Expert to help Ind. fair with stage collapse funds (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS ? Indiana officials turned Wednesday to the man who oversaw victims compensation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the BP oil spill for help deciding who will receive money donated to help victims of a deadly stage collapse at the state fair.

Indiana State Fair Commission Chairman Andre Lacy said at a news conference that victims compensation specialist Kenneth Feinberg is donating his services for the effort to distribute the money "as soon as we can."

Feinberg will help the commission develop a plan for distributing the money, including determining who's eligible and a claims process.

Seven people died and at least four dozen were injured Aug. 13 after high winds toppled the stage scaffolding onto a crowd awaiting a performance by the country band Sugarland at the Indiana State Fair.

About $263,000 has been donated so far to the State Fair Remembrance Fund, which was created two days after the stage collapse. That does not include about $554,000 in concert proceeds donated by the bands Maroon 5 and Train.

Donations ranged from $124 raised by a two girls at a Speedway lemonade stand to $65,000 donated by Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon and his team, said Brian Payne, chief executive of the Central Indiana Community Foundation.

While the foundation will continue to accept donations for the victims, the money will be paid out through a special state fair relief fund that Gov. Mitch Daniels authorized by executive order, Lacy said.

Payments handled this way should be distributed more quickly because the state doesn't face the same regulatory restrictions as the foundation, Payne said.

Feinberg also will help the Indiana attorney general's office devise a system for resolving legal claims resulting from the collapse, officials said.

Indiana law caps damages that can be recovered in lawsuits against the state to $700,000 per person or $5 million total per incident.

"We want to move to pay the full $5 million that the state's law allows as soon as an equitable formula can be devised. My goal is to focus on the needs of victims and their families while minimizing the expense of lengthy and costly litigation," Attorney General Greg Zoeller said in a news release.

Victims who received benefits from the 9/11 fund and the BP spill fund had to sign waivers promising not to sue, but Lacy said the State Fair Relief Fund was completely separate from any legal compensation, and its sole purpose was to get charitable donations to the victims.

"We really care to do this as best and as right as we can," he said.

Lacy did not answer when a reporter asked whether state officials had considered waiving the state's $5 million liability cap.

Fair officials have said they weren't thinking about money when they were deciding whether to evacuate thousands of fans from the grandstand as severe weather was moving into the area. On Wednesday, they responded to public records requests by releasing a copy of an unsigned contract drawn up for Sugarland's performance.

The document shows the fair would have paid the band at least $335,000 for the show, plus 85 percent of proceeds collected above $470,000.

An "inclement weather" clause requires the fair to pay the band even if the show was canceled because of weather. The clause also states emphatically that the "artist will not perform on a wet stage."

Sugarland's agent sent fair officials a memo on Aug. 17 saying the band would not seek payment. The letter cited a separate "act of God" clause in the contract as the reason.

Fair spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland said it is routine for bands to wait to sign final contracts until the show has started or afterward.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110831/ap_on_re_us/us_indiana_fair_donations

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Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now

