|
|
|
|
2008 Sees Fifth Largest Ozone HoleThe ozone hole over Antarctica, which fluctuates in response to temperature and sunlight, grew to the size of North America in a one-day maximum in September that was the fifth largest on record, since NOAA satellite records began in 1979.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 7:00 pm How Tuberculosis Might Be Thwarting Immune System: Proteomics Study Yields CluesA link between the immune system and the self-cleaning system by which biological cells rid themselves of obsolete or toxic parts may one day yield new weapons in the fight against tuberculosis and other deadly infectious diseases. Berkeley Lab researchers have discovered proteins residing in both systems that point to "cross-talk" between them.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 7:00 pm Parasites That Live Inside Cells Use Loophole To Thwart Immune SystemScientists have discovered a mechanism by which intracellular pathogens can shut down one of the body's key chemical weapons against them: nitric oxide.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 7:00 pm Rocks Could Be Harnessed To Sponge Vast Amounts Of Carbon Dioxide From AirScientists say that a type of rock found 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 and that the process could be speeded a million times with simple drilling and injection methods.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 7:00 pm Molecule Stops DNA Replication In Its TracksWhen a dividing cell duplicates its genetic material, a molecular machine called a sliding clamp travels along the DNA double helix, tethering the proteins that perform the replication. Researchers have discovered a small molecule that stops the sliding clamp in its tracks.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 7:00 pm Being Unique Has Advantages: 'Rareness' Key To Some Insects Being Favored By EvolutionAs the saying goes -- blondes have more fun, but in the world of insects it may actually be the rare "redheads" that have the last laugh ... at least in terms of evolution. A new study has discovered that genetic variation in an asexual insect -- insects that reproduce by cloning themselves -- is maintained by rare clones being chosen for the next generation, a phenomenon known as frequency-dependent selection.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 7:00 pm Multiple Sclerosis Progression Can Be Predicted With MRIA new study shows that MRI scans used on multiple sclerosis patients to determine if the disease has affected gray matter in the brain can identify those at-risk for progression of disability.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 4:00 pm Giant Simulation Could Solve Mystery Of 'Dark Matter'The search for a mysterious substance which makes up most of the universe could soon be at an end, according to new research.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 4:00 pm Nighttime Tornadoes Are Worst Nightmare: Twisters That Occur From Midnight To Dawn Are 2.5 Times More Likely To KillA new study underscores the danger of nighttime tornadoes and suggests that warning systems that have led to overall declines in tornado death rates might not be adequate for overnight events, which occur most frequently in the nation's mid-South region.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 4:00 pm How HIV Vaccine Might Have Increased Odds Of InfectionIn September 2007, a phase II HIV-1 vaccine trial was abruptly halted when researchers found that the vaccine may have promoted, rather than prevented, HIV infection. A new study shows how the vaccine could have enhanced HIV infection.Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 4:00 pm Migraines Cut Breast Cancer Risk (LiveScience.com)LiveScience.com - In an odd twist of fate, women who suffer migraines are at significantly lower risk for breast cancer, a new study finds.Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 1:21 pm Migraines Cut Breast Cancer RiskWomen who suffer migraines are at significantly lower risk for breast cancer.Source: Livescience.com | 6 Nov 2008 | 1:18 pm Dead People in 1700s Were the First CelebritiesThe cult of celebrity started with obituaries of unusual people in 18th-century Britain.Source: Livescience.com | 6 Nov 2008 | 12:28 pm The Nation's Weather (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 12:09 pm Peeks at ailing Kim reveal black hole on North Korea (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 9:58 am Good germs fight bad germs in hospitalWASHINGTON (Reuters) - "Good" germs may work as well as antiseptics in protecting hospital patients from dangerous infections, Swedish researchers reported on Wednesday.Source: Reuters: Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 6:40 am Trigger for Stem Cell Differentiation Detailed (HealthDay)HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) -- New details about a key trigger of embryonic stem cell differentiation have been uncovered by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 6 Nov 2008 | 4:48 am Obituary: Jacques PiccardObituary: A Swiss marine explorer, he made history with his 1960 descent of the PacificSource: Science | guardian.co.uk | 6 Nov 2008 | 3:10 am Cloud radar with a silver lining - it can really predict the weatherA new cloud radar system has been developed by Brian Moyna which promises more accurate, more localised weather forecastingSource: Science | guardian.co.uk | 6 Nov 2008 | 12:08 am Science Weekly Extra podcast: Astronaut Richard Garriott on space travel and being back on EarthA space capsule carrying the first two men to follow their fathers into orbit has returned to Earth from the International Space Station. Search and recovery crews in Kazakhstan pulled the American space tourist Richard Garriott, 47, and the Russian cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko from the Soyuz module, which landed on its side on the brushy steppe of north-central Kazakhstan under a cold, clear sky. Source: Science | guardian.co.uk | 6 Nov 2008 | 12:05 am Exploring the Genetic Differences Between Chimps and Humans
