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Science In Action: 12/05/2011

12/05/2011

BBC World Service - Science In Action, 12/05/2011

For the first time, GM mosquitoes have been released in the wild to target Dengue fever

GM mosquitoes released to target Dengue fever in Brazil; Recalculating Neanderthal dates; The moon of Jupiter - Io; Could a meteor impact off the coast of UK lead to the rise of the dinosaurs?

GM Insects
For the first time ever, genetically modified insects have been released into the wild to target a human disease. In Brazil, scientists are releasing mosquitoes which have had their genes altered to prevent their offspring from developing and being able to bite people, and spread the disease & Dengue fever.


Neanderthal dates
New dating techniques have been applied to Neanderthal bones from a cave in the Caucasus Mountains.  The bones are 10,000 years older than was previously thought.  If this is found to be the case in many more sites in Eurasia, the idea that our ancient cousins interacted and even interbred with our ancient ancestors would be very unlikely.


Io – Jupiter's turbulent moon
Reanalysis of the data collected by NASA's Galileo orbits around Jupiter's moon Io have shown that the turbulent moon is likely to have an ocean of liquid magma under its surface.  This could explain why it is the most volatile moon in our Solar System.


Meteor Impact in the end Triassic
Scientists studying the layers of rock on the Somerset coast in the UK are looking at the evidence of a massive meteor impact which occurred 200 million years ago. Could this impact have changed the Earth's climate, making it possible for the rise of the dinosaurs?

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