Magnetic field caused by tidesSatellite observations have revealed a magnetic field emanating from the Earth’s oceans, scientists announced this week. Theorists have long suspected such a field existed, but it has escaped detection until now because it is a thousand times weaker than the better-known magnetic field generated by molten iron deep within the Earth. The interplay of the tides and the field from the Earth’s core causes pockets of positive and negative charge to gather in the oceans. These pockets in turn generate a second magnetic field as they move through the oceans. The observations may give scientists new insights on climate change, since changes in ocean flow could be tracked by watching this secondary magnetic field.Source: Science—David ShigaBureaucrats replace pyramidThe U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially released a new “food pyramid” nutrition guide, putting emphasis on the healthy and unhealthy types of fats and carbohydrates. The idea that fat should be avoided is changing, and unsaturated fats are now being accepted as a part of most meals. Along with the addition of healthy fats are healthy carbohydrates, like whole grain bread, oatmeal, and brown rice. As long as the fats and carbohydrates in your diet are of the “healthy” variety, the food administration welcomes the high percentages of total calories coming from each. But, as always, daily exercise and portion control are recommended.Source: Scientific American—Wendy GuGlobal warming’s fingerprintTumour treated outside of bodyDoctors in Italy have successfully treated cancer by entirely removing an organ from the body. A 48-year-old man’s tumour-riddled liver was extracted and subjected to radiation for 21 hours, then returned to his body. The liver was treated with boron neutron capture therapy, in which boron atoms are attached to the amino acid phenylalaline and injected into the organ. As cancerous cells grow and divide faster than regular cells, the tumour takes up the compound faster. A low energy neutron beam is then aimed at the tumour, splitting the boron atoms into high-energy particles that kill the cells. Such treatment would be impossible on an organ still inside a patient’s body, as the radiation would affect nearby tissues.Source: New Scientist—Zoe Cormier
