GMO News: Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Foods

If you know nothing about genetically modified foods, this article is for you. The pro's are clear, GMO foods produced by the US allow for crops to survive for longer and grow in conditions they normally would not. But the European Unions ban on GMOs is also very clear, as these crops are known to cause health problems and present a serious long-term health risk.

GMO Tomatoes can stay fresh for over a Month

By suppressing the A-Man and B-Hex enzymes during tomato ripeneing, researches have found that these "tomatoes could retain ripeness and a firm texture for over a month" instead of the standard 15 day tomato shelf-life. [Inhabitat]

They Grow like a Plaugue - GMO Crop is taking over Germany

The GMO strain of maize known as NK603 has been unknowingly planted on nearly 7,500 acres of Germany even though the European Union has a very explicit ban on crop. These fields contaminated with the GMO crop will have to be plowed before the maize blooms to avoid cross pollination which might create a crop epidemic. [TreeHugger]

Affecting the indexes and causing Sterility

Studies have found that genetically modified foods can affect birth weight and infant mortality rates. In Russia, a new study has reviled that GMO's can cause "long term sterility" for 2nd and 3rd generations of offspring. Though this study has not been peer-reviewed, but it has been tested thoroughly on hampsters. Click the source link to see the research details. [Inhabitots]

GMO's Cause Organ Damage
The Journal of Biological Sciences has released a study that notes the high level of pesticide toxicity found in genetically modified strains of maize have caused acute organ failure in rats. The study reports, "All three GM maize varieties contain a distinctly different pesticide residue associated with their particular GM event (glyphosate and AMPA in NK 603, modified Cry1Ab in MON 810, modified Cry3Bb1 in MON 863)... In conclusion, our data presented here strongly recommend that additional long-term (up to 2 years) animal feeding studies be performed in at least three species, preferably also multi-generational, to provide true scientifically valid data on the acute and chronic toxic effects of GM crops, feed and foods." [Business Insider] [TreeHugger]

Mind Reading is Almost Here

Ray Kurzweil said that the human brain will be reverse engineered using computers by 2020, he may have been more correct than he knew. Researchers at the Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne [EPFL] in Switzerland have created a brain-controlled al-agumented wheelchair.

The wheelchair works by "detecting specific brain patterns, but it backs that up with some artificial intelligence" along with "a pair of cameras and some image processing software that allows the wheel chair to avoid obstacles." [Engadget]

Plug Hearing Aid [Concept]

The elderly and hearing impaired just got a little bit hipper.


Source: [Gizmodo]

The Touch Hear

The Touch Hear is a revolutionary concept by the Design Incubation Center and it is a combination of a dictionary, encyclopedia and translator in one. A miniature computer like device is attached to the tip of your finger and it allows you to touch a word while you are reading and through a tiny ear piece you are able to hear the word's definition, pronunciation, related information or translation.

Medical Technology Review

The Digitization of Memories via Brain Scans

Seen in many movies such as Total Recall and the latest sci-fi thriller Gamer, the ability to digitize ones memories on to an lcd screen is becoming more and more of a reality. Researchers at University College London have gathered new evidence that memories do not differ from person to person as much as previously thought. [More Info. Here]

South Korean Scientists Transmit Broadband Signals Through A Human Arm

From Gizmodo:

Human skin is apparently a very energy-efficient conduit for transmitting data. A recent experiment achieved a rate of 10Mbps, which may put my Internet connection to shame. The experiment used small, flexible electrodes and took place at Korea University.
The finding may lead to a new generation of medical devices that can monitor blood sugar or electrical activity in the heart. Such devices cut energy needs for a monitoring network by about 90 percent compared to wireless devices running on batteries.
South Korean researchers placed electrodes about 12 inches (30 centimeters) apart on a person's arm, and found that the low-frequency electromagnetic waves travel easily through the skin without any outside interference.

Sources: [Gizmodo] [Gizmodo 2]

Nano Tech: Spray On Liquid Glass

It makes your clothing invincible to the elements. SiO2 Ultra-Thin layering spray coats clothing with a thin protective layer that repels dirt, heat, UV radiation, and infections.

The image shows the SiO2 coating on a filament of a microfibre, illustrating the 100 nanometer thick protective layer.

"... the nano-scale glass coating bonds to the surface because of the quantum forces involved. According to the manufacturers, liquid glass has a long-lasting antibacterial effect because microbes landing on the surface cannot divide or replicate easily."


"A year-long trial of the spray in a Lancashire hospital also produced "very promising" results for a range of applications including coatings for equipment, medical implants, catheters, sutures and bandages. The war graves association in the UK is investigating using the spray to treat stone monuments and grave stones, since trials have shown the coating protects against weathering and graffiti. Trials in Turkey are testing the product on monuments such as the Ataturk Mausoleum in Ankara."

Sources: [Gizmodo] [Physorg] [Boing Boing]

Cellphone use may prevent effects of Alzheimer's disease

According to researches at the University of South Florida, long-term cell phone use and the "exposure to electromagnetic waves from cellphones could both prevent some of the effects of Alzheimer's if the exposure is introduced in early adulthood, or potentially even reverse some of the impairment among those already memory-impaired." These tests are still in the early stages, but highlight the lack of real knowledge on long-term cell phone effects on humans.

Source: Engadget