March 30, 2012
Crocodiles trump T. rex as heavyweight bite-force champions, new study shows
Paul M. Gignac, Ph.D., Instructor of Research, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and colleagues at Florida State University and in California and Australia, found in a study of all 23 living crocodilian species that crocodiles can kill with the strongest bite force measured for any living animal. The study also revealed that the bite forces of the largest extinct crocodilians exceeded 23,000 pounds, a force two-times greater than the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex.
Bees 'self-medicate' when infected with some pathogens
Research from North Carolina State University shows that honey bees "self-medicate" when their colony is infected with a harmful fungus, bringing in increased amounts of antifungal plant resins to ward off the pathogen.
"The colony is willing to expend the energy and effort of its worker bees to collect these resins," says Dr. Michael Simone-Finstrom, a postdoctoral research scholar in NC State's Department of Entomology and lead author of a paper describing the research. "So, clearly this behavior has evolved because the benefit to the colony exceeds the cost."
Wild honey bees normally line their hives with propolis, a mixture of plant resins and wax that has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Domesticated honey bees also use propolis, to fill in cracks in their hives. However, researchers found that, when faced with a fungal threat, bees bring in significantly more propolis -- 45 percent more, on average. The bees also physically removed infected larvae that had been parasitized by the fungus and were being used to create fungal spores.
"The colony is willing to expend the energy and effort of its worker bees to collect these resins," says Dr. Michael Simone-Finstrom, a postdoctoral research scholar in NC State's Department of Entomology and lead author of a paper describing the research. "So, clearly this behavior has evolved because the benefit to the colony exceeds the cost."
Wild honey bees normally line their hives with propolis, a mixture of plant resins and wax that has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Domesticated honey bees also use propolis, to fill in cracks in their hives. However, researchers found that, when faced with a fungal threat, bees bring in significantly more propolis -- 45 percent more, on average. The bees also physically removed infected larvae that had been parasitized by the fungus and were being used to create fungal spores.
Honeycombs of magnets could lead to new type of computer processing
Scientists have taken an important step forward in developing a new material using nano-sized magnets that could ultimately lead to new types of electronic devices, with greater processing capacity than is currently feasible, in a study published recently in the journal Science.
Many modern data storage devices, like hard disk drives, rely on the ability to manipulate the properties of tiny individual magnetic sections, but their overall design is limited by the way these magnetic 'domains' interact when they are close together.
Now, researchers from Imperial College London have demonstrated that a honeycomb pattern of nano-sized magnets, in a material known as spin ice, introduces competition between neighbouring magnets, and reduces the problems caused by these interactions by two-thirds. They have shown that large arrays of these nano-magnets can be used to store computable information. The arrays can then be read by measuring their electrical resistance.
Many modern data storage devices, like hard disk drives, rely on the ability to manipulate the properties of tiny individual magnetic sections, but their overall design is limited by the way these magnetic 'domains' interact when they are close together.
Now, researchers from Imperial College London have demonstrated that a honeycomb pattern of nano-sized magnets, in a material known as spin ice, introduces competition between neighbouring magnets, and reduces the problems caused by these interactions by two-thirds. They have shown that large arrays of these nano-magnets can be used to store computable information. The arrays can then be read by measuring their electrical resistance.
Strategies Won't Help You Win Mega Millions
Tonight (March 30) is the drawing for the Mega Millions $640 million prize, the largest lottery jackpot in world history. Americans are lining up for tickets in hopes of winning big tonight, and with staggeringly remote 1-in-176 million odds, they're employing all sorts of number-picking strategies to improve their chances of hitting the jackpot.
But will any of these tricks work? Or does the randomness of a bouncing ball trump any scheme?
In the Mega Millions game, players pay $1 for a ticket printed with six two-digit numbers — numbers they can either choose themselves or have randomly generated by the ticket-seller's computer. Theories abound as to which is the better option, and, for those players who make their own picks, whether certain numbers are more likely to win than others.
However, when a group of researchers in California tested these theories against actual lotto statistics, they concluded that strategies are useless.
But will any of these tricks work? Or does the randomness of a bouncing ball trump any scheme?
In the Mega Millions game, players pay $1 for a ticket printed with six two-digit numbers — numbers they can either choose themselves or have randomly generated by the ticket-seller's computer. Theories abound as to which is the better option, and, for those players who make their own picks, whether certain numbers are more likely to win than others.
However, when a group of researchers in California tested these theories against actual lotto statistics, they concluded that strategies are useless.
Puberty Before Age 10 - A New ‘Normal’?
One day last year when her daughter, Ainsley, was 9, Tracee Sioux pulled her out of her elementary school in Fort Collins, Colo., and drove her an hour south, to Longmont, in hopes of finding a satisfying reason that Ainsley began growing pubic hair at age 6. Ainsley was the tallest child in her third-grade class. She had a thick, enviable blond-streaked ponytail and big feet, like a puppy’s. The curves of her Levi’s matched her mother’s.
China suspension bridge - a record breaker
China has put the finishing touches on the world's highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel suspension bridge and will open it to traffic tomorrow in a mountainous region of Hunan province.
The Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge, 355 metres aboe the Dehang Canyon, is part of the 64-kilometre-long Jishou-Chadong Expressway and links tunnels that are 1,176 metres apart.
Pedestrians can enjoy the view from a catwalk just below the two-way, four-lane expressway.
The Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge, 355 metres aboe the Dehang Canyon, is part of the 64-kilometre-long Jishou-Chadong Expressway and links tunnels that are 1,176 metres apart.
Pedestrians can enjoy the view from a catwalk just below the two-way, four-lane expressway.
Emerging fungal infection in South West U.S. mimics cancer
An emerging fungal infection of the gastrointestinal tract that mimics cancer and inflammatory bowel disease appears to be emerging in the Southwestern United States and other desert regions, according to Mayo Clinic researchers in Arizona investigating the disease. The invasive fungus, Basidiobolus ranarum, is typically found in the soil, decaying organic matter and the gastrointestinal tracts of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and bats.
Too Much Homework Is Bad for Kids
Piling on the homework doesn't help kids do better in school. In fact, it can lower their test scores.
That's the conclusion of a group of Australian researchers, who have taken the aggregate results of several recent studies investigating the relationship between time spent on homework and students' academic performance.
According to Richard Walker, an educational psychologist at Sydney University, data shows that in countries where more time is spent on homework, students score lower on a standardized test called the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA. The same correlation is also seen when comparing homework time and test performance at schools within countries. Past studies have also demonstrated this basic trend.
Inundating children with hours of homework each night is detrimental, the research suggests, while an hour or two per week usually doesn't impact test scores one way or the other. However, homework only bolsters students' academic performance during their last three years of grade school. "There is little benefit for most students until senior high school (grades 10-12)," Walker told Life's Little Mysteries.
That's the conclusion of a group of Australian researchers, who have taken the aggregate results of several recent studies investigating the relationship between time spent on homework and students' academic performance.
According to Richard Walker, an educational psychologist at Sydney University, data shows that in countries where more time is spent on homework, students score lower on a standardized test called the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA. The same correlation is also seen when comparing homework time and test performance at schools within countries. Past studies have also demonstrated this basic trend.
Inundating children with hours of homework each night is detrimental, the research suggests, while an hour or two per week usually doesn't impact test scores one way or the other. However, homework only bolsters students' academic performance during their last three years of grade school. "There is little benefit for most students until senior high school (grades 10-12)," Walker told Life's Little Mysteries.
March 29, 2012
Scientists warn of 'emergency on global scale'
Leading scientists on Thursday called on the upcoming Rio Summit to grapple with environmental ills that they said pointed to "a humanitarian emergency on a global scale."
In a "State of the Planet" declaration issued after a four-day conference, the scientists said Earth was now facing unprecedented challenges, from water stress, pollution and species loss to spiraling demands for food.
They called on the June 20-22 followup to the 1992 Earth Summit to overhaul governance of the environment and sweep away a fixation with GDP as the sole barometer of wellbeing.
"The continuing function of the Earth system as it has supported the wellbeing of human civilization in recent centuries is at risk," said the statement issued at the "Planet Under Pressure" conference.
In a "State of the Planet" declaration issued after a four-day conference, the scientists said Earth was now facing unprecedented challenges, from water stress, pollution and species loss to spiraling demands for food.
They called on the June 20-22 followup to the 1992 Earth Summit to overhaul governance of the environment and sweep away a fixation with GDP as the sole barometer of wellbeing.
"The continuing function of the Earth system as it has supported the wellbeing of human civilization in recent centuries is at risk," said the statement issued at the "Planet Under Pressure" conference.
Physicists find patterns in new state of matter
Physicists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered patterns which underlie the properties of a new state of matter.
In a paper published in the March 29 issue of the journal Nature, the scientists describe the emergence of "spontaneous coherence," "spin textures" and "phase singularities" when excitons -- the bound pairs of electrons and holes that determine the optical properties of semiconductors and enable them to function as novel optoelectronic devices -- are cooled to near absolute zero. This cooling leads to the spontaneous production of a new coherent state of matter which the physicists were finally able to measure in great detail in their basement laboratory at UC San Diego at a temperature of only one-tenth of a degree above absolute zero.
In a paper published in the March 29 issue of the journal Nature, the scientists describe the emergence of "spontaneous coherence," "spin textures" and "phase singularities" when excitons -- the bound pairs of electrons and holes that determine the optical properties of semiconductors and enable them to function as novel optoelectronic devices -- are cooled to near absolute zero. This cooling leads to the spontaneous production of a new coherent state of matter which the physicists were finally able to measure in great detail in their basement laboratory at UC San Diego at a temperature of only one-tenth of a degree above absolute zero.
Dating Violence Common by 7th Grade: Survey
Psychological and physical abuse is a common facet of dating for America's adolescents, a new survey reveals.
Researchers who polled more than 1,400 seventh graders found that more than 37 percent of 11- to 14-year olds had been the victim of some form of psychological violence, and almost one in six said they had fallen prey to physical violence while in an ongoing relationship.
"Issues of dating abuse among young teens are much more pervasive than I imagine many families believe," said Peter Long, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation, which co-sponsored the survey with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the organization Futures Without Violence.
Researchers who polled more than 1,400 seventh graders found that more than 37 percent of 11- to 14-year olds had been the victim of some form of psychological violence, and almost one in six said they had fallen prey to physical violence while in an ongoing relationship.
"Issues of dating abuse among young teens are much more pervasive than I imagine many families believe," said Peter Long, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation, which co-sponsored the survey with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the organization Futures Without Violence.
Gurbaksh Chahal, RadiumOne: From Bullied Kid To Multimillionaire
It didn't take long once Gurbaksh Chahal's family emigrated from India to San Jose, Calif., for bullies to target him. "Kindergarten was my first reality check that I looked physically different," Chahal says. Kids started trying to hit the turban off his head when he was 5, and the bullying intensified through middle school and high school. "It got more personal with name-calling and more threatening, violent," he recalls. "As time went on, it got rougher and rougher. A 5-year-old bully is very different from a 15-year-old bully."
With no friends to hang out with, Chahal had the spare time to work side jobs and make thousands of dollars buying low and selling high -- he'd buy refurbished printers from a local flea market for $50 and sell them on eBay for up to $200. He used that money to capitalize a startup, ClickAgents, at age 16, sold that business for $40 million. Then he started his second business, an online advertising company, BlueLithium, which he sold to Yahoo for $300 million in 2007. His latest business, RadiumOne, is an advertising network harnessing social interaction data. Accomplishing all this before age 30, Chahal proves sometimes bullied kids do get the last laugh.
With no friends to hang out with, Chahal had the spare time to work side jobs and make thousands of dollars buying low and selling high -- he'd buy refurbished printers from a local flea market for $50 and sell them on eBay for up to $200. He used that money to capitalize a startup, ClickAgents, at age 16, sold that business for $40 million. Then he started his second business, an online advertising company, BlueLithium, which he sold to Yahoo for $300 million in 2007. His latest business, RadiumOne, is an advertising network harnessing social interaction data. Accomplishing all this before age 30, Chahal proves sometimes bullied kids do get the last laugh.
Obama budget defeated 414-0
President Obama's budget was defeated 414-0 in the House late Wednesday, in a vote Republicans arranged to try to embarrass him and shelve his plan for the rest of the year.
The vote came as the House worked its way through its own fiscal year 2013 budget proposal, written by Budget Committee Chairman Paul D. Ryan. Republicans wrote an amendment that contained Mr. Obama's budget and offered it on the floor, daring Democrats to back the plan, which calls for major tax increases and yet still adds trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.
The vote came as the House worked its way through its own fiscal year 2013 budget proposal, written by Budget Committee Chairman Paul D. Ryan. Republicans wrote an amendment that contained Mr. Obama's budget and offered it on the floor, daring Democrats to back the plan, which calls for major tax increases and yet still adds trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.
In small groups and small towns, opposition to Citizens United spreads
Jennifer Robinson describes herself as an introvert. “I’m not really the kind of person who likes doing presentations,” she says. But on January 23, Jennifer found herself in front of the Greenbelt, MD, city council and dozens of community members, proposing a resolution in support of an amendment to overturn the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision.
“I really had to work myself up to do it,” she says. “But seeing all the other people there supporting this cause was so exciting. And the city council passed the resolution unanimously! They sent a letter to our state legislature supporting a Constitutional amendment.”
Jennifer is part of a “Resilience Circle” in Greenbelt that meets to learn about the economy and the environment, engage in mutual aid, and take social action. Like many others meeting across the country, her circle used a free seven-session curriculum as a guide for its initial meetings. Jennifer’s circle is sponsored by Greenbelt Climate Action Network (a project of CHEARS.org) in partnership with Simplicity Matters Earth Institute.
“I really had to work myself up to do it,” she says. “But seeing all the other people there supporting this cause was so exciting. And the city council passed the resolution unanimously! They sent a letter to our state legislature supporting a Constitutional amendment.”
Jennifer is part of a “Resilience Circle” in Greenbelt that meets to learn about the economy and the environment, engage in mutual aid, and take social action. Like many others meeting across the country, her circle used a free seven-session curriculum as a guide for its initial meetings. Jennifer’s circle is sponsored by Greenbelt Climate Action Network (a project of CHEARS.org) in partnership with Simplicity Matters Earth Institute.
With you in the room, bacteria counts spike -- by about 37 million bacteria per hour
A person's mere presence in a room can add 37 million bacteria to the air every hour -- material largely left behind by previous occupants and stirred up from the floor -- according to new research by Yale University engineers.
"We live in this microbial soup, and a big ingredient is our own microorganisms," said Jordan Peccia, associate professor of environmental engineering at Yale and the principal investigator of a study recently published online in the journal Indoor Air. "Mostly people are re-suspending what's been deposited before. The floor dust turns out to be the major source of the bacteria that we breathe."
Many previous studies have surveyed the variety of germs present in everyday spaces. But this is the first study that quantifies how much a lone human presence affects the level of indoor biological aerosols.
"We live in this microbial soup, and a big ingredient is our own microorganisms," said Jordan Peccia, associate professor of environmental engineering at Yale and the principal investigator of a study recently published online in the journal Indoor Air. "Mostly people are re-suspending what's been deposited before. The floor dust turns out to be the major source of the bacteria that we breathe."
Many previous studies have surveyed the variety of germs present in everyday spaces. But this is the first study that quantifies how much a lone human presence affects the level of indoor biological aerosols.
Conservatives Losing Trust in Science, Study Finds
Politically conservative Americans have lost trust in science over the last 40 years while moderates and liberals have remained constant in the stock they put in the scientific community, a new study finds.
