Scientists at the Massachusets Institute of Technology were able to restore sight to rodents blinded by brain damage. They grew brain cells on a nano-scale artificial scaffolding, which later dissolves away.
It is hoped that this technology can one day be developed enough to treat human patients who have suffered vision loss due to stroke, spinal cord injuries or other nervous ailments.
Japanese researchers have discovered that menstrual blood contains stem cells, a lot of stem cells. They were able to harvest 30 times more stem cells from young women’s menstrual blood than from bone marrow.
What’s more is that the stem cells have a longer life span!
A new crustacean discovered in South Pacific waters 7,540 feet deep, 900 miles south of Easter Island resembles a lobster covered with what looks like silky, blond fur, researchers said Tuesday. The animal is white and just shy of 6 inches long — about the size of a salad plate. It has as a “surprising characteristic,” its blind and the animal’s pincers are covered with sinuous, hair-like strands, possibly the animals sensory organ.
Scientists said the animal, which they named Kiwa hirsuta, was so distinct from other species that they created a new family and genus for it. The family was named Kiwaida, from Kiwa, the goddess of crustaceans in Polynesian mythology. The researchers said that while legions of new ocean species are discovered each year, it is quite rare to find one that merits a new family.
The diving expedition was organized by Robert Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California.
A group of students have made a car that uses soybeans as fuel. It looks like a flash sports car too! At the Philadelphia Auto Show a few weeks back the car was put on display amongst gas-guzzlers.
One more neat thing about this car is that it was made as an after-school project to help disengaged kids stay in school. It worked, and has given at least one of the kids some perspective:
“We made this work,” says Hauger. “We’re not geniuses. So why aren’t they (car companies) doing it?”
Kosi thinks he knows why. The answer, he says, is the big oil companies.
“They’re making billions upon billions of dollars,” he says. “And when this car sells, that’ll go down — to low billions upon billions.”
Hundreds of doctors from all around the World have added their signatures to a letter condemning doctors in Gunantanamo for force feeding inmates on hunger strike. The letter is published in the Lancet Medical Journal and states that techniques such as restraints and the use of force to feed prisoners by nasal tube should be prohibited.
The principles of the World Medical Assiciation represent physicians in the US as well as countries all around the globe and specifically ban the use of force feeding as it is seen as cruel behaviour.
Some 500 prisoners are still being held in Guantanamo, however, several prominent groups, such as Amnesty International and the UN, are presently urging the U.S. to close down the facility. Since Amnesty’s initial involvement in letter writing campaigns 15 detainees have been released from US custody, 8 of which have been freed indefinately.
Care to send a letter to the U.S. to speak out against torture and injustice in Gunatanamo?
Follow the link to good action!