Science Simplified!

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 18, 2014 at 9:14am

Experts from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland are combining experimental data with the core principles of brain organization in order to create a detailed computer model which will allow them to conduct supercomputer-based simulations of the brain’s inner workings.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113072740/brain-inner-working...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 18, 2014 at 9:13am

Study on flu evolution may change textbooks, history books
A new study reconstructing the evolutionary tree of flu viruses challenges conventional wisdom and solves some of the mysteries surrounding flu outbreaks of historical significance. The study, published in the journal Nature, provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the evolutionary relationships of influenza virus across different host species over time. In addition to dissecting how the virus evolves at different rates in different host species, the study challenges several tenets of conventional wisdom -- for example, the notion that the virus moves largely unidirectionally from wild birds to domestic birds rather than with spillover in the other direction. It also helps resolve the origin of the virus that caused the unprecedentedly severe influenza pandemic of 1918.

The new research is likely to change how scientists and health experts look at the history of influenza virus, how it has changed genetically over time and how it has jumped between different host species. The findings may have implications ranging from the assessment of health risks for populations to developing vaccines.
"if you don't account for the fact that the virus evolves at a different rates in each host species, you can get nonsense -- nonsensical results about when and from where pandemic viruses emerged."

"Once you resolve the evolutionary trees for these viruses correctly, everything snaps into place and makes much more sense,
"It is now clear that most of its genome jumped from birds very close to 1918 in the Western Hemisphere
The results also challenge the accepted wisdom of wild birds as the major reservoir harboring the flu virus, from where it jumps to domestic birds and other species, including humans. Instead, the genetic diversity across the whole avian virus gene pool in domestic and wild birds often appears to trace back to earlier outbreaks of the virus in domestic birds,
"People tend to think of wild birds as the source of everything, but we see a very strong indication of spillover from domestic birds to wild birds," . "It turns out the animals we keep for food and eggs may be substantially shaping the diversity of these viruses in the wild over time spans of decades. That is a surprise.
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2014/02/17/study.flu.evolution.may...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 17, 2014 at 8:57am

The Sixth Extinction: Earth is on the brink of another massive loss of animal species but this time the calamity isn't an asteroid or ice age...
There have been five mass extinction events in Earth’s history. In the worst, 250 million years ago, 96 per cent of marine species and 70 per cent of land species died off. It took millions of years to recover.
Nowadays, many scientists are predicting that we’re on pace for a sixth mass extinction. The world’s species are already vanishing at an unnaturally rapid rate. And humans are altering the Earth’s landscape in far-reaching ways: we’ve hunted animals such as the great auk to extinction; we’ve cleared away broad swaths of rainforest; we’ve transported species from their natural habitats to new continents; we’ve pumped billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and oceans, transforming the climate.

Those changes are pushing more species to the brink. A 2007 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggested that 20 to 30 per cent of plant and animal species faced an increased risk of extinction this century if the planet keeps warming (though scientists are still debating these exact numbers, with some going far higher).

So what happens if the extinction rate speeds up? That’s one of the questions that Elizabeth Kolbert, the New Yorker science writer, explores in her excellent new book, The Sixth Extinction, an in-depth look at the science of extinction and the ways we’re altering life on the planet.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-sixth-extinction-eart...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 17, 2014 at 8:54am

Extreme loneliness worse for health than obesity and can lead to an early grave, scientists say
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/extreme-loneliness-worse-...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 16, 2014 at 9:46am

A new breed of ultra thin super-material has the potential to cause a technological revolution. "Artificial graphene" should lead to faster, smaller and lighter electronic and optical devices of all kinds, including higher performance photovoltaic cells, lasers or LED lighting. For the first time, scientists are able to produce and have analysed artificial graphene from traditional semiconductor materials. These findings were published recently in Physical Review X. A researcher from the University of Luxembourg played an important role in this highly innovative work.

