HIV patients hold clues to Salmonella vaccine development

A new study offers a long-awaited explanation for the link between HIV infection and susceptibility to life-threatening nontyphoidal strains of Salmonella. The research goes on to identify targets that could be pursued for Salmonella vaccine development.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am

Canadians lead longer, healthier lives than Americans

Compared to their neighbors south of the border, Canadians live longer, healthier lives. Research has found this disparity between the two countries, suggesting that America's lack of universal health care and lower levels of social and economic equality are to blame.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am

New tool for controlling ultracold gases: Electric fields

Physicists have demonstrated a new tool for controlling ultracold gases and ultracold chemistry: electric fields.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am

Breakthrough method predicts risk of invasive breast cancer

For the first time, scientists have discovered a way to predict whether women with ductal carcinoma in situ -- the most common form of non-invasive breast cancer -- are at risk of developing more invasive tumors in later years.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am

Nanodots breakthrough may lead to 'a library on one chip'

A researcher has developed a computer chip that can store an unprecedented amount of data -- enough to hold an entire library's worth of information on a single chip. The new chip stems from a breakthrough in the use of nanodots, or nanoscale magnets, and represents a significant advance in computer-memory technology.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am

Melting icebergs in polar oceans causing sea level rise globally, new assessment finds

Scientists have discovered that changes in the amount of ice floating in the polar oceans are causing sea levels to rise -- by a mere hair's breadth today, but possibly much more if melting trends continue.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 9:00 am

Causes of death in AIDS patients

New research shows that antiretroviral therapy (ART) continues to dramatically reduce rates of mortality from HIV infection in high-income countries, such that non-AIDS-related deaths exceed AIDS deaths after approximately four years of taking ART.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 6:00 am

Procedure for knocking out genes in nematode worms developed

Knocking genes out of action allows researchers to learn what genes do by seeing what goes wrong without them. Scientists have now devised a procedure for knocking out genes in nematode worms.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 6:00 am

Researchers attack stem cells that cause colon cancer: Tumor cell 'factories' may be difficult to defeat

Many of the colon cancer cells that form tumors can be killed by genetically short-circuiting the cells' ability to absorb a key nutrient, a new study has found. While the findings are encouraging, the test tube study using human colon cancer cells also illustrates the difficulty of defeating these cells, known as cancer stem cells.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 6:00 am

Surprising behavior of tiny 'artificial muscles' explained

Using neutron beams and atomic-force microscopes, a team of researchers may have resolved a 10-year-old question about an exotic class of "artificial muscles" -- how do they work? Their results could influence the design of future specialized robotic tools.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 6:00 am

Space rock has 'frosted surface'

Scientists detect water-ice on the surface of an asteroid for the first time.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 29 Apr 2010 | 4:03 am

US oil slick 'five times bigger'

New estimates from US officials suggest the oil spillage in the Gulf of Mexico is five times worse than previously thought.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 29 Apr 2010 | 3:38 am

The nation's weather (AP)

AP - The Western half of the country was expected to see another wet and snowy day Thursday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 3:32 am

Mass. Cape Wind gets thumbs up, thumbs down (AP)

AP - With federal approval behind them, developers of what would be the nation's first offshore wind farm still have a tough journey ahead before finally producing power in the waters off Cape Cod.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 3:30 am

Louisiana coast under threat as oil spill worsens (AFP)

AFP - A giant oil slick threatened Thursday to pollute the fragile wetlands of Louisiana, as officials warned that toxic crude was pouring from a ruptured well into the Gulf of Mexico five times faster than previously thought.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 3:21 am

Officials: Leaks spewing more oil into Gulf (AP)

AP - A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is even worse than officials believed and the federal government is offering to help industry giant BP contain the slick that is threatening parts of the U.S. shoreline, the Coast Guard said.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 2:17 am

Giant NASA balloon crashes in Australia (AFP)

AFP - A giant NASA science balloon crashed during take-off in Australia Thursday, destroying its multi-million-dollar payload, toppling a large car and narrowly missing frightened observers.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Apr 2010 | 2:08 am

Are We Infecting Mars With Our Germs?

Are we inadvertently sending microbes to Mars? A new study suggests this idea isn't so far fetched, recommending we do a better job of cleaning our spacecraft.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 29 Apr 2010 | 12:52 am

What Causes Corporate Greed?

Greed evolved for a useful reason, and in some contexts, may even be good.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:59 pm

Congress Inadvertantly Passed Law Decreasing CO2 Levels

A 40 year-old law is having some pleasant, unintended consequences on carbon dioxide in the northeastern U.S.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:29 pm

Gulf of Mexico leak grows, oil slick nears shore (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday five times as much oil as previously estimated was leaking from a well beneath the site of a deadly drilling rig explosion as the slick threatened wide-scale coastal damage for four U.S. Gulf Coast states.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:23 pm

Twins Study Points to Environmental Cause for MS (HealthDay)

HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, April 28 (HealthDay News) -- Genetics can't seem to explain why one twin would have multiple sclerosis while an identical twin doesn't, a new study finds.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 9:48 pm

Gulf Oil Spill Is Testing Ground for Future Cleanup Tech

The Gulf oil spill is pushing current oil cleanup technology to its limits, but also serving as a testing ground for futuristic decontamination methods.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 6:11 pm

