularly when it comes to neighborhoods
Looks do matter, particularly when it comes to neighborhoods
It's an unfamiliar neighborhood and you find yourself in the middle of a bunch of streets and buildings you've never seen before. Giving the environment a quick once-over, you make a snap decision about whether you're safe or not. And chances are, that first 'gut' call is the right one, say Binghamton University researchers Dan O'Brien and David Sloan Wilson in an article published in the current issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
It's an unfamiliar neighborhood and you find yourself in the middle of a bunch of streets and buildings you've never seen before. Giving the environment a quick once-over, you make a snap decision about whether you're safe or not. And chances are, that first 'gut' call is the right one, say Binghamton University researchers Dan O'Brien and David Sloan Wilson in an article published in the current issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Diamonds shine in quantum networks: Researchers hitch precious stone's impurities onto nano-resonators
Diamonds shine in quantum networks: Researchers hitch precious stone's impurities onto nano-resonators
When it comes to dreaming about diamonds, energy efficiency and powerful information processing aren't normally the thoughts that spring to mind. Unless, of course, you are a quantum physicist looking to create the most secure and powerful networks around.
Researchers at the University of Calgary and Hewlett Packard Labs in Palo Alto, California, have come up with a way to use impurities in diamonds as a method of creating a node in a quantum network. In addition to making powerful and secure networks, this discovery may also help sensitive measurements of magnetic fields and create new powerful platforms useful for applications in biology.
When it comes to dreaming about diamonds, energy efficiency and powerful information processing aren't normally the thoughts that spring to mind. Unless, of course, you are a quantum physicist looking to create the most secure and powerful networks around.
Researchers at the University of Calgary and Hewlett Packard Labs in Palo Alto, California, have come up with a way to use impurities in diamonds as a method of creating a node in a quantum network. In addition to making powerful and secure networks, this discovery may also help sensitive measurements of magnetic fields and create new powerful platforms useful for applications in biology.
Splenda - Made from Sugar, but is Closer to DDT
Splenda - Made from Sugar, but is Closer to DDT
Researchers recently investigated sucralose (Splenda) to see if it could reduce hunger and keep blood sugar steady. They found that it could not.
The researchers hoped to find that sucralose could cause the intestine to produce a hormone that reduces blood sugar and decreases appetite, which prior study had indicated might be a possibility. But the effect did not occur when it was ingested orally -- hunger remained the same and the blood sugar remained the same.
Researchers recently investigated sucralose (Splenda) to see if it could reduce hunger and keep blood sugar steady. They found that it could not.
The researchers hoped to find that sucralose could cause the intestine to produce a hormone that reduces blood sugar and decreases appetite, which prior study had indicated might be a possibility. But the effect did not occur when it was ingested orally -- hunger remained the same and the blood sugar remained the same.
IQ tests measure motivation - not just intelligence
BBC News - IQ tests measure motivation - not just intelligence
Intelligence tests are as much a measure of motivation as they are of mental ability, says research from the US.
Researchers from Pennsylvania found that a high IQ score required both high intelligence and high motivation but a low IQ score could be the result of a lack of either factor.
Incentives were also found to increase IQ scores by a noticeable margin.
Intelligence tests are as much a measure of motivation as they are of mental ability, says research from the US.
Researchers from Pennsylvania found that a high IQ score required both high intelligence and high motivation but a low IQ score could be the result of a lack of either factor.
Incentives were also found to increase IQ scores by a noticeable margin.
Did the Universe Begin As a Simple 1-D Line?
Did the Universe Begin As a Simple 1-D Line? - Yahoo! News
A refreshingly simple new idea has emerged in the complicated world of high energy physics. It proposes that the early universe was a one-dimensional line. Not an exploding sphere, not a chaotic ball of fire. Just a simple line of pure energy.
Over time, as that line grew, it crisscrossed and intersected itself more and more, gradually forming a tightly interwoven fabric, which, at large distances, appeared as a 2-D plane. More time passed and the 2-D universe expanded and twisted about, eventually creating a web — the 3-D universe we see today.
This concept, called "vanishing dimensions" to describe what happens the farther one looks back in time, has been gaining traction within the high energy physics community in recent months.
If correct, it promises to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics -- the physics of the very small -- and general relativity – the physics of space-time. It would also make sense of the properties of a hypothetical elementary particle called the Higgs boson. And best of all, it would do so with elegant simplicity.
A refreshingly simple new idea has emerged in the complicated world of high energy physics. It proposes that the early universe was a one-dimensional line. Not an exploding sphere, not a chaotic ball of fire. Just a simple line of pure energy.
Over time, as that line grew, it crisscrossed and intersected itself more and more, gradually forming a tightly interwoven fabric, which, at large distances, appeared as a 2-D plane. More time passed and the 2-D universe expanded and twisted about, eventually creating a web — the 3-D universe we see today.
This concept, called "vanishing dimensions" to describe what happens the farther one looks back in time, has been gaining traction within the high energy physics community in recent months.
If correct, it promises to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics -- the physics of the very small -- and general relativity – the physics of space-time. It would also make sense of the properties of a hypothetical elementary particle called the Higgs boson. And best of all, it would do so with elegant simplicity.
Brain imaging demonstrates that former smokers have greater willpower than smokers
Brain imaging demonstrates that former smokers have greater willpower than smokers
A study, completed by researchers from Trinity College and the Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society, Dublin, Ireland, compares former smokers to current smokers, and obtains insight into how to quit smoking might be discovered by studying the brains of those who have successfully managed to do so.
Functional MRI images were obtained while current smokers, former smokers and never smokers performed tasks designed to assess specific cognitive skills that were reasoned to be important for smoking abstinence. These included a response inhibition task to assess impulse control and the ability to monitor one's behavior and an attention task which assessed the ability to avoid distraction from smoking-related images, which tend to elicit an automatic attention response in smokers.
A study, completed by researchers from Trinity College and the Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society, Dublin, Ireland, compares former smokers to current smokers, and obtains insight into how to quit smoking might be discovered by studying the brains of those who have successfully managed to do so.
Functional MRI images were obtained while current smokers, former smokers and never smokers performed tasks designed to assess specific cognitive skills that were reasoned to be important for smoking abstinence. These included a response inhibition task to assess impulse control and the ability to monitor one's behavior and an attention task which assessed the ability to avoid distraction from smoking-related images, which tend to elicit an automatic attention response in smokers.
April 23, 2011
Polyamorous Percolations
Polyamorous Percolations
Their household, in a quiet neighbourhood on the outskirts of San Francisco, looks like any other. A little boy in pyjamas answers the door when I knock, smiling around a large strawberry stuck in his mouth. His mother Heather, an artist with oval glasses and pink hair, is cooking in the kitchen with her boyfriend Gordon, a computer-network engineer with an understated manner. The dining room is pleasant, airy and smells of roasting chicken. Heather's husband Jim, along with housemates Noemi and Alicia, are bustling about the table, opening wine, putting out place settings and making sure Heather and Jim's son (the strawberry eater) brushes his teeth before going to bed. Noemi, a park ranger who is pregnant with Jim's second child, offers me some bread and cheese.
The group's network of relationships is fairly typical in polyamorous circles, where it's not unusual to hear somebody introduce a "husband's girlfriend" or "my wife and her boyfriends". Noemi does her best to explain the history of the family, but it sounds like a logic puzzle. "If you really want to understand all of our relationships, it might be easier if we drew you a chart," says Heather (see Diagram). "I'm not dating any of them," says Alicia, a librarian. "My boyfriend is poly, so I guess I'm poly by association."
Their household, in a quiet neighbourhood on the outskirts of San Francisco, looks like any other. A little boy in pyjamas answers the door when I knock, smiling around a large strawberry stuck in his mouth. His mother Heather, an artist with oval glasses and pink hair, is cooking in the kitchen with her boyfriend Gordon, a computer-network engineer with an understated manner. The dining room is pleasant, airy and smells of roasting chicken. Heather's husband Jim, along with housemates Noemi and Alicia, are bustling about the table, opening wine, putting out place settings and making sure Heather and Jim's son (the strawberry eater) brushes his teeth before going to bed. Noemi, a park ranger who is pregnant with Jim's second child, offers me some bread and cheese.
The group's network of relationships is fairly typical in polyamorous circles, where it's not unusual to hear somebody introduce a "husband's girlfriend" or "my wife and her boyfriends". Noemi does her best to explain the history of the family, but it sounds like a logic puzzle. "If you really want to understand all of our relationships, it might be easier if we drew you a chart," says Heather (see Diagram). "I'm not dating any of them," says Alicia, a librarian. "My boyfriend is poly, so I guess I'm poly by association."
Scientists Abuzz Over Controversial Rumor that God Particle Has Been Detected
Scientists Abuzz Over Controversial Rumor that God Particle Has Been Detected - Yahoo! News
A rumor is floating around the physics community that the world's largest atom smasher may have detected a long-sought subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, also known as the "God particle."
The controversial rumor is based on what appears to be a leaked internal note from physicists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a 17-mile-long particle accelerator near Geneva, Switzerland. It's not entirely clear at this point if the memo is authentic, or what the data it refers to might mean — but the note already has researchers talking.
The buzz started when an anonymous commenter recently posted an abstract of the note on Columbia University mathematician Peter Woit's blog, Not Even Wrong.
A rumor is floating around the physics community that the world's largest atom smasher may have detected a long-sought subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, also known as the "God particle."
The controversial rumor is based on what appears to be a leaked internal note from physicists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a 17-mile-long particle accelerator near Geneva, Switzerland. It's not entirely clear at this point if the memo is authentic, or what the data it refers to might mean — but the note already has researchers talking.
The buzz started when an anonymous commenter recently posted an abstract of the note on Columbia University mathematician Peter Woit's blog, Not Even Wrong.
London accounting companies battle to be the greenest
BBC News - London accounting companies battle to be the greenest
"We're seeing a green arms race between various companies in a whole host of sectors - to be the greenest," says architect Richard Buckingham.
The latest evidence of this race to the top of the eco-league table comes in the form of two new sustainable buildings from two of the biggest accountancy companies in the world.
No sooner had KPMG opened their £340m eco-high rise in London's Canary Wharf - boasting an "excellent" rating on the international BREEAM standard - than rivals PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) finished their new headquarters a couple of miles away, upping the ante by receiving an "outstanding" rating for their gleaming glass building.
"We're seeing a green arms race between various companies in a whole host of sectors - to be the greenest," says architect Richard Buckingham.
