Some dreams feel so revelatory--if only returning to sleep would take us back there. It turns out, however, that our ability to shape our dreams is better than mere chance. In the blockbuster movie Inception , Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his compatriots use drugs and psychological profiles to trigger specific dreams in people. Although the heavy sedation and level of detail incited are far-fetched, dream control isn't entirely a Hollywood fantasy. [More] Leonardo DiCaprio - Inception - Dream - Psychology - Social Sciences

Dopamine Determines Impulsive Behavior

Binge-shoppers and serial daters might perpetually be living at the whim of their latest impulse, and now research is getting to the biological basis of their seemingly random behavior. [More] Health - Psychology - Social Sciences - Addiction - Mental health

EPA denies challenges to greenhouse gas rule

By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday rejected 10 petitions challenging EPA's 2009 finding that climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health and the environment. [More] United States Environmental Protection Agency - Greenhouse gas - United States - Global warming - Reuters

Safety Concerns Have Delayed Approval of First U.S. Nuclear Reactor in Decades

A new era for nuclear power is taking shape as third-generation reactors, designed to be simpler and safer, inch through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) design certification process. Much of nuclear's revival hinges on the ability of new reactors to outshine those of yore in terms of safety, economics, construction time and life span. [More] Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Nuclear power - Nuclear reactor technology - Nuclear safety - Nuclear

Thaw deal: Climate change could leave penguins in the dark

Few animals can live totally in the dark, and penguins are no exception. But new research shows that climate change could soon rob Adélie penguins ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) of the sunlight they need to survive, and that could drive them into extinction.The problem comes from melting sea ice, according to the report in the July 2010 issue of Ecology . As the climate changes and more of Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf melts, Adélie penguins will be forced farther inland. This will take the birds away from the small amount of sunlight they have during certain parts of the year at current latitudes, leaving them unable to see, hunt or endure. [More] Climate change - Sea ice - Antarctica - Ross Ice Shelf - Environment

Talking trash during the dog days: A brief history of sanitation in New York City

Without modern sanitation , life would be nightmarish--human and animal waste would fester on the streets along with garbage and food scraps, producing a stench so foul that you'd want to keep your windows closed even in the sweltering heat of summer (for the moment, envision lacking the luxury of air conditioning). The offensive odors and accumulating muck would be the least of your worries, however--preventable diseases such as cholera and yellow fever would be rampant, your life expectancy would be extremely short, and infant mortality rates would be staggeringly high.This is what life was like for many of the previous inhabitants of what is now New York City, from the arrival of the Dutch in the 1600s until the establishment of an official Department of Street Cleaning in the late 19th century. Robin Nagle , professor of anthropology at New York University, chronicled this fascinating history of sanitation and public health in an illustrated lecture July 26 at N.Y.U.'s School of Medicine. Nagle's talk, "How Street Cleaners Saved the City: Garbage, Government, and Public Health in New York," was dotted with vivid descriptions of how the burgeoning sanitation system was influenced by underhanded dealings, two wars, repeated outbreaks of communicable disease, devastating fires and water crises. [More] New York City - New York University - Infectious disease - Life expectancy - United States

Accepted theory explaining frequent eruptions at Italy?s Stromboli volcano questioned

One volcano that volcanologists believe they understand fairly well is Italy's Stromboli, which has been erupting every five to 20 minutes for thousands of years, spewing fountains of ash and magma several meters into the sky. For several decades, scientists have pretty much used one theory to explain what is causing huge amounts of gas to erupt so frequently: swimming-pool-sized bubbles that travel through a few hundred meters of molten magma before popping at the surface. But they may be wrong, according to new research.

Molecular mechanism triggering Parkinson's disease identified

Scientists have identified a molecular pathway responsible for the death of key nerve cells whose loss causes Parkinson's disease. This discovery not only may explain how a genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's causes the cells' death, but could also open the door to new therapeutic approaches for the malady.

Good and bad in the hands of politicians

Politicians' gestures can reveal their thoughts, according to a new study. In laboratory tests, right- and left-handers associate positive ideas like honesty and intelligence with their dominant side of space and negative ideas with their non-dominant side. To find out whether people link 'good' with 'dominant' beyond the laboratory, researchers examined spontaneous gestures during positive and negative speech in the final debates of the most recent US presidential elections.

Laboratory in microdrops: Credit card-size microflow system handles thousands of experiments

Tens of thousands of chemical and biochemical experiments may be conducted daily with the use of a microflow system of the size of a credit card, developed by scientists in Poland. The device has already been tested in research on the effectiveness of antibiotic mixtures.

One molecule, many more insulin-producing cells to treat diabetes

With a single stimulatory molecule, human insulin-producing beta cell replication can be sustained for at least four weeks in a mouse model of diabetes, according to new research. Scientists also found several cocktails of molecules that drive human beta cells to replicate, as well as important differences between mouse and human beta cells that could influence how these approaches are best used to treat diabetes.

Signs of reversal of Arctic cooling: Rapid temperature rise in the coldest region of mainland Europe

Parts of the Arctic have cooled over the past century, but temperatures have been rising steeply since 1990, according to a summer temperature reconstruction for the past 400 years produced on the base of tree rings from regions beyond the Arctic Circle.

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