Week In Science

For readers interested in brief accounts of recent scientific discoveries here are three items and their links.

The first one is entitled 'Elephants' jumbo mirror ability' and tells of a discovery that adds elephants to the company of humans, apes and dolphins with respect to a common ability to recognize their own mirror reflection and by doing so show a capacity for self-awareness.

'Self-Replicating RNA'

(taken from http://intelligent-sequences.blogspot.com)

In his usually brilliant style David Berlinski disposes of another Darwinian myth with scientific truth. Here is a part of his essay entitled 'On the Origins of Life.' My comments appear in bold print.

The website TalkOrigins features an essay entitled 'What is Evolution.' The essay poses the following question:

"What exactly do biologists mean when they say that they have observed evolution or that humans and chimps have evolved from a common ancestor?"

A news story of the Medical College of Georgia entitled 'Receptor that enables clear corneas is identified' cites the function of a receptor protein known as sflt-1 which has been identified as an inhibitor of blood vessel growth in corneas.

"Intra-cellular trafficking" discoveries of University of Illinois at Chicago researchers were revealed in a UIC News Release entitled 'Molecular Mechanism Provides Intra-Cellular Traffic Signal.' The cellular traffic management process is well coordinated so as to allow for "maximum flow through cellular compartments." Yeast cells were used in the study however it is believed that the discovered mechanisms have counterparts in other mammalian cells including humans.

A news story, 'U of M Identifies Cell Line That is Resistant to Retroviruses, Including HIV,' about a protein and a potential strategy against HIV comes out of the University of Minnesota. My comments appear with the italicized news story.

A Biocompare news story entitled 'Enzyme Shreds Alzheimer's Protein' provides information about an enzyme that may have significance in the battle against Alzheimer's disease. The story is of interest on several levels. The italicized article is interspersed with my comments in bold print.

Today www.weekinscience.com was launched!!

It will provide a weekly digest of current science news, articles and opinion columns covering biology, geology, the physical sciences, mathematics and more.