A new comparison of chimpanzee and human genomes has offered an early but tantalizing look into what makes the two species, nearly identical at the DNA level, so different. Scientists found key differences in areas linked to cell differentiation and immune response — and that could be just the beginning. "By looking at all the variations, we will get a catalog, and when we find a variation in a person with a disease, it will help us understand the function of that variation," said study co-author Richard Redon, a geneticist at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "It will help us understand better how our species emerged." Researchers already know that humans and chimpanzees share about 98 percent of the same genes. But rather than searching for mutations, Redon's team looked at a relatively unstudied phenomenon known as copy number variation, or CNV, in which genes are redundantly duplicated. These variations were ignored in the early days of genetics, but have recently been recognized as important: Mutations are more likely to accumulate in a given type of gene when multiple copies exist, and the simultaneous application of multiple genes can provide a functional boost. Redon's team is the first to assemble maps of CNV similarities across both chimpanzees and humans, and then compare the maps to each other. What roles those cell differentiation and immune response variants might play isn't yet known — but the details of the findings, said Redon, are less important than the example set by the study, published today in Genome Research. "It's just a start," he said. "We used a platform that isn't very high-resolution. We found the largest variations, but the smaller ones, maybe we missed. And the biggest aren't the most important — it's just a matter of size. Some of the littlest changes can have the largest effect." Melanie Babcock, an Albert Einstein College of Medicine geneticist who has studied copy number variations in primates, called the work "fascinating." But Babcock, who was not involved in the study, cautioned that simple comparisons couldn't indicate when and where duplicate genes are active. That information could prove necessary in understanding the function of CNVs. "Without looking at expression levels, it's hard to say. Yes, there might be a CNV, and it might mean that there is an amazing difference between humans and chimps — or that they don't use the genes very much, and so they accumulate and are not important," said Babcock. Redon stopped short of saying that CNVs are more important than other types of genetic variation, instead calling them complementary. "To have a better view, it's good to have a global picture with all types of variation," he said. Copy number variation and evolution in humans and chimpanzees [Genome Research] Image: Areas of CNV similarity between humans (top bar in each pair) and chimpanzees in two genes/Genome Research WiSci 2.0: Brandon Keim's Twitter stream and Del.icio.us feed; Wired Science on Facebook. Source: Wired: Wired Science | 6 Nov 2008 | 12:05 am Cancer genetic blueprint revealedScientists say they have worked out the complete genetic blueprint of a cancer for the first time.Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 6 Nov 2008 | 12:00 am Superfast Genome Sequencing Goes Global
The third and fourth complete human genomes have been sequenced with faster, cheaper genetic tools, providing a major proofpoint for the next-generation of genomic technologies, two separate groups of scientists announced in the journal Nature. The two individuals remain anonymous, but hail from West Africa and China, making them the first people of non-European descent to have their complete genetic information decoded. They join James Watson and J. Craig Venter as the only human beings for whom we have genomes. Both teams used technology from Illumina that employs a sequencing-by-synthesis method that allows for much faster, cheaper sequencing than the technologies used in the Human Genome Project. "With such rapid advances in next-generation technologies, and with ‘third generation’ technologies emerging, this is just the beginning of the era of the individual genome," write Samuel Levy and Robert Strausberg, geneticists at the J. Craig Venter Institute, in an accompanying editorial in Nature. "Soon, Already, like videogame consoles, the so-called next generation is already beginning to be eclipsed by the next-next generation. Illumina's big Nature announcements didn't do anything for the company's stock, which fell over six percent today. The company faces two solid competitors in high-throughput sequencing — 454 Life Sciences and Applied Biosystems — as well as a wealth of new competitors that are looking to drastically cut the cost of genome sequencing from the $500,000 that one team reportedly spent on the new study. Earlier this month, Applied Biosystems announced that their new machine would allow complete genome sequencing for $10,000 and Complete Genomics plans to offer $5,000 genomes next spring. See Also:
