Search

The article focuses on the career of Cheng-Ming Chuong, a developmental biologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Chuong has interest on how feathers are generated in adult birds. He decided to try to track down the location of stem cells in feathers. Chuong and his team discovered that in flight feathers, the ring of stem cells tilts towards the side where the quill arises. He plans to continue his characterization of feather stem cells.

The article reports on the discovery of the clumped isotope thermometry, a valuable tool for paleoenvironmental studies by a group of researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. The new tool was discovered by measuring the abundance of molecules which contain oxygen-isotope and the uncommon carbon-isotope. According to published papers, the results of early test of this clumped thermometer on corals and fish earbones were promising which provides a new record of ocean temperature during Paleozoic era.

The article focuses on the academic analysis which shows the weak foundation of electronic voting systems in California. The analysis was made possible by the scientists of Berkeley and Davis campuses of the University of California in Berkeley. The analysis indicates that the three systems purchased by the state from Sequoia Voting Systems Inc., Hart InterCivic Inc. and Diebold Inc. failed to meet the needed security requirements for the voters. Secretary of state Debra Bowen said that the result would allow voters to use paper ballots for the February 2008 elections and promised the public to reattest the machines once they comply with the basic requirements for the voting system. Meanwhile, reactions of other public officials on the analysis result are offered.

Focuses on the efforts of the University of California in collaboration with the African American Male Achievers Network to teach middle- and high-school students about the work of scientists in Los Angeles, California. Aim of the program to increase the number of students to pursue their career in natural and physical sciences; Invitation for high school students to work with scientists in laboratories; Importance of the bond between students and scientists with the program.

The article reports on the result of a research study about the condition of human embryonic stem cells transplanted into the brain of an irradiated rat, conducted by researcher Charles Limoli and colleagues from the University of California in Irvine, California. The study revealed that the human embryonic stem cells have survived in the brain of the rats. It showed that the animals who receive the cells performed much better in a task of recognizing place.

Information about new technologies discussed at the Science Food Camp in Mountain View, California is presented. The conference has been co-organized by Nature Publishing Group and Google which has been pioneered by O´Reilly Media Inc. Foo has been attended by the most influential scientists, technologists, engineers and discoverers in the world.