iblog

Rushda: New research at the University of Southern California has found that, contrary to popular belief, living in a sterile world would not cause humans to live longer. Previously it had been thought that even harmless bacteria speeds up the ageing process by causing an immune system response that uses up vital energy. However, the research has found no such link between bacteria and the ageing process.

The evidence comes from a study of fruit flies which were kept in a bacteria-free environment. Results, which appear in Cell Metabolism magazine, show that they did not live longer than their counterparts who lived in ordinary conditions. Although researchers could not try the same experiment in higher organisms, they believe that the result in fruit flies is relevant to the question of human ageing as fruit flies share some relevant characteristics with humans.

The results of the study have come as a surprise to many. As one of the researchers, Dr John Tower, says:

“It’s a surprise. Even though the flies were accumulating so much bacteria and a robust immune response to that bacteria, it’s not limiting how long the flies live. The question is, if it’s not bacteria that limit life span, then what is it?”

Lorna Layward of the Help the Aged biomedical Research into Ageing Programme has found the results fascinating. However, she remains convinced about the dangers of bacteria:

“Humans don’t live in a world free of infection - we are bombarded with bacteria every day of our lives. We know that the older we become the more vulnerable we are to infection. Our immunity declines with age, and with an increasingly ageing society, it is important that we research ways to improve the ability to fight infection.”

It is clear that research into the causes of ageing has much further to go before establishing fixed results. However, these results are very interesting and have much potential for helping us understand ageing: something which is perhaps one of the biggest medical problems of all.

Virgil: Usually, if something you own has a better design, it’s more likely to be chosen as a target for theft. But new innovation and fervour from the Design and Technology Alliance, a government-backed group hoping to bring crime-prevention into the design process for products, hopes to turn this around.

A bike, for example, is usually sold separately to the security equipment (locks, etc.) that will keep it safe. This obviously raises revenue for the manufacturers. Indeed many companies profit from theft - mobile phone companies, for instance, simply make another sale when someone needs to replace their stolen phone. However, the Alliance hopes to encourage manufacturers to build stronger theft-prevention into their products, insisting that this will be of benefit both to customers and companies alike. David Kester, a member of the Alliance and Chief Executive of the Design Council outlines this aim, saying:

“The public want industry to be responsible, as with the environment, and they will put more trust in firms who they believe are interested in protecting them.”

With this in mind, lateral thinking going on at the Alliance-run Design Against Crime Research Centre has come up with two ideas to demonstrate how simple design features can be easily incorporated into products to help prevent theft. The first is a self-locking bike, which has a hinge down the main frame allowing it to fold in half, rendering the whole thing useless even if it is taken away. The second, and by far, I think, the more ingenious, is a chair which simply has two slots in the front. Women are able to hang their handbags from these slots, meaning that if someone tried to steal the bag, they’d be forced to put their hand between the lady’s legs. Lorraine Gamman, who works at the Centre, comments on this design, saying:

“The genital region is the most defended part of the body. If someone puts their hand down there, you notice.”

With any luck, we should soon be seeing more and more of this kind of simple innovation working to keep the things we’ve bought safe.

Jeanne: Men, beware! More women than ever are taking up high-level positions in the corporate world according to recent surveys. In the United States, almost fifty percent of private companies are currently owned by women. The UK, however, lags far behind the US when it comes to providing women with top jobs.

Women, according to leading analysts, operate in a very different way to men in high-level corporate positions. Describing the motivations behind the actions of female entrepreneurs, Margaret Heffernan, an entrepreneur herself, states:

“(The) old corporate notions of business as war, of companies as machines, and of leadership as command don’t work for women, who are more interested in orchestration, empathy and relationship management.”

Many behavioural analysts have suggested that the latter set of skills have led to the undoubted success of many female-owned establishments. Margaret Heffernan claims:

“Of course it may be that these are just business skills - skills that have nothing to do with gender and everything to do with talent. Historically, women have been low in social power in the workplace for a long time, and have learned how to read signals to ensure their survival. Lacking institutional protection, their careers depended on being attuned to shifts in mood and attitude - and what better preparation could there be for the unpredictable, irrational world of 21st-century business?”

