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Friday, May 18, 2012

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


New exception to a decades-old rule about RNA splicing uncovered

Posted: 17 May 2012 04:31 PM PDT

There are always exceptions to a rule, even one that has prevailed for more than three decades, as demonstrated by a new study on RNA splicing, a cellular editing process. The rule-flaunting exception uncovered by the study concerns the way in which a newly produced RNA molecule is cut and pasted at precise locations called splice sites before being translated into protein.

Ancient history of circumarctic peoples illuminated

Posted: 17 May 2012 04:31 PM PDT

Scientists have discovered new information about the migration patterns of the first humans to settle the Americas. The studies identify the historical relationships among various groups of Native American and First Nations peoples and present the first clear evidence of the genetic impact of the groups' cultural practices.

Phase I clinical trial shows drug shrinks melanoma brain metastases

Posted: 17 May 2012 04:31 PM PDT

An experimental drug targeting a common mutation in melanoma successfully shrank tumors that spread to the brain in nine out of 10 patients in part of an international phase I clinical trial report.

Bioinformatics: We can learn a lot from other species

Posted: 17 May 2012 04:29 PM PDT

Researchers have confirmed the long-held belief that studying the genes we share with other animals is useful. The study shows how bioinformatics makes it possible to test the fundamental principles on which life science is built.

Giant galaxy-packed filament revealed

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:36 AM PDT

Astronomers have discovered a giant, galaxy-packed filament ablaze with billions of new stars. The filament is the first structure of its kind spied in a critical era of cosmic buildup when colossal collections of galaxies called superclusters began to take shape. The glowing galactic bridge offers astronomers a unique opportunity to explore how galaxies evolve and merge to form superclusters.

Slew of rare DNA changes following population explosion may hold clues to common diseases

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:36 AM PDT

Scientists have taken a first step toward understanding how rare genetic differences among people contribute to leading chronic illnesses. One-letter DNA code changes occur frequently in human genomes, but each variant is usually found in only a few individuals. This phenomenon is consistent with the population explosion of the past 5,000 years. Studying the evolution of rare genetic variants and their health impact is critical as low cost, rapid sequencing enters clinical use. Such information would help doctors interpret personal genomes.

Religion is a potent force for cooperation and conflict, research shows

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:36 AM PDT

Across history and cultures, religion increases trust within groups but also may increase conflict with other groups, according to a new analysis.

Babies' susceptibility to colds linked to immune response at birth

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:35 AM PDT

Innate differences in immunity can be detected at birth, according to new research. And babies with a better innate response to viruses have fewer respiratory illnesses in the first year of life.

In chemical reactions, water adds speed without heat

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:35 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered how adding trace amounts of water can tremendously speed up chemical reactions -— such as hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis —- in which hydrogen is one of the reactants, or starting materials.

Forest diversity from Canada to the sub-tropics influenced by family proximity

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:35 AM PDT

How species diversity is maintained is a fundamental question in biology. Biologists have shown for the first time that diversity is influenced on a spatial scale of unparalleled scope, in part, by how well tree seedlings survive under their own parents.

Prosthetic retina offers simple solution for restoring sight

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:21 AM PDT

A device which could restore sight to patients with one of the most common causes of blindness in the developed world is being developed.

Suspicion resides in two regions of the brain: Our baseline level of distrust is distinct and separable from our inborn lie detector

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:21 AM PDT

Scientists have found that suspicion resides in two distinct regions of the brain: the amygdala, which plays a central role in processing fear and emotional memories, and the parahippocampal gyrus, which is associated with declarative memory and the recognition of scenes.

New technique reveals unseen information in DNA code

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:20 AM PDT

Scientists have used a new technique to map 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) in DNA from human and mouse embryonic stem cells, revealing new information about their patterns of distribution. These studies have revealed that these DNA modifications play major roles in fundamental life processes such as cell differentiation, cancer and brain function.