http://www.popsci.com enhttp://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-09/rdio-and-mog-jump-free-music-bandwagon <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/freeplay_tooltip_musicadded.png" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>MOG's FreePlay Service</strong> <em>MOG</em></div></div><div>Can eliminating any cost at all give subscription music services a leg up in the U.S.? <!--paging_filter--><p>When <a href="http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-07/european-streaming-music-service-spotify-comes-america">Spotify launched in the U.S.</a>, it came with a ton of hype and momentum, but not actually a ton of improvements over our homegrown services, namely Rdio and MOG. The big difference, the difference that all the analysts said would finally allow subscription services to make it big in this wonderful, backwards country of ours, is Spotify's free service. And now Rdio and MOG have debuted their own free versions.</p> <p>As a quick brief, <a href="http://www.spotify.com">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://www.rdio.com">Rdio</a>, and <a href="http://www.mog.com">MOG</a> are subscription music services--it might be easiest to think about them as Netflix for music. You pay a very low flat monthly fee, and then you get access to all the music you can stream. There are some differences in the catalogs of these services, but they all have millions upon millions of songs, so it tends to be a rarity when you want to listen to something they don't have. All offer some kind of mobile app, usually with a download option so you can listen even when you don't have service (like on the subway). Of course, as soon as you stop paying, you lose your access, but we really love these services; that instant when you realize you can listen to anything, absolutely anything, on any device, completely legally, gives you that "whoosh" feeling of "whoa, this is the future."</p> <p>Spotify's free version, which they refer to as "freemium" but we will not because that is not a word (according to the Scrabble dictionary, which is the only dictionary anyone needs), is necessarily crippled: It's ad-supported, but there still need to be a few big limits to encourage heavy users to eventually make the leap to the paid versions. The tiers have become pretty standard: A free version, ad-supported in some way, which limits you to a web-only interface and likely some kind of capped amount of music you can listen to, sits at the bottom tier. Above that is a $5-per-month tier, which gives you unlimited access and no ads. And above that is the $10-per-month tier, which everyone should really get because seriously, $10 is not a lot of money, which adds offline downloading and, most importantly, access to the smartphone app.</p> <p>Rdio and MOG both have strengths Spotify doesn't. Rdio's interface is easily the nicest of the three, and its "collection" idea (in which you build a music collection within Rdio, rather than relying on playlists) makes much more sense than Spotify's starred playlists concept. MOG has great editorial features and a catalog that leans towards more independent tastes. And now they've both announced they'll have free versions as well.</p> <p>MOG's is <a href="http://blog.mog.com/post?num=638183703">a little bit convoluted</a>. The free version will be ad-supported, though not for the first 60 days. There will be a limit on how much you can listen to, but only sort of: you get a "tank" that shows how much listening you can still do each month, but you can also refill that tank in almost a game-like way, by sharing music via Facebook, listening to ever more music, interacting with ads, that kind of thing. It sounds like the kind of idea advertising executives love ("this way, they'll <em>want</em> to click on the ads!") and the kind of idea that users tend to dislike and/or ignore, but it does give a way of getting more free music, which we like. MOG's free service will launch today.</p> <p>Rdio's is much simpler, almost feeling rushed. Rdio will now have a free version, without ads, though it's not yet clear whether there will be any sort of limit on how much you can listen to (we would assume so, otherwise there's no reason to jump to the $5-per-month tier). Rdio's free service will launch "soon." </p> <p>Will these free versions encourage more users to jump into the subscription well? I certainly hope so; these are great services, all of them, and definitely have the potential to, for example, curb illegal pirating, even if they don't <a href="http://www.coolfer.com/blog/archives/2008/12/todays_playlist.php">earn much for artists</a>. All of these services, especially MOG and Spotify, lean on Facebook integration, which is a great idea: you can see what your friends are listening to, share or recommend music, all without having to worry about actually getting the music itself, since you already have access to it. We just hope enough people sign up for the paid versions to keep these services afloat.</p> </div>TechnologyDan Nosowitzaudiofreefreemiummogmusicrdiospotifystreaming musicstreaming music servicessubscription music servicessubscriptionsThu, 15 Sep 2011 15:15:48 +0000Dan Nosowitz57026 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-09/building-underwater-microphone-modeled-orca-ears <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/PSC1011_HL_076.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>Wet Noise</strong> <em><a href =www.coherentimages.com">coherentimages.com</a></em></div></div><div> <!--paging_filter--><p>Ocean research, navigation, seafloor mapping, object-tracking (sonar, for example)-they all rely on sound, which is still the best way to transmit information through water. So we wanted to build the ultimate hydrophone, one that could listen to the quietest sounds and the loudest sounds and could work anywhere, even six miles underwater, where the atmospheric pressure is 1,000 times as much as it is up top. Whale ears were our inspiration. </p> <p>Some deep-diving whales, like orcas, can change their internal ear pressure to match the pressure around them, which helps them hear much better. We made a hydrophone that could do the same thing. Its sensor has three silicon diaphragms. Each is one hundredth the width of a human hair and is covered with thousands of tiny holes that let water pass through. The deeper the sensor goes, the more water flows in, equalizing the pressure and making the sensor much more sensitive to sound. That solved one problem, but it also created a new one. The diaphragms move very little when sound hits them, especially when it's deep, because water is not very compressible. The quietest sounds in the ocean will move a diaphragm just 0.00001 nanometers; that's almost one 10,000th of an atom's diameter. The motion is so subtle, the approach seemed like a dead end. But it turns out it's possible to detect that movement with lasers. </p> <p>In our hydrophone, a branched fiber-optic cable runs into the sensor; one branch has a laser and the other an optical detector. The laser shines light on the diaphragms. The diaphragms bounce light back to the optical detector, which translates the reflections into a measure of sound. The hydrophone can hear a range of 160 decibels-that's like being able to detect whispering in a library and a ton of TNT exploding 60 feet away without distortion. At the low-frequency end, it mostly hears the seismic rumblings of the planet. At the high end, it detects the sound of water molecules bouncing off the sensor.</p> <p><em> Kilic is an applied physicist at Stanford University.</em></p> </div>Technologyearsheadlinesmicrophonesoctober 2011orcasrough sketchunderwater microphonesThu, 15 Sep 2011 14:10:00 +0000<p>Onur Kilic, as told to Flora Lichtman</p> 56758 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2011-09/dyson-hot-review-now-were-innovating <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/dysonhot-525.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>The Dyson Hot</strong> Showing off its full range of oscillation <em><a href="http://www.thelondonbroil.com/">Dan Bracaglia</a></em></div></div><div>By adding heat to its nifty, puzzling Air Multiplier bladeless fan, Dyson has found the most naturally useful application for its latest engineering trick <!