Following a massive bee die-off in parts of the world, two Canadian universities on Wednesday launched an effort to breed honey bees resistant to pests and diseases.
Led by the universities of Guelph and Manitoba, the program will try to breed a better bee through genetic selection.
It will also screen new products for pest and disease control, and try to come up with new ways of managing pollination colonies that face risks that include parasites, bacterial infections and pesticides resulting from the impact of human activities on the environment.
Canada seeks to breed a better honey bee - Yahoo! News
June 29, 2011
Can one idea be energy's holy grail?
Michel Laberge quit his job to invent a "glorified jackhammer" that he hoped would save the planet. That was 10 years ago.
Now, investors are betting more than $30 million on that jackhammer idea, which may yield a holy grail of energy -- a safe, clean and unlimited power source called hot fusion.
Laberge is trying to do something that no one has ever done: create a controlled "net gain" fusion reaction that creates more energy than is required to produce it. It's the same process that powers our sun. If it works, it could solve huge problems like climate change, the energy crunch and reliance on foreign oil.
Can one idea be energy's holy grail? - CNN.com
Now, investors are betting more than $30 million on that jackhammer idea, which may yield a holy grail of energy -- a safe, clean and unlimited power source called hot fusion.
Laberge is trying to do something that no one has ever done: create a controlled "net gain" fusion reaction that creates more energy than is required to produce it. It's the same process that powers our sun. If it works, it could solve huge problems like climate change, the energy crunch and reliance on foreign oil.
Can one idea be energy's holy grail? - CNN.com
Why Do We Like Happy Faces? It's In Our Genes
Just how long we gaze at faces may be partly determined by our genes.
A new study focused on a single gene, the one coding for the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) in brain cells. Participants with certain mutations in this gene spent more time looking at happy faces than others did.
The results suggest these mutations may be involved in differences in how people process emotions on faces, the researchers said.
In practical terms, the findings may provide insight into the genetics of autism. Individuals with autism have trouble understanding facial emotions and look less at people's faces, the researchers said.
Why Do We Like Happy Faces? It's In Our Genes - Yahoo! News
A new study focused on a single gene, the one coding for the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) in brain cells. Participants with certain mutations in this gene spent more time looking at happy faces than others did.
The results suggest these mutations may be involved in differences in how people process emotions on faces, the researchers said.
In practical terms, the findings may provide insight into the genetics of autism. Individuals with autism have trouble understanding facial emotions and look less at people's faces, the researchers said.
Why Do We Like Happy Faces? It's In Our Genes - Yahoo! News
June 28, 2011
Lots of Talk, Too Little Action
The price of agricultural commodities has surged by more than a third over the past year — cereal prices by 70 percent — surpassing even the levels that sparked widespread food riots in 2008. According to the World Bank, the rise in prices pushed 44 million more people into hunger in the second half of 2010.
It is disappointing that the agriculture ministers from the 20 large industrial economies who gathered last week in Paris failed to end two policies that are a big part of the problem: bans on agricultural exports by certain producers and government supports for food-based biofuel production.
Lots of Talk, Too Little Action - NYTimes.com
It is disappointing that the agriculture ministers from the 20 large industrial economies who gathered last week in Paris failed to end two policies that are a big part of the problem: bans on agricultural exports by certain producers and government supports for food-based biofuel production.
Lots of Talk, Too Little Action - NYTimes.com
Hippie days - scientists changed the course of physics in the 1970s
Every Friday afternoon for several years in the 1970s, a group of underemployed quantum physicists met at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, in Northern California, to talk about a subject so peculiar it was rarely discussed in mainstream science: entanglement. Did subatomic particles influence each other from a distance? What were the implications?
Many of these scientists, who dubbed themselves the “Fundamental Fysiks Group,” were fascinated by the paranormal and thought quantum physics might reveal “the possibility of psycho-kinetic and telepathic effects,” as one put it. Some of the physicists cultivated flamboyant countercultural personas. In lieu of solid academic jobs, a few of them received funding from the leaders of the “human potential” movement that was a staple of 1970s self-help culture.
Hippie days - MIT News Office
Many of these scientists, who dubbed themselves the “Fundamental Fysiks Group,” were fascinated by the paranormal and thought quantum physics might reveal “the possibility of psycho-kinetic and telepathic effects,” as one put it. Some of the physicists cultivated flamboyant countercultural personas. In lieu of solid academic jobs, a few of them received funding from the leaders of the “human potential” movement that was a staple of 1970s self-help culture.
Hippie days - MIT News Office
Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry
Inkjet printers, a low-cost technology that in recent decades has revolutionized home and small office printing, may soon offer similar benefits for the future of solar energy.
Engineers at Oregon State University have discovered a way for the first time to create successful "CIGS" solar devices with inkjet printing, in work that reduces raw material waste by 90 percent and will significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy cells with some very promising compounds.
High performing, rapidly produced, ultra-low cost, thin film solar electronics should be possible, scientists said.
Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry
Engineers at Oregon State University have discovered a way for the first time to create successful "CIGS" solar devices with inkjet printing, in work that reduces raw material waste by 90 percent and will significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy cells with some very promising compounds.
High performing, rapidly produced, ultra-low cost, thin film solar electronics should be possible, scientists said.
Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry
Fidgeting your way to fitness
Walking to the photocopier and fidgeting at your desk are contributing more to your cardiorespiratory fitness than you might think.
Researchers have found that both the duration and intensity of incidental physical activities (IPA) are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. The intensity of the activity seems to be particularly important, with a cumulative 30-minute increase in moderate physical activity throughout the day offering significant benefits for fitness and long-term health.
Fidgeting your way to fitness
Researchers have found that both the duration and intensity of incidental physical activities (IPA) are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. The intensity of the activity seems to be particularly important, with a cumulative 30-minute increase in moderate physical activity throughout the day offering significant benefits for fitness and long-term health.
Fidgeting your way to fitness
Attachment to cellphones more about entertainment, less about communication
That panicked feeling we get when the family pet goes missing is the same when we misplace our mobile phone, says a Kansas State University marketing professor. Moreover, those feelings of loss and hopelessness without our digital companion are natural.
"The cellphone's no longer just a cellphone; it's become the way we communicate and a part of our life," said Esther Swilley, who researches technology and marketing. This reliance on cellphones and other mobile technology in daily life is an interest of Swilley's, and a phenomenon she hopes to explain.
Attachment to cellphones more about entertainment, less about communication
"The cellphone's no longer just a cellphone; it's become the way we communicate and a part of our life," said Esther Swilley, who researches technology and marketing. This reliance on cellphones and other mobile technology in daily life is an interest of Swilley's, and a phenomenon she hopes to explain.
Attachment to cellphones more about entertainment, less about communication
Population bomb: 9 billion march to WWIII
Sshh. Don’t tell anyone. But “while you are reading these words, four people will have died from starvation. Most of them children.” Seventeen words. Four deaths. That statistic is from a cover of Paul Ehrlich’s 1968 provocative “Population Bomb.”
By the time you finish this column, another five hundred will die. By starvation. Mostly kids. Dead.
But global population will just keep growing, growing, growing. Why? The math is simple: Today there are more than two births for every death worldwide. One death. Two new babies.
Population bomb: 9 billion march to WWIII Paul B. Farrell - MarketWatch
By the time you finish this column, another five hundred will die. By starvation. Mostly kids. Dead.
But global population will just keep growing, growing, growing. Why? The math is simple: Today there are more than two births for every death worldwide. One death. Two new babies.
Population bomb: 9 billion march to WWIII Paul B. Farrell - MarketWatch
BPA exposure makes male mice less masculine, attractive
Male mice who are exposed in the womb to bisphenol A, or BPA, a chemical compound found in some hard plastics and can linings, appear to be less masculine and less attractive to females once they mature, raising the possibility that the controversial chemical could subtly affect boys in similar ways.
In a new study, male deer mice whose mothers were fed BPA while pregnant had more difficulty navigating a maze and displayed less interest in exploring than unexposed males -- a sign of "demasculinization," researchers say, since navigational skill and a propensity for exploration are considered classic male traits in this particular species of mice. (In the wild, these traits help young male mice find potential mates.)
BPA exposure makes male mice less masculine, attractive - CNN.com
In a new study, male deer mice whose mothers were fed BPA while pregnant had more difficulty navigating a maze and displayed less interest in exploring than unexposed males -- a sign of "demasculinization," researchers say, since navigational skill and a propensity for exploration are considered classic male traits in this particular species of mice. (In the wild, these traits help young male mice find potential mates.)
BPA exposure makes male mice less masculine, attractive - CNN.com
June 27, 2011
Russian scientists expect to meet aliens by 2031
Russian scientists expect humanity to encounter alien civilizations within the next two decades, a top Russian astronomer predicted Monday.
"The genesis of life is as inevitable as the formation of atoms... Life exists on other planets and we will find it within 20 years," Andrei Finkelstein, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Applied Astronomy Institute, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.
Speaking at an international forum dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life, Finkelstein said 10 percent of the known planets circling suns in the galaxy resemble Earth.
Russian scientists expect to meet aliens by 2031 - Yahoo! News
"The genesis of life is as inevitable as the formation of atoms... Life exists on other planets and we will find it within 20 years," Andrei Finkelstein, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Applied Astronomy Institute, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.
Speaking at an international forum dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life, Finkelstein said 10 percent of the known planets circling suns in the galaxy resemble Earth.
Russian scientists expect to meet aliens by 2031 - Yahoo! News
Brain rhythm associated with learning also linked to running speed, study shows
Rhythms in the brain that are associated with learning become stronger as the body moves faster, UCLA neurophysicists report in a new study.
The research team, led by professor Mayank Mehta, used specialized microelectrodes to monitor an electrical signal known as the gamma rhythm in the brains of mice. This signal is typically produced in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is critical for learning and memory, during periods of concentration and learning.
Brain rhythm associated with learning also linked to running speed, study shows
The research team, led by professor Mayank Mehta, used specialized microelectrodes to monitor an electrical signal known as the gamma rhythm in the brains of mice. This signal is typically produced in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is critical for learning and memory, during periods of concentration and learning.
Brain rhythm associated with learning also linked to running speed, study shows
Low body fat may not lower risk for heart disease and diabetes
Having a lower percentage of body fat may not always lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes, according to a study by an international consortium of investigators, including two scientists from the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School (HMS).
"Genetic variants may not only determine the amount of total fat in your body," says Dr. Kiel, "but also what kind of fat you have. Some collections of fat, such as the kind located just under the skin, may actually be less harmful than the type located in the abdominal cavity, which may increase the risk of developing metabolic disease."