Citations: Image: New York State Department of Health WiSci 2.0: Alexis Madrigal's Twitter , Google Reader feed, and webpage; Wired Science on Facebook. Source: Wired: Wired Science | 5 Nov 2008 | 11:46 pm Jogger Runs a Mile with Rabid Fox on ArmThen she drove herself to a hospital.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 10:26 pm Crichton: A Legacy of Sci-Fi ThrillersMichael Crichton left behind a healthy legacy of science-themed novels, films and TV shows.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 9:34 pm Disease Can Cause Extinction of Mammals
The extinction in question took place a century ago on Christmas Island, an uninhabited Indian Ocean atoll to which a merchant ship inadvertently carried flea-ridden black rats. Within a decade, both of the island's native rat species were extinct. Scientists have argued whether the native rats were outcompeted by the newcomers, or fell victim to diseases carried by the fleas. According to DNA analysis of remaining native rat specimens, infection was widespread within the population after contact, and nonexistent before — suggesting that disease caused the die-off. Resolving this argument has implications for another debate, over the hypothesis that disease can be so lethal and contagious as to drive a mammal species extinct. This had been observed in snails and amphibians, but not in mammals. The authors of the study, published today in Public Library of Science ONE, hope conservationists will take heed: accidentally-introduced pathogens could wipe out endangered species. But to me, the findings also have human implications. Some would say that the rats were vulnerable because they lived on an island; but the Earth is an island, too. Image: PLoS ONE WiSci 2.0: Brandon Keim's Twitter stream and Del.icio.us feed; Wired Science on Facebook. Source: Wired: Wired Science | 5 Nov 2008 | 9:23 pm Argentine cow clones may help boost milk outputBUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine scientists have found a way to make cows produce more milk by injecting them with a bovine growth hormone produced by cloned and genetically modified dairy cows.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 9:21 pm San Diego Now Recycles ... SurfboardsModern surfboards are made of polystyrene.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 8:55 pm A cancer patient's genome decoded for first timeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists for the first time have decoded the entire genome of a cancer patient, identifying a series of genes never before linked to the type of white blood cell cancer that ultimately killed the woman.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 7:48 pm Simulation may help solve mystery of dark matterLONDON (Reuters) - A computer simulation showing the formation and evolution of a galaxy like the Milky Way points to where scientists should look to spot dark matter, international researchers reported on Wednesday.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 7:31 pm African, Asian Join Genomics LibraryThe full genetic profiles of two men are opening a window on human diversity.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 5 Nov 2008 | 7:15 pm Climate pushing lemmings to cliffWarmer winters are affecting the lemmings of southern Norway, scientists find, which may be bad news for animals that eat them.Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 5 Nov 2008 | 7:14 pm 'Jurassic Park' Author Michael Crichton Dies of CancerThe family of famed author says Crichton died in Los Angeles.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 6:26 pm @MarsPhoenix's Twitter Epitaphs
Wow, color your Wired Science crew officially impressed with your love for the Mars Phoenix Lander. Nearly 1000 sub-140 character epitaphs were submitted through Reddit (despite some technical and design problems). Either you people really love NASA swag, or the little lander that could captured some hearts and minds. With so many entries, we decided that some didn't get a fair shot at winning the popular vote. So we came up with a few editorial picks that we thought were, well, really funny. All the winners listed above will receive official Mars Phoenix mission pins. So, if you submitted one of the winning entries, send us an e-mail at alexis_madrigal@wired.com with your address, so that we can send your prizes. (And don't worry, we know that Dylan Tweney is an editor at Wired.com and we promise to give his pin to the charity of his choice. Or something.) Our top prize winner, Graham Vosloo of South Africa, is also going to get an official Polo shirt and we have to say that he is a deserving recipient. "The old maxim, 'Quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur' (anything said in Latin sounds profound) certainly applies!" Vosloo wrote in an e-mail to Wired.com. "I'm super chuffed about this because I've been following the Phoenix Twitter since the landing — I even got up at 3 a.m. my local time to experience it." We're pretty sure that chuffed translates to "psyched" or "pumped" or the like, but if it's actually some sort of South African curse word, we apologize profusely in advance. We're sorry that everyone couldn't win a prize, but we have, however, posted every entry received by noon Monday in the Google doc below. (You can also access them in more conventional Google doc format here). Find yours and behold the cruelty of the Wired.com audience: a mere 50 actually got more up votes than down. And lastly, Veronica McGregor, the wholesome, witty voice of @MarsPhoenix, wanted us to remind you that Phoenix still lives. "It's weak but trying to recharge batteries to do a bit more science," she said. So, hold your flowers and condolences for the NASA, JPL, and University of Arizona team. At least for another week.