--paging_filter--><p>If you've seen his vacuum commercials, you know James Dyson loves nothing more than solving a deceptively simple engineering problem. Oh, how it delights him. But when his company introduced its nifty but ultimately confounding Air Multiplier fan last year, it solved a problem suffered by no one: the "uncomfortable buffeting" of air flowing from a common, bladed desktop fan. The engineering involved in shooting air forcefully and smoothly from the Multiplier's eye-catching ring was impressive, but its reason for being fell flat. </p> <p>As it turns out, all it takes to turn a good-looking but ultimately strange product into something legitimately, usefully innovative is the addition of hot air. The Dyson Hot-essentially an Air Multiplier fan with a heating element-is proof. <!--break--></p> <h3>WHAT'S NEW</h3> <p>As stated previously, the Hot takes the same turbojet-forced-through-a-window-crack <a href="https://mail.bonniercorp.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.google.com/patents?id=rAHWAAAAEBAJ%26printsec=frontcover%26dq=dyson%2Bfan%26hl=en%26ei=zkhxTt7_PIfw0gHCo9yVDw%26sa=X%26oi=book_result%26ct=result%26resnum=4%26ved=0CDcQ6AEwAw">airflow technology</a> found in the original Air Multiplier and adds two traditional ceramic heating elements to the sides of the hoop-hence its comparatively ovoid shape. Of course, you can turn these heating elements off, giving you a useful device for the summertime, too. </p> <h3>WHAT'S GOOD</h3> <p>With the heat element added, the Hot (a bit awkwardly named, no?) becomes capable of actively changing the climate of a room, as opposed to moving around the air that's already present. And as it turns out, I have the dubious good fortune to know of an excellent place to test such a thing, even in late summer-inside my absurdly air conditioned office. Due to an unfortunate combination of thermostat and air duct placement, it's been sweater weather inside my office all summer long. So setting aside the absurdity and wastefulness of combating extreme A/C with a space heater, the Dyson did quite well bringing the temperature of my work space into the habitable zone.</p> <p>While I've not yet had the gall to bring a conventionally fanned (or fanless) electric heater into my office in the middle of summer for comparison (but boy have I considered it), the Hot warmed my approximately eight by eight foot space quickly and easily. Since the heat elements are fully enclosed in ABS plastic and insulation, there is a significantly reduced risk of catching anything on fire (don't laugh-thousands of house fires annually are caused by space heaters gone awry). Plus-no dust burning smell. All I caught was a subtle initial aroma of warm electronics, which is a smell I quite enjoy. </p> <p>Brandishing a trusty infrared spot thermometer, the hottest surface I could pick up was the plastic immediately surrounding the fan ring's aperture. And the highest reading I found was around 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Certainly very hot to the touch, but you'd have to hold your finger there a long time to suffer a burn. And this was right at the aperture's opening-the immediately surrounding plastic was much cooler. And readings just about everywhere else on the fan were innocuous-80 to 90 degrees, tops. Just in case, a tilt-sensor shuts the power down if the fan is knocked over. </p> <p>In operation, the Hot is full of the clever, simple design touches that have become Dyson's norm. The controls are minimal-a button each for power and rotation, and two-way toggles for thermostat temperature and fan speed are all you see. The fan automatically pauses mid-rotation if you forego the included remote and make an adjustment to its buttons while it's in motion, waiting a few courteous seconds after your final button press to resume its rotation. </p> <h3>WHAT'S BAD</h3> <p>It's $400, which is mighty pricey for a space heater (at least it's a fan in warmer months, though). And while heating, it consumes 1500 watts of power-fairly typical for a space heater, but not an area where Dyson chose to innovate here. </p> <p>Additionally, I found the thermostat to be a bit inconsistent. There were times I felt my office creep back down into the uncomfortably chilly range, and yet the Hot failed to kick back in on its own. Curiously, goosing the temperature gauge up to start the flow of air and then immediately setting it back down to the previous temperature would cause the fan to run for an extended period, making me think it hadn't kicked back on soon enough. Granted, my clash of two climate control systems is probably not a typical use case, so your mileage may vary. </p> <h3>THE PRICE</h3> <p>Yeah. $400. </p> <h3>THE VERDICT</h3> <p>The Hot seems to be the ideal implementation of Dyson's bladeless fan tech-so much so that we wondered if the Air Multiplier was just a practice run. </p> <p>"We launched it in winter," Dyson told us, speaking of the original heatless Air Multiplier fan. "And we certainly said, 'This is absolutely mad, we should be doing a heater.' It's kind of an obvious extension, being able to circulate the air in a room very well, to not just do it with cold air but to do with hot air. It's sort of an obvious thing to do."</p> <p>After testing, I agree. </p> </div>GadgetsTesting the GoodsJohn Mahoneydysondyson air multiplierdyson hotinventionstesting the goodsThu, 15 Sep 2011 01:24:13 +0000John Mahoney57016 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2011-09/mice-finally-get-microscope-hat-theyve-been-wanting <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/Screen shot 2011-09-14 at 5.26.10 PM.png" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>Microscope Hat for Mice</strong> <em>Dan Stober, Stanford News Service</em></div></div><div> <!--paging_filter--><p>Scientists use mice for all kinds of fun things, from <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/study-finds-injecting-old-mice-young-mouse-blood-has-rejuvenation-effect">injecting</a> old mice with young mouse blood to training them to <a href="http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-02/israelis-ditching-dogs-teams-highly-trained-bomb-sniffing-mice">sniff for bombs</a>, but when doing research, it's often very difficult to see what's actually going on in a mouse's brain. A new microscope actually mounts to a mouse's head like a hat, allowing the mouse to freely move around while the scientists try to figure out how it tastes <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/scientists-map-mouse-taste-cortex-pinpointing-brain-regions-detect-certain-flavors">umami flavor</a>, or whatever.</p> <p>Created by neuroscientists at Stanford University, this new device is a miniature fluorescent microscope so tiny and light--less than two grams--it can be mounted on a mouse's head. That will allow scientists to measure a mouse's brain function in a totally new way, while it moves, but that's not its only advantage. The new microscope is also extremely accurate, according to <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/38546/?mod=chfeatured">Technology Review</a>--it can measure the activity of up to 200 brain cells, which is more than traditional microscopes, which also have the problem of requiring the mouse to be immobile.</p> <p>Even better, the new microscope can apparently be constructed of very inexpensive parts. The first prototype of the microscope cost almost $50,000, but the researchers are confident that they can bring that price down--way down. It uses parts that are easily mass-produced, for one thing, and could be used for all kinds of different animals, not just mice. The study was published in this week's issue of <a href="http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nmeth.1694.html">Nature Methods</a>. It's all part of the <a href="http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-01/new-imaging-method-allows-long-term-studies-neurons-deep-within-brain">never-ending quest</a> to better visualize what's going on inside a mouse's adorable head.</p> <p>[<a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/38546/?mod=chfeatured">Technology Review</a>]</p> </div>GadgetsDan Nosowitzbrain cellsbrainshatsmicemicroscopesmicroscopymouse brainsWed, 14 Sep 2011 21:30:42 +0000Dan Nosowitz57013 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/researchers-capture-natural-killer-white-blood-cells-action-highest-resolution-ever <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/Screen shot 2011-09-14 at 4.30.37 PM.png" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>Natural Killer Cell</strong> <em>Imperial College London</em></div></div><div> <p>Researchers at <a href="http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_14-9-2011-8-51-31">Imperial College London</a> and the University of Oxford have pioneered a new technique to see exactly how our body's "natural killer" white blood cells actually do their dirty work. It's the first time we've ever been able to see how this element of the body's natural defenses actually works.