The most educated conservatives have slipped the most, according to the research set to appear in the April issue of the journal American Sociological Review. The change in conservative attitudes likely has to do both with changes in the conservative movement and with changes in science's role in society, said study author Gordon Gaulet, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
The most educated conservatives have slipped the most, according to the research set to appear in the April issue of the journal American Sociological Review. The change in conservative attitudes likely has to do both with changes in the conservative movement and with changes in science's role in society, said study author Gordon Gaulet, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
U.S. autism rates reach new height: CDC
About one in 88 children in the United States has autism or a related disorder, the highest estimate to date and one that is sure to revive a national argument over how the condition is diagnosed and treated.
The estimate released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention represents an overall increase of about 25 percent since the last analysis in 2006 and a near-doubling of the rate reported in 2002.
Among boys, the rate of autism spectrum disorders is one in 54, almost five times that of girls, in whom the rate is one in 252.
The estimate released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention represents an overall increase of about 25 percent since the last analysis in 2006 and a near-doubling of the rate reported in 2002.
Among boys, the rate of autism spectrum disorders is one in 54, almost five times that of girls, in whom the rate is one in 252.
March 28, 2012
Solar ‘towers’ beat panels by up to 20x
Intensive research around the world has focused on improving the performance of solar photovoltaic cells and bringing down their cost. But very little attention has been paid to the best ways of arranging those cells, which are typically placed flat on a rooftop or other surface, or sometimes attached to motorized structures that keep the cells pointed toward the sun as it crosses the sky.
Now, a team of MIT researchers has come up with a very different approach: building cubes or towers that extend the solar cells upward in three-dimensional configurations. Amazingly, the results from the structures they’ve tested show power output ranging from double to more than 20 times that of fixed flat panels with the same base area.
Now, a team of MIT researchers has come up with a very different approach: building cubes or towers that extend the solar cells upward in three-dimensional configurations. Amazingly, the results from the structures they’ve tested show power output ranging from double to more than 20 times that of fixed flat panels with the same base area.
In cancer science, many discoveries don't hold up
A former researcher at Amgen Inc has found that many basic studies on cancer -- a high proportion of them from university labs -- are unreliable, with grim consequences for producing new medicines in the future.
During a decade as head of global cancer research at Amgen, C. Glenn Begley identified 53 "landmark" publications -- papers in top journals, from reputable labs -- for his team to reproduce. Begley sought to double-check the findings before trying to build on them for drug development.
Result: 47 of the 53 could not be replicated. He described his findings in a commentary piece published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.
During a decade as head of global cancer research at Amgen, C. Glenn Begley identified 53 "landmark" publications -- papers in top journals, from reputable labs -- for his team to reproduce. Begley sought to double-check the findings before trying to build on them for drug development.
Result: 47 of the 53 could not be replicated. He described his findings in a commentary piece published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.
New evidence that comets deposited building blocks of life on primordial Earth
New research reported in San Diego on March 27 at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) provides further support for the idea that comets bombarding Earth billions of years ago carried and deposited the key ingredients for life to spring up on the planet.
Jennifer G. Blank, Ph.D., who led the research team, described experiments that recreated with powerful laboratory "guns" and computer models the conditions that existed inside comets when these celestial objects hit Earth's atmosphere at almost 25,000 miles per hour and crashed down upon the surface. The research is part of a broader scientific effort to understand how amino acids and other ingredients for the first living things appeared on a planet that billions of years ago was barren and desolate. Amino acids make up proteins, which are the workhorses of all forms of life, ranging from microbes to people.
Jennifer G. Blank, Ph.D., who led the research team, described experiments that recreated with powerful laboratory "guns" and computer models the conditions that existed inside comets when these celestial objects hit Earth's atmosphere at almost 25,000 miles per hour and crashed down upon the surface. The research is part of a broader scientific effort to understand how amino acids and other ingredients for the first living things appeared on a planet that billions of years ago was barren and desolate. Amino acids make up proteins, which are the workhorses of all forms of life, ranging from microbes to people.
Lightning strikes produce free neutrons, and we're not sure how
For the last 30 years there has been a very small controversy rumbling in the hallowed halls of physics. Way back in 1985, scientists from the then-USSR noted that whenever a thunder storm passed over their neutron detector, they observed an increased flux of neutrons. Unfortunately, they didn't have much in the way of monitoring equipment to really nail down much beyond the initial observation.
Since then, scientists have put forward a couple of potential explanations for the observed flux. One was that the high fields generated during lightning strikes was modifying the trajectories of muons from cosmic ray showers. In short: these are cosmic rays, and this is not interesting. The second was that the gamma rays emitted during the lightning strike generated neutrons, a photonuclear event. But new measurements show that neither of these explanations can explain the data.
Since then, scientists have put forward a couple of potential explanations for the observed flux. One was that the high fields generated during lightning strikes was modifying the trajectories of muons from cosmic ray showers. In short: these are cosmic rays, and this is not interesting. The second was that the gamma rays emitted during the lightning strike generated neutrons, a photonuclear event. But new measurements show that neither of these explanations can explain the data.
Hard Times Mean Fewer Baby Boys, Study Suggests
Pregnant women are more likely to hear "It's a girl!" when giving birth during famine conditions than when times are flush, according to a new study of the 1959-1961 Great Leap Forward famine in China.
The study reveals a dip in the ratio of boys born per girl during the famine years in the country, Shige Song, a demographer and sociologist at Queens College of the City University of New York, reports today (March 27) in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. It's not entirely clear what causes this dip, but evolutionary theory suggests that baby boys may be a genetic gamble for parents, and thus not the best bet when times are lean.
"Investment on male children is a high-risk, high-return game, so you want to do it only if you are in very good situation," Song told LiveScience.
The study reveals a dip in the ratio of boys born per girl during the famine years in the country, Shige Song, a demographer and sociologist at Queens College of the City University of New York, reports today (March 27) in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. It's not entirely clear what causes this dip, but evolutionary theory suggests that baby boys may be a genetic gamble for parents, and thus not the best bet when times are lean.
"Investment on male children is a high-risk, high-return game, so you want to do it only if you are in very good situation," Song told LiveScience.
Bacteria use chat to play the 'prisoner's dilemma' game in deciding their fate
When faced with life-or-death situations, bacteria -- and maybe even human cells -- use an extremely sophisticated version of "game theory" to consider their options and decide upon the best course of action, scientists reported in San Diego March 27. In a presentation at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), they said microbes "play" a version of the classic "Prisoner's Dilemma" game.
José Onuchic, Ph.D., who headed the research team, said these and other new insights into the "chat" sessions that bacteria use to communicate among themselves -- information about cell stress, the colony density (quorum-sensing peptides) and the stress status and inclinations of neighboring cells (peptide pheromones) -- could have far-reaching medical applications.
José Onuchic, Ph.D., who headed the research team, said these and other new insights into the "chat" sessions that bacteria use to communicate among themselves -- information about cell stress, the colony density (quorum-sensing peptides) and the stress status and inclinations of neighboring cells (peptide pheromones) -- could have far-reaching medical applications.
March 27, 2012
Welcome to the Multiverse
Theoretical cosmologist isn’t one of the more hazardous occupations of the modern world. The big risks include jet lag, caffeine overdose, and possibly carpal tunnel syndrome. It wasn’t always so. On February 17, 1600, Giordano Bruno, a mathematician and Dominican friar, was stripped naked and driven through the streets of Rome. Then he was tied to a stake in the Campo de’ Fiori and burned to death. The records of Bruno’s long prosecution by the Inquisition have been lost, but one of his major heresies was cosmological. He advocated that other stars were like our sun, and that they could each support planets teeming with life. Orthodox thought of the time preferred to think that Earth and humanity were unique.
These days, cosmologists like me may be safer, but our ideas have grown only more radical. One of the most controversial but widely discussed concepts in the field resembles a hugely amplified version of Bruno’s cosmology: the idea that the thing we call “the universe” is just one of an infinite number of regions in a much larger universe of universes, or multiverse. A big focus of my own research asks whether a multiverse can help explain the arrow of time.
These days, cosmologists like me may be safer, but our ideas have grown only more radical. One of the most controversial but widely discussed concepts in the field resembles a hugely amplified version of Bruno’s cosmology: the idea that the thing we call “the universe” is just one of an infinite number of regions in a much larger universe of universes, or multiverse. A big focus of my own research asks whether a multiverse can help explain the arrow of time.
Our Universe May Be a Giant Hologram
If, when I was growing up, my room had been adorned with only a single mirror, my childhood daydreams might have been very different. But it had two. And each morning when I opened the closet to get my clothes, the one built into its door aligned with the one on the wall, creating a seemingly endless series of reflections of anything situated between them. It was mesmerizing. All the reflections seemed to move in unison—but that, I knew, was a mere limitation of human perception; at a young age I had learned of light’s finite speed. So in my mind’s eye, I would watch the light’s round-trip journeys. The bob of my head, the sweep of my arm silently echoed between the mirrors, each reflected image nudging the next. Sometimes I would imagine an irreverent me way down the line who refused to fall into place, disrupting the steady progression and creating a new reality that informed the ones that followed. During lulls at school, I would sometimes think about the light I had shed that morning, still endlessly bouncing between the mirrors, and I would join one of my reflected selves, entering an imaginary parallel world constructed of light and driven by fantasy.
The Black Queen Hypothesis: Basis of a new evolutionary theory
Microorganisms can sometimes lose the ability to perform a function that appears to be necessary for their survival, and yet they still somehow manage to endure and multiply. How can this be? The authors of an opinion piece appearing in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, on March 27 explain their ideas about the matter. They say microbes that shed necessary functions are getting others to do the hard work for them, an adaptation that can encourage microorganisms to live in cooperative communities.
The Black Queen Hypothesis, as they call it, puts forth the idea that some of the needs of microorganisms can be met by other organisms, enabling microbes that rely on one another to live more efficiently by paring down the genes they have to carry around. In these cases, it would make evolutionary sense for a microbe to lose a burdensome gene for a function it doesn't have to perform for itself. The authors, Richard Lenski and J. Jeffrey Morris of Michigan State University, and Erik Zinser of the University of Tennessee, named the hypothesis for the queen of spades in the game Hearts, in which the usual strategy is to avoid taking this card.
The Black Queen Hypothesis, as they call it, puts forth the idea that some of the needs of microorganisms can be met by other organisms, enabling microbes that rely on one another to live more efficiently by paring down the genes they have to carry around. In these cases, it would make evolutionary sense for a microbe to lose a burdensome gene for a function it doesn't have to perform for itself. The authors, Richard Lenski and J. Jeffrey Morris of Michigan State University, and Erik Zinser of the University of Tennessee, named the hypothesis for the queen of spades in the game Hearts, in which the usual strategy is to avoid taking this card.
Does the brain 'remember' antidepressants? More proof for the power of placebo
Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) often undergo multiple courses of antidepressant treatment during their lives. This is because the disorder can recur despite treatment and because finding the right medication for a specific individual can take time.
While the relationship between prior treatment and the brain's response to subsequent treatment is unknown, a new study by UCLA researchers suggests that how the brain responds to antidepressant medication may be influenced by its remembering of past antidepressant exposure.
Interestingly, the researchers used a harmless placebo as the key to tracking the footprints of prior antidepressant use.
While the relationship between prior treatment and the brain's response to subsequent treatment is unknown, a new study by UCLA researchers suggests that how the brain responds to antidepressant medication may be influenced by its remembering of past antidepressant exposure.
Interestingly, the researchers used a harmless placebo as the key to tracking the footprints of prior antidepressant use.
Tearjerkers make people happier
People enjoy watching tragedy movies like "Titanic" because they deliver what may seem to be an unlikely benefit: tragedies actually make people happier in the short-term.
Researchers found that watching a tragedy movie caused people to think about their own close relationships, which in turn boosted their life happiness. The result was that what seems like a negative experience -- watching a sad story -- made people happier by bringing attention to some positive aspects in their own lives.
"Tragic stories often focus on themes of eternal love, and this leads viewers to think about their loved ones and count their blessings," said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, lead author of the study and associate professor of communication at Ohio State University.
Researchers found that watching a tragedy movie caused people to think about their own close relationships, which in turn boosted their life happiness. The result was that what seems like a negative experience -- watching a sad story -- made people happier by bringing attention to some positive aspects in their own lives.
"Tragic stories often focus on themes of eternal love, and this leads viewers to think about their loved ones and count their blessings," said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, lead author of the study and associate professor of communication at Ohio State University.
Noise Pollution Is Changing Forests
A few years ago, researchers discovered that in areas polluted by human-made noise, a species of hummingbird seemed to increase in population, while a jay species seemed to decrease.
The same researchers now report that noisy areas have more flowers, but fewer trees. The findings appear in the current issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
It’s a domino effect, said Clinton D. Francis, an evolutionary ecologist at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, N.C.
Pinyon pine trees rely on scrub jays to disperse their seeds, he said. And black-chinned hummingbirds, which pollinate flowers, seek out noisy areas to avoid the jays, which eat their eggs and even their nestlings.
The same researchers now report that noisy areas have more flowers, but fewer trees. The findings appear in the current issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
It’s a domino effect, said Clinton D. Francis, an evolutionary ecologist at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, N.C.
Pinyon pine trees rely on scrub jays to disperse their seeds, he said. And black-chinned hummingbirds, which pollinate flowers, seek out noisy areas to avoid the jays, which eat their eggs and even their nestlings.
Single antibody found to treat 7 different types of cancer
A single antibody was found to either shrink or eradicate 7 types of human tumors that were transplanted into laboratory mice, according to a study out of the Stanford University School of Medicine.
The cancers tested included breast, ovarian, colon, bladder, brain, liver and prostate cancer.
According to the study, this is the first antibody therapy that has been successful in treating such a diverse group of human tumors. The treatment works by inhibiting a specific cancer protein flag responsible for protecting cancer cells from the immune system.
The cancers tested included breast, ovarian, colon, bladder, brain, liver and prostate cancer.
According to the study, this is the first antibody therapy that has been successful in treating such a diverse group of human tumors. The treatment works by inhibiting a specific cancer protein flag responsible for protecting cancer cells from the immune system.
Do we really give introverts a hard time?
It is often assumed extroverts do best in life, but according to a new best-selling book, introverts are just as high achievers. It claims there is a bias towards extroverts in Western society. So do we discriminate against introverts?
Barack Obama, JK Rowling and Steve Wozniak.
They might not immediately stand out as introverts, but according to Susan Cain, American author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts In a World That Can't Stop Talking, they are.
That is because she says, contrary to popular opinion, introverts are not necessarily shy or anti-social, they just prefer environments that are not over-stimulating and get their energy from quiet time and reflection.
Conversely, extroverts need to be around other people to recharge their batteries.
Barack Obama, JK Rowling and Steve Wozniak.
They might not immediately stand out as introverts, but according to Susan Cain, American author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts In a World That Can't Stop Talking, they are.
That is because she says, contrary to popular opinion, introverts are not necessarily shy or anti-social, they just prefer environments that are not over-stimulating and get their energy from quiet time and reflection.
Conversely, extroverts need to be around other people to recharge their batteries.
March 26, 2012
Natural Cancer-Fighting Spice Reduces Tumors by 81% | Wake Up World
Used in the ancient Chinese and Indian systems of medicine, curcumin is a naturally powerful anticancer compound that has been found to decrease brain tumor size in animals by 81 percent in more than 9 studies. A derivative of turmeric, curcumin is the pigment responsible for turmeric’s yellow-orange color. Each 100 grams of turmeric contains around 3 to 5 grams of curcumin, though turmeric is a also very powerful on its own. New studies are shedding light on curcumin, and illuminating its numerous benefits on cancer and other diseases.
Researchers experimenting with curcumin in the treatment of a fatal brain cancer known as glioblastoma (GBMs) published their groundbreaking findings in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in July. Adding scientific basis to previous findings surrounding the positive effects of curcumin, they showed that the compound dramatically decreased brain tumors in 9 out of the 11 studies examined by 81 percent. Furthermore, there was no evidence of toxicity, whereas chemotherapy and other cancer treatments often result in extreme side effects that are sometimes worse than the actual disease. Curcumin is not only effective against brain cancer, however.
