The Weekly Wag #2
Goodbye Cancer, Finnish technique to end homelessness works, Mars smiles at us
99% of Cancer cells destroyed in lab study, using vibration
Wowza. Now this is a breakthrough worth shouting about. Scientists have discovered a way to destroy cancer cells using vibration. In a study performed by a research team from Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas. They say this is a huge improvement over a similarly developed technique called Feringa-Type Motors,
"It is a whole new generation of molecular machines that we call molecular jackhammers," says chemist James Tour from Rice University.
"They are more than one million times faster in their mechanical motion than the former Feringa-type motors, and they can be activated with near-infrared light rather than visible light."
The study was published in Nature Chemistry, which you can read here.
Finland inspired technique to reduce homelessness has success in Manchester
Sometimes, Occam's Razor applies. An extremely simple solution to homelessness appears to be gaining traction (shock), rolling out in Manchester recently. Andy Burnham, Manchester's mayor, has applied for more funding from the Government to continue the scheme, which has took more than 400 homeless people off the streets and into properties so far. The scheme, prioritises giving homeless people a home before things such as alcohol and drug use issues, which was holding people back beforehand.
The Labour politician said the scheme had reduced rough sleeping in the city region by taking people out of an "endless cycle" of crisis. About 75% of the 413 people in Greater Manchester that have been helped under the scheme, have kept their tenancies. All 413 had "long and complex" experiences of homelessness, a spokesman for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority said.
He spoke at the Finnish embassy in Manchester, where the country's ambassadors to the UK Jukka Siukosaari discussed how the model worked in his home nation.
"For us it has taken from 1985 to now, almost forty years, now the model is there", he said.
"Housing has to come first, the you need solution for the other problems".
Scientists spot a smiley face on the surface of Mars, and say it could contain signs on past life
The European Space Agency has released an image via Instagram of a smiley-faced mineral deposits, thought to be salt, on the surface of Mars.
"Once a world of rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, Mars now reveals its secrets through chloride salt deposits found by our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. These deposits, remnants of ancient water bodies, could indicate habitable zones from billions of years ago. The discovery of nearly a thousand potential sites offers new insights into Mars’ climate and potential for past life. Explore the Martian landscape in this carousel.", said the ESA on Instagram.
Mars was once a watery world, contrary to popular belief, and is now a dry desolate planet after climate change some 2-3 billion years ago. This is widely blamed to the loss of Mars' magnetic field, which then allowed solar radiation to penetrate the atmosphere, causing most water to freeze or be evaporated into space.
