I, Science (Print) ISSN 2044-2114 I, Science (Online) ISSN 2044-2122 I,ScienceSummer 2010 Inside: I, Science Editor P.8 interviews Simon Singh 1 From the editor I, Science is back for one more run! And what an issue we have in store for you. If, like me, you’ve been enjoying the World EDITORIAL TEAM Cup, take a breather from the disappointment EDITOR IN CHIEF and excitement, and pick Adrian Giordani up the latest I, Science PRODUCTION issue. Read the exclusive interview I had with Dr. Henry Lau Simon Singh about his recent libel case win with Aurelie Perthuison the British Chiropractic Association. Also, discover the scientific controversy surrounding the Icelandic CONTRIBUTERS Anne Coleman volcano, ‘Eyjafjallajokull’ and the terrible conse- Adrian Giordani quences of what is possibly the worst man made oil Contents Ailbhe Goodbody spill in history. Find out the science that could make Laura Greenhalgh the possibility of mechanical devices move indepen- Pippa Hough Henry Lau dently of electricity and how science is both ‘hero Chris Noble and villain’ in the world of high performance sport. Jon Primmer Dom Rees-Roberts With the prevalence of pseudo-scientific theories Sophie Robinson Cecilia Rosen such as homeopathy, scientology and creationism, it Phil Sandwell is now more important than ever to differentiate fact Rhiannon Smith from fiction. Through peer review, open public debate Greg Szulgit and intellectual scrutiny, dubious ideologies should COVER ARTWORK be put to the test. One would think rationality would Trilce Sandoval Similä prevail but humans are also inherently irrational. The majority of people behind pseudo-scientific / denialist I,science is produced and pub- theories are well organised, maybe conventional sci- lished in association with Felix, ence should adapt this trend if they want their voice to the student newspaper of Imperial College be heard. I, science (Print) Check out the latest science communication news and ISSN 2044-2114 features on our website at http://dougal.union.ic.ac. I, science (Online) ISSN 2044-2122 uk/media/iscience/. You can email us your constructive comments / criticisms about this issue and for any other Felix Newspaper questions at [email protected], or post them on Beit Quad Twitter: http://twitter.com/I_science_mag. Prince Consort Road London SW7 2BB T: 020 7594 8072 I also wish to thank all our proof-reading, illustrating, E: [email protected] producing and writing staff for their original contribu- tions. I previously mentioned that the last issue was our Copyright © Felix 2010 final publication, so let me categorically confirm that this Printed by Indigo Press issue is really the last I, Science magazine from the current Cambridge Road, Southampton team. As our tenure is up, we hope you’ve enjoyed our sci- S014 6TB, 023 8023 1196 ence news and features throughout the academic year. I’ve personally enjoyed every minute of it and I hope next year’s I, Science team will maintain and improve upon its quality and dedication - have a great summer and farewell from I, Science 2009/2010. 2 Summer 2010 News and Events Features 04| Top News 05| Ash Wednesday Vitamin A fights disease, Sleeping 06| You thought you had it hard sickness solution and Sniffer rovers 07| Asian Beauties 08| I, Science Editor interviews Simon Singh 10| A Tale of Catastrophe 12| Brain versus Brawn 14| From heart attacks to liquid computers 15| Technology, Tubes and Tone 16| Vertebrates Versatile Vision 17| Two Sides of the Same Coin 18| Genius or Crackpot 19| Charging all the way Contents 06| Asian Beauties 08| I, Science Editor interviews Simon Singh 10| A tale of Catastrope 15| Technology, Tubes and Tone 19| Charging all the way 3 Top News VITAMIN A BOOST FIGHTS DISEASES IN modification does carry, favouring maize Title,50474,en.html DEVELOPING COUNTRIES conservation”, says Mexico’s National http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs259/en/ - Cecilia Rosen University researcher Elena Álvarez- YIN AND YANG - Adrian Giordani Buylla. rare genetic variation in maize What do alien life and pregnancy tests may hold the key to a nutrition SLEEPING SICKNESS SOLUTION COULD A have in common? These concepts seem boost in developing countries. Vitamin ALLEVIATE POVERTY IN RURAL AFRICA worlds apart but UK scientists have been A deficiency, an important cause of - Rhiannon Smith performing technological alchemy with disease, could be tackled with a cheap and instruments designed to search for life on powerful method combining advanced new strategy in the battle against Mars. genetics and traditional agriculture. A sleeping sickness could help to over- come poverty and disease in Africa. The ExoMars mission is the first attempt A new study in Nature Genetics shows to locate organic material from samples that genetic analysis is able to detect African sleeping sickness is caused by a one to two metres just below the surface of higher levels of beta–carotene, a source parasite – ‘Trypanosoma brucei’ – which Mars. The aim