In the news – March 9, 2010
Here’s what’s making headlines on March 8, 2010:
- Google’s Computer Power Refines Translation Tool – a statistical approach to translation is the kind of computing Google was built for
- Wine May Fight Weight Gain in Women, Study Suggests – women who drank a moderate amount of alcohol were less likely to be overweight or obese than those who abstained or overindulged
- Alzheimer’s ‘Epidemic’ Hitting Minorities the Hardest – blacks and Hispanics are developing the disease at much higher rates
Join us each weekday at http://kbiascience.wordpress.com/ for a round-up of science, health and technology headlines, and tune into KBIA-FM on air or online every Thursday at 5:20 p.m. CST as we go “Under the Microscope” in mid-Missouri!
In the news – March 8, 2010
Here’s what’s making headlines on March 8, 2010:
- Apple Debuts iPad Commercial During Oscars – the device will be released on April 3
- Lessons at Indian Hospital About Birth – a Navajo hospital leads in VBAC births
- Court to decide if vaccine makers can be sued - the Supreme Court will decide a case to determine if vaccine manufacturers can be sued for defective product design
- School drink agreement cuts calories – shipments of full-calorie beverages to schools have dropped 95 percent since 2004
Join us each weekday at http://kbiascience.wordpress.com/ for a round-up of science, health and technology headlines, and tune into KBIA-FM on air or online every Thursday at 5:20 p.m. CST as we go “Under the Microscope” in mid-Missouri!
In the news – March 2, 2010
Here’s what’s making headlines on March 2, 2010:
- DNA Analysis Shows Polar Bears Have Adapted Quickly in the Past – an ancient polar bear fossil dates the species to 150,000 years ago, a time when conditions were very different than they are now
- Apple Sues Smartphone Maker HTC for infringement – Apple says HTC is using patented technology from its iPhone handsets
- Chile earthquake may have shortened days – NASA scientist says the quake has shifted Earth’s axis and shaved milliseconds from the length of each day
- Parents Weigh Hastening End for Dying Child – the first of its kind, a new study looks at parents’ attitudes towards the suffering of their terminally ill children
- In Obesity Epidemic, What’s One Cookie? – the advice that “small changes add up” may be a misnomer
Join us each weekday at http://kbiascience.wordpress.com/ for a round-up of science, health and technology headlines, and tune into KBIA-FM on air or online every Thursday at 5:20 p.m. CST as we go “Under the Microscope” in mid-Missouri!
Coming up next on Under the Microscope
Missouri has experienced consistently cold temperatures and snowfall throughout the winter months.
Tune in online or on air today for “Under the Microscope,” KBIA’s weekly look at science, health and technology in mid-Missouri.
From record snowfall on the Eastern seaboard to consistently cold temperatures in Missouri, it’s been a wild winter. KBIA’s Virginia Pasley reports on why the winter storms have sparked debate on climate change. Then, KBIA’s Drew Lincoln reports on why some Columbia residents are trying to grab Google’s attention. Hosted by KBIA’s Elle Moxley.
You can learn more about the push to bring Google fiber to Columbia, Missouri at CoMoFiber.net. You can also join the Google Fiber Facebook group or nominate Columbia online.
In the news – February 23, 2010
Here’s what’s making headlines on February 23, 2010:
- The FCC’s National Broadband Plan: 4 Big Hopes – speculating on the plan for broadband adoption the FCC will present to Congress by March 17
- An Apology with Echoes of 12 Steps – long seen as the road to recovery for alcoholics, 12 step programs are being used to treat an increasing array of addictions
- Why Apple’s Porn Purge of Sex-Themed Apps is a Smart Move – it’s likely to appease parents whose kids use the iTouch as “training wheels” for iPods and iPads
- Pediatricians call for a choke-proof hotdog – some doctors want the picnic food to come with a warning label
- Book Review: The Lomborg Deception – an author has fact-checked the climate change skeptic
Join us each weekday at http://kbiascience.wordpress.com/ for a round-up of science, health and technology headlines, and tune into KBIA-FM on air or online every Thursday at 5:20 p.m. CST as we go “Under the Microscope” in mid-Missouri!
In the news – February 22, 2010
Here’s what’s making headlines on February 22, 2010:
- Shuttle Endeavour glides to ghostly night landing – four more missions are planned before shuttle fleet is retired in the fall
- China Hacking Inquiry Puts Jiaotong University in a New Light – investigators may have traced the attacks on Google and other American companies last year to one of China’s elite institutions
- Naps Clear Brain’s Inbox, Improve Learning – so-called “power naps” can prime the brain for learning
Join us each weekday at http://kbiascience.wordpress.com/ for a round-up of science, health and technology headlines, and tune into KBIA-FM on air or online every Thursday at 5:20 p.m. CST as we go “Under the Microscope” in mid-Missouri!
In the news – February 19, 2010
Here’s what’s making headlines on February 17, 2010:
- Control Google Buzz Overload – tips for managing multiple social networks
- Spot the Space Station and the Shuttle Together – as Endeavor plans its return, there will be opportunities to spot both in the sky at the same time
- Judge puts off ruling on Google’s proposed digital book settlements – chief concerns are monopoly and so-called “orphaned” works
- MU researcher develops cancer-detecting sensor – would be less invasive and offer faster results than traditional screening methods
- Ex-smoker hopefuls plug into ‘e-cigs’ – electronic cigarettes are helping some smokers quit, but the FDA wants to block future imports
Join us each weekday at http://kbiascience.wordpress.com/ for a round-up of science, health and technology headlines, and tune into KBIA-FM on air or online every Thursday at 5:20 p.m. CST as we go “Under the Microscope” in mid-Missouri!
Reporter’s File – Soccer Player Retires After 8 Concussions
KBIA’s Shannon Whitney reflects on her experience covering a Helias High School student who ended his athletic career early in fear that any more concussions would lead to permanent brain damage.
My news hook was a bill in front of the Missouri Legislature about concussions in high school sports. If passed, this bill will give more information to students and parents pre-season about concussions. It would also require a health care professional to sign off on any athlete wanting to reenter a game after a concussion. My story focused mainly on a student who had multiple concussions.
I started by calling local high school athletic directors. With Helias High School in Jefferson City, I hit the jackpot. The athletic director told me he knew a student who gave up sports after eight concussions. Later that evening Jonathan Aur called me. He agreed to be interviewed.
Last week, I met with MSHAA Executive Director Kerwin Urhahn. He was able to give me some insight on to how his organization felt – neutral – and how the proposed legislation would impact his organization. He said he is working with a Sports Advisory Committee to get some precautions in place. The most surprising thing he said was football saw the most concussions. Girls’ soccer was the sport with the second most.
On Monday, I went to Rock Bridge High School to meet with Head Athletic Trainer Greg Nagel. Rock Bridge already has procedures similar to this bill, so its passage wouldn’t make much of a difference.
Jonathan was my best interview. He was a talented athlete who suffered 8 concussions. He walked me through each one and the effects he felt in the time after. I was amazed by the seriousness of each incident – loss of vision and vomiting – as well as after effects, like loss of concentration. I was even more amazed that he got back on the field after each one. He also said he probably could have gotten college scholarships to play, so giving up was more than just quitting. Now he coaches a 12 year old girls team, works as a waiter and goes on mission trips. Luckily he has not suffered any serious long-term consequences.
Putting this story together opened my eyes to the seriousness of concussions. I learned about Second Impact Syndrome which could occur if an athlete with a concussion suffers a second one (by going back into play most likely). SIS could result in a coma or death.
-Shannon Whitney
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