What You Eat Affects You, Your Kids and Your Grandkids

Epigenetics may be giving us a better understanding of how lifestyle affects health -- not only our own health but that of our children and grandchildren
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 5:30 pm

Gulf Oil Spill Is Testing Ground for Future Cleanup Tech (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is pushing current oil cleanup technology to its limits, but also serving as a testing ground for futuristic decontamination methods.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 5:25 pm

PETA buys ad space on Oregon man's cremation urns (AP)

AP - A dying Oregon comedian's last words will be written on his cremation urns — and the message will be sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 5:11 pm

Doctor fixes heart with remote-controlled robot

LONDON (Reuters) - Doctors at a British hospital have carried out the first heart rhythm operation using a remote -controlled robot and say its success means patients could be treated by doctors in other cities, or even other countries.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 5:02 pm

Robotic Russian Cargo Ship Launches Toward Space Station (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - A Russian rocket carrying a new unmanned cargo ship lifted off Wednesday with tons of fresh food and supplies for astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 5:00 pm

Protein jab mends broken bones

Injecting mice with Wnt proteins speeds up healing.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/rss/today/~4/rhrKGxMVWEs" height="1" width="1"/>
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 4:01 pm

1930s Scottish Police Chief: Save the Loch Ness Monster

Documents show that a police chief expressing concern for the safety of the Loch Ness monster.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:32 pm

New oak tree disease could 'change British landscape', experts warn

Call for £10m to investigate mystery disease that could have a worse effect than Dutch elm

A new disease killing oak trees could alter the British landscape even more than Dutch elm disease, woodland groups warned today as they called for more funding to tackle the problem. Acute oak decline is hitting both species of native oak, which show black bleeding on the trunk and stems and can suffer rapid dieback and death within three to five years. The disease has been found on 55 sites in the east of England, southern England and the Midlands, and experts warn other suspect cases have yet to be confirmed. Woodland charities and commercial forestry groups are calling for £10m over the next five years to investigate tree diseases, with acute oak decline a priority for research.

Peter Goodwin, of Woodland Heritage, said: "We're looking at a disease that has the potential to change our landscape even more than Dutch elm disease, and nothing is being done about it. We can't afford a repetition of what happened then. Action is needed now."

Hilary Allison, policy director at the Woodland Trust, said the loss of such an iconic tree from the landscape would be "catastrophic". The Woodland Trust has one site, Hoddesdon Park Wood in Hertfordshire, where the disease has been confirmed and five more suspected cases elsewhere in the country.

Andy Sharkey, the trust's head of woodland management, said research is needed to find out more about the condition, how it is spreading and what could be done to prevent or minimise its impacts.

Forest Research, the research arm of the Forestry Commission, has identified a bacteria which appears to be entirely new to science in the trees with the disease.

Sharkey said the disease, which is attacking sessile and pedunculate oaks, is of such concern because of the speed with which it is damaging the trees which make up most of our woodlands.

"This is our most iconic tree, it totally dominates our landscape, and here we have a potentially new disease that leads to rapid decline of the tree. We need to know more about it, that's why we're concerned and that's why we're making that call. If it's as bad as we feel it could be we need to understand and get to grips with it now."

Landowners and woodland managers have little idea about how to deal with the problem, including whether to fell the infected trees, he said.

The groups supporting the call for the incoming government to allocate more funds to Forest Research to investigate tree diseases include the Royal Forestry Society, the Woodland Trust, Woodland Heritage, the Tree Council, Institute of Chartered Foresters, Arboricultural Association, Confederation of Forest Industries and the Country Land and Business Association.

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:30 pm

Twin Study Deepens Multiple Sclerosis Mystery

The most detailed genetic investigation ever of multiple sclerosis has produced more questions than answers.

Using extremely fine-grained analytical tools, scientists compared genetic information in three sets of identical twins. One of each pair had MS, and the other didn’t — yet their genes proved essentially identical.

“We find no smoking gun on the genetic level,” said National Center for Genome Resources geneticist Stephen Kingsmore, co-author of the study published April 28 in Nature.

The research cost $1.5 million, and the scientists took 18 months to sequence 2.8 billion DNA units in each twin, and determine whether they came from the mother or father. Most genomic comparisons look for differences in a just handful of suspect genes, and even whole-genome approaches don’t differentiate between parental contributions.

The researchers also analyzed the twins’ CD4 cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the development of MS. In these cells, the researchers sequenced epigenomes — chemical instructions that turn genes on and off — and transcriptomes, or a chemical record of genes that are actively coding proteins.

These multiple layers of information represent the cutting edge of genomic analysis, and are expected to reveal what rougher tools cannot. “This was a technical tour de force, and potentially represents a new way of looking at disease states,” said Kingsmore. Nevertheless, they found no differences.

The absence of genetic differences doesn’t mean that genetics are irrelevant to multiple sclerosis. Identical twins, who are descended from the same egg, are six times more likely to develop MS than non-identical twins, who come from two different eggs.

It’s still possible that some as-yet-unknown genetic factor, undetectable by even the most advanced tools, may explain the discordance in the study. However, Kingsmore thinks the culprit is probably an unknown environmental influence. “There must be a nongenetic factor, probably environmental,” that combines with known genetic and environmental risks, he said.

