DNA: Too Much--or Too Little--Can Be a Bad Thing -- Couzin 2008 (1114): 4 -- ScienceNOW
There's more variety to DNA than you might think: Deletions or additions of genetic material between individuals, called copy number variations (CNVs), are a common source of genetic diversity. Now, preliminary work reported here today at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting suggests that men who have more CNVs than average may be more likely to sire children with the eye cancer retinoblastoma. The research reflects growing enthusiasm among geneticists for CNVs, a type of genetic variation that hadn't gotten much attention until recently but that's now being linked to a number of diseases.
BBC NEWS : South Asia : India sends probe on to the Moon
The probe, painted with the Indian flag, crashed into the Moon's surface at 2034 (1504 GMT), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. During its controlled plunge, it took readings including measurements of the composition of the Moon's atmosphere.
BBC NEWS : Science & Environment : Exoplanets finally come into view
Visible and infrared images have been snapped of a planet orbiting a star 25 light-years away.
BBC NEWS : Health : Ovary transplant baby 'a miracle'
The first woman in the world to have a whole ovary transplant has spoken of her delight at giving birth to a healthy baby girl. ... She gave birth to Maja, who is genetically her niece, at the Portland Hospital in London on Tuesday.
The origin of hydrogen around HD 209458b : Abstract : Nature
Using numerical simulation, Holmström et al. 1 proposed a plausible alternative explanation of the observed Lyman-alpha absorption that was seen during the transit of HD 209458b (ref. 2). They conclude that radiation pressure alone cannot explain the observations and that a peculiar stellar wind is needed. Here we show that radiation pressure alone can in fact produce the observed high-velocity hydrogen atoms.
BBC NEWS : Science & Environment : Human ancestors born big brained
A new Homo erectus fossil suggests that females had large, wide pelvises in order to deliver large-brained babies. ... The new finding, published in Science magazine, conflicts with earlier ideas that suggest they had a tall, thin body shape adapted for running.
Four Dams to Come Down -- Service 2008 (1113): 3 -- ScienceNOW
A tentative agreement has been reached to begin decommissioning four dams on the Klamath River, an issue that has been a hotbed of controversy in recent years. The news was announced today by top officials with the U.S. Department of Interior, the states of California and Oregon, and the utility company PacifiCorp. If the deal goes through, it's expected to mark the largest dam-removal project ever undertaken.
Earth's Minerals Evolved, Too -- Berardelli 2008 (1114): 2 -- ScienceNOW
From the copper-stained rocks of the Grand Canyon to the newly discovered 10-meter-long crystals of calcium sulfate under Naica Mountain in Mexico, the vast majority of Earth's minerals owe their existence to life, say researchers who have put together the first comprehensive chronology of what they call mineral evolution. Biological and mineral evolution have been inseparable since the planet's beginnings, the scientists argue, and understanding that connection should provide new insights in both fields and critical clues in the search for life on other planets.
Why Shar Pei Dogs Have So Many Wrinkles
A group of researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have discovered the origin of the mucinosis present in Shar Pei dogs, a hereditary disorder responsible for the characteristic wrinkles found in this breed.
Physicists Test Theory That Explains Why Universe Is Made Of Matter
"The central focus of the BaBar experiment is to study the differences between matter and antimatter," Prell said. "One of the big questions of the universe is, "Why is it made out of matter?" At the time of the big bang, physicists say the explosion of energy should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter. And they say whenever particles of matter and antimatter would have met they would have annihilated each other. But the universe wasn't annihilated and it's full of matter. So how did matter come out so far ahead?
Dirty Brown Clouds Impact Glaciers, Agriculture And The Monsoon
Cities from Beijing to New Delhi are getting darker, glaciers in ranges like the Himalayas are melting faster and weather systems becoming more extreme, in part, due to the combined effects of man-made Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABCs) and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These are among the conclusions of scientists studying a more than three km-thick layer of soot and other manmade particles that stretches from the Arabian Peninsula to China and the western Pacific Ocean.
Parallel Universes: Are They More than a Figment of Our Imagination?
The Hollywood blockbuster, The Golden Compass, adapted from the first volume of Pullman's classic sci-fi trilogy, "His Dark Materials" portrays various universes as only one reality among many, but how realistic is this kind of classic sci-fi plot? While it hasn’t been proven yet, many highly respected and credible scientists are now saying there’s reason to believe that parallel dimensions could very well be more than figments of our imaginations. "The idea of multiple universes is more than a fantastic invention—it appears naturally within several scientific theories, and deserves to be taken seriously," stated Aurelien Barrau, a French particle physicist at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
"Super Cells" that Eat Radiation, Generate Electricity & Cure Cancer -A Galaxy Classic
five organisms that would be called the Super-Cells
NASA's Remote Sensing Technology Predicts Future Global Pandemics
"NASA satellite remote sensing technology has been an important tool in the last few years to not only provide scientists with the data needed to respond to epidemic threats quickly, but to also help predict the future of infectious diseases in areas where diseases were never a main concern ..."
