iblog

Rushda: It is one of the mysteries of life that no one has really been able to answer before - do fish go to sleep or do they just “rest”? Since fish have no eyelids, the question has baffled scientists and laymen alike, but now we finally have the answer! A study has found that not only do fish sleep but they also enjoy a good lie-in, particularly after a rough night.

The study, which was conducted at Stanford University in the United States, consisted of observing the behaviour of zebrafish. Scientists repeatedly disturbed the fish with “mild electric shocks” to keep them awake at night and the results showed that the disturbed fish tried to “catch up” on sleep they lost after they were left in peace.

Not only have these results helped us understand the lifestyle of fishes, but the researchers believe that they will also help us with human sleep disorders. Zebrafish were selected because they have a similar central nervous system to mammals such as humans, so by analysing how they develop sleep disorders will mean we can make progress on the science of sleep in general. According to the researchers:

“Sleep disorders are common and poorly understood. Further, how and why the brain generates sleep is the object of intense speculations. In this study, we demonstrate that a bony fish used for genetic studies sleeps.”

So perhaps the next time you come down past the fish tank in the middle of the night, you should be quiet so as not to disturb the sleeping fish!

Rushda: Now that a public health threat has marked obesity out as a “potential crisis on the scale of climate change”, it is no surprise that so many of us are worried. It is, therefore, interesting to see the various “funkier” measures which have been introduced to try and tackle it. For example, one such new invention is the “intelligent shopping trolley” which will alert future shoppers as soon as anything unhealthy is dropped into it.

Experts believe that such a trolley will not only make people more aware of what they are buying but will motivate those with a lack of willpower. The trolley works by scanning the bar codes of anything that is dropped into it and triggering red warning lights when it detects something that contains high levels of fat, sugar or salt. The new concept for the trolley will be unveiled tomorrow by the Institute for Grocery Distribution which is currently considering the future of British retail. It is believed that it could actually be a reality in the near future as successful trials have already begun in the States.

Not only does the trolley alert the shopper to unhealthy foods but it has actually designed to be cleverer than that. Using a scan of the shopper’s loyalty card, the trolley can detect what kind of person the shopper is - whether they have diabetes or not for instance, and what kinds of foods they need to watch out for. It also uses a record of previous purchases to help guide the shopper to the best deals and even gives directions around the store.

Sion Roberts, director of consumer industries and retail at the technology company, EDS, believes this is something that really could change shopping remarkably in future. He says:

“Everyone wants more and more information and different information, not everyone wants to know everything about a product. But many shoppers already think that lists of ingredients on packaging are too complicated to read and understand. It will be easier to read larger print on a screen. There will also be red-light alerts if you ask the trolley to give your shopping a health check. It may not stop you putting a box of cream cakes in the trolley but you will be made to think about the decision.”

Rushda: Whatever your theory about whether there is more life out there, the search certainly is hotting up as there is now a new telescope specifically dedicated to sweeping the skies for signs of it. The device will be one of the largest arrays in the world and has been funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

The finished array, named the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), will have 350 six-metre antennas which will be able to sweep over more than 1 million star systems. It will work by detecting radio signals which will then be examined to see if they could come from intelligent life forms. The scientists and creators on the team are very excited by the new development, and even hope to spot “definite” signs by the year 2025.

ATA will be run by the Seti Institute and the Radio Astronomy Laboratory at the University of California. Senior astronomer on the team Seth Shostak says:

“For Seti, the ATA’s technical capabilities exponentially increase our ability to search for intelligent signals, and may lead to the discovery of thinking beings elsewhere in the Universe.”

Personally I am a little sceptical about the whole thing - even if we found radio signals, it would be very difficult to work out what made them “intelligent”, and surely it is a little presumptuous to think that aliens, if they exist, would be using such signals to contact us or otherwise. Thankfully, it is good to know the array will have other uses, such as helping us better understand the other mysterious phenomena in our universe such as supernovas and black holes which are currently only predictions and have not yet been observed.

Rushda: New research suggests that those who do frequent housework using cleaning sprays and air fresheners are at an increased risk from developing asthma. Though it does not seem surprising at all, this is the first time scientists have found a direct link between developing the dangerous breathing condition and the use of these substances. In fact, the research found that even using these sprays as little as once a week increases the risk.

The study has been carried out in Spain and conducted over more than 3,500 people. It has found that the more often you use cleaning sprays, the higher your risk is to develop asthma. It also found that the types of sprays which carry the greatest risk are “air fresheners, furniture cleaners and glass cleaners”, some of the most common household substances.

