William Shatner sold a kidney stone for $25,000 to GoldenPalace.com. Shatner’s donating the dough to Habitat For Humanity. GoldenPalace.com originally offered $15,000 for the stone but Shatner turned it down, noting that his Star Trek
tunics have commanded more than $100,000 — via Boing Boing
Several researchers from Sandia National Laboratories, led by principal investigator Susan Rempe, are part of a multi-institutional, multidisciplinary team developing a nano-size battery that one day could be implanted in the eye to power an artificial retina — via Warren Ellis
GM crops under test in the UK have cross pollinated to weeds, giving them the same resistance to herbicide as the GM crops. This has been reported as occurring in Canada, which like the US is well past the test stage and allows widespread use of GM crops. What’s worse, in Canada crop rotation has conferred multi-herbicide resistance to some of the weeds
Miniature gyroscopes are often found in missile guidance systems, but they are now being used to attack a very different type of target, by diagnosing cancer and other diseases. The micro-gyroscopes consist of a chip with a vibrating disc the size of a sand grain which is highly sensitive to acceleration, allowing it to detect motion. Now the technology is being used to weigh
proteins and identify those produced by cancer cells. What’s more, the detector will be much faster than conventional biosensors
A remarkable humanitarian programme is under way in Havana, which aims to restore the sight of six million people through free eye surgery. Launched in July by the 79-year-old Cuban President, Fidel Castro, and Venezuela’s Socialist leader, President Hugo Chavez, Operation Miracle has brought daily planeloads of the poor from across Latin America and the Caribbean to Havana for surgery. Cuba provides the medical skills, Venezuela the petro-dollars
A highly dexterous, bio-inspired artificial hand and sensory system that could provide patients with active feeling, is being developed by a European project called cyberhand. The final prototype includes sensors for tension, force, joint angle, end stroke and contact
For the first time, a genetically modified plant has been shown to cause inflammation in animals — the 10-year project to develop pest-resistant peas is dropped
Greens Health spokesperson Senator Kerry Nettle said that Tony Abbott had failed as Health Minister by prioritising his own loony fundie views above his responsibility as Health Minster to ensure that all women in Australia have access to the full range of reproductive health services. Mr Abbott’s decision to deny Australian women access to RU486 is a dereliction of his duty especially to women in rural and regional Australia,
said Senator Nettle
Fungi native to East Africa could be used as a new tool in the fight against malaria. An international team of scientists from the Netherlands, Tanzania and the UK say their technique could significantly reduce malaria cases. When fungi infect certain insects, including malaria-carrying mosquitoes, they grow and quickly kill the animal
Scientists have genetically modified bacteria living in the human body to produce chemicals that block HIV infection. Most HIV transmission occurs on the surfaces of the gut and reproductive areas which are normally coated with a layer of bacteria. The researchers modified one of these bacteria — a form of E.coli — so that it began to secrete proteins that block HIV from infecting its target cells — via Warren Ellis
Tony Abbott, Federal Health Minister and professional loony fundie, has announced $300,000 worth of funding for three lunatic fringe pro-life organisations providing counselling services for women with unintended pregnancies. The Australian Federation of Pregnancy Support Services, The Caroline Chisolm Society and the Foundation for Human Development will receive $100,000 each. Greens Senator Kerry Nettle says the groups are biased, religious organisations and will not refer a woman for an abortion, even if that is what she has asked for
According to research done by Dr Stephen O’Brien, a mutated gene known as delta 32 found in Black Death survivor descendants, stops HIV in its tracks. In order to be immune both parents have to have the delta 32 gene. In 1996, research showed that delta 32 prevents HIV from entering human cells and infecting the body. O’Brien thought this principle could be applied to the plague bacteria, which affects the body in a similar manner. To determine whether the Eyam plague survivors may have carried delta 32, O’Brien tested the DNA of their modern-day descendents
The retarded monkey boy has asked Congress to consider giving him powers to use the military to enforce quarantines in case of an avian influenza epidemic. He said the military, and perhaps the National Guard, might be needed to take such a role if the feared H5N1 bird flu virus changes enough to cause widespread human infection
Two Australian scientists, Robin Warren and Barry Marshall, have been awarded the Nobel prize for medicine for their discovery that stomach ulcers can be caused by a bacterial infection. Thanks to their work these ulcers are often no longer a long-term, frequently disabling problem. They can now be cured with a short-term course of drugs and antibiotics
The Australian Medical Association is backing calls for the Federal Government to consider making a drug used as an alternative to surgical abortion more readily available. The Australian Democrats are seeking to overturn a government decision to ban the use of the drug
Planned Parenthood in Philadelphia came up with an ingenious way to fight back against anti-choice fundamentalists who block clinic doors and harass workers and patients. The idea: hold a fund drive in which donors give cash for each protestor that shows up. The more there are, the more money Planned Parenthood receives. And, let the harassers know how much their presence is helping the clinic raise funds — via Warren Ellis
Doctors working in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans killed critically ill patients rather than leaving them to die in agony as they evacuated hospitals
Infecting allergy sufferers with the humble hookworm could be used to treat asthma — providing more support for the idea too much hygiene is responsible for rising rates of the disease. The idea is the parasitic bugs that suck blood from people’s guts will prime their immune systems so they no longer react to grass pollen, cat dander and dust mites
According to the American Red Cross site: The state Homeland Security Department had requested — and continues to request — that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city. Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders
—via Warren Ellis
Scientists in the United States seem to have discovered a gene which controls aging. By stimulating this gene, which when malfunctioning causes premature aging, researchers have managed to prolong the average life span of lab mice from 2 to 3 years. Because a very similar gene is present in humans it is quite possible it will do the same thing for people But there may be downsides with Klotho. The long-lived mice in the new experiments tend to be less fertile. And the gene may also predispose people to diabetes. The trick for researchers will be to find ways of getting the life-enhancing results of Klotho while avoiding the drawbacks
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