The researchers would like to look at more twins, and other types of cells. Even so, the study “was a pioneering effort on a scale that hasn’t been done before,” said Kingsmore. “We’re left with this mystery.”

Image: Combination of cover image of the current issue of Nature and transcriptome readings from the study./Nature

See Also:

• 10 Years on, ‘The Genome Revolution Is Only Just Beginning
• The Human Genome in 3 Dimensions
• Beyond the Genome
• To Understand the Blueprint of Life, Crumple It

Citation: “Genome, epigenome and RNA sequences of monozygotic twins discordant for multiple sclerosis.” By Sergio E. Baranzini, Joann Mudge, Jennifer C. van Velkinburgh, Pouya Khankhanian, Irina Khrebtukova, Neil A. Miller, Lu Zhang, Andrew D. Farmer, Callum J. Bell, Ryan W. Kim, Gregory D. May, Jimmy E. Woodward, Stacy J. Caillier, Joseph P. McElroy, Refujia Gomez, Marcelo J. Pando, Leonda E. Clendenen, Elena E. Ganusova, Faye D. Schilkey, Thiruvarangan Ramaraj, Omar A. Khan, Jim J. Huntley, Shujun Luo, Pui-yan Kwok, Thomas D. Wu, Gary P. Schroth, Jorge R. Oksenberg, Stephen L. Hauser, & Stephen F. Kingsmore. Nature, Vol. 464 No. 7293, April 29, 2010.

Brandon Keim’s Twitter stream and reportorial outtakes; Wired Science on Twitter. Brandon is currently working on a book about ecological tipping points.

Source: Wired: Wired Science | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:28 pm

Anatomy of the Gulf Oil Spill

Here's a graphic showing how the Deepwater Horizon collapse led to an oil spill and what's being done to stem the spreading oil.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:03 pm

Dinosaurs outgrow their baby feathers

Fossils highlight differences between youth and adulthood.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:01 pm

Asteroid ice hints at rocky start to life on Earth

Cool discovery suggests asteroids brought water and organic material.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:01 pm

Twin study surveys genome for cause of multiple sclerosis

Mapping milestone emphasizes complexity of disease.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:01 pm

Cybersecurity: How safe are your data?

Many scientists want to keep their data and resources free; cybersecurity specialists want them under lock and key. Jeffrey Perkel reports.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 3:00 pm

Ice Discovered on Asteroid, Suggests Earth’s Oceans Came From Space

Water ice and organic molecules have been discovered on the surface of an asteroid for the first time.

Researchers glimpsed the ice on 24 Themis, the largest member of an asteroid family located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, using the NASA Infrared Telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. This frosty little rock could be the key to understanding how Earth became the blue planet.

“What we’ve found suggests that an asteroid like this one may have hit Earth and brought our planet its water,” said astronomer Humberto Campins of the University of Central Florida, the lead of one of the two separate teams that reported similar findings April 28 in Nature.

While there is plenty of debate around how Earth got its oceans, this new evidence suggests some of the water came from extraterrestrial sources. Here’s how it may have happened: More than four billion years ago, after a massive collision between Earth and another large object created the moon, our planet was completely dessicated. Then, during the Late Heavy Bombardment period that followed, during which lots of asteroids hit Earth, the ice that the objects carried became our store of water.

“The more we find in our asteroid belt objects that do have water, the more convinced we are that that was a possible process to rehydrate the earth,” said NASA astrobiologist Mary Voytek.

The ice on Themis 24 could be a sort of time capsule from the early solar system and could be similar to the ice that may have arrived on Earth from asteroids during the Heavy Bombardment.

“The ice that we see there, right now, is sort of related to the ice that could have come from the main asteroid belt that hit us about 4 billion years ago,” astronomer Henry Hsieh of Queen’s University Belfast told NPR. “It gives us a way to kind of probe the cousins of the asteroids that hit us and probably gave us water in the early stages of the Earth’s formation.” Hsieh wrote a commentary that accompanied the stories in Nature.

The presence of ice and organic molecules on the surface of an asteroid is the latest in a string of discoveries that collectively indicate water ice is a more common substance than we might have thought. In just the past few years, scientists have confirmed the presence of ice at the moon’s north pole as well as beneath the surface of Mars.

It had previously been thought that asteroids were too warm to retain water ice on their surfaces. The exact method for how they do so remains unclear.

Image: Artist’s conception of asteroid 24 Themis and two small fragments of this dynamic family, which resulted from a large impact more than one billion years ago. One of the small fragments is inert (as most asteroids are), and the other has a comet-like tail, produced by the sublimation of water ice from its surface.
Gabriel Pérez/Servicio MultiMedia, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain

See Also:

• Millions of Tons of Water Ice Found at Moon’s North Pole
• The Mars Ice FAQ: How Do You Know It’s Water?
• Craters Show 1970s Viking Lander Missed Martian Ice by Inches

Source: Wired: Wired Science | 28 Apr 2010 | 2:50 pm

Is Online Social Networking Good or Bad?

