== ABC SCIENCE UPDATES, January 17 2008 ==
Science Updates is a weekly email alert from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
HAPPY NEW YEAR from ABC Science Online. This is our first issue of Science Updates for 2008.
== PHOTO JOURNEY- EVOLUTION ==
Just over a century ago, Charles Darwin and his colleagues proposed a theory that would change the way we think about the world forever. Its lead us to understand why sex is so successful for animals and how T-Rex ended up with such small arms!
http://www.abc.net.au/science/photos/evolution/
Just over a century ago, Charles Darwin and his colleagues proposed a theory that would change the way we think about the world forever. Its lead us to understand why sex is so successful for animals and how T-Rex ended up with such small arms!
http://www.abc.net.au/science/photos/evolution/
==SLEEK GEEKS VIDEO EXTRAS ==
For online eyes only! Click for some special unseen footage from the Sleek Geeks TV show featuring segments - 'questions without notice', 'true or false' and 'the war on error'.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/sleekgeeks/video/
For online eyes only! Click for some special unseen footage from the Sleek Geeks TV show featuring segments - 'questions without notice', 'true or false' and 'the war on error'.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/sleekgeeks/video/
== TOP STORIES FROM NEWS IN SCIENCE == http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/
MANY NEGATIVE DRUG STORIES DON'T SEE PRINT
Nearly a third of antidepressant drug studies are never published in the medical literature and nearly all happen to show that the drug being tested did not work, say US researchers.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/17/2140663.htm
Nearly a third of antidepressant drug studies are never published in the medical literature and nearly all happen to show that the drug being tested did not work, say US researchers.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/17/2140663.htm
CLONED ANIMAL FOODS GIVEN SAFETY CLEARANCE
Milk and meat from cloned cattle, pigs and goats is now officially as safe to eat as their everyday counterparts, says the US food safety authority.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/16/2139653.htm
Milk and meat from cloned cattle, pigs and goats is now officially as safe to eat as their everyday counterparts, says the US food safety authority.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/16/2139653.htm
DINOSAURS HAD TEEN SEX
Dinosaurs reached sexual maturity long before they were fully grown, becoming pregnant in their early adolescence, say US researchers.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/15/2138943.htm
Dinosaurs reached sexual maturity long before they were fully grown, becoming pregnant in their early adolescence, say US researchers.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/15/2138943.htm
CANBERRA TO GET FIRST GLIMPSE OF MERCURY
NASA will return to Mercury for the first time in almost 33 years tomorrow when a robotic probe makes its first fly-by of the Sun's nearest neighbour.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/14/2137952.htm
NASA will return to Mercury for the first time in almost 33 years tomorrow when a robotic probe makes its first fly-by of the Sun's nearest neighbour.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/01/14/2137952.htm
== IN THE SKY THIS WEEK == http://home.mira.net/~reynella/skywatch/ssky.htm
The Full Moon is Tuesday January 22. The evening sky is dominated by bright Mars. Mars forms a delightful broad triangle with the bright red stars Alderbaran and Betelgeuse. With the Pleiades cluster and Orion's belt nearby, the evening sky is particularly beautiful now. Mars is lose to the bright star Elnath, and over the week will draw closer to it. On Saturday January 19, Mars is close to the waxing Moon. Mercury can bee seen just above the western horizon at twilight. In WA, the Moon passes over the bright star Regulus at 935 pm on Thursday January 24 (the rest of us have to wait to around 1 am on the morning of the 25th). In the morning sky, Saturn is growing brighter in the north, while in the east, Venus and Jupiter are readily visible. Over the next week Venus and Jupiter draw closer to each other.
== ABC HEALTH & WELLBEING == http://www.abc.net.au/health/
FEATURE: THE GREAT WEIGHT DEBATE
What's the best way to lose weight - diet or exercise? Should you count each kilojoule? Must you jog at dawn? Here's the bottom line on what works.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2008/01/17/2138047.htm
What's the best way to lose weight - diet or exercise? Should you count each kilojoule? Must you jog at dawn? Here's the bottom line on what works.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2008/01/17/2138047.htm
THE PULSE: TOO MANY CAESAREANS?
