"I am not listening!"
The Month in Which You Are Born Affects Later Life
Horoscopes may be the formulation of words that can mean just about anything, but the month you are born in does affect your behavior. This can be taken further - the season in which you are born dictates temperament, longevity and susceptibility to disease.
Obviously a baby born in winter is liable to catch a cold. This can sometimes be life threatening. A summer baby will probably be happier and more active. Research in England shows that 17 per cent of men are obese if born from January to March. This falls to 9.4 per cent for those born from October to December. It is because winter babies lay on more fat which stays on for life.
Age does affect how we turn out, however. American tests show women under 45 who were winter babies were risk takers and became bored quickly. On the other hand Women over 45 lost their curiosity and were no longer bored, a reversal of behavior. Serotonin and dopamine level are believed to be the cause of this. These fluctuate over time.
Summer babies have a greater chance of being schizophrenic. Spring babies are generally taller. Apparently, more sunshine increases the level of melatonin in mothers which stimulates production of the growth hormone. There is a downer for spring babies: they are more likely to get multiple sclerosis. Autumn babies live longer. Furthermore, autumn and winter babies are prone to allergies.
Don't worry if you were born in winter: data is (are) just data anyway. And as many scientist will tell you - lying with statistics is common practice.
Obviously a baby born in winter is liable to catch a cold. This can sometimes be life threatening. A summer baby will probably be happier and more active. Research in England shows that 17 per cent of men are obese if born from January to March. This falls to 9.4 per cent for those born from October to December. It is because winter babies lay on more fat which stays on for life.
Age does affect how we turn out, however. American tests show women under 45 who were winter babies were risk takers and became bored quickly. On the other hand Women over 45 lost their curiosity and were no longer bored, a reversal of behavior. Serotonin and dopamine level are believed to be the cause of this. These fluctuate over time.
Summer babies have a greater chance of being schizophrenic. Spring babies are generally taller. Apparently, more sunshine increases the level of melatonin in mothers which stimulates production of the growth hormone. There is a downer for spring babies: they are more likely to get multiple sclerosis. Autumn babies live longer. Furthermore, autumn and winter babies are prone to allergies.
Don't worry if you were born in winter: data is (are) just data anyway. And as many scientist will tell you - lying with statistics is common practice.
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Society
Tasmanian Glow Worms Can Tell the Time
Glow worms can tell the time. Yes it's true! An Australian researcher has found that glow worms "light up" during daylight hours, even though they are in total darkness 24 hours a day.
It is only a Tasmanian species of glow worm, however. Mainland species glow day and night. It is not known how they detect that it is daylight outside the cave.
It is thought that a chimney effect occurs in a cave, whereby air is "breathed" in and out from outside. This probably causes a change in temperature. Glow worms possibly use the temperature stimulus to choose when to glow and when not to glow.
It is only a Tasmanian species of glow worm, however. Mainland species glow day and night. It is not known how they detect that it is daylight outside the cave.
It is thought that a chimney effect occurs in a cave, whereby air is "breathed" in and out from outside. This probably causes a change in temperature. Glow worms possibly use the temperature stimulus to choose when to glow and when not to glow.
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Biology
Japanese Whalers Break International Law
The Japanese whaling ship Yushin Maru No.3 has broken international law. While chasing the Greenpeace vessel Sea Shepherd the Japanese whaler crossed into an Australian Antarctic zone. It was within the 12-mile limit of Macquarie Island. The Sea Shepherd has an image of its radar showing the position of the Japanese ship.
In 2008 the Australian Federal Court prohibited the Japanese company carry out whaling in the Antarctic from entering the Australian whale sanctuary. Management of Kyodo Senpaku Kaishu clearly know this, but have their captains been told? The Yushin Maru N0.3 was so busy chasing the Sea Shepherd that it lost contact with the factory ship Nisshin Maru. This is no excuse, however.
Another Japanese whaler Shonan Maru No.2 was tailing the Steve Irwin. What this cat and mouse game is trying to achieve is anyone's guess. After all, it is the Greenpeace ships that are trying to find the chasers. They are doing Greenpeace a favor by staying within view. The Japanese ships can hardly attack Greenpeace vessels to prevent them from locating the factory ship. They could throw some rotten fruit for all the good that would do.
In 2008 the Australian Federal Court prohibited the Japanese company carry out whaling in the Antarctic from entering the Australian whale sanctuary. Management of Kyodo Senpaku Kaishu clearly know this, but have their captains been told? The Yushin Maru N0.3 was so busy chasing the Sea Shepherd that it lost contact with the factory ship Nisshin Maru. This is no excuse, however.
Another Japanese whaler Shonan Maru No.2 was tailing the Steve Irwin. What this cat and mouse game is trying to achieve is anyone's guess. After all, it is the Greenpeace ships that are trying to find the chasers. They are doing Greenpeace a favor by staying within view. The Japanese ships can hardly attack Greenpeace vessels to prevent them from locating the factory ship. They could throw some rotten fruit for all the good that would do.
