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Wednesday, June 15, 2016

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Gunshot Wounds Are Getting Deadlier, One Hospital Finds

Just days after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, a new study from Denver finds that deaths from gunshot wounds at a trauma center there have increased over the past decade and that gunshot injuries have become more severe. "Our study provides an objective measure of something trauma surgeons across the country already know: The firearms used in our communities are becoming more harmful and more lethal," said study co-author Dr. Angela Sauaia, a professor of public health, medicine and surgery at the University of Colorado Denver. During that time, a total of about 1,680 people were treated for gunshot wounds at the hospital, and the number of people hospitalized yearly for gunshot injuries was about the same from year to year, according to the findings.

Can coffee cause cancer? Only if it's very hot, say WHO scientists

By Kate Kelland LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - There is no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer, the World Health Organization's cancer agency will say as it downgrades its warning, but it will also say all "very hot" drinks are probably carcinogenic. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had previously rated coffee as "possibly carcinogenic" but has changed its mind. On Wednesday it will say its latest review found "no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect".

Can coffee cause cancer? Only if it's very hot, say WHO scientists

By Kate Kelland LONDON, (Reuters) - There is no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer, the World Health Organization's cancer agency will say as it downgrades its warning, but it will also say all "very hot" drinks are probably carcinogenic. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had previously rated coffee as "possibly carcinogenic" but has changed its mind. On Wednesday it will say its latest review found "no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect".

Airplane-Size Seabird Flew Above Antarctica 50 Million Years Ago

A prehistoric seabird that was the size of a small airplane and had a mouthful of sharp teeth once soared over ancient Antarctica, occasionally stopping to snag fish and squid, a new study finds. Researchers found a broken 3.3-inch-long (8.5 centimeters) piece of the bird's humerus (upper arm bone) on Seymour Island in West Antarctica. They dated the bird's humerus to the Lower Eocene, between 53 million and 49 million years ago, said study lead author Marcos Cenizo, the director of the Provincial Museum of Natural History in La Pampa, Argentina.

From green slime to jet fuel: algae offers airlines a cleaner future

As airlines struggle to find cleaner ways to power jets and with an industry-wide meeting on CO2 emissions just months away, scientists are busy growing algae in vast open tanks at an Airbus site at Ottobrun, near Munich. The European aerospace group is part-financing the Munich Technical University project to grow algae for biofuel and, although commercial production is a long way off, hopes are high. Thomas Brueck, Munich TU's associate professor of industrial biocatalysis, says that the biofuel from algaculture could cater for 3-5 percent of jetfuel needs by about 2050.

Low Vitamin Levels May Be Linked with Migraines in Kids

Kids who frequently get migraines may have lower levels of certain vitamins and antioxidants in their blood, a new study suggests. Researchers found that, of the children and teens in the study who visited a headache clinic for migraine pain, relatively high percentages had mild deficiencies of vitamin D, riboflavin (a B vitamin) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) — a vitamin-like substance that is made in the body and is used to produce energy within cells — compared with kids in the general population. For example, the study found that 42 percent of kids with migraines had riboflavin levels that were at or below the level at which supplementation is recommended.

Orlando Shooting: Should Curbs on Blood Donations from Gay Men Be Lifted?

Gay and bisexual men who want to donate blood after the shooting in Orlando, Florida, are largely unable to do so, because of a federal rule that prohibits men who are currently sexually active with other men from donating blood. Now, some are suggesting that it's time for the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider the policy. Unfortunately the Gay blood ban is still in place.

Do Weight-Loss Drugs Work? 5 Medications Compared

People who take some of the newest weight-loss prescription medications on the market typically lose about 5 percent of their body weight over one year, a new review of studies suggests. In the study of overweight and obese people who took one of five different prescription weight-loss drugs designed for long-term use, 40 to 70 percent (depending on which medication they took) achieved a loss of at least5 percent of their body weight. In comparison, 23 percent of adults who were given a placebo lost at least 5 percent of their body weight, according to the findings, published today (June 14) in the journal JAMA.

