A farewell to embryotic stem cells?

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=is-aging-reversible
The science of stem cell research is constantly evolving. This article discusses findings by Shinya Yamanaka and how he has been able to convert adult cells into stem cells. There are some big problems with the current procedure, like a certain protein used in the transformation that can create a tumor on the new organ. As research is continued in this area, more problems should be resolved and hopefully this will be looked back upon as the beginning of a new era in stem cell science.

Science's alternative to an intelligent creator

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/dec/10-sciences-alternative-to-an-intelligent-creator/article_view?b_start:int=0&-C

A great article discussing science's most widely recognized alternative to an intelligent creator: the mulitverse theory. Included in this article is a list of coincidences that make life, and the universe as we know it, possible.

20 things you didn't know about lab accidents

http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/20-things-lab-accidents/?searchterm=10%20things%20you%20didn't%20know%20about%20black%20holes
An interesting article describing some of the more significant scientific discoveries to come about from accidents in the lab.

Big bang or big bounce? The science of how the universe may have started.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=big-bang-or-big-bounce

This is an excellent article that explains and brings to light new research on the beginning of our universe. It explains the need for a quantum theory of gravity to possibly explain how our universe began. The article also includes details on the complex science surrounding this issue.

The future of ethanol

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/03-anything-into-ethanol

This article focuses on the future of ethanol and the science behind it. New companies are testing emerging technologies in the production of ethanol from gases produced by waste products (garbage, wood chips, etc.). Companies like Coskata and Range Fuels are establishing new methods of producing ethanol at higher yields than what corn currently allows and for much cheaper. They claim that the $1 per gallon of ethanol pinnacle is possible with this technology. One of the key elements that allows these companies to bring the price down is using a bacteria to ferment the syngas (product from gasification of the source) into ethanol. As the science involved in this process improves and the projects begin to scale up, this promises to be the future of ethanol production.

New study devles into the science of luck and superstition

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/10/03/feeling-powerless-grab-your-lucky-rabbits-foot/

This study provides interesting insight into the vulnerable human psyche. It tests the correlation between uncomfortable/uncontrollable situations and a person's desire to find meaning. The studies performed showed that subjects who felt they were not in control of a situation were more likely to see patterns (visually or in certain situations) than those who were in control. The study backs the idea that people are more likely to act irrationally when they are in an uncontrollable situation.

Existing anti-obesity drugs may be effective against the flu, hepatitis and HIV

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080928145603.htm
This new study gives promise to fighting these tough diseases. Since viral infections such as diabetes and HIV are multiplied by an increase in a cell's metabolism, current anti-obesity drugs that inhibit this behaviour could stop them from replicating. Two relatively new fields of science, metabolomics and fluxomics have started to take focus on this virus-fighting treatment.

Scientists create stem cells without cancerous side effects

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/26/researchers-create-stem-cells-without-cancerous-side-effects/

The science of stem cell research has taken another step forward, sort of. Scientists are working to improve the science of creating stem cells from adult cells. This eliminates the need for using an embryo to extract cells from. The science behind this process is complex to say the least. Adult cells are extracted, then infused with a virus. The virus alters the cell into a embryotic state. This change allows the cells to grow into other forms of tissue.

Previous work on this science relied on retroviruses, which lead to unpredictable mutations and cancerous cell transformations. This new study uses adenoviruses which have not yielded cancerous cells. The drawback of this is that only 1 in 10,000 to 100,000 adult cells transform into embryotic cells. This is lower than the 1 in 1,000 transformation rate acquired with the use of retroviruses. This success rate will hopefully increase as this new science continues to be researched.

Wave farm technology sets sail

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/24/first-wave-farm-sends-energy-to-portugals-power-grid/

The first commercial wave farm was recently installed off the coast of Portugal. This 2.25 megawatt generator will be able to power 1500 homes. The large, snake-like farm is attached to hydraulic pistons, which it reciprocates as the waves traverse its structure. One of the major issues for this science is the large amount of stress it encounters from the violent ocean current. Being that this is the first of its kinda, it is likely that there will be problems to resolve. However, problems like this generally lead to solutions for better, more robust designs. If this project works, a 21 megwatt wave farm will be installed (powering 15,000 homes). Other European countires are embracing this science. Scotland plans to have a wave farm installed in the near future as well. Wave farm technology would be viable in the United States as well. Utilizing the current along the coastlines could prove to be a valuable asset to coastal cities. This would also eliminate the problem of transporting energy over long distances that current wind and solar technologies face.