Big Noise From Little Tubes -- Service 2008 (1114): 3 -- ScienceNOW
Last year brought news of Lilliputian radios made from whiskerlike carbon nanotubes. Now, researchers in China have added ultrathin loudspeakers to go with them. The devices, made from transparent and flexible carbon nanotube films, don't require any of the bulky magnets and sound cones of conventional speakers. So they could lead to a new generation of nearly invisible, flat speakers that can be integrated into everything from ceilings and walls to clothing and curtains. ... In a study that will be published in the 10 December issue of Nano Letters, the scientists report that changes in the current cause the air surrounding the nanotubes to rapidly heat and cool, which in turn produces pressure waves and sound--no magnets or diaphragm required. This "thermoacoustic" effect was first reported more than 100 years ago by researchers experimenting with thin metal foils. But early efforts to make use of it never went anywhere because it was so weak. Sound from the carbon nanotubes is 260 times louder, because the nanotubes are better at converting electricity to heat, Kaili says.
Planet outside solar system photographed : thewest.com.au
Likely similar in mass to Jupiter, the planet is orbiting the star Fomalhaut in the southern constellation Piscus austrinus at a distance of about four times the distance between Neptune and our sun, said the study's lead author Kalas, with the University of California, Berkeley.
BBC NEWS : Science & Environment : Octopuses share 'living ancestor'
Many of the world's deep-sea octopuses evolved from a common ancestor that still exists in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean
Fridge-sized tape recorder could crack lunar mysteries - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting
An archiving error by NASA has meant 173 data tapes have sat in Perth for almost 40 years, holding information about lunar dust that could be vital in expanding science's understanding of the moon.
Pimped up T-cells seek out and destroy HIV - health - 09 November 2008 - New Scientist
The pimped up T-cell boasts a molecular receptor evolved in the lab to give the body the edge against a virus that has so far flummoxed our immune systems.
Science Of Origami -- Mathematicians And Artists Use Algorithms To Make Complicated Paper Sculptures
Algorithms developed for use in origami have been applied to several other fields. Engineers use the algorithms to design the best way to fold an airbag for optimum deployment and astronomers use them to compute the optimum configuration of space telescope lenses. People use the techniques of origami to design games, puzzles, and even magic tricks.
Gene ethicist calls for tougher research restrictions - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting
Flinders University in Adelaide has temporarily closed one of its research facilities while the federal gene technology regulator investigates one researcher who cross-bred genetically modified mice without approval.
Pakistan proposes death penalty for 'cyber-terrorists' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting
An ordinance issued by President Asif Ali Zardari, released by state media, said: "Whoever commits the offence of cyber-terrorism and causes death of any person shall be punishable with death or imprisonment for life."
Gene implants 'turn sugar cane to plastic' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation ... has successfully inserted genes into cane that make the plant produce a form of biodegradable plastic in its leaves.
EU considers ban on great ape experiments - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Under the proposed EU law, great apes could be used only when the research would help the survival of the species or help fight the outbreak of a disease life-threatening to humans. [Considering Alex's recent research on the genetic differences between man and ape, it may be worth going back to experiments on mice.]
Whale carcass arrives at Qld Museum - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The carcass of a 14-metre baby blue whale that died off the coast of Townsville last month has been delivered to the Queensland Museum in Brisbane. The whale's remains have been driven more than 1,300 kilometres from Townsville to Brisbane on the back of a tow truck.
BBC NEWS : Science & Environment : Darwin's specimens go on display
Two mockingbirds, which are said to have helped Charles Darwin develop his theory on evolution, are to go on public display for the first time.
BBC NEWS : Health : Cancer genetic blueprint revealed
The researchers suspect that the mutations occurred one after another, with each pushing the cell closer to malignancy.
BBC NEWS : Health : Safety fears over nanocosmetics
Sue Davies of Which? said: "We're not saying the use of nanotechnology in cosmetics is a bad thing, far from it. Many of its applications could lead to exciting and revolutionary developments in a wide range of products, but until all the necessary safety tests are carried out, the simple fact is we just don't know enough.
'Anti-Aging' Pill Makes Mice Mighty : Discovery News
Eat more than you should. Stay skinny. Run twice as far. Those are the big claims coming from a new drug study from Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Cambridge, Mass. This latest study clears the way for human clinical trials of SRT1720, often touted as an "anti-aging pill."
Warming Trend Is Steepest in 5,000 Years : Discovery News
Research on Arctic and North Atlantic ecosystems shows the recent warming trend counts as the most dramatic climate change since the onset of human civilization 5,000 years ago, according to studies published Thursday.
Document Found Older Than Dead Sea Scrolls: Scientific American Podcast
One of the most important archaeological finds in history was the Dead Sea Scrolls. These documents include some of the earliest written records of the Bible. Now archaeologists say they've found what they claim is the most significant archaeological discovery in Israel since those documents. They found a shard of pottery that's about 3,000 years old—a thousand years older than the Dead Sea Scrolls. This would have been about the time of the legendary King David.