</p><!--break--> <!-- Start of Brightcove Player --> <div style="display:none"> </div> <!-- By use of this code snippet, I agree to the Brightcove Publisher T and C found at https://accounts.brightcove.com/en/terms-and-conditions/. --> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://admin.brightcove.com/js/BrightcoveExperiences.js"></script> <object id="myExperience1159948945001" class="BrightcoveExperience"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /> <param name="width" value="526" /> <param name="height" value="395" /> <param name="playerID" value="678828481001" /> <param name="playerKey" value="AQ~~,AAAAAEvyRdA~,zO6ECUsSvxrfR9ZEgzxlyM7P1zNR1BlC" /> <param name="isVid" value="true" /> <param name="isUI" value="true" /> <param name="dynamicStreaming" value="true" /> <param name="@videoPlayer" value="1159948945001" /> </object> <!-- This script tag will cause the Brightcove Players defined above it to be created as soon as the line is read by the browser. If you wish to have the player instantiated only after the rest of the HTML is processed and the page load is complete, remove the line. --> <script type="text/javascript">brightcove.createExperiences();</script> <!-- End of Brightcove Player --> <p>There are myriad difficulties in trying to observe this kind of event. For one thing, the cells are incredibly small, and execute their, well, executions (that's an apt description, as you'll see) very, very quickly. Then there's the problem that the cells are three-dimensional (of course), while the high-speed microscopes used for this are only capable of seeing the horizontal plane. (3-D cameras are not, at the moment, quick enough to work for this.) Previously, researchers would have to painstakingly capture many 2-D images, then stack them on top of each other--not very efficient, and not particularly effective, either.</p> <p>So how did these researchers pull it off? Says Professor Paul French of Imperial College London: "Using laser tweezers to manipulate the interface between live cells into a horizontal orientation means our microscope can take many images of the cell contact interface in rapid succession. This has provided an unprecedented means to directly see dynamic molecular processes that go on between live cells." But taking lots of images at once, the researchers can reconstruct a 3-D image with ease.</p> <p>What's going on in that video above is essentially an execution. Inside the "natural killer" or "NK" cell, enzyme-filled granules organize, ready to stream out as soon as the cell creates a portal. Then, the granules attack the diseased cell. In this case, the NKs are using membrane nanotubes to pull them in, like a bungee cord.</p> <p>NKs are used by the body to attack all kinds of damaged cells, from tumors to viruses, though they also sometimes attack transplanted organs. By understanding the intricacies of this operation, the scientists hope to create better medical treatments--they might use NK cells in medicine, or discover ways to stop them from attacking foreign but welcome tissue.</p> <p>[<a href="http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_14-9-2011-8-51-31">Imperial College London</a> via <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5840223/this-is-the-most-detailed-view-of-a-cancer+killing-cell-in-action">Gizmodo</a>]</p></div>ScienceDan Nosowitzbloodblood cellscellshealthmicroscopynatural killer cellsnk cellsVideowhite blood cellsWed, 14 Sep 2011 20:30:35 +0000Dan Nosowitz57011 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-09/strechable-electronics-and-smart-tattoos-give-human-skin-upgrade-future <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/forehead.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>Peels Right Off</strong> <em>[Image courtesy of John A. Rogers</em></div></div><div>Stretchable electronics and smart tattoos give human skin an upgrade from the future <!--paging_filter--><p>Of all our human organs, skin is arguably one of the most abused - yet it's also arguably the most reliable. It protects everything inside us, helping us avoid harm by sensing obstacles in our way, making sure we stay hydrated, and ensuring we keep ourselves at the right temperature. It constantly replenishes itself, sloughing off former layers that we've either burned or dried out or scraped or ignored, while new ones grow in their places. </p> <p><em>Click here for a photo gallery of future skin technology for humans and machines.</em></p> <p>Many of skin's properties would be useful in other applications - like helping people with artificial limbs regain some of what they've lost. And an electronic skin, or at least some tactile sensory ability, could help machines understand the delicate differences in force that are required to grip an apple, a hand or a piece of steel. </p> <p>Researchers trying to duplicate its beneficial properties are building teeny stretchable electronics that can give artificial limbs a real sense of touch. </p> <p>And scientists are making several changes to human skin itself, turning it into a 21st century interface capable of much more than feeling another person's caress. From conductive tattoos that turn skin into a human-machine communications device, skin is getting plenty of upgrades. </p> <p>Click through to the gallery for a look at some recent breakthroughs in skin technology. </p> </div>TechnologyFeatureRebecca Boyleartificial limbsbiomimicrybionicdigital skinhuman-machine interactionprosthetic limbsrobotsskinsWed, 14 Sep 2011 19:30:00 +0000Rebecca Boyle56939 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/mystery-wrinkly-when-wet-fingers-solved <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/800px-Wrinkly_fingers.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>Wrinkly Fingers</strong> <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wrinkly_fingers.jpg">Wikimedia Commons: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos</a></em></div></div><div> <!--paging_filter--><p>Mystery of the century, you guys. No, the millenium. <em>All times.</em> A new paper in the journal <em><a href="http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=JournalHome&amp;ProduktNr=223831">Brain, Behavior and Evolution</a></em> has a new answer to the eternal question: why do our fingers and toes get all wrinkly after bathtime? The answer: traction.</p> <p>The old solution is that wrinkling is simply the result of your fingers and toes absorbing water after a long period of being submerged. But there are problems with this! First: why is it only our fingers and toes that get wrinkly? Second: why is this such an unusual trait among mammals (only humans and macaques get wrinkly)? Third: why, if this is a simple tale of osmosis, do our fingers and toes cease to wrinkle when nerves to them are cut?</p> <p>The paper, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21701145">which you can read here</a>, suggests that wrinkled fingers actually provide drainage for water so as to ensure greater traction, just like tires on a car. By examining the soaked fingers of 28 subjects, the scientists discovered that each finger showed a similar pattern of wrinkles: as the <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/12/really-the-claim-fingers-wrinkle-because-of-water-absorption/">New York Times</a> puts it, "unconnected channels diverging away from one another as they got more distant from the fingertips." That allows water to drain away more efficiently from the fingers as they are pressed against an object, giving more surface area and a firmer grip.</p> <p>Of course, this is all just a theory, and the scientists still have to study whether these precise rivulets actually do provide a better grip, as well as why the trait is found only in these few species. Still, it's a major step to answering the question we all asked as children (or as privileged adults with hot tubs).