Pain relief through distraction: It's not all in your head

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:20 AM PDT

Mental distractions make pain easier to take, and those pain-relieving effects aren't just in your head, according to a new report.

Untangling the development of breast cancer: Evolution of 21 breast cancers

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:19 AM PDT

The team created a catalogue of all the mutations in the genomes of the 21 breast cancer genomes. They identified entirely new mutational processes that drive breast cancer development, including one remarkable process defined by localized regions of hypermutation found in most of the breast cancers. This phenomenon has never been seen before. They also found that, once many mutations have accumulated in a cell, the cell then diverges into different subgroups, one of which is destined to become the aggressive, dominant, breast cancer tumor. These findings have implications for our understanding of how breast cancers develop over the decades before diagnosis in adults.

Extended daily fasting overrides harmful effects of a high-fat diet: Study may offer drug-free intervention to prevent obesity and diabetes

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:17 AM PDT

It turns out that when we eat may be as important as what we eat. Scientists have found that regular eating times and extending the daily fasting period may override the adverse health effects of a high-fat diet and prevent obesity, diabetes and liver disease in mice.

Training the brain could help reduce pain

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:17 AM PDT

Training the brain to reduce pain could be a promising approach for treating phantom limb pain and complex regional pain syndrome, according to s neuroscience researcher.

Risk Factor Management Helps Prevent Migraine Attacks

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:16 AM PDT

The latest genetic and biological research shows that migraine is a neurological, not vascular, disorder and both acute and preventive treatments being developed target peripheral and central nervous systems, according to a prominent migraine expert.

RNA modification influences thousands of genes: Revolutionizes understanding of gene expression

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:16 AM PDT

Over the past decade, research in the field of epigenetics has revealed that chemically modified bases are abundant components of the human genome and has forced us to abandon the notion we've had since high school genetics that DNA consists of only four bases.

Ancient giant turtle fossil was size of Smart car

Posted: 17 May 2012 10:16 AM PDT

Picture a turtle the size of a Smart car, with a shell large enough to double as a kiddie pool. Paleontologists have found just such a specimen -- the fossilized remains of a 60-million-year-old South American giant that lived in what is now Colombia.

Parents are happier people: Parents experience greater happiness and meaning in life than nonparents, psychologists find

Posted: 17 May 2012 08:54 AM PDT

Contrary to recent scholarship and popular belief, parents experience greater levels of happiness and meaning in life than people without children, according to researchers. Parents also are happier during the day when they are caring for their children than during their other daily activities, the researchers found in a series of studies conducted in the United States and Canada.

Fighting bacteria’s strength in numbers

Posted: 17 May 2012 08:53 AM PDT

Scientists have opened the way for more accurate research into new ways to fight dangerous bacterial infections by proving a long-held theory about how bacteria communicate with each other.

1,000 years of climate data confirms Australia's warming

Posted: 17 May 2012 08:14 AM PDT

In the first study of its kind in Australasia, scientists have used 27 natural climate records to create the first large-scale temperature reconstruction for the region over the last 1,000 years.

Hormone-depleting drug shows promise against localized high-risk prostate tumors

Posted: 16 May 2012 04:56 PM PDT

Researchers have demonstrated that a hormone-depleting drug approved for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer can help eliminate or nearly eliminate tumors in many patients with aggressive cancers that have yet to spread beyond the prostate, according to a new clinical study.

Phase I study of temsirolimus, capecitabine appears safe; positive survival trend seen

Posted: 16 May 2012 04:55 PM PDT

A Phase I clinical trial examining the safety of combining temsirolimus and capecitabine in advanced malignancies suggests the two agents can be given safely to patients. In addition researchers conducting the study in cancer patients whose tumors have resisted multiple treatments say the combination demonstrates "promising evidence" of disease control and should be studied in a Phase II trial.

