Tuesday, 22 April 2008

`Bionic' eyes

Two men have had `bionic' eyes fitted at a cost of £15,000.
The `bionic' eyes could be in common use in about 3 years time.
The eye has a video camera with electrodes connected to the optic nerves.

Friday, 18 April 2008

Lungless frog found in Borneo,Indonesia

Called Barbourula Kalimantanensis,it lives in streams and breathes through its skin.
Its habitat is threatened by logging etc etc.

Darwin online project

The project,base in Cambridge aims to put manuscripts(60,000 ofthem!),photographs etc etc online.

Smoking,Drinking and Alzheimer's

A study suggests drinkers developed Alzheimers 5 years earlier.
Heavy smokers developed Alzheimers 2 years earlier.
It is reckoned that delaying the onset of Alzheimer's by 5 years would reduce cases by 50%.

Saturday, 12 April 2008

World's oldest trees possibly found

A group of Norway spruces have been discovered in the mountains of West Sweden, of which one of the trees is about 8,000 years old, according to carbon dating.

Two similiar trees in Dalarna are between 4,000 and 6,000 years old.

Locality is Fulu mountain

Friday, 11 April 2008

Drug that protects cells from radiation

A single dose of CBLB502 was given to mice and monkeys by researchers before radiotherapy, which dramaically reduced damage to cells.

This drug works by stopping apoptosis.

Survival rates for mice and monkeys respectively were 87% and 70% respecively

Organic waste in bins may be health hazard

Studies suggest that mould spores develop as the organic materials decays, spores can fly out as you lift the bin lid.

These can damage the lungs,causing asthma.

Facemasks are recommenced.