Time, arguably our most precious nonrenewable resource, has a slippery nature in our minds. Sometimes it flows quickly. In other situations, it trickles at an unbearably slow pace. And, to the horror of many, it speeds as we age.
Why should something as reliable as a ticking clock be perceived with such inconsistency? Claudia Hammond, science author and broadcaster, explores this question in her new book, "Time Warped" (Canongate Books Ltd, 2012), out today (May 3).
She presented some of her findings at the British Psychology Society Annual Conference here in April, where she won the Society's Public Engagement and Media Award.
May 4, 2012
Low oxygen levels could drive cancer growth, research suggests
Low oxygen levels in cells may be a primary cause of uncontrollable tumor growth in some cancers, according to a new University of Georgia study. The authors' findings run counter to widely accepted beliefs that genetic mutations are responsible for cancer growth.
If hypoxia, or low oxygen levels in cells, is proven to be a key driver of certain types of cancer, treatment plans for curing the malignant growth could change in significant ways, said Ying Xu, Regents-Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and professor of bioinformatics and computational biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
The research team analyzed samples of messenger RNA data-also called transcriptomic data-from seven different cancer types in a publicly available database. They found that long-term lack of oxygen in cells may be a key driver of cancer growth. The study was published in the early online edition of the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology.
If hypoxia, or low oxygen levels in cells, is proven to be a key driver of certain types of cancer, treatment plans for curing the malignant growth could change in significant ways, said Ying Xu, Regents-Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and professor of bioinformatics and computational biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
The research team analyzed samples of messenger RNA data-also called transcriptomic data-from seven different cancer types in a publicly available database. They found that long-term lack of oxygen in cells may be a key driver of cancer growth. The study was published in the early online edition of the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology.
Lightning signature could help reveal the solar system's origins
Every second, lightning flashes some 50 times on Earth. Together these discharges coalesce and get stronger, creating electromagnetic waves circling around Earth, to create a beating pulse between the ground and the lower ionosphere, about 60 miles up in the atmosphere. This electromagnetic signature, known as Schumann Resonance, had only been observed from Earth's surface until, in 2011, scientists discovered they could also detect it using NASA's Vector Electric Field Instrument (VEFI) aboard the U.S. Air Force's Communications/Navigation Outage Forecast System (C/NOFS) satellite.
'Missing link' gene found that triggered leap in intelligence two million years ago - and separated man from the apes
It is a question that has long puzzled scientists. What made our ancestors break away from apes and advance so dramatically?
Now researchers believe they may have explained the missing link – a duplicated gene.
Researchers believe that a copy of gene SRGAP2, which appeared in ‘ape men’ around 2.5million years ago, helped our brain cells move faster and make more connections – enabling the brain to become more complex.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2138861/Missing-link-gene-triggered-leap-intelligence-million-years-ago--separated-man-apes.html#ixzz1tubbHgPQ
Now researchers believe they may have explained the missing link – a duplicated gene.
Researchers believe that a copy of gene SRGAP2, which appeared in ‘ape men’ around 2.5million years ago, helped our brain cells move faster and make more connections – enabling the brain to become more complex.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2138861/Missing-link-gene-triggered-leap-intelligence-million-years-ago--separated-man-apes.html#ixzz1tubbHgPQ
Beehive Glue Stops Prostate Cancer in Mice
Researchers at the University of Chicago found that a compound made in honeybee hives seems to stop the spread of prostate cancer cells in mice.
The compound, called caffeic acid phenethyl ester or CAPE, is made from propolis, the resin honeybees use to patch holes in their hives. The product has been known and used for centuries as a natural remedy for teeth and skin, as well as a defense against viruses and bacteria.
When the researchers fed CAPE to mice that had early stages of the human form of prostate cancer, it seemed to stop the cancer in its tracks.
“Their tumors simply stopped growing,” said Richard Jones, the study’s author and a cancer researcher at the University of Chicago. “When we stopped feeding the mice CAPE, their tumors returned.”
The compound, called caffeic acid phenethyl ester or CAPE, is made from propolis, the resin honeybees use to patch holes in their hives. The product has been known and used for centuries as a natural remedy for teeth and skin, as well as a defense against viruses and bacteria.