Sea Snakes Seek Out Freshwater To Slake Thirst
Harvey Lillywhite says it has been the “long-standing dogma” that the roughly 60 species of venomous sea snakes worldwide satisfy their drinking needs by drinking seawater, with internal salt glands filtering and excreting the salt. Experiments with three species of captive sea kraits captured near Taiwan, however, found that the snakes refused to drink saltwater even if thirsty — and then would drink only freshwater or heavily diluted saltwater.
Tale Of Two Snails Reveals Secrets About The Biochemistry Of Evolution
Researchers in Spain are reporting deep new insights into how evolution changes the biochemistry of living things, helping them to adapt to new environments. Their study, based on an analysis of proteins produced by two populations of marine snails, reveals chemical differences that give one population a survival-of-the fittest edge for life in its cold, wave-exposed environment.
Pool Of Distant Galaxies: Deepest Ultraviolet Image Of The Universe Yet
The newly released U-band image – the result of 40 hours of staring at the same region of the sky and just made ready by the GOODS team – is the deepest image ever taken from the ground in this wavelength domain. At these depths, the sky is almost completely covered by galaxies, each one, like our own galaxy, the Milky Way, home of hundreds of billions of stars. Galaxies were detected that are a billion times fainter than the unaided eye can see and over a range of colours not directly observable by the eye. This deep image has been essential to the discovery of a large number of new galaxies that are so far away that they are seen as they were when the Universe was only 2 billion years old.
In search of the missing Stone Age tribes - being-human - 08 November 2008 - New Scientist
HUMAN adaptability was really put to the test during the last major episode of global warming. It was the Mesolithic era, or Middle Stone Age, and Europe was inhabited throughout, yet evidence of the people who lived there is thin on the ground, and nowhere more so than in what is now Britain. Just a single burial site, containing two dozen bodies, has been found there from the period that began around 15,000 years ago and lasted nearly 10,000 years - five times as long the period that separates us from the birth of Christ. It is one of the enduring mysteries of archaeology. Without graves, archaeologists can say very little about how these people confronted some of the most taxing environmental changes in history, which saw them cut off from mainland Europe by rising sea levels. Burials would provide clues about what they were eating, how their diets changed ...
Does rainfall vary with sunspot activity? - earth - 08 November 2008 - New Scientist Environment
Though scientists reject the climate sceptics' assertion that the sun's activity can explain global warming, many have wondered whether it can affect rainfall. No one has been able to test this, though, as it has proved difficult to collate rainfall measurements over long timescales and areas large enough to rule out local variations.
Why a speeding shark is like a golf ball - life - 07 November 2008 - New Scientist
Shortfin mako sharks can shoot through the ocean at up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometres an hour). Now a trick that helps them to reach such speeds has been discovered – the sharks can raise their scales to create tiny wells across the surface of their skin, reducing drag like the dimples on a golf ball.
Morphing mirror could clear the skies for astronomers - tech - 07 November 2008 - New Scientist Tech
The new morphing mirror developed at Laval University in Quebec is made from a magnetic liquid – a ferrofluid – that can be easily reshaped using magnetic fields.
Beyond Human Evolution -A Galaxy Insight
"As I tapped and chiseled there in the foundations of the world, I had ample time to consider the cunning manipulability of the human fingers. Experimentally, I crooked one of the long slender bones. It might have been silica, I thought, or aluminum, or iron -the cells would have made it possible. But no, it is calcium, carbonate of lime. Why? Only because of its history. Elements more numerous than calcium in the earth's crust could have been used to build the skeleton. Our history is the reason -we came from the water. It was there that the cells took the lime habit, and they kept it after we came ashore." -- Loren Eiseley -American paleontologist and author of Darwin's Century, The Unexpected Universe, and the haunting Immense Journey.
NASA, Harvard and U of Colorado: "We May be on Brink of Finding a Habitable Second Earth"
Astronomers may be on the brink of discovering a second Earth-like planet, a find that would add fresh impetus to the search for extraterrestrial life, according to the US journal Science. Astronomers from six major centers, including NASA, Harvard and the University of Colorado, outline how advances in technology suggest scientists are on the verge of being able to detect the presence of small, rocky planets, much like our own, around distant stars for the first time. The planets are considered the most likely habitats for extraterrestrial life.
The production of myco-diesel hydrocarbons and their derivatives by the endophytic fungus
An endophytic fungus, Gliocladium roseum (NRRL 50072), produced a series of volatile hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives on an oatmeal-based agar under microaerophilic conditions as analysed by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME)-GC/MS. As an example, this organism produced an extensive series of the acetic acid esters of straight-chained alkanes including those of pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, sec-octyl and decyl alcohols. Other hydrocarbons were also produced by this organism, including undecane, 2,6-dimethyl; decane, 3,3,5-trimethyl; cyclohexene, 4-methyl; decane, 3,3,6-trimethyl; and undecane, 4,4-dimethyl. Volatile hydrocarbons were also produced on a cellulose-based medium, including heptane, octane, benzene, and some branched hydrocarbons.
