Five perspectives on the Google Library project .

Workplace Solvent Linked to Immune System Disorders. ‘The industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) may cause immune system changes in workers exposed to the chemical, Italian researchers conclude.’

Thriving On Arsenic. ‘Scientists discover a new microbe that uses arsenic for respiration.’

The Next Information Revolution - How Open Access will Transform Scholarly Communications. [via ResourceShelf]

For Teachers

May 30, 2005 | Leave a Comment

National Geographic Education Guide.

DNA pioneer may have genome sequenced. ‘When James Watson helped to work out the structure of DNA more than 50 years ago, he could scarcely have dreamed he would one day see the details of his own genetic code. But, as he told a conference in London on 19 May, that could happen within a [...]

Intelligent Chemical Design. ‘I haven’t commented on the controversy about including “Intelligent Design” in school curricula, but I don’t want that to be interpreted as any kind of approval. On the contrary - until it offers some testable predictions, which would seem an unlikely thing to hope for, I don’t see how ID even rises [...]

Device detects the mass of single DNA molecule. ‘Some people are never satisfied. First, nanotechnology researchers at Cornell University built a device so sensitive it could detect the mass of a single bacterium–about 665 femtograms. Then they built one that could sense the presence of a single virus — about 1.5 femtograms. Now, with a [...]

Protests again

May 27, 2005 | 1 Comment

Fears for French basic science. ‘The French government’s long-awaited blueprint for reforming the country’s research system, unveiled last week, has sparked fears that it will result in less money being available for basic research.’

The Mass Spectrometer’s Guide to the Galaxy (well, Mars). ‘Like spotting the telltale signs of a campsite in a back-country woodland, a new chemical guidebook and spectral imaging system will allow a future Martian rover to spot the signs of microbial life on the red planet.’

New opportunities from old chemistry in surface science, say Purdue chemists. ‘Some century-old chemistry could have a strong impact on important issues in biosensors and other nanotech devices, according to a Purdue University research group.’

New hydrogen sensor faster, more sensitive. ‘The same kind of chemical coating used to shed rainwater from aircraft and automobile windows also dramatically enhances the sensitivity and reaction time of hydrogen sensors. Hydrogen sensor technology is a critical component for safety and other practical concerns in the proposed hydrogen economy. For example, hydrogen sensors will [...]

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