The science of windpower takes to the skies

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/24-high-flying-windmills-blow-away-their-ground-based-cousins

Scientists are starting to see their ideas come to fruition with high flying windmills. This idea that was hatched several years ago is starting to take strides forward, with prototypes being made. These "flying windmills" are suspended several hundred meters above the ground, where the wind speeds are higher and less interfeared than on the ground. There are a few challenges to getting this new science up and running, including the consideration of wheter lightning strikes will affect the turbines, as well as developing a reliable way to anchor them to the ground. This technology, while less astetically pleasing than traditional wind turbines, has potential to generate an enormous amount of power (up to 250 times more than ground-based wind turbines). This is a big step forward for wind power production.

Balloon-shaped solar cells

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/19-powering-planet-with-sun-harnessing-balloons
Sometimes the best ideas in science are the simplest and often slip through the complex thought process many scientists go through when developing new ideas. These balloon-shaped solar cells are designed to concentrate light onto a focal point (thus allowing the solar cell to create more energy than it would when receiving normal, unfocused sunlight). Due to the simplicity of this design, costs can be considerably lower than a conventional solar cell field. Providing a cheaper alternative to current energy producing methods has been a constant battle for the field of renewable energy, and this new idea is on the right track.

Articles on the history of the Large Hadron Collider

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/sep/10-an-essential-concise-history-of-the-lhc

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the next BIG thing in science. This article is a collection of other articles focusing on the history of the LHC and some of the issues that had to be resolved before it could operate.

Gene therapy restores sight to the blind

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/23/gene-therapy-restores-sight-to-the-blind/
Gene therapy takes another stride forward in this study. Scientists were able to improve the vision of test subjects with a vision disorder called Leber congenital amaurosis. Gene therapy allows scientists to replace defective genes, thus allowing normal functions to resume. This growing field of science looks to stop potential blindness in children, as well as restore vision to adults.

New galaxy stuffed with dark matter discovered by scientists

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/19/astronomers-find-a-galaxy-stuffed-with-dark-matter/
The science of dark matter keeps giving us clues as to how the galaxy is laid out. This new discovery has scientists re-thinking the composition of the universe. They are now convinced that most galaxies are dull and filled with dark matter, rather than being dominated by luminous objects.

A presidential science debate

http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=3E266FAE-D9C3-DAB6-A69CA7D4A2FEE2B0

Another podcast focusing on the need for a science based future in America. Unfortunately, since politicians are not scientists, they focus on science related issues that are merely hot button subjects such as stem cell research and climate change, rather than a science based future for America. This podcast also brings up an article in the magazine Science that claims 90 percent of the worlds scientists and engineers will live in Asia by 2010.

Science and America's future

http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=A4A0FB94-EC47-CC46-775B8D65B47CA5AE

I found this podcast quite interesting. It discusses the relation between science and the future of America. Obviously a lot of innovation and forward movement is centered around science. This podcast describes how many scientific facilities are necessary to aid companies in their research. Many other countries have began to centralize their future around science and I believe it is necessary that America do the same.

The science of how your brain translates 2-D images to 3-D

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=seeing-is-believing-aug-08
This article discusses the science behind our brain's visual interpretation of images. It also gives examples of how wildlife uses this to its advantage to hide or trick predators. Studies have shown that our visual interpretation of images is based on the assumption that light is always shining down on an object. A few illustrations in the article display how this works. The science of visual interpretation is complicated, but we are gaining more understanding on how our brain interprets images and the assumptions this complecated system makes.

Could an inner zombie be controlling your brain

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/15-could-an-inner-zombie-be-controlling-your-brain

One again the ever-growing science of understanding the brain has discovered something new and interesting. This article describes how scientists have found that a lot of brain functions we once thought were controlled consciously are actually controlled by the unconscious part of the brain. The science on this is vague and only appears in certain situations, but it certainly has given a new insight to our neural world.

Molcule found in red wine may be key to slow signs of aging

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/16-is-wine-what-flows-through-the-fountain-of-youth

The compound resveratrol could be the key ingredient in the fountain of youth according to new scientific studies. Studies performed on mice have shown the molecules affects on delaying aging. Drinking a glass of wine per day won't exactly do the trick, the amount of resveratrol given to the mice was equal to consuming 1,000 bottles of wine a day. Compounds are being made that are more easily absorbed into the body and have higher concentrations that what occurs naturally in wine. Could science be nearing the key to longer life? Studies have not been performed on humans yet, and will take years for results to show, but current studies show promise.

Scientists on the verge of creating new lifeform

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/biologists-on-t.html?npu=1&mbid=yhp

Scientists in a Harvard Medical lab (led by Jack Szostak) have been building cell models which are getting closer and closer to resembling life. The latest success has been getting genetic information inside the cells to replicate (one of the definitions of life). It is impossible to say where this science will lead to or what evolutionary path the life will follow, if created successfully, but needless to say, this is exciting research.