People have become addicted to social media sites, so that begs the question: are those sites good or bad for you?
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 2:27 pm

Rising Fuel Costs Could Help Make Electric Planes a Reality

Passenger airliners could one day fly using electric or hybrid propulsion.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 2:08 pm

Natural compound speeds bone growth: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A protein produced naturally by the body can speed up bone growth and may offer a route to fixing fractures more quickly, researchers reported on Wednesday.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 2:06 pm

News briefing: 29 April 2010

The week in science.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 2:00 pm

Ice Asteroids Likely Source of Earth's Water

Ice and organic compounds, essential ingredients for life, have been found for the first time on an asteroid.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 1:50 pm

NASA may stretch out Mars missions to save money

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA is considering a plan to get around limited budgets set in Washington by stretching out missions to bring back samples from Mars, a researcher said on Wednesday.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 1:48 pm

Panda Pregnancy Test: Why Zoos Get Fooled

Why is there no good test to tell if a panda - or a lion for that matter - is pregnant? Experts at the Smithsonian's National Zoo explain.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 1:36 pm

Earthquake Videotaped from a Fish's Perspective

For tiny Devils Hole pupfish, startling video shows it must have felt like a "huge tsunami" when violent water-level oscillations from an earthquake 300 miles away disturbed the small ledge they live on.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 1:23 pm

Cape Cod Offshore Wind Farm Approved

The offshore wind farm, if built, will be the nation's first and will encompass 130 turbines.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 1:22 pm

Hasty switch for space magnet

Longer-lasting part could make cosmic-ray detector less sensitive.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 1:00 pm

Afghans Commemorate Anniversary of Mujahedeen Victory

Amid the violence and chaos of one war, Afghanistan marks the 18th anniversary of the end of another.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:45 pm

Record-Breaking Pollen Counts Fuel Miserable Allergy Season

A late spring caused record or near-record pollen levels across the Eastern U.S. this April, a trend which could increase with global warming.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:25 pm

Tips to Nip Allergies in the Bud

Pollen levels are at an all-time high, but that shouldn't keep you trapped indoors. Here are some tips for allergy sufferers.
Source: Livescience.com | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:23 pm

Japan's research institutions in the hot seat

Government oversight committee urges scientists to make savings.
Source: NatureNews - All articles published today - nature.com science feeds | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:11 pm

Russian cargo craft heads for space station

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian spacecraft lifted off on Wednesday with supplies for the International Space Station and its crew.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:10 pm

Lady Greenfield and Royal Institution settle sex discrimination case

Deal with unconventional scientist draws line under power struggle at 211-year-old organisation

Lady Greenfield has dropped a sex discrimination case against the Royal Institution in an undisclosed out-of-court settlement.

The warring parties said in a joint statement today that they had "reached full agreement" over the terms of her departure as director.

The settlement draws a line under a lengthy power struggle at the 211-year-old institution exacerbated by financial troubles that followed a £22m refurbishment of its premises in Mayfair, London. The institution has told the Charity Commission it has debts of £1.87m.

Lawyers acting for Greenfield began proceedings after she was made redundant in January. The institution confirmed all claims against it had now been withdrawn.

The announcement comes weeks after members voted down a rebel movement that hoped to oust the ruling council that made Greenfield redundant after 12 years. Had the vote gone in favour of the coup, a temporary council of Greenfield's supporters could have reinstated her.

She has attacked the institution for "dirty tricks" and skewing the vote at the special meeting. Greenfield, 59, is regarded as one of Britain's most colourful and controversial scientists. Admirers credit her with inspiring young women and encouraging them to pursue careers in science, but critics claim she can be divisive in the workplace and is more interested in self-promotion than communicating science.

The Royal Institution's ruling council agreed to revamp the premises on the promise of substantial donations that failed to materialise. To pay for the work, which included a new restaurant, the institution was forced to sell off much of its property portfolio, leaving it without lucrative rental income.

The joint statement emphasised the "leading role" Greenfield had played. "She was the driving force behind numerous initiatives including the science media centre, the young scientist centre, the spirit of science and the establishment of the Royal Institution in Australia."

A plaque that was mounted in honour of Greenfield's work was removed shortly after she was made redundant, but later reinstated, despite having been bent in the process.

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:06 pm

Sea ice loss driving Arctic warming

Study identifies cycle of ice loss and temperature rise that could see Arctic's icy cover disappear sooner than expected

The Arctic is locked into a destructive cycle that could see its icy cover rapidly disappear, scientists have confirmed. A new analysis shows that dwindling levels of sea ice are responsible for unusual levels of global warming in the region. The findings reinforce suggestions that a positive feedback between ice loss and temperature rise has emerged in the Arctic, which increases the chances of further rapid ice loss and warming.

The study could re-ignite claims that the Arctic has passed a key tipping point, which could see ice disappear much sooner than expected. While most estimates say the summertime Arctic will not be ice-free until the middle of the century, some models suggest it could vanish within a decade.

James Screen, a researcher at the University of Melbourne, Australia, who led the study, said: "The concept of Arctic sea ice having a tipping point is still hotly debated. Our results cannot prove whether we have passed a tipping point or not. What we can say is that the emergence of these strong ice-temperature feedbacks can only increase the likelihood of further rapid warming and sea ice loss."

Temperatures in the Arctic have risen twice as fast as the rest of the world in recent decades, a phenomena known as Arctic amplification. Scientists have long suspected that loss of sea ice was responsible, but other factors such as changes in wind, clouds and ocean currents have also been blamed.