</p> <p>[via <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/12/really-the-claim-fingers-wrinkle-because-of-water-absorption/">New York Times</a>]</p> </div>ScienceDan Nosowitzfingersosmosisraisin fingerstoeswaterwrinkled fingerswrinkly fingersWed, 14 Sep 2011 18:30:49 +0000Dan Nosowitz57008 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-09/meet-nasas-new-deep-space-rocket <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/sls-launch-525.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>The NASA SLS</strong> <em>NASA</em></div></div><div>The Space Launch System will be the next NASA-administered launch vehicle to take humans into Earth orbit and beyond <p>Today, NASA officially announced the design of its forthcoming Space Launch System--a heavy-lift rocket capable of taking humans into deep space. It will be the primary vehicle to replace the Space Shuttle, but with significantly more power-enough to reach Mars. </p> <p>Resembling the Saturn V in both format and capabilities, the SLS is based around technology developed and honed in the Space Shuttle program. Its core stage rockets are the same RS-25 the shuttle used for main engines, and its strap-on solid rocket boosters are also similar to those used on the shuttle; these solid boosters will be used for initial flights, but NASA hopes to develop cheaper liquid-fueled detachable boosters for later missions. The J-2X engine used in the upper stage is similar to one developed by Rocketdyne for the Saturn V. </p> <p>The SLS's payload capacity will range from 70 to 130 metric tons, depending on launch configurations, making it the most powerful launch system since the Saturn V. By utilizing different combinations of the core, upper and booster stages, NASA will be able to efficiently adapt the SLS to a variety of mission types. </p> <p>And of course, the SLS will carry the Orion multi-use crew capsule, an offshoot from the now-defunct Constellation project. It is capable of carrying a crew of four to six astronauts. </p> NASA released a computer animation of the new SLS taking to the skies: <br> <!-- Start of Brightcove Player --> <div style="display:none"> </div> <!-- By use of this code snippet, I agree to the Brightcove Publisher T and C found at https://accounts.brightcove.com/en/terms-and-conditions/. --> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://admin.brightcove.com/js/BrightcoveExperiences.js"></script> <object id="myExperience1159728620001" class="BrightcoveExperience"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /> <param name="width" value="512" /> <param name="height" value="288" /> <param name="playerID" value="1016854164001" /> <param name="playerKey" value="AQ~~,AAAAAEvyRdA~,zO6ECUsSvxrymWf6MaohVXUMXYFyPW2i" /> <param name="isVid" value="true" /> <param name="isUI" value="true" /> <param name="dynamicStreaming" value="true" /> <param name="@videoPlayer" value="1159728620001" /> </object> <!-- This script tag will cause the Brightcove Players defined above it to be created as soon as the line is read by the browser. If you wish to have the player instantiated only after the rest of the HTML is processed and the page load is complete, remove the line. --> <script type="text/javascript">brightcove.createExperiences();</script> <!-- End of Brightcove Player --></div>TechnologynasaorionrocketsslsSpaceWed, 14 Sep 2011 17:05:41 +0000John Mahoney57009 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-09/next-generation-night-vision-goggles The newest goggles boast ridiculously sensitive (yet adjustable) thermal sensors as well as a data overlay--like a smartphone inside your goggles <!--paging_filter--><p>Over at <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/09/night-vision?pid=801&amp;viewall=true">Danger Room</a>, Noah Shachtman got a look at the military's current and next-gen night-vision goggles (or, more accurately, "goggle," or "monogoggle," since they only cover one eye). Hardly anyone ever gets to look at these, so to actually be able to try them out is pretty amazing. The goggles live up to the hype: they pack incredibly sensitive thermal sensors (enough so that reflections and handprints both glow) as well as embedded LCDs that transmit all kinds of data.</p> <p>The current top-of-the-line goggle is known as Enhanced Night Vision Goggles: it combines the classic glowing-green image intensification (known as "i2") with thermal sensors. The i2 is an <a href="http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-04/tapping-oled-tech-cheap-thin-film-gives-night-vision-cell-phones-eyeglasses">analog technology</a>--the military is constantly working on a digital version, but at the moment the digital version has a lag that's unacceptable--that essentially amplifies the tiny bits of light that exist even in a "pitch-black" area. But those aren't great for, say, spotting an enemy lying in the tall grass, and then can be rendered useless with a blinding flash of light.</p> <p>So the Enhanced Night Vision Goggles include a thermal sensor that's easily the most sensitive we've ever heard of. Says Shachtman: "In a specialized trailer outside the factory, ITT's Harry Buchanan shows how sensitive the thermal sensor is. He rubs his hands on the wall, then puts them back by his side. Through the eyepiece, I can still see his handprints. Then Buchanan takes his shoes off. Not only do his feet leave similar marks; his shoes continue to glow hot."</p> <p><div class="image-center"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/nvg_nms_profile-5.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div class="summary"><span class="img-title">Night Vision: The Next Generation:</span> <span class="pic-credit">&nbsp;Noah Shachtman</span></div></div></p> <p>The next version, still in alpha (and pictured above) actually shoots video and transmits it live, so a commander (or whoever) can see what the soldier sees. But it also has a built-in display, sort of like <a href="http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2011-08/you-will-actually-be-able-buy-sonys-crazy-3-d-head-mounted-display">these Sony 3-D goggles</a>, that shows just about any kind of data the soldier might need: maps, messages, locations, footage from drones or other soldiers, that kind of thing. </p> <p>Read more about the goggles over at <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/09/night-vision?pid=801&amp;viewall=true">Wired</a>.</p> TechnologyDan Nosowitzgooglesmilitarynight visionnight vision gogglessensorsthermalthermal sensorsvisionWed, 14 Sep 2011 16:30:19 +0000Dan Nosowitz57005 at http://www.popsci.comhttp://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/ten-new-or-newly-discovered-animal-evolutions-including-humans <div class="center-image"><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/DieHard_0_0.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-article_image_large" /><div><strong>A New Yorker's Worst Nightmare</strong> An evolved bedbug. <em>Volker Steger/Photo Researchers</em></div></div><div>Animals (including humans) are constantly adapting to their environments. Here are ten reminders that this incredible process is constant-not limited to the distant past <!--paging_filter--><p>When we look at how evolution has taken us from eyeless blobs to moderately capable bloggers, it can seem like a vast, unknowable force. But when we look at individual traits and how they appear and disappear in clever ways, the functioning of cause and effect is clear, and fascinating, to see. People keep poisoning your lake? Well, Mr. Fish, why don't you develop a resistance to that poison, and pass it down to your kids? Bats keep ignoring your flower and pollinating others? Well, tropical vine, how about evolving an echolocation-reflecting satellite-dish-shaped leaf? We gathered a list of ten evolutions and adaptations that are either new or newly discovered, ranging from plants to animals to, yes, people. We're not perfect, either.</p> <p><br /> <em><a href="http://popsci.com/node/56803">Click to launch</a> a list of ten amazing evolutions.</em><!--break--></p> <p>A note: these examples span a few different types of changes, including individual mutations (as with the humans), learned behaviors (as with the Muscovite dogs), new adaptations (as with the cave fish) and newly discovered evolutions (as with the satellite-dish-shaped leaf). Think of this as more of an overview of how things can change rather than any particular argument.</p> </div>ScienceFeatureDan NosowitzanimalsEVOLUTIONevolved traitsevolvinghumansNATURAL SELECTIONresistanceselective breedingtraitsWed, 14 Sep 2011 15:30:00 +0000Dan Nosowitz56853 at http://www.popsci.com