Low body fat may not lower risk for heart disease and diabetes, genetic study shows
"Genetic variants may not only determine the amount of total fat in your body," says Dr. Kiel, "but also what kind of fat you have. Some collections of fat, such as the kind located just under the skin, may actually be less harmful than the type located in the abdominal cavity, which may increase the risk of developing metabolic disease."
Low body fat may not lower risk for heart disease and diabetes, genetic study shows
New solar cell: Engineers crack full-spectrum solar challenge
In a paper published in Nature Photonics, U of T Engineering researchers report a new solar cell that may pave the way to inexpensive coatings that efficiently convert the sun's rays to electricity.
The U of T researchers, led by Professor Ted Sargent, report the first efficient tandem solar cell based on colloidal quantum dots (CQD). "The U of T device is a stack of two light-absorbing layers -- one tuned to capture the sun's visible rays, the other engineered to harvest the half of the sun's power that lies in the infrared," said lead author Dr. Xihua Wang.
New solar cell: Engineers crack full-spectrum solar challenge
The U of T researchers, led by Professor Ted Sargent, report the first efficient tandem solar cell based on colloidal quantum dots (CQD). "The U of T device is a stack of two light-absorbing layers -- one tuned to capture the sun's visible rays, the other engineered to harvest the half of the sun's power that lies in the infrared," said lead author Dr. Xihua Wang.
New solar cell: Engineers crack full-spectrum solar challenge
Pet-sales ban: San Francisco considers banning the sale of all pets — even goldfish
Reporting from San Francisco— The first vision was simple and straightforward: To curtail puppy mills and kitten factories, the sale of cats and dogs should be banned in San Francisco, where the loving guardians of animal companions come to regular blows — politically — with the loving parents of children.
The ban was put on hold last year after animal advocates broadened it to include anything with fur or feathers. Now it's back, with a new name and a new strategy: More is more. The Humane Pet Acquisition Proposal is on its way to the Board of Supervisors, and it hopes to protect everything from Great Danes to goldfish.
Pet-sales ban: San Francisco considers banning the sale of all pets — even goldfish - latimes.com
The ban was put on hold last year after animal advocates broadened it to include anything with fur or feathers. Now it's back, with a new name and a new strategy: More is more. The Humane Pet Acquisition Proposal is on its way to the Board of Supervisors, and it hopes to protect everything from Great Danes to goldfish.
Pet-sales ban: San Francisco considers banning the sale of all pets — even goldfish - latimes.com
Tech Turns Junk Plastics into Diesel
Normally, potato chip bags, beer rings, gooey food wrappers and other plastics that cannot be recycled go directly to the dump. But improvements on an existing technology could divert billions of tons of "end-of-life" plastics from landfills and turn them into gas to run cars and trucks.
Called pyrolysis, the technique is being advanced by more than a dozen U.S. and foreign firms, some of which are producing synthetic crude oil or ready-to-drive diesel. If these plants are successful, junk plastic could replace imported oil as a source of cheap, sustainable fuel for the future.
Tech Turns Junk Plastics into Diesel - Technology & science - Science - DiscoveryNews.com - msnbc.com
Called pyrolysis, the technique is being advanced by more than a dozen U.S. and foreign firms, some of which are producing synthetic crude oil or ready-to-drive diesel. If these plants are successful, junk plastic could replace imported oil as a source of cheap, sustainable fuel for the future.
Tech Turns Junk Plastics into Diesel - Technology & science - Science - DiscoveryNews.com - msnbc.com
June 22, 2011
Women can't keep breast implants for life: FDA
Women who get silicone breast implants are likely to need additional surgery within 10 years to address complications such as rupturing of the device, U.S. health regulators said on Wednesday.
The Food and Drug Administration will work to revise safety labels for silicone breast implants after reviewing data from several long-term studies, which also showed that the products had a small link to a rare form of cancer.
Women can't keep breast implants for life: FDA | Reuters
The Food and Drug Administration will work to revise safety labels for silicone breast implants after reviewing data from several long-term studies, which also showed that the products had a small link to a rare form of cancer.
Women can't keep breast implants for life: FDA | Reuters
Some captive chimpanzees show signs of compromised mental health, research shows
New research from the University of Kent has shown that serious behavioral abnormalities, some of which could be compared to mental illness in humans, are endemic among captive chimpanzees.
These include self-mutilation, repetitive rocking, as well as the eating of feces and drinking of urine.
Some captive chimpanzees show signs of compromised mental health, research shows
These include self-mutilation, repetitive rocking, as well as the eating of feces and drinking of urine.
Some captive chimpanzees show signs of compromised mental health, research shows
Swirling seas of plastic trash
Kamilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is no ordinary beach. While it has sand, most of the island is made up of cooled chunks of lava rock that formed when Mauna Loa, one of the island’s volcanoes, erupted in 1868.
There are no roads that lead to Kamilo (pronounced: ka-MEE-low). The only way to get there is to drive for two hours over piles of volcanic rock. I share a ride with some locals and a scientist, and we bounce wildly and try to keep our heads from bumping the ceiling of the truck. When we arrive, the beach is deserted. There are no sunbathers, no swimmers and no surfers, and the gusts of wind blowing off the ocean are so strong that it’s hard to keep our balance.
But the strangest thing about Kamilo is that it’s covered with plastic trash — things that we use every day. I find shoes, combs, laundry baskets, Styrofoam, toothbrushes and countless water bottles. There are even toys like LEGO blocks and a little green army man. Beneath the recognizable things are millions of tiny, colorful plastic pieces — the fragments of broken-down larger objects. They look like confetti.
Swirling seas of plastic trash | Science News for Kids
There are no roads that lead to Kamilo (pronounced: ka-MEE-low). The only way to get there is to drive for two hours over piles of volcanic rock. I share a ride with some locals and a scientist, and we bounce wildly and try to keep our heads from bumping the ceiling of the truck. When we arrive, the beach is deserted. There are no sunbathers, no swimmers and no surfers, and the gusts of wind blowing off the ocean are so strong that it’s hard to keep our balance.
But the strangest thing about Kamilo is that it’s covered with plastic trash — things that we use every day. I find shoes, combs, laundry baskets, Styrofoam, toothbrushes and countless water bottles. There are even toys like LEGO blocks and a little green army man. Beneath the recognizable things are millions of tiny, colorful plastic pieces — the fragments of broken-down larger objects. They look like confetti.
Swirling seas of plastic trash | Science News for Kids
Autism More Common in Tech-Heavy Centers
Cities that are hubs for jobs in information technology (IT) may have a higher prevalence of autism, a new study says.
The study, conducted in the Netherlands, found more children with autism living in Eindhoven, a region known for its IT sector, than in two other regions with fewer IT businesses.
The findings may apply to other IT-rich regions, including California's Silicon Valley, said study researcher Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Center at the University of Cambridge in England.
The findings are in line with the "hyper-systemizing" theory of autism. This theory proposes that people with autism have a strong desire to understand the workings of systems, the researchers said. Such skills are valued in IT-related fields, including engineering, physics, computing and mathematics.
Autism More Common in Tech-Heavy Centers - Yahoo! News
The study, conducted in the Netherlands, found more children with autism living in Eindhoven, a region known for its IT sector, than in two other regions with fewer IT businesses.
The findings may apply to other IT-rich regions, including California's Silicon Valley, said study researcher Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Center at the University of Cambridge in England.
The findings are in line with the "hyper-systemizing" theory of autism. This theory proposes that people with autism have a strong desire to understand the workings of systems, the researchers said. Such skills are valued in IT-related fields, including engineering, physics, computing and mathematics.
Autism More Common in Tech-Heavy Centers - Yahoo! News
Why South Koreans are in love with Judaism
The South Korean ambassador to Israel, Ma Young-sam, raised eyebrows recently when he told reporters the Talmud was mandatory reading for Korean schoolchildren.
South Korea is a country with a deep Buddhist history, but one which has embraced with vigour the Christianity brought to its shores by missionaries in the late 1800s. Official statistics say some 30 per cent of South Koreans are church-going. In such a country, Jews are few and far between.
Yet, pop down to the local corner shop and along with a pot of instant rice or dried noodles, you can buy a copy of Stories from the Talmud. It is not rare, either, to come across book-vending machines stocked with classic works of Babylonian Judaism.
The Talmud is a bestseller in South Korea - even the government insists it is good for you, and has included it on the curriculum for primary school children.
Why South Koreans are in love with Judaism | The Jewish Chronicle
South Korea is a country with a deep Buddhist history, but one which has embraced with vigour the Christianity brought to its shores by missionaries in the late 1800s. Official statistics say some 30 per cent of South Koreans are church-going. In such a country, Jews are few and far between.
Yet, pop down to the local corner shop and along with a pot of instant rice or dried noodles, you can buy a copy of Stories from the Talmud. It is not rare, either, to come across book-vending machines stocked with classic works of Babylonian Judaism.
The Talmud is a bestseller in South Korea - even the government insists it is good for you, and has included it on the curriculum for primary school children.
Why South Koreans are in love with Judaism | The Jewish Chronicle
Phys Ed: To Stretch or Not to Stretch
Is it time, once again, to stretch? For decades, many of us stretched before a workout, usually by reaching toward our toes or leaning against a wall to elongate our hamstrings, then holding that pose without moving until it felt uncomfortable, a technique known as static stretching. Most people, including scientists and entire generations of elementary-school P.E. teachers, believed that static stretching lengthened muscles and increased flexibility, making people better able to perform athletically.
But about 10 years ago, researchers began putting the practice to the test. They found that when athletes did static stretches, performance often suffered. Many couldn’t jump as high, sprint as fast or swing a tennis racquet or golf club as powerfully as they could before they stretched. Static stretching appeared to cause the nervous system to react and tighten, not loosen, the stretched muscle, the research showed.
Phys Ed: To Stretch or Not to Stretch - NYTimes.com
But about 10 years ago, researchers began putting the practice to the test. They found that when athletes did static stretches, performance often suffered. Many couldn’t jump as high, sprint as fast or swing a tennis racquet or golf club as powerfully as they could before they stretched. Static stretching appeared to cause the nervous system to react and tighten, not loosen, the stretched muscle, the research showed.
Phys Ed: To Stretch or Not to Stretch - NYTimes.com
Hidden heart risk for cocaine addicts even if they feel perfectly healthy
Cocaine causes such extensive damage to users’ hearts that it could trigger sudden death even when they feel perfectly healthy, experts warn.
They said that because of the hidden damage inflicted by the drug, many addicts may have already suffered a heart attack without realising it.
