Scientists Warn of Vocal Terror

Scientists are warning that vocal terror may be a reality of the future as computers develop the ability to mimic human speech nearly perfectly. Scientists expect within 10-15 years computers will be near perfect mimics of human speech.

In the future, it may be possible to mimic someone’s voice exactly after recording just one sentence.

Such technologies […]

Astronomers Discover Giant Radio Signal in Space

Reuters reports that astronomers discovered a strong radio signal coming from 3 billion light years away.

They were searching for pulsars — a type of rotating compacted neutron star that sends out rhythmic pulses of radiation — when they spotted the giant radio signal.

It was extremely brief but very strong, and appears to have come from […]

Alex the Talkative African Grey Parrot Dies at Age 31

Alex the amazing talking African Grey parrot has died at age 31. Alex was raised and taught by Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her staff. Under Dr. Pepperberg’s guidance Alex learned numerous words and could count to six. He had a concept of zero and could identify multiple objects, colors and shapes. LiveScience says Alex […]

New Blood Test May Measure Visceral Fat

The BBC reports that a new blood test that measures the amount of a protein called RBP4 in the blood may help determine the amount of fat around a person’s internal organs.
The scientists doing the research are hopeful that cutting RBP4 may have health benefits.

The researchers believe that measuring RBP4 would potentially be an effective […]

Merck Halts AIDS Vaccine Tests

There was some very unfortunate news earlier this week when Merck reported that it was halting its AIDS vaccine test because tests showed the vaccine was not working - people were still getting infected with the HIV virus.

Merck & Co. said Friday that it is ending enrollment and vaccination of volunteers in the study, which […]

Peruvian Villagers Ill Following Meteorite Hit

It sounds like the start of a science fiction movie. Meteorite lands in a small village. Suddenly the villagers start falling ill. And then….

In this the case the incident is real and the incident occured in a village in Peru. The AFP reports that villagers in Southern Peru have fallen sick several days […]

Implanted Microchips Linked to Tumors in Lab Mice

ABC reports that microchips already approved for human and pet use have induced tumors in lab mice and rats. The FDA apparently decided the public didn’t need this information at the time they approved the microchips.

Those chips are now being implanted in some people, especially Alzheimer’s patients, and encoded with their medical records. The Food […]

Chemical in Microwaved Popcorn May Cause Lung Disease

WebMD reports on a possible link between microwaved popcorn and lung disease. The potential problem is a chemical in the popcorn called diacetyl that may be very dangerous when inhaled. Lung problems have been diagnosed in workers at factories where microwave popcorn is made. This particular article also discusses a case involving a non-worker who […]