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In the News
 Winemaker's Nose Insured for MillionsThe nose of leading European winemaker and taster Ilja Gort, owner of Chateau de la Garde in Bordeaux and producer of Tulipe Wines Ilja Gort, has been insured by Lloyd's of London for 5 million euros (8 million dollars). The custom-made policy covers the Bordeaux producer against the loss of his nose and sense of smell, but in order to receive coverage, he is barred from participating in risky activities such as motorcycle riding, boxing, and fire breathing. The policy also includes a clause delineating the necessary skill level of any barber shaving Gort’s face. Lloyd’s has insured many famous body parts in the past, including Fred Astaire's legs and Keith Richards’s hands. More on the subject... |
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 Phobic Robot is Fan FavoriteThe "Phobot," a phobic robot, made its debut at the International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction and was quickly voted the fan favorite. Students from the University of Amsterdam designed the fearful robot from a set of Lego robotics and used light, sound, touch, and ultrasound sensors to program the Phobot to mimic human phobia. When first exposed to a fear-inspiring object—in this case a menacing larger robot—the cowardly robot retreats and then spins in circles in an apparent panic. The Phobot works to overcome its fear by becoming comfortable with smaller robots before moving on to large ones. More on the subject... |
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 Need for Potable Water is a Global ProblemHumans need clean water to live, yet millions of people in developing countries die every year from diseases associated with unsanitary water. One in five people lacks access to this basic resource, and experts fear that by 2025, a full third of the world’s population will be struggling to find potable water. Widespread pollution has contaminated many safe water sources, transforming them into festering pools of disease, yet water usage has continued to increase to record levels. Experts say that sanitation, purification, and water management initiatives are critical factors in the fight to bring clean water to the world’s poorest regions. More on the subject... |
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 Dozens in India Blinded Looking into SunOfficials in India’s Kottayam district have launched a campaign informing people of the dangers of looking directly at the sun, a move that was provoked by recent reports indicating that dozens of Catholics in the region severely damaged their eyesight by staring at the massive star. At least 50 people are now suffering from vision damage and burned retinas after straining to see an image of the Virgin Mary that was rumored to be visible in the sky. Local church leaders are also warning congregants that looking at the sun can cause permanent blindness and have denounced reports of the supposed miracle. More on the subject... |
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 Unrest in Tibet Spreads Throughout RegionThe protests that began in Tibet on March 10—on the anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule—have now spread to neighboring provinces. At least 16 Tibetans have been killed in the violence, and representatives in the region estimate the death toll at nearly 80. The Dalai Lama, exiled leader of the Tibetan people, is calling for international intervention into what he calls a "cultural genocide" in his homeland. China, meanwhile, maintains that it has shown great restraint in the face of violent protests by the Tibetans. The unrest has dealt a sharp blow to Beijing’s preparations for the Summer Olympics, which are set to begin in August. More on the subject... |
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 Alligators Shift Lungs to Maneuver in WaterUnlike other stealthy swimmers, alligators lack the fins and flippers that help aquatic creatures maneuver in water. Despite the drawbacks caused by the absence of such specialized appendages, these powerful reptiles easily glide through the water in silence. Researchers have determined that alligators manage this feat by utilizing their unique ability to shift the positioning of their lungs within their bodies, thereby adjusting their buoyancy. The diaphragm, pelvic, abdominal, and rib muscles work together to force the lungs toward the tail for diving, toward the head for surfacing, and sideways to roll. More on the subject... |
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 Heather Mills to Get 25 Million Pounds in DivorceAfter one of the most bitter and high-profile break-ups in British legal history, ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his estranged wife Heather Mills have nearly reached the end of their two-year divorce battle. The two married in 2002 and announced their break-up four years later. While the separation was originally described as "amicable," it soon turned into a bitter battle over McCartney's approximately 825-million-pound fortune. According to recent reports, Mills will receive 25 million pounds, the equivalent of more than 50 million US dollars, in the settlement. More on the subject... |