Researchers experimenting with curcumin in the treatment of a fatal brain cancer known as glioblastoma (GBMs) published their groundbreaking findings in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in July. Adding scientific basis to previous findings surrounding the positive effects of curcumin, they showed that the compound dramatically decreased brain tumors in 9 out of the 11 studies examined by 81 percent. Furthermore, there was no evidence of toxicity, whereas chemotherapy and other cancer treatments often result in extreme side effects that are sometimes worse than the actual disease. Curcumin is not only effective against brain cancer, however.
The psychological truth behind the 'Hunger Games'
The Hunger Games, which now ranks as the most successful movie released during March—ever—adds to the toxic psychological forces it identifies, rather than reducing them.
In the movie, which takes place in a world given over to bloody entertainment, the government chooses young people to fight each other to the death on a reality television show. The writer of the film, Suzanne Collins, has stated she came up with the story while channel surfing first past news on the Iraq War, then past senseless, entertainment-driven reality TV shows. The mingling of those two messages, through one medium, seemed potentially harmful.
The trouble is that, rather than opposing the media forces that jam such disparate messages together, The Hunger Games embraces that toxic synergy. It is an entertainment product of complete fiction and great potency, given its intense level of fantasy and violence. As such, it only conveys young people closer to “expressing” in a virtual format their powerful and primitive instincts (potentially kindling their desire to truly express such instincts) while conveying them further from their daily realities and a little further still from their real selves.
In the movie, which takes place in a world given over to bloody entertainment, the government chooses young people to fight each other to the death on a reality television show. The writer of the film, Suzanne Collins, has stated she came up with the story while channel surfing first past news on the Iraq War, then past senseless, entertainment-driven reality TV shows. The mingling of those two messages, through one medium, seemed potentially harmful.
The trouble is that, rather than opposing the media forces that jam such disparate messages together, The Hunger Games embraces that toxic synergy. It is an entertainment product of complete fiction and great potency, given its intense level of fantasy and violence. As such, it only conveys young people closer to “expressing” in a virtual format their powerful and primitive instincts (potentially kindling their desire to truly express such instincts) while conveying them further from their daily realities and a little further still from their real selves.
Both Too Little and Too Much Sleep Bad for the Heart: Study
When it comes to what's best for their hearts, people walk a fine line between getting too much and too little sleep, a new study suggests.
Adults who get fewer than six hours or more than eight hours of sleep a night are at greater risk for a variety of heart conditions, according to research led by Dr. Rohit Arora, chairman of cardiology at the Chicago Medical School.
Sleeping too little puts people at significantly higher risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure, the researchers found. On the other hand, people who sleep too much have a higher prevalence of chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen.
Adults who get fewer than six hours or more than eight hours of sleep a night are at greater risk for a variety of heart conditions, according to research led by Dr. Rohit Arora, chairman of cardiology at the Chicago Medical School.
Sleeping too little puts people at significantly higher risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure, the researchers found. On the other hand, people who sleep too much have a higher prevalence of chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen.
Knowing the mind of God: Seven theories of everything - Physics & Math
The "theory of everything" is one of the most cherished dreams of science. If it is ever discovered, it will describe the workings of the universe at the most fundamental level and thus encompass our entire understanding of nature. It would also answer such enduring puzzles as what dark matter is, the reason time flows in only one direction and how gravity works. Small wonder that Stephen Hawking famously said that such a theory would be "the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God".
But theologians needn't lose too much sleep just yet. Despite decades of effort, progress has been slow. Many physicists have confined themselves to developing "quantum gravity" theories that attempt to reconcile quantum mechanics with general relativity – a prerequisite for a theory of everything. But rather than coming up with one or two rival theories whose merits can be judged against the evidence, there is a profusion of candidates that address different parts of the problem and precious few clues as to which (if any) might turn out to be correct.
Here's a brief guide to some of the front runners.
But theologians needn't lose too much sleep just yet. Despite decades of effort, progress has been slow. Many physicists have confined themselves to developing "quantum gravity" theories that attempt to reconcile quantum mechanics with general relativity – a prerequisite for a theory of everything. But rather than coming up with one or two rival theories whose merits can be judged against the evidence, there is a profusion of candidates that address different parts of the problem and precious few clues as to which (if any) might turn out to be correct.
Here's a brief guide to some of the front runners.
Largest Molecules Yet Behave Like Waves in Quantum Double-Slit Experiment
One of the most famous experiments in quantum physics, which first showed how particles can bizarrely behave like waves, has now been carried out on the largest molecules ever.
Researchers have sent molecules containing either 58 or 114 atoms through the so-called " double-slit experiment," showing that they cause an interference pattern that can only be explained if the particles act like waves of water, rather than tiny marbles.
Researchers said it wasn't a foregone conclusion that such large particles would act this way.
"In a way it's a little bit surprising, because these are highly complex and also flexible molecules; they change their shape while they're flying through the apparatus," said Markus Arndt of the University of Vienna in Austria, a co-leader of the project. "If you talk to the community, maybe 50 percent would say this is normal because it's quantum physics, and the other 50 percent would really scratch their heads because it's quantum physics."
Researchers have sent molecules containing either 58 or 114 atoms through the so-called " double-slit experiment," showing that they cause an interference pattern that can only be explained if the particles act like waves of water, rather than tiny marbles.
Researchers said it wasn't a foregone conclusion that such large particles would act this way.
"In a way it's a little bit surprising, because these are highly complex and also flexible molecules; they change their shape while they're flying through the apparatus," said Markus Arndt of the University of Vienna in Austria, a co-leader of the project. "If you talk to the community, maybe 50 percent would say this is normal because it's quantum physics, and the other 50 percent would really scratch their heads because it's quantum physics."
Infrasound linked to spooky effects - ELF's
Mysteriously snuffed out candles, weird sensations and shivers down the spine may not be due to the presence of ghosts in haunted houses but to very low frequency sound that is inaudible to humans. British scientists have shown in a controlled experiment that the extreme bass sound known as infrasound produces a range of bizarre effects in people including anxiety, extreme sorrow and chills — supporting popular suggestions of a link between infrasound and strange sensations.
“NORMALLY YOU can’t hear it,” Richard Lord, an acoustic scientist at the National Physical Laboratory in England who worked on the project, said Monday.
Lord and his colleagues, who produced infrasound with a 23-foot (7-meter) pipe and tested its impact on 750 people at a concert, said infrasound is also generated by natural phenomena.
“NORMALLY YOU can’t hear it,” Richard Lord, an acoustic scientist at the National Physical Laboratory in England who worked on the project, said Monday.
Lord and his colleagues, who produced infrasound with a 23-foot (7-meter) pipe and tested its impact on 750 people at a concert, said infrasound is also generated by natural phenomena.
Fatty Diet May Cause New Brain Cells to Sprout
Eating too many burgers and fries? Your brain might show the effects, if new mouse research holds true in humans. Researchers have discovered that a high-fat diet causes new brain cells to sprout in an area of the brain that seems to regulate eating.
Interestingly, if the researchers stopped new brain-cell growth, mice gained less weight and stayed more active, even while eating their "supersize me" diet.
"We really don’t understand the function of these neurons in the normal brain," study researcher Seth Blackshaw, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told LiveScience. "Our data suggests that these neurons may have an important role in regulating feeding."
Interestingly, if the researchers stopped new brain-cell growth, mice gained less weight and stayed more active, even while eating their "supersize me" diet.
"We really don’t understand the function of these neurons in the normal brain," study researcher Seth Blackshaw, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told LiveScience. "Our data suggests that these neurons may have an important role in regulating feeding."
March 24, 2012
Brain size may determine whether you are good at keeping friends
Researchers are suggesting that there is a link between the number of friends you have and the size of the region of the brain -- known as the orbital prefrontal cortex -- that is found just above the eyes. A new study shows that this brain region is bigger in people who have a larger number of friendships.
The study suggests that we need to employ a set of cognitive skills to maintain a number of friends (and the keyword is 'friends' as opposed to just the total number of people we know). These skills are described by social scientists as 'mentalising' or 'mind-reading'- a capacity to understand what another person is thinking, which is crucial to our ability to handle our complex social world, including the ability to hold conversations with one another. This study, for the first time, suggests that our competency in these skills is determined by the size of key regions of our brains (in particular, the frontal lobe).
The study suggests that we need to employ a set of cognitive skills to maintain a number of friends (and the keyword is 'friends' as opposed to just the total number of people we know). These skills are described by social scientists as 'mentalising' or 'mind-reading'- a capacity to understand what another person is thinking, which is crucial to our ability to handle our complex social world, including the ability to hold conversations with one another. This study, for the first time, suggests that our competency in these skills is determined by the size of key regions of our brains (in particular, the frontal lobe).
Researchers Say Memories Can Be Relived, Not Just Recalled
Have you ever wanted to relive one of your most treasured memories? Not just think about the memory, but actually relive it? According to new research coming out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, you can.
Neuroscientists at MIT have discovered that memories are physical and can be reactivated. This means that instead of just recalling a memory, scientists can now help you reconstruct them artificially by activating certain parts of your brain.
This reactivation theory isn’t new — it was just never proved before now. In an early 1900s experiment on epilepsy patients, neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield found that if he stimulated certain parts of the hippocampus — the part of the brain in charge of short and long-term memories — some of his patients would vividly recall past events.
Neuroscientists at MIT have discovered that memories are physical and can be reactivated. This means that instead of just recalling a memory, scientists can now help you reconstruct them artificially by activating certain parts of your brain.
This reactivation theory isn’t new — it was just never proved before now. In an early 1900s experiment on epilepsy patients, neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield found that if he stimulated certain parts of the hippocampus — the part of the brain in charge of short and long-term memories — some of his patients would vividly recall past events.
AP Fact Check: In 36 Years Of Data, Not A Shred Of Evidence That Drilling Reduces Gas Prices
Experts deny that drilling brings down gas prices, despite how often Republicans claim to have the “silver bullet.” Now, the Associated Press reports that an analysis of 36 years of Energy Information Administration data shows “no statistical correlation” between domestic oil production and gas prices.
U.S. oil production is back to the same level it was in March 2003, when gas cost $2.10 per gallon when adjusted for inflation. But that’s not what prices are now.
That’s because oil is a global commodity and U.S. production has only a tiny influence on supply. Factors far beyond the control of a nation or a president dictate the price of gasoline.
When you put the inflation-adjusted price of gas on the same chart as U.S. oil production since 1976, the numbers sometimes go in the same direction, sometimes in opposite directions. If drilling for more oil meant lower prices, the lines on the chart would consistently go in opposite directions. A basic statistical measure of correlation found no link between the two, and outside statistical experts confirmed those calculations.
U.S. oil production is back to the same level it was in March 2003, when gas cost $2.10 per gallon when adjusted for inflation. But that’s not what prices are now.
That’s because oil is a global commodity and U.S. production has only a tiny influence on supply. Factors far beyond the control of a nation or a president dictate the price of gasoline.
When you put the inflation-adjusted price of gas on the same chart as U.S. oil production since 1976, the numbers sometimes go in the same direction, sometimes in opposite directions. If drilling for more oil meant lower prices, the lines on the chart would consistently go in opposite directions. A basic statistical measure of correlation found no link between the two, and outside statistical experts confirmed those calculations.
March 23, 2012
Coffee's Mysterious Benefits Mount
From lowered cancer risks to a sharper memory, more studies are showing that coffee is good for you – but why?
Regular coffee drinkers have a 39 percent decreased risk of head and neck cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Those who drank an estimated four or more cups a day had significantly fewer cancers of the mouth and throat than non coffee drinkers, the study found.
"Coffee contains more than a thousand chemicals, some of which have antioxidant and antimutagenic activities," Mia Hashibe, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Utah and the study's lead researcher, told Life's Little Mysteries. "Further research is necessary to identify which ingredients in coffee are responsible for the results we observed in our study."
Regular coffee drinkers have a 39 percent decreased risk of head and neck cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Those who drank an estimated four or more cups a day had significantly fewer cancers of the mouth and throat than non coffee drinkers, the study found.
"Coffee contains more than a thousand chemicals, some of which have antioxidant and antimutagenic activities," Mia Hashibe, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Utah and the study's lead researcher, told Life's Little Mysteries. "Further research is necessary to identify which ingredients in coffee are responsible for the results we observed in our study."
Smart Electricity Meter or Government Spy?
Devised by utilities as a way to save energy, cut monthly bills and even reduce carbon emissions, "smart meters" that give more accurate data about a home's electricity use are facing a backlash in communities across the country.
Some residents are now blaming the devices for health problems or fires, and say their two-way communications ability will allow utilities and the government to snoop on them.
These fears have forced some states to allow people to "opt-out" of the smart meter program, which supporters say will actually make them less effective in the long-run to yield environmental benefits.
Some residents are now blaming the devices for health problems or fires, and say their two-way communications ability will allow utilities and the government to snoop on them.
These fears have forced some states to allow people to "opt-out" of the smart meter program, which supporters say will actually make them less effective in the long-run to yield environmental benefits.
March 21, 2012
U.S. Underestimates Long-Term Costs of Obesity, Experts Say
The costs of the obesity epidemic to the United States and the economic value of curbing it are not captured fully by current methods, according to a new report.
The problem is that estimates used by Congress when it looks at these issues project out only 10 years, while it may take much longer than that for complications of obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease, to manifest, the report authors say.
For example, "a person with diabetes is not going to go on dialysis right away. They're going to go on dialysis 10 to 12 years after their diagnosis," said Michael O'Grady, co-author of the report, released Wednesday by the Campaign to End Obesity.
A 25-year window for making policy decisions would be more appropriate when drafting policies aimed at curbing disease, he said at a Wednesday morning press conference.
The problem is that estimates used by Congress when it looks at these issues project out only 10 years, while it may take much longer than that for complications of obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease, to manifest, the report authors say.
For example, "a person with diabetes is not going to go on dialysis right away. They're going to go on dialysis 10 to 12 years after their diagnosis," said Michael O'Grady, co-author of the report, released Wednesday by the Campaign to End Obesity.
A 25-year window for making policy decisions would be more appropriate when drafting policies aimed at curbing disease, he said at a Wednesday morning press conference.
Inhibitor causing male pattern baldness and target for hair-loss treatments identified
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have identified an abnormal amount a protein called Prostaglandin D2 in the bald scalp of men with male pattern baldness, a discovery that may lead directly to new treatments for the most common cause of hair loss in men. In both human and animal models, researchers found that a prostaglandin known as PGD2 and its derivative, 15-dPGJ2, inhibit hair growth. The PGD2-related inhibition occurred through a receptor called GPR44, which is a promising therapeutic target for androgenetic alopecia in both men and women with hair loss and thinning.
How the alphabet of data processing is growing: Flying 'qubits' generated
The alphabet of data processing could include more elements than the "0" and "1" in future. An international research team has achieved a new kind of bit with single electrons, called quantum bits, or qubits. With them, considerably more than two states can be defined. So far, quantum bits have only existed in relatively large vacuum chambers. The team has now generated them in semiconductors. They have put an effect in practice, which the RUB physicist Prof. Dr. Andreas Wieck had already theoretically predicted 22 years ago. This represents another step along the path to quantum computing.
Mercury is Alive - Mercury is the solar system's Greenland.
Mercury is the solar system's Greenland. We know it's there, we've heard some interesting stuff about it, but we just don't give it a whole lot of thought -- and that has long included NASA.