When the researchers fed CAPE to mice that had early stages of the human form of prostate cancer, it seemed to stop the cancer in its tracks.
“Their tumors simply stopped growing,” said Richard Jones, the study’s author and a cancer researcher at the University of Chicago. “When we stopped feeding the mice CAPE, their tumors returned.”
May 3, 2012
The Majorana Fermion – Elusive Subatomic Particle Confirmed
Newly discovered Majorana particles are scientists’ best chance to create subatomic supercomputers that could store as many pieces of information as there are particles in the universe. The discovery was made by researchers in the Netherlands who say it could be applied to make today’s computer technology obsolete.
“The goal is actually to develop those nano-scale devices into little circuits and actually make something like a quantum computer out of it, so they have special properties that could be very useful for computation, a particural kind of computation which we call quantum computation, which would replace actually our current computers by computers that are much more efficient than what we have now.”
The Majorana fermion’s existence was first predicted 75 years ago by Italian Ettore Majorana. Probing the Majorana’s particles could allow scientists to understand better the mysterious realm of quantum mechanics. Other groups working in solid state physics are thought to be close to making similar announcements….heralding a new era in super-powerful computer technology. Were he alive today Majorana may well be amazed at the sophisticated computer technology available to ordinary people in every day life. But compared to the revolution his particle may be about to spark, it will seem old fashioned in the not too distant future.
“The goal is actually to develop those nano-scale devices into little circuits and actually make something like a quantum computer out of it, so they have special properties that could be very useful for computation, a particural kind of computation which we call quantum computation, which would replace actually our current computers by computers that are much more efficient than what we have now.”
The Majorana fermion’s existence was first predicted 75 years ago by Italian Ettore Majorana. Probing the Majorana’s particles could allow scientists to understand better the mysterious realm of quantum mechanics. Other groups working in solid state physics are thought to be close to making similar announcements….heralding a new era in super-powerful computer technology. Were he alive today Majorana may well be amazed at the sophisticated computer technology available to ordinary people in every day life. But compared to the revolution his particle may be about to spark, it will seem old fashioned in the not too distant future.
America, Land of the Equals
America used to be Sweden: According to new research, the America of the Founding Fathers was “more egalitarian than anywhere else in the measurable world.”
That’s an important finding, and one that will surprise most Americans today. Both inequality and American exceptionalism are high on the national political agenda. One idea that brings those issues together is the belief that Americans have an exceptional cultural tolerance for income inequality. Unlike Europeans, the thinking goes, most Americans are confident that they are “soon to be rich.” As a result, the conventional wisdom has it, Americans in the middle look up to their 1 percent and are loath to tax them.
But historical research by the economists Peter H. Lindert and Jeffrey G. Williamson shows that when it comes to inequality, this American exceptionalism is an inversion of the conditions that prevailed at the time of American Revolution. In that era, which is so often invoked in today’s political and social battles, the United States was the world’s most egalitarian society — and proud to be so.
That’s an important finding, and one that will surprise most Americans today. Both inequality and American exceptionalism are high on the national political agenda. One idea that brings those issues together is the belief that Americans have an exceptional cultural tolerance for income inequality. Unlike Europeans, the thinking goes, most Americans are confident that they are “soon to be rich.” As a result, the conventional wisdom has it, Americans in the middle look up to their 1 percent and are loath to tax them.
But historical research by the economists Peter H. Lindert and Jeffrey G. Williamson shows that when it comes to inequality, this American exceptionalism is an inversion of the conditions that prevailed at the time of American Revolution. In that era, which is so often invoked in today’s political and social battles, the United States was the world’s most egalitarian society — and proud to be so.
Cab driving riskier than police work
A violent clash over the weekend between a Montreal taxi driver and his fares that resulted in a man being struck by the cab is an all-too common example of the many angry confrontations cabbies face on an almost daily basis, people in the profession say.
In fact, taxi drivers and police have the highest on-the-job risk of murder, according to a Statistics Canada study of occupation-related homicides from 2000 to 2010.
Of the two, the study says, taxi drivers were twice as likely as police officers to be a victim of homicide while working, which drivers say reflects the fact that they are seen as vulnerable targets.
