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Medical trickery...
Newsweek reports that AIDS, lupus,
hepatitis C, and allergies could eventually be combated
using a drug that triggers the innate immune system -- the
master controller that direct's the body's response to infection.
Dr. Arthur Krieg of Coley Pharmaceuticals is testing such
a drug on lung-cancer patients -- injecting them with synthetic
DNA that is benign, but looks like a virus. "We can
trick the body into thinking a cancer is a kind of viral
infection," he says. The treatment is now in Phase
III trials. Coley is testing a similar drug for hepatitis
C.
Immunizing the internet...
Researchers at Tel-Aviv University have
developed a new strategy for combatting viruses on the internet.
"Honeypot" computers on the network would attract
viruses, determine how they infect, and distribute an antidote.
Honeypots would be connected through a secure parallel network,
allowing the antidote to be quickly and widely distributed
-- more rapidly than the virus could spread. New Scientist
says that in a network of 50,000 nodes with 200 honeypots,
only 5% of computers would be infected before the virus
was stopped.
Beyond marketing...
Advertising is dying, Faith Popcorn writes
in Chief Executive. The web is supplanting newspapers
and magazines. Commercial radio is being challenged by podcasting.
Users of digital-video recorders are already skipping 60%
of the ads inserted by the networks. Consumers, she says,
are rejecting "artificial, highly scripted, top-down
marketing." In the future, she says, companies will
reach consumers through culture. The things that people
care passionately about... "the music, the fashion,
the language, the technology, the spirituality of generations."
Medical offshoring...
The Hindu reports that National Health
Services in the United Kingdom will contract with a company
in India to interpret x-rays, sonography, CT scans, MRIs
and PET scans offshore. The value of the business could
be approximately $1 billion. The processing of laboratory
specimens could be next. National Health Services has already
assessed the company's infrastructure, and has conducted
pilot tests.
Boys in trouble...
The Kansas City Star reflects on
the rough ride of growing up male -- "Learning disorders.
Dropout rates. Violence. Stuttering. Obesity. Gambling and
video game fixations. School suspensions. Hyperactivity.
D's and F's and general disengagement, despite medication
to sharpen attention." Boys account for 90 percent
of juvenile arrests for violent crimes. William Pollack,
a clinical psychologist at Harvard, says, "boys are
in trouble."
Global crime...
Mother Jones interviews Moses Naim
on the globalization of crime, author of the book Illicit:
How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats Are Hijacking the
Global Economy. Naim says there is a growing market
in designer clothes, human beings, drugs, weapons, and endangered
species. Some 40 percent of 'Procter & Gamble' and 60
percent of 'Honda' products, he says, are inauthentic. The
illicit economy is approximately ten percent of GDP. Slavery
is estimated to be worth an estimated $7 to $10 billion
a year. "It took four hundred years for the slave trade
to bring 12 million people to America from Africa,"
Naim says. "It took less than ten years to traffic
30 million people in Southeast Asia in the last decade."
Global markets...
China and India are exporting more, The
Globalist says, but the market is asymmetrical. Asia
is providing "goods for the overly-indulgent American
consumer." In 2004, Chinese consumption actually fell
to 42% of its GDP. U.S. consumption, in contrast, was 71%
of GDP. Per capita spending in India is only about $400
per year -- not large enough to be significant. Not only
has the developed world not found new consumer markets for
its goods, it is also losing ground as the developing world
-- enabled by the internet -- increasingly sells knowledge-based
services.
Be careful what you wish for...
Buckyballs are expected to play a large
role in the nanotechnology revolution. However, researchers
at Vanderbilt University have found that when they are dissolved
the water they bind to DNA molecules and deform DNA. This
could have negative -- if not catastrophic -- consequences
for biological processes in humans and other organisms.
"This research shows that if buckyballs can get into
the nucleus," chemical engineer Peter Cummings says,
"they can bind to DNA. If the DNA is damaged, it can
be inhibited from self-repairing."
Lost civilization...
Will the future remember us? The Mail
& Guardian says maybe not. Our digital photos may
not survive hard disk drive failures, and ever-changing
storage technologies and formats. "If photographers
do not think seriously about digital preservation,"
the newspaper says, "there is a danger that the information
revolution could turn into a new dark age."
David Forrest
we welcome your comments and feedback at mail@innovationwatch.com
SCIENCE
First
Picture of Living Human Retina Reveals Surprise - [Live
Science] Imaging thousands of cells responsible for detecting
color in the deepest layer of the eye, scientists found
that our eyes are wired differently. Yet we all -- with
the exception of the color blind -- identify colors similarly.
The results suggest that the brain plays an even more significant
role than thought in deciding what we see.
Possible
Miniature Solar System Discovered - [Associated Press]
Astronomers have discovered what they believe is the birth
of the smallest known solar system. Peering through ground-
and space-based telescopes, scientists observed a brown
dwarf -- or failed star -- less than one hundredth the mass
of the sun surrounded by what appears to be a disk of dust
and gas.
