Watching the World
Universal Update
Recent discoveries are causing space scientists to rethink numerous theories, according to The New York Times. For instance, astronomers peering deep into the heavens with the Hubble Space Telescope have come to the conclusion that there are an estimated 40 to 50 billion galaxies in our universe. This contrasts with former estimates of 100 billion. One day after announcing this, scientists of the American Astronomical Society further reported that they had identified at least half the “missing matter” of the universe, the unaccounted-for mass supplying the gravitational force that holds galaxies together. The scientists say that much of this unseen matter may consist of vast numbers of burned-out stars called white dwarfs. In addition, theories about the planet Jupiter are being challenged by data from the spacecraft Galileo. “There’s always a sense of humility when data first come in,” said chief project scientist Dr. Torrence Johnson. “The results usually don’t fit very well with our models.”
The Rise of Kidnapping
In a recent year, criminals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took in $1.2 billion (U.S.) just from the growing kidnapping industry, reports Jornal da Tarde, making kidnapping the main source of income for organized crime in that city. Kidnapping has also become more sophisticated. There are “lightning,” or short-duration, kidnappings of middle-class victims, “who often have to pay the ransom in installments,” and complex, well-planned kidnappings of wealthier people. In other countries kidnapping is also on the rise. Asiaweek magazine says Philippine experts recommend, among other things: Do not travel alone, especially after dark. Always tell a trusted person where you will be. Park your car in well-lit and secure areas. Never leave children unattended.
Vitamin-A Caution
According to a study of 22,000 pregnant women, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, expectant mothers should be careful not to take in too much vitamin A. Although a certain amount of vitamin A is essential for the health and growth of the human embryo, it was found that an excess can cause damage. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for pregnant women is 4,000 international units, says the Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter, but women who take more than 10,000 units a day “have two and a half times the risk of delivering a baby with a birth defect as women who don’t overdose.” Because the body stores vitamin A, even a high intake of the vitamin before pregnancy could pose a risk for the baby. Beta-carotene, a plant product that is partially converted to vitamin A in the body, was not found to be dangerous.
Pestproof Wood
A wooden pagoda in Nara, Japan, has survived for 1,200 years without damage from rodents, termites, or microorganisms, reports New Scientist magazine. Representatives of Seoul National University in Korea and two Japanese scientists set out to learn what makes the pagoda so distasteful to pests. When they tested the type of cypress tree used to construct the ancient building, they discovered that it contains certain chemicals so repugnant to rodents that they will not gnaw anything coated with them. The Japanese timber industry produces about 4,000 tons of sawdust from this cypress every year, and it is hoped that compounds extracted from the sawdust could replace some poisons used for pest control.
An Appeal for Darkness
Astronomers in France are battling for more darkness. The vast amounts of stray light in urban areas make a clear view of the starry heavens nearly impossible. According to the magazine Le Point, astronomers are urging city authorities to equip street lights with reflectors that direct the light downward and to require that advertising and office-building lights, as well as laser-light displays, be turned off at 11 p.m. Michel Bonavitacola, president of the Center for the Protection of the Night Sky, argued: “Today not one child in a hundred can say that he has seen the Milky Way. Yet this spectacle, which is both magnificent and free, helps us to comprehend our true place in the universe.”
Disoriented Parents
When it comes to educating their children, the great majority of parents say “success” and “independence” are the highest priority, and they feel it is up to children to choose their own moral values, according to a survey reported in the French magazine L’Express. Asked if the goal of education is to teach proper moral values, 70 percent of parents of children between the ages of 6 and 12 answered no. Sixty percent of parents and teachers interviewed consider children to be poorly equipped for the future yet paradoxically believe the children will prove to be an asset to society, noted the magazine. The survey confirms the fears of some, observes L’Express, that “parents today no longer know their role nor their responsibilities.”
Low-Fat Food Warning
Consumer taste tests reveal that the fillers used to replace fat in many low-fat products do not have the same creamy texture as real fat, reports Canada’s Globe and Mail, and may lead people to eat more or add toppings and extra ingredients to compensate. The ingredients added to replace fat, such as sugar, salt, and artificial flavorings, often are not nutritionally useful, according to Dr. David Jenkins, a professor of nutrition science and physiology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Jenkins advises: “If people decide one of the ways they can reduce fat is by eating low-fat food, that’s fine, as long as the foods are nutritionally healthy.” He suggests that vegetables, fruits, and cereal grains, as well as low-fat nuts and soy products, are good alternative choices.
Love and Chocolate
In many lands a man may offer chocolates to a woman as an expression of his love. Interestingly, the heightened emotions produced by eating chocolate and the feeling of falling in love may have something in common—increased production of the hormone phenylethylamine in the brain. According to The Medical Post of Toronto, Canada, Peter Godfrey, an Australian researcher, has determined the structure of the “love molecule,” as it has been called. Armed with this new information, scientists hope to learn more about how emotions are triggered in the brain. Moreover, observed the Post, it “may explain the devotion of some chocolate-lovers.”
A Bridge to Skye
The largest, balanced cantilever bridge of its type, one and a half miles [2.4 km] long, was recently opened in Scotland, reports The Times of London. The bridge connects the Scottish Isle of Skye and its 9,000 inhabitants with the west coast of Scotland. To celebrate the opening, a bagpipe band and a cavalcade of vintage cars led a procession of commuters—all of whom were invited to cross toll free for the day. The bridge replaces the ferry service that had shuttled cars and passengers to and from the island for the past 23 years. According to The Times, the Scottish secretary pointed out that it is now possible for motorists to travel from Rome to Uig, in northwestern Skye, without leaving their cars.
“Computerized” Sore Throat
Computer operators seeking to relieve their hands and arms by using voice recognition systems face what some consider a more serious problem—chronic hoarseness and even complete voice loss, reports The Globe and Mail newspaper of Canada. Since each word must be spoken distinctly and in exactly the same tone and pitch to be understood by the computer, users do not breathe normally, and the vocal cords tend to lose their tension. Dr. Simon McGrail of the University of Toronto told the Globe that polyps or ulcers can develop on the vocal cords as they repeatedly strike each other, or the cords themselves can become fatigued. To keep vocal cords healthy, voice specialists recommend that users limit the time they spend on such computers, take frequent breaks, drink lots of water, and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and medications that can dry the vocal cords.