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February 18, 2013

Your World of Science News

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NASA: Space rock that hit Russia was an asteroid
The space rock that exploded over central Russia last week was actually a 45-foot, 10,000-ton asteroid, NASA officials announced. Scientists believe the object originated from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The rock, which vaporized about 15 miles above the planet, caused a massive shock wave with a force equivalent to a nuclear bomb. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model)/Science Now blog (2/15)

Science in the News

Dragon capsule will travel to space station March 1
NASA has announced plans to launch a private spacecraft to the International Space Station on March 1. The Dragon capsule, built by Space Exploration Technologies, will arrive at the space station March 2. The unmanned capsule will carry about 1,200 pounds of supplies and scientific experiments. Space.com (2/14)

Researcher: Short-term memory stronger in chimps than humans
Chimpanzees may possess a strong sense of short-term memory, superior to that of humans, according to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science last week. Japanese researcher Tetsuro Matsuzawa presented a video showing chimps who were able to recall the exact sequence and location of a set of numbers. The ability is rare in humans, usually presenting itself in those with savant syndrome. LiveScience.com (2/16)

Calif. highway project unearths ancient whale species
Fossils excavated between 2000 and 2005 during a highway-widening project at California's Laguna Canyon have turned out to be several previously unknown species of toothed baleen whales. Archeologists surveying the dig discovered 30 skulls belonging to ancient marine animals, including the newly discovered baleen whales. The remains are 17 million to 19 million years old, about 5 million years after scientists thought became extinct, making them the youngest known toothed whales. ScienceMag.org/Science Now blog (2/17)

Japan aquarium works to get endangered turtle back to normal
Researchers at the Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe, Japan, are looking for ways to help a 25-year-old loggerhead turtle swim normally again after she was discovered badly injured by a shark. Since the loggerhead turtle, an endangered species, was discovered in 2008, zookeepers have unsuccessfully tried various prosthetics on the creature, named Yu. "My dream for her is that one day she can use her prosthetic fins to swim to the surface, walk about, and dig a proper hole to lay her eggs in. When her children hatch, well, I just feel that would make all the trauma in her life worthwhile," said Naoki Kamezaki, director general of the park. Reuters (2/15)

Could manufactured platelets help heal our wounds?
Artificial platelets, made of biomaterial mimicking the human platelet in blood, could be used to stop bleeding and help seal a wound, researchers said at an annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Scientists suggest the materials could be freeze-dried and injected into wounded soldiers during battle, increasing their survival chances. Researchers found that the artificial platelets reduced clotting time by 30% and blood loss by nearly 40%. MyHealthNewsDaily.com (2/15)

Human Connectome Project prepares to release initial images
The Human Connectome Project is preparing to release the first collection of images taken by a powerful imaging system as part of an effort to map the human brain. The initial images to be released in the coming weeks come from 80 to 100 people. Researchers hope the five-year project will help improve scientists' understanding of how the brain works as well as the mechanisms involved when something goes awry. The project, which will look at 1,200 brains, will also collect genetic and behavioral information to develop a model of the human psyche. BBC (2/16)

Thousands of cancer deaths in U.S. linked to alcohol
Alcohol is responsible for approximately 3.5% of cancer deaths in the U.S., an estimated 20,000 deaths a year, according to a study to be published in the American Journal of Public Health. On average, each case represented 18 years of lost life, and the greater the alcohol intake, the greater the risk. Nurse.com (2/14)

Research Policy Regulations

FDA OKs retinal implant device
The first artificial retina has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an implanted device to help people suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that causes blindness. The Argus II, produced by California-based Second Sight Medical Products, uses special glasses with a video camera and processing unit that transmits signals to a wireless receiver, which is implanted in the eye. Though it does not completely restore vision, researchers say it could help with day-to-day activities. Reuters (2/14)

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