Nobody's slouch at sending unmanned spacecraft all over the cosmic neighborhood, NASA had launched just a single mission to Mercury in 30 years -- the Mariner 10 probe, which made three flybys of the planet in the 1970s. In 2004, that changed, as NASA launched the far nimbler, far more sophisticated Messenger spacecraft, which arrived in orbit around Mercury a year ago and has been surveying the planet with laser altimeters, gravitational instruments, cameras and more ever since. Now, a pair of papers appearing in the online edition of Science make it clear that the long overdue return was amply worth the effort. Mercury, it turns out, is a far more dynamic -- and far less predictable -- place than we once believed.
Nobody's slouch at sending unmanned spacecraft all over the cosmic neighborhood, NASA had launched just a single mission to Mercury in 30 years -- the Mariner 10 probe, which made three flybys of the planet in the 1970s. In 2004, that changed, as NASA launched the far nimbler, far more sophisticated Messenger spacecraft, which arrived in orbit around Mercury a year ago and has been surveying the planet with laser altimeters, gravitational instruments, cameras and more ever since. Now, a pair of papers appearing in the online edition of Science make it clear that the long overdue return was amply worth the effort. Mercury, it turns out, is a far more dynamic -- and far less predictable -- place than we once believed.
Biomining: How microbes help to mine copper
But in Chile, bacteria are being used to get at something this country heavily depends on: copper.
Chile is the world's biggest copper exporter, and has the planet's largest known reserves of the red metal.
The Atacama Desert, a desolate rocky plateau west of the Andes mountains, is dotted with copper mines.
Every now and then, a mining train passes through the arid landscape. Here and there the ruins of tiny towns still stand where miners used to live decades ago, their mud huts gradually falling to pieces under the baking sun.
Chile is the world's biggest copper exporter, and has the planet's largest known reserves of the red metal.
The Atacama Desert, a desolate rocky plateau west of the Andes mountains, is dotted with copper mines.
Every now and then, a mining train passes through the arid landscape. Here and there the ruins of tiny towns still stand where miners used to live decades ago, their mud huts gradually falling to pieces under the baking sun.
How to Make Kids Listen | Pointing Your Finger Makes You Seem Credible
Pointing makes kids believe you. And it may convey an air of authority to adults, too.
That's the finding of a pair of psychologists at the University of Virginia. In a new study probing how young children make inferences about what other people know, co-authors Carolyn Palmquist and Vikram Jaswalfound that adults can convince a 4-year-old that they know something simply by pointing while delivering the message. This act even overrides all other evidence that the pointer is clueless.
"Children were willing to attribute knowledge to a person solely based on the gesture they used to convey the information," Palmquist said in a news release. "They have built up such a strong belief in the knowledge that comes along with pointing that it trumps everything else, including what they see with their eyes."
That's the finding of a pair of psychologists at the University of Virginia. In a new study probing how young children make inferences about what other people know, co-authors Carolyn Palmquist and Vikram Jaswalfound that adults can convince a 4-year-old that they know something simply by pointing while delivering the message. This act even overrides all other evidence that the pointer is clueless.
"Children were willing to attribute knowledge to a person solely based on the gesture they used to convey the information," Palmquist said in a news release. "They have built up such a strong belief in the knowledge that comes along with pointing that it trumps everything else, including what they see with their eyes."
Man-made noise disrupts the growth of plants and trees
It alters birdsong and can make it difficult for some predators to hunt, and now it seems that man-made noise also affects plants.
A US team found that industrial noise disrupted the behaviour of animals that pollinate plants and disperse seeds.
This, they suggest, could be slowly transforming our landscape, especially by changing the dispersal of slow-growing trees.
The study is published in the Royal Society Proceedings B.
A US team found that industrial noise disrupted the behaviour of animals that pollinate plants and disperse seeds.
This, they suggest, could be slowly transforming our landscape, especially by changing the dispersal of slow-growing trees.
The study is published in the Royal Society Proceedings B.
Drones Will Be Admitted to Standard US Airspace By 2015
The skies are going to look very different pretty soon, and it’s been a long time coming. Congress finally passed a spending bill for the Federal Aviation Administration, allocating $63.4 billion for modernizing the country’s air traffic control systems and expanding airspace for unmanned planes within three and a half years.
By Sept. 30, 2015, drones will have to have access to U.S. airspace that is currently reserved for piloted aircraft. This applies to military, commercial and privately owned drones — so it could mean a major increase in unmanned aircraft winging through our airspace. That’s airspace to be shared with airliners, cargo planes and small private aircraft.
By Sept. 30, 2015, drones will have to have access to U.S. airspace that is currently reserved for piloted aircraft. This applies to military, commercial and privately owned drones — so it could mean a major increase in unmanned aircraft winging through our airspace. That’s airspace to be shared with airliners, cargo planes and small private aircraft.
Valuing nature, changing economics
The concept of natural capital accounting - valuing natural resources as accurately as possible, and including in national accounts the costs and benefits of conserving vs destroying them - has emerged as a major theme in international environmental circles in recent years.
It's the central idea of The Economics of Ecosytems and Biodiversity (Teeb) project, which, among other things, calculated a few years back that degradation of the world's forests is costing the global economy $2-5 trillion each year, with the brunt falling on the poor who live closest to tropical forests.
At the last meeting of the UN biodiversity convention 18 months ago, governments pledged to look at including natural capital accounts in their national systems; and it's set to be a major theme of the forthcoming Rio+20 summit.
It's the central idea of The Economics of Ecosytems and Biodiversity (Teeb) project, which, among other things, calculated a few years back that degradation of the world's forests is costing the global economy $2-5 trillion each year, with the brunt falling on the poor who live closest to tropical forests.
At the last meeting of the UN biodiversity convention 18 months ago, governments pledged to look at including natural capital accounts in their national systems; and it's set to be a major theme of the forthcoming Rio+20 summit.
March 19, 2012
A Terrifying Look Into The NSA's Ability To Capture And Analyze Pretty Much Every Communication
You may recall that we've written a few times about the "turf war" between the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department's NSA over who gets to run the "cybersecurity" efforts for the country. The NSA has been particularly insistent that all cybersecurity efforts should go through it, and an amazing, detailed and positively frightening article from James Bamford at Wired Magazine, which is ostensibly about the NSA's massive new spy center in Bluffdale, Utah, but is really a rather detailed (and well-sourced) account of just how much spying the NSA is doing on pretty much all communications.
Smoking may restore tapped-out self-control resources
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., have found that when they deplete a smoker's self control, smoking a cigarette may restore self-control.
The study, published in a recent issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, exposed a test group and a control group -- totaling 132 nicotine dependent smokers -- to an emotional video depicting environmental damage. One group in the study expressed their natural emotional reactions (no depletion of self-control) while the second group suppressed their responses (self-control depletion). Half of the participants in each group were subsequently allowed to smoke a cigarette. Everyone then was asked to complete a frustrating task that required self-control.
"Our goal was to study whether tobacco smoking affects an individual's self-control resources," said lead author Bryan W. Heckman, M.A., a graduate student at the Moffitt Tobacco Research and Intervention Program and the Department of Psychology at the University of South Florida. "We hypothesized that participants who underwent a self-control depletion task would demonstrate less persistence on behavioral tasks requiring self-control as compared to those with self-control intact, when neither group was allowed to smoke. However, we also hypothesized that we would not find this performance decrement among participants who were permitted to smoke."
The investigators' hypotheses were supported.
"We found that smoking did have a restorative effect on an individual's depleted self-control resources," said Heckman. "Moreover, smoking restored self-control, in part, by improving smokers' positive mood."
The study, published in a recent issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, exposed a test group and a control group -- totaling 132 nicotine dependent smokers -- to an emotional video depicting environmental damage. One group in the study expressed their natural emotional reactions (no depletion of self-control) while the second group suppressed their responses (self-control depletion). Half of the participants in each group were subsequently allowed to smoke a cigarette. Everyone then was asked to complete a frustrating task that required self-control.
"Our goal was to study whether tobacco smoking affects an individual's self-control resources," said lead author Bryan W. Heckman, M.A., a graduate student at the Moffitt Tobacco Research and Intervention Program and the Department of Psychology at the University of South Florida. "We hypothesized that participants who underwent a self-control depletion task would demonstrate less persistence on behavioral tasks requiring self-control as compared to those with self-control intact, when neither group was allowed to smoke. However, we also hypothesized that we would not find this performance decrement among participants who were permitted to smoke."
The investigators' hypotheses were supported.
"We found that smoking did have a restorative effect on an individual's depleted self-control resources," said Heckman. "Moreover, smoking restored self-control, in part, by improving smokers' positive mood."
How bees put brains together to cook hornets
The Japanese honeybee and the giant hornet are waging an epic war. The hornets, which can grow up to 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) long, attack the nests of the bees, and the honeybees will surround a hornet and "cook" it.
The honeybees' stingers can't penetrate a hornet's thick outer skin, so the bees swarm around an attacker instead, forming a spherical bee ball, and use their vibrating flight muscles to create heat. The mass of bees will heat the area up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius), enough to kill the hornet.
Scientists discovered these bee balls in 2005 and have been studying them ever since. Now researchers have figured out the bee-brain mechanism that regulates the thermo-balling behavior in Japanese honeybees but not in their relatives, the European honeybees.
The honeybees' stingers can't penetrate a hornet's thick outer skin, so the bees swarm around an attacker instead, forming a spherical bee ball, and use their vibrating flight muscles to create heat. The mass of bees will heat the area up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius), enough to kill the hornet.
Scientists discovered these bee balls in 2005 and have been studying them ever since. Now researchers have figured out the bee-brain mechanism that regulates the thermo-balling behavior in Japanese honeybees but not in their relatives, the European honeybees.
Synthetic Marijuana Can Cause Teens to Be Unresponsive, or Aggressive
Teens who use synthetic marijuana, also called K2 or spice, could end up in the emergency room experiencing some serious side effects, according to a new case report.
Researchers looked at three cases of teens admitted to the emergency room who they suspect were using synthetic marijuana.
In each case, they found that teens showed signs of unexpected behaviors, ranging from agitation and increased sweating to an inability to speak and hallucinations.
"These drugs are unregulated," said study co-author Dr. Joanna Cohen, a pediatric emergency physician at the Children's National Medical Center. "Symptoms can be unpredictable because the drug is mixed with other types of chemicals and substances."
Researchers looked at three cases of teens admitted to the emergency room who they suspect were using synthetic marijuana.
In each case, they found that teens showed signs of unexpected behaviors, ranging from agitation and increased sweating to an inability to speak and hallucinations.
"These drugs are unregulated," said study co-author Dr. Joanna Cohen, a pediatric emergency physician at the Children's National Medical Center. "Symptoms can be unpredictable because the drug is mixed with other types of chemicals and substances."
Animal Psychologists Discover What Music Pets Prefer
Many pet owners leave their home radios playing all day for the listening pleasure of their dogs and cats. Station choices vary. "We have a very human tendency to project onto our pets and assume that they will like what we like," said Charles Snowdon, an authority on the musical preferences of animals. "People assume that if they like Mozart, their dog will like Mozart. If they like rock music, they say their dog prefers rock."
Against the conventional wisdom that music is a uniquely human phenomenon, ongoing research shows that animals actually do have the capacity for music. But rather than liking classical or rock, Snowdon, an animal psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has discovered that animals march to the beat of a different drum altogether. They enjoy what he calls "species-specific music": tunes specially designed using the pitches, tones and tempos that are familiar to their particular species.
With no pun intended, music is all about scale: Humans like music that falls within our acoustic and vocal range, uses tones we understand, and progresses at a tempo similar to that of our heartbeats. A tune pitched too high or low sounds grating or ungraspable, and music too fast or slow is unrecognizable as such.
Against the conventional wisdom that music is a uniquely human phenomenon, ongoing research shows that animals actually do have the capacity for music. But rather than liking classical or rock, Snowdon, an animal psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has discovered that animals march to the beat of a different drum altogether. They enjoy what he calls "species-specific music": tunes specially designed using the pitches, tones and tempos that are familiar to their particular species.
With no pun intended, music is all about scale: Humans like music that falls within our acoustic and vocal range, uses tones we understand, and progresses at a tempo similar to that of our heartbeats. A tune pitched too high or low sounds grating or ungraspable, and music too fast or slow is unrecognizable as such.
Vaccine for skin cancer on the horizon?
Scientists have created a vaccine that has successfully eradicated skin cancer in some mice, the Mayo Clinic reported Monday. Results from early studies have shown that 60 percent of mice with melanoma were cured in fewer than three months with minimal side effects, thanks to the treatment.
The vaccine was made up of a combination of human DNA from melanoma cells and a cousin of the rabies virus called vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Known as cancer immunotherapy, the treatment used the genetically-engineered version of VSV, which is symptomless in humans, to help target the cancer genes in the body.
Cancer can hide from a normal immune system, but the introduction of an outside virus can help highlight the cancer cells. When the proteins from melanoma skin cancer cells were expressed through the VSV, the immune system was then able to ‘see’ the cancer cells and create T-cell antibodies to target and destroy them.
The vaccine was made up of a combination of human DNA from melanoma cells and a cousin of the rabies virus called vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Known as cancer immunotherapy, the treatment used the genetically-engineered version of VSV, which is symptomless in humans, to help target the cancer genes in the body.
Cancer can hide from a normal immune system, but the introduction of an outside virus can help highlight the cancer cells. When the proteins from melanoma skin cancer cells were expressed through the VSV, the immune system was then able to ‘see’ the cancer cells and create T-cell antibodies to target and destroy them.
Kids Willing to Fail May Perform Better Academically
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again, goes the truism.
A new study by French researchers found that children who were told learning can be difficult, and that failing is a natural part of the learning process, actually performed better on tests than kids not given such reassurances.
"We focused on a widespread cultural belief that equates academic success with a high level of competence and failure with intellectual inferiority," said Frederique Autin, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Poitiers, in an American Psychological Association news release. "By being obsessed with success, students are afraid to fail, so they are reluctant to take difficult steps to master new material."
A new study by French researchers found that children who were told learning can be difficult, and that failing is a natural part of the learning process, actually performed better on tests than kids not given such reassurances.
"We focused on a widespread cultural belief that equates academic success with a high level of competence and failure with intellectual inferiority," said Frederique Autin, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Poitiers, in an American Psychological Association news release. "By being obsessed with success, students are afraid to fail, so they are reluctant to take difficult steps to master new material."
Hibernating bears' wounds heal without scars
Black bears have a surprising capacity to heal as they hibernate, say researchers in the US.
Medical researchers and zoologists worked together to find that the bears' wounds healed with almost no scarring, and were infection-free.
The scientists hope, eventually, to find out exactly how the bears' bodies heal while their body temperature, heart rate and metabolism are reduced.
This could aid studies of human wound-healing.
Medical researchers and zoologists worked together to find that the bears' wounds healed with almost no scarring, and were infection-free.
The scientists hope, eventually, to find out exactly how the bears' bodies heal while their body temperature, heart rate and metabolism are reduced.
This could aid studies of human wound-healing.
Mysterious Fossils May Be New Human Species | Red Deer Cave People & Hominin Species
Mysterious fossils of what may be a previously unknown type of human have been uncovered in caves in China, ones that possess a highly unusual mix of bygone and modern human features, scientists reveal.
Surprisingly, the fossils are only between 11,500 and 14,500 years old. That means they would have shared the landscape with modern humans when China's earliest farmers were first appearing.
"These new fossils might be of a previously unknown species, one that survived until the very end of the ice age around 11,000 years ago," said researcher Darren Curnoe, a palaeoanthropologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Surprisingly, the fossils are only between 11,500 and 14,500 years old. That means they would have shared the landscape with modern humans when China's earliest farmers were first appearing.
