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Comment Link to Stats (Score 5, Informative) 325

by muxxa (#31568036) Attached to: IE Not Faring Well In the EU Ballot
IE has a natural downward trend anyway, so the cited percentage drops should be taken in context:

Germany showed a slight increase:

  • http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-DE-monthly-200902-201003
Biotech

Fluorescent Monkeys Cast Light On Human Disease 174

Posted by samzenpus from the grape-ape-version-2.0 dept.
Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that a team of Japanese scientists has integrated a new gene for green fluorescent protein into the common marmoset, causing them to glow green under ultraviolet light, creating second-generation, glow-in-the-dark monkeys in what could be a powerful new tool in human disease research. Though primates modified to generate a glowing protein have been created before, these are the first to keep the change in their bloodlines. If a fluorescent protein gene can be introduced into the monkey genome and passed onto future generations, other genes could be too opening up a world of possibilities for medical research, such as the generation of specific monkey colonies containing genetic defects that mirror human diseases aiding efforts to cure such diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. However many people are likely to find the routine use of monkeys in medical research far less acceptable than that of rodents, drawing action from animal rights activists. 'I'm worried that these steps are being taken without any overall public discussion about whether we want to go down that road. We may find ourselves gradually drifting towards the genetic engineering of human beings,' says Dr David King, from the group Human Genetics Alert. '"Slippery slope" is a quite inadequate description of the process, because it doesn't happen passively. People push it forward.'"
Biotech

Authentic Viking DNA From 1,000-Year-Old Skeletons 189

Posted by timothy from the unless-that-was-really-ullyses-s.-grant dept.
FiReaNGeL writes "Scientists were able to extract authentic DNA from ancient Viking skeletons, avoiding many of the problems of contamination faced by past researchers. Analysis of DNA from the remains of ancient humans provides valuable insights into such important questions as the origin of genetic diseases, migration patterns of our forefathers and tribal and family patterns. Using freshly sampled material from ten Viking skeletons from around AD 1,000, from a non-Christian burial site on the Danish island of Funen, Dissing and colleagues showed that it is indeed possible to retrieve authentic DNA from ancient humans."

Comment Virtuous loops (Score 1) 709

by muxxa (#12745340) Attached to: Extending Pop Music Copyrights
"It sees the move as a way of generating more money for the record industry, which would use it to discover new talent."

The self-reinforcing loop between capital and talent would be more efficient as a self reinforcing loop between consumer and talent. Of course that such a system of direct distribution would obsolate the record companies would violate the #1 tenet of neo-liberalism; More Money for Me!

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