Researchers have found that 83 per cent of people using cocaine over long periods have suffered major structural damage to their hearts.
Hidden heart risk for cocaine addicts even if they feel perfectly healthy | Mail Online
They said that because of the hidden damage inflicted by the drug, many addicts may have already suffered a heart attack without realising it.
Researchers have found that 83 per cent of people using cocaine over long periods have suffered major structural damage to their hearts.
Hidden heart risk for cocaine addicts even if they feel perfectly healthy | Mail Online
A New Way to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
MRSA, E. coli, salmonella – just the mention of these bacterial infections can send you running for the hand sanitizer – especially in light of the recent E. coli outbreak in Europe, which has killed at least 40 people and sickened nearly 3,500 others.
And what’s even scarier about this deadly strain of E. coli is that it’s resistant to antibiotics.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is nothing new. Just think about MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), which is an infection that has been terrorizing hospitals for years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that reducing this type of infection in “both health care and community settings continues to be a high priority,” and now it looks like the agency as well as other health organizations could be getting some help from researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif.
A New Way to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria - FoxNews.com
And what’s even scarier about this deadly strain of E. coli is that it’s resistant to antibiotics.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is nothing new. Just think about MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), which is an infection that has been terrorizing hospitals for years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that reducing this type of infection in “both health care and community settings continues to be a high priority,” and now it looks like the agency as well as other health organizations could be getting some help from researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif.
A New Way to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria - FoxNews.com
Dishwasher Fungus Alarms Scientists
Scientists have found a possibly harmful fungus that grows in dishwashers, surviving high temperatures, aggressive doses of detergents and rinsing salts and both acid and alkaline types of water.
A black yeast called Exophiala dermatitidis was found with a cousin fungus, E. phaeomuriformis, in samples taken from dishwashers in 189 homes in 101 cities in six continents.
Fifty-six percent of the dishwashers contained the fungi on the rubber seal on the appliance door.
Both species "are known to be able to cause systemic disease in humans and frequently colonize the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis," says the study.
Dishwasher Fungus Alarms Scientists - FoxNews.com
A black yeast called Exophiala dermatitidis was found with a cousin fungus, E. phaeomuriformis, in samples taken from dishwashers in 189 homes in 101 cities in six continents.
Fifty-six percent of the dishwashers contained the fungi on the rubber seal on the appliance door.
Both species "are known to be able to cause systemic disease in humans and frequently colonize the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis," says the study.
Dishwasher Fungus Alarms Scientists - FoxNews.com
Nanoparticles disguised as red blood cells will deliver cancer-fighting drugs
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a novel method of disguising nanoparticles as red blood cells, which will enable them to evade the body's immune system and deliver cancer-fighting drugs straight to a tumor. Their research will be published next week in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Nanoparticles disguised as red blood cells will deliver cancer-fighting drugs
Nanoparticles disguised as red blood cells will deliver cancer-fighting drugs
An explanation of how advertising music affects brand perception
People have different emotional reactions to a product being advertised and the person announcing it if the advert is accompanied by jazz, swing or classical music. These are the main conclusions of a study carried out by the University of the Basque Country, which analysed the effect of the memories and emotional reactions stimulated by the music used in advertising.
An explanation of how advertising music affects brand perception
An explanation of how advertising music affects brand perception
New physics research to deepen understanding of the universe
Physicists at the University of Southampton are beginning a new research project which aims to improve our understanding of the universe and the material within it.
They also hope that their work will enable better mathematical predictions in systems as diverse as collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, to the development of room-temperature superconductors which could provide super-efficient power for electronic circuits.
New physics research to deepen understanding of the universe
They also hope that their work will enable better mathematical predictions in systems as diverse as collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, to the development of room-temperature superconductors which could provide super-efficient power for electronic circuits.
New physics research to deepen understanding of the universe
Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold huge power potential
Ultra-thin solar cells can absorb sunlight more efficiently than the thicker, more expensive-to-make silicon cells used today, because light behaves differently at scales around a nanometer (a billionth of a meter), say Stanford engineers. They calculate that by properly configuring the thicknesses of several thin layers of films, an organic polymer thin film could absorb as much as 10 times more energy from sunlight than was thought possible.
Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold huge power potential
Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold huge power potential
June 21, 2011
Quantum leap: Magnetic properties of a single proton directly observed for the first time
A most important milestone in the direct measurement of the magnetic moment of the proton and its anti-particle has been achieved.
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM), together with their colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg and the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, have observed spin quantum-jumps with a single trapped proton for the first time. The result is a pioneering step forward in the endeavor to directly measure the magnetic properties of the proton with high precision.
Quantum leap: Magnetic properties of a single proton directly observed for the first time
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM), together with their colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg and the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, have observed spin quantum-jumps with a single trapped proton for the first time. The result is a pioneering step forward in the endeavor to directly measure the magnetic properties of the proton with high precision.
Quantum leap: Magnetic properties of a single proton directly observed for the first time
Human eye protein senses Earth's magnetism
A light-sensitive protein in the human eye has been shown to act as a "compass" in a magnetic field, when it is present in flies' eyes.
The study in Nature Communications showed that without their natural "magnetoreception" protein, the flies did not respond to a magnetic field - but replacing the protein with the human version restored the ability.
Despite much controversy, no conclusive evidence exists that humans can sense the Earth's magnetic field, and the find may revive interest in the idea.
BBC News - Human eye protein senses Earth's magnetism
The study in Nature Communications showed that without their natural "magnetoreception" protein, the flies did not respond to a magnetic field - but replacing the protein with the human version restored the ability.
Despite much controversy, no conclusive evidence exists that humans can sense the Earth's magnetic field, and the find may revive interest in the idea.
BBC News - Human eye protein senses Earth's magnetism
Resveratrol studies confirms potential health boost
A University of Florida review of research finds the polyphenol compound known as resveratrol found in red wine, grapes and other fruits may not prevent old age, but it might make it more tolerable. News stories have long touted resveratrol as a cure for various diseases and a preventative against aging.
Resveratrol studies confirms potential health boost
Resveratrol studies confirms potential health boost
US crime figures: Why the drop?
For 20 years, crime in the US has been falling and new figures from the FBI show a sharp drop in the last two years, despite the recession. Why?
Through Democrat and Republican administrations and through booms and busts, crime has been falling since 1991.
Murder and robbery rates nearly halved from 1991-98, a phenomenon that has saved thousands of lives and spared many more potential victims of crime.
BBC News - US crime figures: Why the drop?
Through Democrat and Republican administrations and through booms and busts, crime has been falling since 1991.
Murder and robbery rates nearly halved from 1991-98, a phenomenon that has saved thousands of lives and spared many more potential victims of crime.
BBC News - US crime figures: Why the drop?
Curry Seeds Spice Up Male Sexual Performance
The secret to boosting your libido could be as simple as adding a bit of spice to your sex life—literally, according to Aussie research cited by The Courier-Mail Tuesday.
A study by Brisbane-based company Applied Science and Nutrition, in conjunction with the University of Queensland's medical school, found men taking the herb fenugreek can boost their sex drive by at least a quarter.
The trial involved 60 healthy men aged 25-52 taking a 600ml extract of the bean-like plant, which is often used in Indian curries, twice a day for six weeks.
Curry Seeds Spice Up Male Sexual Performance, Study Says - FoxNews.com
A study by Brisbane-based company Applied Science and Nutrition, in conjunction with the University of Queensland's medical school, found men taking the herb fenugreek can boost their sex drive by at least a quarter.
The trial involved 60 healthy men aged 25-52 taking a 600ml extract of the bean-like plant, which is often used in Indian curries, twice a day for six weeks.
Curry Seeds Spice Up Male Sexual Performance, Study Says - FoxNews.com
Ocean life on the brink of mass extinctions: study
Life in the oceans is at imminent risk of the worst spate of extinctions in millions of years due to threats such as climate change and over-fishing, a study showed on Tuesday.
Time was running short to counter hazards such as a collapse of coral reefs or a spread of low-oxygen "dead zones," according to the study led by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO).
"We now face losing marine species and entire marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, within a single generation," according to the study by 27 experts to be presented to the United Nations.
Ocean life on the brink of mass extinctions: study | Reuters
Time was running short to counter hazards such as a collapse of coral reefs or a spread of low-oxygen "dead zones," according to the study led by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO).
"We now face losing marine species and entire marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, within a single generation," according to the study by 27 experts to be presented to the United Nations.
Ocean life on the brink of mass extinctions: study | Reuters
June 20, 2011
Self-assembling electronic nano-components
Magnetic storage media such as hard drives have revolutionized the handling of information: huge quantities of data are magnetically stored while relying on highly sensitive electronic components. And data capacities are expected to increase further through ever smaller components. Together with experts from Grenoble and Strasbourg, researchers of KIT's Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) have now developed a nano-component based on a mechanism observed in nature.
Self-assembling electronic nano-components
Self-assembling electronic nano-components
Informal daycare may harm kids' cognitive development, study finds
Formal daycare is better for a child's cognitive development than informal care by a grandparent, sibling, or family friend, according to a study of single mothers and their childcare choices published in the July issue of the Journal of Labor Economics.
According to the study, children who go to a formal preschool program or a licensed daycare center have essentially the same standardized test scores as those who stay home with mom. Conversely, each year of informal care reduces a child's test scores by 2.6 percent versus staying with mom.
Informal daycare may harm kids' cognitive development, study finds
According to the study, children who go to a formal preschool program or a licensed daycare center have essentially the same standardized test scores as those who stay home with mom. Conversely, each year of informal care reduces a child's test scores by 2.6 percent versus staying with mom.
Informal daycare may harm kids' cognitive development, study finds
Need a nap? Find yourself a hammock
For grownups, drifting off for an afternoon snooze is often easier said than done. But many of us have probably experienced just how simple it can be to catch those zzz's in a gently rocking hammock. By examining brain waves in sleeping adults, researchers reporting in the June 21 issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, now have evidence to explain why that is.
The study finds that napping on a slowly swinging bed really does get us to sleep faster. To the researchers' surprise, rocking also changes the nature of our sleep, encouraging deeper sleep.
Need a nap? Find yourself a hammock
The study finds that napping on a slowly swinging bed really does get us to sleep faster. To the researchers' surprise, rocking also changes the nature of our sleep, encouraging deeper sleep.
Need a nap? Find yourself a hammock
Implant Chip Controls The Brain Allowing Thoughts, Memory And Behavior To Be Transferred
Scientists working at the University of Southern California, home of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events, have created an artificial memory system that allows thoughts, memories and learned behavior to be transferred from one brain to another.