Writing in the journal Nature, Screen and his colleague Ian Simmonds, say they used new data to show that the projected ice-temperature feedbacks are now being observed. "Previous studies have been hampered by a lack of quality data for the Arctic," Screen said. "The ice temperature feedbacks have likely strengthened in the last decade or so due to the dramatic declines in sea ice. Prior to this, the signal may have been harder to detect."

Part of this change is down to the albedo effect, with white, reflective ice replaced by dark water, which absorbs more of the sun's heat. The removal of ice has also led to more summer evaporation of water, which acts as a powerful greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, and speeds temperature rise.

Screen said: "The albedo effect is very important here, but there are other factors related to the loss of sea ice that likely play a role."

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 28 Apr 2010 | 12:00 pm

Unraveling a Comet's Dirty Little Secret

The dirt produced by comets can actually be a hazard for visiting spacecraft, what efforts are under way to understand this cosmic pollution? For starters, you could build your own "dirty snowball."
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:48 am

Mountain Climber Claims Record Amid Controversy

Oh Eun-Sun was the first woman to scale the world's 14 highest peaks, a claim that has been met with skepticism by fellow climbers.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:45 am

Global floating ice in "constant retreat": study

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's floating ice is in "constant retreat," showing an instability which will increase global sea levels, according to a report published in Geophysical Research Letters on Wednesday.
Source: Reuters: Science News | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:38 am

Feathered Dinosaurs Molted Like Birds

Like kids today who don’t want to dress like Mom and Dad, some young feathered dinosaurs sported a look totally unlike their elders, a new study shows.

The finding hints that feathered dinosaurs, like modern birds, molted as they grew, says study coauthor Xing Xu, a paleontologist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing.

The dramatic age-related shift in plumage was noted in newly described fossils of Similicaudipteryx, a feathered creature that lived in what is now China about 125 million years ago. Xu and his colleagues analyzed two well preserved specimens of Similicaudipteyrx and report their findings in the April 29 Nature.

Both fossils are thought to come from juveniles, because the vertebrae aren’t completely fused, which happens as animals reach adulthood, Xu says. In the larger and presumably older of the two specimens — a creature with an upper leg bone about 12 centimeters long and a body the size of a goose — the long feathers on the forelimbs and tail look just like modern bird feathers.

But in the pigeon-sized smaller creature, feathers on the forelimb and tail look modern only near their tips, Xu says. Closer to the body, those feathers have a ribbonlike shape but no central shaft — a type of structure previously seen in the tail feathers of some other Chinese feathered dinosaurs.

Unlike today’s birds, these dinosaurs changed the basic structure of their feathers some time during adolescence, says Xu, probably due to different timing and patterns of gene activity.

Image: The strikingly different flight feathers of two individuals at different ontogenetic stages of the oviraptorosaurian Similicaudipteryx./Xing Lida and Song Qijin.

See Also:

• Dinosaur Fossil Reveals True Feather Colors
• Feathered Dinosaurs Were Venomous Predators
• Fancy Feathers Predated Flight in Dinosaur-Bird Hybrid
• Four-Winged Fossil Bridges Bird-Dinosaur Gap
• Paleontologists Find Dinosaur Protofeather

Source: Wired: Wired Science | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:30 am

Oak disease 'threatens landscape'

A deadly disease that kills native species of oak trees is threatening to change the landscape, say tree groups.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:07 am

Semi-Natural Biotech Hack Makes Bones Heal 3 Times Faster

Mice healed three times faster than normal after their broken bones were flooded by proteins naturally used to regrow new tissues. The discovery raises the possibility of a stem cell–free route to regeneration.

The Wnt family of proteins used in the mice are involved in healing many other types of tissue; the researchers hope they will find many other uses for them.

“Gut, skin, brain, muscle, cardiac muscle, corneas, retinas — people have studied the role of Wnt signals in all those tissues,” said Stanford University reconstructive surgeon and study co-author Jill Helms. “Maybe there could be a therapeutic approach to all this.”

The experiment, published April 28 in Science Translational Medicine, is rooted in two decades of research on Wnt genes and proteins, which play a variety of regenerative roles. They help embryonic stem cells make copies of themselves, keeping a body’s supply fresh, and guide the maturation of stem cells into specific cell types.

Wnt proteins are found throughout the animal kingdom, from sponges and flatworms to mice and humans, and their function seems to be consistent. When tissues are injured, Wnt genes in surrounding cells become more active, pumping out extra Wnt proteins. Arriving repair cells divide faster and grow more rapidly.

Study co-author Roel Nusse, a cell biologist at Stanford, has pioneered much of the Wnt research. He was responsible for cloning the Wnt family genes, allowing proteins to be produced in tissue cultures in a lab. His success encouraged the study’s other authors to see if the proteins could be used therapeutically.

“This pathway may be the key to regenerating, or at least rapidly repairing, tissues,” said Helms. “We’re augmenting nature’s own response to injury.”

The researchers started their tests by genetically engineering a strain of mice that produced exceptionally high amounts of Wnt proteins. Three days after their bones were broken, they grew three and half times more new bone tissue than regular mice.

That test’s purpose wasn’t to investigate a role for genetic engineering, but rather to see if extra Wnt had an effect. The researchers next injected lab-grown Wnt proteins into mice with broken bones. These again healed three times faster.