*This entry incorrectly identified the Phoenix as a "rover," which we've corrected in this version. WiSci 2.0: Alexis Madrigal's Twitter , Google Reader feed, and webpage; Wired Science on Facebook.
Source: Wired: Wired Science | 5 Nov 2008 | 6:21 pm Experts sequence gene maps of Chinese, African menHONG KONG (Reuters) - Scientists have sequenced the entire gene maps of two men, one Chinese and the other African, for a fraction of the price that such exercises used to cost.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 6:18 pm New detergent washes away stains of murder: studyMADRID (Reuters) - A new generation of cleaning products could help criminals get away with murder by making bloodstains invisible to forensic tests, Spanish researchers said Wednesday.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 6:04 pm Species protection group tusked over ivory sales (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 5:55 pm Forecast: More Killer Tornadoes Strike at NightWhile overall tornado deaths have declined, nighttime fatalities still a problem.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 5:51 pm Dabs and digitsHow biometrics are catching onSource: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 5 Nov 2008 | 5:26 pm This year's Antarctic ozone hole is 5th biggest (AP)AP - This year's ozone hole over Antarctica was the fifth biggest on record, reaching a maximum area of 10.5 million square miles in September, NASA says.Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 5:23 pm Will machines outsmart man?Scientists believe the point of 'Singularity' – where artificial intelligence surpasses that of humans – is closer than we thoughtSource: Science | guardian.co.uk | 5 Nov 2008 | 4:47 pm Europe proposes ban on experiments involving great apesThe use of great apes such as gorillas, orang-utans and chimpanzees in scientific experiments should be banned throughout the European Union, the European Commission has proposed. The measure is part of a series of proposals to tighten control of animal research that have been the subject of intense lobbying from animal rights groups, researchers and the pharmaceutical industry. The document, which states that research on animals is currently "essential", sets out new restrictions on the use of monkeys and includes some species of primitive fish and invertebrates, such as crabs and lobsters, that were not previously covered by European legislation. However, the European environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "It is absolutely important to steer away from testing on animals. Scientific research must focus on finding alternative methods to animal testing, but where alternatives are not available the situation of animals still used in experiments must be improved." Scientists had been concerned that the commission's proposals, which if adopted by the EU would replace 1986 legislation, placing far greater restrictions on animal experimentation and imposing extra bureaucracy. On October 24, Chris Brinsmead, president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, Simon Denegri, chief executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities, and Prof Dame Nancy Rotherwell, president of the Biosciences Federation, wrote a letter raising their concerns to the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and other ministers including Lord Mandelson and Hilary Benn. With that letter was a briefing document produced by a group of scientific organisations, including the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences, which stated: "The sector is concerned at some of the proposals that have been raised in public documents and in discussions with officials." The letter proposed the creation of a "pan-government task force" to coordinate lobbying of the commission. Whether as a result of UK government lobbying or not, the final proposal will be much more palatable to the scientific community. "It has been improved considerably so that it is much more realistic," said Dr Simon Festing, director of the Research Defence Society. "It really is a very good first stab." Most eye-catching is the ban on the use of great apes – which scientists had opposed in their letter to the Home Secretary. They wrote: "Should a serious health challenge arise where great apes offer the only option to address a pandemic that threatens widespread mortality, their use should be permitted ... but this would not be possible if a complete legislative ban were introduced." In effect, such a ban would make little difference, though, because no great apes have been used in research in the EU for the past six years and UK regulations forbid their use. Although retaining the idea of a legislative ban, the proposed directive does offer a "safeguard clause" that allows chimps, gorillas and orang-utans to be used under exceptional circumstances if a member state applies for permission from the commission. But this could take too long in a public health emergency, argues Dr Sophie Petit-Zeman at the Association of Medical Research Charities. "A ban on the