In a scene right out of a George Orwell novel, a team of scientists working in the fields of “neural engineering” and “Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems” have successfully created a chip that controls the brain and can be used as a storage device for long-term memories. In studies the scientists have been able to record, download and transfer memories into other hosts with the same chip implanted. The advancement in technology brings the world one step closer to a global police state and the reality of absolute mind control.
Implant Chip Controls The Brain Allowing Thoughts, Memory And Behavior To Be Transferred
In a scene right out of a George Orwell novel, a team of scientists working in the fields of “neural engineering” and “Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems” have successfully created a chip that controls the brain and can be used as a storage device for long-term memories. In studies the scientists have been able to record, download and transfer memories into other hosts with the same chip implanted. The advancement in technology brings the world one step closer to a global police state and the reality of absolute mind control.
Implant Chip Controls The Brain Allowing Thoughts, Memory And Behavior To Be Transferred
World's oceans in 'shocking' decline
The oceans are in a worse state than previously suspected, according to an expert panel of scientists.
In a new report, they warn that ocean life is "at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history".
They conclude that issues such as over-fishing, pollution and climate change are acting together in ways that have not previously been recognised.
BBC News - World's oceans in 'shocking' decline
In a new report, they warn that ocean life is "at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history".
They conclude that issues such as over-fishing, pollution and climate change are acting together in ways that have not previously been recognised.
BBC News - World's oceans in 'shocking' decline
Your gut controls weight in some mysterious ways
Surgery for obesity began with a simple premise: if you make the stomach smaller, people will eat less, so they will lose weight.
But in recent years the results of obesity surgery have been so outstanding, researchers went back to the drawing boards to figure out what was going on.
Their findings are beginning to present a far more complicated picture of weight — and of how much diet and exercise can really do to change it. Turns out, a slew of hormones from the gut, and their communication with the brain, play a role in the way the body maintains and loses weight.
Your gut controls weight in some mysterious ways - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
But in recent years the results of obesity surgery have been so outstanding, researchers went back to the drawing boards to figure out what was going on.
Their findings are beginning to present a far more complicated picture of weight — and of how much diet and exercise can really do to change it. Turns out, a slew of hormones from the gut, and their communication with the brain, play a role in the way the body maintains and loses weight.
Your gut controls weight in some mysterious ways - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
More evidence vitamin D boosts immune response
Laboratory-grown gingival cells treated with vitamin D boosted their production of an endogenous antibiotic, and killed more bacteria than untreated cells, according to a paper in the June 2011 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity. The research suggests that vitamin D can help protect the gums from bacterial infections that lead to gingivitis and periodontitis. Periodontitis affects up to 50 percent of the US population, is a major cause of tooth loss, and can also contribute to heart disease. Most Americans are deficient in vitamin D.
More evidence vitamin D boosts immune response
More evidence vitamin D boosts immune response
June 17, 2011
Sun Has Giant Supersonic Waves Bigger Than Earth
Humongous waves of hot plasma roiling on the surface of the sun appear to be moving at speeds as high as 4.5 million miles per hour, a new study found. The waves are so huge it would take up to 16 Earths, end-to-end, to match them.
It's the first unambiguous evidence that the sun's lower atmosphere contains such superfast "magnetosonic waves," scientists said.
The fast waves have velocities of 2.3 million to 4.5 million mph (1,000 to 2,000 kilometers per second), periods in the range of 30 to 200 seconds, and wavelengths of 62,000 to 124,000 miles (100,000 to 200,000 kilometers), equivalent to stacking between eight to 16 Earths on top of one another. [Amazing New Sun Photos from Space]
Sun Has Giant Supersonic Waves Bigger Than Earth - Yahoo! News
It's the first unambiguous evidence that the sun's lower atmosphere contains such superfast "magnetosonic waves," scientists said.
The fast waves have velocities of 2.3 million to 4.5 million mph (1,000 to 2,000 kilometers per second), periods in the range of 30 to 200 seconds, and wavelengths of 62,000 to 124,000 miles (100,000 to 200,000 kilometers), equivalent to stacking between eight to 16 Earths on top of one another. [Amazing New Sun Photos from Space]
Sun Has Giant Supersonic Waves Bigger Than Earth - Yahoo! News
Poor 'gut sense' of numbers contributes to persistent math difficulties
A new study published June 17 in the journal Child Development finds that having a poor "gut sense" of numbers can lead to a mathematical learning disability and difficulty in achieving basic math proficiency. This inaccurate number sense is just one cause of math learning disabilities, according to the research led by Dr. Michele Mazzocco of the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Poor 'gut sense' of numbers contributes to persistent math difficulties
Poor 'gut sense' of numbers contributes to persistent math difficulties
1 in 3 multivitamins don't have nutrients claimed in label
A new review of popular multivitamins found that almost a third did not contain the amount of nutrients claimed in their labels.
After testing 60 multivitamins, researchers at ConsumerLab.com discovered that many contained either too much or too little of specific nutrients, according to a report published online today. The good news: some of the best vitamins were also the cheapest.
1 in 3 multivitamins don't have nutrients claimed in label - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
After testing 60 multivitamins, researchers at ConsumerLab.com discovered that many contained either too much or too little of specific nutrients, according to a report published online today. The good news: some of the best vitamins were also the cheapest.
1 in 3 multivitamins don't have nutrients claimed in label - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
Geeky Stats About Magic Mushrooms
Here's something a little offbeat for a Friday morning. A team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has recently documented a safe, long-lasting way of improving both your life and your personal feelings of well-being: shrooms.
Or, more precisely, psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. Here's the boring news first: ingesting psilocybin produces a mystical experience that can be quantified. "Noetic quality," for example, increased from 19.4 on a placebo to 70.6 on the highest dose used in the study. "Transcendence of space and time" increased from 18.3 to 78.2. Etc. You probably already knew that.
Geeky Stats About Magic Mushrooms | Mother Jones
Or, more precisely, psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. Here's the boring news first: ingesting psilocybin produces a mystical experience that can be quantified. "Noetic quality," for example, increased from 19.4 on a placebo to 70.6 on the highest dose used in the study. "Transcendence of space and time" increased from 18.3 to 78.2. Etc. You probably already knew that.
Geeky Stats About Magic Mushrooms | Mother Jones
Peru's capital declares itself a GMO-free zone
Peru's capital Lima declared itself a "GMO-free zone" in a municipal ordinance in response to a controversial government decree that critics feared would see the country flooded with genetically modified organisms.
The city council, lead by Mayor Susana Villaran, officially declared the city of eight million a "territory free of transgenic and genetically modified organisms," to protect the population's health and preserve biodiversity and the environment.
Similar measures have already been enacted in other parts of the country in response to an April 15 decree regarding "biosafety," which Peru's Minister of Agriculture, Rafael Quevedo, said was only intended to regulate entry procedures for GMOs among various government agencies responsible for biodiversity.
Peru's capital declares itself a GMO-free zone - Yahoo! News
The city council, lead by Mayor Susana Villaran, officially declared the city of eight million a "territory free of transgenic and genetically modified organisms," to protect the population's health and preserve biodiversity and the environment.
Similar measures have already been enacted in other parts of the country in response to an April 15 decree regarding "biosafety," which Peru's Minister of Agriculture, Rafael Quevedo, said was only intended to regulate entry procedures for GMOs among various government agencies responsible for biodiversity.
Peru's capital declares itself a GMO-free zone - Yahoo! News
Imagination can influence perception
Imagining something with our mind's eye is a task we engage in frequently, whether we're daydreaming, conjuring up the face of a childhood friend, or trying to figure out exactly where we might have parked the car. But how can we tell whether our own mental images are accurate or vivid when we have no direct comparison? That is, how do we come to know and judge the contents of our own minds?
Imagination can influence perception
Imagination can influence perception
June 16, 2011
Understanding alcohol's damaging effects on the brain
While alcohol has a wide range of pharmacological effects on the body, the brain is a primary target. However, the molecular mechanisms by which alcohol alters neuronal activity in the brain are poorly understood. Participants in a symposium at the June 2010 annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in San Antonio, Texas addressed recent findings concerning the interactions of alcohol with prototype brain proteins thought to underlie alcohol actions in the brain.
Understanding alcohol's damaging effects on the brain
Understanding alcohol's damaging effects on the brain
Big Spenders Attract Flings, But Not Marriage
Like proud peacocks, men looking for love may flaunt flashy accessories like sports cars. The posturing may very well get you a date, researchers find, but she'll likely not consider you marriage material.
In the study, participants found men who purchased luxury products more desirable for a fling than the same man who chose a non-luxury item. The catch? They weren't more likely to prefer that same guy for a marriage partner, as they inferred the showy spending meant he was interested in uncommitted sex.
"People may feel that owning flashy things makes them more attractive as a relationship partner, but in truth, many men might be sending women the wrong message," said study researcher Daniel Beal, assistant professor of psychology at Rice University.
Big Spenders Attract Flings, But Not Marriage - Yahoo! News
In the study, participants found men who purchased luxury products more desirable for a fling than the same man who chose a non-luxury item. The catch? They weren't more likely to prefer that same guy for a marriage partner, as they inferred the showy spending meant he was interested in uncommitted sex.
"People may feel that owning flashy things makes them more attractive as a relationship partner, but in truth, many men might be sending women the wrong message," said study researcher Daniel Beal, assistant professor of psychology at Rice University.
Big Spenders Attract Flings, But Not Marriage - Yahoo! News
June 15, 2011
Neutrino particle 'flips to all flavours'
An important breakthrough may be imminent in the study of neutrinos.
The multinational T2K project in Japan says it has seen indications in its data that these elementary particles can flip to any of their three types.
The results are provisional because experiments had to be suspended in the wake of the Tohoku earthquake in March.
But if confirmed, they would open the door to further research on where the matter in the Universe came from.
BBC News - Neutrino particle 'flips to all flavours'
The multinational T2K project in Japan says it has seen indications in its data that these elementary particles can flip to any of their three types.
The results are provisional because experiments had to be suspended in the wake of the Tohoku earthquake in March.
But if confirmed, they would open the door to further research on where the matter in the Universe came from.
BBC News - Neutrino particle 'flips to all flavours'
June 14, 2011
Scientists create hottest substance on Earth
Scientists using the world's largest atom smasher have made some of the hottest and densest matter ever achieved on Earth.
The state of matter called a quark gluon plasma existed in the milliseconds after the big bang 13.7 billion years ago.
Physicists using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Centre for Nuclear Research, smashed heavy lead ions together at close to the speed of light.
They generated temperatures of more than 1.6 trillion degrees Celsius, 100,000 times hotter than the centre of the Sun.