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 Belgium Announces Holocaust RestitutionsThe Belgian government and banks have agreed to pay $170 million to Holocaust survivors, their families, and the Jewish community to compensate Belgian Jews for property that was looted by Nazi occupiers. Overall, $54 million will be paid to about 5,000 individual claimants; the remainder of the restitution will be placed in a Jewish trust. The restitution is not intended as moral compensation but rather as material compensation for personal property taken from Belgian Jews during the war. Some 50,000 Jews lived in Belgium prior to WWII, and approximately half died during the Holocaust. More on the subject... |
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 Education Level Tied to LifespanA recent study of US adults has shown that those who are better educated have a greater life expectancy than those who are less educated. In 2000, 25 year olds who had received some college education were assigned a life expectancy of 82 years; less-educated people were only expected to live to be 75. Researchers attribute much of the disparity to the fact that people who are less educated are likely to have lower incomes, have less access to health insurance, and live in crime-ridden neighborhoods and under poor housing conditions. At the same time, well-educated people have greater access to information about disease and medical advances. More on the subject... |
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 Foldable Car Fits in Tight SpotsFor many commuters, the mere thought of finding parking in major metropolitan areas is anxiety provoking. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are addressing the urban parking problem with a foldable car that could potentially fit in a spot one-eighth the size of that required by the average car. The compact, two-passenger "City Car" would ease traffic congestion; and by running on a rechargeable battery, the car would also help minimize environmental pollution. The vehicle has not yet been built, though engineers hope to begin manufacturing it within the next three to four years. A miniature version of the car is now on display in a campus museum. More on the subject... |
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 South Korea's First Astronaut Will Be a WomanAfter 31-year-old Ko San, the man South Korea initially selected to accompany Russian astronauts on a mission to the International Space Station, violated security protocol at a Russian space training center, he was replaced by Yi So-yeon, a female biotechnology engineer. When the Russian Soyuz spacecraft launches in April, she will become the first South Korean in space. Yi will spend approximately 10 days aboard the space station, performing experiments alongside Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut. The mission will make South Korea the world’s 36th country to send an astronaut to space. More on the subject... |
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 Prescription Drugs Found in US Drinking WaterScientists have detected low levels of a range of prescription drugs in the water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas in the US. The drugs include antibiotics, anticonvulsants, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones. When people take medications, their bodies do not absorb them entirely, and some of the drugs are passed into the sewage system; some drugs are resistant to current wastewater treatment processes, and when the treated water is released back into the environment, it often ends up as part of the drinking water supply. Such contamination is not confined to the US; studies have detected pharmaceuticals in waters throughout Asia, Australia, Canada, and Europe. More on the subject... |
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_thumb.jpg) Saturn's Moon May Have RingsData collected by the international Cassini spacecraft indicate that Saturn's second-largest moon, Rhea, may be surrounded by at least one ring. If researchers are correct in their interpretations of the data, this would be the first discovery of a system of planetary rings around a satellite of a planet. Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, and Uranus—the 4 largest planets in this solar system—all have rings. A planetary ring is a ring of dust and other particles that orbit a planet in a flat, disc-shaped region. Scientists speculate that Rhea's rings may have formed after a small object collided with its surface, sending a stream of debris out into orbit around the moon. More on the subject... |
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 Grand Canyon 3 Times Older than Previously ThoughtFor years, Arizona tour guides have been telling visitor that rushing river water began carving the Grand Canyon about 6 million years ago; but by dating mineral deposits inside caves up and down the canyon walls, geologists have now concluded that the canyon's erosion actually began closer to 17 million years ago. They believe that the canyon started from the west, then another formed from the east, and the two broke through and met as a single gorge some 6 million years ago. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, 1.1 miles (1.8 km) deep at its deepest point, and up to 18 miles (24 km) wide in places. More on the subject... |
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 Israel Buries 8 Students Killed in School AttackThousands of mourners gathered in Jerusalem on Friday to mourn the deaths of eight students killed in a terror attack the night before. The victims, who were all between the ages of 15 and 26, had been studying in the library of their Jewish seminary when a Palestinian gunman entered the room and opened fire. Dozens more were injured in the attack, which comes on the heels of Israeli military incursions into Gaza that took the lives of more than 120 Palestinians. Hamas initially took responsibility for the attack but has since reversed its statement, saying it is not claiming responsibility. More on the subject... |
