Photo of the Day: Viruses impaired if their targets have diverse genes

From a study from the University of Utah. "This scanning electron microscope image shows newly formed Friend virus particles (upper right in light blue) budding from an infected T-lymphocyte."

This strengthens the hypothesis that genetic variation between the same species of animals can help reduce the replication of a virus.

Image credit: Elizabeth Fischer and Austin Athman, NIAID, NIH


Original source: Viruses Impaired If Their Targets Have Diverse Genes

Courtesy: National Science Foundation 

Gaming addiction. Does it really happen?

Gaming addiction is a phenomenon that has a rising trend as we move forward to the future. What is that makes us game addicts though?

Civilization V - Game-play screenshot

Be honest here. Of those of you that play or played games, in some point in your life, did you not participate in the following situation? Your mom or dad calls you for dinner. You are in the middle of an "important" decision in a game and you scream back "I 'll be there in a minute". Then the one minute becomes five and the five ten. Finally you join them in the middle of dinner as if you were dealing with a life altering decision back there.

Of course some of you will say I don't get controlled by games, I don't play them. The difference is that you are not playing games. If you don't use something how will you be addicted to it. In the place of "games" you can put something else in there, like a TV program, reading, smoking a cigarette, work papers etc. A task you are doing that in the process causes you to be unsociable.

How does gaming addiction relates to science though? Apparently many studies have been conducted around this issue. An early research by Ko, Chih-Hung et al in 2009, showed that gaming addiction and substance addiction may share the same neurobiological mechanism.

Photo of the Day: Moonlight Sonata!

As seen from the beautiful island of Cyprus.

The Moon Entering Earth's Shadow

 

Image Credit & Copyright: Thodoris Tzalavras

Source and explanation:  Astronomy Picture of the Day

Surgical restoration of hand and arm movements for quadriplegics!

A few years ago while I was talking with a close friend, I brought up the subject of full body regeneration as a joke (that was me watching too much anime that time) and we debated whether that was possible to happen in the future, that being a hundred years or a million years from now.

Although this is not the case I am reporting here, the breakthrough technique that has been developed by scientists of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, showed me that when it comes to science and innovation, dreams are not unachievable.

Slight restoration of hand and arm movement for quadriplegics, is a small step towards the big goal that is, full body movement restoration for people with spinal cord injuries.

The biggest gain though is not what is does for science, but the  betterment of quality of life of the people suffering with spinal cord injuries.

Photo of the Day: Optogenetics. Being Controlled by Light!

It is like living inside a science-fiction movie. A revolutionary new technique called optogenetics lets scientists control your neurons by focusing light on them.

Image credit: Ed Boyden and Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGovern Institute

Original Source: Optogenetics -- revolutionary new research technique (Image 1)

Courtesy: National Science Foundation