Scientists create hottest substance on Earth - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The state of matter called a quark gluon plasma existed in the milliseconds after the big bang 13.7 billion years ago.
Physicists using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Centre for Nuclear Research, smashed heavy lead ions together at close to the speed of light.
They generated temperatures of more than 1.6 trillion degrees Celsius, 100,000 times hotter than the centre of the Sun.
Scientists create hottest substance on Earth - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
June 13, 2011
Ecstasy As Treatment for PTSD from Sexual Trauma and War? New Research Shows Very Promising Results
According to outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, rising health care costs for the military have ballooned from $19 billion in 2001 to over $52 billion in 2011. But there's a pill for that, explained Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies' (MAPS) executive director Rick Doblin.
It's called MDMA, or ecstasy, and it's gaining serious traction as a treatment option for soldiers, and civilians, suffering from crippling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Back when AlterNet first reported MDMA's potential benefits in 2008, South Carolina doctor Michael Mithoefer was conducting promising MAPS-funded double-blind trials to establish clinical protocols that wouldn't scare off nations with naive nightmares of acid burnouts. Since then, a distinguished report from political luminaries like ex-United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and ex-U.S. Secretary of State George Schulz called for MDMA and cannabis legalization, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved studies for cannabis treatment of PTSD, Swiss psychiatrist Peter Gasser became the first officially sanctioned LSD therapy researcher in 35 years, and the results of Mithoefer's groundbreaking research, reported last July in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, generated well over 100 media reports.
Ecstasy As Treatment for PTSD from Sexual Trauma and War? New Research Shows Very Promising Results | Drugs | AlterNet
It's called MDMA, or ecstasy, and it's gaining serious traction as a treatment option for soldiers, and civilians, suffering from crippling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Back when AlterNet first reported MDMA's potential benefits in 2008, South Carolina doctor Michael Mithoefer was conducting promising MAPS-funded double-blind trials to establish clinical protocols that wouldn't scare off nations with naive nightmares of acid burnouts. Since then, a distinguished report from political luminaries like ex-United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and ex-U.S. Secretary of State George Schulz called for MDMA and cannabis legalization, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved studies for cannabis treatment of PTSD, Swiss psychiatrist Peter Gasser became the first officially sanctioned LSD therapy researcher in 35 years, and the results of Mithoefer's groundbreaking research, reported last July in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, generated well over 100 media reports.
Ecstasy As Treatment for PTSD from Sexual Trauma and War? New Research Shows Very Promising Results | Drugs | AlterNet
Harry Hucknall, 10, killed himself after taking Ritalin
Captured in a family video, Harry Hucknall gives a cheeky grin before whizzing off down the street on his new bike. His father, Darren, will never forget the moment — when Harry was seven — and often watches the scene again and again.
It is a precious memory of Harry who, one Sunday evening in September last year, kissed his mother Jane and older brother, David, goodnight before going upstairs to his bedroom and locking the door. He then hanged himself with a belt from his bunk bed.
Harry Hucknall, 10, killed himself after taking Ritalin | Mail Online
It is a precious memory of Harry who, one Sunday evening in September last year, kissed his mother Jane and older brother, David, goodnight before going upstairs to his bedroom and locking the door. He then hanged himself with a belt from his bunk bed.
Harry Hucknall, 10, killed himself after taking Ritalin | Mail Online
Baby's first pet may protect against allergies
Rover and Fluffy are unlikely to raise kids' risk of developing pet allergies, and could lower them, according to a new 18-year-long study.
The results showed that, for most of the childhood years, being exposed to a dog or cat had little effect on later allergies. However, exposure lowered the risk for some children if they were exposed to a pet during their first year of life.
Baby's first pet may protect against allergies - Health - Pet health - msnbc.com
The results showed that, for most of the childhood years, being exposed to a dog or cat had little effect on later allergies. However, exposure lowered the risk for some children if they were exposed to a pet during their first year of life.
Baby's first pet may protect against allergies - Health - Pet health - msnbc.com
Mom Hopes to Transplant Uterus Into Daughter
A 56-year-old mother hopes to have her uterus implanted into her daughter by next year so the 25-year-old can have a baby, The Daily Mail reported
Sara Ottosson, a biology teacher in Sweden, was born without reproductive organs due to a rare syndrome, but she wants to have a baby. Her mother, Eva Ottosson, of Nottingham, England, is hoping to give her the same womb she carried her in.
“I’m a biology teacher and it’s just an organ like any other organ,” Sara Ottosson told to the Daily Telegraph. “It would mean the world to me for this to work and to have children.”
Mom Hopes to Transplant Uterus Into Daughter - FoxNews.com
Sara Ottosson, a biology teacher in Sweden, was born without reproductive organs due to a rare syndrome, but she wants to have a baby. Her mother, Eva Ottosson, of Nottingham, England, is hoping to give her the same womb she carried her in.
“I’m a biology teacher and it’s just an organ like any other organ,” Sara Ottosson told to the Daily Telegraph. “It would mean the world to me for this to work and to have children.”
Mom Hopes to Transplant Uterus Into Daughter - FoxNews.com
Training via Video Game Shown to Boost Kids' Brain Power
Playing a memory-straining video game can help children solve problems more easily, a goal that can be difficult to achieve through so-called cognitive training, a new study suggests.
The research doesn't suggest that ordinary video games have this kind of power. But it does show how a particular type of training can boost brain skills even months later, said study author Susanne M. Jaeggi, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan.
"You have to train, and you have to train well," Jaeggi said. "Effects don't come for free. There is effort involved, just like in physical training when you need to run and not just walk in order to improve your fitness level."
Training via Video Game Shown to Boost Kids' Brain Power - Yahoo! News
The research doesn't suggest that ordinary video games have this kind of power. But it does show how a particular type of training can boost brain skills even months later, said study author Susanne M. Jaeggi, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan.
"You have to train, and you have to train well," Jaeggi said. "Effects don't come for free. There is effort involved, just like in physical training when you need to run and not just walk in order to improve your fitness level."
Training via Video Game Shown to Boost Kids' Brain Power - Yahoo! News
Income disparity makes people unhappy
Many economists and sociologists have warned of the social dangers of a wide gap between the richest and everyone else. Now, a new study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, adds a psychological reason to narrow the disparity -- it makes people unhappy.
Income disparity makes people unhappy
Income disparity makes people unhappy
June 10, 2011
An Alice-in-Wonderland universe? Physicist discovers an apparent cosmic parity violation
Does our universe have mirror symmetry? That is the question Prof. Michael Longo of the University of Michigan's Physics Department asked. The answer could perhaps be found by studying the rotation directions of spiral galaxies.
Physicists and astronomers have always assumed that the Universe has this symmetry. To test this, Longo and his team of five undergraduates used data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to study the rotation directions of spiral galaxies. The mirror image of a counter-clockwise rotating galaxy, like the example, would have clockwise rotation. An excess of one type over the other would be evidence for a breakdown of mirror symmetry, or, in physics speak, a "parity violation" on cosmic scales.
An Alice-in-Wonderland universe? Physicist discovers an apparent cosmic parity violation
Physicists and astronomers have always assumed that the Universe has this symmetry. To test this, Longo and his team of five undergraduates used data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to study the rotation directions of spiral galaxies. The mirror image of a counter-clockwise rotating galaxy, like the example, would have clockwise rotation. An excess of one type over the other would be evidence for a breakdown of mirror symmetry, or, in physics speak, a "parity violation" on cosmic scales.
An Alice-in-Wonderland universe? Physicist discovers an apparent cosmic parity violation
Using waste heat from automobile exhaust
With the completion of a successful prototype, engineers at Oregon State University have made a major step toward addressing one of the leading problems in energy use around the world today -- the waste of half or more of the energy produced by cars, factories and power plants.
New technology is being developed at OSU to capture and use the low-to-medium grade waste heat that's now going out the exhaust pipe of millions of automobiles, diesel generators, or being wasted by factories and electrical utilities.
Using waste heat from automobile exhaust
New technology is being developed at OSU to capture and use the low-to-medium grade waste heat that's now going out the exhaust pipe of millions of automobiles, diesel generators, or being wasted by factories and electrical utilities.
Using waste heat from automobile exhaust
Activist Post: New NASA research points to possible HAARP connection in Japan earthquake, tsunami
Recent data released by Dimitar Ouzounov and colleagues from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland highlights some strange atmospheric anomalies over Japan just days before the massive earthquake and tsunami struck on March 11. Seemingly inexplicable and rapid heating of the ionosphere directly above the epicenter reached a maximum only three days prior to the quake, according to satellite observations, suggesting that directed energy emitted from transmitters used in the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) may have been responsible for inducing the quake.
Activist Post: New NASA research points to possible HAARP connection in Japan earthquake, tsunami
Activist Post: New NASA research points to possible HAARP connection in Japan earthquake, tsunami
Nicotine's Appetite Suppressant Effect Now Understood
People have long turned to smoking to help curb weight. I know: I was one of them. I didn't know it was the nicotine that did the trick, I just knew I ate less when I smoked. The scientific community now understands how nicotine does this. The discovery may open the flood gates to successful new weight-loss drugs in the future.
Science, the weekly journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) published Friday the results of research into the mechanism of nicotine in the brain, written by Yann S. Mineur, et al.
NPR reports that the insight into the effect of nicotine on appetite happened by accident. Mineur was performing a research study on chemicals for the treatment of depression, part of which was to give mice a chemical similar to nicotine. Mineur noted that the mice who were receiving the nicotine-like chemical ate less than the mice who were not receiving it. Mineur shared this observation with other scientists and the quest was on to determine how nicotine affected appetite.
Nicotine's Appetite Suppressant Effect Now Understood - Yahoo! News
Science, the weekly journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) published Friday the results of research into the mechanism of nicotine in the brain, written by Yann S. Mineur, et al.
NPR reports that the insight into the effect of nicotine on appetite happened by accident. Mineur was performing a research study on chemicals for the treatment of depression, part of which was to give mice a chemical similar to nicotine. Mineur noted that the mice who were receiving the nicotine-like chemical ate less than the mice who were not receiving it. Mineur shared this observation with other scientists and the quest was on to determine how nicotine affected appetite.
Nicotine's Appetite Suppressant Effect Now Understood - Yahoo! News
Argentine lab clones cow to produce human-like milk
An Argentine laboratory announced that it had created the world's first transgenic cow, using human genes that will allow the animal to produce the equivalent of mothers' milk.
"The cloned cow, named Rosita ISA, is the first bovine born in the world that incorporates human genes that contain the proteins present in human milk," Argentina's National Institute of Agrobusiness Technology said in a statement on Thursday.
