How similar are we

post from She Blinded Me With Science! on 07 May 2006 11:18:00 PM. © She Blinded Me With Science!

Dolphins may call each other names, according to scientists who studied a group of wild bottlenose dolphins for over 30 years.

It has long been suspected that dolphins have a "language" and recognize each other individually ? their brains are almost as large and complex as those of humans. And according to this article in today's Sunday Times, research has finally shown that they do.

The scientists, who were from St. Andrew's University in Scotland, studied the social interactions of a group of dolphins and recorded the "signature whistles" they made when greeting one another. When the dolphins listened to synthetic recordings resembling the whistles of various dolphins, they reacted strongly to those of their family members and other associates, but did not react to the whistles of dolphins they didn't know.

These findings come on the heels of controversial research published last week suggesting that starling birds may share certain language characteristics with humans too. You can read Carl Zimmer's article on the subject here.

Read The Full Article:
http://blindedscience.blogspot.com/2006/05/how-similar-are-we.html

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More women aged 50+ having IVF babies

post from Ponderfodder - Because Great Minds Discuss Ideas on 07 May 2006 10:39:04 PM. © Ponderfodder - Because Great Minds Discuss Ideas

Description:

There has been an increase in the number of women aged 50+ in the UK who are attempting to have IVF

...

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http://www.ponderfodder.com/node/88

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New male contraceptive targets sperm, not
hormones

post from Science Blog - on 07 May 2006 10:08:53 PM. © Science Blog -

Men and women have long been promised a male version of the female contraceptive pill. But the first new male contraceptive to market may not be hormonal at all. Researchers received Food and Drug Administration approval today for a 90-man study of the Intra Vas Device (IVD), a nonhormonal contraceptive that stops sperm in their tracks. The study, to take place in Seattle, Washington and St. Paul, Minnesota, will bring men one step closer to having their first new contraceptive in more than a century.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/new-male-contraceptive-targets-sperm-not-hormones-
10552.html

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Bold Three-Stage Brain Operation for Intractable
Seizures Appears Promising

post from Science Blog - on 07 May 2006 10:05:58 PM. © Science Blog -

Sadly, none of the treatments for epilepsy?anti-seizure medications, a procedure called vagus nerve stimulation, a special diet ?could quell the electrical storms in the young boy?s brain. Caused by a rare genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis, the seizures began when he was only 2 months old. By the time he was 5, he was having more than 10 a day. The seizures left him with the developmental capabilities of a 1-year-old child.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/bold-three-stage-brain-operation-for-intractable-s
eizures-appears-promising-10551.html

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Teens brains look OK after regular pot use

post from Science Blog - on 07 May 2006 10:01:21 PM. © Science Blog -

Diffusion tensor imaging, a newly developed magnetic resonance imaging technique, could enable researchers to gain a better understanding of the effects of cannabis on the brain. In a preliminary study published today in the open access journal Harm Reduction Journal, researchers used diffusion tensor imaging to compare the brain tissue of young people who had used cannabis moderately as teenagers and young people who had not. The researchers failed to find any indication that damage to the developing adolescent brain occurred.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/teens-brains-look-ok-after-regular-pot-use-10550.h
tml

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'Smart' genetic therapy helps the body to heal
itself

post from Science Blog - on 07 May 2006 09:57:50 PM. © Science Blog -

New approaches to genetic disease, based on cells' own ability to correct themselves, will be outlined today (Monday 8 May 2006) at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Instead of replacing a faulty gene (commonly referred to as gene therapy) these new 'smart' approaches make use of the therapeutic potential that already exists in human biology.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/smart-genetic-therapy-helps-the-body-to-heal-itsel
f-10549.html

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Structure of Telomerase

post from Quick Picks on 07 May 2006 08:21:00 PM. © Quick Picks

Cancer agent mysteries revealed. 'Scientists have cracked the structure of an essential part of an enzyme believed to play a key role in the development of many cancers. The University of Colorado team hopes its work will help explain how...

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http://www.pontotriplo.org/quickpicks/2006/05/structure_of_te.html

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Wind Power: Just a whole lot better than the
alternatives

This is a short videoclip of a wind turbine, i wish people would watch this kind of thing and then maybe they would support wind, not because it makes sense in so many different ways but because they are really amazing structures I personally find wind power so posotive, its has strong Eutopian associations in my mind, powering a healthy world from the wind.

Read The Full Article:
http://climatechangeaction.blogspot.com/2006/05/wind-power-just-whole-lot-better-
than.html

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Hottest Topic in Physics and Hirsch Index

Hottest topic in physics revealed. 'Carbon nanotubes are the hottest topic in physics, according to a new way of ranking the popularity of different scientific fields. Nanowires are second, followed by quantum dots, fullerenes, giant magnetoresistance, M-theory and quantum computation....

Read The Full Article:
http://www.pontotriplo.org/quickpicks/2006/05/hottest_topic_i.html

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New Pediatric Grand Rounds!

The second edition of Pediatric Grand Rounds is up--and it's already jumped in size. An excellent set of posts not only for those interested in pediatrics, but also parents in general.

Read the comments on this post...

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/scienceblogs/aetiology?m=169

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