In fact, taxi drivers and police have the highest on-the-job risk of murder, according to a Statistics Canada study of occupation-related homicides from 2000 to 2010.
Of the two, the study says, taxi drivers were twice as likely as police officers to be a victim of homicide while working, which drivers say reflects the fact that they are seen as vulnerable targets.
Vitamins E, C no help against vision disorder
Taking vitamins E and C may do nothing to protect aging eyes from macular degeneration -- the leading cause of vision loss in older adults, a new clinical trial finds.
Researchers had been hoping the vitamins, both antioxidants, could shield against the tissue erosion that occurs in macular degeneration. The condition involves damage to the center of the retina, which makes it hard to see fine details.
Studies have found that people who get more antioxidants in their diet have a lower risk of macular degeneration. But that doesn't rule out other possible diet or lifestyle explanations behind the link.
And so far, clinical trials using vitamin E have come up empty.
Researchers had been hoping the vitamins, both antioxidants, could shield against the tissue erosion that occurs in macular degeneration. The condition involves damage to the center of the retina, which makes it hard to see fine details.
Studies have found that people who get more antioxidants in their diet have a lower risk of macular degeneration. But that doesn't rule out other possible diet or lifestyle explanations behind the link.
And so far, clinical trials using vitamin E have come up empty.
Are You A Lazy Slacker? You May Have Been Born That Way
New brain research suggests lazy people could be naturally born that way.
Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the study was performed by a team of scientists from Vanderbilt University who found evidence which suggests a person’s willingness to work hard and make money are tied to specific chemicals in 3 areas of the brain.
The scientists also say these new studies could improve the treatment and research of Attention-Deficit Disorder, Depression and schizophrenia.
The Vanderbilt team used a brain mapping technique called positron emission tomography (or PETscan) to conduct their research. They found the typical “go-getters” who were willing to work hard for reward or monetary gain released a larger amount of dopamine in the areas of the brain associated with reward and motivation. Conversely, the brains of slackers released dopamine in a very different part of the brain: The area which plays a role in emotion and risk perception.
Source: redOrbit (http://s.tt/1aGcU)
Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the study was performed by a team of scientists from Vanderbilt University who found evidence which suggests a person’s willingness to work hard and make money are tied to specific chemicals in 3 areas of the brain.
The scientists also say these new studies could improve the treatment and research of Attention-Deficit Disorder, Depression and schizophrenia.
The Vanderbilt team used a brain mapping technique called positron emission tomography (or PETscan) to conduct their research. They found the typical “go-getters” who were willing to work hard for reward or monetary gain released a larger amount of dopamine in the areas of the brain associated with reward and motivation. Conversely, the brains of slackers released dopamine in a very different part of the brain: The area which plays a role in emotion and risk perception.
Source: redOrbit (http://s.tt/1aGcU)
The 'eye-borg': First successful implant of a 'bionic' eye could restore sight to the blind
Two blind men can see again for the first time in more than two decades after an implant of a 3mm 'bionic eye' microchip.
Doctors believe in time Chris James will be able to recognise faces, once his brain learns to see again.
Chris, from Wiltshire, said: 'I've always had that thought that one day I would be able to see again.'
Surgeons in Oxford, led by Professor Robert MacLaren, fitted the chip at the back of Chris' eye in a complex eight-hour operation last month.
Doctors believe in time Chris James will be able to recognise faces, once his brain learns to see again.
Chris, from Wiltshire, said: 'I've always had that thought that one day I would be able to see again.'
Surgeons in Oxford, led by Professor Robert MacLaren, fitted the chip at the back of Chris' eye in a complex eight-hour operation last month.
Dark Matter Theories Challenged By Satellite Galaxy Discovery
A sprawling collection of galaxies and star clusters surrounding our own Milky Way is challenging long-standing theories on the existence of dark matter, the mysterious substance thought to pervade the universe.
The structure of satellite galaxies and star clusters around the Milky Way is so vast that it reaches across a million light-years – 10 times as wide as the Milky Way itself, according to astronomers at the University of Bonn in Germany, who made the discovery.
Existing dark matter theories fail to explain the arrangement of these cosmic objects, the scientists say.