Source: http://www.popsci.com/rss.xml

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Astronauts might have to abandon space station (AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? Astronauts may need to take the unprecedented step of temporarily abandoning the International Space Station if last week's Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying there this fall.

Until officials figure out what went wrong with Russia's essential Soyuz rockets, there will be no way to launch any more astronauts before the current residents have to leave in mid-November.

The unsettling predicament comes just weeks after NASA's final space shuttle flight.

"We have plenty of options," NASA's space station program manager, Mike Suffredini, assured reporters Monday. "We'll focus on crew safety as we always do."

Abandoning the space station, even for a short period, would be an unpleasant last resort for the world's five space agencies that have spent decades working on the project. Astronauts have been living aboard the space station since 2000, and the goal is to keep it going until 2020.

Suffredini said flight controllers could keep a deserted space station operating indefinitely, as long as all major systems are working properly. The risk to the station goes up, however, if no one is on board to fix equipment breakdowns.

Six astronauts from three countries presently are living on the orbiting complex. Three are due to leave next month; the other three are supposed to check out in mid-November. They can't stay any longer because of spacecraft and landing restrictions.

The Sept. 22 launch of the very next crew ? the first to fly in this post-shuttle era ? already has been delayed indefinitely. Russia's Soyuz spacecraft have been the sole means of getting full-time station residents up and down for two years. The capsule is parked at the station until they ride it home.

To keep the orbiting outpost with a full staff of six for as long as possible, the one American and two Russians due to return to Earth on Sept. 8 will remain on board at least an extra week.

As for supplies, the space station is well stocked and could go until next summer, Suffredini said. Atlantis dropped off a year's supply of goods just last month on the final space shuttle voyage. The unmanned craft destroyed Wednesday was carrying 3 tons of supplies.

For now, operations are normal in orbit, Suffredini noted, and the additional week on board for half the crew will mean additional science research.

The Soyuz has been extremely reliable over the decades; this was the first failure in 44 Russian supply hauls for the space station. Even with such a good track record, many in and outside NASA were concerned about retiring the space shuttles before a replacement was ready to fly astronauts.

Russian space officials have set up an investigation team and until it comes up with a cause for the accident and a repair plan, the launch and landing schedules remain in question. None of the spacecraft debris has been recovered yet; the wreckage fell into a remote, wooded section of Siberia. The third stage malfunctioned; a sudden loss of pressure apparently was noted between the engine and turbopump.

While a crew may well have survived such an accident because of safety precautions built into the manned version of the rocket, no one wants to take any chances.

One or two unmanned Soyuz launches are on tap for October, one commercial and the other another space station supply run. Those would serve as important test flights before putting humans on board, Suffredini said.

NASA considered vacating the space station before, following the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. Back then, shuttles were still being used to ferry some station residents back and forth. Instead, the station got by with two-man crews for three years because of the significant cutback in supplies.

The space station's population doubled in 2009, to six. It wasn't until the space station was completed this year that science research finally took priority.

Even if the space shuttles still were flying, space station crews still would need Soyuz-launched capsules to serve as lifeboats, Suffredini said. The capsules are certified for no more than 6 1/2 months in space, thus the need to regularly rotate crews. Complicating matters is the need to land the capsules during daylight hours in Kazakhstan, resulting in weeks of blackout periods.

NASA wants American private companies to take over crew hauls, but that's three to five years away at best. Until then, Soyuz capsules are the only means of transporting astronauts to the space station.

Japan and Europe have their own cargo ships and rockets, for unmanned use only. Commercial front-runner Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, plans to launch a space station supply ship from Cape Canaveral at the end of November. That would be put on hold if no one is on board to receive the vessel.

Suffredini said he hasn't had time to consider the PR impact of abandoning the space station, especially coming so soon after the end of the 30-year shuttle program.

"Flying safely is much, much more important than anything else I can think about right this instant," he said. "I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to discuss any political implications if we spend a lot of time on the ground. But you know, we'll just have to deal with them because we're going to do what's safest for the crew and for the space station."

___

Online:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110830/ap_on_sc/eu_russia_space

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Hoax sign warns Arizona drivers of panda rampage (Reuters)

PHOENIX (Reuters) ? A wave of "panda-monium" has swept through a northern Arizona city thanks to a mischievous street sign hacker who warned motorists of a "ROGUE PANDA ON RAMPAGE."

State transportation officials said Tuesday that a person was able to post the hoax warning by hacking into an electronic message board in Flagstaff, Arizona, over the weekend.

Rest easy, though. Authorities said the city is safe from pandas, if not from jokesters.

Officials said the message board alerting drivers to street improvements near a busy city intersection was probably altered late on Sunday or early on Monday. It was fixed by 11 a.m. local time on Monday.

"Someone had to know what they were doing to go in and change the message," said Mackenzie Kirby, an Arizona Department of Transportation spokeswoman. "It's not easy."

Kirby joked that there had been no sightings of any rogue pandas in the community, but she has been sent several photoshopped images via email of the cuddly creatures tooled up for trouble.

In one picture, a panda is holding a machete. In another, it is toting a rifle.

"We're all getting a laugh out of this to be sure," she said.

(Reporting by David Schwartz; Editing by Tim Gaynor and Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110825/od_nm/us_arizona_pandas

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Astronauts might have to abandon space station (AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? Astronauts may need to take the unprecedented step of temporarily abandoning the International Space Station if last week's Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying there this fall.

Until officials figure out what went wrong with Russia's essential Soyuz rockets, there will be no way to launch any more astronauts before the current residents have to leave in mid-November.

The unsettling predicament comes just weeks after NASA's final space shuttle flight.

"We have plenty of options," NASA's space station program manager, Mike Suffredini, assured reporters Monday. "We'll focus on crew safety as we always do."