Only
40 Genes Separate Your Pet Dog from a Wolf - [Telegraph]
The difference between an obedient, friendly dog and a big
bad wolf could be down to as few as 40 genes, according
to a study into tameness.
Scan
a Brain and Predict the Future - [New Zealand Herald]
Neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine
in St. Louis have found they can predict whether test subjects
will succeed or fail at a game by scanning their brains.
Water
Once Covered Mars - [IOL] Surrounding Mars's north pole
are underground "layered deposits" that are believed
to be fine strata of ice, according to research presented
at the headquarters of the European Space Agency. The find
is "nearly pure, cold-water ice," with only two
percent contamination by dust. Beneath these deposits are
large amounts of sand that is probably "cemented"
with water ice.
Immunity's
Master Controller - [MSNBC] Researchers are working
to understand -- and manipulate -- the body's innate defenses.
The
End Of Aging? New Study Examines Evolutionary Explanations
For 'Biological Immortality' - [Science Daily] Though
getting older may seem inevitable, a major new study examines
the point in human life when your body simply stops aging.
TECHNOLOGY
Future
Is Now With Microchip Implants - [WCBSTV] It sounds
like science fiction, but Nick Minicucci is getting a microchip
implanted in his arm. The chip is smaller than a thumbnail,
but allows doctors access to all of his medical records
with only the swipe of a scan.
Web
Tool Puts New Face on Wikipedia - [c|net] The popularity
of Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia to which anyone can
contribute, is spawning a host of complementary tools and
offshoots.
Nanotube
Foams Flex, Rebound with 'Super Compressibility'
- [Composites News] Films of aligned carbon nanotubes can
act like a layer of mattress springs, flexing and rebounding
in response to a force. But unlike a mattress, which can
sag and lose its springiness, these nanotube foams maintain
their resilience even after thousands of compression cycles.
Monkey
Gene Chip May Help Researchers - [Red Orbit] Researchers
studying infectious diseases, such as AIDS, may be able
to find answers more quickly thanks to a new tool that lets
them see how a Rhesus monkey's 20,000 genes respond.
Viral
Cure Could 'Immunise' the Internet - [New Scientist]
A cure for computer viruses that spreads in a viral fashion
could immunise the internet, even against pests that travel
at lightning speed, a mathematical study reveals.
Atom
Hauler: Molecular Rig Snags Multi-Atom Loads - [Science
News] A molecule with a knack for picking up and delivering
atoms may prove a useful tool for atomic-scale construction.
NASA
Offers Prizes for Robots and Astro-Drones - [MSNBC]
NASA announced two new cash prizes, each with a weighty
$250,000 purse, in a pair of contests aimed at developing
robotic systems for space exploration.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Credit
Cards to Restrict Lending - [BBC] Credit card companies
are to monitor more closely the way their customers spend
and repay money.
Twilight
In Italy - [TIME Asia] What happens when old-world craftsmanship
collides with harsh new commercial realities? Welcome to
Manzano, Italy's chair-production capital, as it is battered
by cheaper Chinese rivals.
Close
to Home - [CFO Europe] Many CFOs find that shifting
operations to faraway, low-cost locations is not always
a good idea.
Cultural
Relevance - [Chief Executive] In 2006, the long-predicted
death of advertising will reach a critical point. Equally
important, forward-thinking corporate leaders will build
their marketing strategies not around media but around culture.
Does
Your Company Belong in the Blogosphere? - [HBS Working
Knowledge] Bloggers have damaged a number of companies,
but it's time to think of the blog as your friend. Skillful
blogging can boost your company's credibility and help it
connect with customers.
Greenspan
Warns of Rising Deficits - [Boston Globe] Outgoing Federal
Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan warned that America's exploding
budget deficit and a protectionist backlash against soaring
trade deficits could disrupt the global economy.
Now,
Medical Process Outsourcing - [The Hindu] Business worth
around $1 billion could move into India from the U.K. shortly
with the National Health Services (NHS) in the process of
firming up contracts for rerouting pathology services to
other countries.
SOCIETY
Raising
Our Boys Better - [Kansas City Star] Learning disorders.
Dropout rates. Violence. Stuttering. Obesity. Gambling and
video game fixations. School suspensions. Hyperactivity.
D’s and F’s and general disengagement, despite
medication to sharpen attention. In
the above matters, boys outnumber girls 2-to-1, at least.
Within the swelling ranks of kids deemed autistic or dyslexic,
it’s 4-to-1. Suicide, 5-to-1.
Hugs
Might Go Online Soon - [Earth Times] Soon, parents who
travel too often or live away from their children would
be able to keep in 'touch' with them. For, a system developed
in Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU)'s
Interaction and Entertainment Research Center is aiming
at being able to transmit hugs and touches online.