Rosita ISA was born on April 6 by Ceasarian because she weighed more than 45 kilos (99 pounds), about twice the normal weight of Jersey cows, according to the statement.
Argentine lab clones cow to produce human-like milk - Yahoo! News
"The cloned cow, named Rosita ISA, is the first bovine born in the world that incorporates human genes that contain the proteins present in human milk," Argentina's National Institute of Agrobusiness Technology said in a statement on Thursday.
Rosita ISA was born on April 6 by Ceasarian because she weighed more than 45 kilos (99 pounds), about twice the normal weight of Jersey cows, according to the statement.
Argentine lab clones cow to produce human-like milk - Yahoo! News
Tests 'reject new particle claim'
Cross-checks on data that hinted at the discovery of a new sub-atomic particle have failed to find support for the observation.
In May, researchers working on the CDF experiment at the US Tevatron "atom smasher" announced they had detected tantalising hints of an unanticipated particle.
But independent checks using a separate experiment called DZero have not been able to corroborate the findings - dealing a blow to the idea.
BBC News - Tests 'reject new particle claim'
In May, researchers working on the CDF experiment at the US Tevatron "atom smasher" announced they had detected tantalising hints of an unanticipated particle.
But independent checks using a separate experiment called DZero have not been able to corroborate the findings - dealing a blow to the idea.
BBC News - Tests 'reject new particle claim'
June 9, 2011
An alternative to antibiotics
Antibiotics are among the greatest achievements of medical science. But lately the former multi-purpose weapon fails in the battle against infectious diseases. Bacteria are increasingly developing resistance to antibiotics. Researchers have now found a therapeutic equivalent which could replace penicillin and related phamaceuticals.
An alternative to antibiotics
An alternative to antibiotics
Diving bell spiders use bubble webs 'like gills'
Diving bell spiders only need to come up for air once a day, according to researchers.
The spiders are named for their sub-aqua webs which they fill with air in order to breathe underwater.
Scientists studying the European arachnids measured oxygen levels inside and around an air bubble web.
They found that the bubble acted like a gill, extracting dissolved oxygen from the water and dispersing carbon dioxide.
BBC Nature - Diving bell spiders use bubble webs 'like gills'
The spiders are named for their sub-aqua webs which they fill with air in order to breathe underwater.
Scientists studying the European arachnids measured oxygen levels inside and around an air bubble web.
They found that the bubble acted like a gill, extracting dissolved oxygen from the water and dispersing carbon dioxide.
BBC Nature - Diving bell spiders use bubble webs 'like gills'
Scientists: Frog Secretions May Treat Diabetes, Cancer
Scientists in Ireland accidentally discovered that frog secretions could potentially treat up to 70 diseases including cancer and diabetes, The Daily Mail reported.
The scientists, from Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland, were doing research on the waxy monkey frog, which hails from South America, when they found proteins in its skin secretions hold properties that can control the growth of blood vessels. This is known as angiogenesis.
Scientists: Frog Secretions May Treat Diabetes, Cancer - FoxNews.com
The scientists, from Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland, were doing research on the waxy monkey frog, which hails from South America, when they found proteins in its skin secretions hold properties that can control the growth of blood vessels. This is known as angiogenesis.
Scientists: Frog Secretions May Treat Diabetes, Cancer - FoxNews.com
June 8, 2011
Fluoride Poisoning – It’s All Over
German and Austrian scientists knew in the
early 1930s that an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
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.
For the US government, long partnered with the
pharmaceutical industry, to then force this same treatment
on a nation of people with healthy thyroids under the lie
that fluoride “prevents cavities in children,” is
unconscionable.
The Nuremberg Code of ethics pertaining to human experimentation labels it an act of crime, stating, “The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.” Today, 70% of the US is being forced to receive this thyroid-blocking chemical via their water without consent or medical monitoring for overdose, allergic reaction or blocked thyroid function. The benefits are being reaped by the largest of US industries: The pharmaceutical industry. Fluoride has created a nation of suffering people seeking more drugs to treat blocked thyroids and fluoride toxicity. We might drink bottled water, but most of us cannot avoid the bathwater.
Activist Post: Fluoride Poisoning – It’s All Over
The Nuremberg Code of ethics pertaining to human experimentation labels it an act of crime, stating, “The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.” Today, 70% of the US is being forced to receive this thyroid-blocking chemical via their water without consent or medical monitoring for overdose, allergic reaction or blocked thyroid function. The benefits are being reaped by the largest of US industries: The pharmaceutical industry. Fluoride has created a nation of suffering people seeking more drugs to treat blocked thyroids and fluoride toxicity. We might drink bottled water, but most of us cannot avoid the bathwater.
Activist Post: Fluoride Poisoning – It’s All Over
Chameleon Bandage to Help Wounds Heal
An Australian researcher is developing a bandage that could help treatment of chronic wounds by changing color to reveal the state of the wound beneath.
The invention could improve the quality of life of many, as well as reduce the $500 million cost of chronic wound care in Australia.
CSIRO materials scientist, Louise van der Werff, is presenting her research as part of this year's Fresh Science.
"What I've developed is something that changes color in response to changes in temperature," says van der Werff, who is doing the research as part of a PhD at Monash University in Melbourne.
Chameleon Bandage to Help Wounds Heal : Discovery News
The invention could improve the quality of life of many, as well as reduce the $500 million cost of chronic wound care in Australia.
CSIRO materials scientist, Louise van der Werff, is presenting her research as part of this year's Fresh Science.
"What I've developed is something that changes color in response to changes in temperature," says van der Werff, who is doing the research as part of a PhD at Monash University in Melbourne.
Chameleon Bandage to Help Wounds Heal : Discovery News
Stop on red: The effects of color may lie deep in evolution
Almost universally, red means stop. Red means danger. Red means hot. And analyzing the results in the 2004 Olympics, researchers have found that red also means dominance. Athletes wearing red prevailed more often than those wearing blue, especially in hand-to-hand sports like wrestling.
Stop on red: The effects of color may lie deep in evolution
Stop on red: The effects of color may lie deep in evolution
Scientists show heart can repair itself, with help
British scientists have managed to transform a type of stem-like cell in adult mouse hearts into functioning heart muscle in research proving that the heart has dormant repair cells that can be reactivated.
Although the research has yet to be translated into humans and is in its very early stages, the results suggest that in the future, a drug could be developed to prompt and prime hearts damaged by cardiac arrest into repairing themselves.
"I could envisage a patient known to be at risk of a heart attack taking an oral tablet...which would prime their heart so that if they had a heart attack the damage could be repaired," said Paul Riley of University College London, who led the study.
Scientists show heart can repair itself, with help - Yahoo! News
Although the research has yet to be translated into humans and is in its very early stages, the results suggest that in the future, a drug could be developed to prompt and prime hearts damaged by cardiac arrest into repairing themselves.
"I could envisage a patient known to be at risk of a heart attack taking an oral tablet...which would prime their heart so that if they had a heart attack the damage could be repaired," said Paul Riley of University College London, who led the study.
Scientists show heart can repair itself, with help - Yahoo! News
Weeds Increasingly Immune To Herbicides
Agriculture’s most effective pesticides are rapidly losing their punch as weeds evolve resistance to the chemicals. With no game-changing alternatives in the pipeline, researchers warn that farmers could soon see crop yields drop and production prices climb.
“It’s what Chuck Darwin talked about back in 1850. Organisms evolve in response to selection pressures in their environment,” says Micheal Owen, an extension weed scientist at Iowa State University in Ames. “In essence, the better we get at controlling weeds, the more likely those efforts will select for survivors that do not respond to controls.”
Weeds Increasingly Immune To Herbicides - Science News
“It’s what Chuck Darwin talked about back in 1850. Organisms evolve in response to selection pressures in their environment,” says Micheal Owen, an extension weed scientist at Iowa State University in Ames. “In essence, the better we get at controlling weeds, the more likely those efforts will select for survivors that do not respond to controls.”
Weeds Increasingly Immune To Herbicides - Science News
An apple (peel) a day may keep atrophy away
A waxy substance found in apple peels may promote muscle growth and the prevent muscle wasting that is a hallmark of aging, fasting or illness, a new study in mice suggests.
Mice given the compound, called ursolic acid, became leaner and had lower blood levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. The findings therefore suggest that ursolic acid may be responsible for some of the overall benefits of healthy eating, the study said.
Further, the results suggest the compound is a promising drug candidate to treat muscle wasting, the researchers said. Currently, there are no drugs for the condition.
An apple (peel) a day may keep atrophy away - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
Mice given the compound, called ursolic acid, became leaner and had lower blood levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. The findings therefore suggest that ursolic acid may be responsible for some of the overall benefits of healthy eating, the study said.
Further, the results suggest the compound is a promising drug candidate to treat muscle wasting, the researchers said. Currently, there are no drugs for the condition.
An apple (peel) a day may keep atrophy away - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
New report suggests coffee should be sold with a warning
A new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences suggests that coffee should come with a health warning.
Professor Simon Crowe led the team that looked into the affects of coffee for La Trobe University in Victoria.
He tells Radio 5 live Up All Night's Rhod Sharp that if you have got a high-stress lifestyle and a heavy caffeine habit you could be getting more than you bargained for; you could start hearing voices.
BBC News - New report suggests coffee should be sold with a warning
Professor Simon Crowe led the team that looked into the affects of coffee for La Trobe University in Victoria.
He tells Radio 5 live Up All Night's Rhod Sharp that if you have got a high-stress lifestyle and a heavy caffeine habit you could be getting more than you bargained for; you could start hearing voices.
BBC News - New report suggests coffee should be sold with a warning
The Earth Is Full
You really do have to wonder whether a few years from now we’ll look back at the first decade of the 21st century — when food prices spiked, energy prices soared, world population surged, tornados plowed through cities, floods and droughts set records, populations were displaced and governments were threatened by the confluence of it all — and ask ourselves: What were we thinking? How did we not panic when the evidence was so obvious that we’d crossed some growth/climate/natural resource/population redlines all at once?
The Earth Is Full - NYTimes.com
The Earth Is Full - NYTimes.com
Greenpeace accuses Barbie of destroying Indonesia rainforests
Greenpeace said on Wednesday it had evidence that Barbie doll packaging comes from Indonesian rainforests, accusing toy manufacturers such as Mattel and Walt Disney Co of contributing to the country's rapid deforestation.
On Tuesday, Greenpeace activists dressed as Ken dolls abseiled down the side of Mattel headquarters near Los Angeles to unfurl a banner saying Barbie packaging contributes to rainforest destruction.