Rocks could be harnessed to sponge vast amounts of CO2 from air, says study
Scientists say that a type of rock found at or near the surface in the Mideast nation of Oman and other areas around the world could be harnessed to soak up huge quantities of globe-warming carbon dioxide. Their studies show that the rock, known as peridotite, reacts naturally at surprisingly high rates with CO2 to form solid minerals—and that the process could be speeded a million times or more with simple drilling and injection methods. The study appears in this week's early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
China Commissions Gigantic Telescope For 3-D Galaxy Mapping - Space - redOrbit
... has an effective aperture of more than four meters and 4,000 optical fibers -- the most of any telescope in the world -- that can simultaneously track and decode starlight into spectrographic data.
My genome. So what? : Article : Nature
The age of personal genomes is here
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
#17
Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing Duets: Discovery News
white-winged vampire bats enjoy such close and cuddly relationships with other members of their roost that they sing well-coordinated duets with each other, according to new research.
Eight-Armed Animal Preceded Dinosaurs: Discovery News
An eight-armed creature that looked more like a modern party favor than a living animal colonized a large section of the world's oceans over 300 million years before the first dinosaurs emerged, suggests a new study.
Biologists Discover Motor Protein That Rewinds DNA
Two biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered the first of a new class of cellular motor proteins that “rewind” sections of the double-stranded DNA molecule that become unwound, like the tangled ribbons from a cassette tape, in “bubbles” that prevent critical genes from being expressed.
Transplantation: 'Molecular Miscegenation' Blurs The Boundary Between Self And Non-self
A new discovery by London biologists may yield new ways of handling the problem of transplant rejection. In a research article published in the November 2008 print issue of The FASEB Journal the scientists confirm the two-way transfer of a molecule (called "MHC") that instructs the immune system to tell "self" from "non-self."
Researcher Grows Roots On Upper Part Of Plant
Molecular cell biologist Pankaj Dhonukshe from Utrecht University has succeeded in growing roots on plants at places where normally leaves would grow. This important step in plant modification can be highly beneficial for improving crop yields and efficiency in agriculture.
Magnetic Portals Connect Sun And Earth
During the time it takes you to read this article, something will happen high overhead that until recently many scientists didn't believe in. A magnetic portal will open, linking Earth to the sun 93 million miles away. Tons of high-energy particles may flow through the opening before it closes again, around the time you reach the end of the page. "It's called a flux transfer event or 'FTE,'" says space physicist David Sibeck of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "Ten years ago I was pretty sure they didn't exist, but now the evidence is incontrovertible."
Molecular Motor Tied to Memory -- Cahoon 2008 (1031): 1 -- ScienceNOW
How does the brain record a memory? Somehow our experiences and interactions can be imprinted in the mind, but exactly how neurons alter their connections to enable memory has been murky. Now scientists say they have identified the molecular machinery that links experience with learning--and it all comes down to one microscopic motor.
Space Colonization -Our Future or Fantasy?
In a futuristic mode similar to Hawking, both Steven Dick, chief NASA historian and Carnegie-Mellon robotics pundit, Hans Moravec, believe that human biological evolution is but a passing phase: the future of mankind will be as vastly evolved sentient machines capable of self-replicating and exploring the farthest reaches of the Universe programmed with instructions on how to recreate earth life and humans to target stars.
Meat can increase gastro susceptibility: research - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Eating red meat and unpasteurised dairy products could make people more susceptible to bacteria that cause severe gastroenteritis and, in rare cases, fatal kidney failure, Australian research suggests.
Can Cloning Save Earth's Biological Heritage?
“Modern life” is killing off the animal kingdom, but there are no easy solutions for the crisis. Some scientists believe that cloning may offer a partial solution. While it may make only a tiny dent in the problem, scientists argue that at least it would preserve the world’s biological heritage from total annihilation.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is back in business
30-Oct-2008: The Hubble Space Telescope is back in business with a snapshot of the fascinating galaxy pair Arp 147.
Dark matter may shine with invisible 'dark light' - space - 31 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
This "dark radiation" would be invisible to us, but could still have visible effects.
Geologists blame drilling for Indonesian mud volcano - earth - 31 October 2008 - New Scientist
At an international conference of petroleum geologists in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday, most said they believed that a well made by drilling company Lapindo Brantas was to blame.
Ancient Mummy, The Tyrolean Iceman, Has No Modern Children
"Our analysis confirms that Oetzi belonged to a previously unidentified lineage of K1 that has not been seen to date in modern European populations. The frequency of genetic lineages tends to change over time, due to random variations in the number of children people have - a process known as 'genetic drift' - and as a result, some variants die out. Our research suggests that Oetzi's lineage may indeed have become extinct," says Prof Richards.