Pension?
Start Saving from Birth - [The Guardian] We're living
longer - so the next generation will have to pay more to
fund our retirement, never mind theirs.
So,
How Long Have We Got? - [The Guardian] Not only are
we living longer, we're living longer than we'd ever imagined
we would, and this, apparently, is nothing to smile about.
The
Global Underworld - [Mother Jones] The editor of Foreign
Policy explains how smugglers, traffickers, and copycats
are hijacking the world economy.
Precarious
Lives - [Mother Jones] The promises on which many of
us have based our entire economic lives are no longer being
honored.
The
Growing “Global Interior” of the United States
- [Globalist] Rather surprisingly, Nashville, Tennessee
has become a major destination for immigrants arriving to
the United States. In this Globalist Perspective, Anne Farris
dispels the myth that immigrants only flock to metropolises
like New York City — and argues that Nashville exemplifies
how smaller communities are dealing with immigration.
GLOBAL POLITICS
How
Bush Plans to Get Out of Iraq - [TIME] Pummeled by charges
that Bush either does not have a workable strategy for drawing
down troops or is concealing one for political reasons,
the White House put out a 38-page "National Strategy
for Victory in Iraq" in conjunction with his remarks
at the Navy Academy outlining how he will decide when sizeable
numbers of troops can come home.
Challenges
Facing Europe in a World of Globalization - [Heritage
Foundation] Whether the EU has grand ambitions to become
a superpower or not, whether it sees itself creating a new
international order or wants to enlarge into Asia and North
Africa, I think that without the willingness to tackle rigidity
and stagnation in the major EU economies, the project
will not have much of a chance.
Squaring
the Circle of a Flat World - [Globalist] With all due
respect to Tom Friedman, there’s nothing flat about
this unbalanced global economy. Stephen Roach, Chief Economist
and Director of Global Economic Analysis at Morgan Stanely,
argues the global economy is distinguished far more by its
disparities and tensions -- and how the resulting imbalances
are likely to be vented in world markets.
Russia
Confirms Iran Arms Deal - [Telegraph] Russia has confirmed
that it has signed an arms deal with Iran but said the weapons
were only for defence.
Why
Sharon Quit His Party - [TIME Europe] Ariel Sharon left
the Likud Party he helped found because it had become an
obstacle to his plans for long-term peace and security for
Israel, he said. And he and his aides believe that the risks
he's taking in launching a new centrist party will pay off
by returning him to office at the head of an even more stable
coalition.
The
Bomb Proliferates - [Le Monde Diplomatique] The original
intention in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons
was less the preservation of the world from nuclear destruction
than the retention of military supremacy for those states
that had it already, plus a few chosen allies. What will
happen now?
Russian
Diplomat Defends NGO Reduction - [ABC News] A top Kremlin
diplomat defended pending legislation that would severely
restrict non-governmental organizations, telling a visiting
U.S. envoy Friday it was part of Russia becoming a democracy.
ENVIRONMENT
Pollutants
Link to Rise in Diabetes Cases - [Telegraph] The dramatic
rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes could be driven
in part by exposure to pollutants as well as obesity, according
to a study.
Science
Faces 'Dangerous Times' - [BBC] Fundamentalism is hampering
global efforts to tackle climate change, according to Britain's
top scientist.
Climate
Model Refutes Predictions of Wetter Sahel - [Science
and Development Network] Africa's drought-prone Sahel region
faces "dramatic drying" during the next 50 years
because of climate change, according to a new computer simulation.
Emissions
Trading Cannot Solve Amazon Deforestation - [Science
and Development Network] Some say that emissions trading
under the Kyoto Protocol should be used to preserve intact
areas of the Amazon rainforest as well as to restore deforested
regions. This is a commendable aim — but there are
several reasons why it is unlikely to work in practice.
Swiss
Lean Towards Approving GMO Moratorium - [Swiss Info]
Voters appear to have accepted a proposal for a five-year
ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Swiss agriculture.
Computer
Simulation Shows Buckyballs Deform DNA - [PhysOrg] A
new study raises a red flag regarding the safety of buckyballs
when dissolved in water. It reports the results of a detailed
computer simulation that finds buckyballs bind to the spirals
in DNA molecules in an aqueous environment, causing the
DNA to deform, potentially interfering with its biological
functions and possibly causing long-term negative side effects
in people and other living organisms.
Failing
Ocean Current Raises Fears of Mini Ice Age - [New Scientist]
The ocean current that gives western Europe its relatively
balmy climate is stuttering, raising fears that it might
fail entirely and plunge the continent into a mini ice age.
THE FUTURE
Ghosts
of the Digital Future - [Mail & Guardian] There
are more photographs around than ever before and, thanks
to the growth of digital photography and cameraphones, there
may well be more photos taken this year than in the whole
of history. But how many will still be there 50 years hence.
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