There were no obvious side effects from the treatment, though the tests were preliminary. Somewhat disturbingly, Wnt genes were originally identified while malfunctioning in cancerous cells. The likelihood of causing cancer is also a major obstacle to developing safe stem cell therapies. But Helms is confident that it won’t be a problem with potential Wnt therapies.

“In cancer, mutations cause the pathway to be always on. Delivering the protein only causes the pathway to be turned on for a moment,” she said. “Mutations in the insulin pathway also cause cancer, but insulin treatments do not.”

According to Thomas Einhorn, a Boston University biochemist and orthopedic surgeon who wasn’t involved in the study, Wnt is an alluring therapeutic target. Malfunctions in Wnt regulation have been linked to human bone disorders, underscoring their importance. But he cautioned that “animal studies are animal studies, and human conditions are something else.”

In mice, challenges still remain. A broken bone is relatively easy to target with an injection, but many conditions are less localized, involving entire organs or large amounts of tissue.

The researchers are now conducing mouse tests of Wnt proteins for skin wounds, stroke and heart-attack recovery, and cartilage injuries.

“Nature uses this recipe over and over again,” said Helms.

Image: Healing in the skeletal tissues of mice given a placebo (top) and Wnt proteins (bottom).
Science Translational Medicine.

See Also:

• Salamander Discovery Could Lead to Human Limb Regeneration
• Engineered Rabbit Penises Raise Human Hopes
• Going From One Cell Type to Another Without Using Stem Cells
• Severed Gecko Tails Have a Mind of Their Own

Citation: “Wnt Proteins Promote Bone Regeneration.” By S. Minear, P. Leucht, J. Jiang, B. Liu, Y. A. Zeng, C. Fuerer, R. Nusse, J. A. Helms. Science Translational Medicine, Vol. 2 No. 29, April 28, 2010.

Brandon Keim’s Twitter stream and reportorial outtakes; Wired Science on Twitter. Brandon is currently working on a book about ecological tipping points.

Source: Wired: Wired Science | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:05 am

Frosty asteroid carries vital ingredients

Ice and organic chemicals found on an asteroid back the theory that asteroids provided the Earth with the bare necessities of life

Astronomers have detected a coating of ice and organic chemicals on one of the largest asteroids in the solar system.

The space rock, called 24 Themis, is roughly the size of Sicily and orbits the sun in the main belt of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter, more than 300 million kilometres from Earth.

The discovery supports the idea that asteroids may have brought plentiful supplies of water and organic material to Earth in the distant past and so set the stage for the emergence of life.

Two independent groups confirmed the composition of the asteroid's surface after observing the 200km-wide rock using Nasa's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) which sits on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

Analysis of infrared light glinting off the surface of the asteroid revealed that some wavelengths were being absorbed by water molecules. Further investigation suggested complex organic molecules were also present. The findings are reported in two papers in the journal Nature.

"The organics we detected appear to be complex, long-chained molecules," said Josh Emery, a planetary scientist at the University of Tennessee and lead author on one of the studies. "Raining down on a barren Earth in meteorites, these could have given a big kickstart to the development of life."

The discovery of frozen water on the asteroid has surprised some scientists because the sun warms the surface enough for ice to melt. One possible explanation is that ice in the core of the asteroid is heated into water vapour, which seeps through pores in the rock and freezes temporarily when it reaches the surface.

In the second study, a team led by Humberto Campins at the University of Central Florida timed its observations to take account of the asteroid's rotation every eight hours and produce a crude map of the surface. It shows that the entire surface of the asteroid is coated with a layer of frost no more than one ten-thousandth of a millimetre thick.

In an accompanying article, Henry Hsieh, a planetary scientist at Queens University in Belfast, likened the ice to a "living fossil": a remnant of the solar system that many considered long gone.

"This is a thin layer of ice. It's not like going outside on a snowy day," he told the Guardian. "But we didn't really think water would survive in the asteroid belt, and certainly not on the surface of an asteroid."

The discovery is intriguing because it may finally explain how two thirds of the Earth came to be submerged in water, turning a parched rock into a haven for life.

The Earth formed close to the sun as a dry boulder 4.5bn years ago, but asteroids from cooler regions of space would have slammed into the surface for millennia, releasing any water they contained on impact. At the time, asteroids were more numerous and may have carried far more water than has been found on 24 Themis.

Some scientists believe asteroids may have delivered water to every planet in the solar system, but Earth's rocky surface, size and orbit ensured water condensed and remained on the ground, ultimately forming vast seas and oceans.

"Each asteroid might not have carried a lot of water, but if you strike a planet with a few thousand or million of them, it would gradually build up," Hsieh said.

The finding of frozen water as far out as the main asteroid belt suggests water might also be spread throughout alien solar systems. "The building blocks of life – water and organics – may be more common near each star's habitable zone," said Emery. "The coming years will be truly exciting as astronomers search to discover whether these building blocks of life have worked their magic there as well."

