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Science News Archive November 2004 - Page 2


Page 2 of 13

Using celebrities to market drugs and diseases: what’s the problem?

The use of celebrities to market drugs and diseases is a practice that raises concerns about public health and transparency. According to investigative reporter Ray Moynihan, this practice can lead to a lack of balance in the public debate about major health problems, as well as a failure to disclose potential conflicts of interest.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateNov 29, 2004

Bomb book wins top honour

Dr Jeff Hughes wins Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Prize for his book on the Manhattan Project, challenging widely held beliefs about the expansion of scientific projects. The book offers a broader narrative on 'Big Science' from the early 20th century to its collapse in the 1990s.

Could Abu Ghraib happen again?

Researchers argue that factors like peer pressure, superiors' expectations, and social interactions play a significant role in shaping behavior, not just individual psychology. Fisk suggests that preventing abuse requires understanding these conditions and promoting positive contact between groups.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalScience·DateNov 25, 2004

Young stars poised for production of rocky planets

Researchers used VLT interferometer observations to study infrared spectra of dusty discs around three young stars, finding abundant crystalline silicate grains and processed dust near the star. This suggests that building blocks for Earth-like planets are present in circumstellar discs from the start.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateNov 24, 2004

University of Utah study suggests cellular waste to blame for a form of blinding eye disease

A University of Utah study suggests that a type of cellular waste may be responsible for a form of blinding eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. The researchers found that a mutation in the carbonic anhydrase 4 gene can lead to photoreceptor degeneration, highlighting the potential for new treatments targeting this process.

SourceUniversity of Utah Health·JournalHuman Molecular Genetics·DateNov 24, 2004

Visualizing the end of the human genome

Researchers have discovered the structure of human POT1, a protein that caps the ends of chromosomes and regulates telomere length. The protein binds to a ten-nucleotide sequence, protecting the telomere from erosion, and its structure suggests that telomerase activity is regulated by this complex.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateNov 23, 2004

What colour is that sound?

Professor Daphne Maurer's research found that infants perceive sounds as colors and associate certain feelings with tastes. As individuals develop, these connections are often inhibited, leading people with synesthesia to experience the world differently.