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Law
Pharmaceutical Medicines in Short Supply
People are taking more prescription drugs. Western countries including Australia make them easy to obtain because they are heavily subsidized. As developing countries move forward they too are inclined to make medications available to everyone. We take it for granted that all medicines will be "out there" ready to buy.
Last year in the US 196 common drugs were in short supply. Less than 100 ran short in 2006. Most of the medications were for anaesthetic, cancer or anti-infection use. Recently, shortages became apparent in Australia. Use of alternative drugs is not ideal. Side effects and less effective treatment occur.
It seems pharmaceutical manufacturers are only interested in producing products with safe patents that have high profit margins. When patents expire and governments want cheap generic drugs they are becoming harder to obtain. Governments are economically inelastic when it comes to what they will pay. They offer drug companies a fixed amount - take it or leave it. If there is no profit margin, in the future there will be no drugs.
Last year in the US 196 common drugs were in short supply. Less than 100 ran short in 2006. Most of the medications were for anaesthetic, cancer or anti-infection use. Recently, shortages became apparent in Australia. Use of alternative drugs is not ideal. Side effects and less effective treatment occur.
It seems pharmaceutical manufacturers are only interested in producing products with safe patents that have high profit margins. When patents expire and governments want cheap generic drugs they are becoming harder to obtain. Governments are economically inelastic when it comes to what they will pay. They offer drug companies a fixed amount - take it or leave it. If there is no profit margin, in the future there will be no drugs.
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Health
Dolphins Practice Whale-Talk at Night
Dolphins and whales are related. When dolphins are sleeping they show this. In the day they are quite unlike whales. Dolphins show off by jumping, swimming and catching balls. At night, however, they appear to "speak" a whale language.
The sounds they express closely resemble the humpback whale song. They only do this after they have heard the song. The song was in a soundtrack played during a performance for the public. This is an indication how all mammals deal with new things. The brain works on new things below the level of consciousness.
So well imitated were the whale sounds that tests done on them by volunteers showed people thought they were real whale sound. Dolphins mimic other types of sounds during the day, but they tend to zero in on whale sounds at night showing the evolutionary link.
The sounds they express closely resemble the humpback whale song. They only do this after they have heard the song. The song was in a soundtrack played during a performance for the public. This is an indication how all mammals deal with new things. The brain works on new things below the level of consciousness.
So well imitated were the whale sounds that tests done on them by volunteers showed people thought they were real whale sound. Dolphins mimic other types of sounds during the day, but they tend to zero in on whale sounds at night showing the evolutionary link.
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Marine
Cleanliness Causes Type 1 Diabetes
First we have a clean childhood leading to Crohn's disease. Now we have cleanliness causing type 1 diabetes. Both, apparently, are caused by the same thing - the lack of "bugs" in the stomach.
In the case of Crohn's disease it is the absence of worms. With diabetes it is too few bacteria. Tests on mice showed that a completely germ free environment when young increased the frequency of mice developing type 1 diabetes. Much fewer mice got diabetes when exposed to bacteria.
Future treatment could involve people taking medication containing bacteria. Potential sufferers of diabetes can already be identified by testing their genetic make-up.
In the case of Crohn's disease it is the absence of worms. With diabetes it is too few bacteria. Tests on mice showed that a completely germ free environment when young increased the frequency of mice developing type 1 diabetes. Much fewer mice got diabetes when exposed to bacteria.
Future treatment could involve people taking medication containing bacteria. Potential sufferers of diabetes can already be identified by testing their genetic make-up.
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Health
Male Bower Bird Deludes the Female
Human males often lie to female partners to make them bond more and ultimately become a lifelong mate. Whether the female is aware of this doesn't seem to matter. Even when she knows, her affection is stronger than accepting she has been duped.
Male great bower birds also deceive females. He makes an intricate, often beautiful, structure to lure a prospective mate. First a bower is constructed which consists of twigs piled on top of each other. Then a walkway is built with an arch big enough for both birds to walk through. The final sweetener is the cache of rocks, shells, bones and fruit.
The male bird carefully places each piece of the cache either further away or at the front of the display to look better from the perspective of the female. He picks up each article waving it in front of her. The deception is that large objects are place further away and small objects are placed toward the front.
She is transfixed by his display and while "hypnotized" he mates with her. Sometimes she is not impressed and will not go into the swoon state. To prevent this, males will trash the work of rivals. Males of other species such as gray parrots, mistle thrush and pigeons deceive females as well.
Male great bower birds also deceive females. He makes an intricate, often beautiful, structure to lure a prospective mate. First a bower is constructed which consists of twigs piled on top of each other. Then a walkway is built with an arch big enough for both birds to walk through. The final sweetener is the cache of rocks, shells, bones and fruit.
The male bird carefully places each piece of the cache either further away or at the front of the display to look better from the perspective of the female. He picks up each article waving it in front of her. The deception is that large objects are place further away and small objects are placed toward the front.
She is transfixed by his display and while "hypnotized" he mates with her. Sometimes she is not impressed and will not go into the swoon state. To prevent this, males will trash the work of rivals. Males of other species such as gray parrots, mistle thrush and pigeons deceive females as well.
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Wildlife
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