However, according to numerous insiders, British women face an uphill struggle in the corporate world:

There is some evidence that women are willing to take bigger risks with their careers than men. These women (are) driven to look for a place where they could prove themselves on their terms. This is not because they are stupid; it is because they are desperate. So often they can see no other way to find work, and a way of working, that suits them.

Nevertheless, change appears to be on the horizon. The impact of female-owned firms should not be underestimated. There are currently 600,000 such corporations in the country. Government estimates suggest that these organisations contribute some £130 billion to the British economy. And with more and more women choosing to enter higher education, it is likely that women will continue to play an important role in the British boardroom.

Jeanne: The Cossacks of southern Russia, once the feared soldiers of the Tsar, are regaining their influence within the country. Strongly nationalist, they have gained political strength during the Presidency of Vladimir Putin. Many politicians, including the Russian premier, have regarded the Cossack lifestyle as a model which all Russian citizens should follow. Cossack families are highly disciplined and are known for their strong work ethic. In a country where social problems are keenly felt, the Cossacks remain an ever-present reminder of conservative Russian values.

The village of Varennikovskoye in southern Russia is home to some 200 Cossack families. Here life goes on much as it has done since the days of the Tsar. This farming community was collectivized under Stalin. However, after the demise of Communism many Cossack families live in relatively comfortable surroundings. Nevertheless, Cossacks remain traditional in their beliefs. The Russian Orthodox Church and its often reactionary teachings underlie their way of life. Families operate according to a hierarchical structure and are known for their large size. Men are invariably the breadwinners. Women, in turn, are responsible solely for domestic tasks and child-bearing. Children, often as young as 11, can be found engaged in hard physical labour. Such practices, according to Cossack elders, instill values of responsibility and pride and individuals who fail to comply with village rules are ‘dealt with’ firmly.

All this may appear very strange to western ears. Not so to the country’s leaders, however. Russia is currently dealing with more than her fair share of social problems. Unemployment is on the increase and corruption continues to hinder growth. Alcoholism is also a growing problem in Russian countryside. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that many Russian leaders regard the Cossack lifestyle as a model for Russian social development. Alcohol, for example, is banned in Cossack villages. Those found intoxicated can expect to receive a severe whipping.

Many Cossack leaders long for a return to Russia’s traditional roots. This, they believe can only be achieved under the leadership of a Tsar-like figure. Who do they feel could fulfill this role? Vladimir Putin is the undoubted favourite with most Cossacks:

President Putin has proved himself as a potential Tsar by bringing order and the start of Russia’s long-awaited national revival

Jeanne: The UN is to increase its presence in Iraq, fours years after its head of mission, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was killed in a suicide attack in Baghdad. It is hoped that Resolution 1770, which has received resounding support from the United States and Great Britain, will allow the United Nations to develop a broader presence in the country. The UN is expected to undertake a number of important tasks. The international organization will supervise moves towards reconciliation between the warring factions and chair discussions on central issues such as border security and refugees. Iraqi government officials have welcomed these developments, but acknowledge that much more remains to be done. The Iraqi ambassador to the UN, Hamid el Bayati has reiterated these views n a recent interview:

Our view right from the beginning was that we should have an important role for the UN. We are aware that these challenges should be addressed by the government and the people of Iraq. While we realise that it is in principle a national responsibility, we however cannot achieve it without the assistance of the international community, represented by the United Nations.

Not surprisingly, this recent resolution has attracted criticism in some quarters. Opponents of the resolution have accused the US government of trying to get the UN to ‘pick up the pieces’ following its failure to win the peace in Iraq. For its part, the UN remains hesitant about entering the murky world of Iraqi politics. Thus far the agency has chosen to deal largely with humanitarian issues, namely the country’s growing refugee crisis. There are also fears for the security of UN workers in the country. The UN’s staff union has advised against the transfer of personnel to the war-ravaged nation:

We would love to help the people of Iraq but the situation is not ready. UN staffers, when they go to a mission they mingle with the people to find out what their needs are, but at the moment we cannot do that. We want to make sure that no staff are forced to go to this mission if they don’t want to go because of safety and security reasons.