Australia has one of the highest caesarean rates in the world. But caesareans that aren't medically necessary may be putting women and babies at risk.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2008/01/17/2136844.htm
Australia has one of the highest caesarean rates in the world. But caesareans that aren't medically necessary may be putting women and babies at risk.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2008/01/17/2136844.htm
== TRANSCRIPTS NOW ONLINE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING: OLIVER SACKS AND THE MUSICAL BRAIN, PART 2 (In Conversation: 10/01/2008)
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/inconversation/stories/2008/2123878.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/inconversation/stories/2008/2123878.htm
JULIE'S STORY: DIARY OF A BRAIN TUMOUR (All In The Mind: 12/01/2008)
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2008/2105433.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2008/2105433.htm
SAVING NEMO (Science Show: 12/01/2008)
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2008/2123829.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2008/2123829.htm
ATUL GAWANDE (Background Briefing: 13/01/2008)
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/2008/2122487.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/2008/2122487.htm
== COMING UP ON ABC RADIO == http://www.abc.net.au/science/programs/
SCIENCE SHOW - The Garrison Keillor of Chemistry.
Saturday 19 January, 12.05pm & Monday 21 January, 7.05pm RN
The Garrison Keillor of Chemistry.
Peter Agre comes from the permafrosted precincts of the mid-Western USA celebrated every week on A Prairie Home Companion. He calls himself a kind of atomically charged Garrison Keillor His approach, though laconic, was good enough to score him a Nobel Prize – and he tells his life story in a Deakin Lecture of relaxed charm and scientific acuity.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/
Saturday 19 January, 12.05pm & Monday 21 January, 7.05pm RN
The Garrison Keillor of Chemistry.
Peter Agre comes from the permafrosted precincts of the mid-Western USA celebrated every week on A Prairie Home Companion. He calls himself a kind of atomically charged Garrison Keillor His approach, though laconic, was good enough to score him a Nobel Prize – and he tells his life story in a Deakin Lecture of relaxed charm and scientific acuity.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/
ALL IN THE MIND – Behind the scenes: animal experimentation and ethics committees
Saturday 19 January, 1.05pm, & Monday 21 January, 1.05pm RN
A rare glimpse from the inside. An Australian neuroscientist and an animal welfarist share their experiences of working together on animal experimental and ethics committees. Personal philosophies are challenged, compromises are made, and change happens through dialogue. Good animal welfare equals good science, they argue. But does good science always underpin animal welfare? Also, a vet turned animal welfare researcher, now driving the effort to improve methods of pain reduction for lab animals
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/
Saturday 19 January, 1.05pm, & Monday 21 January, 1.05pm RN
A rare glimpse from the inside. An Australian neuroscientist and an animal welfarist share their experiences of working together on animal experimental and ethics committees. Personal philosophies are challenged, compromises are made, and change happens through dialogue. Good animal welfare equals good science, they argue. But does good science always underpin animal welfare? Also, a vet turned animal welfare researcher, now driving the effort to improve methods of pain reduction for lab animals
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/
THE PHILOSOPHER'S ZONE – Philosophy for lunch
Saturday 19 January, 1.30pm, & Monday 21 January, 1.35pm RN
Earlier this year, the Australasian Association of Philosophy did something very unusual: it held a press conference. It was a lunch too, and as the tables were cleared, I chatted about mind and morals with three philosophers: David Chalmers from the Australian National University, Susan Dodds from University of Wollongong and Raimund Gaita from the Australian Catholic University and King's College London.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/default.htm
Saturday 19 January, 1.30pm, & Monday 21 January, 1.35pm RN
Earlier this year, the Australasian Association of Philosophy did something very unusual: it held a press conference. It was a lunch too, and as the tables were cleared, I chatted about mind and morals with three philosophers: David Chalmers from the Australian National University, Susan Dodds from University of Wollongong and Raimund Gaita from the Australian Catholic University and King's College London.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/default.htm
OCKHAM'S RAZOR - Is it really me? A question of bodily integration and identity
Sunday 20 January, 8.45am RN
Professor John Bradshaw, a neuropsychologist from Monash University in Melbourne, has a neurological explanation for a not uncommon phenomenon, that of experiencing the powerful and disturbing sensation of someone watching us or standing behind us, whether or not there is really someone there.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/
Sunday 20 January, 8.45am RN
Professor John Bradshaw, a neuropsychologist from Monash University in Melbourne, has a neurological explanation for a not uncommon phenomenon, that of experiencing the powerful and disturbing sensation of someone watching us or standing behind us, whether or not there is really someone there.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/
INNOVATIONS
Sunday 20 January (0830hrs UT), Monday 21 January (1330 & 1705hrs UT), Wednesday 23 January (0430hrs UT), Radio Australia
A bird flu vaccine tag that will prevent the mass culling of uninfected birds; Australian medical volunteers train locals to give sight to the East Timorese and, a process to make all waste plastics useful.
