This week in European sciences -- week 28|2004
 

Retreat of Glaciers Documented

An exhibition at the museum of the German hikers association of the Alps, in Munich, documents the retreat of glaciers. The exhibition makers present a collection of historic postcard images showing many glaciers in the first decade of last century, writes Joachim Müller-Jung in FAZ (July 9, 2004). In contrast they put to each postcard a photo of the present situation. This gives an impression on the retreat of the glaciers as well as the cultural losses and changes of the mountain range.
 

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
July 9, 2004

UK with Net Gain in Science Talents

In the academic year 2001/2002 roughly 3180 academics came to the UK, two-thirds of them aged 34 or under, writes Chris Johnston in THES (July 9, 2004). This settles "the debate over whether the UK is an importer or exporter of reseachers." Substracting the scientists leaving the country, there's still a net gain of 1750 academics. It is said that the result is due to the less hierarchical and more flexible structure of UK universities, compare to those in other European countries. But people also warn that "Britain needs to balance attracting overseas academics with ensuring there were sufficient opportunities for homegrown talent."
 

Times Higher Education Supplement
July 9, 2004

The Science of Lie Detection

The classicial lie detector, the polygraph, looks for physiological phenomena, such as breathing, pulse, blood pressure and perspiration. Hence, the machine is not that trustworthy as people, especially in the U.S. where it is used on some courts, want it to be. The Economists (July 8, 2004) looks for the science behind it and describes other methods that seemed to be more promising to detect people lying. For instance, voice analysis, which is discarded. But also methods to check the working brain itself: functional magnetic resonance imaging, infra-red analysis of brain tissue or EEG-related methods.
 

The Economist
July 8, 2004

Big Brother in Olympia

In Athens the Olympic Games will start in a few weeks. And everyone is afraid of terrorism. To deal with this problem, the biggest electronic security system is going to be implemented in the Greek city, writes Nils Boeing in Die Zeit (July 8, 2004). 1577 cameras, detectors and sensors will work as a basic network of safety during the games. But due to delays in building up the infrastructure, there is no time for testing, writes the author. An attempt of attac during the games would become the first real-time test of the security system. Hopefully this will not happened. And there will be a lot of work to maintain the system after the games anyway. It will be kept running in Athens for the next few years to support the police. Athens - The Big Brother-City.
 

Die Zeit
July 8, 2004

Initiative for European Science

The European commission wants to take initiative to strengthen European science, writes Wiebke Rögener in Süddeutsche Zeitung (July 7, 2004). Last week, research commissioner Philippe Busquin announced in Paris a campaign to improve the image of European science among researchers all over the world. The goal: Persuading the European scientists working abroad to come back home. A new founded network with 200 centers of mobility in 33 states will handle the bureaucracy, inform and help scientists to come back. The estimation of the EU general research directorate sounds good for scientists: In 2010, Europe will need 700,000 scientists more than today.
 

Süddeutsche Zeitung
July 7, 2004

Infections Without Frontieres

Microbes and associated infections are globalizing, writes Lluís Reales in El País (July 6, 2004). Although tropical diseases are generally associated with Asia, Africa and Latin America, migrations, travelling and international trade are responsible for the reappearence of these diseases in Europe and the U.S. Another reason for the new "old" diseases like malaria, dengue, the West Nile fever, and chicken poxs from apes, is attributed to climate change, which helps microbes to find new ecological niches. Malaria comes to Europe via airplane, the dengue by ship, with an adaption to tires. The West Nile fever is coming to us by migrating birds, but also by the displacement of plants and food. And how comes chicken poxs from apes to USA? It came by an rodent from Africa to Chicago and could be shifted to wild dogs.
 

El Pais
July 6, 2004

Automakers are Reluctant to Install Diesel Particle Filters

Diesel engines in passenger cars are on the increase. Drivers love the cheap fuel, the small vehicle consumption and the long lifetime of the engine. But the downsides are obvious: The engine emits too much soot in the form of tiny particles on the scale of some micrometers. Critics associate the particles with respiratory diseases and even lung cancer, reports Philip Grassmann in a frontpage piece of Süddeutsche Zeitung (July 6, 2004). Well, the problem is easy to solve: Just install a Diesel particle filter in the exhaust track - as done by the French automakers Peugeot and Citroen for a couple of years. But German manufacturers are more reluctant, and they oppose against a proposal by German minister for the environment, Jürgen Trittin, to cut the limit of allowed emissions from 50 milligramme particles per kilometer down to 2,5. This is only managable by a filter and not by internal optimization of the combustion process, a way first favoured by the companies.
 

Süddeutsche Zeitung
July 6, 2004

The Secret Life of a Fatty Cell

Denise Grady describes in NY Times (July 6, 2004) how researchers study fat cells and how they try to deduce models for treating obesity or, at least, "prevent obesity from destroying the patients health." More than a billion people are counted obese, globally. And the bigger people get the more related diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure occur. "Researchers trying to decipher the biology of fat cells hope to find new ways to help people get rid of excess fat." Also appropriate surgery is under investigation - and also en vogue -, but eventually "I do not want the operation still to be around 100 years from now. To treat obesity, we have to understand how it arises", says Dr. Edward Mun, a surgeon in Boston, U.S.
 

New York Times
July 6, 2004

Patenting Animals Questioned

20 years ago scientists at Harvard University, U.S., succeeded in manipulating the mouse genome to produce cancer, remembers Philip Wolff in a frontpage piece in Süddeutsche Zeitung (July 5, 2004). They filed a patent inquiry which was heavily debated among scientists and the public in gerneral. Eventually, the patent was restricted only to mice (the Harvard scientists applied for extending it to every animal), but in the meantime about 70 patents on genetical manipulated animals have been approved. Also debate is still ongoing. Scientists claim that patenting animals is an obstacle for research. EU legislation (which overrides member states in this case) is pro-patenting, while, for instance, according to German views the patent issue should be tackled more carefully and reluctantly.
 

Süddeutsche Zeitung
July 5, 2004

Playing Politics with Women's Lives

Adrienne Germain criticizes in an opinion piece for Science magazine (July 2, 2004*) the decision by the U.S. government not to allow over-the-corner sales of the morning-after pill for emergency contraception. Thus, "U.S. policies are putting the lives of young women at risk by pursuing health strategies conceived by ideologues who ignore social realities and best medical practices", writes Germain. Roughly 900.000 U.S. teenagers become pregnant per year, 8 out of 10 say it's unintended. "Many are physically, emotionally, and economically ill-prepared for motherhood", according to Germain who is president of the New York-based International Women's Health Coalition.
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Science
July 2, 2004

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