Armadillo passes leprosy to humans
New genetic evidence confirms a long held suspicion that the armadillo, the official small state mammal of Texas, can pass leprosy to humans. The finding should give clinicians a reason to watch for the disease in patients, say researchers, and hopefully lead to earlier diagnosis of the disease. Read more
Lab sabotage deemed research misconduct (with exclusive surveillance video)
Vipul Bhrigu, a former University of Michigan postdoc who sabotaged the work of a graduate student in his lab last year, has now been debarred from US federal funding for three years. The Office of Research Integrity (ORI), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services issued a finding of research misconduct for Bhrigus acts. Nature has been following up on the story that it reported in September of last year and now provides exclusive video of Bhrigu getting caught in the act.
Astronomical society appeals NASA investigations
NASA may be reconsidering controversial background investigations that prompted a high-profile lawsuit by 27 scientists, engineers and other employees at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Nature has learned. A letter from the American Astronomical Society, released to Nature, attempts to inform the space agency’s deliberations. Read more
UK scientific advisor was not consulted over forensic service closure
Britain’s crime prevention minister has defended the decision to close the country’s respected Forensic Science Service (FSS), as his chief scientific advisor admitted he had not been consulted on the move.
Fleeing fish could skew scuba surveys
Much of our knowledge of coral reefs is based on surveys by scuba divers. But what if those divers are scaring away the fish they’re trying to count? Read more
SETI scope suspends search
There is a new answer to the Fermi Paradox ¬– which asks why, if the universe is vast and the basic ingredients life plentiful, have we not yet discovered another civilization? The answer may be: because we can’t afford to. Read more
Research board calls for Gulf Coast proposals
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI) research board today announced its long-awaited request for proposals from researchers who want to use British Petroleum (BP) funds to study the effects of last year’s Gulf Coast Oil spill. Interdisciplinary teams of researchers may now apply for funding to conduct studies that address one of five themes. Read more
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