Channel 42
Science is the answer to everything.

Clemson physics professor Apparao Rao and his team are researching nanoscale cantilevers that have the potential to read and alert us to toxic chemicals or gases in the air. Put them into a small handheld device and the potential is there for real-time chemical alerts in battle, in industry, in health care and even at home.

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Although each of our five senses seem to be their own entity, recent studies have indicated that our senses blend together, to help us better perceive our environment. New findings reveal that if a stimulation of the leg is not initially detected, this sensation may be perceived by the addition of a visual or auditory signal. Additionally, a tactile stimulus combined with a specific level of auditory stimulation results in optimal detection of that sensation.

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Inflammatory bowel disease is a term that refers to both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. IBD occurs most frequently in people in their late teens and twenties. There have been cases in children as young as two years old and in older adults in their seventies and eighties; men and women have an equal chance of getting the disease.

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The results of a new study indicate that when participants were asked to make comparisons, regardless of the type of comparison they were asked to make, they developed a comparative mind-set that increased their willingness to purchase one of two products they considered later, rather than choosing neither. In addition, this study indicates that the processes that result in making comparisons can be activated by experiences that are unrelated to purchase decisions.

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Imagine sunglasses that can withstand the severe cold and heat of space, a barrage of radiation and high-speed impacts from small space debris. They don’t exist, but Northrop Grumman engineers have created a sunshield for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope that can withstand all of those elements. The space telescope needs a sunshield to block heat from the sun so its cameras and instruments can operate properly a million miles from the Earth when it launches in 2013.

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Tell your doctor if tumors run in the family, says a Tel Aviv University researcher.

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University of British Columbia researchers have found a way to accurately predict the impact of climate change on imperiled Pacific salmon stocks that could result in better management strategies.

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All of us are struck with nostalgic feelings from time to time but a new study indicates that nostalgia may serve a greater purpose than just taking us back to the good old days. The results showed that individuals who felt the loneliest turned out to be the most nostalgic. The findings suggest that nostalgia amplifies perceptions of social support, and in this way, counteracts feelings of loneliness.

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Numerous studies have shown that people will choose differently, depending on whether they are choosing based on experience or description. But, what is it that causes people to choose differently in the two situations? The results of a new study suggest that feedback plays a key role in decision making. The findings indicate that feedback after repeated choice may drive people towards rational decision making.

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Anyone who runs for Prime Minister or President should have an independent health examination to ensure their ability to govern, argues a doctor on bmj.com today.

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