Clergy can fight HIV on faith-friendly terms

Posted: 16 May 2012 02:42 PM PDT

In the United States, where blacks bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, black religious institutions could help turn the tide. In a new study based on dozens of interviews and focus groups with 38 of Philadelphia's most influential black religious leaders, physicians and public health researchers find that traditional barriers to preaching about HIV prevention could give way to faith-friendly messages about getting tested and staying on treatment.

New advice on medication disposal: Trash beats take-back, new study suggests

Posted: 16 May 2012 12:25 PM PDT

Returning extra medicine to the pharmacy for disposal might not be worth the extra time, money or greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study that is the first to look at the net effects of so-called take-back programs.

Children with rare, incurable brain disease improve after gene therapy

Posted: 16 May 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Taiwanese doctors have restored some movement in four children bedridden with a rare, life-threatening neurological disease using gene transfer. The first-in-humans achievement may also be helpful for more common diseases such as Parkinson's.

Potential new drugs for fox tapeworm infection in humans

Posted: 16 May 2012 11:01 AM PDT

Scientists are reporting development and testing of a new series of drugs that could finally stop the fox tapeworm -- which causes a rare but life-threatening disease in humans -- dead in its tracks. The report shows that specific organometallic substances that help combat cancer are also the surprising best new hope for a treatment against tapeworm infection.

Health experts narrow the hunt for Ebola

Posted: 16 May 2012 11:01 AM PDT

Response efforts to outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Africa can benefit from a standardized sampling strategy that focuses on the carcasses of gorillas, chimpanzees and other species known to succumb to the virus, according to wildlife health experts.

Three-telescope interferometry allows astrophysicists to observe how black holes are fueled

Posted: 16 May 2012 11:01 AM PDT

By combining the light of three powerful infrared telescopes, scientists have observed the active accretion phase of a supermassive black hole in the center of a galaxy tens of millions of light years away, a method that has yielded an unprecedented amount of data for such observations. The resolution at which they were able to observe this highly luminescent active galactic nucleus has given them direct confirmation of how mass accretes onto black holes in centers of galaxies.

ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

ScienceDaily: Top Technology News


Giant galaxy-packed filament revealed

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:36 AM PDT

Astronomers have discovered a giant, galaxy-packed filament ablaze with billions of new stars. The filament is the first structure of its kind spied in a critical era of cosmic buildup when colossal collections of galaxies called superclusters began to take shape. The glowing galactic bridge offers astronomers a unique opportunity to explore how galaxies evolve and merge to form superclusters.

In chemical reactions, water adds speed without heat

Posted: 17 May 2012 11:35 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered how adding trace amounts of water can tremendously speed up chemical reactions -— such as hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis —- in which hydrogen is one of the reactants, or starting materials.

Three-telescope interferometry allows astrophysicists to observe how black holes are fueled

Posted: 16 May 2012 11:01 AM PDT

By combining the light of three powerful infrared telescopes, scientists have observed the active accretion phase of a supermassive black hole in the center of a galaxy tens of millions of light years away, a method that has yielded an unprecedented amount of data for such observations. The resolution at which they were able to observe this highly luminescent active galactic nucleus has given them direct confirmation of how mass accretes onto black holes in centers of galaxies.

Top Stories from the last 24 hours


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Top Stories from the last 24 hours


Hi David,

These are the top stories from The Next Web over the last 24 hours.

The Next Web

P.S. Want to be the first of your friends and followers to spread our breaking news stories? Now you can, with Spread.us.






Thursday, May 17, 2012

'Blade Runner' Writer in Talks to Pen Sequel for Director Ridley Scott


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How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps Style

May 17th, 2012Top Story

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps Style

By Thorin Klosowski

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps StyleClick to view Ever felt like Google Maps doesn't provide enough detail of the aerial view of your neighborhood? Ever wanted to make your own maps or participate in a little homegrown science? Balloon mapping is a cheap way to take aerial pictures for all sorts of purposes—even events like weddings, graduations, or parties—and it's dead simple to do it yourself. Here's how it works.

