Giant insects and Growing Insulin

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National Geographic News

Giant Bugs a Thing of the Past, Study Suggests - For the giant insects that roamed Earth 300 million years ago, there was something special in the air. A higher concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere let dragonflies sometimes grow to the size of hawks, and some millipede-like bugs reached some six feet (two meters) in length, a new study suggests.

Reuters: Science

One cannabis joint as bad as five cigarettes: study - Smoking one cannabis joint is as harmful to a person's lungs as having up to five cigarettes, according to research published on Tuesday. Those who smoked cannabis damaged both the lungs' small fine airways, used for transporting oxygen, and the large airways, which blocked air flow, the researchers said.

Caffeine, exercise may help ward off skin cancer - Exercise and moderate caffeine consumption together could help ward off sun-induced skin cancer, researchers said on Monday, but cautioned against ditching the sun screen in favor of a jog and a cappuccino. Experiments on mice showed that caffeine and exercise together somehow made them better able to destroy precancerous cells whose DNA had been damaged by ultraviolet-B radiation, according to scientists at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

BBC News | Science/Nature | World Edition

Robot fins to propel submarines - The distinctive swimming technique of a bony fish is being used to develop agile, propellerless submarines. The hope is that in the future propellerless, fish-like submarines could carry out a range of tasks, such as mapping oceans, surveying shipwrecks or sweeping for mines, with more agility and speed than current autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) controlled by propellers.

Office printers 'are health risk' - The humble office laser printer can damage lungs in much the same way as smoke particles from cigarettes, a team of Australian scientists has found. An investigation of a range of printer models showed that almost a third emit potentially dangerous levels of toner into the air.

Left-handedness gene discovered - Scientists have discovered the first gene which appears to increase the odds of being left-handed. The Oxford University-led team believe carrying the gene may also slightly raise the risk of developing psychotic mental illness such as schizophrenia.

Swifts inspire morphing wings - Tiny microplanes with unique "morphing" wings have been developed by engineering students in the Netherlands - based on studying the flight of swifts. The RoboSwifts, which have a wingspan of 50cm (20in) and weigh just 80g (3oz), mimic the swifts' abilities to change the shape of their wings in flight - potentially allowing them to be highly manoeuvrable at both very high and very low speeds.

Physics Org

Why do people have sex? Researchers explore 237 reasons - Many scientists assume people have sex for simple and straightforward reasons such as to experience sexual pleasure or to reproduce, but new research at The University of Texas at Austin reveals hundreds of varied and complex motivations that range from the spiritual to the vengeful.

Scientists grow insulin in tobacco plants - U.S. researchers have discovered insulin grown in plants can resolve diabetes in mice -- a finding holding promise for humans afflicted with the disease.

Fish eyes could hold clue to repairing damaged retinas in humans - A special type of cell found in the eye has been found to be very important in regenerating the retina in zebrafish and restoring vision even after extensive damage. Now, a UK team of scientists believe they may be able to use these cells – known as Müller glial cells – to regenerate damaged retina in humans, according to a study published this month in the journal Stem Cells.