Secrets of sticky semen

Chimpanzees are promiscuous, and male chimps have evolved a number of ways to ensure that other chimps don’t impregnate the females they mate with. In addition to having testicles three times the size of humans, chimps have semen that solidifies. After mating, the ejaculate will form a solid plug inside a female’s vagina, preventing any other sperm from reaching the egg. The semen at the front of the spurt contains enzymes that break down other male’s plugs, whereas the rest contains the proteins that create the solid. Researchers are studying how fast the genes coding for the proteins will evolve.
-ZOE CORMIER
Source: Science

People riddled with chemicals

A UK study found that the blood of every single person tested contained potentially harmful man-made chemicals. Researchers found that all 155 people tested had at least nine dangerous compounds in their blood, including PCBs and flame retardants. The average person had 30 chemicals in their system. Almost 99 per cent of them had the dangerous pesticide DDT floating through their veins.
-ZC
Source: New Scientist

Glowing GM pet to be sold in US

By January the first genetically modified pet will be on the market in the U.S. The animal is a zebra fish that was developed in Singapore to test for water pollution. The fish, called GloFish, glows red in the presence of certain toxins in the water. Zebra fish are normally black and silver, but scientists managed to insert a gene for the red colour from sea anemones. They say it could be possible to give the animal the capability to change to as many as five different colours depending on the pollutants present in its water.
-ZC
Source: New Scientist

Robot replaces receptionists

A robot has just been given a job as a receptionist at King’s College London. Master’s students at the university designed the robot, named Inkha, which is composed of only a head and shoulders. She is driven by nine motors and a laptop computer, and uses hidden cameras and infrared sensors to detect motion. In addition to being able to give directions and answer simple questions about the campus, the robot has been programmed to behave like a human receptionist. She can chat to people about fashion and the weather-if she doesn’t like your clothes, she will “ask whether you got dressed in the dark,” If she gets bored or tired, she will ask for a cup of tea.
-Zoe Cormier
Source: Nature