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 Was Moses High on Sinai?According to Israeli researcher Benny Shanon, Moses and the Israelites were likely high on psychoactive substances when the Ten Commandments were brought down from Sinai. Shanon compares the narcotic effects of plants grown in the Sinai Desert to the powerful Amazonian hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca, a drug that frequently inspires profound spiritual feelings among users. He himself has partaken of the Amazonian drink many times and reports experiencing his own religious visions under its influence. Shannon hypothesizes that the thunder, lightning, and trumpet blaring which the Book of Exodus says emanated from Mount Sinai were little more than the imaginings of a group of people under the effects of a strong narcotic. More on the subject... |
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 Teens Who Skip Breakfast More ObeseWhile many teens skip breakfast in order to cut calories and lose weight, those who opt not to eat the morning meal weigh an average of 5 lb (2.3 kg) more than teens who consume a healthy breakfast. A five year study of more than 2,000 youngsters found that though breakfast skippers consume fewer calories each day, teens who take the time to have breakfast tend to lead more active lifestyles. Eating in the morning helps people maintain energy levels throughout the day and may prevent food binges at lunch and dinner. More on the subject... |
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 Baby Girl Survives Fall to TracksIn India, a newborn baby girl survived a terrible ordeal after her mother prematurely gave birth while relieving herself in the bathroom of a moving train. The toilets on such trains empty directly onto the tracks, and as the newborn child slipped through the hole, her mother fainted. Upon regaining consciousness, the mother immediately alerted family members who stopped the train and ran to search for the baby. Nearly two hours after she was born, the baby was found uninjured and transported to the hospital. She remains in intensive care due to her premature birth. More on the subject... |
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 US Incarcerates MillionsA shocking new statistic released by the Pew Center on the States reveals that more than 1 in every 100 Americans is in jail or prison, making the US the world's number one incarcerator. At the start of 2008, approximately 2.3 million Americans were incarcerated; the far more populous nation of China ranked second with just 1.5 million behind bars. Russia, a distant third, had only 890,000 inmates. Tough sentencing laws, record numbers of drug offenders, and high crime rates have contributed to the growing prison population in the US, and incarceration costs are soaring. Last year, the US spent more than $49 billion on corrections. More on the subject... |
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 Racial Difference in Immune System GenesA study comparing the genetics of Caucasians from the US and Nigerians has shown a significant difference between the groups, especially in genes involved in producing antibodies to combat bacterial infection. The study also found that activity levels varied significantly in genes involved in basic cellular processes and may explain why some populations respond differently to various drugs and medical treatments. Researchers are quick to point out that these results cannot be generalized across entire races and that sampling people from different parts of a country could uncover different genetic patterns. More on the subject... |
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 Israeli Warns Gaza of Impending InvasionAs Israel activated a rocket warning system to protect Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 people, from Palestinian rocket fire, officials issued a warning to Gaza residents, stating that Israel may soon launch a large-scale offensive in response to the bombings. Given Ashkelon’s proximity to the Gaza Strip, the advance warning system affords residents mere seconds to prepare and reach safety in the event of an attack. On Wednesday, rocket fire killed an Israeli civilian in the town of Sderot. Israel responded with air strikes that killed dozens of Palestinians. Though the Israeli army is prepared to invade Gaza, Palestinian militants remain undeterred and have continued to launch rocket attacks against Israel. More on the subject... |
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 Antidepressants are Little Help for MostA study analyzing the results of 47 clinical trials of antidepressants found that the pills are barely more effective than placebos in treating most people with depression. The review investigates data from trials that were conducted before the drugs were approved in the US and concludes that only patients who are at the upper end of the severely depressed category get any meaningful benefit from taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class drugs. Manufacturers of these drugs dispute the study’s conclusion, arguing that "extensive scientific and medical experience" have shown that SSRI drugs like Prozac are effective anti-depressants. More on the subject... |