Abandoning the space station, even for a short period, would be an unpleasant last resort for the world's five space agencies that have spent decades working on the project. Astronauts have been living aboard the space station since 2000, and the goal is to keep it going until 2020.

Suffredini said flight controllers could keep a deserted space station operating indefinitely, as long as all major systems are working properly. The risk to the station goes up, however, if no one is on board to fix equipment breakdowns.

Six astronauts from three countries presently are living on the orbiting complex. Three are due to leave next month; the other three are supposed to check out in mid-November. They can't stay any longer because of spacecraft and landing restrictions.

The Sept. 22 launch of the very next crew ? the first to fly in this post-shuttle era ? already has been delayed indefinitely. Russia's Soyuz spacecraft have been the sole means of getting full-time station residents up and down for two years. The capsule is parked at the station until they ride it home.

To keep the orbiting outpost with a full staff of six for as long as possible, the one American and two Russians due to return to Earth on Sept. 8 will remain on board at least an extra week.

As for supplies, the space station is well stocked and could go until next summer, Suffredini said. Atlantis dropped off a year's supply of goods just last month on the final space shuttle voyage. The unmanned craft destroyed Wednesday was carrying 3 tons of supplies.

For now, operations are normal in orbit, Suffredini noted, and the additional week on board for half the crew will mean additional science research.

The Soyuz has been extremely reliable over the decades; this was the first failure in 44 Russian supply hauls for the space station. Even with such a good track record, many in and outside NASA were concerned about retiring the space shuttles before a replacement was ready to fly astronauts.

Russian space officials have set up an investigation team and until it comes up with a cause for the accident and a repair plan, the launch and landing schedules remain in question. None of the spacecraft debris has been recovered yet; the wreckage fell into a remote, wooded section of Siberia. The third stage malfunctioned; a sudden loss of pressure apparently was noted between the engine and turbopump.

While a crew may well have survived such an accident because of safety precautions built into the manned version of the rocket, no one wants to take any chances.

One or two unmanned Soyuz launches are on tap for October, one commercial and the other another space station supply run. Those would serve as important test flights before putting humans on board, Suffredini said.

NASA considered vacating the space station before, following the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. Back then, shuttles were still being used to ferry some station residents back and forth. Instead, the station got by with two-man crews for three years because of the significant cutback in supplies.

The space station's population doubled in 2009, to six. It wasn't until the space station was completed this year that science research finally took priority.

Even if the space shuttles still were flying, space station crews still would need Soyuz-launched capsules to serve as lifeboats, Suffredini said. The capsules are certified for no more than 6 1/2 months in space, thus the need to regularly rotate crews. Complicating matters is the need to land the capsules during daylight hours in Kazakhstan, resulting in weeks of blackout periods.

NASA wants American private companies to take over crew hauls, but that's three to five years away at best. Until then, Soyuz capsules are the only means of transporting astronauts to the space station.

Japan and Europe have their own cargo ships and rockets, for unmanned use only. Commercial front-runner Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, plans to launch a space station supply ship from Cape Canaveral at the end of November. That would be put on hold if no one is on board to receive the vessel.

Suffredini said he hasn't had time to consider the PR impact of abandoning the space station, especially coming so soon after the end of the 30-year shuttle program.

"Flying safely is much, much more important than anything else I can think about right this instant," he said. "I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to discuss any political implications if we spend a lot of time on the ground. But you know, we'll just have to deal with them because we're going to do what's safest for the crew and for the space station."

___

Online:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110830/ap_on_sc/eu_russia_space

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Jupiter-bound craft snaps pic of Earth and moon (AP)

PASADENA, Calif. ? Earth, say cheese.

A NASA spacecraft cruising toward Jupiter glanced back and snapped a rare picture of Earth and the moon. Taken last week when Juno was 6 million miles away, the image shows two white dots, one brighter than the other.

The solar-powered Juno blasted off earlier this month on a five-year journey to Jupiter. Though previous craft have visited the giant gas planet, Juno will get closer than ever before, flying within 3,100 miles of the dense cloud tops to learn more about Jupiter's origins.

The $1.1 billion mission is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

___

Online:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110831/ap_on_sc/us_sci_journey_to_jupiter

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Astronauts might have to abandon space station (AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? Astronauts may need to take the unprecedented step of temporarily abandoning the International Space Station if last week's Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying there this fall.

Until officials figure out what went wrong with Russia's essential Soyuz rockets, there will be no way to launch any more astronauts before the current residents have to leave in mid-November.

The unsettling predicament comes just weeks after NASA's final space shuttle flight.

"We have plenty of options," NASA's space station program manager, Mike Suffredini, assured reporters Monday. "We'll focus on crew safety as we always do."

Abandoning the space station, even for a short period, would be an unpleasant last resort for the world's five space agencies that have spent decades working on the project. Astronauts have been living aboard the space station since 2000, and the goal is to keep it going until 2020.

Suffredini said flight controllers could keep a deserted space station operating indefinitely, as long as all major systems are working properly. The risk to the station goes up, however, if no one is on board to fix equipment breakdowns.

Six astronauts from three countries presently are living on the orbiting complex. Three are due to leave next month; the other three are supposed to check out in mid-November. They can't stay any longer because of spacecraft and landing restrictions.

The Sept. 22 launch of the very next crew ? the first to fly in this post-shuttle era ? already has been delayed indefinitely. Russia's Soyuz spacecraft have been the sole means of getting full-time station residents up and down for two years. The capsule is parked at the station until they ride it home.

To keep the orbiting outpost with a full staff of six for as long as possible, the one American and two Russians due to return to Earth on Sept. 8 will remain on board at least an extra week.

As for supplies, the space station is well stocked and could go until next summer, Suffredini said. Atlantis dropped off a year's supply of goods just last month on the final space shuttle voyage. The unmanned craft destroyed Wednesday was carrying 3 tons of supplies.

For now, operations are normal in orbit, Suffredini noted, and the additional week on board for half the crew will mean additional science research.

The Soyuz has been extremely reliable over the decades; this was the first failure in 44 Russian supply hauls for the space station. Even with such a good track record, many in and outside NASA were concerned about retiring the space shuttles before a replacement was ready to fly astronauts.

