DNA breakage surprisingly rare

DNA breakage during replication in Escherichia coli occurs at a frequency 20-100 times lower than previously thought, according to a report published this week in Nature Genetics, which describes a new technique to visualize strand breaks in vivo. The rate at which these breaks occurs is still surprisingly common (at 1 break in every 100 chromosomal replications), making DNA repair a highly significant factor in radiation biology and radiation risk estimation (among other fields).

See Nature Genetics.

Cell Wall Curvature and Cell Function

Scientists in Germany and Israel have demonstrated through mathematical modelling of an attraction between proteins that is induced solely by membrane curvature, that a group of specialized proteins can sense and create membrane curvature, and direct membrane remodelling in cells. This has long been suspected as being a means by which cell surface shape and function is determined and could have consequences for cancer biology.

See Nature.com.

Ghostly ring provides strong evidence for dark matter

A ring-shaped distribution of mass in a galaxy cluster five billion light-years from Earth is the strongest evidence yet for the existence of dark matter. This is the claim of physicists from the US and Europe, who have used data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to see how gravity is bending the light around the cluster. Unlike previous searches in other galaxy clusters, this would be the first time dark matter has been seen isolated in its own separate structure.

See PhysicsWeb.

Hot Aliens

Scientists from the US have for the first time estimated the likely dayside-nightside temperature range of an extrasolar planet, a Jupiter-sized object 63 light years away in the constellation Vulpecula (near the Dumbbell Nebula).

See Nature and Exoplanet Encyclopedia.

iPod sized device to monitor fetal heartbeat

Discerning the heartbeat of a baby still in the womb is a bit like making out a murmur in a crowded room. However, researchers at the University of Nottingham have designed a fetal heart monitor that can accurately distinguish a fetus's heart rate from its mother's and from surrounding noises. What's more, they've made the device noninvasive, small, and easy to use in the home.

See Technology Review.

New Approach to Quantum Dots could boost Solar Panels

Rice University scientists have revealed a breakthrough method for producing quantum dots which could lead to better, cheaper solar energy panels. The research by scientists at Rice's Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) describes a new chemical method for making four-legged cadmium selenide quantum dots, which previous research has shown to be particularly effective at converting sunlight into electrical energy.

See ScienceDaily.

Resuscitating the recently dead?

Conventional wisdom has been that loss of circulation after a heart attack means cells have died. After just four or five minutes, the patient can't be revived because the tissues of the brain and heart have suffered irreversible damage from lack of oxygen. But new evidence shows that cells cut off from their blood supply only eventualy die hours later - leaving open the fascinating possibility that resuscitation of the apparently dead may be possible.

See Newsweek.

Physical Constants Look-up

The resources section of the site now has a link to the NIST website for looking up the latest precision figures for the Physical Constants in various units.

See Resources.