Technology News for February 7, 2008

Lice from Peruvian mummies offer a tool to study ancient migrations
A study of lice from 1,000-year-old mummies in Peru suggests that the parasites had accompanied their human hosts in the original peopling of the Americas, probably, as early as 15,000 years ago. ANI

Medicis philosopher was poisoned, say forensic scientists
Forensic scientists say that Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, a mystical and mercurial philosopher at the court of Lorenzo de Medici, was poisoned with arsenic. ANI

Scientists create transparent zebrafish
Researchers at Childrens Hospital Boston have created a zebrafish that is transparent throughout its life and hence could be used to examine various human processes. ANI

Sunshine vitamin may help prevent cancer
A researcher at Dalhousie University has claimed that a vitamin D pill could block the development of some cancers, strengthen bones, prevent multiple sclerosis and alleviate winter depression. ANI

Barnacles can drastically change penis size to have sex
Barnacles can totally change the size and shape of their penises to battle the waves and have sex, a new study has found. ANI

Even low levels of nitrogen pollution has drastic environmental effects
A new study has indicated that lower, chronic levels of nitrogen pollution has much more substantial long-term effects on the atmosphere than previously believed. ANI

Alzheimers mystery unravelled?
A new study in mice has shown that formation of brain protein plaques may be the first step towards Alzheimers disease, and it can happen within a single day. ANI

Galaxy without dark matter confuses astronomers
A new study has revealed that a spiral galaxy, which lies 15 million light years away from Earth, does not have any traces of dark matter, thus puzzling astrophysicists. ANI

India might benefit from excess nitrogen that boosts plant growth
A new study by ecologists has determined that excess nitrogen in tropical forests boosts plant growth by an average of 20 percent, with the most dramatic increases happening over the next century in rapidly developing tropical regions such as India, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. ANI

Scientists show gene plays suppressor role in skin cancer development
Scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research have taken a step further in the fight against skin cancer by providing genetic evidence that Activating Transcription Factor 2 (ATF2) plays a suppressor role in the development of the disease. ANI

People with autism have subtle deficits in the brain
Researchers have made a breakthrough in the fight against autism, by identifying subtle deficits in the brains of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that they say could help more precise diagnoses and possibly improve treatment of ASD. ANI

India might face the most drastic effects of nitrogen pollution over next 100 years
A new study by ecologists has determined that nitrogen pollution is expected to steadily rise over the next century, with the most dramatic increases in rapidly developing tropical regions such as India, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. ANI

Crayfish existed in Australia as far back as the Mesozoic Era
The discovery of crayfish body fossils and burrows in Victoria, Australia, has provided the first physical evidence that crayfish existed on the continent as far back as the Mesozoic Era. ANI

Spending hours talking on mobile phones may damage mens fertility
A new US research has suggested that spending hours on a mobile phone each day may damage mens fertility. ANI

Environmental toxins may be linked to early onset of puberty in girls
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy has suggested a link between environmental toxins and early onset of puberty in girls. ANI

Now, 3-D holographic displays with erase and rewrite feature
University of Arizona optical scientists say that they have devised a way to create three-dimensional holographic displays that can be erased and rewritten within minutes. ANI

Having a tattoo may be good for your health
Tattooing might be more than just a fashion statement - it might be good for your health, says the new study. ANI