A tipsy ton of rock
Seismologic researchers are using a number of giant boulders in southern California and Nevada as indicators of long-term earthquake magnitudes and risks. Because the rocks are still precariously balanced on rock pillars, the scientists conclude that no earthquake strong enough to topple them has occurred in a very long time. The rocks, which can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, have occupied their wobbly perches for over 10,000 years. Determining the forces needed to knock them over without actually toppling the rocks is no easy job. Using a system of pulleys and pistons, among other tools, the team has completed stability measurements of the bus-sized rocks that will be included in various models to determine seismic risks in the area. Data gathered from these oddball boulders could change building safety standards throughout the region by clarifying our picture of seismic hazards.
Source: American Scientist
-Sandy Huen
Breathalyzer for lung cancer?
There may soon be a new, non-invasive method for detecting lung cancer. Researchers have developed a cartridge that can detect telltale compounds in breath from cancerous lungs. The cartridge is covered with 36 chemically-sensitive spots that change colour when they react with distinctive volatile chemicals produced by lung cancer cells. They tested 122 participants with the cartridge, correctly identifying lung cancer in 73 per cent of patients, but incorrectly diagnosing cancer in 26 per cent of the healthy patients. Currently, lung cancer diagnosis is very difficult, and often comes only after the disease has spread. The team’s research could lead to an inexpensive test that would detect lung cancer early in its development, potentially saving many thousands of lives.
Source: Thorax
-Abigale Miller
Cool and calm
Scientists have yet to solve many of the mysteries of the human brain, but recent research has identified one mechanism that keeps neural activity in check. The hundred million nerve cells of the brain communicate through billions of junctions, called synapses, where they interface with each other. Both “positive” and “negative” signals-called excitatory and inhibitory-can be transmitted through the different types of synapses that exist in the brain, but they must be kept in balance. When an imbalance arises, diseases such as epilepsy and schizophrenia can result. The newly-discovered mechanism shows how the most common type of neuron in the cerebral cortex of the brain is prevented from over-activation. This neuron is linked to other neurons by the rare Martinotti cell that acts to protect it from hyperactivation. These findings can be used to understand the cellular basis of neurological disorders where cells are often hyperactivated, like epilepsy.
Source: Neuron
-Mayce Al-Sukhni