use of great apes ... could jeopardise rapid reactive work to a serious health challenge," she said. Researchers had been concerned that proposals would include a ban on the use of non-human primates that are either the progeny or grand-progeny of wild animals. This proposal was aimed at promoting long-term captive breeding as an alternative to capturing animals in the wild. "The capture of non-human primates from the wild is highly stressful for the animals and increases the risk of injury and suffering during capture and transport," states the proposed directive. But researchers had pointed out that it would be impossible to meet the demand for animals in the short term if the progeny of individuals caught in the wild were excluded, and the final document has allowed such a ban to be phased in over 7 or 10 years depending on the species of monkey. Emily McIvor, policy director of the Dr Hadwen Trust, an NGO that campaigns against the use of animals in research, gave a cautious welcome to the proposals. But she added: "To make this law fit for a morally and scientifically progressive 21st century, the ultimate goal of replacing animals with alternatives must be right at the heart of the legislation. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Europe to lead the world in ending animal experiments and replacing them with the most technologically advanced non-animal techniques science can offer." guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Source: Science | guardian.co.uk | 5 Nov 2008 | 4:38 pm game violence researchIt's been a tumultuous few days here in Washington D.C., where I'm holed up at my mum's working on my PhD, hoarse but happy from a night of election celebrations on U St. & 14th (head here for more coverage from the phenomenal Guardian team). But in spite of the most important news telegraphing from the headlines of the local paper, there's another piece that my be of more interest to the readers of this blogSource: Science | guardian.co.uk | 5 Nov 2008 | 4:30 pm SLIDE SHOW: Organic ElectronicsCarbon-based computer chips give new meaning to the term "organically grown."Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 5 Nov 2008 | 4:27 pm Obama's Biggest Science Challenges: You Tell UsWhen Barack Obama takes office in two and a half months, he will inherit an abundance — some might call it a mess — of science-related challenges. Most visibly (at least to me, on this 60 degree November day in New York City) is climate change. Linked to that is energy sustainability. Other environmental problems include water shortages and declining ocean health. Disease pandemics loom on the horizon. Researchers in every field will ask for fresh funding. And in the capitol, a culture of cherry-picking science to fit political agendas needs to be transformed. Of these and other issues, what's most important to you? Below is a list taken from a questionnaire submitted to Obama and John McCain by ScienceDebate2008, a non-partisan advocacy group that pushed to make science central to the election. Vote away, one more time.... Image: booleansplit WiSci 2.0: Brandon Keim's Twitter stream and Del.icio.us feed; Wired Science on Facebook. Source: Wired: Wired Science | 5 Nov 2008 | 4:20 pm Lack of political will slowing Europe's renewables revolution, engineers sayThe experts tasked with delivering Europe's green energy revolution have said that a lack of political leadership is their biggest single obstacle in meeting the continent's ambitious targets for renewable power. At a meeting of more than 100 leading European engineers this week, half said that, while the technology already exists to deliver 20% of all of the EU's primary energy from renewables, governments are slow to pass legislation that would enable it to be introduced quickly. The engineers, representing 21 European countries, came together under the auspices of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) in London to discuss the technical challenges in meeting Europe's renewables challenges. When asked to choose the single biggest potential stumbling block, 50% chose a lack of political will. Consumer behaviour came next but it was far behind the political problem, topping the list for only 19% of the engineers. The next biggest issue was the lack of suitable government incentives for generating renewable power, chosen by 13% and then insufficient capacity in electricity grids with 9%. Despite the problems, 66% of the expert group felt the EU's 2020 targets could be achieved with a concerted effort. "There is today a diversity of views of energy security and how serious climate change is," said Jan van der Ejik, chief technology officer at Shell. "That translates to a lack of political resource." That lack of leadership has fed into a shortage of suitable incentives that could shepherd new technologies into the crowded energy market. The engineers highlighted the example of feed-in tariffs, which pay electricity generators a guaranteed premium price for the power they produce from renewable sources. While these tariffs have accelerated the