Balloon mapping is a means to create low-cost and high-resolution aerial maps. Essentially, you fill a large balloon with helium, attach a camera to it, and then let it fly over the area you want to see. When you're finished you can stitch the images together to create a large aerial map.

You can take it a step further by submitting to the open source community Public Laboratory so others can see and even add to the maps you create, and if you do a good enough job, your images might even make it into Google Earth.

At a glance balloon mapping might seem a little eccentric, but on top of being a fun way to spend an afternoon, it has its uses. On one hand it's a bit of counter-cartography to rival Google Maps so you can map and explore your own environment. It's also a great way to document big changes in the landscape that satellites simply can't do. Balloon mapping has been used to document the BP oil spill, the Occupy Movement, and to provide an aerial view for environmental campaigns.

I ran through the whole process myself and launched a balloon off my roof. It's pretty simple and the process is split into three essential parts: gathering supplies, launching the balloon, and stitching together the images your camera gathers. You can watch a quick overview in the video at the top of this post, but let's walk through each step in detail below.

The Supplies You Need

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps StyleBalloon mapping is an old fashioned and simple approach to aerial mapping, so your materials list isn't very complicated. You can put together your own DIY kit for around $70, or purchase the official Public Laboratory recommended kit for $115. To keep things on the up and up we chose the official kit. Here's what you get in the kit:

  • 5.5 foot reusable balloon
  • 1000 meters of unbreakable string
  • Protective gloves
  • Swivel clips for attaching the camera
  • Carabiner
  • Rubber bands for the camera
  • Zip ties
  • One 1-inch ring for attaching the balloon

In addition to what you get in the kit you'll also need:
  • Any point and shoot camera with a continuous or "sport" mode where you can hold down the trigger and it will take pictures until the memory is full
  • One SD card (4GB recommended)
  • 2 Liter soda bottle (or some plastic enclosure)
  • 80 cubic feet canister of helium (between $20-$40 at a supplier)

All of the materials besides the helium are reusable, so once you buy the kit (or make your own) you'll be able to continue using it for as long as you like. With all that in tow let's launch the balloon into the sky and get a view of the neighborhood.

Set Up and Launch the Balloon

Launching the balloon is surprisingly easy, but you do need to make a few preparations ahead of time and keep yourself safe throughout the process. Before you start, be sure to read all the official guides and print out a checklist so you don't miss any details.

Step 0: Preflight Preparations

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps StyleBefore you launch the balloon, you have to decide on a safe place to do it. In my case, that meant launching it off the roof of my apartment so it wouldn't get tangled in power lines. This meant I couldn't walk around with it and that narrowed the amount of ground I could cover.

Once you decide on a location, make sure it's not within five miles of an airport and brush up on the FAA regulations in your area. In most cases you can launch without too much worry, but it's still good to know the rules.

Finally, make sure your camera's battery is charged and your SD card is empty. Check the weather for your flight day to make sure it won't be too windy (over 5 MPH) or rainy. I had to delay my flight twice due to thunderstorms, so plan ahead. When you've got everything organized it's time to fly your balloon.

Step 1: Prepare Your Camera Rig

Click to view You don't want to launch an unprotected camera into the sky. The best option? The top half of a 2-liter bottle is a great camera shield. For larger cameras you might need to experiment to get the right size—I found a slightly larger apple juice container worked for a Nikon P80.

Once you have a container that your camera fits in you need to find a way to force the trigger down. I did this by finding a small pebble and securing it to the trigger with a couple of rubber bands. This makes it so your camera will automatically take pictures when flying through the air.

Finally, you need to secure the camera inside the container. If your camera has a strap you can do this by pulling the strap through the top and you're done. If you don't have one you need to wrap string around the camera and pull it up through the top of the bottle. This is the part you'll connect to the balloon so make sure the camera is secure.

