The "Science & technology digital library" project, which is the subject of an agreement signed between the Ministry of Education, University and Scientific Research and the National Research Council (CNR), is one of the "Italian Digital Agenda" initiatives that aim to exploit information and communication technologies to foster innovation, growth and competitiveness, in line with the "Digital Agenda for Europe" (EU 2020 strategy).
Ian Sample, The Guardian's science correspondent, uses ping pong balls and cherry tomatoes to demonstrate how biologists have illuminated the 'dark matter' of the human genome - once written off as junk - to reveal a host of DNA regulatory switches.
Some of these switches may be responsible for controlling the course of complex diseases
The costs would be high but not prohibitive: roughly 60 million pounds each year. But in return the Britannic Majesty's scientists have an on line peer review communication system that has totally open access: on line, open to all and free. There are enormous advantages to this. In logistic terms, since there would no longer be the need to find physical spaces. In economic terms, because at the moment English universities are spending 2,7% of their budget subscribing to magazines and setting up their libraries (both paper and on line).
Fukushima accident. Who should be blamed: nature or man? Now that the Investigation Commission of the National Diet of Japan has published the official report on the nuclear disaster few doubts doubts remain. Man It was indeed a "man-made disaster."
The Stephen Hawking speegh at the Paralympics opening ceremony:
"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet ... try to make sense of what you see ... be curious"
In 2009, for the first time, U.S. deaths linked to drug abuse exceeded those caused by road accidents (see chart), according to the Federal agency of the U.S. Government "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ", which in 75% of cases points the finger at the inappropriateness of prescriptions. The main cause of medicines abuse is the dependence
This movie from NASA's Curiosity rover shows most of the high-resolution frames acquired by the Mars Descent Imager between the jettison of the heat shield and touchdown. It is possible to see what Curiosity filmed on its descent to the surface of the Red Planet, overlain with audio from the control room.
There is an idea of research policy that is making inroads in Italy and also in Europe: we should do as the U.S.A. does. Let us be guided by the tough but efficient market forces. No more luxuries, therefore. No more intellectually satisfying idleness. In order to spur economic growth, we must give up funding the "beautiful" basic science that produces knowledge rather than immediate profits; we should mobilize scientists paid with public money and use public funds to finance the rapid development of innovative products
A strong increase of cases of a novel swine-origin H3N2 influenza A virus has been reported in the USA, with Indiana and Ohio being the most affected states. First cases occurred in July 2011 and, since last week, only 29 people showed symptoms of this virus infection, but recently the count has quickly raised to 158 cases, mainly children. This flu spread from pigs to humans but had mild symptoms and did not cause any victim, with only very few patients that needed hospitalization. The more recent cases appear to have spread from