The latest evidence of this race to the top of the eco-league table comes in the form of two new sustainable buildings from two of the biggest accountancy companies in the world.
No sooner had KPMG opened their £340m eco-high rise in London's Canary Wharf - boasting an "excellent" rating on the international BREEAM standard - than rivals PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) finished their new headquarters a couple of miles away, upping the ante by receiving an "outstanding" rating for their gleaming glass building.
April 22, 2011
BBC News - Skywatchers set for meteor show
BBC News - Skywatchers set for meteor show
Skywatchers are hoping for an impressive show over the next two days, when the Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak.
Between 10 and 20 meteors per hour can be visible under ideal conditions; but experts say the shower is fickle.
Light from the Moon, which is in a so-called gibbous phase, could interfere with observations this year.
But stargazers are advised to watch in the hours before dawn to get their best views of the "shooting stars".
The Lyrids meteor shower at its peak
April 23rd 1am looking east
Skywatchers are hoping for an impressive show over the next two days, when the Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak.
Between 10 and 20 meteors per hour can be visible under ideal conditions; but experts say the shower is fickle.
Light from the Moon, which is in a so-called gibbous phase, could interfere with observations this year.
But stargazers are advised to watch in the hours before dawn to get their best views of the "shooting stars".
The Lyrids meteor shower at its peak
April 23rd 1am looking east
CERN marks advance in universe mysteries search
CERN marks advance in universe mysteries search | Reuters
Scientists at the CERN physics research center reported on Friday that they had smashed particles together at a record intensity in a key advance in their program to unveil mysteries of the universe.
The development came in the early hours after they fed beams into the giant Large Hadron Collider (LHC) with some 6 per cent more particles per unit than the previous record, set by the U.S. Fermilab's Tevatron collider last year.
Each collision in the LHC's 27-kilometre (16.8 mile) circular underground tunnel -- at a tiny fraction under the speed of light -- creates a simulation of the Big Bang which brought the universe into existence 13.7 billion years ago.
Scientists at the CERN physics research center reported on Friday that they had smashed particles together at a record intensity in a key advance in their program to unveil mysteries of the universe.
The development came in the early hours after they fed beams into the giant Large Hadron Collider (LHC) with some 6 per cent more particles per unit than the previous record, set by the U.S. Fermilab's Tevatron collider last year.
Each collision in the LHC's 27-kilometre (16.8 mile) circular underground tunnel -- at a tiny fraction under the speed of light -- creates a simulation of the Big Bang which brought the universe into existence 13.7 billion years ago.
April 21, 2011
Can Robots Be Programmed to Learn from Their Own Experiences?: Scientific American
Can Robots Be Programmed to Learn from Their Own Experiences?: Scientific American
It took just a few decades for computers to evolve from room-size vacuum tube–based machines that cost as much as a house to cheap chip-powered desktop models with vastly more processing power. Similarly, the days of "personal robots"—inexpensive machines that can help out at home or the office—may be closer than we think. But first, says Alexander Stoytchev, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Iowa State University in Ames, robots have to be taught to do something we know instinctively: how to learn.
"A truly useful personal robot [must have] the ability to learn on its own from interactions with the physical and social environment," says Stoytchev, whose field of developmental robotics combines developmental psychology and neuroscience with artificial intelligence and robotic engineering. "It should not rely on a human programmer once it is purchased. It must be trainable."
It took just a few decades for computers to evolve from room-size vacuum tube–based machines that cost as much as a house to cheap chip-powered desktop models with vastly more processing power. Similarly, the days of "personal robots"—inexpensive machines that can help out at home or the office—may be closer than we think. But first, says Alexander Stoytchev, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Iowa State University in Ames, robots have to be taught to do something we know instinctively: how to learn.
"A truly useful personal robot [must have] the ability to learn on its own from interactions with the physical and social environment," says Stoytchev, whose field of developmental robotics combines developmental psychology and neuroscience with artificial intelligence and robotic engineering. "It should not rely on a human programmer once it is purchased. It must be trainable."
CIA Cover-up Alleged in JFK's 'Secret UFO Inquiry'
CIA Cover-up Alleged in JFK's 'Secret UFO Inquiry' - Yahoo! News
A story that combines UFO cover-ups with the assassination of John F. Kennedy is a gold mine for conspiracy theorists. And that's just what author William Lester says he uncovered while conducting research for a new book on Kennedy: a memo written by JFK and addressed to the CIA in which the president requests confidential information about UFOs.
In the never-before-seen, top secret memo supposedly written on Nov. 12, 1963, the president ordered the CIA director to organize the agency's intelligence files relating to UFOs, and to debrief him on all "unknowns" by the following February. Ten days later, Kennedy was assassinated.
A story that combines UFO cover-ups with the assassination of John F. Kennedy is a gold mine for conspiracy theorists. And that's just what author William Lester says he uncovered while conducting research for a new book on Kennedy: a memo written by JFK and addressed to the CIA in which the president requests confidential information about UFOs.
In the never-before-seen, top secret memo supposedly written on Nov. 12, 1963, the president ordered the CIA director to organize the agency's intelligence files relating to UFOs, and to debrief him on all "unknowns" by the following February. Ten days later, Kennedy was assassinated.
Hand Sanitizers Don't Fight Superbug, FDA Says
Hand Sanitizers Don't Fight Superbug, FDA Says | FDA Sends Warning Letters to 4 Hand-Sanitizer Companies | My Health News Daily
Sometimes the maker of a hand sanitizer will reach too far. Four companies that say their products, including hand sanitizers, can prevent infection from the superbug MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, have been issued warning letters by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency announced today (April 20).
Since the products, which are all nonprescription, claim to prevent disease, they are classified as drugs, which are within the purview of the FDA. The agency said it does not have sufficient evidence that these particular products are safe and effective for these purposes.
Sometimes the maker of a hand sanitizer will reach too far. Four companies that say their products, including hand sanitizers, can prevent infection from the superbug MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, have been issued warning letters by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency announced today (April 20).
Since the products, which are all nonprescription, claim to prevent disease, they are classified as drugs, which are within the purview of the FDA. The agency said it does not have sufficient evidence that these particular products are safe and effective for these purposes.
Fruit flies on meth: Study explores whole-body effects of toxic drug
Fruit flies on meth: Study explores whole-body effects of toxic drug
A new study in fruit flies offers a broad view of the potent and sometimes devastating molecular events that occur throughout the body as a result of methamphetamine exposure.
The study, described in the journal PLoS ONE, tracks changes in the expression of genes and proteins in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) exposed to meth.
Unlike most studies of meth, which focus on the brain, the new analysis looked at molecular changes throughout the body, said University of Illinois entomology professor Barry Pittendrigh, who led the research.
A new study in fruit flies offers a broad view of the potent and sometimes devastating molecular events that occur throughout the body as a result of methamphetamine exposure.
The study, described in the journal PLoS ONE, tracks changes in the expression of genes and proteins in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) exposed to meth.
Unlike most studies of meth, which focus on the brain, the new analysis looked at molecular changes throughout the body, said University of Illinois entomology professor Barry Pittendrigh, who led the research.
Happiest places have highest suicide rates, new research finds
Happiest places have highest suicide rates, new research finds
The happiest countries and happiest U.S. states tend to have the highest suicide rates, according to research from the UK's University of Warwick, Hamilton College in New York and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
The new research paper titled "Dark Contrasts: The Paradox of High Rates of Suicide in Happy Places" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. It uses U.S. and international data, which included first-time comparisons of a newly available random sample of 1.3 million Americans, and another on suicide decisions among an independent random sample of approximately 1 million Americans.
The happiest countries and happiest U.S. states tend to have the highest suicide rates, according to research from the UK's University of Warwick, Hamilton College in New York and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
The new research paper titled "Dark Contrasts: The Paradox of High Rates of Suicide in Happy Places" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. It uses U.S. and international data, which included first-time comparisons of a newly available random sample of 1.3 million Americans, and another on suicide decisions among an independent random sample of approximately 1 million Americans.
Antidepressants may not improve all symptoms of depression, researchers find
Antidepressants may not improve all symptoms of depression, researchers find
Even people who show a clear treatment response with antidepressant medications continue to experience symptoms like insomnia, sadness and decreased concentration, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found after analyzing data from the largest study on the treatment of depression.
"Widely used antidepressant medications, while working overall, missed these symptoms. If patients have persistent residual symptoms, these individuals have a high probability of incomplete recovery," said Dr. Shawn McClintock, assistant professor of psychiatry and lead author of the analysis available in the April print issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Even people who show a clear treatment response with antidepressant medications continue to experience symptoms like insomnia, sadness and decreased concentration, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found after analyzing data from the largest study on the treatment of depression.
"Widely used antidepressant medications, while working overall, missed these symptoms. If patients have persistent residual symptoms, these individuals have a high probability of incomplete recovery," said Dr. Shawn McClintock, assistant professor of psychiatry and lead author of the analysis available in the April print issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Gut Bacteria Divide People Into 3 Types, Scientists Report
Gut Bacteria Divide People Into 3 Types, Scientists Report - NYTimes.com
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that each person belonged to one of four blood types. Now they have discovered a new way to classify humanity: by bacteria. Each human being is host to thousands of different species of microbes. Yet a group of scientists now report just three distinct ecosystems in the guts of people they have studied.
“It’s an important advance,” said Rob Knight, a biologist at the University of Colorado, who was not involved in the research. “It’s the first indication that human gut ecosystems may fall into distinct types.”
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that each person belonged to one of four blood types. Now they have discovered a new way to classify humanity: by bacteria. Each human being is host to thousands of different species of microbes. Yet a group of scientists now report just three distinct ecosystems in the guts of people they have studied.
“It’s an important advance,” said Rob Knight, a biologist at the University of Colorado, who was not involved in the research. “It’s the first indication that human gut ecosystems may fall into distinct types.”
April 19, 2011
Psychologists link election wins with higher Internet porn use
Psychologists link election wins with higher Internet porn use
Some celebrate a political candidate’s victory with a party. Others, according to a Rutgers–Camden researcher, choose porn.
Rutgers–Camden psychologist Charlotte Markey and husband Patrick Markey of Villanova University published findings in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior that suggest vicarious winning in elections yields a higher usage of internet porn. Depending on the party wins in 2004, 2006, and 2008, some members “celebrated” with visits to sultry internet sites.
Some celebrate a political candidate’s victory with a party. Others, according to a Rutgers–Camden researcher, choose porn.
