2 minutes in the microwave sterilizes sponges, scrub pads: study
Last Updated: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 | 4:11 PM ET
CBC News
Putting kitchen sponges and scrub pads in the microwave for two minutes can kill bacteria and viruses, eliminating the threat of food-borne illnesses, U.S. researchers say.
"People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave," lead researcher Gabriel Bitton, a University of Florida professor of environmental engineering, said in a release.

I found this kinda cool, I usually just throw out my old sponges...

2 minutes in the microwave sterilizes sponges, scrub pads: study

Scientists have discovered a new and tiny species of human that lived in Indonesia at the same time our own ancestors were colonising the world.

The new species - dubbed "the Hobbit" due to its small size - lived on Flores island until at least 12,000 years ago.

'Hobbit' joins human family tree

] Semen makes you happy. That's the remarkable conclusion
] of a study comparing women whose partners wear condoms
] with those whose partners don't.
]
] The study, which is bound to provoke controversy, showed
] that the women who were directly exposed to semen were
] less depressed. The researchers think this is because
] mood-altering hormones in semen are absorbed through the
] vagina. They say they have ruled out other explanations.
]
] "I want to make it clear that we are not advocating that
] people abstain from using condoms," says Gordon Gallup,
] the psychologist at the State University of New York who
] led the team. "Clearly an unwanted pregnancy or a
] sexually transmitted disease would more than offset any
] advantageous psychological effects of semen."

crazy...

--Abaddon

Semen acts as an anti-depressant

Called "Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness," the council's report concerns present and future interventions intended not to restore health but rather to alter genetic inheritance, to enhance mind or body, or to extend life span beyond its natural limits.

I am very afraid that this chicken little act will scare the west away from leading this technolegy. Our dominance in the modern world is very closely tied to the fact that we have been a leader in development of emerging technologies (computing, nuclear weapons/power, communications). If we deside now to stunt our technological growth in the areas of bio-tech I fear the coming decades will see the west's power go the way of babylon (once the scientific capitol of the world).

The power (economic and military) held by the west today is a result of past generations mastry of emerging technologies. If we choose to for-go this revolution others will take our place. When others control this (china, korea, france, japan) what role will the united states play in the world.

Not all the world is America, this technology will come into being, are we going to master it, or will others use it to master us?

One more note on regulation, if our regulation is too tight in the beginning science will be moved to other nations. When this technology is control by other nations how then will we regulate its growth. I am in favor of regulation, but in this early time, if we regulate too strictly we will find that when this technology comes to fruition our regulatory bodies will be impotent.

Bush's Advisers on Biotechnology Express Concern on Its Use

for free, a good companion to the books (being that the books are based on these lectures)...

the Fynman lectures on physics on mp3