Sonic black hole

Black holes are intimidating and cruel. It swallows you in one gulp and leaves no traces behind.
However, this recent sonic black hole created by mankind, is not known to pose any threat to Earth. In fact, it makes our planet less noisy.

The new foolproof invention owes its success to the Israel scientists who created a black hole for sound. It sucks the sound waves in, and prevents any form of escape. Since atoms moving between the clouds are faster than sound, any sound wave trying to escape will fall farther and farther behind, never able to escape the sonic event horizon.

This theory was structured back in the early 1980s but it has only materialised now. The black hole will generate more links to the existence of Hawking radiation, an unfounded hypothesis about some sort of emission just outside of a black hole. Though this research may not appeared to be advantageous to the day to day life yet, it gives deeper understanding of how the universe works.

Condom "cedit cards" ??

The one thing that drives many people to use their credit cards to purchase items is the rebate policy. But ever heard of the condom policy in credit cards? I bet not.

Britain has the highest teen-pregnancy rate in Europe. In order to salvage their reputation, a plan has emerged from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Boys as young as 12 are to get condom "credit cards" by attending a safe-sex counselling session. They can get condoms by using these cards at football grounds, barbers' shops and scout huts.

Currently, some local councils have already started issuing the cards. They will available nationwide for boys aged 13 and above by the end of the year.

Higher hopes for transplants

Stem cells are known as the "do-it-all" cells simply because they are able to differentiate into all kinds of specialised cells and tissue in your body. Embryonic stem cells are the most undifferentiated and unspecialised cells which have the highest potential to differentiate into any kind of cell. Although this theory doesn't see eye to eye with some religious groups, many people are beginning to understand the underlying purpose of such technology. It presents a route to saving more lives and creating new ones. Obama has overturn Bush's limits on using federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research, with advisers calling the move a clearer signal to science.

Recently, researchers have found a safe way to turn skin cells to stem cells- just like transforming an adult into a baby. This is the first safe method of generating patient specific stem cells, further reducing the probablity of tissue rejection in organ transplant. And it also eliminates some of the religious conflicts as this doesn't involve or destroy embryos.

This technology will soon allow us to expand the range of possible stem cell therapies for the entire human body and accelerate the field of regenerative medicine. It is so promising that researchers are hoping to apply for approval to begin clinic trials by the middle of next year.

Bile Acids in your Teeth?!~

YES. The bile acids that is produced to aid in breakdown of cholesterol in the liver. Bile acids are found in the gall bladder and released during digestion of lipds.

Modern dental fillings either contain mercury or a substance called bisphenol A. These substances assist in the hardening of the filling but they are also potentially toxic to the environment and humans.

In view of this problem, a project carried out by a group of chemists in University of Montreal aimed at creating a new substance for replacement. They mixed bile acids with chemical fillers to form a resin that hardens into a tough plastic upon exposure to blue light.

Preliminary tests suggest the bile-acid filling is just as durable as conventional fillings and even more resistant to cracking. Since bile acids are already found in the human body, they should be safe. Even if they were to rot, it will be absolutely fine.
Human bile acids are chemically identical to those found in pigs, cattle, and many other animals, so farms could provide a cheap and abundant supply of the filling ingredient.
But unfortunately, many would find it revolting to have a product of animal digestion fixed into their mouth cavities!

Well, think again. Would you rather put a mercury-containing material into your body, knowing that some of it could end up in a vital organ? I guess not.
Still, the choice is up to you!

Exploding bubbles trim enlarged prostate??

Prostate enlargement is a common ailment for a third of the U.S men in their 50s and half for those in their 70s and 80s. If left unchecked, enlarged prostates can create medical problems by impeding the flow of urine. Eventually, surgery is needed to keep urine from being completely shut off.

But don't fret if you happen to be one of them! Because science is always there to make the impossible, possible.
Histrotripsy, a method carried out by sending high-energy ultrasound through skin to create microscopic bubbles in the prostrate. The bubbles grow and collapse, a condition known as cavitation. Cativation helps to liquify tissue, thus, turning the unwanted tissue in the enlarge prostate into mush, which will be washed out of the body through urine.

This theory has been proven effective in dogs and virtually painless for them. Since the prostate in dogs is very similar to that of human beings', it is reasonable to say that it might work for elderly men suffering from this problem.

CROP CIRCLES

I believe many of you have either heard of or seen images of bizarre-looking pattterns appearing on cropfields in the West. Indeed, this phenomenon is as mysterious as it seems; cos till now, nobody is able to fully account for the existence of these strange patterns known as, Crop Circles.

Most circles are concentrated in the south of England, and several have been spotted in United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and many other parts of the world. This crops tend to be created at night, and rise and shine the next morning, a brand new crop pattern appears distinctly on any type of field.


The pattern is created when certain areas of the crops are tamped down, but others are left intact. The edge is so clean that it looks like it was created with a machine. Even though the stalks are bent, they are not damaged. Most of the time, the crop continues to grow as normal.











In the past, these crop circles appeared to be in simple circles. However, as decades passed, these patterns gradually evolved into more elaborate designs consisting of several interconnecting geometric shapes. The number of crop circles also hiked steeply from hundreds to thousands as these patterns are formed sporadically.

Crop circles are not just mainly circles. They come different shapes and sizes. It can vary from just a few inches to a few hundred feets long. Crops can be made to look like just about anything -- smiling faces, flowers or even words. Crop circles are sometimes unique designs, but they can also be based on ancient motifs.


A professor from Boston University carried out a research on crop circles and discovered that besides being intricately designed, the positions of the circles, triangles and other shapes were placed based on specific numerical relationships. In one crop circle that had an outer and an inner circle, the area of the outer circle was exactly four times that of the inner circle. This can be used in the argument of believers who claim that these designs are made from supernatural powers or are imprints left by landing spacecraft or messages brought from afar for us earthlings. Some eyewitnesses claim to have seen UFO-like lights and strange noises emanating from crop circle sites.


Some scientists, based on strong magnetic fields inside crop circles, believes that the earth creates its own energy, which forms the circles. One possible form of earth energy is electromagnetic radiation. Crops in circles were damaged much in the same way as plants heated in a microwave oven as well.
OR, it may be elaborate hoaxes perpetrated by teams of circlemakers. Still, nobody is able to fully account for all the crop circles in the World.


Believers and naysayers each have their own theories, but the truth remains elusive.

Mosquito Music

Any idea how does a male mosquito and a female mosquito meet each other to mate? The answer is music.
They create synchronised wing beats to detect one another. This harmonising melody allows them to meet and mate. It takes about 400 hz for female and 600hz for male mosquitoes to flap in order for such harmonisation to take place.

Scientists believe that if they are able to disrupt this flow of melody, it might be the key to prevent uncontrolled mosquito breeding and dengue fever.