Rutgers–Camden psychologist Charlotte Markey and husband Patrick Markey of Villanova University published findings in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior that suggest vicarious winning in elections yields a higher usage of internet porn. Depending on the party wins in 2004, 2006, and 2008, some members “celebrated” with visits to sultry internet sites.
Startup Aims To Build Billboards That Target You, Personally
Startup Aims To Build Billboards That Target You, Personally - Yahoo! News
Digital billboards that display different ads depending on who is looking at them were once only found in Minority Report. But a recently launched startup aims to make targeted billboard advertising as ubiquitous as targeted online advertising.
Immersive Labs introduced its smart billboard technology at TechStars' Demo Day in New York on Thursday. The software combines video analytics with environmental factors and Twitter and Foursquare information to decide what the best ad to display at that moment is.
Digital billboards that display different ads depending on who is looking at them were once only found in Minority Report. But a recently launched startup aims to make targeted billboard advertising as ubiquitous as targeted online advertising.
Immersive Labs introduced its smart billboard technology at TechStars' Demo Day in New York on Thursday. The software combines video analytics with environmental factors and Twitter and Foursquare information to decide what the best ad to display at that moment is.
Improve Your Sex Life With Horny Goat Weed
Improve Your Sex Life With Horny Goat Weed - FoxNews.com
The name horny goat weed catches everybody's attention. But behind the clever name lies a serious herb. For horny goat weed is a genuine sex-enhancer, a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women, and improves erectile function in men.
Known also as Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo, horny goat weed leaves were purportedly the food of the yin yang, a mythical animal which achieved one hundred sexual climaxes a day. This legend points to the reputed sexual potency of horny goat weed, and its honored place in traditional Chinese medicine.
The name horny goat weed catches everybody's attention. But behind the clever name lies a serious herb. For horny goat weed is a genuine sex-enhancer, a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women, and improves erectile function in men.
Known also as Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo, horny goat weed leaves were purportedly the food of the yin yang, a mythical animal which achieved one hundred sexual climaxes a day. This legend points to the reputed sexual potency of horny goat weed, and its honored place in traditional Chinese medicine.
April 18, 2011
Superconductors got hot 25 years ago
BBC News - Superconductors got hot 25 years ago
Superconductivity is a hundred years old this month, and a way to make it accessible turned 25 this week. But just how it does what it does remains a mystery even now.
Essentially, it is the property - exhibited by certain materials, often at low temperatures - to channel electrical current with zero resistance and very little power loss.
Imagine hitting a cue ball with a snooker cue and it never slowing down, carrying on across the baize for years, or forever.
In essence, that was the promise of superconductivity a century ago when the phenomenon was first discovered by Dutch physicist Kamerlingh Onnes.
Superconductivity is a hundred years old this month, and a way to make it accessible turned 25 this week. But just how it does what it does remains a mystery even now.
Essentially, it is the property - exhibited by certain materials, often at low temperatures - to channel electrical current with zero resistance and very little power loss.
Imagine hitting a cue ball with a snooker cue and it never slowing down, carrying on across the baize for years, or forever.
In essence, that was the promise of superconductivity a century ago when the phenomenon was first discovered by Dutch physicist Kamerlingh Onnes.
Super-small transistor created: Artificial atom powered by single electrons
Super-small transistor created: Artificial atom powered by single electrons
A University of Pittsburgh-led team has created a single-electron transistor that provides a building block for new, more powerful computer memories, advanced electronic materials, and the basic components of quantum computers.
A University of Pittsburgh-led team has created a single-electron transistor that provides a building block for new, more powerful computer memories, advanced electronic materials, and the basic components of quantum computers.
April 16, 2011
Future farm: A sunless, rainless room indoors
Future farm: A sunless, rainless room indoors - USATODAY.com
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands — Farming is moving indoors, where the sun never shines, where rainfall is irrelevant and where the climate is always right.
The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with meticulously controlled light, temperature, humidity, air quality and nutrition. It could be in a New York high-rise, a Siberian bunker or a sprawling complex in the Saudi desert.
Advocates say this, or something like it, may be an answer to the world’s food problems.
“In order to keep a planet that’s worth living on, we have to change our methods,” says Gertjan Meeuws, of PlantLab, a private research company.
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands — Farming is moving indoors, where the sun never shines, where rainfall is irrelevant and where the climate is always right.
The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with meticulously controlled light, temperature, humidity, air quality and nutrition. It could be in a New York high-rise, a Siberian bunker or a sprawling complex in the Saudi desert.
Advocates say this, or something like it, may be an answer to the world’s food problems.
“In order to keep a planet that’s worth living on, we have to change our methods,” says Gertjan Meeuws, of PlantLab, a private research company.
Swarm of Quakes have Experts Concerned - My News 4 - KRNV, Reno, NV
Swarm of Quakes have Experts Concerned - My News 4 - KRNV, Reno, NV
Nevada Seismologists are keeping a close eye on an area southwest of Hawthorne, Nevada where hundreds of earthquakes have been detected since Sunday.
" It's a little bit concerning in a sense.. The largest earthquakes in these sequences are pretty large in size." Graham Kent is Director of Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada Reno. He says there have been hundreds of earthquakes southwest of Hawthorne over the past few days. The largest-- recorded at a 4.4 in size.
"These are the biggest in a sequence we've seen at least in the last couple of years." Kent says unlike the 2008 quakes in Somersett that damaged so many homes, these earthquakes are fortunately not underneath a community.
Nevada Seismologists are keeping a close eye on an area southwest of Hawthorne, Nevada where hundreds of earthquakes have been detected since Sunday.
" It's a little bit concerning in a sense.. The largest earthquakes in these sequences are pretty large in size." Graham Kent is Director of Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada Reno. He says there have been hundreds of earthquakes southwest of Hawthorne over the past few days. The largest-- recorded at a 4.4 in size.
"These are the biggest in a sequence we've seen at least in the last couple of years." Kent says unlike the 2008 quakes in Somersett that damaged so many homes, these earthquakes are fortunately not underneath a community.
Scientists warn that drugs of the future will be designed specifically to control the human mind
Scientists warn that drugs of the future will be designed specifically to control the human mind
It may sound like something out of a science fiction plot, but Oxford researchers say that modern conventional medicine is gradually developing ways to change the moral states of humans through pharmaceutical drugs, and thus control the way people think and act in various life situations. These new drugs will literally have the ability to disrupt an individual's personal morality, and instead reprogram that person to believe and do whatever the drug designer has created that drug to do.
"Science has ignored the question of moral improvement so far, but it is now becoming a big debate," said Dr. Guy Kahane from the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics in the UK. "There is already a growing body of research you can describe in these terms. Studies show that certain drugs affect the ways people respond to moral dilemmas by increasing their sense of empathy, group affiliation and by reducing aggression."
It may sound like something out of a science fiction plot, but Oxford researchers say that modern conventional medicine is gradually developing ways to change the moral states of humans through pharmaceutical drugs, and thus control the way people think and act in various life situations. These new drugs will literally have the ability to disrupt an individual's personal morality, and instead reprogram that person to believe and do whatever the drug designer has created that drug to do.
"Science has ignored the question of moral improvement so far, but it is now becoming a big debate," said Dr. Guy Kahane from the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics in the UK. "There is already a growing body of research you can describe in these terms. Studies show that certain drugs affect the ways people respond to moral dilemmas by increasing their sense of empathy, group affiliation and by reducing aggression."
Population-based study confirms parental alcoholism carries risk for offspring to develop the same
Population-based study confirms parental alcoholism carries risk for offspring to develop the same
Researchers know that there is a strong link between parental alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and the risk for developing an AUD among their offspring. This study looked at the risk of AUDs in the offspring of a large population-based sample of Danish parents. Findings confirmed that parental AUDs were associated with an increased risk of AUDs among the offspring.
Researchers know that there is a strong link between parental alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and the risk for developing an AUD among their offspring. This study looked at the risk of AUDs in the offspring of a large population-based sample of Danish parents. Findings confirmed that parental AUDs were associated with an increased risk of AUDs among the offspring.
Astronauts in Space Have to File Taxes Too
Astronauts in Space Have to File Taxes Too - Yahoo! News
For two American astronauts flying in space, perhaps nothing reminds them of their Earthly ties more than tax day.
As it turns out, being 220 miles (354 kilometers) above the planet is no excuse to file late. Thankfully, Cady Coleman and Ron Garan, who are currently living and working aboard the orbiting outpost, most likely took care of that already.
"I'm not sure of their exact situations, but they could either file early, or if they have spouses, their spouses could file for them," NASA spokesperson Kylie Clem told SPACE.com.
For two American astronauts flying in space, perhaps nothing reminds them of their Earthly ties more than tax day.
As it turns out, being 220 miles (354 kilometers) above the planet is no excuse to file late. Thankfully, Cady Coleman and Ron Garan, who are currently living and working aboard the orbiting outpost, most likely took care of that already.
"I'm not sure of their exact situations, but they could either file early, or if they have spouses, their spouses could file for them," NASA spokesperson Kylie Clem told SPACE.com.
Poincaré Conjecture solved: Grigoriy Perelman | Clay Mathematics Institute
Poincaré Conjecture (solved: Grigoriy Perelman -Clay Mathematics Institute
Poincaré Conjecture (solved: Grigoriy Perelman, 2002-3)
If we stretch a rubber band around the surface of an apple, then we can shrink it down to a point by moving it slowly, without tearing it and without allowing it to leave the surface. On the other hand, if we imagine that the same rubber band has somehow been stretched in the appropriate direction around a doughnut, then there is no way of shrinking it to a point without breaking either the rubber band or the doughnut. We say the surface of the apple is "simply connected," but that the surface of the doughnut is not. Poincaré, almost a hundred years ago, knew that a two dimensional sphere is essentially characterized by this property of simple connectivity, and asked the corresponding question for the three dimensional sphere (the set of points in four dimensional space at unit distance from the origin).
This question turned out to be extraordinarily difficult. Nearly a century passed between its formulation in 1904 by Henri Poincaré and its solution by Grigoriy Perelman, announced in preprints posted on ArXiv.org in 2002 and 2003. Perelman's solution was based on Richard Hamlton's theory of Ricci flow, and made use of results on spaces of metrics due to Cheeger, Gromov, and Perelman himself. In these papers Perelman also proved William Thurston's Geometrization Conjecure, a special case of which is the Poincaré conjecture.
