Tag Archives: science news
Shakespeare Sonnets Stored On Fake DNA
Data storage has always been a problem when the instruments for reading and the storage medium itself become obsolete. Enter synthetic DNA. Compact, lightweight, and relatively indestructible over thousands of years, if stored in a dark, cool environment, synthetic DNA is also getting cheaper to make. Now, a research team from the European Bioinformatics Institute in England, publishing online January … [ Read more ]
Mental Capacity Tied to Hearing Loss
Over half of people older than 70 years old have difficulty hearing. With this in mind, a study by Frank Lin of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and colleagues tested the hearing of just under 2000 older adults, which not only confirmed that number, but also suggested that age-related hearing loss might be accompanied by a faster decline in mental abilities, … [ Read more ]
Ancient Human DNA Gives Interbreeding Clues
A partial human skeleton unearthed near Beijing in 2003 has provided clues to human evolution during the Stone Age, 40,000 years ago. A January 21 report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claims the DNA analysis shows that the skeleton came from a population ancestral to present-day Asians and Native Americans, sharing similar proportions of Neanderthal and … [ Read more ]
World Mental Health Day Brings Awareness To Depression That Affects 350 Million Worldwide
Many of us may describe depression as feeling sad, blue or unhappy, however these are normal feelings that individuals may experience on a day-to-day basis. True clinical depression is defined as persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest and may also cause physical symptoms as well. In honor of World Mental Health Day, October 10, the World Health Organization … [ Read more ]
Cases Of Brain Parasite Infection Growing In California
After several misdiagnoses, California woman was shocked to find that she had contracted a deadly tapeworm that was living her brain. Cases of neurocysticercosis, a tapeworm that lives in the brain, are on the rise in California. These tapeworms are contracted by eating contaminated beef or pork. Once in the intestines, they use hook like teeth to make their way … [ Read more ]
Creative People Live Longer
A new study reports that creative personalities tend to live longer. Researchers examined five major personality traits, including neuroticism and conscientiousness, and found that people who are conscientious have longer lives that those who are neurotic. Further study claims that people who are open and flexible to new ideas often live longer. It appears that thinking creatively about problems can … [ Read more ]
How Ocean Currents Affect Global Climate
A Florida State University professor has analyzed huge amounts of ocean circulation data to determine how currents affect global climate. The current theory surmises that the seas work in tandem with the atmosphere to maintain a balance of heat on the planet. The oceans warm up near the tropics, but stay colder near the North and South Poles. The warm … [ Read more ]
Unusual But High-Paying Jobs in Science and Technology
Science and technology work to make the world better and our lives more convenient every day. For those interested in pursuing a science or tech career, the perks expand beyond your innovative contributions and your efforts are greatly rewarded. Here’s a list of some uncommon science and tech careers that pay big bucks: Ethical Hacker Average Salary: $41,000 – $114,000 … [ Read more ]
Marriage Makes Women Drink, According to Study
A study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association on Saturday found that married women drink more than previously married women, but married men drink less than previously married men. Additionally, several women in the study said they did not drink alcohol at all until they met or married their husbands. Researchers conducting the study contacted each … [ Read more ]
The First Book Encoded in DNA
Aside from the fact that there are 70 billion copies of it in existence, very few people have actually read the book Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves in DNA, by George Church and Ed Regis. The reason being because it is written in the basic building blocks of life: Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. Church, along with his colleague … [ Read more ]
