Drinking during pregnancy can alter fetus's DNA

A study of mice suggest that drinking too much during pregnancy can alter a fetus's DNA.

A researcher wondered whether epigenetic changes in DNA(alterations in gene activity) could be to blame.

A  research team bred mice with genes for either brown or yellow coat of furs that are known to be affected by epigenetics.

The offspring of mice that drank alcohol were more often brown than normally expected from their genetic sequences,suggesting that alcohol alters fetal gene activity.

The offspring of these mice also weighted less and had smaller skulls.

chemical in sofas,carpets,pots and pans possibly linked to thyroid disease

Perfluorooctanoic acid(pfoa)is a man-made chemical that is heat and water resistant and repells grease and stains.

It is found in cookware,furnishings and wrappers.

The chemical is believed to get into the human body throught contaminated food or dust.

Once in the body,it builds up in the organs and other tissue.

According to a study of nearly 4,000 otherwise in good health US adults,those with high levels of PFOA were twice as likely to have thyroid problems.

Studies in animals suggest PFOA can cause thyroid problems as well as liver disease and cancer

Fish oil may slow ageing process

Research suggests that omega-3 faty acids in fish oils have an effect on ageing by slowing down the rate at which protective caps(called telomeres) on the end of chromosones shorten.
Each time a cell  divides, the telomeres get shorter until the dna is damaged and the cell might die.

Tests on US heart disease patients shows a correlation between omega-3 intake and the rate of telomere shortening.

China could become first country to grow genetically modified rice

Field trials of two gm varieties of rice called huahui 1 and bt shanyou 63 are to start.
Both contain `bt' proteins from the bacillus thuringiensis bacterium to protect them against the most serious rice pest in china,rice stem borer.
Approval may come in 2011.

Drugs used for high blood pressure or heart disease may reduce risk of alzheimers'

Research suggests that angiotensin receptor blockers(ARBs) are linked to a 50% decrease in either getting alzheimers' or alzheimers' progressing,especially in men.

It has been suggesed that  arbs protect brain cells from injury caused by damaged blood vessels.

The research studied over 800,000 people.

Fossilized footprints of first land creatures found in poland.

Found in he zachelmie quarry,the holy cross mountains in southern poland,the fossilized footprints of tetrapod show four digits and are 397 myr ago.

The fossil tracks predate tetrapod fossils by 18 myr and were made in  whatt was then a shallow marine lagoon.

Coral reefs creates rich diversity of sea life

A study suggests that coral reefs are involved in creating new species of sea creatures.

Researchers studied  a database of fossil organism from the cambrian period and found that coral reefs were responible fot 50%  more new genera than shallow-water areas.

Human seed eatng started about 105,000 years ago

Evidence of seed eating by early humans has been discovered in a cave in northern Mozambique.

Middle stone age tools discovered in Ngalue cave in Niassa province had traces of starch residue on them in 80% of those tools.

Most of the grains discovered were sorghum.