Poincaré Conjecture (solved: Grigoriy Perelman, 2002-3)
If we stretch a rubber band around the surface of an apple, then we can shrink it down to a point by moving it slowly, without tearing it and without allowing it to leave the surface. On the other hand, if we imagine that the same rubber band has somehow been stretched in the appropriate direction around a doughnut, then there is no way of shrinking it to a point without breaking either the rubber band or the doughnut. We say the surface of the apple is "simply connected," but that the surface of the doughnut is not. Poincaré, almost a hundred years ago, knew that a two dimensional sphere is essentially characterized by this property of simple connectivity, and asked the corresponding question for the three dimensional sphere (the set of points in four dimensional space at unit distance from the origin).
This question turned out to be extraordinarily difficult. Nearly a century passed between its formulation in 1904 by Henri Poincaré and its solution by Grigoriy Perelman, announced in preprints posted on ArXiv.org in 2002 and 2003. Perelman's solution was based on Richard Hamlton's theory of Ricci flow, and made use of results on spaces of metrics due to Cheeger, Gromov, and Perelman himself. In these papers Perelman also proved William Thurston's Geometrization Conjecure, a special case of which is the Poincaré conjecture.
April 14, 2011
Scientists: Algae Could Treat Blindness
Scientists: Algae Could Treat Blindness - FoxNews.com
Researchers at the University of Southern California think they may be able to treat blindness by replacing damaged retina cells with similar algae cells, The Telegraph reported.
Human trials could begin within two years as the technique worked in mice.
“The idea is to develop a treatment for blindness,” Alan Horsager of USC told New Scientist.
Researchers at the University of Southern California think they may be able to treat blindness by replacing damaged retina cells with similar algae cells, The Telegraph reported.
Human trials could begin within two years as the technique worked in mice.
“The idea is to develop a treatment for blindness,” Alan Horsager of USC told New Scientist.
Electrons as Antioxidants: A Key to Health
Washington's Blog
Concepts that at first appear bizarre may later seem obvious.
One such idea is that we evolved in an environment rich in vitamins and omega 3s, but that they are not nearly as available from our modern environment.
Another is that our bodies evolved to use electrons from vitamin C and elsewhere, and that a lack of usable electrons may effect our health.
Concepts that at first appear bizarre may later seem obvious.
One such idea is that we evolved in an environment rich in vitamins and omega 3s, but that they are not nearly as available from our modern environment.
Another is that our bodies evolved to use electrons from vitamin C and elsewhere, and that a lack of usable electrons may effect our health.
Chance discovery may revolutionize hydrogen production
Chance discovery may revolutionize hydrogen production
Producing hydrogen in a sustainable way is a challenge and production cost has so far proven to be too high. Now a team led by EPFL Professor Xile Hu has discovered that a molybdenum based catalyst is produced at room temperature, inexpensive and efficient.
The results of the research are published online in Chemical Science. An international patent based on this discovery has just been filled.
Existing in large quantities on Earth, water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. It can be broken down by applying an electrical current; this is the process known as electrolysis. To improve this particularly slow reaction, platinum is generally used as a catalyst. However, platinum is a particularly expensive material that has tripled in price over the last decade. Now EPFL scientists have shown that amorphous molybdenum sulphides, found abundantly, are efficient catalysts and hydrogen production cost can be significantly lowered.
Producing hydrogen in a sustainable way is a challenge and production cost has so far proven to be too high. Now a team led by EPFL Professor Xile Hu has discovered that a molybdenum based catalyst is produced at room temperature, inexpensive and efficient.
The results of the research are published online in Chemical Science. An international patent based on this discovery has just been filled.
Existing in large quantities on Earth, water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. It can be broken down by applying an electrical current; this is the process known as electrolysis. To improve this particularly slow reaction, platinum is generally used as a catalyst. However, platinum is a particularly expensive material that has tripled in price over the last decade. Now EPFL scientists have shown that amorphous molybdenum sulphides, found abundantly, are efficient catalysts and hydrogen production cost can be significantly lowered.
Magnetic new graphene discovery
Magnetic new graphene discovery
University of Maryland researchers have discovered a way to control magnetic properties of graphene that could lead to powerful new applications in magnetic storage and magnetic random access memory.
The finding by a team of Maryland researchers, led by Physics Professor Michael S. Fuhrer of the UMD Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials is the latest of many amazing properties discovered for graphene.
A honeycomb sheet of carbon atoms just one atom thick, graphene is the basic constituent of graphite. Some 200 times stronger than steel, it conducts electricity at room temperature better than any other known material (a 2008 discovery by Fuhrer, et. al). Graphene is widely seen as having great, perhaps even revolutionary, potential for nanotechnology applications. The 2010 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to scientists Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim for their 2004 discovery of how to make graphene.
University of Maryland researchers have discovered a way to control magnetic properties of graphene that could lead to powerful new applications in magnetic storage and magnetic random access memory.
The finding by a team of Maryland researchers, led by Physics Professor Michael S. Fuhrer of the UMD Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials is the latest of many amazing properties discovered for graphene.
A honeycomb sheet of carbon atoms just one atom thick, graphene is the basic constituent of graphite. Some 200 times stronger than steel, it conducts electricity at room temperature better than any other known material (a 2008 discovery by Fuhrer, et. al). Graphene is widely seen as having great, perhaps even revolutionary, potential for nanotechnology applications. The 2010 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to scientists Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim for their 2004 discovery of how to make graphene.
April 13, 2011
Traffic Prediction: IBM Training Computers To Predict Traffic
Traffic Prediction: IBM Training Computers To Predict Traffic
Traffic websites, with their color-coded maps of clogged streets and freeways, are good at telling commuters when congestion is already awful. But what if they could know not only where you drive, but if the route is going to be bad today, and warned you ahead of time?
A team of researchers at IBM Corp. are working on a system that would do just that.
They've combined sophisticated analytics software with a network of sensors the state has already embedded in roadways throughout California. With the help of a database of past traffic tie-ups, they say they can predict when they'll happen in the future.
Traffic websites, with their color-coded maps of clogged streets and freeways, are good at telling commuters when congestion is already awful. But what if they could know not only where you drive, but if the route is going to be bad today, and warned you ahead of time?
A team of researchers at IBM Corp. are working on a system that would do just that.
They've combined sophisticated analytics software with a network of sensors the state has already embedded in roadways throughout California. With the help of a database of past traffic tie-ups, they say they can predict when they'll happen in the future.
Physicists create clouds of impenetrable gases that bounce off each other
Physicists create clouds of impenetrable gases that bounce off each other
When one cloud of gas meets another, they normally pass right through each other. But now, MIT physicists have created clouds of ultracold gases that bounce off each other like bowling balls, even though they are a million times thinner than air -- the first time that such impenetrable gases have been observed.
When one cloud of gas meets another, they normally pass right through each other. But now, MIT physicists have created clouds of ultracold gases that bounce off each other like bowling balls, even though they are a million times thinner than air -- the first time that such impenetrable gases have been observed.
Schizophrenic Brain Cells Created in Lab
Schizophrenic Brain Cells Created in Lab - Yahoo! News
Skin cells taken from four individuals with schizophrenia have been turned into brain cells, or neurons, and grown in lab dishes, the first time a complex mental disorder has been examined using living brain cells.
The lab-grown neurons showed fewer connections between each other than was found in healthy brain cells, the researchers said.
The research not only will assist scientists in understanding the causes of a mental disease that plagues about 1 percent of the world's population (and about 3 million people in the United States), but also takes a step toward personalized medicine for those afflicted.
Skin cells taken from four individuals with schizophrenia have been turned into brain cells, or neurons, and grown in lab dishes, the first time a complex mental disorder has been examined using living brain cells.
The lab-grown neurons showed fewer connections between each other than was found in healthy brain cells, the researchers said.
The research not only will assist scientists in understanding the causes of a mental disease that plagues about 1 percent of the world's population (and about 3 million people in the United States), but also takes a step toward personalized medicine for those afflicted.
'Apple a day' advice rooted in science
'Apple a day' advice rooted in science
Everyone has heard the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." We all know we should eat more fruit. But why apples? Do they contain specific benefits?
According to Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi, PhD, RD, Margaret A. Sitton Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at The Florida State University, apples are truly a "miracle fruit" that convey benefits beyond fiber content. Animal studies have shown that apple pectin and polyphenols in apple improve lipid metabolism and lower the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Arjmandi's most recent research is the first to evaluate the long-term cardioprotective effects of daily consumption of apple in postmenopausal women.
Everyone has heard the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." We all know we should eat more fruit. But why apples? Do they contain specific benefits?
According to Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi, PhD, RD, Margaret A. Sitton Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at The Florida State University, apples are truly a "miracle fruit" that convey benefits beyond fiber content. Animal studies have shown that apple pectin and polyphenols in apple improve lipid metabolism and lower the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Arjmandi's most recent research is the first to evaluate the long-term cardioprotective effects of daily consumption of apple in postmenopausal women.
Honey May Stop Antibiotic Resistance
Honey May Stop Antibiotic Resistance - FoxNews.comNew research has found that honey can be effective in helping to reverse antibiotic resistance, in addition to clearing infected wounds.
According to a study from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, manuka honey interferes with the growth of three types of bacteria commonly found in wounds—Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Group A Streptococci and Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
According to a study from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, manuka honey interferes with the growth of three types of bacteria commonly found in wounds—Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Group A Streptococci and Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Accelerate data storage by several orders of magnitude? Ultra-fast magnetic reversal observed
Accelerate data storage by several orders of magnitude? Ultra-fast magnetic reversal observed
A newly discovered magnetic phenomenon could accelerate data storage by several orders of magnitude.
With a constantly growing flood of information, we are being inundated with increasing quantities of data, which we in turn want to process faster than ever. Oddly, the physical limit to the recording speed of magnetic storage media has remained largely unresearched. In experiments performed on the particle accelerator BESSY II of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Dutch researchers have now achieved ultrafast magnetic reversal and discovered a surprising phenomenon.
In magnetic memory, data is encoded by reversing the magnetization of tiny points. Such memory works using the so-called magnetic moments of atoms, which can be in either "parallel" or "antiparallel" alignment in the storage medium to represent to "0" and "1."
April 12, 2011
GOOD Brain? BAD Brain, Red Brain Blue Brain? Study Shows Gray Matter Differences In Political Views
OpEdNews - Article: GOOD Brain? BAD Brain, Red Brain Blue Brain?: Scientific Study Shows Gray Matter Differences In Political Views
A new scientific study out of London has created a bit of a stir: for the first time, conservative and liberal brains were compared in physical terms with the emphasis on political thinking (not as much of an oxymoron as one would think).