Chlorophyll Organic Battery Runs on Any Liquid - GoodCleanTech
A Taiwanese professor by the name of Chungpin Hovering Liao developed what he claims is the world's first chlorophyll organic battery. Since it's called that, the battery's technology most probably works like photosynthesis. Chlorophyll might already be contained within the battery, light is collected from the environment, and users manually supply liquid. And by liquid, I don't mean just water - the chlorophyll organic battery reportedly works with any kind of beverage and even, yep, urine. You just wet the battery like you can see on the pic and within 10 seconds, it starts working.
Mysterious dark patches dot Mercury's surface - space - 29 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
The Messenger probe's second flyby of Mercury earlier this month has provided the first global view of the pockmarked planet, hinting at a complicated mineral structure beneath the surface and more glimpses of the planet's volcanic history.
TG Daily - NASA scientists discover more evidence of water on Mars
The orbiter’s “Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer” has found wide-spread evidence hydrated silica, commonly known as opal. NASA said that these minerals formed where liquid water altered materials created by volcanic activity or meteorite impact on the Martian surface. The mineral was found in the Martian canyon system called Valles Marineris.
First Planets Lived Fast and Died Young -- Berardelli 2008 (1030): 2 -- ScienceNOW
Some 4.568 billion years ago, our sun and solar system condensed out of a primordial cloud of dust and gas. Within about 3 million years, small, rocky objects called planetesimals were circulating in the nascent solar system. Fragments of these planetesimals remain today as meteorites called achondrites, which scientists have pored over for clues to how planets formed. Oddly, the meteorites are magnetic, which is strange because the planetesimals were supposed to be just large agglomerations of rubble.
The most extreme life-forms in the universe - space - 26 June 2008 - New Scientist Space
"Life on Earth has radiated into every conceivable – and in some cases almost inconceivable – ecological niche," says Chris Impey of the University of Arizona in Tucson, US. The very existence of these hardy organisms hints that life might be able to eke out an existence in the cold, dry climate of Mars, the icy, acidic conditions of Jupiter's moon Europa, or in countless other spots beyond our solar system.
Intelligent Robo Probes to Explore Alien Worlds
This isn't the harbinger of robot-dominated alien worlds that would then return to exterminate the human race. The only "intelligence" the probes display is limited to image interpretation and response. It could still be an important step on the way to Artificial Intelligence though. After all, evolution never set out to make us self-aware; survival simply encouraged better and better interpretation abilities until one of the things we could analyze was ourselves. As robot minds get more sophisticated, it might make sense to start building a Battlestar just in case.
Helmet to Convey Messages by Thought : Discovery News
The idea of communicating by thought alone is not a new one. In the 1960s, a researcher strapped an EEG to his head and, with some training, could stop and start his brain's alpha waves to compose Morse code messages.
Probe to Examine Our Space in Space: Discovery News
The spacecraft is known as the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX. It works by detecting particles that were stripped of electric charges in the outer regions of the heliosphere, the solar wind-filled bubble that delineates our solar system from intergalactic space. The particles are called energetic neutral atoms and they were discovered accidentally about 20 years ago during a mission that studied the Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind. Instruments on the satellites to measure what should have been low background levels of energetic particles sometimes detected extra counts.
Is there an optimum speed of life? - life - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
Previous studies had shown that, within many groups of organisms, smaller species generally produce more energy within each cell than larger species. But according to Anastassia Makarieva from Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute in St Petersburg, Russia, no studies had compared resting metabolic rates across the whole range of life on Earth.
'Devils' trails' are world's oldest human footprints - earth - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
It's official: the oldest human footprints ever found are 345,000 years old, give or take 6000. Known as the "devils' trails", they have been preserved in volcanic ash atop the Roccamonfina volcano in Italy.
New sunspots may signal end of solar dry spell - space - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
New spots are beginning to break out on the face of the Sun and may signal the end of a dry spell in solar activity. Watching for more spots in the coming months could help determine how severe – and potentially damaging to Earth's satellites and power grids – the next solar cycle will be.
Haemorrhagic virus carried by common African mouse - health - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
Three people have died and another is seriously ill with a previously unknown strain of a virus carried by a common African rodent. The virus requires close contact to spread, but experts warn that more like it could be circulating.
Loving bonobos have a carnivorous dark side - life - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
Fruit makes up much of their diet, but the primates aren't herbivores. Small ungulates called forest antelopes, or duikers, often fall prey to the apes. These hunts tend to be fairly simple, with a single bonobo cornering a duiker then quickly feasting on the still-living animal as more apes hurried to the scene. Hohmann says he has witnessed a duiker "still vocally blurting as the bonobos opened the stomach and intestines."
Is a Death Star Aimed at Earth?
