Новости науки и техники в "Scientific American"

BOOKSTORE: THE HUMAN EMBRYO RESEARCH DEBATES: BIOETHICS IN THE VORTEX OF CONTROVERSY by Ronald M. Green.

In this book, Green, director of the Ethics Institute at Dartmouth College and chair of the ethics advisory board of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass., reflects on the ethical dilemmas and debates currently surrounding human embryo research.

CARBON NANOTUBES COULD LENGTHEN BATTERY LIFE

Carbon nanotubes - tiny tubular structures composed of a single layer of carbon atoms - could lengthen the life of batteries, according to new research. The findings suggest that the diminutive tubes can hold twice as much energy as graphite, the form of carbon currently used as an electrode in many rechargeable lithium batteries.

TINY BONES TO PICK

A few years ago, two paleontologists discovered in Madagascar a tiny jaw fragment that could upend the current theory of when and where the ancestors of marsupial and placental mammals arose. Senior online editor Kate Wong later traveled with the researchers as they looked for additional fossils. This week, she describes her experiences in the field and shares photos of the strange animals that inhabit the island today.

'MAD COW' SHEEP IN BRITAIN COULD INCREASE THE HUMAN DEATH TOLL

A recent attempt to determine whether the British sheep flock carries bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, culminated in what can only be described as deeply embarrassing failure. The tissue samples under study turned out to come from cows, not sheep. As a result, whether or not the sheep harbor BSE remains unknown. If they do, however, and if they can pass the disease- causing agent to humans, the public health risk could far surpass that posed by infected cows alone.

NEW TECHNIQUE ESTIMATES DISTANCES TO ELUSIVE GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Several times a day the mightiest explosions in the universe flash in the skies, unseen by human eyes. Believed to stem from the deaths of massive stars, these enigmatic pulses of radiation - known as gamma-ray bursts - have long captivated astronomers. But much about the bursts remains a mystery, including, in most cases, the distances at which they occur. To that end, new findings may prove insightful.

FLUORESCENT FEATHERS ELICIT PARROT AMOUR

Fluorescent colors come and go on the fashion runways, but parrots always consider the glow a must-have. Indeed, the results of a new study suggest that the birds look for feather fluorescence when choosing their mates. Such pigments decorate the crown and cheek feathers of budgerigar birds, commonly known as budgies.

ASK THE EXPERTS: HOW DOES A COMPUTER VIRUS SCAN WORK?

Geoff Kuenning, a professor of computer science at Harvey Mudd College, provides this week's explanation.