For bats in peril, white noses nothing to sniff at
First it was bees. Now bats have come down with a mysterious ailment that's killing them by the thousands in upstate New York and Vermont, sparking fears of a massive die-off if it is not contained. Dubbed "white nose syndrome" for the rings of white fungus found around many of the affected bats' snouts, the plague claimed 13,500 (90 percent) of 15,000 bats over two years, and since last January has spread from four caves west of Albany, New York, to four other sites in the state and to one in neighboring Vermont, the Associated Press reports. The syndrome apparently kills the bats while they hibernate, depleting their fat reserves months ahead of schedule, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which noted that the role of the fungus is unclear. In a statement, DEC bat specialist Alan Hicks called the illness "the gravest threat to bats [we] have ever seen." (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Associated Press)
Bible finally submitted for peer review
Answers in Genesis, the group that last year shelled out $27 million to open the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., is at it again. This time, the intelligently designed group has established its own journal for creationist scholars who want their work reviewed by fellow biblical literalists—without the scientific worldview sticking its monkey nose in. According to its Web site, Answers Research Journal exists "for the publication of interdisciplinary scientific and other relevant research from the perspective of the recent Creation and the global Flood within a biblical framework." Amen. (Answers Research Journal; Nature News)
Pharma-hired researcher gave company confidential drug study
A diabetes researcher last year leaked a confidential document to drug giant GlaxoSmithKline, which has paid him around $75,000 in consulting and speaking fees since 1999, according to a letter to Glaxo president of U.S. pharmaceuticals from Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley. Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Finance, requested more details about the company's actions after researcher Steven Haffner, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, tipped Glaxo to a study he was reviewing for possible publication in The New England Journal of Medicine, a violation of journal policy. The article, published last May, reported a 43 percent increase in heart attacks among diabetics who took Avandia (rosiglitazone), Glaxo's blood glucose–regulating drug, for at least 24 weeks. Haffner told Nature News, "why I sent it [to Glaxo] is a mystery. … I wasn't feeling well. It was bad judgment." (Grassley letter; Nature News)
Venter's genomic "watermarks" decoded
When genomics pioneer Craig Venter announced last week that his team had constructed the first man-made bacterial genome, he disclosed that researchers had embedded five "watermarks" in the DNA containing coded messages. The "code" was simply the genetic code, in which the order of DNA subunits specifies a sequence of amino acids, each abbreviated by a letter. Wired Science recruited researchers not involved in the study to decode the messages, which were VENTERINSTITVTE (there is no amino acid for "U"), CRAIGVENTER, HAMSMITH, CINDIANDCLYDE and GLASSANDCLYDE. The latter three biograffiti seem to refer to Venter's co-authors Hamilton Smith, John Glass and Clyde Hutchison. (Wired Science; Science)
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1 Comments
Add CommentI would draw 2 parallels and they are, sound waves from submarines seem to destroy whale and dolphin sonar, while in another instance, one article I read on bees claimed bees would not return to their hive if a cell phone was put on the hives box.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn my estimation, it may be that the microwaves we use in cell phone technology could also be hurting the bats sonar and the white nose is the bats getting sick--like a person can--when they ride a fast whirling ride and some people throw-up.