Australian astronomers have been studying an intergalactic assassin poised to wipe out life on Earth. Maybe. Observations indicate that cosmological curiosity WR104 may be a killer - and we might be the victim.
Telescope Tech Will Speed Search for Extraterrestrial Life : Wired Science from Wired.com
The hunt for extraterrestrial life is getting a major boost from revolutionary new technology that will give some of the world's largest telescopes the capability to detect Earth-size planets outside of our solar system, a feat not equaled even by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Super Cells to Power Cyborgs
Researchers at Yale University have come up with blueprints for a bio-battery, organic cells which can work together to produce an electrical voltage. These cells are optimised versions of electric eel electrocytes, the results of millions of years of evolution plus a few more of scientists going "We can do better than that!" The upgraded electro-cells will produce 30% higher voltages than the original organics, and 30% more efficiently.
Where Have All the Little Plutos Gone? : Discovery News
An ambitious project to track down small, icy bodies circling in the far reaches of the solar system has gone cold. Apparently, Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) between two and 17 miles in diameter don't exist.
Second 'Virgin Birth' Documented in Shark : Discovery News
"Parthenogenesis may not have evolved in sharks," Demian Chapman, who led the research, told Discovery News. "It may just be an occasional mistake that sometimes occurs when eggs are left unfertilized."
Mapping the Spine, Gene by Gene: Scientific American
Spinal cord injuries and disorders afflict millions worldwide, from disabled veterans to people with neurodegenerative disorders such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, yet there is currently no way to repair a damaged spine. Geneticists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle are hoping to change that by developing the first genetic encyclopedia of the spinal cord.
Visiting dwarfs put home-grown galaxies in the shade - space - 12 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
HOME-GROWN dwarf galaxies keep a low profile, while recent arrivals show off. This claim, if true, could explain the long-standing puzzle of why we have spotted so few dwarf galaxies near the Milky Way.
Scientists stumble upon footprint dating back 570 million years - Telegraph
The fossilised trails, thought to belong to a centipede or worm-type creature with legs, suggest animals walked at least 30 million years earlier than previously thought.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY: Lights! Camera! Action! Zebrafish Embryos Caught on Film -- Vogel 322 (5899):
A set of unusual movies, described online this week in Science and available on the Web, shows all the movements and divisions of cells in a zebrafish embryo during its first day of development.
BBC NEWS : Science & Environment : Predators could be superweed fix
A superweed spreading throughout the UK could be brought under control by introducing plant-eating predators from Japan, scientists believe.
India unveils solar-powered rickshaw - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The "soleckshaw," unveiled this month in New Delhi, is a motorised cycle rickshaw that can be pedalled normally or run on a 36-volt solar battery.
‘Black Silicon’ Could Revolutionize Solar Cell Technology : CleanTechnica
The substance has since been found to be incredibly sensitive to light, leading to a range of exciting plans for commercialization, including night-vision and infra-red imaging systems. According to James Carey, co-founder of Harvard spin-off company SiOnyx, “We have seen a 100 to 500 times increase in sensitivity to light compared to conventional silicon detectors.”
white-winged vampire bats enjoy such close and cuddly relationships with other members of their roost that they sing well-coordinated duets with each other, according to new research.
Eight-Armed Animal Preceded Dinosaurs: Discovery News
An eight-armed creature that looked more like a modern party favor than a living animal colonized a large section of the world's oceans over 300 million years before the first dinosaurs emerged, suggests a new study.
Biologists Discover Motor Protein That Rewinds DNA
Two biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered the first of a new class of cellular motor proteins that “rewind” sections of the double-stranded DNA molecule that become unwound, like the tangled ribbons from a cassette tape, in “bubbles” that prevent critical genes from being expressed.
Transplantation: 'Molecular Miscegenation' Blurs The Boundary Between Self And Non-self
A new discovery by London biologists may yield new ways of handling the problem of transplant rejection. In a research article published in the November 2008 print issue of The FASEB Journal the scientists confirm the two-way transfer of a molecule (called "MHC") that instructs the immune system to tell "self" from "non-self."
Researcher Grows Roots On Upper Part Of Plant
Molecular cell biologist Pankaj Dhonukshe from Utrecht University has succeeded in growing roots on plants at places where normally leaves would grow. This important step in plant modification can be highly beneficial for improving crop yields and efficiency in agriculture.
Magnetic Portals Connect Sun And Earth
During the time it takes you to read this article, something will happen high overhead that until recently many scientists didn't believe in. A magnetic portal will open, linking Earth to the sun 93 million miles away. Tons of high-energy particles may flow through the opening before it closes again, around the time you reach the end of the page. "It's called a flux transfer event or 'FTE,'" says space physicist David Sibeck of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "Ten years ago I was pretty sure they didn't exist, but now the evidence is incontrovertible."
