NATURE|Vol 447|24 May 2007 NEWS IN BRIEF

about 100 million oyster larvae, which were Concern over teen suicides being used in a genomics study to examine extends flu-drug probe gene expression in various environments. With power out, electrical seawater pumps

Japan is widening its investigation into could not be operated, so the larvae were C. THOMAS/NASA whether certain influenza drugs could have put to sea. dangerous side effects, including psychiatric Staff members imported boatloads of problems and suicidal tendencies, in certain dry ice to save a decade’s worth of frozen groups of people. specimens. In March, the Japanese health ministry advised doctors that they should not prescribe teenagers the flu drug Tamiflu US gives green light to rice (oseltamivir) — made by Roche — after with breast-milk proteins reports of some young people on the drug Airborne observatory SOFIA is several years late. throwing themselves from buildings (see The US Department of Agriculture Nature 446, 358–359; 2007). Last week, (USDA) has approved one of the first large- atmospheric water vapour. NASA the health ministry said that it would also scale plantings of a food crop genetically rededicated the plane, the Clipper look into the flu drugs Relenza (zanamivir) modified to contain human proteins. The Lindbergh, on 21 May, the eightieth — made by GlaxoSmithKline — and crop will be planted in Kansas. anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s solo amantadine. Ventria Bioscience in Sacramento, flight across the Atlantic. A study that ended in 2006 flagged up all California, has made strains of rice In the past month SOFIA has successfully three drugs for their potential side effects, that produce proteins found in breast completed its first two test flights, says Eric but found no clear evidence that Tamiflu milk — lysozyme, lactoferrin and human Becklin, chief scientist for the project at the was to blame for the teenagers’ abnormal serum albumin. Ventria says it aims to use Universities Space Research Association, behaviour. The latest investigation is the rice to make drinks that can combat the Columbia, Maryland-based nonprofit expected to report its results by this winter’s diarrhoea, and dietary supplements to organization overseeing the project. flu season. treat anaemia. SOFIA, which cost US$700 million, will The USDA approved the crop after soon move from Waco, Texas, where it was receiving 29 positive comments from the built, to NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Power cut endangers public and 20,005 negative ones. In the end, Center at Edwards Air Force Base in marine lab experiments the department decided that fears the rice California, for further tests. It is expected would escape into the environment or the to make its first science observations in An island research lab off the coast food supply were not warranted. early 2009. of California scrambled to save a number of marine experiments earlier this month because it had no back-up generators Telescope on a plane takes Creationist museum when an unexpected wildfire shut down to the skies — at last to open in Kentucky power. The Wrigley Marine Science Center, on After years of being grounded by budgetary American families looking for an Catalina Island about 30 kilometres from delays, the US/German Stratospheric educational activity this summer could Los Angeles, lost power shortly after the 10 Observatory for Infrared Astronomy find themselves lured into the newest and May brush fire burned down power poles. (SOFIA) is getting airborne at last. splashiest museum in Petersburg, Kentucky Operated by the University of Southern The 2.5-metre telescope is mounted — a $27 million Creation Museum. California, the centre’s biggest loss was aboard a Boeing 747 that will fly above Minister Ken Ham and his Answers in Genesis group say they built the museum as a counterpoint to traditional science and Virtual journey to the centre of the Earth natural-history museums. Exhibits include The Earth Simulator Center baby Tyrannosaurus playing with human in Yokohama, Japan, has children, and a reproduction of part of the a new attraction along Grand Canyon, explained as being formed with its supercomputer: a by Noah’s flood. mini-theatre that will allow There is a Museum of Creation and Earth scientists to interact with History in Southern California, but the data in three dimensions. Kentucky museum is larger and expects to The theatre extends the draw families on themed outings. experience of working with Protesters are planning a ‘Rally for complex dynamic systems. Reason’ at the museum’s 28 May opening. “You can place a massless Science advocates have complained, saying virtual dust particle in the the museum misrepresents scientific middle of a typhoon and understanding of Earth history. watch what happens to it in the same way that a golf Correction player drops grass to test the The News story ‘Wind farms’ deadly reputation wind,” says Akira Kageyama, a simulation specialist at the centre. He hopes the facility will open hard to shift’ (Nature 447, 126; 2007) said that to all Earth Simulator users in the near future. on average each wind turbine kills 0.03 birds Visitors have been known to duck to avoid oncoming objects thrown by a virtual typhoon or even every year. In fact, this is the figure only for birds of prey. The overall average for all birds is 4.27 to run into the walls while viewing the inside of Earth’s core. deaths per turbine per year.

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