Instant Control For Laser Welding

A novel camera system has 25,000 processors integrated in its pixels which work together to analyze images the instant they are taken -- over ten times faster than a computer. This allows to automatically adjust the output of a laser as it performs welding operations.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

Discovery May Lead To Development Of Safer Immunosuppressants

Immunosuppressive treatment is necessary to prevent rejection of an organ after transplant and has great potential for treating chronic inflammatory diseases. However, currently available immunosuppressant drugs can pose serious health risks, restricting their long-term use. Now, new research findings may lead to the development of immunosuppressant drugs that have fewer adverse side effects.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

Researchers Unravel Unexpected Role Of Neuronal Population In Drug Addiction And Parkinson's

Researchers in Belgium have made an important step toward the understanding of drug addiction and Parkinson's disease. Their work has unraveled the unexpected role of a neuronal population in drug addiction and motor control.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

Your Looks, Creditworthiness May Go Hand In Hand, At Least In The Eyes Of Some Lenders

New research suggests that a person's appearance may play a role in whether they are deemed trustworthy by financial lenders.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

Novel Antibiotics That Don't Trigger Antibiotic Resistance Developed

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is one of medicine's most vexing challenges. Scientists are now developing a new generation of antibiotic compounds that do not provoke bacterial resistance.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

Termite Killer Lingers As Potent Greenhouse Gas

Fumigant pumped into tented houses to kill pests remains in atmosphere six to 10 times longer than previously thought, a new study shows.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

Freezing Kidney Cancer: Hot Treatment Should Be New Gold Standard For Destroying Small Tumors

Freezing kidney tumors -- using a safe minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment that kills the cancer 100 percent effectively without surgery -- should be the gold standard or first treatment option for all individuals with tumors that are 4 cm in size or smaller. And, this treatment -- interventional cryoablation -- is a viable option for people with larger tumors, according to two studies.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 3:00 pm

Critical Switch In Eye Development Discovered

Researchers have identified a key to eye development -- a protein that regulates how the light-sensing nerve cells in the retina form. While still far from the clinic, the latest results could help scientists better understand how nerve cells develop.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 3:00 pm

Nanotube Structures Could Improve Electric Motors

Researchers have found that carbon nanotubes can significantly improve the performance of electrical contacts that are common in millions of motors used in a variety of electrical applications. New research concludes that "brush contacts" made of carbon nanotubes had 10 times less resistance than did the carbon-copper composite brushes commonly used today.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 3:00 pm

Tiny Brain Region Key To Fear Of Rivals And Predators

A piece of the brain's hypothalamus is key to animals' fear of territorial rivals and predators, according to a new study. Without it, animals lose all sense of caution.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 3:00 pm

NASA to attempt Sunday space shuttle launch (AFP)

AFP - The US space agency will break with protocol and try to launch the space shuttle Discovery on Sunday even though it has yet to uncover the cause of a hydrogen leak that delayed its mission earlier in the week, officials said.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 12:18 pm

OPEC considers full compliance or fresh cuts (Reuters)

Reuters - OPEC ministers began talks on Sunday to decide whether to set new output targets or stick to existing curbs against a backdrop of swelling oil inventories and a shattered world economy.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 12:06 pm

NASA hopeful repairs will permit Sunday launch (AP)

AP - NASA is unsure what caused the hydrogen gas leak that prevented space shuttle Discovery from flying, but nonetheless will attempt another launch Sunday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 11:55 am

The Nation's Weather (AP)

AP - The Pacific Northwest is bracing for a major storm as an active weather front moves over the region.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:18 am

Repaired space shuttle ready for launch try Sunday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) -- NASA will try again on Sunday to launch space shuttle Discovery on a construction mission to the International Space Station after fixing a fuel leak that triggered a delay last week.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 15 Mar 2009 | 5:31 am

Journal told to scrap Darwin article

Turkey's feuding political factions are embroiled in a row over academic freedom after state officials forced a science journal to scrap an article celebrating the work of Charles Darwin.

Bilim ve Teknik (Science and Technology) withdrew the 16-page feature from this month's issue under orders from its publisher, the state-run Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (Tubitak). The magazine's editor, Cigdem Atakuman, was also sacked for "exceeding her authority" by commissioning the article, which Tubitak said was "not planned or scientifically evaluated beforehand".

The incident has prompted accusations of censorship from academics and opposition politicians, who accuse the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development party government of trying to impose religious ideas on academic institutions. It has also led to renewed warnings from European officials that continued restrictions on freedom of speech could harm Turkey's drive for EU membership.

The government has denied playing any role in the article's withdrawal and has set aside its well-known opposition to evolutionary theory to join in the condemnation. Minister of state Mehmet Aydin, who is responsible for overseeing Tubitak, said the body had been guilty of censorship, - but still implicitly criticised Darwinism in his statement. "Tubitak is supposed to reflect the views of all those who have served science," he said. "No matter how mistaken they can be."

Source: Evolution, genetics, medicine, physics & astronomy news | guardian.co.uk | 15 Mar 2009 | 12:01 am

Swifts may hold the secret of staying young

Scientists have uncovered the secret of long life in an unexpected source: the swift. Researchers at Glasgow University have found the birds have a distinctive piece of genetic material whose length predicts whether they will live to an old age or die young.

Crucially, all other animals, including humans, also have these sections of DNA, which are known as telomeres. The head of the project, Professor Pat Monaghan, said she believed her research showed how men and women might one day be able to live longer by halting erosion of their own telomeres.

"All sorts of factors affect telomere length, including levels of oxidants in the blood, stress and various environmental factors," she said. "That gives researchers a route to pursue when trying to find ways to improve human longevity. It is a holy grail. If you could find a way to keep your telomeres long, who knows how long you could stay young for?"

Telomeres are found at the ends of chromosomes, the parcels of DNA that direct growth found in every cell in the body. When cells die, existing cells divide to replace them. However, scientists have discovered that when a cell divides, its telomeres get shorter and shorter each time.

Research has also revealed that when telomeres get too short, a cell will stop dividing altogether and will often die. An inability to replace cells is a feature of old age. But not everyone's telomeres are the same length, nor do they erode at the same rate. The relationship between telomere length, erosion and longevity has been confused - until now.

The project began in 2001 and involved studying Alpine swifts that nest near the University of Lausanne. "We found that birds with relatively short telomeres that were eroding rapidly were less likely to survive to the next year, irrespective of whether they were young or old," Monaghan said.

"We have shown for the first time that telomeres are powerful predicators of how long an individual is going to live. In fact, they are a better predicator than actual age."

Source: Evolution, genetics, medicine, physics & astronomy news | guardian.co.uk | 15 Mar 2009 | 12:01 am

Female 'Vampire' Unearthed in Venice

The positioning of a 16th-century skeleton suggests the woman was thought to be a vampire.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 14 Mar 2009 | 3:40 pm