Tinkering extends life of organism by 10-fold

Scientists have increased the lifespan of yeast, microbes responsible for creating bread and beer, by 10-fold (ten times). That’s twice the previous record for life extension in an organism. This accomplishment is mostly going towards efforts to extend human lives. The yeast lived for about ten weeks instead of living for only one week through genetic tinkering and a low calorie diet. "We've reprogrammed the healthy life of an organism," said Valter Longo, a biologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles who led the life-prolonging experiments. "Evolution designed our genes, our army, to be ready for growth and reproduction," Longo told LiveScience. Problem is, pooling the body's efforts into growing makes room for genetic errors that lead to age-related disease. "We can use our energy to grow and reproduce, or protect ourselves."Longo and his team previously found two genes related to growth and development in cancer that are similar in humans and yeast. They are so alike that you can put the human one into the yeast one and it will still work. Longo thinks that genes act like generals of the genetic army, ordering troops to protect the body’s DNA under caloric stress instead of fighting for growth. To find out how the age-defying treatment works in humans, Longo and his group are now studying Ecuadorians who have similar mutations in age-controlling genes used in the yeast. “People with two copies of the mutations have very small stature and other defects,” he said. Despite the problems, Longo said, the people likely benefit from their condition. "So far, we have never seen cancer in people who have two copies of the mutated genes," he said. “We are now identifying the relatives with only one copy of the mutation, who are apparently normal. We hope that they will show a reduced incidence of diseases and an extended life span." In my opinion I don't actually think Longo is going to get anywhere with this. I just don't believe it is possible for humans to play "God" with humans. Also, plants are not as complicated as humans.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22651648/

Is She Or Isn't She?

Cairo, Egypt- A couple of months after Egypt announced that acherologists have identified a mummy as the most powerful queen of her time, scientists in the basement of a muesmem are still trying to analyze the DNA from the bald 3,500-year-old corpse to try to back up the claim aired on TV. Progress is slow, but so far results indicate the linewrapped mummy is most likely, but not comclusively, Queen Hatshepsut. Egyptology has been led by foriegners for the last 200 years. It’s time Egyptian scientists took control, said Zahi Hawass, Egypts antiquities chief. Many history channels such as Discovery Channel have aired shows and documentries about this unaccurate information. In June, Egypt announced that Hashepsut’s mummy has been found. Discovery Channel aired another documentary, even though the DNA testing is incomplete. Now scientists are comparing Hatshepsut’s DNA to her granmother’s DNA from her mummy that has been alredy identified. But this was incomplete, proving nothing. So the mummy is a mystery people are trying to make reality. In my opinnion, unless you are a hundred percent sure you are correct, don’t make and conclusions or idenifications because it is incorrect. I also think that Discovery channel should stop helping to give out he wrong messages because they are not accurate.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/12/24/mummies.dna.ap/index.html

Earth Science Project

In class we are learning about earth science. We are doing this by researching information on specific topics we chose and then posting a wiki on omegaearthscience.pbwiki.com. And my topic was about how earthquakes occur. So this is what I have learned and chose to share. So , have you ever heard of an earthquake? Well you and almost everyone else have had. But the thing is, no one really knows why they occur. Which is what I will be sharing with you. First off, what is an earthquake? An earthquake is the movement of the earth’s plates squeezing and bending rocks causing them to brake. This brake is what causes the crust to shake and make an earthquake. This is also basically how an earthquake occurs. If that sounds way to confusing you can compare the earth’s plates to a rubber band. When you put too much tension or pressure on the rubber band by pulling it apart, it snaps. The same thing happens with the earth’s crust. The reaction is caused by a release of energy and seismic waves that shake the earth. When an earthquake occurs it moves the earth’s layers across a crack in the earth’s crust called a fault or a release of energy will cause a new fault to be produced. Earthquakes can occur all over the world but the worst earthquakes happen on plate boundaries. The reason earthquakes are more likely to happen at faults is because faults are fractured land and are more fragile to earthquakes. As much as they are dangerous, they could be avoidable. And that is what i learned from this project. I actually thought that doing a wiki was a fun way to learn something differently than just normal ordinary notes.

www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/why.html
www.iris.edu/edu/onepagers/no2.pdf