Graphene (derived from graphite) is a one atom thick honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms. This strong, flexible, conducting and transparent material has huge scientific and technological potential. Only discovered in 2004, there is a major global push to understand its potential uses. Artificial graphene has the same honeycomb structure, but in this case, instead of carbon atoms, nanometer-thick semiconductor crystals are used. Changing the size, shape and chemical nature of the nano-crystals, makes it possible to tailor the material to each specific task.
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2014/02/15/physicists.produce.a.po...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 16, 2014 at 9:44am

While most Americans could be a bit more knowledgeable in the ways of science, a majority are interested in hearing about the latest scientific breakthroughs and think highly of scientists. This is according to a survey of more than 2,200 people conducted by the National Science Foundation, one that is conducted every two years and is part of a report -- Science and Engineering Indicators -- that the National Science Board provides to the president and Congress.

A Michigan State University faculty member served as lead author for the chapter in the report that covers public perceptions of science. John Besley, an associate professor in MSU's Department of Advertising and Public Relations, reviewed the data, as well as similar surveys from around the world, and highlighted key findings on Feb. 14 during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

According to the survey, more than 90 percent of Americans think scientists are "helping to solve challenging problems" and are "dedicated people who work for the good of humanity."

"It's important for Americans to maintain a high regard for science and scientists," said Besley, who also is the Ellis N. Brandt Chair in Public Relations. "It can help ensure funding and help attract future scientists."

Unfortunately, Americans still have a tough time answering some basic science questions. Out of a total of nine questions that covered the physical and biological sciences, the average score was 6.5 correct answers.

For example, only 74 percent of those queried knew that Earth revolved around the sun, while fewer than half (48 percent) knew that human beings developed from earlier species of animals.

Some of the other highlights of the survey include: A majority of Americans -- more than 90 percent -- say they are "very interested" or "moderately interested" in learning about new medical discoveries. The United States appears to be relatively strong in the use of what's known as "informal science education." Nearly 60 percent of Americans have visited a zoo/aquarium, natural history museum or a science and technology museum. Nearly 90 percent of those surveyed think the benefits of science outweigh any potential dangers. About a third of the respondents think science and technology should get more funding.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 16, 2014 at 9:39am

Science Knowledge Lacking In America – Only 74 Percent Know The Earth Revolves Around The Sun

While most Americans are interested in learning about the most recent scientific advancements and tend to have high opinions of the men and women behind those breakthroughs, they could stand to be somewhat more knowledgeable about the topic itself, a new National Science Foundation (NSF) survey has revealed.
Furthermore, nearly 90 percent of responders believed the benefits of scientific research outweighed any potential dangers, and that the country appeared to have a high level of “informal science education.” To clarify, nearly 60 percent of US residents had visited a zoo, an aquarium, a natural history museum or a science and technology museum, the study authors concluded.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113072470/science-knowledge-i...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 16, 2014 at 9:14am

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 16, 2014 at 9:02am

This is how stem cells decide what organs they should become:

How do stem cells decide whether to become liver cells or pancreatic cells during development?

A cell's fate is determined by the nearby presence of 'prostaglandin E2' - a messenger molecule best known for its role in inflammation and pain.

Stem cell scientists Wolfram Goessling and Trista Northat the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) identified a gradient of prostaglandin E2 in the region of zebrafish embryos where stem cells differentiate into the internal organs.

The finding could potentially make liver and pancreas cells easier to generate both in the lab and for future cell therapies.

"Cells that see more prostaglandin become liver and the cells that see less prostaglandin become pancreas," said Goessling, assistant professor of medicine.

This is the first time that prostaglandin is being reported as a factor that can lead this 'fate switch' and essentially instruct what kind of identity a cell is going to be, the researchers added.

Other experiments showed that prostaglandin E2 could also enhance liver growth and regeneration of liver cells.

"Prostaglandin might be a master regulator of cell growth in different organs," Goessling said.

It's used in cord blood, as we have shown, it works in the liver, and who knows what other organs might be affected by it, revealed the findings published in the journal Developmental Cell.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 15, 2014 at 9:47am

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