The researchers believe that the link is indeed a serious one, with as many as 1 in 7 of all asthma cases being likely to be caused by cleaning sprays. Indeed, the risk of getting asthma is up to 50% higher in those who use sprays than those who don’t. Though studies are still being carried out to determine what the exact cause of the risk is, it is believed that the most likely reason is that the sprays contain “irritants specific to asthma.”

The news is indeed worrying as respiratory problems can even be fatal. However, the manufacturers of the cleaning products say that there is no obvious link between use of them and asthma, and rigorous testing does go on to make sure the products are safe. But as Victoria King of Asthma UK says:

“We know that up to 25% of people exposed to chemicals, including cleaning sprays, at work will go on to develop occupational asthma. This report also highlights significant findings regarding the link between asthma and the use of spray cleaning products in the home. Although further research is needed, we do already know that air fresheners and bleach trigger symptoms in people who already have asthma.”

As someone who has regularly suffered from asthma, I can fully appreciate how serious the condition can be, and I urge keen cleaners to be cautious!

Rushda: It may seem like something out of science fiction, and it’s difficult to know how seriously to take it, but scientists have produced money which can be used in outer space. The Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, conveniently abbreviated as Quid, is for the use of inter-planetary travellers when space travel becomes more common in future.

The currency has been specially designed by scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester for the foreign exchange company Travelex. One of the developers ,Professor George Fraser, is excited about the new invention and says:

“None of the existing payment systems we use on Earth - like cash, credit or debit cards - could be used in space. Anything with sharp edges, like coins, would be a risk to astronauts, while the chips and magnetic strips used in our cards on Earth would be damaged beyond repair by cosmic radiation.”

The Quid coins are specially adapted to outer-space because they have no sharp edges so will not damage anything if they accidentally float free in space. They are made of a polymer which has previously been best used for non-stick pans.

The technology comes after much speculation that space travel will become very common in the near future. Indeed, predictions from the National Space Centre state that even tourist facilities on the Moon by 2050 are a real possibility. There are all sorts of things currently being developed for space tourism - from an inflatable space hotel being produced in the US to VirginGalactic developing spaceships for ordinary use. It only then makes sense, say these scientists, to have a way of using money whilst in space.

The confidence these scientists have is indeed astounding. As Travelex say:

“It’s only a matter of time before people will be walking up to our shops and asking for Quids for their two weeks in a space hotel.”

Furthermore, what’s most bizarre is that they have even decided already what the conversion rate is, currently quoting £6.25 to the Quid!

Rushda: A new study has suggested that the stress of a rough relationship or marriage can actually lead to serious heart conditions. Even though it has always been maintained that those who are attached suffer less heart problems than those who aren’t, being in a turbulent relationship is actually worse than being on your own.

The research was conducted on 9,000 British civil servants, all of whom completed questionnaires about their relationships several decades ago. It has now been found that those in negative relationships are 34% more likely to suffer heart problems, according to statistics from the Archives of Internal Medicine. Though not many of the sample had heart disease at the start, almost 600 reported a heart condition subsequently. And the ones who said that conflict, arguments, and criticism were frequent in their relationships were found to be more likely to be in the group of new heart sufferers.

The heads of research believe that the results substantially show that emotional problems really do have an effect on the “wear and tear” of organs, due to problems ranging from hormonal changes to blood clotting. These finds support the views of the British Heart Foundation which has maintained for some time how terrible emotional distress really can be on the heart. As Cathy Ross, a cardiac nurse at the organisation says:

“[the study] reinforces a well-known fact that lack of emotional and psychological support may increase the risk of heart disease. Identifying groups of individuals who are at risk and ensuring psychological support can make a big difference. It allows people to deal with their negative emotions.”

It is all very tragic that the age-old metaphor of a broken heart may hold true. Problems in a relationship not only take an emotional toll but they may end up damaging the very thing from which many have professed to love in the first place.

Rushda: A new case in Britain has provoked much controversy - a disabled 15-year-old girl may be getting her womb removed because it is believed that she will never marry or have children and so she should not have to suffer from monthly menstruation. This operation would be the first of its kind in this country, as, strictly speaking, the operation is not medically required but only designed to make the girl’s life easier.

Surgeons are currently seeking legal approval so that they can go ahead with the hysterectomy at St John’s hospital in Chelmsford. The mother of the girl asked for it because her daughter Katie suffers from cerebral palsy and she does not think it is right that Katie should have to experience periods every month - something that doesn’t even make sense to her, let alone be of any use. As the child is not herself in the position to give consent, this must be given on her behalf by lawyers.

