Clean Smells Promote Moral Behavior, Study Suggests

People are unconsciously fairer and more generous when they are in clean-smelling environments, according to new study. The research found a dramatic improvement in ethical behavior with just a few spritzes of citrus-scented Windex.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

How Carbon Nanotubes Can Affect Lining Of The Lungs

Carbon nanotubes are being considered for use in everything from sports equipment to medical applications, but a great deal remains unknown about whether these materials cause respiratory or other health problems. Now a new study shows that inhaling these nanotubes can affect the outer lining of the lung, though the effects of long-term exposure remain unclear.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

Male Australian Redback Spiders Employ Courtship Strategies To Preserve Their Life

New research shows that male suitors of a female cannibalistic spider risk facing a premature death unless they perform an adequate courtship lasting a minimum of 100 minutes. Further, the research shows that "sneaker" males can slip by and mate successfully on the courtship efforts of the hard-working first suitor.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

Polymer May Allow Soldiers With Artificial Limbs To Feel Heat, Cold, Touch

Current prosthetics may look natural, but they're still primitive -- offering patients no real neurological control other than opening or closing their hand. But for U.S. soldiers who have lost arms and hands in the battlefield, two new studies may bring "real" feeling to artificial limbs.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

Genes May Determine Susceptibility To H5N1 Avian Influenza A Virus Infection

A new study found genetic variations in mice affect their susceptibility to and severity of H5N1 avian influenza A virus infection suggesting that humans who contract the virus may be genetically predisposed.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

Evolutionary Past May Determine How We Choose Leaders

Why did Barack Obama win the US election and did the fact he is over six feet tall influence the voters? Researchers argue that due to 'a hangover from our evolutionary past' factors like age, sex, height and weight play a major part in the determining our choice of leaders.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

Cigarette Smoke May Impair Lungs Natural Defense Against Harmful Pathogen

Exposure to cigarette smoke may impair the ability of immune cells to clear bacterial infections from the lungs, specifically nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI), a pathogen often associated with respiratory infections and the progression of respiratory diseases.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am

Protecting Cells From Their Neighbors

A research team from Spain has discovered the mechanism that favours the correct separation of germ cells -- future ovules and sperm -- from the rest of the cells during embryonic development.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am

One Shot Of Gene Therapy, And Children With Congenital Blindness Can Now See

A study using gene therapy safely improved vision in five children and seven adults with Leber's congenital amaurosis. The greatest improvements occurred in the children, all of whom are now able to navigate a low-light obstacle course.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am

Breast Reduction May Lead To Cancer Detection In Patients

There may be some new added benefits to breast reduction surgery. Testing tissue and fat removed during the procedure may lead to increased cancer detection, according to a new study.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am

Disgraced cloning expert convicted in SKorea (AP)

AP - A disgraced cloning expert who falsely claimed major breakthroughs in stem cell research was convicted Monday for embezzlement and other charges connected to the scandal, but he will not serve time in prison.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:18 am

Paint 'to thwart chemical attack'

Scientists plan to develop a paint coating for military vehicles which would soak up chemical agents and then decontaminate itself.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:07 am

S.Korea court convicts disgraced stem cell scientist (AFP)

AFP - A South Korean court Monday imposed a suspended prison term on a disgraced scientist whose claims of stem cell breakthroughs rocked the scientific world until his research was found to be faked.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:07 am

The nation's weather (AP)

AP - The Central U.S. was forecast to see another day of wet weather as a strong cold front continued tracking through the Plains.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:41 am

S Korea clone scientist convicted

A South Korean court convicts disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk of fraud over his stem cell research.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:34 am

Titanic expedition possible in 2010 (AP)

AP - The company that has exclusive rights to salvage the Titanic is planning a possible expedition to the world's most famous shipwreck in 2010.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:26 am

South Korea stem cell scientist guilty of fraud (Reuters)

Reuters - A South Korean court Monday found disgraced stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk guilty of fraud and handed down a suspended sentence in a case that sent shockwaves throughout the global scientific community.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:43 am

South Korea stem cell scientist guilty of fraud

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean court Monday found disgraced stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk guilty of fraud and handed down a suspended sentence in a case that sent shockwaves throughout the global scientific community.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:43 am

Association marks 20 years of greening Hollywood (AP)

AP - With local, organic food, minimal electricity use and on-site composting, the Environmental Media Association's 20th anniversary party might be the green standard for future Hollywood awards shows.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 12:36 am

From ecological Soviet-era ruin, a sea is reborn (AP)

AP - Standing on the shore under the relentless Central Asian sun, Badarkhan Prikeyev drew on a cigarette and squinted into the distance as one fishing boat after another returned with the day's catch.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 26 Oct 2009 | 12:32 am

Typhoon Lupit nears southern Japan (AFP)

AFP - Typhoon Lupit approached Japan's southern islands Monday and was forecast to churn along the country's east coast, brushing Tokyo the next day, the weather agency said.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 25 Oct 2009 | 11:15 pm