Despite these misgivings, however, it is expected that the recommendations of Resolution 1770 will be acted upon with immediate effect.

Jeanne: Well here’s something you don’t hear everyday! Researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada have found evidence to suggest that feeding your child healthily could actually trigger obesity in later life. Scientists believe that consuming low-calorie ‘diet’ versions of foods that are traditionally high in calories could encourage children to overeat when older. Appearing in the journal Obesity researchers claim that:

“Based on what we’ve learned, it is better for children to eat healthy, well-balanced diets with sufficient calories for their daily activities rather than low-calorie snacks or meals.”

As part of the study, scientists examined the eating habits of rats at different stages of their development. According to researchers, the aforementioned effect was only observed in young rats. Adolescent rats that were fed low-calorie versions of high-calorie foods showed no evidence of obesity in later life. Older rats appeared to rely on so-called taste cues which allowed them to effectively judge the energy content in food. Younger rats, however, were unable to distinguish between low-calorie and high-calorie foods, causing them to continue eating long after they were full.

Obesity, as we all know, is a serious problem in the developed world. Obese individuals (those with a BMI of 30 and above) risk developing type-2 diabetes and cardio-vascular disease. Obesity-related illnesses cost the UK National Health Service millions of pounds each year, and a number of countries have considered the introduction of ‘fat taxes’ to help deal with the problem. In addition, studies have suggested that the children of overweight parents are more likely to become obese themselves.

This research appears to contradict what most doctors have believed for a long time – that healthy lifestyles and sound eating habits will benefit youngsters long after their adolescent years have passed. As a consequence, scientists have emphasised that, despite these findings, a lifestyle comprising of a balanced diet and regular exercise is essential for healthy growth and development in children. Let’s just hope that everyone realises that this study is simply part of an ongoing research project and not an excuse to provide your child with a few extra slices of cheese cake after dinner…

Rushda: At 11.50am this morning, a small earthquake rocked various parts of Greater Manchester, felt by inhabitants in not only the centre of Manchester but Reddish, Didsbury, Failsworth and Denton as well. Though the earthquake was a relatively minor one, only measuring 2.5 on the Richter Scale, many experienced the tremors. Seismologists at the British Geological Survey (BGS) are glad to note that there have been no reports of injury or damage.

BGS have explained that these earthquakes are not uncommon and there are eight or nine every year in Britain. A similar earthquake hit Manchester five years ago but it was much more severe and measured 3.9 on the Richter Scale. Witnesses to this morning’s earthquakes say that they felt the ground shake. A man who was in the city centre working at the time says:

“The ground kind of shook. It felt a bit like there was a bus parked outside but a bit stronger. Everyone just looked round at each other and was like, ‘Did you just feel that or was it just me?’ I didn’t really feel frightened, just a bit confused.”

Another witness said:

“I was working away quite happily until I felt the building shake. I felt the floor move and heard the beams creak. It started at one end of the room and went came through to where I was sitting, and the big filing cabinet next to where I was sitting was shaking. It was really quite impressive.”

Experts have reassured the public that there is nothing to be alarmed about. As Ernest Rutter, professor of structural geology at the University of Manchester, has said:

“It’s very small tremor, right on the edge of being felt, although obviously quite a lot of people did. They are fairly common in Manchester. In 2002 we had a swarm of them, which is a number of earthquakes of about the same size over a period of time - from October and extended until just after Christmas. There were about 110 - 120 during that time and about 30 of them were felt.”

The earthquake has been described as “insignificant.” What is most shocking perhaps is the fact that the earthquake which caused the Asian Tsunami on Boxing day in 2004 was actually 800 million times greater than what was experienced by many in Manchester this morning. One can only imagine how terrifying that must have been when compared.

Jeanne: Women, studies have shown, aren’t all that keen when it comes to macho men. A recent research project at the University of Durham has found that most women do not regard men with strong masculine features as ideal partners for long-term relationships. This conclusion was reached following tests involving 400 British men and women. Subtle facial features, according to the study’s lead scientist Dr. Lynda Boothroyd, can affect an individual’s assessment of a potential partner:

“This research shows a high amount of agreement between women about what they see, personality-wise, when asked to judge a book by its cover. They may well use that impression of someone to decide whether or not to engage with that person. That decision-making process all depends on what a woman is looking for in a relationship at that stage of her life.”