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 28 Apr 2010 | 11:00 am

iPhone App Translates Iraqi to English

For the first time, researchers have developed an iPhone app that translates Iraqi to English and English to Iraqi. The app, which was developed by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s International Center for Advanced Communication Technologies (interACT) and the CMU ...
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:55 am

Anne Frank's Full Diary Exhibited in Amsterdam

For the first time, the World War II diary will return to the house where Frank first wrote it.
Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:45 am

Extract of lethal frog could be lifesaver

Extract from the phantasmal poison frog produces a powerful painkiller which could save lives, say experts

A rare species of tiny, lethal frog normally found in South America has been bred at a British aquarium.

The phantasmal poison frogs, which measure less than a centimetre in length and whose poison is 200 times more powerful than morphine, have been bred at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth. It is hoped that the frog, one of the most toxic amphibians on the planet, which exists in the wild in Ecuador, could help save lives.

Jenna MacFarlane, of the aquarium, said: "Despite their deadly status, scientists have discovered that an extract from the skin of the phantasmal poison frog, Epipedrobates tricolor, can block pain 200 times more effectively than morphine, without addiction and other serious side-effects and we are delighted to have been able to breed them successfully here in Portsmouth.

"It's imperative we are able to mimic exactly their wild environment in order for the species to thrive in captivity and it's a real achievement they are breeding so successfully.

The World Conservation Union considers the frog to be endangered. It is thought to survive at only seven sites on the western slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes.

MacFarlane said: "These beautiful frogs are under increasing threat in the wild due to loss of habitat and pollution. They've passed the critical stage of development and they now look like perfect miniature replicas of their parents."

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:34 am

First offshore wind farm for US

The US government approves controversial plans for its first offshore wind farm, which will operate off Cape Cod.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:24 am

Spaceman

Robo-man Piers Sellers set for shuttle mission
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 28 Apr 2010 | 10:04 am

Daily Mail will still influence drugs policy under Tories

We challenged the main political parties to answer questions about their science policy from prominent scientists including Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh and David Nutt. Martin Robbins is impressed by the Conservatives' answers, with one troubling exception: drugs

Read the Conservatives' answers in full here

According to their manifesto, the Tories want me to join them in running the country. I'm a bit busy right now and not the most organised of people, but I'm happy to say a few words about their science manifesto commitments and their responses to our 10 key questions.

Not the typical party of choice for generally left-leaning academics, the Conservatives have nonetheless clawed back some ground in recent years with their strong support in areas such as libel reform. Adam Afriyie, their shadow science and innovation minister, will most likely keep control of my constituency, but among science activists he remains something of a mystery, less vocal on scientific issues than his opposite numbers Lord Drayson and Evan Harris who – whether or not you agree with their views – are clearly passionate advocates at the grassroots level.

At 131 pages long it's difficult to condense their policies into a couple of paragraphs, but the Campaign for Science and Engineering has done a decent job picking out areas relevant to science. Among the more notable features are an intention to review the controversial concept of "impact" in research, and a welcome declaration that grant proposal decisions should not be based on research projects' potential economic impact.

Nonetheless, there is a very business-oriented theme to the Conservatives' science policy, with a strong focus on producing more science, technology and engineering graduates, including a £350m commitment to fund 25,000 new masters degrees in these subjects.

One interesting manifesto pledge that seems to have originated with Afriyie (who answered our questions) is to set up "science literacy inductions" for all new Conservative MPs after the election. Of course, it would be nice if these were compulsory, and available for all MPs regardless of their party allegiance.

I analyse some of their answers below, but you can read the Conservatives' full responses to our questions here.

Brian Cox: Science funding

Do you plan to maintain Britain's science budget below the European average?

Frankly, it's difficult to drive much of a wedge between the three main parties in this area, with the answer in each case being that with the economy still in crisis and heavy cuts in public spending likely, few guarantees can be made. The Conservative strategy is to improve financial stability by allocating multi-year budgets that improve the Research Councils' ability to plan ahead, and to encourage investment in high-tech spin-offs. Of course, the words "stability" and "investment" do not mean that a Conservative government would "increase" spending on science.

Alternative medicine

If the balance of evidence suggests that a treatment does not perform any better than placebo, should it be supported by the NHS?

Afriyie's comment that it would be, "wholly irresponsible to spend public money on treatments that have no evidence to support their claims" is welcome, and positions the Conservatives alongside the Liberal Democrats in rejecting claims that alternative medicine has a future in public healthcare. With Prince Charles' ailing Foundation for Integrated Health at the centre of a fraud investigation, and would-be alternative medicine regulator the CNHC struggling to bring practitioners on board, the future looks grim for quacks.

Simon Singh: Libel

What will your party do to reduce the chilling effect of our libel laws on science? Currently there is no statutory public interest defence, so scientists risk running the gauntlet of London's High Court if they publish material they believe to be in the public interest, but that a major corporation or litigious charlatan believes to be libellous.

The Conservatives have joined the cross-party consensus on libel reform, and Tories such as Joanna Cash have been active at the grassroots level pushing for changes in British law. However, it is a cause for concern that they have failed to set out specifics in their manifesto, or their answers to us. Afriyie states that they "look forward to continuing that discussion in the next parliament".

The Libel Reform campaign's victory in achieving a cross-party consensus that reform is necessary will be followed by an inevitable fight in the next parliament over the details of that reform.

Climate change/Energy

Should nuclear power be part of our country's strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? How soon can we bring new plants online?