is to explore the chemistry, of vitamin A, in maize. Carotene-B is carried by the tsetse or ‘tik tik’ fly. Sci- mineralogy and the evidence of life on deficiency causes diseases in five million entists have developed a new technique to the Red Planet. Perhaps the most likely children and ten million pregnant women kill this deadly parasite – by damaging a type of life-related organic matter is fossil every year, according to the World Health crucial protein, which it uses to evade the material. Organization. immune system. Professor Mark Sephton from Imperial The research found that changes in two University of St Andrews’ scientists are College works on the Life Marker Chip genes in one variety of maize produced up confident that they can use this technique (LMC). Its system acts like a detergent to five times more beta–carotene than in to “develop effective, safe and cheap drugs by using ‘surfactants’ to trap organic other varieties. against this neglected disease”, says lead material in an emulsion so that they’re researcher, Dr. Terry Smith. suspended in water. The surfactants are of Other sources of food, like carrots, potential advantage to the petroleum in- contain high concentrations of vitamin A, African sleeping sickness infects ap- dustry. “The petroleum industry encoun- but are unaffordable in poor countries. proximately 60,000 people each year, and ters a number of problems when it comes without treatment it is fatal. Symptoms to using toxic organic solvents or cleaning Scientists looked for a way to improve include fever, headaches and joint pains – water used in the production of oil. The nutrition in maize. By surveying genes and as the disease progresses – confusion, UK is heavily involved in this industry in different corn varieties, they found a lack of coordination and disruption to the and the technology can make the process link between genetic variations and an sleep cycle; giving the disease its name. cleaner, greener and more efficient.” increase of carotene-B. After using natural plant breeding, researchers introduced Currently, there are only two drugs avail- Professor David Cullen from Cranfield these variations into tropical maize strains able in treating sleeping sickness; one, University works on the analysis phase of commonly grown in developing countries. ‘Melarsoprol’, is arsenic-based and kills the LMC, which is based on ‘lateral-flow five percent of patients and the other, immunodiagnostics’. The common use The final breeding, researchers found, ‘Eflornithine’, is too expensive and insuf- of the technology is in modern pregnancy contained a concentration of more than ficiently effective to be used on a wide test kits in high street chemists. “It is fifteen micrograms of beta–carotene scale in developing countries. This new also used in more clinical settings for per gram of grain; enough to alleviate development could help to overcome such rapid diagnosis of various diseases and nutritional deficiencies where maize is a limitations. research is now on-going into spinning dietary staple. the technology into other fields such as The same parasite also infects cattle, caus- environmental applications, security and Jianbing Yan, project coordinator at ing a disease called ‘nagana’. This kills defence.” One potential application would the International Maize and Wheat three million livestock each year, with seri- be for rapid onsite results from drug tests Improvement Centre said the technique ous ramifications for poor farmers. “The of roadside suspects. will soon be applied in Mexico and China. disease in cattle is a major obstacle to the economic development of the rural areas ExoMars technology has an ‘Earth-bound “This is the right approach because it has affected”, said the WHO. yin’ to its ‘Mars-bound yang’. While the a great potential for assisted breeding ‘new science’ will not begin operations on and of success in features that are of Together, sleeping sickness and nagana Mars until 2019, the terrestrial applica- interest for the agricultural industry and cost the African economy more than £2 tions are already here or just around the the nutritional aspect. And it does not billion every year. corner. imply the biosecurity risks that transgenic Sources: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2010/ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-06/uol-lom060210.php 4 Ash Wednesday By Anne Coleman Top News eeks, nearly months, after ash started to solidify and shatter; crum- consistent with the predicted plumes” the initial outburst of the bling off the blades. Miraculously, the en- (Ryall, Nature 2010); the subsequent Wunpronounceable Icelan- gines started to work again, though the pi- test flights sent up by KLM, Lufthansa, dic volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, much of lot proceeded with an emergency landing. BA, and aircraft maker Airbus returned Europe is still experiencing the havoc This near catastrophic accident caused successfully with no damage.