"Our model appears to rule out the presence of dark matter in the universe, threatening a central pillar of current cosmological theory," said study team member Pavel Kroupa, a professor of astronomy at the University of Bonn. "We see this as the beginning of a paradigm shift, one that will ultimately lead us to a new understanding of the universe we inhabit."
The structure of satellite galaxies and star clusters around the Milky Way is so vast that it reaches across a million light-years – 10 times as wide as the Milky Way itself, according to astronomers at the University of Bonn in Germany, who made the discovery.
Existing dark matter theories fail to explain the arrangement of these cosmic objects, the scientists say.
"Our model appears to rule out the presence of dark matter in the universe, threatening a central pillar of current cosmological theory," said study team member Pavel Kroupa, a professor of astronomy at the University of Bonn. "We see this as the beginning of a paradigm shift, one that will ultimately lead us to a new understanding of the universe we inhabit."
May 2, 2012
How Geniuses Think | The Creativity Post
Academics also tried to measure the links between intelligence and genius. But intelligence is not enough. Marilyn vos Savant, whose IQ of 228 is the highest ever recorded, has not exactly contributed much to science or art. She is, instead, a question-and-answer columnist for Parade magazine. Run-of-the-mill physicists have IQs much higher than Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman, who many acknowledge to be the last great American genius (his IQ was a merely respectable 122).
Genius is not about scoring 1600 on the SATs, mastering fourteen languages at the age of seven, finishing Mensa exercises in record time, having an extraordinarily high I.Q., or even about being smart. After considerable debate initiated by J. P. Guilford, a leading psychologist who called for a scientific focus on creativity in the sixties, psychologists reached the conclusion that creativity is not the same as intelligence. An individual can be far more creative than he or she is intelligent, or far more intelligent than creative.
Genius is not about scoring 1600 on the SATs, mastering fourteen languages at the age of seven, finishing Mensa exercises in record time, having an extraordinarily high I.Q., or even about being smart. After considerable debate initiated by J. P. Guilford, a leading psychologist who called for a scientific focus on creativity in the sixties, psychologists reached the conclusion that creativity is not the same as intelligence. An individual can be far more creative than he or she is intelligent, or far more intelligent than creative.
Over 25% of Japanese in twenties mull suicide
More than a quarter of Japanese in their twenties have thought about taking their own life, according to a survey released Wednesday, in a nation with one of the world's highest suicide rates.
The survey found that 28.4 of respondents in their twenties had contemplated suicide, the highest of any age group, while 36.2 percent of that group had considered taking their own life in the past year, according to the report.
"The data show that the younger people hesitate to talk to others, or cannot find anyone to talk to when they have a problem because of shallow relationships with others," said the survey conducted by Japan's Cabinet Office.
"They tend to suffer alone," it added.
The survey found that 28.4 of respondents in their twenties had contemplated suicide, the highest of any age group, while 36.2 percent of that group had considered taking their own life in the past year, according to the report.
"The data show that the younger people hesitate to talk to others, or cannot find anyone to talk to when they have a problem because of shallow relationships with others," said the survey conducted by Japan's Cabinet Office.
"They tend to suffer alone," it added.
Dark Matter May Collide With Atoms Inside You More Often Than Thought | Dark Matter Human Body Collisions
Invisible dark matter particles may regularly pass through our bodies, and dozens to thousands of these particles may be colliding with atoms inside us every year, according to a new calculation.
However, radiation from these impacts is unlikely to cause cancer, investigators added.
Dark matter is one of the greatest scientific mysteries of our time — an invisible substance thought to make up five-sixths of all matter in the universe. Scientists think it might be composed of things called weakly interacting massive particles, or WIMPs, that interact normally with gravity but very weakly with all the other known forces of the universe.
However, radiation from these impacts is unlikely to cause cancer, investigators added.
Dark matter is one of the greatest scientific mysteries of our time — an invisible substance thought to make up five-sixths of all matter in the universe. Scientists think it might be composed of things called weakly interacting massive particles, or WIMPs, that interact normally with gravity but very weakly with all the other known forces of the universe.
Matters of the Brain: Why Men and Women Are So Different
A prevalent understanding, particularly in the 1980s, was that boys and girls are born cognitively the same. It was the way parents and society treated them that made them different.
