Russians release photos of moon’s far side — Russian scientists have released a photograph of the far side of the moon as taken from U.S.S.R. satellite Lunik III. The photograph on the cover of this week’s Science News Letter shows the far side of the moon. Soviet astronomers identify the long solid lines as the moon’s equator. The heavy broken line at the left separates the part of the moon visible from the earth from the portion that cannot be seen....The apparent lack of craters and seas across much of the far side of the moon seems to corroborate a theory that predicted this side would be largely smooth.

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Sore words I don’t usually write to magazines, and I’ve never written to yours before, though I’ve enjoyed and learned much from it for many years thanks to it being produced in Braille. But I couldn’t let your article on swearing relieving pain [“%&#$!” makes you feel better,” (SN: 8/1/09, p. 9)] go by. Without wishing to offend anyone or sound like a self-righteous prig, I still must say it’s sad when science and research gives folks an excuse for doing what so many people do too much of already. Why didn’t those studying this subject check out a couple other things? Like having people yell “ow!” or “phooey” or some other innocuous exclamation, or even just make wordless vocalizations that expressed whatever pain or emotion about the pain they were experiencing? And then, if the researchers did that, why not check that against pain alleviati...

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November 4–8 Clinicians and researchers meet in San Diego to discuss advances in psychiatric genetics. Visit www.ispg2009.org Through November 21 Watch Gearing Up, a documentary about the FIRST robotics competition. For local listings, see www.gearingupproject.org December 15 Nominations deadline for the Kavli Prizes in nanoscience, neuroscience and astrophysics. Get form at www.kavliprize.no

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Sons with ulcers have dominant mothers — Men who get duodenal ulcers early in life tend to have dominant mothers and submissive fathers. In a Medical Research Council report, a research team recorded that two-thirds of a group of men who got ulcers before they were 25 had mothers who were “dominant and controlling personalities and made the major decisions in their families.” These mothers were often “very conscientious women with a high sense of duty who were exceedingly houseproud and devoted to efficient routine.” … Among the various factors considered were the fathers of the ulcer sufferers. Many of them, said the scientists, “showed a characteristic steadiness and unassertiveness both at work and at home.”

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Biofuel feedback “The biofuel future” (SN: 8/1/09, p. 24) proved very enjoyable reading. However, the future and direction of biofuels will be determined by politicians, not scientists. Scientists seem to use crazy things like facts, research and logic to determine the most efficient way to convert plants to fuel. I find it incredible that we are now converting food-grade corn into fuel, when so many children in the world are starving. Seems like it would be better to swap corn for crude oil and feed people. Richard Garon, Gonzales, La. I very much enjoyed this article. It takes a complex subject and makes it approachable to the, ahem, less scientifically inclined. The writing is fresh and entertaining. Nicely done. Shelley Dayton, San Francisco The march towards biofuels is necessary, as we need to move away from fossil fuels. However, no real environmental ...

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Science Future for October 10, 2009

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Reserpine Tranquilizes Chickens and Turkeys Calmer birds in the hen house are predicted with the development of a tranquilizer for chickens. A new product containing reserpine, a drug used to control high blood pressure and other human ills, has been developed.... Added to the chickens’ feed in very low concentrations it is said to help the chicken withstand stress. Treated chickens had a higher survival rate and produced more and higher quality eggs than did hens on a standard diet. They also are not bothered as much by crowding, social maladjustment, temperature extremes and disease. CIBA researchers claim the product is also economic because feed waste is reduced. The sedate treated chickens scratch less food out of the feeder and onto the ground. Turkeys were included in the study. The drug is said to help control ruptured aorta, a deadly affliction of turkeys.

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October 5–7 Nobel Committee announces medicine, physics and chemistry awards. Visit nobelprize.org November 1 Petitions for a chemistry-themed postage stamp are due to the American Chemical Society. See cenblog.org/2009/07/07 November 1–3 “Darwin in the 21st Century: Nature, Humanity and God” at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Visit nd.edu/~reilly/darwinconference.html

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Many Americans suffer “television bottom” — Many Americans are suffering from a condition called “television bottom.” The medical term for the condition is coccygodynia, pain in the tail of the spine. It arises frequently from spending long periods of time before the television set.… Most patients habitually sit with a poor posture, with the lower portion of the back arched out instead of arched inward…. They slump in a chair and allow the middle portion of the sacrum and coccyx to press against a chair…. There is hope for these people, however. Of 100 patients, 62 were treated by massage only. This treatment was given an average of six times over a period of three to four weeks. Relief came to 50 patients, 80% of that group.

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