The massive pink-and-blue sign on the Mattel building outside Los Angeles, featured a frowning Ken declaring: "Barbie, it's over. I don't date girls that are into deforestation."
Greenpeace accuses Barbie of destroying Indonesia rainforests - Yahoo! News
On Tuesday, Greenpeace activists dressed as Ken dolls abseiled down the side of Mattel headquarters near Los Angeles to unfurl a banner saying Barbie packaging contributes to rainforest destruction.
The massive pink-and-blue sign on the Mattel building outside Los Angeles, featured a frowning Ken declaring: "Barbie, it's over. I don't date girls that are into deforestation."
Greenpeace accuses Barbie of destroying Indonesia rainforests - Yahoo! News
New elements added to chemistry's periodic table
Two new elements have been added to the periodic table after a three-year review by the governing bodies of chemistry and physics.
The elements are currently unnamed, but they are both highly radioactive and exist for less than a second before decaying into lighter atoms.
The table is the official compedium of known elements, organised according to properties of their atomic structure.
BBC News - New elements added to chemistry's periodic table
The elements are currently unnamed, but they are both highly radioactive and exist for less than a second before decaying into lighter atoms.
The table is the official compedium of known elements, organised according to properties of their atomic structure.
BBC News - New elements added to chemistry's periodic table
Ancient Farmers Started the First 'Green Revolution'
The 1960s marked a turning point for agriculture in Asia: that's when plant breeders launched a "green revolution" in rice production, selecting variants of a single gene that boosted yields across the continent. A new study finds that prehistoric farmers were revolutionaries, too. They apparently harnessed that same gene when they first domesticated rice as early as 10,000 years ago.
The history of rice farming is very complex, but the basic facts are well established. All of today's domesticated rice belongs to the species Oryza sativa, which descends from the wild ancestor Oryza rufipogon. O. sativa has two major subspecies, japonica (short-grain rice grown mostly in Japan) and indica (long-grain rice grown mostly in India, Southeast Asia, and southern China).
Ancient Farmers Started the First 'Green Revolution' - ScienceNOW
The history of rice farming is very complex, but the basic facts are well established. All of today's domesticated rice belongs to the species Oryza sativa, which descends from the wild ancestor Oryza rufipogon. O. sativa has two major subspecies, japonica (short-grain rice grown mostly in Japan) and indica (long-grain rice grown mostly in India, Southeast Asia, and southern China).
Ancient Farmers Started the First 'Green Revolution' - ScienceNOW
June 7, 2011
Prolonged bottle-feeding tied to kids' obesity
Two-year-olds who are still using bottles are more likely to be obese by kindergarten, a new study finds.
Researchers who studied 6,750 U.S. children found that toddlers who were still drinking from bottles at age 2 were one-third more likely than other kids to be obese at the age of 5.
The researchers do not know whether long-term bottle-feeding is directly to blame.
But they say their findings raise the possibility that weaning babies from the bottle around their first birthday could help prevent excessive weight gain.
Prolonged bottle-feeding tied to kids' obesity - Yahoo! News
Researchers who studied 6,750 U.S. children found that toddlers who were still drinking from bottles at age 2 were one-third more likely than other kids to be obese at the age of 5.
The researchers do not know whether long-term bottle-feeding is directly to blame.
But they say their findings raise the possibility that weaning babies from the bottle around their first birthday could help prevent excessive weight gain.
Prolonged bottle-feeding tied to kids' obesity - Yahoo! News
Barefoot running: To ditch the shoes or not?
A hot issue among runners is whether running in bare feet reduces or increases the risk of injury. Stuart Warden, associate professor and director of research in the Department of Physical Therapy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, says for some runners it could do both.
The reason it could do both, Warden said, has to do with whether you grew up running in standard athletic shoes. The feet of runners land differently, depending on whether one is running in bare feet or in athletic shoes with a big cushion under the heel.
Barefoot running: To ditch the shoes or not?
The reason it could do both, Warden said, has to do with whether you grew up running in standard athletic shoes. The feet of runners land differently, depending on whether one is running in bare feet or in athletic shoes with a big cushion under the heel.
Barefoot running: To ditch the shoes or not?
Overweight more harmful to the liver than alcohol in middle-aged men, Swedish study reveals
Overweight carries a greatly increased risk of cirrhosis of the liver in men, reveals a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy. "Given the increasing problem of overweight in Sweden, there is reason to fear that more people will develop cirrhosis of the liver," says Jerzy Kaczynski, docent at the University of Gothenburg and doctor at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
Overweight more harmful to the liver than alcohol in middle-aged men, Swedish study reveals
Overweight more harmful to the liver than alcohol in middle-aged men, Swedish study reveals
Birth-control pill does not lead to weight gain, Swedish research finds
Many young women do not want to start taking the contraceptive pill because they are worried that they will put on weight, or come off it because they think that they have gained weight because of it. However, a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has demonstrated that the combined contraceptive pill does not cause weight increase.
In her thesis, Ingela Lindh reports on a long-term study of 1,749 women born in 1962, 1972 and 1982 who answered questions about matters such as contraception, pregnancies, height/weight and smoking habits every five years from the age of 19 to 44.
"The women who were on the pill and were monitored from their teenage years until the age of 34 didn't put on any more weight than their peers who had never taken the pill at all," says Lindh, a registered midwife and researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Birth-control pill does not lead to weight gain, Swedish research finds
In her thesis, Ingela Lindh reports on a long-term study of 1,749 women born in 1962, 1972 and 1982 who answered questions about matters such as contraception, pregnancies, height/weight and smoking habits every five years from the age of 19 to 44.
"The women who were on the pill and were monitored from their teenage years until the age of 34 didn't put on any more weight than their peers who had never taken the pill at all," says Lindh, a registered midwife and researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Birth-control pill does not lead to weight gain, Swedish research finds
Paved surfaces can foster build-up of polluted air
New research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters weather patterns in a way that can make it easier for pollutants to accumulate during warm summer weather instead of being blown out to sea.
The international study, led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), could have implications for the air quality of fast-growing coastal cities in the United States and other midlatitude regions overseas. The reason: the proliferation of strip malls, subdivisions, and other paved areas may interfere with breezes needed to clear away smog and other pollution.
Paved surfaces can foster build-up of polluted air
The international study, led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), could have implications for the air quality of fast-growing coastal cities in the United States and other midlatitude regions overseas. The reason: the proliferation of strip malls, subdivisions, and other paved areas may interfere with breezes needed to clear away smog and other pollution.
Paved surfaces can foster build-up of polluted air
Using magnets to help prevent heart attacks: Magnetic field can reduce blood viscosity, physicist discovers
If a person's blood becomes too thick it can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attacks. But a Temple University physicist has discovered that he can thin the human blood by subjecting it to a magnetic field.
Rongjia Tao, professor and chair of physics at Temple University, has pioneered the use of electric or magnetic fields to decrease the viscosity of oil in engines and pipelines. Now, he is using the same magnetic fields to thin human blood in the circulation system.
Using magnets to help prevent heart attacks: Magnetic field can reduce blood viscosity, physicist discovers
Rongjia Tao, professor and chair of physics at Temple University, has pioneered the use of electric or magnetic fields to decrease the viscosity of oil in engines and pipelines. Now, he is using the same magnetic fields to thin human blood in the circulation system.
Using magnets to help prevent heart attacks: Magnetic field can reduce blood viscosity, physicist discovers
Dirty Truth: Humans Eat Dirt to Shield the Stomach
If you crave a snack of dirt and clay, you may be pregnant. New research shows that eating dirt, also called geophagy, is most common during the early stages of pregnancy and in young children, where the clay has a soothing effect on the stomach and can protect the individual from viruses and bacteria.
"This clay can either bind to harmful things, like microbes, pathogens and viruses, that we are eating or can make a barrier, like a mud mask for our gut," said study researcher Sera Young, at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. "Contextualizing this, making it clear to people that its not such a weird behavior, will help women come forth and not feel so alone."
The practice is most common in warm, tropical areas, though it has been found all over the world, including in the United States. Most people with dirt cravings don't readily admit it, though. Several hypotheses have been put forth to understand why some people eat dirt, though there is no consensus.
Dirty Truth: Humans Eat Dirt to Shield the Stomach - Yahoo! News
"This clay can either bind to harmful things, like microbes, pathogens and viruses, that we are eating or can make a barrier, like a mud mask for our gut," said study researcher Sera Young, at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. "Contextualizing this, making it clear to people that its not such a weird behavior, will help women come forth and not feel so alone."
The practice is most common in warm, tropical areas, though it has been found all over the world, including in the United States. Most people with dirt cravings don't readily admit it, though. Several hypotheses have been put forth to understand why some people eat dirt, though there is no consensus.
Dirty Truth: Humans Eat Dirt to Shield the Stomach - Yahoo! News
Can Cranberry Juice Cure Ulcers?
Cranberry juice has a long history as a home remedy for bladder infections. But scientists in recent years have quietly studied whether it might also work against Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for most ulcers.
Scientists have known for some time that the juice effectively prevents some species of bacteria from adhering to the cell receptors along the urinary tract, which in theory should reduce the risk of bladder infections. The same mechanism is believed to work against ulcer formation: Compounds in cranberry juice called proanthocyanidins are thought to keep H. pylori from adhering to the lining of the stomach.
Can Cranberry Juice Cure Ulcers? - NYTimes.com
Scientists have known for some time that the juice effectively prevents some species of bacteria from adhering to the cell receptors along the urinary tract, which in theory should reduce the risk of bladder infections. The same mechanism is believed to work against ulcer formation: Compounds in cranberry juice called proanthocyanidins are thought to keep H. pylori from adhering to the lining of the stomach.
Can Cranberry Juice Cure Ulcers? - NYTimes.com
Your name impacts how others judge you
Alexandra will get an A in class but Amber won't. At least, that's what their peers expect, according to a small new study of the meanings encoded in people's names.
"The name you give your kid is sort of a proxy for a whole bunch of things in our culture," study researcher John Waggoner of Bloomberg University of Pennsylvania told LiveScience. Names have been linked to many life choices, including what kind of work people do and how they donate to charity.
Your name impacts how others judge you - Health - Behavior - msnbc.com
"The name you give your kid is sort of a proxy for a whole bunch of things in our culture," study researcher John Waggoner of Bloomberg University of Pennsylvania told LiveScience. Names have been linked to many life choices, including what kind of work people do and how they donate to charity.