Einstein 2.0: gravitational waves detected for a second time

By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., (Reuters) - The ground-breaking detection of gravitational waves, ripples in space and time postulated by Albert Einstein 100 years ago, that was announced in February was no fluke. The researchers said they detected gravitational waves that washed over Earth after two distant black holes spiraled toward each other and merged into a single, larger abyss 1.4 billion years ago. The first detection of gravitational waves was made in September and announced on Feb. 11.

Coral 'bright spots' offer clues to protecting threatened reefs

By Alister Doyle OSLO (Reuters) - Some coral reefs are thriving and scientists say they may guide efforts to curb threats such as over-fishing and climate change which are blamed for widespread global declines. A major study identified 15 "bright spots" among more than 2,500 coral reefs in 46 nations, including off Indonesia, the Solomon islands and Kiribati where given local stresses there were far more fish than predicted. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, facing a tight re-election battle, on Monday pledged an A$1 billion ($740 million) fund for the reef, which scientists say is suffering widespread coral bleaching due to climate change.

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Tuesday, June 14, 2016

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Scientists discover largest planet orbiting 2 suns to date

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Astronomers say they have discovered the largest planet outside the solar system that orbits two suns.

UN weather agency warns of more global warming in May

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. weather agency is warning of "fundamental change" afoot in the global climate and continued warming, accompanied recently by unusually high rainfall in parts of the US and Europe.

Children's Sleep: New Guidelines on Shut-Eye for Kids

New guidelines from doctors who specialize in sleep disorders map out how much sleep children of every age should get. Babies ages 4 months to 1 year should sleep 12 to 16 hours per day, including naps, according to the guidelines. Children ages 3 to 5 should sleep 10 to 13 hours per day, whereas children ages 6 to 12 should sleep 9 to 12 hours per day, the guidelines said.

Whole Grains Each Day Linked to Longer Life

Eating a diet rich in whole grains may reduce your risk of dying early, a new meta-analysis finds. People who reported eating at least three servings of whole grains daily were 20 percent less likely to die early from any cause compared with people who reported eating less than one serving a day, the researchers found. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend eating three or more servings of whole grains each day.

Kids' Mental Health Risks Rise with Poor Air Quality

Higher levels of air pollution may correspond to higher rates of mental health disorders in kids and teens, according to a new study conducted in Sweden. Researchers found that, in areas with higher levels of pollution, there were more medications dispensed for psychiatric conditions in children and teens, compared with areas with lower levels of pollution. "The results can mean that a decreased concentration of air pollution — first and foremost, traffic-related air pollution — may reduce psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents," lead study author Anna Oudin, a public health researcher at Umeå University in Sweden, said in a statement.

How Kevlar Saved an Orlando Police Officer's Life

A helmet made of Kevlar saved the life of an Orlando, Florida, police officer on Sunday (June 12) after police engaged in a gun battle with a man who killed 49 people and injured 53 others at a gay nightclub, according to news sources. Thanks to its unique chemistry, Kevlar body armor has saved the lives of countless people who were wearing it. In a tweet Sunday morning, the Orlando Police Department applauded the tough fiber: "Pulse shooting: In hail of gunfire in which suspect was killed, OPD officer was hit.

Mysterious Monumental Structure Found at Ancient Petra

Carved into desert cliffs, the towering, ancient city of Petra can trace its origins back at least 2,000 years. For two centuries, archaeologists have extensively studied what is left of Petra, but they continue to make new discoveries. By combining data gathered by Google Earth and satellite sensors, they observed the shape of what may have once been a giant stoneplatform, located about 0.6 miles (900 m) outside Petra's city center.

Whistling Sling Bullets Were Roman Troops' Secret 'Terror Weapon'

Some 1,800 years ago, Roman troops used "whistling" sling bullets as a "terror weapon" against their barbarian foes, according to archaeologists who found the cast lead bullets at a site in Scotland.

Stegosaurus had bite like a sheep

Professor Paul Barrett, dinosaur researcher at London's Natural History Museum, said advanced technology has given exciting new insights into dinosaur biology - something that would not have been possible several years ago. "Stegosaurus was actually an animal that could get up to 9 metres in length and weigh several tonnes," Barrett said while holding a Stegosaurus tooth. Lead author Dr Stephan Lautenschlager, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bristol, used engineering software to give the digital skulls the material properties to match as closely as possible to the real thing.

