Birds of the Past, Mice for the Future
Ancestors to modern birds may have had four wings, says research released by a Canadian team this week. The feather-like structures on the legs of the dinosaur Archaeopteryx were previously thought to be just for insulation. But after close examination of fossils, paleobiologists at the University of Calgary now say the leg feathers have an aerodynamic structure that imply a role in flight.
Well-funded neuroscientists announced they have now mapped every cell in the mouse brain. The Allen Brain Atlas—backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen—will be available to any researcher, free of charge, on the Internet. Researchers say it may be helpful for figuring out the biological mechanisms of cancer and other diseases.
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Support for Space
More than 60 percent of Americans support maintaining or increasing support for the national space program, according to a Gallup poll. The current goals of the program include completing the International Space Station and sending manned flights to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Though NASA's current budget is a mere 1 percent of the federal budget, and despite China's expanding program, 69 percent of Americans believe the U.S. will maintain its status as the leader of space exploration.
Australia and Southern Africa beat out China, Brazil, and Argentina for the right to host the giant radio telescope that will be known as the SKA, the Square Kilometer Array. The SKA, which is being developed by scientists in 17 countries, is 50 times more powerful than any telescope in existence today. The final two prospective host countries met all the requirements for SKA, which include low levels of man-made radio signals, a good view of the southern sky, and stable ionospheric conditions. The telescope, a set of thousands of antennas spread over 3,000 kilometers, will gather sensitive information about the formation and development of the first stars and galaxies.
Nutritional Ignorance, Toxic Threats
Many people cannot read food nutritional labels properly, often because of poor math and reading skills, a new study reports. The most common mistakes made while interpreting the labels are improper calculations, misunderstandings of the serving size, and confusion over additional information on the labels. The inability to read food labels is particularly troublesome given the importance of diet to health, researchers said.
Measures proposed by the European Commission to limit the amount of particulate matter, or fine dust, in the air have been delayed. A decision by the European Parliament allows cities more time—through January 2010— to comply with existing limits on larger particles. Air pollution leads to more than 350,000 premature deaths in Europe each year and drains up to 9 percent of Europe's GDP in health costs, said a spokesperson for the Greens party.
Beyond Oil
Scientists in China successfully tested an experimental fusion reactor on Sept. 28. The test was an important step in the path toward fusion, a potentially limitless source of energy that produces little radioactive waste. The facility is China's answer to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, a seven-country collaborative fusion effort being built in France.
Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, speculated that North Korea would not curb its nuclear program until the Bush administration left office. The U.S. can't be "innovative and flexible" with North Korea while putting so much effort into Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran, he said. Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear program was in the spotlight this week when Russia agreed to ship fuel to an atomic power plant being built in Tehran.
Reflecting the recent drop in crude oil prices, Malaysian crude palm oil futures plunged by more than three percent, reaching their lowest levels in more than two months. But market analysts reassured investors, saying that in the long-term, growing demand for biofuels would drive palm oil prices higher in the next year.