"These new fossils might be of a previously unknown species, one that survived until the very end of the ice age around 11,000 years ago," said researcher Darren Curnoe, a palaeoanthropologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Nuclear clock will be accurate over billions of years
A clock accurate to within a tenth of a second over 14 billion years -- the age of the universe -- is the goal of research being reported this week by scientists from three different institutions. To be published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the research provides the blueprint for a nuclear clock that would get its extreme accuracy from the nucleus of a single thorium ion.
Such a clock could be useful for certain forms of secure communication -- and perhaps of greater interest -- for studying the fundamental theories of physics. A nuclear clock could be as much as one hundred times more accurate than current atomic clocks, which now serve as the basis for the global positioning system (GPS) and a broad range of important measurements.
Such a clock could be useful for certain forms of secure communication -- and perhaps of greater interest -- for studying the fundamental theories of physics. A nuclear clock could be as much as one hundred times more accurate than current atomic clocks, which now serve as the basis for the global positioning system (GPS) and a broad range of important measurements.
How to Become the Engineers of Our Own Evolution
The reports regularly come in from around the world: U.S. engineers unveil a prototype bionic eye, Swedish surgeons replace a man’s cancerous trachea with a body part grown in a lab, and a British woman augments her sense of touch by implanting self-made magnetic sensors in her fingertips.
Adherents of “transhumanism”—a movement that seeks to transform Homo sapiens through tools like gene manipulation, “smart drugs” and nanomedicine—hail such developments as evidence that we are becoming the engineers of our own evolution. Enhanced humans might inject themselves with artificial, oxygen-carrying blood cells, enabling them to sprint for 15 minutes straight. They could live long enough to taste a slice of their own 250th birthday cake. Or they might abandon their bodies entirely, translating the neurons of their brains into a digital consciousness.
Transhumanists say we are morally obligated to help the human race transcend its biological limits; those who disagree are sometimes called Bio-Luddites. “The human quest has always been to ward off death and do everything in our power to keep living,” says Natasha Vita-More, chairwoman of Humanity+, the world’s largest transhumanist organization, with nearly 6,000 members.
Adherents of “transhumanism”—a movement that seeks to transform Homo sapiens through tools like gene manipulation, “smart drugs” and nanomedicine—hail such developments as evidence that we are becoming the engineers of our own evolution. Enhanced humans might inject themselves with artificial, oxygen-carrying blood cells, enabling them to sprint for 15 minutes straight. They could live long enough to taste a slice of their own 250th birthday cake. Or they might abandon their bodies entirely, translating the neurons of their brains into a digital consciousness.
Transhumanists say we are morally obligated to help the human race transcend its biological limits; those who disagree are sometimes called Bio-Luddites. “The human quest has always been to ward off death and do everything in our power to keep living,” says Natasha Vita-More, chairwoman of Humanity+, the world’s largest transhumanist organization, with nearly 6,000 members.
Bangladesh's "teenage" brothels hold dark steroid secret
Their faces painted heavy with make-up, teenage girls in short, tight blouses and long petticoats loiter in squalid alleys, laughing and gesturing to potential clients who roam Tangail town's infamous red light area in the early evening.
There is no shortage of men looking for "company" in Kandapara slum, a labyrinth of tiny lanes - lined cheek-by-jowl with corrugated iron shacks - a few hours drive northeast of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.
But with rates as low as 50 taka (60 U.S. cents), the need to attract as many customers as possible is desperate - prompting a rising, yet dangerous, trend of steroid abuse among adolescent sex workers to "enhance" their appearance.
"There is a huge difference between my appearance now and the malnourished look of my childhood," says Hashi, 17, who was lured into the sex trade by a trafficker when she was 10 and sold to Kandapara's brothel, where she began taking steroids.
There is no shortage of men looking for "company" in Kandapara slum, a labyrinth of tiny lanes - lined cheek-by-jowl with corrugated iron shacks - a few hours drive northeast of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.
But with rates as low as 50 taka (60 U.S. cents), the need to attract as many customers as possible is desperate - prompting a rising, yet dangerous, trend of steroid abuse among adolescent sex workers to "enhance" their appearance.
"There is a huge difference between my appearance now and the malnourished look of my childhood," says Hashi, 17, who was lured into the sex trade by a trafficker when she was 10 and sold to Kandapara's brothel, where she began taking steroids.
Frogs may be lifesavers in global fight against hospital superbugs
Frogs could help scientists in the global fight against hospital superbugs.
Certain species of Australian frogs secrete chemicals which are toxic to different bacteria, including the sometimes-fatal MRSA strain which is resistant to multiple types of antibiotics, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday.
Scientists in Sydney and Melbourne are researching the secretions of several frogs, including the green-eyed tree frog and the golden bell frog, the paper said.
Antimicrobial compounds called peptides that are emitted from some frogs could be used to destroy the membranes of bacteria and stop them developing resistance.
Usually, antimicrobial peptides killed bacteria by puncturing or lysing (causing them to disintegrate) their membranes, research leader professor Frances Separovic said.
Certain species of Australian frogs secrete chemicals which are toxic to different bacteria, including the sometimes-fatal MRSA strain which is resistant to multiple types of antibiotics, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday.
Scientists in Sydney and Melbourne are researching the secretions of several frogs, including the green-eyed tree frog and the golden bell frog, the paper said.
Antimicrobial compounds called peptides that are emitted from some frogs could be used to destroy the membranes of bacteria and stop them developing resistance.
Usually, antimicrobial peptides killed bacteria by puncturing or lysing (causing them to disintegrate) their membranes, research leader professor Frances Separovic said.
Feeding babies on demand may increase their IQ, study says
Babies who are breast-fed or bottle-fed on demand perform better academically than those who are fed on a schedule, according to a study published Sunday.
Using data from more than 10,000 children, researchers found that demand-fed babies scored four to five points higher on IQ tests at age eight.
Demand-feeding also was associated with higher scores in school tests at ages five, seven, 11 and 14, according to the study, published in the European Journal of Public Health.
"The difference in IQ levels of around four to five points, though statistically highly significant, would not make a child at the bottom of the class move to the top, but it would be noticeable," lead researcher Maria Iacovou said.
Using data from more than 10,000 children, researchers found that demand-fed babies scored four to five points higher on IQ tests at age eight.
Demand-feeding also was associated with higher scores in school tests at ages five, seven, 11 and 14, according to the study, published in the European Journal of Public Health.
"The difference in IQ levels of around four to five points, though statistically highly significant, would not make a child at the bottom of the class move to the top, but it would be noticeable," lead researcher Maria Iacovou said.
Drug-resistant white plague lurks among rich and poor
On New Year's Eve 2004, after months of losing weight and suffering fevers, night sweats and shortness of breath, student Anna Watterson was taken into hospital coughing up blood.
It was strange to be diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB)- an ancient disease associated with poverty - especially since Watterson was a well-off trainee lawyer living in the affluent British capital of London. Yet it was also a relief, she says, finally to know what had been making her ill for so long.
But when Watterson's infection refused to yield to the three-pronged antibiotic attack doctors prescribed to fight it, her relief turned to dread.
After six weeks of taking pills that had no effect, Watterson was told she had multi-drug resistant TB, or MDR-TB, and faced months in an isolation ward on a regimen of injected drugs that left her nauseous, bruised and unable to go out in the sun.
It was strange to be diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB)- an ancient disease associated with poverty - especially since Watterson was a well-off trainee lawyer living in the affluent British capital of London. Yet it was also a relief, she says, finally to know what had been making her ill for so long.
But when Watterson's infection refused to yield to the three-pronged antibiotic attack doctors prescribed to fight it, her relief turned to dread.
After six weeks of taking pills that had no effect, Watterson was told she had multi-drug resistant TB, or MDR-TB, and faced months in an isolation ward on a regimen of injected drugs that left her nauseous, bruised and unable to go out in the sun.
Pregnant Mom's Meth Use Shows Up in Baby's Moods
Studies of children who had been exposed to methamphetamines in the womb suggest the drug can stunt fetal growth, increase newborn stress and cause problems with motor development. Now new research reveals that meth takes a toll on a child's mood and behavior, as well.
The new research is part of a study that tracks the babies of meth-using mothers starting at birth. Children exposed to meth in the womb are more likely to suffer from anxious and depressed moods by age 3, the researchers found. And at age 5, meth-exposed kids are more likely to "act out" behaviorally and show symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
These mental-health findings are alarming, because behaviors seen at these young ages tend to persist, said study researcher Linda LaGasse, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University.
"It isn't just about 3 to 5, it's setting the groundwork potentially for the future unless something interrupts it," LaGasse told LiveScience.
The new research is part of a study that tracks the babies of meth-using mothers starting at birth. Children exposed to meth in the womb are more likely to suffer from anxious and depressed moods by age 3, the researchers found. And at age 5, meth-exposed kids are more likely to "act out" behaviorally and show symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
These mental-health findings are alarming, because behaviors seen at these young ages tend to persist, said study researcher Linda LaGasse, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University.
"It isn't just about 3 to 5, it's setting the groundwork potentially for the future unless something interrupts it," LaGasse told LiveScience.
March 18, 2012
Why Interacting with a Woman Can Leave Men "Cognitively Impaired": Scientific American
Movies and television shows are full of scenes where a man tries unsuccessfully to interact with a pretty woman. In many cases, the potential suitor ends up acting foolishly despite his best attempts to impress. It seems like his brain isn’t working quite properly and according to new findings, it may not be.
Researchers have begun to explore the cognitive impairment that men experience before and after interacting with women. A 2009 study demonstrated that after a short interaction with an attractive woman, men experienced a decline in mental performance. A more recent study suggests that this cognitive impairment takes hold even w hen men simply anticipate interacting with a woman who they know very little about.
Researchers have begun to explore the cognitive impairment that men experience before and after interacting with women. A 2009 study demonstrated that after a short interaction with an attractive woman, men experienced a decline in mental performance. A more recent study suggests that this cognitive impairment takes hold even w hen men simply anticipate interacting with a woman who they know very little about.
Introverts run the world -- quietly
The theory of evolution. The theory of relativity. The Cat in the Hat. All were brought to you by introverts.
Our culture is biased against quiet and reserved people, but introverts are responsible for some of humanity's greatest achievements -- from Steve Wozniak's invention of the Apple computer to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. And these introverts did what they did not in spite of their temperaments -- but because of them.
As the science journalist Winifred Gallagher writes: "The glory of the disposition that stops to consider stimuli rather than rushing to engage with them is its long association with intellectual and artistic achievement. Neither E=mc2 nor Paradise Lost was dashed off by a party animal."
Our culture is biased against quiet and reserved people, but introverts are responsible for some of humanity's greatest achievements -- from Steve Wozniak's invention of the Apple computer to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. And these introverts did what they did not in spite of their temperaments -- but because of them.
As the science journalist Winifred Gallagher writes: "The glory of the disposition that stops to consider stimuli rather than rushing to engage with them is its long association with intellectual and artistic achievement. Neither E=mc2 nor Paradise Lost was dashed off by a party animal."
Why your face can't lie: The uncontrolable tell-tale signs of deceit in high-stakes deceptions
Scientists have unlocked a secret code written on everyone’s face which reveals when we are lying.
Researchers have discovered for the first time, five tell-tale muscle groups that control facial expressions, activate differently when we are trying to deceive.
Psychologists based their study on more than 23,000 frames of television footage from 52 people emotionally pleading to the public for the return of a missing relative – half of whom were eventually convicted of murdering that person.
Researchers have discovered for the first time, five tell-tale muscle groups that control facial expressions, activate differently when we are trying to deceive.
Psychologists based their study on more than 23,000 frames of television footage from 52 people emotionally pleading to the public for the return of a missing relative – half of whom were eventually convicted of murdering that person.
Alien Plants May Thrive on Many Wavelengths of Light
Everyone knows that we as humans literally owe the air we breathe to the greenery around us. As school children we learned that plants (as well as algae and cyanobacteria) perform the all-important biological "magic trick" known as photosynthesis, which helps generate the atmospheric oxygen we take in with every breath.
Plants, algae and cyanobacteria alter our planet in a way that only life can: they use photosynthesis to completely change the composition of the Earth's atmosphere. Since the days when dust devils on Mars were suspected to be the seasonal variation of vegetation, photosynthesis has been considered a key to identifying the presence of life on other planets.
Both atmospheric oxygen (in the presence of liquid water) and the reflectance spectrum of plant leaves produce signs of life — dubbed "biosignatures" — that can be seen from space. Therefore, photosynthetic biosignatures are a priority in the search for life on planets in distant solar systems. The big question is, will extrasolar photosynthesis use the same pigment as on Earth?
Plants, algae and cyanobacteria alter our planet in a way that only life can: they use photosynthesis to completely change the composition of the Earth's atmosphere. Since the days when dust devils on Mars were suspected to be the seasonal variation of vegetation, photosynthesis has been considered a key to identifying the presence of life on other planets.
Both atmospheric oxygen (in the presence of liquid water) and the reflectance spectrum of plant leaves produce signs of life — dubbed "biosignatures" — that can be seen from space. Therefore, photosynthetic biosignatures are a priority in the search for life on planets in distant solar systems. The big question is, will extrasolar photosynthesis use the same pigment as on Earth?
Extra Girly Genes Boost Male Sex Drive
Women may not be known as the gender with the highest sex drive, but it turns out, at least in mice, males with an extra "girly" sex chromosome seemed to have an insatiable appetite for sex.
In mammals, gender is determined by "sex chromosomes," the X and Y. If you have two X chromosomes, you are a female. If you have one X and one Y, you are a male. (Chromosomes are long strings of DNA that hold many genes; humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent.)
The study was done in mice, not humans, but the genes that determine sex are similar in mammals, so the results might be applicable, especially in males with Klinefelter's syndrome, who are genetically XXY.
In mammals, gender is determined by "sex chromosomes," the X and Y. If you have two X chromosomes, you are a female. If you have one X and one Y, you are a male. (Chromosomes are long strings of DNA that hold many genes; humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent.)
The study was done in mice, not humans, but the genes that determine sex are similar in mammals, so the results might be applicable, especially in males with Klinefelter's syndrome, who are genetically XXY.
March 17, 2012
Daydreaming Is Good for the Mind
Catch yourself daydreaming while washing the dishes again? If this happens often you probably have a pretty capable working memory, new research suggests.
This mind wandering, it seems, actually gives your working memory a workout. Working memory is the mental work space that allows the brain to juggle multiple thoughts simultaneously. The more working memory a person has, the more daydreaming they can do without forgetting the task at hand.
"Our results suggest that the sorts of planning that people do quite often in daily life — when they're on the bus, when they're cycling to work, when they're in the shower — are probably supported by working memory," study researcher Jonathan Smallwood, of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, said in a statement. "Their brains are trying to allocate resources to the most pressing problems."
This mind wandering, it seems, actually gives your working memory a workout. Working memory is the mental work space that allows the brain to juggle multiple thoughts simultaneously. The more working memory a person has, the more daydreaming they can do without forgetting the task at hand.
"Our results suggest that the sorts of planning that people do quite often in daily life — when they're on the bus, when they're cycling to work, when they're in the shower — are probably supported by working memory," study researcher Jonathan Smallwood, of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, said in a statement. "Their brains are trying to allocate resources to the most pressing problems."
Facebook: The encyclopedia of beauty?
One day last year, Amanda Coleman decided to quit Facebook.
It wasn't one precipitating event that led her to her decision, but a slow build -- a series of disturbing, sometimes anguished conversations.
Coleman, a college student and the president of her sorority, found herself spending a lot of time counseling young girls, many of them freshman at the university.
"They would call or come in to see me for advice, crying that they were stressed out," she said.
As it turned out, the insecurities that bedeviled the girls were often fueled by social networking sites.
"At some point I began noticing that Facebook was being mentioned in some way in just about every conversation."
It wasn't one precipitating event that led her to her decision, but a slow build -- a series of disturbing, sometimes anguished conversations.