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations/
Sunday 20 January (0830hrs UT), Monday 21 January (1330 & 1705hrs UT), Wednesday 23 January (0430hrs UT), Radio Australia
A bird flu vaccine tag that will prevent the mass culling of uninfected birds; Australian medical volunteers train locals to give sight to the East Timorese and, a process to make all waste plastics useful.
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations/
HEALTH REPORT - Surviving cancer
Monday 21 January, 8.30am and 8.05pm RN
Because cancer screening procedures and treatments are continually improving many more people are surviving the disease. However, dealing with the shock of a cancer diagnosis is the first of many challenging and difficult hurdles one faces. We hear some personal experiences in the journey to cancer survival and the latest research on how to meet people's social and emotional needs to ensure a better quality of life during and after treatment.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/
Monday 21 January, 8.30am and 8.05pm RN
Because cancer screening procedures and treatments are continually improving many more people are surviving the disease. However, dealing with the shock of a cancer diagnosis is the first of many challenging and difficult hurdles one faces. We hear some personal experiences in the journey to cancer survival and the latest research on how to meet people's social and emotional needs to ensure a better quality of life during and after treatment.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/
IN CONVERSATION - Teeth and human evolution
Thursday 24 January, 7.35pm RN
This week, Alison Leigh is In Conversation with Shara Bailey, who calls herself a dental palaeoanthropologist. Professor Bailey, from New York University, uses teeth as tools to study the human fossil record.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/inconversation/
Thursday 24 January, 7.35pm RN
This week, Alison Leigh is In Conversation with Shara Bailey, who calls herself a dental palaeoanthropologist. Professor Bailey, from New York University, uses teeth as tools to study the human fossil record.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/inconversation/
== COMING UP ON ABC TV == http://www.abc.net.au/science/programs/
SLEEK GEEKS – Time
Thursday 24 January, 8pm
The Sleek Geeks examine Einstein's mind-bending theory of relativity as it relates to time and the speed of light. And if that doesn't throw your body clock out of kilter we'll illustrate that none of us are actually living in the real world, because we're all on time delay. Things will speed up when we see Adam react to one of the world's fastest bowlers. But don't worry. We'll also show you the world's slowest experiment
http://www.abc.net.au/science/sleekgeeks/
Thursday 24 January, 8pm
The Sleek Geeks examine Einstein's mind-bending theory of relativity as it relates to time and the speed of light. And if that doesn't throw your body clock out of kilter we'll illustrate that none of us are actually living in the real world, because we're all on time delay. Things will speed up when we see Adam react to one of the world's fastest bowlers. But don't worry. We'll also show you the world's slowest experiment
http://www.abc.net.au/science/sleekgeeks/
STRANGE DAYS ON PLANET EARTH – Invaders
Tuesday 22 January, 8:35pm
More and more plants and animals are turning up where they don't belong. The global system of transportation is carrying them around the world. Alarmingly alien species have the potential to cause damage to the health and wellbeing of our communities and need to be kept in check.
Tuesday 22 January, 8:35pm
More and more plants and animals are turning up where they don't belong. The global system of transportation is carrying them around the world. Alarmingly alien species have the potential to cause damage to the health and wellbeing of our communities and need to be kept in check.
== COMING UP ON ABC2 - ABC DIGITAL TV == http://www.abc.net.au/tv/abc2/
PRIMAL INSTINCTS - Fear– Saturday 5pm
NAKED SCIENCE – Thursday 8am
TREKS IN A WILD WORLD - Thursday 5:30pm
CARBON COPS – Friday 5:30pm