Sea lion attack

In Perth, Australia, A sea lion leaped out of the water and attacked a 13-year-old girl, Ella Murphy, as she surfed behind a speedboat off Australia’s west coast, a newspaper reported on Sunday. The damage that Ella Murphy got when the sea lion attacked her on Friday, as she was being towed by a speedboat was a broken jaw and the loss of 3 teeth. A marine scientist said that the attack of the sea lion, which can grow to be 880 pounds in weight but usually stays away from humans, was bizarre and that the sea lion might have been trying to play with her. “ This thing just exploded in full-on, frontal attack,” family friend Chris Thomas told the newspaper. “It jumped out of the water and hit her head on.” Sydney Aquarium marine scientist Grant Williams said that he had never heard of such an attack before. Seal lions can be very territorial, but usually only attack humans when provoked. Murphy is in stable condition in a hospital after having surgery, the newspaper reported. I was also surprised as well as everyone else. Getting hit by a sea lion is like getting to meet the president. It is just so rare. I feel bad for her because of her injuries but I know that after she recovers she will be bragging about her accident. Because without the negatives, it is pretty cool to be attacked by a sea lion and live.


http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/15/sealion.attack.ap/index.html

Astronaut stuck in space

Astronaut Sunita Williams is stuck in space — at least temporarily. She flew up to the international space station last December planning to come home in early July after a seven-month stay. She is going to come back a little (?) more later than she planned since she is stuck up in space. The reason she is stuck up there right now is because a hailstorm hit her on her way to space shuttle, Atlantis, damaging her fuel tank. This also affected NASA’s flight schedule for the year. Which also caused her ticket home, space shuttle Endeavour, to get off the ground several weeks later than its originally scheduled June 28 launch. Now she will have to wait longer to go back to her favorite sushi restaurant in Boston. “We're doing things we can as best we can to make her happy, and perhaps launch some special items that will make her more comfortable for that extended period of time," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's deputy manager of the space station program. "Aside from that, there's not a whole lot that one can do." Flight surgeon Dave Alexander said Williams' physical fitness, mental well-being and radiation exposure would be monitored carefully, but "right now, the predictions are Sunita can stay up for an extended period of time." During her longer stay in space, Williams is expected to break the U.S. record for continuous time in space. Her current crewmate, Michael Lopez-Alegria, will set that record when he returns to Earth on April 20 in a Russian Soyuz vehicle with 214 days in space. So at least she will benefit in a way. I feel really bad for Sunita. I can’t imagine how it would feel to be stuck in space, the middle of nowhere. I guess she is living through a nightmare right now.

Astronaut stuck in space

Astronaut Sunita Williams is stuck in space — at least temporarily. She flew up to the international space station last December planning to come home in early July after a seven-month stay. She is going to come back a little (?) more later than she planned since she is stuck up in space. The reason she is stuck up there right now is because a hailstorm hit her on her way to space shuttle, Atlantis, damaging her fuel tank. This also affected NASA’s flight schedule for the year. Which also caused her ticket home, space shuttle Endeavour, to get off the ground several weeks later than its originally scheduled June 28 launch. Now she will have to wait longer to go back to her favorite sushi restaurant in Boston. “We're doing things we can as best we can to make her happy, and perhaps launch some special items that will make her more comfortable for that extended period of time," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's deputy manager of the space station program. "Aside from that, there's not a whole lot that one can do." Flight surgeon Dave Alexander said Williams' physical fitness, mental well-being and radiation exposure would be monitored carefully, but "right now, the predictions are Sunita can stay up for an extended period of time." During her longer stay in space, Williams is expected to break the U.S. record for continuous time in space. Her current crewmate, Michael Lopez-Alegria, will set that record when he returns to Earth on April 20 in a Russian Soyuz vehicle with 214 days in space. So at least she will benefit in a way. I feel really bad for Sunita. I can’t imagine how it would feel to be stuck in space, the middle of nowhere. I guess she is living through a nightmare right now.

Astronaut stuck in space

Astronaut Sunita Williams is stuck in space — at least temporarily. She flew up to the international space station last December planning to come home in early July after a seven-month stay. She is going to come back a little (?) more later than she planned since she is stuck up in space. The reason she is stuck up there right now is because a hailstorm hit her on her way to space shuttle, Atlantis, damaging her fuel tank. This also affected NASA’s flight schedule for the year. Which also caused her ticket home, space shuttle Endeavour, to get off the ground several weeks later than its originally scheduled June 28 launch. Now she will have to wait longer to go back to her favorite sushi restaurant in Boston. “We're doing things we can as best we can to make her happy, and perhaps launch some special items that will make her more comfortable for that extended period of time," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's deputy manager of the space station program. "Aside from that, there's not a whole lot that one can do." Flight surgeon Dave Alexander said Williams' physical fitness, mental well-being and radiation exposure would be monitored carefully, but "right now, the predictions are Sunita can stay up for an extended period of time." During her longer stay in space, Williams is expected to break the U.S. record for continuous time in space. Her current crewmate, Michael Lopez-Alegria, will set that record when he returns to Earth on April 20 in a Russian Soyuz vehicle with 214 days in space. So at least she will benefit in a way. I feel really bad for Sunita. I can’t imagine how it would feel to be stuck in space, the middle of nowhere. I guess she is living through a nightmare right now.