Coleman, a college student and the president of her sorority, found herself spending a lot of time counseling young girls, many of them freshman at the university.
"They would call or come in to see me for advice, crying that they were stressed out," she said.
As it turned out, the insecurities that bedeviled the girls were often fueled by social networking sites.
"At some point I began noticing that Facebook was being mentioned in some way in just about every conversation."
Spring Break Boozing May Put Young Brains at Risk
Teens and young adults who binge drink during spring break or at any other time may be risking brain damage, an expert warns.
Binge drinking, defined in this case as the consumption of four alcoholic drinks by males and three drinks by females in a day, could be a sign of alcohol dependency or addiction, said Dr. Alicia Ann Kowalchuk, medical director of the InSight alcohol and drug intervention program at the Harris County Hospital District in Houston.
The brain continues to develop through age 25, Kowalchuk said, and alcohol, particularly episodes of binge drinking, affects the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that handles impulse control and decision making.
"The developmental delay of this area of the brain caused by binge drinking can make it hard for young people to make healthy choices about acceptable alcohol use and impulse control [later in life], some being more prone to alcohol abuse and addiction," Kowalchuk said in a Harris County Hospital District news release.
Binge drinking, defined in this case as the consumption of four alcoholic drinks by males and three drinks by females in a day, could be a sign of alcohol dependency or addiction, said Dr. Alicia Ann Kowalchuk, medical director of the InSight alcohol and drug intervention program at the Harris County Hospital District in Houston.
The brain continues to develop through age 25, Kowalchuk said, and alcohol, particularly episodes of binge drinking, affects the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that handles impulse control and decision making.
"The developmental delay of this area of the brain caused by binge drinking can make it hard for young people to make healthy choices about acceptable alcohol use and impulse control [later in life], some being more prone to alcohol abuse and addiction," Kowalchuk said in a Harris County Hospital District news release.
Fundamental steps needed now in global redesign of Earth system governance, experts say
Some 32 social scientists and researchers from around the world, including a Senior Sustainability Scholar at Arizona State University, have concluded that fundamental reforms of global environmental governance are needed to avoid dangerous changes in the Earth system. The scientists argued in the March 16 edition of the journal Science that the time is now for a "constitutional moment" in world politics.
Research now indicates that the world is nearing critical tipping points in the Earth system, including on climate and biodiversity, which if not addressed through a new framework of governance could lead to rapid and irreversible change.
"Science assessments indicate that human activities are moving several of Earth's sub-systems outside the range of natural variability typical for the previous 500,000 years," wrote the authors in the opening of "Navigating the Anthropocene: Improving Earth System Governance."
Research now indicates that the world is nearing critical tipping points in the Earth system, including on climate and biodiversity, which if not addressed through a new framework of governance could lead to rapid and irreversible change.
"Science assessments indicate that human activities are moving several of Earth's sub-systems outside the range of natural variability typical for the previous 500,000 years," wrote the authors in the opening of "Navigating the Anthropocene: Improving Earth System Governance."
March 16, 2012
With Spanking, Nature and Nurture Create More Aggression, Study Suggests
Using spanking as a method of discipline for kids who have a genetic predisposition to aggressive behavior likely makes them even more aggressive, especially boys, new research suggests.
"There's an intricate interplay between nature and nurture," said study co-author J.C. Barnes, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of Texas at Dallas School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. "Most people know that genes matter, but genes and environment can coalesce, and we see things above and beyond what's expected."
While the study found this effect was statistically pronounced in males, Barnes said that the combination of aggressive genes and being spanked as a child likely influences girls' behaviors, too. He said it might be that the combination of these two factors didn't reach statistical significance in girls because boys tend to act out more, and so present more opportunities to have that behavior seen in a study.
"There's an intricate interplay between nature and nurture," said study co-author J.C. Barnes, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of Texas at Dallas School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. "Most people know that genes matter, but genes and environment can coalesce, and we see things above and beyond what's expected."
While the study found this effect was statistically pronounced in males, Barnes said that the combination of aggressive genes and being spanked as a child likely influences girls' behaviors, too. He said it might be that the combination of these two factors didn't reach statistical significance in girls because boys tend to act out more, and so present more opportunities to have that behavior seen in a study.
Einstein can rest easy as neutrinos obey speed limit
New research suggests neutrinos that appeared to break one of Einstein's fundamental theories by travelling faster than the speed of light actually keep within the universal speed limit after all.
The latest measurement of the sub-atomic particles' speed of flight from the CERN research centre in Geneva to Gran Sasso in central Italy contradicts an initial super-fast reading reported last September, which caused a scientific sensation.
Since then, more doubts have crept in about the original claims, especially after news last month that the first finding from the so-called OPERA experiment may have been distorted by faulty cabling.
The latest measurement of the sub-atomic particles' speed of flight from the CERN research centre in Geneva to Gran Sasso in central Italy contradicts an initial super-fast reading reported last September, which caused a scientific sensation.
Since then, more doubts have crept in about the original claims, especially after news last month that the first finding from the so-called OPERA experiment may have been distorted by faulty cabling.
Using virtual worlds to 'soft control' people's movements in the real one
Eighty-eight percent of Americans now own a cell phone, forming a massive network that offers scientists a wealth of information and an infinite number of new applications. With the help of these phone users -- and their devices' cameras, audio recorders, and other features -- researchers envision endless possibilities for gathering huge amounts of data, from services that collect user data to monitor noise pollution and air quality to applications that build maps from people's cell phone snapshots.
Insurgents Destroyed US Helicopters Found in Online Photos
When new U.S. Army attack helicopters landed at an Iraqi base in 2007, soldiers uploaded smartphone photos of the helicopters to the Internet. The soldiers didn’t realize that those pictures contained GPS "geotags," which according to an Army officer allowed insurgents to pinpoint and destroy four Apache helicopters in a mortar attack.
The costly attack highlighted the hazards of social media for the U.S. military — especially when so many applications use the built-in GPS of smartphones to tag the location of users. That's why the Army has made a new effort to warn soldiers about how something as simple as checking into Foursquare can endanger their lives or the lives of their squads.
"Is a badge on Foursquare worth your life?" said Brittany Brown, social media manager at Fort Benning in Georgia.
The costly attack highlighted the hazards of social media for the U.S. military — especially when so many applications use the built-in GPS of smartphones to tag the location of users. That's why the Army has made a new effort to warn soldiers about how something as simple as checking into Foursquare can endanger their lives or the lives of their squads.
"Is a badge on Foursquare worth your life?" said Brittany Brown, social media manager at Fort Benning in Georgia.
The Power of Introverts: A Manifesto for Quiet Brilliance: Scientific American
Do you enjoy having time to yourself, but always feel a little guilty about it? Then Susan Cain’s “Quiet : The Power of Introverts” is for you. It’s part book, part manifesto. We live in a nation that values its extroverts – the outgoing, the lovers of crowds – but not the quiet types who change the world. She recently answered questions from Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook.
Introverts prefer quiet, minimally stimulating environments, while extroverts need higher levels of stimulation to feel their best. Stimulation comes in all forms – social stimulation, but also lights, noise, and so on. Introverts even salivate more than extroverts do if you place a drop of lemon juice on their tongues! So an introvert is more likely to enjoy a quiet glass of wine with a close friend than a loud, raucous party full of strangers.
Introverts prefer quiet, minimally stimulating environments, while extroverts need higher levels of stimulation to feel their best. Stimulation comes in all forms – social stimulation, but also lights, noise, and so on. Introverts even salivate more than extroverts do if you place a drop of lemon juice on their tongues! So an introvert is more likely to enjoy a quiet glass of wine with a close friend than a loud, raucous party full of strangers.
Highly exposed to phthalates as fetuses, female mice have altered reproductive lives
Many environmental and public health officials are concerned about the potential health effects of phthalates, which are common chemicals used to make plastics softer and more pliable. In the first study to examine what effect in utero doses of phthalates have on the reproductive system of mice, Brown University toxicologists found that extremely high doses were associated with significant changes, such as a shortened reproductive lifespan and abnormal cell growth in mammary glands.
Female mouse fetuses exposed to very high doses of a common industrial chemical that makes plastics more pliable develop significant reproductive alterations and precancerous lesions as they grow up, according to a new toxicology study conducted at Brown University.
Female mouse fetuses exposed to very high doses of a common industrial chemical that makes plastics more pliable develop significant reproductive alterations and precancerous lesions as they grow up, according to a new toxicology study conducted at Brown University.
'Red Deer Cave' people, possibly a new human species?
Newly identified partial skeletons of "mysterious humans" excavated at two caves in southwest China display an unique mix of primitive and modern anatomical features, scientists say.
"Their skulls are anatomically unique. They look very different to all modern humans, whether alive today or in Africa 150,000 years ago," said evolutionary biologist Darren Curnoe, the lead author of the study, from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
The fossils found at excavation sites in Longlin Cave, in Guangxi Province, and the Maludong Cave, in Yunnan Province, indicate that the stone-aged people had short, flat faces and lacked a modern chin. They had thick skull bones, a rounded brain case, prominent brow ridges and a moderate-size brain.
"Their skulls are anatomically unique. They look very different to all modern humans, whether alive today or in Africa 150,000 years ago," said evolutionary biologist Darren Curnoe, the lead author of the study, from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
The fossils found at excavation sites in Longlin Cave, in Guangxi Province, and the Maludong Cave, in Yunnan Province, indicate that the stone-aged people had short, flat faces and lacked a modern chin. They had thick skull bones, a rounded brain case, prominent brow ridges and a moderate-size brain.
Your brain is older than you think, say researchers
Biologists may need to rethink where to look for evolutionary changes responsible for the origin of vertebrates, including humans, as a result of research at Stanford University and the University of Chicago.
Chris Lowe and Ari Pani, biologists at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station, discovered some of the essential genetic machinery previously thought exclusive to vertebrate brains in a surprising place – a sea dwelling, bottom-feeding acorn worm, Saccoglossus kowalevskii.
These worms lack vertebrate-like brains, and are, in fact, separated from vertebrates by over 500 million years of evolution. The worms are even classified in a different phylum, the hemichordates.
Chris Lowe and Ari Pani, biologists at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station, discovered some of the essential genetic machinery previously thought exclusive to vertebrate brains in a surprising place – a sea dwelling, bottom-feeding acorn worm, Saccoglossus kowalevskii.
These worms lack vertebrate-like brains, and are, in fact, separated from vertebrates by over 500 million years of evolution. The worms are even classified in a different phylum, the hemichordates.
A wandering mind reveals mental processes and priorities
Odds are, you're not going to make it all the way through this article without thinking about something else. In fact, studies have found that our minds are wandering half the time, drifting off to thoughts unrelated to what we're doing -- did I remember to turn off the light? What should I have for dinner?
A new study investigating the mental processes underlying a wandering mind reports a role for working memory, a sort of a mental workspace that allows you to juggle multiple thoughts simultaneously.
Imagine you see your neighbor upon arriving home one day and schedule a lunch date. On your way to add it to your calendar, you stop to turn off the drippy faucet, feed the cat, and add milk to your grocery list. The capacity that allows you to retain the lunch information through those unrelated tasks is working memory.
A new study investigating the mental processes underlying a wandering mind reports a role for working memory, a sort of a mental workspace that allows you to juggle multiple thoughts simultaneously.
Imagine you see your neighbor upon arriving home one day and schedule a lunch date. On your way to add it to your calendar, you stop to turn off the drippy faucet, feed the cat, and add milk to your grocery list. The capacity that allows you to retain the lunch information through those unrelated tasks is working memory.
Poor Reading Skills Might Be Fatal for Older Folks
Being unable to read and understand basic health information might have a deadly outcome for older people, new research reveals.
The study included nearly 8,000 adults in England, aged 52 and older, who completed a test of functional health literacy -- the ability to use reading skills to understand health-related information. Specifically, the test assessed a person's understanding of written instructions for taking aspirin. About one-third of the participants could not completely understand the instructions, demonstrating poor health literacy.
The tests were administered in 2004-2005, and deaths among the participants were monitored until October 2009. During that follow-up period, there were a total of 621 deaths: 321 (6 percent) in the group of people who had high scores on the health literacy test; 143 (9 percent) in the group with medium scores; and 157 (16 percent) in the group with low health literacy scores.
The study included nearly 8,000 adults in England, aged 52 and older, who completed a test of functional health literacy -- the ability to use reading skills to understand health-related information. Specifically, the test assessed a person's understanding of written instructions for taking aspirin. About one-third of the participants could not completely understand the instructions, demonstrating poor health literacy.
The tests were administered in 2004-2005, and deaths among the participants were monitored until October 2009. During that follow-up period, there were a total of 621 deaths: 321 (6 percent) in the group of people who had high scores on the health literacy test; 143 (9 percent) in the group with medium scores; and 157 (16 percent) in the group with low health literacy scores.
Sore throat, grazed knee could kill as antibiotics become ineffective, WHO warns
Antibiotics could become so ineffective that common injuries such as a grazed knee or a sore throat could kill, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
At the heart of the problem is the increasing resistance to drugs by microbes that cause the most common infections, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told a meeting of infectious disease experts in Copenhagen, The Independent reported Friday.
"A post-antibiotic era means, in effect, an end to modern medicine as we know it. Things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill," Chan warned.
At the heart of the problem is the increasing resistance to drugs by microbes that cause the most common infections, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told a meeting of infectious disease experts in Copenhagen, The Independent reported Friday.
"A post-antibiotic era means, in effect, an end to modern medicine as we know it. Things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill," Chan warned.
March 15, 2012
How Booze Takes the Edge Off … for Rejected Flies
Chronically sex-deprived fruit flies will take refuge in booze, while just-mated flies are more likely to take a pass on the alcohol, new research suggests.
The alcoholic tendencies of the chronically rejected flies seem to be a result of decreased levels of a brain chemical called neuropeptide F (NPF), which researchers think plays a role in the fly's reward system.
When the fly does something that would be good for it evolutionarily, such as mating or eating food, an internal mechanism increases NPF levels. But NPF also can be turned up by outside factors, including alcohol. (Flies have no trouble finding alcohol, which is created by their favorite food: yeast on rotting fruit.)
The alcoholic tendencies of the chronically rejected flies seem to be a result of decreased levels of a brain chemical called neuropeptide F (NPF), which researchers think plays a role in the fly's reward system.
When the fly does something that would be good for it evolutionarily, such as mating or eating food, an internal mechanism increases NPF levels. But NPF also can be turned up by outside factors, including alcohol. (Flies have no trouble finding alcohol, which is created by their favorite food: yeast on rotting fruit.)
Monsanto’s Roundup is Killing Human Kidney Cells
Monsanto’s ‘biopesticide’ known as Bt is not only developing mutated insects and requiring excessive pesticide use, but new findings show that it is also killing human kidney cells — even in low doses.
Amazingly, Monsanto’s superweed-breeding Roundup also has the same effect. Scientists have demonstrated in new research that the Bt pesticide, in addition to Monsanto’s best-selling herbicide Roundup, exhibit direct toxicity to human cells. The findings add to the long list of hazardous effects presented by Monsanto’s genetically modified creations.
Amazingly, Monsanto’s superweed-breeding Roundup also has the same effect. Scientists have demonstrated in new research that the Bt pesticide, in addition to Monsanto’s best-selling herbicide Roundup, exhibit direct toxicity to human cells. The findings add to the long list of hazardous effects presented by Monsanto’s genetically modified creations.
Tibet - Another Monk Sets Himself Afire
A Tibetan monk set fire to himself on Wednesday in the town of Rongwo in the Chinese province of Qinghai to protest rule by Beijing, according to Free Tibet, an advocacy group in London. The monk, Jamyang Palden, who set himself on fire in a square in front of the Rongwo Monastery, is believed to have survived. He was said to be in his 30s. The authorities took him to a hospital, but monks brought him back to the monastery for fear that he would be arrested, Free Tibet said.