"Previously, some psychological traits were known to be predictive of an individual's political orientation," lead author Ryota Kanai from University College London's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience said in a statement. "Our study now links such personality traits with specific brain structure."
"Individuals with a large amygdala are more sensitive to fear," and might therefore be "more inclined to integrate conservative views into their belief system," Kanai and colleagues wrote. "On the other hand, our finding of an association between anterior cingulate cortex volume and political attitudes may be linked with tolerance to uncertainty" -- which may allow people to "accept more liberal views."
A new scientific study out of London has created a bit of a stir: for the first time, conservative and liberal brains were compared in physical terms with the emphasis on political thinking (not as much of an oxymoron as one would think).
"Previously, some psychological traits were known to be predictive of an individual's political orientation," lead author Ryota Kanai from University College London's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience said in a statement. "Our study now links such personality traits with specific brain structure."
"Individuals with a large amygdala are more sensitive to fear," and might therefore be "more inclined to integrate conservative views into their belief system," Kanai and colleagues wrote. "On the other hand, our finding of an association between anterior cingulate cortex volume and political attitudes may be linked with tolerance to uncertainty" -- which may allow people to "accept more liberal views."
Anti-Science Bill Passes Tennessee House
Anti-Science Bill Passes Tennessee House | Religion Dispatches
The “strengths and weaknesses” bill introduced by Tennessee State Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, passed overwhelmingly in the House last week by a 70 to 23 vote.
While Dunn insists that the bill is not anti-evolution, but merely about improving teaching in the public schools, comments by the bill’s supporters reveal a stunning hostility towards science and education.
Andy Sher writing for the Chattanooga Free Press, quotes bill-supporter Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, saying that “since the late ‘50s, early ‘60s when we let the intellectual bullies hijack our education system, we’ve been on a slippery slope.”
The “strengths and weaknesses” bill introduced by Tennessee State Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, passed overwhelmingly in the House last week by a 70 to 23 vote.
While Dunn insists that the bill is not anti-evolution, but merely about improving teaching in the public schools, comments by the bill’s supporters reveal a stunning hostility towards science and education.
Andy Sher writing for the Chattanooga Free Press, quotes bill-supporter Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, saying that “since the late ‘50s, early ‘60s when we let the intellectual bullies hijack our education system, we’ve been on a slippery slope.”
Rainbow-trapping scientist now strives to slow light waves even further
Rainbow-trapping scientist now strives to slow light waves even further
An electrical engineer at the University at Buffalo, who previously demonstrated experimentally the "rainbow trapping effect" -- a phenomenon that could boost optical data storage and communications -- is now working to capture all the colors of the rainbow.
Gan explains that the ultimate goal is to achieve a breakthrough in optical communications called multiplexed, multiwavelength communications, where optical data can potentially be tamed at different wavelengths, thus greatly increasing processing and transmission capacity.
He notes that it is widely recognized that if light could ever be stopped entirely, new possibilities would open up for data storage.
"At the moment, processing data with optical signals is limited by how quickly the signal can be interpreted," he says. "If the signal can be slowed, more information could be processed without overloading the system."
An electrical engineer at the University at Buffalo, who previously demonstrated experimentally the "rainbow trapping effect" -- a phenomenon that could boost optical data storage and communications -- is now working to capture all the colors of the rainbow.
Gan explains that the ultimate goal is to achieve a breakthrough in optical communications called multiplexed, multiwavelength communications, where optical data can potentially be tamed at different wavelengths, thus greatly increasing processing and transmission capacity.
He notes that it is widely recognized that if light could ever be stopped entirely, new possibilities would open up for data storage.
"At the moment, processing data with optical signals is limited by how quickly the signal can be interpreted," he says. "If the signal can be slowed, more information could be processed without overloading the system."
Alcohol helps the brain remember, says new study
Alcohol helps the brain remember, says new study
Drinking alcohol primes certain areas of our brain to learn and remember better, says a new study from the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research at The University of Texas at Austin.
The common view that drinking is bad for learning and memory isn't wrong, says neurobiologist Hitoshi Morikawa, but it highlights only one side of what ethanol consumption does to the brain.
Drinking alcohol primes certain areas of our brain to learn and remember better, says a new study from the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research at The University of Texas at Austin.
The common view that drinking is bad for learning and memory isn't wrong, says neurobiologist Hitoshi Morikawa, but it highlights only one side of what ethanol consumption does to the brain.
Greenhouse gases from forest soils
Greenhouse gases from forest soils
Reactive nitrogen compounds from agriculture, transport, and industry lead to increased emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) from forests in Europe. Nitrous oxide emission from forest soils is at least twice as high as estimated so far by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This is one of the key messages of the first study on nitrogen in Europe (European Nitrogen Assessment, ENA) being presented at the International Conference "Nitrogen and Global Change 2011" in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Reactive nitrogen compounds (e.g. NH3 and NOx) are mainly of anthropogenic origin. After their deposition on forests via air, they are partly converted into nitrous oxide (N2O). Following carbon dioxide and methane, nitrous oxide is the third biggest producer of the greenhouse effect. One kilogramme of nitrous oxide is about 300 times as greenhouse-effective as the same amount of carbon dioxide. The ENA study performed by more than 200 scientific and political experts from 21 countries and 89 organisations concludes that the input of reactive nitrogen from air in the European forests so far has been underestimated significantly. Based on the information now available, about 2 to 6% of the atmospheric reactive nitrogen is converted into nitrous oxide that is emitted from forest soil into the atmosphere again. The corresponding estimate of the IPCC so far was about 1% only. Over a forest area of 188 million hectares, deposition of reactive nitrogen increased from 1860 to 2000 by 1.5 million tons per year. This corresponds to an annual increase in reactive nitrogen per hectare forest by about 8 kilogrammes.
Reactive nitrogen compounds from agriculture, transport, and industry lead to increased emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) from forests in Europe. Nitrous oxide emission from forest soils is at least twice as high as estimated so far by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This is one of the key messages of the first study on nitrogen in Europe (European Nitrogen Assessment, ENA) being presented at the International Conference "Nitrogen and Global Change 2011" in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Reactive nitrogen compounds (e.g. NH3 and NOx) are mainly of anthropogenic origin. After their deposition on forests via air, they are partly converted into nitrous oxide (N2O). Following carbon dioxide and methane, nitrous oxide is the third biggest producer of the greenhouse effect. One kilogramme of nitrous oxide is about 300 times as greenhouse-effective as the same amount of carbon dioxide. The ENA study performed by more than 200 scientific and political experts from 21 countries and 89 organisations concludes that the input of reactive nitrogen from air in the European forests so far has been underestimated significantly. Based on the information now available, about 2 to 6% of the atmospheric reactive nitrogen is converted into nitrous oxide that is emitted from forest soil into the atmosphere again. The corresponding estimate of the IPCC so far was about 1% only. Over a forest area of 188 million hectares, deposition of reactive nitrogen increased from 1860 to 2000 by 1.5 million tons per year. This corresponds to an annual increase in reactive nitrogen per hectare forest by about 8 kilogrammes.
April 11, 2011
Scientists find way to map brain’s complexity
Scientists find way to map brain’s complexity | The Raw Story
Scientists say they have moved a step closer to developing a computer model of the brain after finding a way to map both the connections and functions of nerve cells in the brain together for the first time.
In a study in the journal Nature on Sunday, researchers from Britain's University College London (UCL) described a technique developed in mice which enabled them to combine information about the function of neurons with details of their connections.
The study is part of an emerging area of neuroscience research known as 'connectomics'. A little like genomics, which maps our genetic make-up, connectomics aims to map the brain's connections, known as synapses.
Scientists say they have moved a step closer to developing a computer model of the brain after finding a way to map both the connections and functions of nerve cells in the brain together for the first time.
In a study in the journal Nature on Sunday, researchers from Britain's University College London (UCL) described a technique developed in mice which enabled them to combine information about the function of neurons with details of their connections.
The study is part of an emerging area of neuroscience research known as 'connectomics'. A little like genomics, which maps our genetic make-up, connectomics aims to map the brain's connections, known as synapses.
April 10, 2011
GMOs Linked to Organ Disruption in 19 Studies
Institute for Responsible Technology -
A new paper shows that consuming genetically modified (GM) corn or soybeans leads to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice, particularly in livers and kidneys. By reviewing data from 19 animal studies, Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini and others reveal that 9% of the measured parameters, including blood and urine biochemistry, organ weights, and microscopic analyses (histopathology), were significantly disrupted in the GM-fed animals. The kidneys of males fared the worst, with 43.5% of all the changes. The liver of females followed, with 30.8%. The report, published in Environmental Sciences Europe on March 1, 2011, confirms that “several convergent data appear to indicate liver and kidney problems as end points of GMO diet effects.” The authors point out that livers and kidneys “are the major reactive organs” in cases of chronic food toxicity.
A new paper shows that consuming genetically modified (GM) corn or soybeans leads to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice, particularly in livers and kidneys. By reviewing data from 19 animal studies, Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini and others reveal that 9% of the measured parameters, including blood and urine biochemistry, organ weights, and microscopic analyses (histopathology), were significantly disrupted in the GM-fed animals. The kidneys of males fared the worst, with 43.5% of all the changes. The liver of females followed, with 30.8%. The report, published in Environmental Sciences Europe on March 1, 2011, confirms that “several convergent data appear to indicate liver and kidney problems as end points of GMO diet effects.” The authors point out that livers and kidneys “are the major reactive organs” in cases of chronic food toxicity.
April 9, 2011
Are we only a hop, skip and jump away from controlled molecular motion?
Are we only a hop, skip and jump away from controlled molecular motion?
Scientists may very well be a hop, skip and jump away from controlled molecular motion, according to a study in this month's Nature Chemistry.
Controlling how molecules move on surfaces could be the key to more potent drugs that block the attachment of viruses to cells, and will also speed development of new materials for electronics and energy applications. The study is the culmination of a EU-funded collaboration between Tyndall National Institute, UCC researcher Dr. Damien Thompson and colleagues at University of Twente in the Netherlands. Dr. Thompson performed computer simulations that enabled a greater understanding of how two-legged molecules move along patterned surfaces, in a kind of molecular hopscotch.
Scientists may very well be a hop, skip and jump away from controlled molecular motion, according to a study in this month's Nature Chemistry.
Controlling how molecules move on surfaces could be the key to more potent drugs that block the attachment of viruses to cells, and will also speed development of new materials for electronics and energy applications. The study is the culmination of a EU-funded collaboration between Tyndall National Institute, UCC researcher Dr. Damien Thompson and colleagues at University of Twente in the Netherlands. Dr. Thompson performed computer simulations that enabled a greater understanding of how two-legged molecules move along patterned surfaces, in a kind of molecular hopscotch.