Molecular Motor Tied to Memory -- Cahoon 2008 (1031): 1 -- ScienceNOW
How does the brain record a memory? Somehow our experiences and interactions can be imprinted in the mind, but exactly how neurons alter their connections to enable memory has been murky. Now scientists say they have identified the molecular machinery that links experience with learning--and it all comes down to one microscopic motor.
Space Colonization -Our Future or Fantasy?
In a futuristic mode similar to Hawking, both Steven Dick, chief NASA historian and Carnegie-Mellon robotics pundit, Hans Moravec, believe that human biological evolution is but a passing phase: the future of mankind will be as vastly evolved sentient machines capable of self-replicating and exploring the farthest reaches of the Universe programmed with instructions on how to recreate earth life and humans to target stars.
Meat can increase gastro susceptibility: research - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Eating red meat and unpasteurised dairy products could make people more susceptible to bacteria that cause severe gastroenteritis and, in rare cases, fatal kidney failure, Australian research suggests.
Can Cloning Save Earth's Biological Heritage?
“Modern life” is killing off the animal kingdom, but there are no easy solutions for the crisis. Some scientists believe that cloning may offer a partial solution. While it may make only a tiny dent in the problem, scientists argue that at least it would preserve the world’s biological heritage from total annihilation.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is back in business
30-Oct-2008: The Hubble Space Telescope is back in business with a snapshot of the fascinating galaxy pair Arp 147.
Dark matter may shine with invisible 'dark light' - space - 31 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
This "dark radiation" would be invisible to us, but could still have visible effects.
Geologists blame drilling for Indonesian mud volcano - earth - 31 October 2008 - New Scientist
At an international conference of petroleum geologists in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday, most said they believed that a well made by drilling company Lapindo Brantas was to blame.
Ancient Mummy, The Tyrolean Iceman, Has No Modern Children
"Our analysis confirms that Oetzi belonged to a previously unidentified lineage of K1 that has not been seen to date in modern European populations. The frequency of genetic lineages tends to change over time, due to random variations in the number of children people have - a process known as 'genetic drift' - and as a result, some variants die out. Our research suggests that Oetzi's lineage may indeed have become extinct," says Prof Richards.
Chlorophyll Organic Battery Runs on Any Liquid - GoodCleanTech
A Taiwanese professor by the name of Chungpin Hovering Liao developed what he claims is the world's first chlorophyll organic battery. Since it's called that, the battery's technology most probably works like photosynthesis. Chlorophyll might already be contained within the battery, light is collected from the environment, and users manually supply liquid. And by liquid, I don't mean just water - the chlorophyll organic battery reportedly works with any kind of beverage and even, yep, urine. You just wet the battery like you can see on the pic and within 10 seconds, it starts working.
Mysterious dark patches dot Mercury's surface - space - 29 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
The Messenger probe's second flyby of Mercury earlier this month has provided the first global view of the pockmarked planet, hinting at a complicated mineral structure beneath the surface and more glimpses of the planet's volcanic history.
TG Daily - NASA scientists discover more evidence of water on Mars
The orbiter’s “Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer” has found wide-spread evidence hydrated silica, commonly known as opal. NASA said that these minerals formed where liquid water altered materials created by volcanic activity or meteorite impact on the Martian surface. The mineral was found in the Martian canyon system called Valles Marineris.
First Planets Lived Fast and Died Young -- Berardelli 2008 (1030): 2 -- ScienceNOW
Some 4.568 billion years ago, our sun and solar system condensed out of a primordial cloud of dust and gas. Within about 3 million years, small, rocky objects called planetesimals were circulating in the nascent solar system. Fragments of these planetesimals remain today as meteorites called achondrites, which scientists have pored over for clues to how planets formed. Oddly, the meteorites are magnetic, which is strange because the planetesimals were supposed to be just large agglomerations of rubble.
The most extreme life-forms in the universe - space - 26 June 2008 - New Scientist Space
"Life on Earth has radiated into every conceivable – and in some cases almost inconceivable – ecological niche," says Chris Impey of the University of Arizona in Tucson, US. The very existence of these hardy organisms hints that life might be able to eke out an existence in the cold, dry climate of Mars, the icy, acidic conditions of Jupiter's moon Europa, or in countless other spots beyond our solar system.
Intelligent Robo Probes to Explore Alien Worlds
This isn't the harbinger of robot-dominated alien worlds that would then return to exterminate the human race. The only "intelligence" the probes display is limited to image interpretation and response. It could still be an important step on the way to Artificial Intelligence though. After all, evolution never set out to make us self-aware; survival simply encouraged better and better interpretation abilities until one of the things we could analyze was ourselves. As robot minds get more sophisticated, it might make sense to start building a Battlestar just in case.
Helmet to Convey Messages by Thought : Discovery News
The idea of communicating by thought alone is not a new one. In the 1960s, a researcher strapped an EEG to his head and, with some training, could stop and start his brain's alpha waves to compose Morse code messages.