At least 27 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze in the last year, and at least 18 have died. About 500 monks gathered in the square after the self-immolation on Wednesday, and some held up pictures of the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetans, Free Tibet said. The International Campaign for Tibet, another advocacy group, said its sources had confirmed the self-immolation, which took place about 9 a.m. Rongwo is in the county of Rebkong, called Tongren in Chinese, an area on the border of Tibetan and ethnic Han lands.
At least 27 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze in the last year, and at least 18 have died. About 500 monks gathered in the square after the self-immolation on Wednesday, and some held up pictures of the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetans, Free Tibet said. The International Campaign for Tibet, another advocacy group, said its sources had confirmed the self-immolation, which took place about 9 a.m. Rongwo is in the county of Rebkong, called Tongren in Chinese, an area on the border of Tibetan and ethnic Han lands.
Breaking News...The Earth is Warming... Still. A LOT
In a previous post we discussed how the argument that the Earth has stopped warming doesn't make much sense because the people claiming this don't know how to draw their 'system boundaries' correctly - how can you work out whether the Earth is warming if you don't take account of all the places where it may be warming? And most commentary seems to only focus on surface temperatures. Which is only 3% of the Total Heat Content change.
So in this follow-on we would like to try and convey this warming from all the parts of the climate system in terms that we can all grasp. Grasp at an imaginative and visceral level. Because numbers, no matter how accurate, can be rather dry and hard to digest.
So in this follow-on we would like to try and convey this warming from all the parts of the climate system in terms that we can all grasp. Grasp at an imaginative and visceral level. Because numbers, no matter how accurate, can be rather dry and hard to digest.
March 14, 2012
Neuroscience may explain the Dalai Lama
Many wonder how the Dalai Lama can retain his kindness and magnanimity, even as his homeland is torn apart by violence. New neuroscience research may help explain the exiled Tibetan leader's unremitting compassion for all people.
Meditation may increase a person's ability to feel empathy and benevolence for others, according to a study published March 26 in the journal PLoS ONE.
Meditation may increase a person's ability to feel empathy and benevolence for others, according to a study published March 26 in the journal PLoS ONE.
Scientists Manipulate Electrons Into Material Never Seen on Earth
Stanford scientists have created designer electrons that behave as if they were exposed to a magnetic field of 60 Tesla—a force 30 percent stronger than anything ever sustained on Earth. The work could lead to a revolution in the materials that make everything from video displays to airplanes to mobile phones.
"The behavior of electrons in materials is at the heart of essentially all of today's technologies," said Hari Manoharan, associate professor of physics at Stanford and a member of SLAC's Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, who led the research. "We're now able to tune the fundamental properties of electrons so they behave in ways rarely seen in ordinary materials."
"The behavior of electrons in materials is at the heart of essentially all of today's technologies," said Hari Manoharan, associate professor of physics at Stanford and a member of SLAC's Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, who led the research. "We're now able to tune the fundamental properties of electrons so they behave in ways rarely seen in ordinary materials."
Walking may lessen the influence of genes on obesity by half
Watching too much TV can worsen your genetic tendency towards obesity, but you can cut the effect in half by walking briskly for an hour a day, researchers report at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2012 Scientific Sessions.
Tailored optical material from DNA: Light-modifying nanoparticles
In the human body genetic information is encoded in double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid building blocks, the so-called DNA. Using artificial DNA molecules, an international team of scientists headed by the Cluster of Excellence Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) has produced nanostructured materials that can be used to modify visible light by specification. The researchers present their results in the current issue of the scientific journal Nature.
Molecular graphene heralds new era of 'designer electrons'
Researchers from Stanford University and the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the first-ever system of "designer electrons" -- exotic variants of ordinary electrons with tunable properties that may ultimately lead to new types of materials and devices.
Researchers send 'wireless' message using a beam of neutrinos
A group of scientists led by researchers from the University of Rochester and North Carolina State University have for the first time sent a message using a beam of neutrinos -- nearly massless particles that travel at almost the speed of light. The message was sent through 240 meters of stone and said simply, "Neutrino."
Killer silk: Making silk fibers that kill anthrax and other microbes in minutes
A simple, inexpensive dip-and-dry treatment can convert ordinary silk into a fabric that kills disease-causing bacteria -- even the armor-coated spores of microbes like anthrax -- in minutes, scientists are reporting in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. They describe a range of potential uses for this new killer silk, including make-shift curtains and other protective coatings that protect homes and other buildings in the event of a terrorist attack with anthrax.
Motivation to be active may lead to impulsive behavior
Those motivated to actively change bad habits may be setting themselves up for failure, a new study suggests. The study, described in an article in the journal Motivation and Emotion, found that people primed with words suggesting action were more likely than others to make impulsive decisions that undermined their long-term goals. In contrast, those primed to "rest," to "stop" or to be inactive found it easier to avoid impulsive decisions.
"Popular views of self-control maintain that individuals should 'exert' willpower, 'fight' temptations, 'overcome' desires and 'control' impulses when they want to successfully control their own behavior," said University of Illinois graduate student Justin Hepler, who led the study with psychology professor Dolores AlbarracÃn.
"Ironically, in these situations people are often 'fighting' to do nothing -- for example, they want to not eat a piece of cake."
"Those who try to be active may make wild, risky investments, for example, and persist in behaviors that clearly make them unsuccessful," AlbarracÃn said.
Hepler, AlbarracÃn and colleagues at Idaho State University and the University of Southern Mississippi wanted to determine whether successful self-control involves the active, effortful pursuit of one's goals, as some researchers have proposed, or whether one is more likely to succeed by "delay(ing) behavior until sufficient pre-action information processing has occurred," as others suggest, the researchers wrote.
"Popular views of self-control maintain that individuals should 'exert' willpower, 'fight' temptations, 'overcome' desires and 'control' impulses when they want to successfully control their own behavior," said University of Illinois graduate student Justin Hepler, who led the study with psychology professor Dolores AlbarracÃn.
"Ironically, in these situations people are often 'fighting' to do nothing -- for example, they want to not eat a piece of cake."
"Those who try to be active may make wild, risky investments, for example, and persist in behaviors that clearly make them unsuccessful," AlbarracÃn said.
Hepler, AlbarracÃn and colleagues at Idaho State University and the University of Southern Mississippi wanted to determine whether successful self-control involves the active, effortful pursuit of one's goals, as some researchers have proposed, or whether one is more likely to succeed by "delay(ing) behavior until sufficient pre-action information processing has occurred," as others suggest, the researchers wrote.
Getting a full picture of an elusive subject: Astronomers map dark matter in 3-D in galaxy cluster
Two teams of astronomers have used data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes to map the distribution of dark matter in a galaxy cluster known as Abell 383, which is located about 2.3 billion light years from Earth. Not only were the researchers able to find where the dark matter lies in the two dimensions across the sky, they were also able to determine how the dark matter is distributed along the line of sight.
Dark matter is invisible material that does not emit or absorb any type of light, but is detectable through its gravitational effects. Several lines of evidence indicate that there is about six times as much dark matter as "normal," or baryonic, matter in the Universe. Understanding the nature of this mysterious matter is one of the outstanding problems in astrophysics.
Dark matter is invisible material that does not emit or absorb any type of light, but is detectable through its gravitational effects. Several lines of evidence indicate that there is about six times as much dark matter as "normal," or baryonic, matter in the Universe. Understanding the nature of this mysterious matter is one of the outstanding problems in astrophysics.
Workplace not psychologically safe, workers say
Companies around the globe have work to do to improve worker satisfaction because only three in 10 employees say their workplace is psychologically safe and healthy, according to a new poll.
Whether it is due to stress, interpersonal conflict, frustration, lack of feedback or promotion, 27 percent of workers in 24 countries said they are not happy with the psychological aspects of their work environment, the survey by research company Ipsos for Reuters showed.
Whether it is due to stress, interpersonal conflict, frustration, lack of feedback or promotion, 27 percent of workers in 24 countries said they are not happy with the psychological aspects of their work environment, the survey by research company Ipsos for Reuters showed.
Rats as good at decision-making as humans: study
Rats are smart, that’s a well known fact. But US researchers said Tuesday a series of tests have shown they may be just as good as humans at juggling information in order to make the best decision.
The discovery could help scientists better understand how the brain works in order to help people with autism who have difficulty processing various stimuli the way that others can, said the study authors.
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ran tests that presented rats with a variety of sound and visual cues, and analyzed how the rodents sifted through that information and recognized patterns in order to get a treat.
The discovery could help scientists better understand how the brain works in order to help people with autism who have difficulty processing various stimuli the way that others can, said the study authors.
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ran tests that presented rats with a variety of sound and visual cues, and analyzed how the rodents sifted through that information and recognized patterns in order to get a treat.
Exec slams Goldman Sachs in open resignation - calling the firm "toxic"
A Goldman Sachs executive has resigned in a very public manner -- calling the firm "toxic" and disrespectful of its clients in a scathing op-ed piece published in Wednesday's New York Times.
"I can honestly say that the environment now is as toxic and destructive as I have ever seen it," wrote Greg Smith on his "last day at Goldman Sachs," capping 12 years with Wall Street's gilded firm.
"I can honestly say that the environment now is as toxic and destructive as I have ever seen it," wrote Greg Smith on his "last day at Goldman Sachs," capping 12 years with Wall Street's gilded firm.
Mysterious Chinese Fossils May Be New Human Species
Mysterious fossils of what may be a previously unknown type of human have been uncovered in caves in China, ones that possess a highly unusual mix of bygone and modern human features, scientists reveal.
Surprisingly, the fossils are only between 11,500 and 14,500 years old. That means they would have shared the landscape with modern humans when China's earliest farmers were first appearing.
"These new fossils might be of a previously unknown species, one that survived until the very end of the ice age around 11,000 years ago," said researcher Darren Curnoe, a palaeoanthropologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Surprisingly, the fossils are only between 11,500 and 14,500 years old. That means they would have shared the landscape with modern humans when China's earliest farmers were first appearing.
"These new fossils might be of a previously unknown species, one that survived until the very end of the ice age around 11,000 years ago," said researcher Darren Curnoe, a palaeoanthropologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Weigh More, Pay More - Peter Singer - Project Syndicate
We are getting fatter. In Australia, the United States, and many other countries, it has become commonplace to see people so fat that they waddle rather than walk. The rise in obesity is steepest in the developed world, but it is occurring in middle-income and poor countries as well.
Is a person’s weight his or her own business? Should we simply become more accepting of diverse body shapes? I don’t think so. Obesity is an ethical issue, because an increase in weight by some imposes costs on others.
Is a person’s weight his or her own business? Should we simply become more accepting of diverse body shapes? I don’t think so. Obesity is an ethical issue, because an increase in weight by some imposes costs on others.
Sugary Drinks and Heart Attack Risks
I've written before about the health issues associated with swigging down lots of sugary drinks. Generally, the problem is an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. But a new heart health study provides another reason to avoid sugary drinks: if you're a man, too many drinks sweetened with sugar could increase the risk of heart attacks.
The study by the Harvard School of Public Health looked at nearly 43,000 male health care professionals. It found that those who drank the most sugary drinks - roughly one a day - were 20 percent more likely to have heart attacks than those who never drank them.
Men who drank artificially sweetened drinks did not have the same risk of a heart attack.
The men in the heart attack study were mostly white and between the ages of 40 and 75 when the study first began in 1986. They were followed for more than 22 years. In that time, the participants accounted for more than 3,500 heart attack cases.
The study by the Harvard School of Public Health looked at nearly 43,000 male health care professionals. It found that those who drank the most sugary drinks - roughly one a day - were 20 percent more likely to have heart attacks than those who never drank them.
Men who drank artificially sweetened drinks did not have the same risk of a heart attack.
The men in the heart attack study were mostly white and between the ages of 40 and 75 when the study first began in 1986. They were followed for more than 22 years. In that time, the participants accounted for more than 3,500 heart attack cases.
Study Says Umbilical Cord Shouldn’t Be Pulled During Labor
Delivery without pulling on the umbilical cord may be a simpler way to keep some women from bleeding to death in childbirth, a new study has found.
In Africa and Asia, postpartum hemorrhage kills a third of the women who die in childbirth, and health agencies constantly struggle to refine midwife training to prevent those deaths. (Above, a maternity ward in Sudan.)
Many midwives are now trained to deliver the baby, give the mother a shot of oxytocin to help her uterus contract, clamp the cord and pull steadily on it to get the placenta out. Then they massage the uterus to help it tighten and to cut off blood flow.
In Africa and Asia, postpartum hemorrhage kills a third of the women who die in childbirth, and health agencies constantly struggle to refine midwife training to prevent those deaths. (Above, a maternity ward in Sudan.)
Many midwives are now trained to deliver the baby, give the mother a shot of oxytocin to help her uterus contract, clamp the cord and pull steadily on it to get the placenta out. Then they massage the uterus to help it tighten and to cut off blood flow.
Type of Bacteria May Be Linked to Diabetes
There may be a link between H. pylori bacteria and type 2 diabetes in adults, according to a new study.
In some people, an H. pylori infection of the stomach acquired in early childhood becomes persistent and can lead to ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. These bacteria have also been associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from people who took part in two U.S. National Health and Nutrition Surveys and found that the presence of H. pylori bacteria was consistently associated with elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), an indicator of blood glucose levels and diabetes.
In some people, an H. pylori infection of the stomach acquired in early childhood becomes persistent and can lead to ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. These bacteria have also been associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from people who took part in two U.S. National Health and Nutrition Surveys and found that the presence of H. pylori bacteria was consistently associated with elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), an indicator of blood glucose levels and diabetes.
Was Charles Darwin the Father of Economics as Well?
Now, what does the work of naturalist Charles Darwin have to do with economics?
There's an idea war being waged over American economics. The left contends that greed and the market have become malign influences which must be brought to heel. The right, which blames government for most of what ails us, has a more positive view of greed.
There's an idea war being waged over American economics. The left contends that greed and the market have become malign influences which must be brought to heel. The right, which blames government for most of what ails us, has a more positive view of greed.
March 13, 2012
Scientist: The brain is like a computer, and we can fix it with nanorobots
Ed Boyden heads the Synthetic Neurobiology Group at MIT Media Lab. He is working on developing technologies and tools for “analysing and engineering brain circuits” – to reveal which brain neurons are involved in different cognitive processes and using this knowledge to treat brain disorders.
What is synthetic neurobiology?
The synthetic biology part is about taking molecules from the natural world and figuring how to make them into little machines that we can use to address complex brain problems.
Moreover, if we can synthesise the computation of the brain and write information to it, that allows us to test our understanding of the brain and fix disorders by controlling the process within – running a piece of software on the brain as if it is a computer.
What is synthetic neurobiology?
The synthetic biology part is about taking molecules from the natural world and figuring how to make them into little machines that we can use to address complex brain problems.
Moreover, if we can synthesise the computation of the brain and write information to it, that allows us to test our understanding of the brain and fix disorders by controlling the process within – running a piece of software on the brain as if it is a computer.
Gene known to protect against cancer can also promote tumor growth
Can a gene simultaneously protect against cancer and favor its growth? Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre have discovered a gene with this double-edged property and suspect there may be many more that share it. In the words of Oscar Fernandez Capetillo, head of the group responsible for the study, this gene "can be both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in that it can either protect us against the appearance of tumors or promote tumor growth."
The study, appears this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, with Andrés J. López-Contreras and Paula Gutiérrez MartÃnez as first authors, focuses on the activity of Chk1, a gene known for its tumour suppressing effect. It is what Fernández-Capetillo calls "a genome guardian, a gene that keeps our genome free of mutations and, therefore, protects against the development of tumours."