UN chief urges compromise ahead of climate summit (AFP)

AFP - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged member nations Monday to reach a compromise ahead of a climate change summit scheduled for December in Copenhagen and called on the United States to stay engaged.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 25 Oct 2009 | 8:58 pm

Investigator Checks Out Haunted House For Sale

Josh Bond is offering a genuine haunted house for sale on eBay.
Source: Livescience.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 5:41 pm

Solar power gives Andean villages new lease on life (Reuters)

Reuters - A pioneering solar energy project is using green technology to improve the lives of isolated villagers living beyond the reach of power lines on Argentina's windswept Andean plains.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pm

Sea Creature's Amazing Eyes Could Inspire New DVD Players

Humans see three colors. The mantis shrimp sees 12, plus it can distinguish different forms of polarized light.
Source: Livescience.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 1:16 pm

Shrimp's eye points way to better DVDs

LONDON (Reuters) - The amazing eyes of a giant shrimp living on Australia's Great Barrier Reef could hold the key to developing a new type of super high-quality DVD player, British scientists said on Sunday.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 25 Oct 2009 | 12:07 pm

Flipper Forms Follow Function in Sea Creatures

Scientists figure out how flippers help dolphins swim.
Source: Livescience.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:25 am

'Freezer plan' bid to save coral

The prospects of saving coral reefs now appear so bleak that plans are being made to freeze samples for the future.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:01 am

Poll finds 54% want evolution and creationism to be taught

British Council poll finds UK adults overtake Americans in wanting science teaching in schools to include intelligent design

More than half of British adults think that intelligent design and creationism should be taught alongside evolution in schoolscience lessons – a proportion higher than in the US.

An Ipsos Mori survey questioned 11,768 adults from 10 countries on how the theory of evolution should be taught in school science lessons.

About 54% of the 973 polled Britons agreed with the view: "Evolutionary theories should be taught in science lessons in schools together with other possible perspectives, such as intelligent design and creationism."

In the US, of 991 adults responding to the survey, which was organised by the British Council, 51% agreed that evolution should be on the curriculum alongside other theories, like intelligent design.

Across the 10 countries, 43% agreed with this statement.

It was found that Britons were almost three times more likely than Egyptians to want creationism and intelligent design to be included in the teaching of evolution.

Creationism holds that the origins of humanity and the Earth are recent and divine, as related in the book of Genesis. Strict creationists believe Adam and Eve are the mother and father of humanity and that God created the Earth in six days. Advocates of intelligent design argue that some features of the universe and nature are so complex they must have been designed by a higher intelligence.

The UK government has been quick to denounce creationism and intelligent design as unrecognised scientific theory that did not meet the requirements of the national curriculum, but it has said that young people can "discuss creationism as part of their religious education classes".

Neither the primary nor secondary school science curriculums mention creationism or intelligent design.

Prominent scientists and teaching unions have expressed shock at the poll's findings.

Lewis Wolpert, emeritus professor of biology at University College London (UCL), who is vice-president of the British Humanist Association, said: "I am appalled. It shows how ignorant the public is. Intelligent design and creationism have no connection with science and are purely religious concepts. There is no evidence for them at all. They must be kept out of science lessons."

Steve Jones, professor of genetics at UCL, said: "This shows the danger of religions being allowed to buy schools, hijack lessons and pretend that they have anything useful to say about science – which, by definition, they do not. The figure seems much too high, although no doubt there is a substantial minority that does think this."

Christine Blower, acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "It would be wholly wrong to include creationism in the science curriculum. An overwhelming body of evidence, not assertion, supports the concept of evolution and therefore evolution must form the basis of the science curriculum. Consideration of creationism might not be out of place in religious education."

Teachers were not expressing concern that they were under pressure to teach creationism and intelligent design, teaching unions said.

The National Secular Society said schools should "ban religious explanations in science lessons", adding that the creationist movement was becoming "more vocal".

But Alison Ryan, policy adviser of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers Union, said that if a "good teacher handled the lesson", presenting creationism and intelligent design need not be problematic. "Science teachers could introduce creationism as a theory that some people hold, but that is not based on evidence."

Andy McIntosh, professor of thermodynamics and combustion theory at Leeds University, said: "There is room for any scientific position which isn't necessarily from an evolutionary base. We need to follow where the evidence leads and we shouldn't presuppose that the evidence will necessary lead to a naturalistic or materialistic explanation. We must be open to the possibility that information can come from a higher intelligence, but we mustn't assume that."

Fern Elsdon-Baker, head of the British Council's Darwin Now programme, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birthday this year, said the poll raised a debate about how effectively evolutionary science was communicated both inside and outside the classroom.

She said: "Overall these results may reflect the need for a more sophisticated approach to teaching and communicating how science works as a process."

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 25 Oct 2009 | 9:50 am

Gene therapy experiment restores sight in a few

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Nine-year-old Corey Haas can ride his bike alone now, thanks to an experimental gene therapy that has boosted his fading vision with a single treatment.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:52 am