NASA to set fire in space for science, safety

By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - An unmanned cargo ship pulled away from the International Space Station on Tuesday to stage the first of three planned NASA experiments on how big fires grow in space, an important test for astronaut safety. Previous experiments in space were limited to the incineration of samples no bigger than an index card, said David Urban, lead researcher for the Spacecraft Fire Experiment, or Saffire. "We tried for years to find a vehicle and a circumstance where this would work and initially we'd get a 'not on my spacecraft' reaction," Urban said during a NASA TV interview.

Asymmetric molecule, key to life, detected in space for 1st time

By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Scientists for the first time have found a complex organic molecule in space that bears the same asymmetric structure as molecules that are key to life on Earth. The researchers said on Tuesday they detected the complex organic molecule called propylene oxide in a giant cloud of gas and dust near the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Akin to a pair of human hands, certain organic molecules including propylene oxide possess mirror-like versions of themselves, a chemical property called chirality.

NASA to set fire in space for science, safety

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Monday, June 13, 2016

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Scientists use climate, population changes to predict diseases

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists say they have developed a model that can predict outbreaks of zoonotic diseases – those such as Ebola and Zika that jump from animals to humans – based on changes in climate. "Our model can help decision-makers assess the likely impact (on zoonotic disease) of any interventions or change in national or international government policies, such as the conversion of grasslands to agricultural lands," said Kate Jones, a professor who co-led the study at University College London's genetics, evolution and environment department. Around 60 to 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are so-called "zoonotic events", where animal diseases jump into people.

Scientists use climate, population changes to predict diseases

Genius: Can Anybody Be One?

For Mensa, the exclusive international society comprising members of "high intelligence," someone who scores at or above the 98th percentile on an IQ or other standardized intelligence test could be considered genius. In his new science series "Genius" on PBS, Stephen Hawking is testing out the idea that anyone can "think like a genius." By posing big questions — for instance, "Can we travel through time?" — to people with average intelligence, the famed theoretical physicist aims to find the answers through the sheer power of the human mind. "It's a fun show that tries to find out if ordinary people are smart enough to think like the greatest minds who ever lived," Hawking said in a statement.

Filling the Periodic Table: New Names for the Newest Elements

The new names were announced Wednesday (June 8) by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the organization that standardizes chemical element names. The endings of each of the proposed names (such as –ium) reflect the element's place in the periodic table. The rest of the name is specific to each element's discovery, according to a statement that IUPAC issued in recommending the new names.

'Smart' Blocks Turn Lego Creations into Web-Connected Toys

The new devices, from Israel-based Brixo Smart Toys, use chrome-plated blocks that conduct electricity to connect batteries with electronics. "The human body resists electrical currents from passing though it — it has a high electrical resistance," said Brixo founder Boaz Almog, a quantum physicist at Tel Aviv University.

Shock and Awe: Eels Leap to Deliver Electrifying Attacks

In a "shocking" turn of events, a researcher has discovered that electric eels can intensify their electrical attacks by leaping from the water to make physical contact with animals that threaten them, according to a new study. The finding provides support for a famous but previously contested observation of a dramatic interaction between electric eels and horses dating back to 1800. When 19th-century naturalist Alexander von Humboldt set out to collect electric eels in South America, local fishermen introduced him to the concept of "fishing with horses" — herding 30 hapless horses into the eels' pool to sap their electrical charges so the eels could be gathered safely.

Long-Term Marijuana Use Linked to Changes in Brain's Reward System

People who use marijuana for many years respond differently to natural rewards than people who don't use the drug, according to a new study. Researchers found that people who had used marijuana for 12 years, on average, showed greater activity in the brain's reward system when they looked at pictures of objects used for smoking marijuana than when they looked at pictures of a natural reward — their favorite fruits. "This study shows that marijuana disrupts the natural reward circuitry of the brain, making marijuana highly salient to those who use it heavily," study author Dr. Francesca Filbey, an associate professor of behavioral and brain science at the University of Texas at Dallas, said in a statement.

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