The study, appears this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, with Andrés J. López-Contreras and Paula Gutiérrez MartÃnez as first authors, focuses on the activity of Chk1, a gene known for its tumour suppressing effect. It is what Fernández-Capetillo calls "a genome guardian, a gene that keeps our genome free of mutations and, therefore, protects against the development of tumours."
Baby Brains May Be the Secret to Smarter Computers
Cognitive scientists hope to bottle up a baby's brain — and the imagination and air of possibility that comes with it — and use the result to make computers smarter.
"Children are the greatest learning machines in the universe," Alison Gopnik, a developmental psychologist at the University of California at Berkeley, said in a statement. "Imagine if computers could learn as much and as quickly as they do," said Gopnik, author of the books "The Scientist in the Crib" (William Morrow, 2000) and "The Philosophical Baby" (Picador, 2010).
Scientists such as Gopnik have known a healthy newborn brain contains a lifetime's supply of some 100 billion neurons; as a baby matures, these brain cells grow a vast network of synapses or connections (about 15,000 by the age of 2 or 3), which allow tots to learn languages and social skills, all the while figuring out how to survive and thrive in their environment.
"Children are the greatest learning machines in the universe," Alison Gopnik, a developmental psychologist at the University of California at Berkeley, said in a statement. "Imagine if computers could learn as much and as quickly as they do," said Gopnik, author of the books "The Scientist in the Crib" (William Morrow, 2000) and "The Philosophical Baby" (Picador, 2010).
Scientists such as Gopnik have known a healthy newborn brain contains a lifetime's supply of some 100 billion neurons; as a baby matures, these brain cells grow a vast network of synapses or connections (about 15,000 by the age of 2 or 3), which allow tots to learn languages and social skills, all the while figuring out how to survive and thrive in their environment.
Heroin Works Better Than Methadone, So Why Won’t Politicians Allow It?
Yet another study shows it’s both cheaper and more effective to treat heroin addicts with heroin itself, instead of methadone. Jesse Singal on why politicians still won’t accept it.
During the health-care debate in 2010, some politicians were fond of issuing dire warnings of government bureaucrats “coming between you and your doctor.” But when it comes to treating heroin addiction, it’s often the politicians themselves who are barring the door.
A study released today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests that giving heroin to addicts who have been resistant to treatment, instead of the traditional methadone, may in the end be the most cost-effective way to mitigate the societal damage done by this form of addiction.
During the health-care debate in 2010, some politicians were fond of issuing dire warnings of government bureaucrats “coming between you and your doctor.” But when it comes to treating heroin addiction, it’s often the politicians themselves who are barring the door.
A study released today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests that giving heroin to addicts who have been resistant to treatment, instead of the traditional methadone, may in the end be the most cost-effective way to mitigate the societal damage done by this form of addiction.
Scientists say kids too dependent on parents
Anthropologist Elinor Ochs and her colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles have studied family life as far away as Samoa and the Peruvian Amazon region, but for the last decade they have focused on a society closer to home: the American middle class.
Why do American children depend on their parents to do things for them that they are capable of doing for themselves? How do U.S. working parents' views of "family time" affect their stress levels? These are just two of the questions that researchers at UCLA's Center on Everyday Lives of Families, or CELF, are trying to answer in their work.
Why do American children depend on their parents to do things for them that they are capable of doing for themselves? How do U.S. working parents' views of "family time" affect their stress levels? These are just two of the questions that researchers at UCLA's Center on Everyday Lives of Families, or CELF, are trying to answer in their work.
S.Korean, Russian scientists bid to clone mammoth
Russian and South Korean scientists have signed a deal on joint research intended to recreate a woolly mammoth, an animal which last walked the earth some 10,000 years ago.
The deal was signed by Vasily Vasiliev, vice rector of North-Eastern Federal University of the Sakha Republic, and controversial cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk of South Korea's Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, on Tuesday.
Hwang was a national hero until some of his research into creating human stem cells was found in 2006 to have been faked. But his work in creating Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog, in 2005, has been verified by experts.
Stem cell scientists are now setting their sights on the extinct woolly mammoth, after global warming thawed Siberia's permafrost and uncovered remains of the animal.
The deal was signed by Vasily Vasiliev, vice rector of North-Eastern Federal University of the Sakha Republic, and controversial cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk of South Korea's Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, on Tuesday.
Hwang was a national hero until some of his research into creating human stem cells was found in 2006 to have been faked. But his work in creating Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog, in 2005, has been verified by experts.
Stem cell scientists are now setting their sights on the extinct woolly mammoth, after global warming thawed Siberia's permafrost and uncovered remains of the animal.
Diamond-based materials brighten the future of electronics
While diamonds may be a girl's best friend, they're also well-loved by scientists working to enhance the performance of electronic devices.
Two new studies performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have revealed a new pathway for materials scientists to use previously unexplored properties of nanocrystalline-diamond thin films. While the properties of diamond thin films are relatively well-understood, the new discovery could dramatically improve the performance of certain types of integrated circuits by reducing their "thermal budget."
Two new studies performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have revealed a new pathway for materials scientists to use previously unexplored properties of nanocrystalline-diamond thin films. While the properties of diamond thin films are relatively well-understood, the new discovery could dramatically improve the performance of certain types of integrated circuits by reducing their "thermal budget."
Santorini: The ground is moving again in paradise
It's also a volcanic island that has been relatively calm since its last eruption in 1950. Until now. The Santorini caldera is awake again and rapidly deforming at levels never seen before. Georgia Tech Associate Professor Andrew Newman has studied Santorini since setting up more than 20 GPS stations on the island in 2006.
"After decades of little activity, a series of earthquakes and deformation began within the Santorini caldera in January of 2011," said Newman, whose research is published by Geophysical Research Letters. "Since then, our instruments on the northern part of the island have moved laterally between five and nine centimeters. The volcano's magma chamber is filling, and we are keeping a close eye on its activity."
"After decades of little activity, a series of earthquakes and deformation began within the Santorini caldera in January of 2011," said Newman, whose research is published by Geophysical Research Letters. "Since then, our instruments on the northern part of the island have moved laterally between five and nine centimeters. The volcano's magma chamber is filling, and we are keeping a close eye on its activity."
March 12, 2012
3-D Printer with Nano-Precision
Printing three-dimensional objects with incredibly fine details is now possible using "two-photon lithography." With this technology, tiny structures on a nanometer scale can be fabricated. Researchers at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) have now made a major breakthrough in speeding up this printing technique: The high-precision-3D-printer at TU Vienna is orders of magnitude faster than similar devices. This opens up completely new areas of application, such as in medicine.
The 3D printer uses a liquid resin, which is hardened at precisely the correct spots by a focused laser beam. The focal point of the laser beam is guided through the resin by movable mirrors and leaves behind a hardened line of solid polymer, just a few hundred nanometers wide. This fine resolution enables the creation of intricately structured sculptures as tiny as a grain of sand. "Until now, this technique used to be quite slow," says Professor Jürgen Stampfl from the Institute of Materials Science and Technology at the TU Vienna. "The printing speed used to be measured in millimeters per second -- our device can do five meters in one second." In two-photon lithography, this is a world record.
The 3D printer uses a liquid resin, which is hardened at precisely the correct spots by a focused laser beam. The focal point of the laser beam is guided through the resin by movable mirrors and leaves behind a hardened line of solid polymer, just a few hundred nanometers wide. This fine resolution enables the creation of intricately structured sculptures as tiny as a grain of sand. "Until now, this technique used to be quite slow," says Professor Jürgen Stampfl from the Institute of Materials Science and Technology at the TU Vienna. "The printing speed used to be measured in millimeters per second -- our device can do five meters in one second." In two-photon lithography, this is a world record.
Touch of gold improves nanoparticle fuel-cell reactions
Chemists at Brown University have created a triple-headed metallic nanoparticle that reportedly performs better and lasts longer than any other nanoparticle catalyst studied in fuel-cell reactions. The key is the addition of gold: It yields a more uniform crystal structure while removing carbon monoxide from the reaction.
Advances in fuel-cell technology have been stymied by the inadequacy of metals studied as catalysts. The drawback to platinum, other than cost, is that it absorbs carbon monoxide in reactions involving fuel cells powered by organic materials like formic acid. A more recently tested metal, palladium, breaks down over time.
Now chemists at Brown University have created a triple-headed metallic nanoparticle that they say outperforms and outlasts all others at the anode end in formic-acid fuel-cell reactions. In a paper published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the researchers report a 4-nanometer iron-platinum-gold nanoparticle (FePtAu), with a tetragonal crystal structure, generates higher current per unit of mass than any other nanoparticle catalyst tested. Moreover, the trimetallic nanoparticle at Brown performs nearly as well after 13 hours as it did at the start. By contrast, another nanoparticle assembly tested under identical conditions lost nearly 90 percent of its performance in just one-quarter of the time.
Advances in fuel-cell technology have been stymied by the inadequacy of metals studied as catalysts. The drawback to platinum, other than cost, is that it absorbs carbon monoxide in reactions involving fuel cells powered by organic materials like formic acid. A more recently tested metal, palladium, breaks down over time.
Now chemists at Brown University have created a triple-headed metallic nanoparticle that they say outperforms and outlasts all others at the anode end in formic-acid fuel-cell reactions. In a paper published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the researchers report a 4-nanometer iron-platinum-gold nanoparticle (FePtAu), with a tetragonal crystal structure, generates higher current per unit of mass than any other nanoparticle catalyst tested. Moreover, the trimetallic nanoparticle at Brown performs nearly as well after 13 hours as it did at the start. By contrast, another nanoparticle assembly tested under identical conditions lost nearly 90 percent of its performance in just one-quarter of the time.
'Storm' of spider silk drapes Australian city
A story that went viral this week about spider webs blanketing an Australian city is not entirely accurate.
What the spiders were doing was creating a line of silk, not webs, an entomologist has told Discovery News. The arachnid at the root of the story, a wolf spider, doesn't even make webs.
So, what these images show are massive amounts of dragline silk released by the normally solitary spiders as they ran for their lives to escape rising floodwaters. According to Reuters, flooding forced more than 8,000 human residents from their homes in the city of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.
What the spiders were doing was creating a line of silk, not webs, an entomologist has told Discovery News. The arachnid at the root of the story, a wolf spider, doesn't even make webs.
So, what these images show are massive amounts of dragline silk released by the normally solitary spiders as they ran for their lives to escape rising floodwaters. According to Reuters, flooding forced more than 8,000 human residents from their homes in the city of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.
Nanotrees mimic nature, harvest sun's energy
If humans are going to mimic nature's unique way of converting sunlight into energy, we're going to need to build some very extraordinary trees.
Electrical engineers in California want to do just that. Their new "nanotree" device is made from cheap, abundant materials and uses sunlight to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms that can be used in fuel cells to produce energy.
Hydrogen fuel cells could power everything from houses to cars. But hydrogen doesn’t exist alone in nature. The atoms have to be separated from other molecules, like water.
Electrical engineers in California want to do just that. Their new "nanotree" device is made from cheap, abundant materials and uses sunlight to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms that can be used in fuel cells to produce energy.
Hydrogen fuel cells could power everything from houses to cars. But hydrogen doesn’t exist alone in nature. The atoms have to be separated from other molecules, like water.
Big tobacco heads to court; up to $27B at stake
Canada's biggest tobacco companies are taking on a group of Quebec smokers in a landmark case with up to $27 billion in damages and penalties at stake.
The trial got underway Monday in a Montreal courtroom where lawyers representing the smokers argued tobacco companies weren't upfront about the dangers of cigarette use, leading the plaintiffs to addiction and smoking-related illnesses.
Not only is the civil case considered the biggest in Canadian history, but it marks the first time in this country that tobacco companies have gone to trial for a civil suit.
The trial got underway Monday in a Montreal courtroom where lawyers representing the smokers argued tobacco companies weren't upfront about the dangers of cigarette use, leading the plaintiffs to addiction and smoking-related illnesses.
Not only is the civil case considered the biggest in Canadian history, but it marks the first time in this country that tobacco companies have gone to trial for a civil suit.
So Maybe $4/Gallon Gasoline Isn't That Big A Deal After All?
Gas prices are rising. This we know, and it's something we can do very little about.
The increased cost of accessing crude oil, and political instability in oil-controlling nations putting a squeeze on supply, means the consumer has to foot the bill.
But as gas prices climb towards the $4 per gallon mark, will it really make much difference? The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) believes the impact may be minimal, and unlikely to have much effect on used car prices, either.
Back in 2008, when gas prices rocketed up from the average of $2.50 a gallon, it caused widespread panic in the industry and consumers were tripping over themselves to get into the latest gas-sipping models, while guzzlers took a tumble.
The increased cost of accessing crude oil, and political instability in oil-controlling nations putting a squeeze on supply, means the consumer has to foot the bill.
But as gas prices climb towards the $4 per gallon mark, will it really make much difference? The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) believes the impact may be minimal, and unlikely to have much effect on used car prices, either.
Back in 2008, when gas prices rocketed up from the average of $2.50 a gallon, it caused widespread panic in the industry and consumers were tripping over themselves to get into the latest gas-sipping models, while guzzlers took a tumble.
Showers linked to chronic lung disease
For many, taking a hot shower is a refuge, a few moments of relaxation before or at the end of a busy day. But there is growing evidence that daily ritual could be putting you at risk.
"Excuse me. This is one of the things you get," said Mary Lou Area, catching her breath between coughs.
When her symptoms started, Area had been traveling back and forth to California to care for her dying mother. "And the coughing kept getting worse where I would just cough up Kleenexes full of stuff," Area said, sharing her story with our 2NEWS sister station in Denver.
Area was recovering from pneumonia and initially just wrote it off as lingering symptoms. But after weeks of coughing to the point of exhaustion, she went to see a specialist.
"He said, 'You may have this really weird thing,'" said Area.
The weird thing the pulmonologist diagnosed her with was Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Complex or NTM.
"Excuse me. This is one of the things you get," said Mary Lou Area, catching her breath between coughs.
When her symptoms started, Area had been traveling back and forth to California to care for her dying mother. "And the coughing kept getting worse where I would just cough up Kleenexes full of stuff," Area said, sharing her story with our 2NEWS sister station in Denver.
Area was recovering from pneumonia and initially just wrote it off as lingering symptoms. But after weeks of coughing to the point of exhaustion, she went to see a specialist.
"He said, 'You may have this really weird thing,'" said Area.
The weird thing the pulmonologist diagnosed her with was Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Complex or NTM.
Honeybees may have personality
Bees have different “personalities”, with some showing a stronger willingness or desire to seek adventure than others, according to a study by entomologists at the University of Illinois.
The researchers found that thrill-seeking is not limited to humans and other vertebrates. The brains of honeybees that were more likely than others to seek adventure exhibited distinct patterns of gene activity in molecular pathways known to be associated with thrill-seeking in humans.
The findings present a new perspective on honeybee communities, which were thought to be highly regimented and comprised of a colony of interchangeable workers taking on a few specific roles to serve their queen.
It now seems as though individual honeybees differ in their desire to perform particular tasks and these differences could be down to variability in bees’ personalities. This supports a 2011 study at Newcastle University which found that honeybees exhibit pessimism, suggesting that the insects might have feeling
The researchers found that thrill-seeking is not limited to humans and other vertebrates. The brains of honeybees that were more likely than others to seek adventure exhibited distinct patterns of gene activity in molecular pathways known to be associated with thrill-seeking in humans.
The findings present a new perspective on honeybee communities, which were thought to be highly regimented and comprised of a colony of interchangeable workers taking on a few specific roles to serve their queen.
It now seems as though individual honeybees differ in their desire to perform particular tasks and these differences could be down to variability in bees’ personalities. This supports a 2011 study at Newcastle University which found that honeybees exhibit pessimism, suggesting that the insects might have feeling
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)