Genetically engineered bug could produce cheap biofuel

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/09/genetically-engineered-bugs-could-produce-cheap-biofuel/
This new finding describes how these new genetically engineered bugs could produce biofuel at higher temperatures and cheaper than previous methods. The bugs can operate at temperatures around 122 degrees F, rather than previous ones which topped out at 98.6 degrees F. This allows scientists to decrease the amount of the expensive enzyme used by 2.5 times. The production methods used by scientists also rely on switch grass and cornstalks, rather than using eatable food crops.

Great science related websites

My 3 favorite science related websites:

www.sciam.com - Scientific magazine with many free articles online. Scientific American also publishes Scientific American Mind and Scientific American Body. Everything is written so even those with little to no science background can understand and enjoy them.
discovermagazine.com - Another great science related magazine.
www.fqxi.org - Listings of science related articles written by various people (educators and students) on a number of subjects. More technical than the other 2 sites.

The second coming of biofuels

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/aug/02-the-second-coming-of-biofuels
This latest article from Discover magazine sheds light on a new form of biofuel: green fuel. Unlike other biofuels which are derived from soy, this fuel comes from plant waste or algae. Useable fuel from algae can be produced at 35 times the yield that soy currently produces.

This new scientific finding has companies such as UOP (a main proprietor of green fuel) realizing that the future of automobile fuel will most likely be a combination of petro and non-petro fuel. The process in which to derive fuel from algae requires a small amount of petro fuel. However, unlike other renewable fuels, green fuel can be created in the same petro-producing facilities that stand today- thus eliminating the need for a change in infrastructure.

I see this as the next big thing for companies invested in the renewable fuels field to invest both time and money into. It's promise of a higher yield and relative ease of production make it a great prospect to get America off foreign fuels.

The extremely long odds against the destruction of Earth

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/aug/24-the-extremely-long-odds-against-the-destruction-of-earth

I think this information is good to share since there are a lot of misconceptions about the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC is the largest particle accelerator ever built (17 miles around) that lies between the French and Swiss borders. The build has been a massive project with the assistance of scientists from several countries. Particles will be smashed together at near light speeds (approximately 99.99% the speed of light). What comes of the impacts is still speculation, but scientists hope to find such things as, the elementary building block of all mass (the Higgs Boson), extra dimensions in space, answers to the questions about supersymmetry, dark matter, dark energy and other quantum mechanic theories. Scientists even expect to produce mini black holes. Many (uninformed) people believe that these black holes will engulf the Earth. This article provides scientific evidence to disprove that claim.

Scientists find long term benefits in psychedelic drugs

http://www.infoniac.com/science/scientists-find-long-term-benefits-in-psychedelic-drug.html

In conjunction with the 3 previous articles I posted, this one also deals with the benefits of psychedelic drugs. This one is great because it studies the long term effects the drugs have on people. Many of the quarrels with the drugs are due to the lack of research on their long term effects on a person's body and mind. This study shows that participants noticed positive changes in their lives and their attitudes towards life. They had a more positive outlook on things and were generally in better spirits. Not only does this show that a good trip on a psychedelic drug does not negatively affect a person, it shows that it positively influences their life for months after the experience. Experiments such as this aid the continued research in this field. Hopefully more positive results like this are found and research continues.

Could an Acid trip cure your OCD?

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jun/16-could-an-acid-trip-cure-your-ocd
This is a very indepth article that not only discusses the positive research done by scientists to cure disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it describes how psychedelic research was banned in the 1970s. They also discuss studies for treatments using MDMA. Hopefully more research like this is published and more positive, healing characteristics of these drugs can be found.

Psychedelic healing

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=psychedelic-healing
I found this article a few months ago and have read it a few times. I think it's great that researchers are being allowed access to this type of research. Psychedelics have been ignored for the past few decades and earlier research that showed they can have positive, healing effects on people for diseases which are currently labeled as "untreatable" (such as OCD, post traumatic stress syndrome, drug addiction, etc.) was thrown in a closet and ignored. Each study that has been performed in the past few years has had a great deal of success and this has influenced more scientists to perform research in this field, as well as given the government reason to allow them to continue their research. It must be kept in mind that the positive effects gained from the psychedelics was done in a controlled environment with pre-screened subjects who were deemed mentally healthy enough to endure the psychedelic experience. It is very easy for a trip to go wrong and this can be devastating on the individual. Hopefully research will continue and more positive aspects of psychedelic drugs will surface to help people with these diseases.

Brain scans could diagnose OCD

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/07/18/brain-scans-could-diagnose-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

Found this article today and thought it was pretty interesting. Since much what causes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is located in the frontal cortex of the brain, it's not surprising that the orbifrontal cortex could play a key role. Hopefully if scientists come up with a way to diagnose OCD before it becomes a problem, they will be able to create a cure for it.