The tests were carried out through the use of computer imaging technology which allowed researchers to subtly manipulate pictures of men so that some bore more feminine features whilst others displayed masculine characteristics. Women then reviewed the pictures based on a set of criteria which included factors from parenting and warmth to dominance and wealth. Most women were successful when it came to identifying those men with feminine features i.e ‘curved eyebrows, an arched forehead and slightly higher cheekbones.’ Feminine men were also more likely to smile compared to their macho counterparts.

Researchers have argued that the aforementioned results make perfect sense. In prehistoric times, women were more likely to choose mates with strong masculine traits. Masculine features are an indication of strength and dominance, a woman living during this period might have believed that a masculine man would be able to better protect and provide for her family. But, according to one leading lecturer in psychology, things are quite different in the 21st century:

“In a modern society physical strength is not a necessity but rather, a potential threat. A woman may choose a more feminine partner because it may reduce the chance of violence towards her and any offspring they produce. This research may have no immediate implications, but it does feed into our understanding of evolutionary psychology and why people make the choices they do.”

Virgil: Scientists convened in York are excited about the possibility of developing spin-based electronics, or ’spintronics’, which could offer potentially infinite speeds of computing.

Increasing the speed of computing is about trying to get more calculations done in less time - either by speeding up each calculation itself, having more of them take place simultaneously, or both. Conventional processors do calculations sequentially because they are based on the sequential flow of electrons through wires.

That’s why scientists have for a long time been excited about the idea of quantum electronics. Quantum phenomena suggest that electrons can actually have multiple states all at once, so the idea was to perform calculations on top of each other, harnessing more than just one of the superposed states of each electron. However this prospect has remained firm science fiction for a long time, as it was incredibly difficult to control and manipulate the electron states.

The new spintronics takes the same idea, but instead harnesses the different possible spins of electrons to manipulate more data at once. This builds on the fact that every particle is not just moving along staticly, but spinning around at the same time. Professor Awschalom of the University of California clarifies the idea saying:

“If you think about the spin of a particle, such as an electron, it can point up or down or at any superposition of the two; partially up or partially down. You can store an almost infinite number of bits of information in one particle space.”

The idea of putting particle-spin into the equation has already been used in hard-drives. A long time ago, 100 megabytes of disk-space sounded excessive; nowadays 10,000 is hardly enough. The massive jump in disk-space was in part due to the introduction of “spin-valves” in the drives; Dr Stuart Parkin of IBM invented the devices, and comments that they

“enabled a thousand fold improvement in the storage capacity of disk drives from when we introduced it in 1998.”

Spintronics offers a lot of promise. Maybe, sooner than we think, quantum-speed computing may be a reality.

Virgil: An 8,000 year old Stone Age village has been found submerged beneath the waters at Bouldnor Cliff, Isle of Wight. However, with the tides washing away 12 inches from the top of it every year, the race is on to discover what we can while it’s still there.

It has been known since 1980 that a prehistoric forest lay beneath the waters, but it was only when a lobster was noticed chucking pieces of worked flint from its hidey-hole that divers realised they’d stumbled on an ancient settlement.

The village is of particular interest as it dates from a period in British history of which little is known. The settlement was swamped after the northern European Ice Caps began to melt. It is for exactly this reason that so little is known about settlements from the period - they are now all mostly submerged. Garry Momber, director of the charity doing the excavations, describes the importance of the site by saying:

“This is the only site of its kind in Britain and is extremely important to our understanding of our Stone Age ancestors from the lesser-known Mesolithic period.”

More interestingly, as 8,000 years ago the whole area would have been dry:

“It reveals a time before the English Channel existed when Europe and Britain were linked. The people who lived on this site could have walked over to Calais without too much trouble.”

The excavators hope to garner more funding as they continue, otherwise the artefacts buried at the site will be washed away forever.