Archive by date | October 2012

Egg freezing enters clinical mainstream

Egg freezing enters clinical mainstream

Egg freezing is no longer an experimental procedure, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), which on 22 October issued new guidelines on the controversial practice. The change in policy is expected to accelerate the growth of clinics that offer egg freezing to women who face fertility-damaging treatment for cancer or other conditions,  and to women wishing to delay having a baby — although the society stopped short of endorsing the procedure for that purpose.  Read more

Did the Solar System start with an extra planet?

Did the Solar System start with an extra planet?

The Solar System may have formed with an extra planet that ultimately got the boot. The sacrificed planet, the size of Uranus or Neptune, could have served to stabilize the rest of the Solar System, including Earth and the other terrestrial planets.  Read more

Italian court says mobile phones cause cancer

In ruling on a workplace compensation case, Italy’s highest civil court has stated that mobile phones can cause brain tumors. The ruling is being criticized by medical experts in Italy and abroad, who note that no scientific study has yet proven a clear causal link between the use of mobile phones and health risks. In a 12 October decision that was made public this week, the Labour Law section of Italy’s High Court has ruled in favour of Innocente Marcolini, a former commerce manager in Brescia. Marcolini had developed a tumor of the trigeminal ganglion, near his left ear, and claimed it was a consequence of speaking on a mobile phone up to six hours a day for twelve years because his job demanded it.  Read more