Your name impacts how others judge you - Health - Behavior - msnbc.com
Bacteria that clean art: Restorers and microbiologists use bacteria to make works of art shine like new
Researchers at the Institute of Heritage Restoration (IRP) and the Centre for Advanced Food Microbiology (CAMA), both from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), are beginning to experiment with this new technique on the frescoes of Antonio Palomino from the 17th century in the Church of Santos Juanes in Valencia.
They have shown that a certain type of micro-organism is capable of cleaning works of art in a fast, specific and respectful way as well as being non-toxic for the restorer and the environment.
The team that has completed the tests consists of microbiology professor Rosa Maria Montes Estellés, restoration professor José Luis Regidor Ros, professor Pilar Roig and Pilar Bosch, a biologist with a PhD in Science and Heritage Restoration.
Bacteria that clean art: Restorers and microbiologists use bacteria to make works of art shine like new
They have shown that a certain type of micro-organism is capable of cleaning works of art in a fast, specific and respectful way as well as being non-toxic for the restorer and the environment.
The team that has completed the tests consists of microbiology professor Rosa Maria Montes Estellés, restoration professor José Luis Regidor Ros, professor Pilar Roig and Pilar Bosch, a biologist with a PhD in Science and Heritage Restoration.
Bacteria that clean art: Restorers and microbiologists use bacteria to make works of art shine like new
‘Sleep on it’ is sound, science-based advice, study suggests
In recent years, much sleep research has focused on memory, but now results of a new study by University of Massachusetts Amherst psychologist Rebecca Spencer and colleagues suggest another key effect of sleep is facilitating and enhancing complex cognitive skills such as decision-making.
In one of the first studies of its kind, Spencer and postdoctoral fellow Edward Pace-Schott investigated the effects of sleep on affect-guided decision-making, that is decisions on meaningful topics where subjects care about the outcome, in a group of 54 young adults. They were taught to play a card game for rewards of play money in which wins and losses for various card decks mimic casino gambling.
‘Sleep on it’ is sound, science-based advice, study suggests
In one of the first studies of its kind, Spencer and postdoctoral fellow Edward Pace-Schott investigated the effects of sleep on affect-guided decision-making, that is decisions on meaningful topics where subjects care about the outcome, in a group of 54 young adults. They were taught to play a card game for rewards of play money in which wins and losses for various card decks mimic casino gambling.
‘Sleep on it’ is sound, science-based advice, study suggests
June 6, 2011
Japanese astronaut plans to grow space cucumbers
Cucumbers may be out of favor on earth, but a Japanese astronaut said Monday that he plans to harvest the vegetable on board the International Space Station.
Satoshi Furukawa is set to blast off early Wednesday for a half-year stint in orbit along with Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov and NASA astronaut Michael Fossum.
Speaking about experiments scheduled for the next few months, Furukawa said he would be growing cucumbers as part of ongoing studies on how future space explorers will be able to harvest their own food.
Japanese astronaut plans to grow space cucumbers - Yahoo! News
Satoshi Furukawa is set to blast off early Wednesday for a half-year stint in orbit along with Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov and NASA astronaut Michael Fossum.
Speaking about experiments scheduled for the next few months, Furukawa said he would be growing cucumbers as part of ongoing studies on how future space explorers will be able to harvest their own food.
Japanese astronaut plans to grow space cucumbers - Yahoo! News
Material turns hard or soft at the touch of a button
A world premiere: a material which changes its strength, virtually at the touch of a button. This transformation can be achieved in a matter of seconds through changes in the electron structure of a material; thus hard and brittle matter, for example, can become soft and malleable. What makes this development revolutionary, is that the transformation can be controlled by electric signals.
Material turns hard or soft at the touch of a button
Material turns hard or soft at the touch of a button
Toxin from GM crops found in human blood
Fresh doubts have arisen about the safety of genetically modified crops, with a new study reporting presence of Bt toxin, used widely in GM crops, in human blood for the first time.
Genetically modified crops include genes extracted from bacteria to make them resistant to pest attacks.
These genes make crops toxic to pests but are claimed to pose no danger to the environment and human health. Genetically modified brinjal, whose commercial release was stopped a year ago, has a toxin derived from a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt).
Toxin from GM crops found in human blood: Study : North: India Today
Genetically modified crops include genes extracted from bacteria to make them resistant to pest attacks.
These genes make crops toxic to pests but are claimed to pose no danger to the environment and human health. Genetically modified brinjal, whose commercial release was stopped a year ago, has a toxin derived from a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt).
Toxin from GM crops found in human blood: Study : North: India Today
Biodegradable Products May Be Bad For The Environment
Research from North Carolina State University shows that so-called biodegradable products are likely doing more harm than good in landfills, because they are releasing a powerful greenhouse gas as they break down.
“Biodegradable materials, such as disposable cups and utensils, are broken down in landfills by microorganisms that then produce methane,” says Dr. Morton Barlaz, co-author of a paper describing the research and professor and head of NC State’s Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. “Methane can be a valuable energy source when captured, but is a potent greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere.”
And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that only about 35 percent of municipal solid waste goes to landfills that capture methane for energy use. EPA estimates that another 34 percent of landfills capture methane and burn it off on-site, while 31 percent allow the methane to escape.
NCSU News :: NC State News and Information » Study: Biodegradable Products May Be Bad For The Environment
“Biodegradable materials, such as disposable cups and utensils, are broken down in landfills by microorganisms that then produce methane,” says Dr. Morton Barlaz, co-author of a paper describing the research and professor and head of NC State’s Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. “Methane can be a valuable energy source when captured, but is a potent greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere.”
And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that only about 35 percent of municipal solid waste goes to landfills that capture methane for energy use. EPA estimates that another 34 percent of landfills capture methane and burn it off on-site, while 31 percent allow the methane to escape.
NCSU News :: NC State News and Information » Study: Biodegradable Products May Be Bad For The Environment
Antimatter atoms are corralled even longer
Scientists have succeeded in trapping atoms of anti-hydrogen for more than 15 minutes.
The feat is a big improvement on efforts reported last year that could corral this mirror of normal hydrogen for just fractions of a second at best.
The researchers tell Nature Physics journal that they can now probe the properties of antimatter in detail.
BBC News - Antimatter atoms are corralled even longer
The feat is a big improvement on efforts reported last year that could corral this mirror of normal hydrogen for just fractions of a second at best.
The researchers tell Nature Physics journal that they can now probe the properties of antimatter in detail.
BBC News - Antimatter atoms are corralled even longer
June 1, 2011
Newly Discovered Bacteria Lives on Caffeine
Think you live on caffeine? You're still no match for a newly described bitty bacteria called Pseudomonas putida CBB5. These little guys can feast on pure caffeine all day—and presumably all night—long. And researchers have now located just how they accomplish this arguably admirable feat.
Celebrated and cursed, caffeine is actually an alluring blend of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, and the clever bacterium uses specialized enzymes as it "breaks caffeine down into carbon dioxide and ammonia," Ryan Summers, a doctoral researcher in chemical and biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa, said in a prepared statement.
Observations: Newly Discovered Bacteria Lives on Caffeine
Celebrated and cursed, caffeine is actually an alluring blend of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, and the clever bacterium uses specialized enzymes as it "breaks caffeine down into carbon dioxide and ammonia," Ryan Summers, a doctoral researcher in chemical and biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa, said in a prepared statement.
Observations: Newly Discovered Bacteria Lives on Caffeine
Narcissist or Sociopath? What's the Difference?
I have noticed a great deal of discussion lately on the difference between the Narcissist and the Sociopath. An update to the Diagnostics & Statistics Manual (the bible for mental health professionals) is due out in 2013 and speculation regarding upcoming revisions has caused a great deal of controversy in the mental health field.
Some reports indicate the American Psychological Association (APA) will condense or combine some of the personality disorders. While we cannot predict what changes the APA will make, let’s take a look at these two personality disorders as they are currently defined in the DSM-IV:
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
THE NARCISSIST – This person is an elitist and exists to be adored and admired.
• A pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.
• Think Wall Street (Gordon Gecko) or American Gigolo (Richard Gere)
Anti-Social Personality Disorder (APD)
THE SOCIOPATH – This person is the con-artist who often exhibits more criminal and violent traits.
• A pervasive disregard for the law and the rights of others.
• Think The Talented Mr. Ripley (Matt Damon) or American Psycho (Christian Bale)
Narcissist or Sociopath? What's the Difference? | Lisa E. Scott
Some reports indicate the American Psychological Association (APA) will condense or combine some of the personality disorders. While we cannot predict what changes the APA will make, let’s take a look at these two personality disorders as they are currently defined in the DSM-IV:
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
THE NARCISSIST – This person is an elitist and exists to be adored and admired.
• A pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.
• Think Wall Street (Gordon Gecko) or American Gigolo (Richard Gere)
Anti-Social Personality Disorder (APD)
THE SOCIOPATH – This person is the con-artist who often exhibits more criminal and violent traits.
• A pervasive disregard for the law and the rights of others.
• Think The Talented Mr. Ripley (Matt Damon) or American Psycho (Christian Bale)
Narcissist or Sociopath? What's the Difference? | Lisa E. Scott
Facial Recognition: The One Technology Google Is Holding Back
Google has been known for ambitiously developing technology that seems more science fiction than Silicon Valley, such as self-driving cars, but former Google CEO Eric Schmidt shared one technology he says is the only one Google has ever built, then withheld: facial recognition.
"We built that technology and we withheld it," Schmidt said of facial recognition at the All Things Digital D9 conference in California. "As far as I know, it's the only technology Google has built and, after looking at it, we decided to stop."
Facial Recognition: The One Technology Google Is Holding Back
"We built that technology and we withheld it," Schmidt said of facial recognition at the All Things Digital D9 conference in California. "As far as I know, it's the only technology Google has built and, after looking at it, we decided to stop."
Facial Recognition: The One Technology Google Is Holding Back
Noisy operations associated with increased infections after surgery
Patients who undergo surgery are more likely to suffer surgical site infections (SSIs) if the operating theatre is noisy, according to research published in the July issue of the British Journal of Surgery.
Swiss researchers studied 35 patients who underwent planned, major abdominal surgery, exploring demographic parameters, the duration of the operation and sound levels in the theatre. Six of the patients (17 per cent) developed SSIs and the only variable was the noise level in the operating theatre, which was considerably higher in the infected patients.
Noisy operations associated with increased infections after surgery
Swiss researchers studied 35 patients who underwent planned, major abdominal surgery, exploring demographic parameters, the duration of the operation and sound levels in the theatre. Six of the patients (17 per cent) developed SSIs and the only variable was the noise level in the operating theatre, which was considerably higher in the infected patients.
Noisy operations associated with increased infections after surgery
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)