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 Corn Genome SequencedThe $29.5 million study of corn, which began in 2005, has finally been completed, and the staple crop’s genome has been sequenced. The research will be made available over the internet, and access to such information will allow researchers to develop hardier corn crops that produce a greater yield. Corn, also known as maize, is the largest crop in all of the Americas, and farmers are being pressured to grow more of the starchy crop to meet the increasing demand for corn-based ethanol fuel. More on the subject... |
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 Yellow Fever Outbreak Kills 21 in Latin AmericaArgentinean officials are encouraging anyone planning to visit the northern part of the country, Brazil, or Paraguay to get vaccinated for yellow fever at least 10 days before traveling because a recent outbreak has claimed the lives of 21 people in the region. The last documented case of yellow fever in Argentina prior to this was in 1841. The disease is contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, and symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headaches, shivering, nausea and vomiting. While most victims recover after 3 or 4 days, some enter a "toxic" phase that causes fever, jaundice, and bloody vomit; about 50% of the people who enter that second phase die within 10 days. More on the subject... |
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 Bullfrogs May Hold Key to Fountain of YouthResearchers in South Korea have announced the successful isolation of an anti-aging substance from the skin of bullfrogs. Alpha-tocopherol, also known as Vitamin E, is widely used in medicines and health supplements, and the peptide’s antioxidant properties have lead to surging demand worldwide. Previously, all known forms of tocopherol existed as oils, but the substance found in the bullfrog skin is water soluble. This means that the bullfrog alpha-tocopherol can be used in many more applications, perhaps even in soft drinks. The newly discovered alpha-tocopherol is also 10% more efficient than other known forms at protecting cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. More on the subject... |
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 New York Philharmonic to Play in North KoreaIn a rare display of cultural exchange between the United States and North Korea, the New York Philharmonic has been welcomed to the communist state for a performance in Pyongyang. The group of 105 musicians and its entourage of 165 helpers, benefactors, and news reporters is the largest US presence in the isolated state since the Korean War. The orchestra’s director hopes that this shared experience of music and art will bring North Koreans and Americans closer together and help them to understand one another. The visit comes amid the ongoing diplomatic push to persuade North Korea to halt its controversial nuclear weapons program and dispose of its nuclear weapons cache. More on the subject... |
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 Mammograms, Naps, and Blood Sugar Predict StrokeNew studies suggest that mammograms, blood-sugar tests, and daytime sleepiness may all indicate whether someone is at increased risk for a stroke. High stroke risk was observed in women with arterial calcification in the breasts, among insulin resistant non-diabetics, and among older people who frequently doze during the day. Consistent daytime drowsiness may indicate that a person suffers from a sleep disorder like sleep apnea, which causes sufferers to periodically stop breathing, and calcification of the arteries supplying the breasts may indicate more extensive vascular problems, including heart disease. More on the subject... |
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 How Caterpillars Hide Disguised as Bird DroppingsThe ability to blend in with surrounding foliage and hide from predators is an important survival mechanism in the wild. Young swallowtail caterpillars have the unique ability to disguise themselves as bird droppings. Researchers studying the unusual camouflage mechanism have discovered that a special hormone keeps the caterpillar in its black and white excrement disguise. Juvenile hormone appears to regulate genes involved with color, pattern, and surface formation; when levels of the hormone drop, the appearance of the Papilio xuthus larva begins to shift and mimic the coloring of its host leaf. The bird dropping camouflage may protect young larvae from hungry birds until the caterpillars become more mobile. More on the subject... |
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 Yogurt May Protect Your MouthScientists are now one step closer to understanding why people who frequently eat yogurt have healthier teeth and gums. Previous research has shown that there is a decreased incidence of periodontal disease among those who frequently consume dairy products, but did not identify which products are most beneficial. Now, Japanese researchers are reporting that lactic acid foods like yogurt provide mouths with the greatest protection, while foods like milk and cheese are not associated with better periodontal health. They suggest that the probiotic effect of the lactobacilli found in those foods may hinder the progression of periodontal disease. More on the subject... |
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