Since then, a preponderance of research has called this belief into question. The majority of today's psychologists agree that some of the differences exhibited by male and female brains are innate.
"We do socialize our boys and girls differently, but the contribution of biology is not zero," said Diane Halpern, a professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College in California, who has been studying cognitive gender differences for 25 years. Halpern was a keynote speaker at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference here last Thursday (April 19).
Since then, a preponderance of research has called this belief into question. The majority of today's psychologists agree that some of the differences exhibited by male and female brains are innate.
"We do socialize our boys and girls differently, but the contribution of biology is not zero," said Diane Halpern, a professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College in California, who has been studying cognitive gender differences for 25 years. Halpern was a keynote speaker at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference here last Thursday (April 19).
May 1, 2012
Latin America Opens Up to Equality
Quietly and against the odds, women are stepping up the political ladder in Latin America, moving ahead of the United States when it comes to political empowerment and closely matching much of Western Europe.
The Latin America-Caribbean region, once a caldron of machismo and gender inequality, has jumped ahead on women’s advancement with more female heads of state and heads of government — five — than any other area globally and a higher percentage of female members of parliament (22.5 percent) than any region except Nordic Europe, according to the 2012 Women in Politics survey of the agency U.N. Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Female leaders are no novelty in the region. But now, at the same time, there are Dilma Rousseff of Brazil and Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, both first-time presidents; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina, in her second term; and Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago and Portia Simpson-Miller of Jamaica, the first female prime ministers of their island nations. And in Mexico this election season, Josefina Vázquez Mota, an economist, is the first woman to run for president under a major-party banner.
The Latin America-Caribbean region, once a caldron of machismo and gender inequality, has jumped ahead on women’s advancement with more female heads of state and heads of government — five — than any other area globally and a higher percentage of female members of parliament (22.5 percent) than any region except Nordic Europe, according to the 2012 Women in Politics survey of the agency U.N. Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Female leaders are no novelty in the region. But now, at the same time, there are Dilma Rousseff of Brazil and Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, both first-time presidents; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina, in her second term; and Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago and Portia Simpson-Miller of Jamaica, the first female prime ministers of their island nations. And in Mexico this election season, Josefina Vázquez Mota, an economist, is the first woman to run for president under a major-party banner.
Potent protein heals wounds, boosts immunity and protects from cancer
Lactoferrin is an important iron-binding protein with many health benefits. The major form of this powerful protein, is secreted into human biofluids (e.g. milk, blood, tears, saliva), and is responsible for most of the host-defense properties. Because of the many beneficial activities associated with it, researchers are starting to use lactoferrin as a potential therapeutic protein. And, in contrast to many other therapeutic proteins, which need to be injected into patients, lactoferrin can be orally active. Lactoferrin is the subject of the upcoming June issue of the journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology.
The bright side of death: Awareness of mortality can result in positive behaviors
Contemplating death doesn't necessarily lead to morose despondency, fear, aggression or other negative behaviors, as previous research has suggested. Following a review of dozens of studies, University of Missouri researchers found that thoughts of mortality can lead to decreased militaristic attitudes, better health decisions, increased altruism and helpfulness, and reduced divorce rates.
About one baby born each hour addicted to opiate drugs in U.S.
About one baby is born every hour addicted to opiate drugs in the United States, according to new research from University of Michigan physicians.
"Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report which found that over the last decade sales for opiate pain relievers like OxyContin and Vicodin have quadrupled," says Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., lead author of the study and a fellow in the University of Michigan's Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine.
"Although our study was not able to distinguish the exact opiate used during pregnancy, we do know that the overall use of this class of drugs grew by 5-fold over the last decade and this appears to correspond with much higher rates of withdrawal in their infants."
"Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report which found that over the last decade sales for opiate pain relievers like OxyContin and Vicodin have quadrupled," says Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., lead author of the study and a fellow in the University of Michigan's Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine.
"Although our study was not able to distinguish the exact opiate used during pregnancy, we do know that the overall use of this class of drugs grew by 5-fold over the last decade and this appears to correspond with much higher rates of withdrawal in their infants."
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