Facebook shares green data centre technology
BBC News - Facebook shares green data centre technology
Facebook has announced that it will share the design secrets behind its new energy-efficient data centre with rival companies.
The social network's facility in Prineville, Oregon is said to use 38% less power than existing centres.
It hopes, by making the innovations public, to cut the amount of electricity the industry consumes.
Facebook has announced that it will share the design secrets behind its new energy-efficient data centre with rival companies.
The social network's facility in Prineville, Oregon is said to use 38% less power than existing centres.
It hopes, by making the innovations public, to cut the amount of electricity the industry consumes.
April 7, 2011
Canada Okays GMO Wheat
Canada Okays GMO Wheat | Farm Wars
Canada is giving the go ahead to GMO wheat. Although it is not ready for production yet, the plans are set:
The National Research Council plans to develop genetically modified wheat in Canada — a measure long resisted by the country’s wheat farmers.
The NRC says Canadian wheat farmers are becoming less productive and need to adapt, especially in the face of climate change. It suggests GM wheat as a solution.
In the past week, senior NRC management has been unveiling its long-term strategy to its researchers and other staff. The goal, says a leaked copy of the plan, is to become a “market-driven organization whose primary goal is to develop and deploy technology.”
Canada is giving the go ahead to GMO wheat. Although it is not ready for production yet, the plans are set:
The National Research Council plans to develop genetically modified wheat in Canada — a measure long resisted by the country’s wheat farmers.
The NRC says Canadian wheat farmers are becoming less productive and need to adapt, especially in the face of climate change. It suggests GM wheat as a solution.
In the past week, senior NRC management has been unveiling its long-term strategy to its researchers and other staff. The goal, says a leaked copy of the plan, is to become a “market-driven organization whose primary goal is to develop and deploy technology.”
Long-term users of ecstasy risk structural brain damage
Long-term users of ecstasy risk structural brain damage
Long term users of the popular recreational drug ecstasy (MDMA) risk structural brain damage, suggests preliminary research published online in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Other research has suggested that people who use ecstasy develop significant memory problems, so the Dutch researchers wanted to find out if there was any clinical evidence of structural changes in the brain to back this up.
They focused on the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain responsible for long term memory.
Long term users of the popular recreational drug ecstasy (MDMA) risk structural brain damage, suggests preliminary research published online in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Other research has suggested that people who use ecstasy develop significant memory problems, so the Dutch researchers wanted to find out if there was any clinical evidence of structural changes in the brain to back this up.
They focused on the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain responsible for long term memory.
Car pollution can damage brain: study
Car pollution can damage brain: study - Yahoo! News
Being exposed to highway pollution can cause brain damage in mice akin to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, US researchers said Thursday.
Scientists recreated the airborne pollutants that come from the burning of fossil fuels and the weathering of car parts and pavement, and exposed mice to the harsh air for 15 hours per week over 10 weeks.
The tiny air particles were "roughly one-thousandth the width of a human hair, and too small for car filtration systems to trap," but exerted massive damage on the brains of the exposed mice, said the study.
Being exposed to highway pollution can cause brain damage in mice akin to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, US researchers said Thursday.
Scientists recreated the airborne pollutants that come from the burning of fossil fuels and the weathering of car parts and pavement, and exposed mice to the harsh air for 15 hours per week over 10 weeks.
The tiny air particles were "roughly one-thousandth the width of a human hair, and too small for car filtration systems to trap," but exerted massive damage on the brains of the exposed mice, said the study.
Is beauty found in the whites of the eyes? 'Red eyes' associated with the sad and unattractive
Is beauty found in the whites of the eyes? 'Red eyes' associated with the sad and unattractive
Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, but a new study reveals that the reverse is also true; unattractiveness is in the eye of the beheld. Research published in Ethology finds that people with bloodshot eyes are considered sadder, unhealthier and less attractive than people whose eye whites are untinted, a cue which is uniquely human.
"Red, 'bloodshot' eyes are prominent in medical diagnoses and in folk culture," said lead author Dr. Robert R. Provine from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. "We wanted to know if they influence the everyday behaviour and attitudes of those who view them, and if they trigger perceptions of attractiveness."
Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, but a new study reveals that the reverse is also true; unattractiveness is in the eye of the beheld. Research published in Ethology finds that people with bloodshot eyes are considered sadder, unhealthier and less attractive than people whose eye whites are untinted, a cue which is uniquely human.
"Red, 'bloodshot' eyes are prominent in medical diagnoses and in folk culture," said lead author Dr. Robert R. Provine from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. "We wanted to know if they influence the everyday behaviour and attitudes of those who view them, and if they trigger perceptions of attractiveness."
Scientists Find Superbugs in Delhi Drinking Water
Scientists Find Superbugs in Delhi Drinking Water - FoxNews.com
A gene that makes bugs highly resistant to almost all known antibiotics has been found in bacteria in water supplies in New Delhi used by local people for drinking, washing and cooking, scientists said on Thursday.
The NDM 1 gene, which creates what some experts describe as "super superbugs", has spread to germs that cause cholera and dysentery, and is circulating freely in other bacteria in the Indian city capital of 14 million people, the researchers said.
A gene that makes bugs highly resistant to almost all known antibiotics has been found in bacteria in water supplies in New Delhi used by local people for drinking, washing and cooking, scientists said on Thursday.
The NDM 1 gene, which creates what some experts describe as "super superbugs", has spread to germs that cause cholera and dysentery, and is circulating freely in other bacteria in the Indian city capital of 14 million people, the researchers said.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs: Mercury a concern when CFLs aren't recycled
Compact fluorescent light bulbs: Mercury a concern when CFLs aren't recycled - latimes.com
Energy-efficient CFLs are increasingly popular but few people recycle the bulbs. As a result, U.S. landfills are releasing more than 4 tons of mercury annually into the atmosphere and storm water runoff, a study says.
The nation's accelerating shift from incandescent lighting to a new generation of energy-efficient bulbs is raising an environmental concern: the release of tons of mercury every year.
The most popular new bulb — the compact fluorescent light bulb, or CFL — accounts for a quarter of new bulb sales. Each contains up to 5 milligrams of mercury, a potent neurotoxin that's on the worst-offending list of environmental contaminants.
Energy-efficient CFLs are increasingly popular but few people recycle the bulbs. As a result, U.S. landfills are releasing more than 4 tons of mercury annually into the atmosphere and storm water runoff, a study says.
The nation's accelerating shift from incandescent lighting to a new generation of energy-efficient bulbs is raising an environmental concern: the release of tons of mercury every year.
The most popular new bulb — the compact fluorescent light bulb, or CFL — accounts for a quarter of new bulb sales. Each contains up to 5 milligrams of mercury, a potent neurotoxin that's on the worst-offending list of environmental contaminants.
Brain waves from thoughts of sounds used to move cursor
BBC News - Brain waves from thoughts of sounds used to move cursor
A cursor on a computer screen can be controlled using thoughts about a range of vowel sounds, research has found.
Brain signals have been translated into motion or even pictures before, but the current research showcases a nascent technique called electrocorticography.
The approach uses sensors placed directly on the surface of the brain.
A cursor on a computer screen can be controlled using thoughts about a range of vowel sounds, research has found.
Brain signals have been translated into motion or even pictures before, but the current research showcases a nascent technique called electrocorticography.
The approach uses sensors placed directly on the surface of the brain.
April 6, 2011
PFCs linked to earlier menopause
PFCs linked to earlier menopause | Reuters
Women exposed to high levels of certain household-product chemicals may go through menopause at a younger age than other women, a new study finds.
The chemicals in question are called perfluorocarbons, or PFCs, and they have historically been widely used in products ranging from furniture and carpeting to non-stick pans, plastic food containers and clothing. Their use in the U.S. is set to be phased out by 2015.
Women exposed to high levels of certain household-product chemicals may go through menopause at a younger age than other women, a new study finds.
The chemicals in question are called perfluorocarbons, or PFCs, and they have historically been widely used in products ranging from furniture and carpeting to non-stick pans, plastic food containers and clothing. Their use in the U.S. is set to be phased out by 2015.
Element germanium under pressure matches predictions of modern condensed matter theory
Element germanium under pressure matches predictions of modern condensed matter theory
Although its name may make many people think of flowers, the element germanium is part of a frequently studied group of elements, called IVa, which could have applications for next-generation computer architecture as well as implications for fundamental condensed matter physics.
Although its name may make many people think of flowers, the element germanium is part of a frequently studied group of elements, called IVa, which could have applications for next-generation computer architecture as well as implications for fundamental condensed matter physics.
Particle Discovery Has Physicists Abuzz
Particle Discovery Has Physicists Abuzz - Yahoo! News
In a development physicists are calling "huge" and "unexpected," researchers have measured a signal that could herald a new kind of particle or a rewriting of known physics.
Yet the finding is not yet conclusive, and leaves many researchers skeptical.
The discovery comes from an atom smasher called the Tevatron at the Fermilab physics laboratory in Batavia, Ill. Inside the accelerator there, particles are ramped up to near the speed of light as they race around a 4 mile (6.3 km) ring. When two particles collide, they disintegrate into other exotic particles in a powerful outpouring of energy. [Wacky Physics: The Coolest Little Particles in Nature]
In a development physicists are calling "huge" and "unexpected," researchers have measured a signal that could herald a new kind of particle or a rewriting of known physics.
Yet the finding is not yet conclusive, and leaves many researchers skeptical.
The discovery comes from an atom smasher called the Tevatron at the Fermilab physics laboratory in Batavia, Ill. Inside the accelerator there, particles are ramped up to near the speed of light as they race around a 4 mile (6.3 km) ring. When two particles collide, they disintegrate into other exotic particles in a powerful outpouring of energy. [Wacky Physics: The Coolest Little Particles in Nature]
IEA calls for scrapping $312 bln in fuel subsidies
IEA calls for scrapping $312 bln in fuel subsidies - Yahoo! News
The International Energy Agency is calling for 312 billion dollars in fuel subsidies to be scrapped in a bid to promote clean energy sources, according to a report presented in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
"More aggressive clean energy policies are required, including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and implementation of transparent, predictable and adaptive incentives for cleaner, more efficient energy options," said the Clean Energy Progress Report.
Fossil fuels currently attract 312 billion dollars in consumption subsidies, versus $57 billion for renewable energy, it added, without specifying which countries were to blame.