Probe to Examine Our Space in Space: Discovery News
The spacecraft is known as the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX. It works by detecting particles that were stripped of electric charges in the outer regions of the heliosphere, the solar wind-filled bubble that delineates our solar system from intergalactic space. The particles are called energetic neutral atoms and they were discovered accidentally about 20 years ago during a mission that studied the Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind. Instruments on the satellites to measure what should have been low background levels of energetic particles sometimes detected extra counts.
Is there an optimum speed of life? - life - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
Previous studies had shown that, within many groups of organisms, smaller species generally produce more energy within each cell than larger species. But according to Anastassia Makarieva from Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute in St Petersburg, Russia, no studies had compared resting metabolic rates across the whole range of life on Earth.
'Devils' trails' are world's oldest human footprints - earth - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
It's official: the oldest human footprints ever found are 345,000 years old, give or take 6000. Known as the "devils' trails", they have been preserved in volcanic ash atop the Roccamonfina volcano in Italy.
New sunspots may signal end of solar dry spell - space - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
New spots are beginning to break out on the face of the Sun and may signal the end of a dry spell in solar activity. Watching for more spots in the coming months could help determine how severe – and potentially damaging to Earth's satellites and power grids – the next solar cycle will be.
Haemorrhagic virus carried by common African mouse - health - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
Three people have died and another is seriously ill with a previously unknown strain of a virus carried by a common African rodent. The virus requires close contact to spread, but experts warn that more like it could be circulating.
Loving bonobos have a carnivorous dark side - life - 13 October 2008 - New Scientist
Fruit makes up much of their diet, but the primates aren't herbivores. Small ungulates called forest antelopes, or duikers, often fall prey to the apes. These hunts tend to be fairly simple, with a single bonobo cornering a duiker then quickly feasting on the still-living animal as more apes hurried to the scene. Hohmann says he has witnessed a duiker "still vocally blurting as the bonobos opened the stomach and intestines."
Is a Death Star Aimed at Earth?
Australian astronomers have been studying an intergalactic assassin poised to wipe out life on Earth. Maybe. Observations indicate that cosmological curiosity WR104 may be a killer - and we might be the victim.
Telescope Tech Will Speed Search for Extraterrestrial Life : Wired Science from Wired.com
The hunt for extraterrestrial life is getting a major boost from revolutionary new technology that will give some of the world's largest telescopes the capability to detect Earth-size planets outside of our solar system, a feat not equaled even by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Super Cells to Power Cyborgs
Researchers at Yale University have come up with blueprints for a bio-battery, organic cells which can work together to produce an electrical voltage. These cells are optimised versions of electric eel electrocytes, the results of millions of years of evolution plus a few more of scientists going "We can do better than that!" The upgraded electro-cells will produce 30% higher voltages than the original organics, and 30% more efficiently.
Where Have All the Little Plutos Gone? : Discovery News
An ambitious project to track down small, icy bodies circling in the far reaches of the solar system has gone cold. Apparently, Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) between two and 17 miles in diameter don't exist.
Second 'Virgin Birth' Documented in Shark : Discovery News
"Parthenogenesis may not have evolved in sharks," Demian Chapman, who led the research, told Discovery News. "It may just be an occasional mistake that sometimes occurs when eggs are left unfertilized."
Mapping the Spine, Gene by Gene: Scientific American
Spinal cord injuries and disorders afflict millions worldwide, from disabled veterans to people with neurodegenerative disorders such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, yet there is currently no way to repair a damaged spine. Geneticists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle are hoping to change that by developing the first genetic encyclopedia of the spinal cord.
Visiting dwarfs put home-grown galaxies in the shade - space - 12 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
HOME-GROWN dwarf galaxies keep a low profile, while recent arrivals show off. This claim, if true, could explain the long-standing puzzle of why we have spotted so few dwarf galaxies near the Milky Way.
Scientists stumble upon footprint dating back 570 million years - Telegraph
The fossilised trails, thought to belong to a centipede or worm-type creature with legs, suggest animals walked at least 30 million years earlier than previously thought.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY: Lights! Camera! Action! Zebrafish Embryos Caught on Film -- Vogel 322 (5899):
A set of unusual movies, described online this week in Science and available on the Web, shows all the movements and divisions of cells in a zebrafish embryo during its first day of development.
BBC NEWS : Science & Environment : Predators could be superweed fix
A superweed spreading throughout the UK could be brought under control by introducing plant-eating predators from Japan, scientists believe.
India unveils solar-powered rickshaw - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The "soleckshaw," unveiled this month in New Delhi, is a motorised cycle rickshaw that can be pedalled normally or run on a 36-volt solar battery.
‘Black Silicon’ Could Revolutionize Solar Cell Technology : CleanTechnica
The substance has since been found to be incredibly sensitive to light, leading to a range of exciting plans for commercialization, including night-vision and infra-red imaging systems. According to James Carey, co-founder of Harvard spin-off company SiOnyx, “We have seen a 100 to 500 times increase in sensitivity to light compared to conventional silicon detectors.”
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