While many in the scientific community are rightly concerned about climate denial on the fringes of the Conservative party, Cameron-era Conservatives have actually been quite robust on the issue, with a strong green showing among their MEPs. Like the other main parties, the Conservatives are committed to deep reductions in CO₂ emissions, with a reasonable aim to generate 15% of energy from renewables as soon as 2020, and a pledge to cut emissions by 80% over the next 40 years. Nuclear power features strongly in their energy plans, which will be controversial for some, but anticipating questions over costs they pledge that no public subsidies will be involved.

It's interesting to note how Cameron pitches initiatives on climate, with a strong focus on the potential economic benefits of making Britain a world-leading energy-secure, low-carbon economy, rather than playing up the environmental benefits. It's tempting to think that this might be indicative of the way environmental policies have been sold within the party.

Of particular interest is the Green Deal, a very sensible-looking policy that will allow people to spend up to £6,500 on energy improvement measures in their homes, with the costs repaid from their future fuel bills.

David Nutt: Drug policy

To what extent should drug policy be based on scientific evidence? What evidence, if any, would you require to declassify a drug?

The Conservatives believe that drugs policy should have "a basis in evidence. We have no desire or intention of ignoring scientific advice." But, "there may be times when ministers decide to take account of other considerations."

As the Transform Drugs Policy Foundation points out, this is fairly indistinguishable from the last government's stance, and will be a disappointment for those who feel that "other considerations" is political code for "pressure from the Daily Mail".

It's hard not to feel depressed that after decades of failed policies on drugs, the two biggest parties in British politics still seem more interested in knee-jerk populist gestures than in creating a policy based on the best available evidence to tackle the problems. Drugs policy is a failure of politics and a failure of the media, with elements of the right-wing press determined to shut down sensible debate or discussion. Whoever wins, drugs policy will continue to be a key science battleground after the election.

Petra Boynton: Public health

How will your party ensure public health/education campaigns are underpinned by evidence, and how will you evaluate their success? PR companies are increasingly influential in directing both the content and delivery of public campaigns, frequently at the expense of expertise from scientists, healthcare providers and academics.

"I think we can learn a lot from countries like Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands where they seem to have a better record of monitoring the impact of public health policies. We need to embrace this good practice, and go further. We will mandate the publication of results from all national and local public health strategies online, along with tools which allow people to compare and benchmark performance."

It's a remarkable commitment, which makes it all the more bewildering that the same commitment to open evidence-based policy doesn't seem to apply to drugs.

Genetic engineering/Stem cell research

Should Britain be at the forefront of research in these areas? What benefits do you believe such research will bring for society?

"We must stay at the forefront of research so that we have the chance to create the jobs, treatments and consumer products that support our quality of life"

An answer that on the surface is pro-science and in line with, say, the Liberal Democrats, is given a slight twist by a phrase that crops up not just in Afriyie's answer, but elsewhere in Tory policy statements. They repeatedly talk about scientific research moving forward "within the boundaries set by parliament". It's a qualifying statement that makes the rest of their pledge fairly difficult to interpret, because, well, what does it actually mean?

And how much influence will movements within the party like the deeply religious Cornerstone Group exert?

Pandemic readiness

Do you believe the swine flu pandemic posed a significant risk to Britain? What action would your government take if a similar situation emerged in the future?

"One of the big problems with swine flu was the confusion among the public about what official advice was. Our plans to give much more responsibility to local directors of public health should make a big difference on this."

Afriyie asserts that the public were confused about what the official advice was, but then suggests devolving the problem to local directors of public health, which seems like a bit of a contradiction to me. Instead of one official line during a pandemic there will be several.

Conclusions

Clearly a party undergoing significant change, the Conservatives talk the talk on a number of issues, but remain something of an unknown quantity due to a certain vagueness about some of their pledges, and the failure of their shadow science and innovation minister to engage with grassroots science activists to the same extent as his Lib Dem and Labour counterparts.

Nonetheless, they come out well from this exercise, apparently recognising the importance of science and its continued independence. Their dismissal of alternative medicine is welcome, and they have several innovative policies such as the Green Deal, and a pledge to publish data on the performance of public health initiatives.

However, their commitment to evidence doesn't seem to be universal, with drug policy a particular area of concern.

Best candidate

With so many new and relatively unknown candidates poised to join the next parliament it's a difficult choice, but Totnes candidate Sarah Wollaston stands out for her observation: "I just don't think that there are enough people in Westminster who can read a scientific paper."

Hear, hear.

Worst candidate

Just how does alternative medicine work? Bosworth candidate David Tredinnick claimed £750 worth of astrology software on expenses on the basis that astrology might have some bearing on the issue. A passionate advocate of homeopathy, Tredinnick's views provoked the formation of the Science Party in his constituency, founded by exasperated science writer Dr Michael Brooks.

Source: Science news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk | 28 Apr 2010 | 9:17 am

Birds 'fly a flag' to woo a mate

High-speed video reveals how male common snipes - a species of wading bird - generate their distinctive drumming mating calls.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 28 Apr 2010 | 8:20 am

In pictures

Mining Argentina's "sea of salt" high in the Andes
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 28 Apr 2010 | 7:12 am

Aiming high: Project hopes to see cranes return to the skies

A project hopes to release wild cranes back into the landscape of South-West England.
Source: BBC News | Science & Environment | UK Edition | 28 Apr 2010 | 4:44 am