The International Energy Agency is calling for 312 billion dollars in fuel subsidies to be scrapped in a bid to promote clean energy sources, according to a report presented in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
"More aggressive clean energy policies are required, including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and implementation of transparent, predictable and adaptive incentives for cleaner, more efficient energy options," said the Clean Energy Progress Report.
Fossil fuels currently attract 312 billion dollars in consumption subsidies, versus $57 billion for renewable energy, it added, without specifying which countries were to blame.
Scientists make eye's retina from stem cells
BBC News - Scientists make eye's retina from stem cells
A part of the eye that is essential for vision has been created in the laboratory from animal stem cells, offering hope to the blind and partially sighted.
One day it might be possible to make an eye in a dish, Nature journal reports.
The Japanese team used mouse stem cells - immature cells that have the ability to turn into many types of body tissue.
A part of the eye that is essential for vision has been created in the laboratory from animal stem cells, offering hope to the blind and partially sighted.
One day it might be possible to make an eye in a dish, Nature journal reports.
The Japanese team used mouse stem cells - immature cells that have the ability to turn into many types of body tissue.
Coffee drinking in your genes? Genetic variants in two genes linked with caffeine intake
Coffee drinking in your genes? Genetic variants in two genes linked with caffeine intake
Two genes in which variation affects intake of caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, have been discovered. A team of investigators from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examined genetic variation across the entire genome of more than 47,000 individuals from the U.S., as described in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.
Two genes in which variation affects intake of caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, have been discovered. A team of investigators from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examined genetic variation across the entire genome of more than 47,000 individuals from the U.S., as described in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.
4.5-Billion-Year-Old Antarctic Meteorite Yields New Mineral
4.5-Billion-Year-Old Antarctic Meteorite Yields New Mineral - Yahoo! News
A meteorite discovered in Antarctica in 1969 has just divulged a modern secret: a new mineral, now called Wassonite.
The new mineral found in the 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite was tiny — less than one-hundredth as wide as a human hair. Still, that was enough to excite the researchers who announced the discovery Tuesday.
"Wassonite is a mineral formed from only two elements, sulfur and titanium, yet it possesses a unique crystal structure that has not been previously observed in nature," NASA space scientist Keiko Nakamura-Messenger said in a statement.
A meteorite discovered in Antarctica in 1969 has just divulged a modern secret: a new mineral, now called Wassonite.
The new mineral found in the 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite was tiny — less than one-hundredth as wide as a human hair. Still, that was enough to excite the researchers who announced the discovery Tuesday.
"Wassonite is a mineral formed from only two elements, sulfur and titanium, yet it possesses a unique crystal structure that has not been previously observed in nature," NASA space scientist Keiko Nakamura-Messenger said in a statement.
April 5, 2011
Sugar Fuels Growth Of Insulin-making Cells
Sugar Fuels Growth Of Insulin-making Cells - Science News
A spoonful of sugar may be a remedy for diabetes. The more glucose that insulin-producing cells in the pancreas use, the faster those cells reproduce, a new study in mice shows.
The findings, published in the April 6 Cell Metabolism, may help researchers devise new treatments for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes by harnessing the mechanism that leads to sugar-fueled cell growth. Such a strategy could help restore function to the cells in the pancreas damaged in diabetes while avoiding the toxic effects of high blood sugar.
A spoonful of sugar may be a remedy for diabetes. The more glucose that insulin-producing cells in the pancreas use, the faster those cells reproduce, a new study in mice shows.
The findings, published in the April 6 Cell Metabolism, may help researchers devise new treatments for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes by harnessing the mechanism that leads to sugar-fueled cell growth. Such a strategy could help restore function to the cells in the pancreas damaged in diabetes while avoiding the toxic effects of high blood sugar.
Can houseplants make you smarter?
Can houseplants make you smarter? - Yahoo! News
Houseplants clean the air and brighten a room. Occasionally, they drive us mad as we wonder how exactly we managed to kill yet another “unkillable” houseplant. (In that way, they provide great lessons in perseverance as well!) But it looks like there’s one more great reason to grow houseplants: Their presence in your workspace might actually make you smarter.
According to a recent study published in The Journal of Environmental Psychology, just having plants in your work space is enough to increase your attention span. An increase in attention span means that we’re able to remember more of what we read. To test the hypotheses, the study’s authors gave subjects a Reading Span Task, which requires reading sentences aloud, then remembering the last word in each sentence. This requires reading, memorization, and recall abilities, and switching between the three.
Houseplants clean the air and brighten a room. Occasionally, they drive us mad as we wonder how exactly we managed to kill yet another “unkillable” houseplant. (In that way, they provide great lessons in perseverance as well!) But it looks like there’s one more great reason to grow houseplants: Their presence in your workspace might actually make you smarter.
According to a recent study published in The Journal of Environmental Psychology, just having plants in your work space is enough to increase your attention span. An increase in attention span means that we’re able to remember more of what we read. To test the hypotheses, the study’s authors gave subjects a Reading Span Task, which requires reading sentences aloud, then remembering the last word in each sentence. This requires reading, memorization, and recall abilities, and switching between the three.
Ozone layer faces record 40 pct loss over Arctic
Ozone layer faces record 40 pct loss over Arctic - Yahoo! News
The protective ozone layer in the Arctic that keeps out the sun's most damaging rays — ultraviolet radiation — has thinned about 40 percent this winter, a record drop, the U.N. weather agency said Tuesday.
The Arctic's damaged stratospheric ozone layer isn't the best known "ozone hole" — that would be Antarctica's, which forms when sunlight returns in spring there each year. But the Arctic's situation is due to similar causes: ozone-munching compounds in air pollutants that are chemically triggered by a combination of extremely cold temperatures and sunlight.
The protective ozone layer in the Arctic that keeps out the sun's most damaging rays — ultraviolet radiation — has thinned about 40 percent this winter, a record drop, the U.N. weather agency said Tuesday.
The Arctic's damaged stratospheric ozone layer isn't the best known "ozone hole" — that would be Antarctica's, which forms when sunlight returns in spring there each year. But the Arctic's situation is due to similar causes: ozone-munching compounds in air pollutants that are chemically triggered by a combination of extremely cold temperatures and sunlight.
The Sleepless Elite
The Sleepless Elite - WSJ.com
For a small group of people—perhaps just 1% to 3% of the population—sleep is a waste of time.
Natural "short sleepers," as they're officially known, are night owls and early birds simultaneously. They typically turn in well after midnight, then get up just a few hours later and barrel through the day without needing to take naps or load up on caffeine.
They are also energetic, outgoing, optimistic and ambitious, according to the few researchers who have studied them. The pattern sometimes starts in childhood and often runs in families.
For a small group of people—perhaps just 1% to 3% of the population—sleep is a waste of time.
Natural "short sleepers," as they're officially known, are night owls and early birds simultaneously. They typically turn in well after midnight, then get up just a few hours later and barrel through the day without needing to take naps or load up on caffeine.
They are also energetic, outgoing, optimistic and ambitious, according to the few researchers who have studied them. The pattern sometimes starts in childhood and often runs in families.
April 4, 2011
Key genital measurement linked to male fertility
Key genital measurement linked to male fertility | Reuters
The study did not address what might cause certain men to have short AGD measurements.
But previous studies, published in 2005 and 2008, looked at the possible link between mothers who were exposed to chemicals called phthalates during pregnancy and the AGD of their infant and toddler sons.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals widely used in industrial and personal care products, including fragrances, shampoos, soaps, plastics, paints and some pesticides.
The study did not address what might cause certain men to have short AGD measurements.
But previous studies, published in 2005 and 2008, looked at the possible link between mothers who were exposed to chemicals called phthalates during pregnancy and the AGD of their infant and toddler sons.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals widely used in industrial and personal care products, including fragrances, shampoos, soaps, plastics, paints and some pesticides.
April 3, 2011
Causes of deaths in Canada
Causes of deaths in Canada
On Jan. 29, the National Post ran a full-page feature article on the causes of death in Canada. Most of it was a graphic presentation, using proportionate-sized circles, showing how people died in 1967 and 2007. The National Post article stated, “Death is life’s one and only inevitable event, and it comes in many ways – officially, there are 999 causes.” However, as Interim reader and advertiser, Cambridge lawyer Paul Vandervet wrote to them in an unpublished letter to the editor, it did not include abortions. So there are 1,000 ways to die and the illustration and story did not include the number one cause of death: abortion.
The paper also stated that “Considering the way we die tells us much about the way we live. “Indeed. Just a few paragraphs below that statement, the non-bylined story reports, “A baby born in Canada today is about four times more likely to survive to their first birthday than during the 1960s. In 1967, 22 babies born out of 1,000 died during the first year of life. By 2007, that number had fallen to 5.1 out of 1,000. Total number of infant deaths: 8,151 in 1967, and just 1,881 in 2007.” But if you include abortion, the beginning of life is much more dangerous that it was in 1967 – two years before abortion-on-demand was effectively permitted by Pierre Trudeau’s Omnibus Bill.
On Jan. 29, the National Post ran a full-page feature article on the causes of death in Canada. Most of it was a graphic presentation, using proportionate-sized circles, showing how people died in 1967 and 2007. The National Post article stated, “Death is life’s one and only inevitable event, and it comes in many ways – officially, there are 999 causes.” However, as Interim reader and advertiser, Cambridge lawyer Paul Vandervet wrote to them in an unpublished letter to the editor, it did not include abortions. So there are 1,000 ways to die and the illustration and story did not include the number one cause of death: abortion.
The paper also stated that “Considering the way we die tells us much about the way we live. “Indeed. Just a few paragraphs below that statement, the non-bylined story reports, “A baby born in Canada today is about four times more likely to survive to their first birthday than during the 1960s. In 1967, 22 babies born out of 1,000 died during the first year of life. By 2007, that number had fallen to 5.1 out of 1,000. Total number of infant deaths: 8,151 in 1967, and just 1,881 in 2007.” But if you include abortion, the beginning of life is much more dangerous that it was in 1967 – two years before abortion-on-demand was effectively permitted by Pierre Trudeau’s Omnibus Bill.
Genetically modified cows produce 'human' milk
Genetically modified cows produce 'human' milk - Telegraph
The scientists have successfully introduced human genes into 300 dairy cows to produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk.
Human milk contains high quantities of key nutrients that can help to boost the immune system of babies and reduce the risk of infections.
The scientists behind the research believe milk from herds of genetically modified cows could provide an alternative to human breast milk and formula milk for babies, which is often criticised as being an inferior substitute.