Phil Robarts, a consultant gynaecologist at the hospital, believes that the mother is justified in asking for an operation for her daughter. He says:

“I think the girl’s mother makes a very cogent argument for proceeding with that course of action, albeit it is rather drastic.”

Yes, the operation is serious indeed. But one does wonder why the poor girl, who cannot walk or talk, should have to cope with all the troubles of having a womb. Perhaps one should put aside one’s prejudices and realise how much an operation could help the girl - and maybe this will even open a pathway for all those other disabled people who would like to make their lives easier.

Rushda: A leading scientist has warned that teaching evolution may no longer be as straightforward as before, as Creationism is becoming increasingly popular. Apparently around one in ten people in the UK now reject evolutionary theory and this is said to be partly due to the rise in Muslim students in classes.

Professor Michael Reiss, who is head of science at London’s Institute of Education and also a Church of England priest, believes that teachers may need to start approaching the topic with a lot more sensitivity as the theory of evolution can’t be taken for granted in the same way as before. He says that as a result of the increasing popularity of Creationism in classes, some teachers fear teaching evolution and some avoid it completely. This is worrying, he says, as it could mean that many students will have gaps in their scientific knowledge. Furthermore, he says the reason for the change is that there are more Muslim students who take the topic very seriously:

“The number of Muslim students has grown considerably in the last 10 to 20 years and a higher proportion of Muslim families do not accept evolutionary theory compared with Christian families. That’s one reason why it’s more of an issue in schools. The days have long gone when science teachers could ignore Creationism when teaching about origins.”

Reiss states that the best way forward is to reach a compromise by teaching everyone the details of the theory but not alienating students who don’t accept it. He argues that every student should at least know what evolutionary theory is, even if they don’t believe it. This will also make sure they learn to respect other people’s beliefs as well. He also says that Creationism should not be discussed in classrooms unless it is brought up by a student.

The issue is indeed a controversial one as evolution is a sensitive topic that everyone has a different stance on. Recent guidelines have in fact been published, however, which tell teachers how to deal with the issue. As a spokesman from the Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman says:

“Creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories nor testable as scientific fact - and have no place in the science curriculum. But we advise science teachers that when questions about Creationism come up in lessons, it provides an opportunity to explain or explore what makes a scientific theory.”

This is perhaps the best resolution we can come to for now, but no doubt not everyone will be happy.

Rushda: New benefits of chocolate were highlighted earlier this week when researchers found that eating dark chocolate daily significantly helps those who suffer from chronic fatigue. The study found that those patients who ate chocolate with a high cocoa content were less tired than those who ate white chocolate which had been dyed brown.

The research was conducted at Hull York Medical School where experts confirmed that eating chocolate increased serotonin levels in the brain, this perhaps being the main cause of its effect in alleviating fatigue. The study involved a trial of ten patients who ate a specified amount of chocolate daily for a month - some taking white chocolate that had been dyed to look like dark, and some eating real dark chocolate. After a couple of months, they were given the other type of chocolate. It was found that those who started eating real dark chocolate felt less tired, whilst those who went off it felt more tired than before.

Even though the study was small, head of research Professor Atkin was surprised at the results which undeniably suggested a strong link between fatigue and dark chocolate consumption. He explains:

“Dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, which have been associated with health benefits such as a reduction in blood pressure. Also, high polyphenols appear to improve levels of serotonin in the brain, which has been linked with chronic fatigue syndrome, and that may be a mechanism.”

Though this may be great news, especially for chocolate lovers, experts still advise that chocolate should be eaten in moderation.

Rushda: Cars that drive themselves to and from a required destination may not be as far off into the future as once thought - indeed, trials of a driverless “cybercar” have already begun recently in a Northamptonshire town called Daventry. The new car works out the directions using a computer and manages to avoid obstacles using laser technology.

Daventry’s mission has long been to encourage more people to use public transport, so this is an incredible way to increase efficiency and boost enthusiasm. The cybercar can easily be called by pressing a button and will automatically go to an assigned destination without any human input. So far, the car is only really suitable for short trips at low speed - for example, it can be seen as an alternative to a school bus. However developments go in the future, it is clear that the initial trials have been successful and hold great promise for the future. As Daventry District Council leader Chris Millar says:

“We can build lots more car parks and have lots more cars going in or we can look at a viable alternative to the car. We believe this could be the answer.”

The cybercar can be seen in demonstration until 5th October, on a test track at the town’s Eastern Way. Alternatively, a video of it can be seen here.