Russian space officials have set up an investigation team and until it comes up with a cause for the accident and a repair plan, the launch and landing schedules remain in question. None of the spacecraft debris has been recovered yet; the wreckage fell into a remote, wooded section of Siberia. The third stage malfunctioned; a sudden loss of pressure apparently was noted between the engine and turbopump.

While a crew may well have survived such an accident because of safety precautions built into the manned version of the rocket, no one wants to take any chances.

One or two unmanned Soyuz launches are on tap for October, one commercial and the other another space station supply run. Those would serve as important test flights before putting humans on board, Suffredini said.

NASA considered vacating the space station before, following the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. Back then, shuttles were still being used to ferry some station residents back and forth. Instead, the station got by with two-man crews for three years because of the significant cutback in supplies.

The space station's population doubled in 2009, to six. It wasn't until the space station was completed this year that science research finally took priority.

Even if the space shuttles still were flying, space station crews still would need Soyuz-launched capsules to serve as lifeboats, Suffredini said. The capsules are certified for no more than 6 1/2 months in space, thus the need to regularly rotate crews. Complicating matters is the need to land the capsules during daylight hours in Kazakhstan, resulting in weeks of blackout periods.

NASA wants American private companies to take over crew hauls, but that's three to five years away at best. Until then, Soyuz capsules are the only means of transporting astronauts to the space station.

Japan and Europe have their own cargo ships and rockets, for unmanned use only. Commercial front-runner Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, plans to launch a space station supply ship from Cape Canaveral at the end of November. That would be put on hold if no one is on board to receive the vessel.

Suffredini said he hasn't had time to consider the PR impact of abandoning the space station, especially coming so soon after the end of the 30-year shuttle program.

"Flying safely is much, much more important than anything else I can think about right this instant," he said. "I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to discuss any political implications if we spend a lot of time on the ground. But you know, we'll just have to deal with them because we're going to do what's safest for the crew and for the space station."

___

Online:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110830/ap_on_sc/eu_russia_space

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Ancient Burial May Reveal Home of Biblical Figure (LiveScience.com)

An ancient burial box recovered from antiquities looters three years ago contains a mysterious inscription that could reveal the home of the family of the figure Caiaphas, who is infamous for his involvement in the biblical story of the crucifixion of Jesus.

The burial box, also called an ossuary, was discovered in 1990, but the inscription was just recently verified as legitimate (and not the result of forgers trying to increase an artifact's value) by Yuval Goren of Tel Aviv University and Boaz Zissu of Bar Ilan University. The box is made of limestone, is covered in decorative rosettes and has an inscription.

In the Bible story of Jesus' crucifixion, a Jewish high priest named Caiaphas is said to have organized the plot to kill Jesus.

What is special about the inscription on this ossuary is that the deceased is named within the context of three generations; the inscription also includes a potential residence. The full inscription reads:

(Differences in spellings between Caiaphus and Caiaphas and Beth Imri and Beit Imri, below, are due to alternate translations.)

The Maaziah refers to a clan that was one of 24 orders of high priests during the second temple period, Goren said. While there are some records of the Caiaphus family in Talmudic sources (the central texts of Judaism) that detail their lives after they spread into the Galilee in A.D. 70, the reference to Beit Imri gives new insight into the family's location prior to their migration. [See pictures of burial box]

It is possible that Beit Imri refers to another priestly order, the researchers said in a statement, but it more probably refers to a geographical location, likely that of Caiaphus' family's village of origin.

These ossuaries are traditionally buried in the ground and contain previously buried skeletal remains. Because they spend thousands of years in the ground, the researchers said they develop a distinct coating of microbes, algae and lichen, which can't be replicated by forgers.

"Beyond any reasonable doubt, the inscription is authentic," study researcher Goren said in a statement.

Previously discovered burial boxes, including one claiming to contain the bones of James, Jesus' brother, have been shown to be hoaxes. The researchers claim that the inconsistencies that plagued the box of James aren't present on this box.

The researchers aren't able to trace where the ossuary was discovered, since it had made the rounds in the illegal antiquities trade, but they believe it came from a burial site in the Valley of Elah, southwest of Jerusalem, the legendary location of the battle between David and Goliath. Beit Imri was probably located on the slopes of Mount Hebron, they said.

The finding was published in the current issue of the Israel Exploration Journal.

You can follow LiveScience staff writer Jennifer Welsh on Twitter @microbelover. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110831/sc_livescience/ancientburialmayrevealhomeofbiblicalfigure

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More Evidence Links Genes to Parkinson's (HealthDay)

TUESDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- A genetic variation that reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease by nearly 20 percent in many populations has been found by an international team of scientists.

They also identified other variants of the same gene -- LRRK2 -- that double the risk of Parkinson's in whites and Asians.

The Genetic Epidemiology of Parkinson's Disease consortium's findings are from a genetic analysis of samples from more than 8,600 Parkinson's patients and almost 7,000 controls across 15 countries on five continents.

The investigation was led by neuroscientists at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, and the findings appear in the Aug. 31 online issue of The Lancet Neurology.

"The idea that Parkinson's disease occurs mostly in a random sporadic fashion is changing," lead investigator Owen Ross said in a Mayo news release. "Our study, one of the largest to date in the study of the genetics of Parkinson's disease, shows that a single gene, LRRK2, harbors both rare and common variants that in turn alter the susceptibility to Parkinson's disease in diverse populations."

These and future genetic findings could eventually help identify people at risk for Parkinson's and possibly lead to new treatments, Ross said.

One expert who was not involved in the study agreed that the findings hold promise.

"The finding that some variants in the LRRK2 gene can reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease is very interesting," said Dr. Andrew Feigin, associate professor of neurology and molecular medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y. "[It] suggests that in addition to there likely being numerous genetic mutations that increase the risk of apparently sporadic disorders, there are also likely to be many genetic variations that reduce risk," he added.

"Though this observation may not lead directly to better treatments for Parkinson's disease, understanding how different genetic mutations in the same gene lead to increased or decreased risk for Parkinson's disease may provide clues to developing novel therapies," Feigin said.

Experts estimate that up to 2 percent of people over the age of 65 develop Parkinson's disease.

More information

We Move has more about Parkinson's disease.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20110831/hl_hsn/moreevidencelinksgenestoparkinsons

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