The scientists have successfully introduced human genes into 300 dairy cows to produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk.
Human milk contains high quantities of key nutrients that can help to boost the immune system of babies and reduce the risk of infections.
The scientists behind the research believe milk from herds of genetically modified cows could provide an alternative to human breast milk and formula milk for babies, which is often criticised as being an inferior substitute.
April 2, 2011
New AIDS Report Sets Zero New Infections Goal
New AIDS Report Sets Zero New Infections Goal - FoxNews.com
As HIV infections decline across the globe, the United Nations says it has set an ambitious goal of zero new infections and zero AIDS-related deaths as the next stage of the war on the disease.
A new report by the United Nations on efforts of the last 30 years to tackle HIV/AIDS urges universal access to treatment, care and support and an end to discrimination against those infected with the virus.
As HIV infections decline across the globe, the United Nations says it has set an ambitious goal of zero new infections and zero AIDS-related deaths as the next stage of the war on the disease.
A new report by the United Nations on efforts of the last 30 years to tackle HIV/AIDS urges universal access to treatment, care and support and an end to discrimination against those infected with the virus.
Republicans Admit That They Can’t Defeat Obama in 2012
Republicans Admit That They Can’t Defeat Obama in 2012
"Over the past few weeks some Republican strategists have already began to lower their party’s expectations for 2012. Todd Harris has been talking about how the birthers could derail the GOP, while Matthew Dowd has laid out a scenario that would require a virtual act of God for Republicans to beat Obama next year. When it’s all put together it looks like some Republicans are giving up already on 2012."
"Over the past few weeks some Republican strategists have already began to lower their party’s expectations for 2012. Todd Harris has been talking about how the birthers could derail the GOP, while Matthew Dowd has laid out a scenario that would require a virtual act of God for Republicans to beat Obama next year. When it’s all put together it looks like some Republicans are giving up already on 2012."
Jesus healed using cannabis, study shows « Patients for Medical Cannabis
Jesus healed using cannabis, study shows « Patients for Medical Cannabis
Jesus was almost certainly a cannabis user and an early proponent of the medicinal properties of the drug, according to a study of scriptural texts published [in 2003].
The study suggests that Jesus and his disciples used the drug to carry out miraculous healings. The anointing oil used by Jesus and his disciples contained an ingredient called kaneh-bosem which has since been identified as cannabis extract, according to an article by Chris Bennett [reprinted here].
The incense used by Jesus in ceremonies also contained a cannabis extract, suggests Mr Bennett, who quotes scholars to back his claims. “There can be little doubt about a role for cannabis in Judaic religion,” Carl Ruck, professor of classical mythology at Boston University said. Referring to the existence of cannabis in anointing oils used in ceremonies, he added: “Obviously the easy availability and long-established tradition of cannabis in early Judaism would inevitably have included it in the [Christian] mixtures.”
Jesus was almost certainly a cannabis user and an early proponent of the medicinal properties of the drug, according to a study of scriptural texts published [in 2003].
The study suggests that Jesus and his disciples used the drug to carry out miraculous healings. The anointing oil used by Jesus and his disciples contained an ingredient called kaneh-bosem which has since been identified as cannabis extract, according to an article by Chris Bennett [reprinted here].
The incense used by Jesus in ceremonies also contained a cannabis extract, suggests Mr Bennett, who quotes scholars to back his claims. “There can be little doubt about a role for cannabis in Judaic religion,” Carl Ruck, professor of classical mythology at Boston University said. Referring to the existence of cannabis in anointing oils used in ceremonies, he added: “Obviously the easy availability and long-established tradition of cannabis in early Judaism would inevitably have included it in the [Christian] mixtures.”
Antisocial behavior shows in teenage brain scans
Antisocial behavior shows in teenage brain scans | Reuters
Their findings, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, showed that the amygdala and insula -- regions of the brain that contribute to emotion perception, empathy and recognizing when other people are in distress -- were strikingly smaller in teenagers with antisocial behavior.
The changes were present both in those with childhood-onset CD and in adolescence-onset CD, and the greater the severity of the behavior problems, the greater the reduction in the volume of the insula, the scientists said.
Changes in gray matter volume in these areas of the brain could explain why teenagers with conduct disorder have difficulties in recognizing emotions in others," said Graeme Fairchild, who led the research and is now based at Southampton University.
Their findings, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, showed that the amygdala and insula -- regions of the brain that contribute to emotion perception, empathy and recognizing when other people are in distress -- were strikingly smaller in teenagers with antisocial behavior.
The changes were present both in those with childhood-onset CD and in adolescence-onset CD, and the greater the severity of the behavior problems, the greater the reduction in the volume of the insula, the scientists said.
Changes in gray matter volume in these areas of the brain could explain why teenagers with conduct disorder have difficulties in recognizing emotions in others," said Graeme Fairchild, who led the research and is now based at Southampton University.
Toxins in baby food might affect hormones
Toxins in baby food might affect hormones: study | Reuters
Infant formula and solid baby food frequently contain fungus-derived hormones that have been shown to cause infertility in mammals, Italian researchers report.
Scientists at the University of Pisa report that as many as 28 percent of samples of milk-based baby formulas they tested were contaminated with the fungal hormones, known as mycoestrogens.
Infant formula and solid baby food frequently contain fungus-derived hormones that have been shown to cause infertility in mammals, Italian researchers report.
Scientists at the University of Pisa report that as many as 28 percent of samples of milk-based baby formulas they tested were contaminated with the fungal hormones, known as mycoestrogens.
Artificial Leaf Turns Sunlight into Electric Power | Environment
Artificial Leaf Turns Sunlight into Electric Power | Environment | English
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have turned to Mother Nature for inspiration, inventing a device that mimics photosynthesis, the process plants use to convert sunlight and water into usable energy.
The MIT researchers announced their invention at the American Chemical Society meeting in California. MIT chemistry professor Daniel Nocera says he and his colleagues took their cues from plants, which are literally buzzing with electricity.
"What happens is that sunlight comes in and hits the leaf and then the leaf immediately takes that sunlight and makes a wireless current," says Nocera.
During photosynthesis, the energy in sunlight splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen joins with carbon dioxide to make sugar, an essential fuel for plant growth. In Nocera’s laboratory, scientists replicated that chemical process using a silicon device about the size and shape of a playing card, only thinner. It’s coated with nickel and cobalt catalysts that when exposed to water and ultraviolet light, accelerate a chemical reaction.
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have turned to Mother Nature for inspiration, inventing a device that mimics photosynthesis, the process plants use to convert sunlight and water into usable energy.
The MIT researchers announced their invention at the American Chemical Society meeting in California. MIT chemistry professor Daniel Nocera says he and his colleagues took their cues from plants, which are literally buzzing with electricity.
"What happens is that sunlight comes in and hits the leaf and then the leaf immediately takes that sunlight and makes a wireless current," says Nocera.
During photosynthesis, the energy in sunlight splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen joins with carbon dioxide to make sugar, an essential fuel for plant growth. In Nocera’s laboratory, scientists replicated that chemical process using a silicon device about the size and shape of a playing card, only thinner. It’s coated with nickel and cobalt catalysts that when exposed to water and ultraviolet light, accelerate a chemical reaction.
Remodeling The Standard Model - Science News
Remodeling The Standard Model - Science News
The Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most powerful atom smasher, may be only months away from finding a new elementary particle — a sign of a new force in nature — recent studies suggest.
The studies focus on the top quark, the heaviest of the six quarks, which are the fundamental building blocks of nature. Top quarks appear to behave badly when they are produced during proton-antiproton collisions at a lower-energy particle accelerator, the Fermilab’s Tevatron in Batavia, Ill. Compared with what the standard model of particle physics predicts, these quarks fly off too often in the direction of the proton beam and not enough in the antiproton direction.
The Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most powerful atom smasher, may be only months away from finding a new elementary particle — a sign of a new force in nature — recent studies suggest.
The studies focus on the top quark, the heaviest of the six quarks, which are the fundamental building blocks of nature. Top quarks appear to behave badly when they are produced during proton-antiproton collisions at a lower-energy particle accelerator, the Fermilab’s Tevatron in Batavia, Ill. Compared with what the standard model of particle physics predicts, these quarks fly off too often in the direction of the proton beam and not enough in the antiproton direction.
Cat allergy vaccine safe and effective, study suggests
Cat allergy vaccine safe and effective, study suggests
Good-bye itching, watering eyes and sneezing. McMaster University researchers have developed a vaccine which successfully treats people with an allergy to cats.
Traditionally, frequent allergy shots have been considered the most effective way to bring relief -- other than getting rid of the family pet -- for the eight to 10% of the population allergic to cats.
Good-bye itching, watering eyes and sneezing. McMaster University researchers have developed a vaccine which successfully treats people with an allergy to cats.
Traditionally, frequent allergy shots have been considered the most effective way to bring relief -- other than getting rid of the family pet -- for the eight to 10% of the population allergic to cats.
Whales may have come from deerlike animal
Whales may have come from deerlike animal - Technology & science - Science - msnbc.com
It sounds like a stretch, but a new study suggests that the missing evolutionary link between whales and land animals is an odd raccoon-sized animal that looks like a long-tailed deer without antlers. Or an overgrown long-legged rat.
It sounds like a stretch, but a new study suggests that the missing evolutionary link between whales and land animals is an odd raccoon-sized animal that looks like a long-tailed deer without antlers. Or an overgrown long-legged rat.
Shark fin soup: Proposed shark fin ban has Chinese restaurants in a stir
Shark fin soup: Proposed shark fin ban has Chinese restaurants in a stir - latimes.com
Owners say the fins are an essential part of Chinese cuisine and urge legislators to strengthen existing laws.
First it was roast duck and rice noodles. Then it was cooked frogs and turtles. Now shark fin soup, the caviar of fine Chinese cuisine, is under threat from California legislators seeking to ban the possession, sale and consumption of shark fins in the state.
Owners of local Chinese restaurants gathered at Gourmet Island restaurant in Alhambra on Friday, vowing to save the centuries-old tradition.
Owners say the fins are an essential part of Chinese cuisine and urge legislators to strengthen existing laws.
First it was roast duck and rice noodles. Then it was cooked frogs and turtles. Now shark fin soup, the caviar of fine Chinese cuisine, is under threat from California legislators seeking to ban the possession, sale and consumption of shark fins in the state.
Owners of local Chinese restaurants gathered at Gourmet Island restaurant in Alhambra on Friday, vowing to save the centuries-old tradition.
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