Step 2: Fill Your Balloon with Helium

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps StyleWith the camera ready to go it's time to fill the balloon with helium. Start by placing the 1-inch ring over the tip of the balloon. Next, wrap the balloon tip over the helium container, tie it down with a zip tie, and then fill it up. When the balloon gets to about 1.2 meters wide attach the camera and see if the balloon can lift it. If it does, you're done; if it doesn't, reconnect the balloon and keep on filling. It took me around 15 minutes to fill the balloon.

When the balloon is full and has enough lift, fold the tip of the balloon in half with the ring in the middle and use a couple zip ties to secure it shut. Finally, tie the string spool to the balloon with a good knot and then tie the end of the string to something secure on the ground. This process is a lot easier with two people, so grab a buddy if you can.

Step 3: Attach Your Rig, Start Your Camera, and Launch

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps StyleNow it's time to send your balloon mapping kit into the air. Grab your camera rig and tie it to the string or directly to the balloon (I attached my camera to the balloon because I didn't trust my knots, but ended up with the string in most of the aerial pictures). Pull down on the rig to make sure it's secure and the camera isn't going to fall.

You should now have a balloon that's about 1.2 meters in width floating above your head with a camera attached to it and the ring on the balloon attached to your spool of string. Give everything a once-over to make sure your knots are secure and then turn your camera on. Double-check to make sure the camera is taking pictures and you're ready to launch.

Put on your protective gloves (seriously, you'll get a wicked rope burn if you don't) and grab the spool. Release the balloon from whatever you've attached it to on the ground and let the balloon rise quickly.

Now just let the balloon float to a desired height while the camera takes pictures. If the balloon gets up to around 1000 meters then it's taking pictures of about 1000 meters of the ground. If you can (and I couldn't do this part unfortunately), walk around with the balloon so you can map a larger area. For the most part you won't find a "right" or "wrong" way to capture images. You can keep the balloon closer to the ground and get very high resolution shots of your location or you can let it drift up high to get a wider view.

Step 4: Reel the Balloon Back In

How to Balloon Map Your Neighborhood, Google Maps StyleWhen you're happy with the amount of ground you've covered start reeling the balloon back in by wrapping the spool back up. This took me around 15 minutes to get it all the way back, so be prepared to wrap for a while. However, if you plan on reusing the string, take the time to reel it in right to avoid tangles.

Once the balloon and camera are back in your hands, tie the balloon to the ground again, take the camera off the balloon, and then check and make sure it was taking pictures the whole time. If it did, you're done. You can either slowly let the air out of the balloon by removing the zip ties or save the balloon for another flight tomorrow.

Now it's time to head inside with your SD card and start stitching you pictures together.

Stitch Your Images Together with MapKnitter

Click to view Now comes the not-so-fun but necessary part: stitching all your photos together to make one large map. This is done with the free webapp MapKnitter that compiles your photos together on top of a Google Map satellite image to create a seamless, high resolution photo.

On your SD card you probably have upwards of 4000 aerial photos and a number of them will be identical. With that in mind, grab yourself a nice beverage and start going through all of the photos to pick out the ones that have a clear, straight-down shot. You only need one shot per area, but make sure it's a good one.

The video to the left guides you through the whole process, and although it's time-consuming, it's not difficult. It will take a lot of trial and error, so start small and take it slow. When you're done you'll have a high resolution aerial image of where you mapped. You can get a look at my still-in-progress map over on MapKnitter (and embedded below). My stitching skills still need some work and I'm waiting for a day with a good northeast wind to get the other side of the neighborhood, but you can get an idea of how it works from my images.


For a more detailed look at every step, check out the Public Laboratory's consistently updated collection of guides, videos, and methods.

How you use balloon mapping is of course up to you, so if you have any ideas, thoughts, or questions be sure to share them in the comments.

Title video music by Symfoniorkestern.

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