Prof Ponders Bacterial Benefits
Destroy all bacteria, bacteria are bad; goes the mantra of mothers everywhere and the cleaning product industry. But they could be incorrect, says Stanford University microbiologist Stanley Falkow. In an essay in the latest issue of the journal Cell, he canvases the intriguing idea that persistent bacterial and viral infections may have very real health […]
Quantum Computer Computes, While Not Operating
By combining quantum computation and quantum interrogation, scientists at the University of Illinois (UI) have demonstrated “counterfactual computation.” This intriguing application of quantum mechanics allows information about a problem’s answer to be inferred, although the quantum computer algorithm did not actually process the problem. The logic behind quantum coherence often deviates from intuitive reasoning, leading […]
Joining The Quantum Dots
Scientists in Athens, Ohio, have found a way in which they can make the artificial atoms known as quantum dots communicate with one another using light energy. The researchers that made the breakthrough believe it to be a crucial step toward making next generation quantum computers a reality. Quantum dots – also known as semiconductor […]
Carbon Dioxide 1, Coral Reefs 0
New research shows that oceanic acidity levels are rising due to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which may have major consequences for coral reefs, as they will likely erode faster than they can rebuild. This is the message that Dr. Christopher Langdon of the University of Miami is presenting in Honolulu at the American […]
Evolution Makes A Mockery Of Fishing Policy
The fishing mantra of harvesting the largest individuals from a fish population introduces genetic changes that harm the overall fish population, a new University of California study has found. The researchers say that removing the large fish over several generations causes the remaining fish in the population to become progressively smaller, have fewer and smaller […]
When Efficient Flight’s A Drag
It seems to be, that if you want to improve upon human invention, then looking to nature is often your best bet. This tenet has been followed by one Cornell University scientist who thinks that dragonflies could point the way for the aircraft of the future. If human engineers had designed the dragonfly’s method for […]
Sex – Evolution’s Janitor
Asexual reproduction leads to a faster accumulation of bad mutations, says a report in this week’s issue of Science. Indiana University evolutionary biologists used the water flea (Daphnia pulex) to establish their findings, which support the hypothesis that sex is an evolutionary housekeeper that efficiently reorders genes and removes deleterious gene mutations. Interestingly, the study […]
Disco Rats Last Longer On Ecstasy
A new study, published in BioMed Central’s journal Neuroscience, has found that loud music prolongs the effects of taking ecstasy for up to five days. The researchers, from the Italian Institute of Neurological Science and the University Magna Graecia in Catanzaro, showed that the reduction in rats’ brain activity induced by MDMA (ecstasy, or 3,4 […]
Bacteria Hysteria In The Supermarket
‘ Horror stories of harmful bacteria living on surfaces in public places are the bread-and-butter of scare-mongering television, but is there any scientific evidence to support the claim that these invisible microbes can do us serious harm? Well, yes and no. According to a recent study, conducted by the Korean Consumer Protection Board, which examined […]
Scientists Manufacture Synthetic Collagen
Readers might associate collagen with a celebrity’s pumped up, pouty lips, but aside from being a superficial beauty option, collagen is one of the most important structural proteins used by the human body. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find any tissue in the body that does not rely on collagen, which is what […]