introduction of solar technology in Germany and wave power in Portugal, the same is not true for the UK. The Energy Bill, currently making its way through the British parliament, does include an amendment to introduce feed-in tariffs, but environmental campaigners have argued that the government's proposals are too weak. The experts at the RAEng meeting questioned whether the EU should maintain its commitment to raise its renewable energy target to 30%, if a successor to the Kyoto protocol was agreed next year: 72% of the group felt the rise was unecessary. "It's much more important that we cut CO2 emissions than raise the targets for new renewables sources," said Irene Aegerter, vice president of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences. "We don't need to go to 30% but we have to include all potential CO2-free energy sources like nuclear." Others at the meeting agreed that the EU should only set a carbon-reduction target and then let countries individually decide how to reach it, whether by renewables technology or approaches such as energy efficiency. Technologies that increase efficiency are the best, said Paul Caseau of the National Academy of Technologies of France. "Society is quite ready to use them, they are not extremely expensive and they can be used for a long time. If you do only one thing, then you do only that." Efficiency technologies were seen by 24% of the engineers as one of the top three ways, after renewables, to reduce CO2 emissions. Nuclear power was seen as a priority by 21% of the expert group and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology by 18%. "Even as far out as 2050, fossil fuels are still accounting for two-thirds of the energy supply," said Van der Ejik. "What needs to be done is find real progress in CCS – it's only if we tackle that source of CO2 that we can hope to bring emissions down." There was also majority support for the construction of a pan-European energy supergrid: 86% of the engineers thought it a good way to balance out the intermittency of renewable power sources across the continent. The grid could be fed, for example, by solar power plants in southern Europe and the Sahara region and with wave, tidal and biomass plants across the north of the continent. It would allow countries such as the UK and Denmark to export wind energy at times of surplus supply, as well as import from other green sources such as geothermal power in Iceland. The European supergrid plan already has tentative support from politicians, including Nicolas Sarkozy, who commissioned a study earlier this year into whether such a renewable energy grid would be feasible. The engineers at the RAEng meeting said that any European grid plan should include not only strengthening the existing national grids, so that they can carry more power, but also the construction of a new backbone of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines, which can carry electricity long distances without losing as much power as standard alternating-current lines. guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Source: Science | guardian.co.uk | 5 Nov 2008 | 3:36 pm Great Apes Debate leads to EU testing ban proposalBRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe's environment chief plans to ban laboratory tests on mankind's closest relatives -- chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans -- in a clampdown on animal testing by the drugs industry and other laboratories.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 3:34 pm BLOG: Why Is Obama Holding This Dog?Is Baby the world's most popular dog? Jennifer Viegas reports.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 5 Nov 2008 | 2:49 pm Frog Embryos Actively Seek OxygenRed-eyed treefrog embryos behaviorally rotate inside their eggs to position gills where oxygen levels are highest.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 2:43 pm Why We Wait 77 Days for Obama's InaugurationThe electoral college process still takes time.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 2:18 pm Your Odor: Unique as FingerprintMammals have genetically-determined unique odor that doesn't change with diet.Source: Livescience.com | 5 Nov 2008 | 2:14 pm Mars Phoenix Probe in 'Hospice' ModeAfter a five-month stint on Mars, Phoenix ends a troubled but fruitful mission.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 5 Nov 2008 | 2:01 pm Christmas Island Rats Wiped Out by DiseaseRats on Christmas Island are the first-known case of extinction caused entirely by disease.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 5 Nov 2008 | 1:01 pm China commissions huge telescope near BeijingBEIJING (Reuters) - China is commissioning a strangely shaped telescope in the forested hills northeast of Beijing that Chinese scientists said will be the world's most efficient tool for mapping the galaxy in three dimensions.Source: Reuters: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 12:34 pm Oil prices slump before US stockpiles data (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 5 Nov 2008 | 12:27 pm
|
