A new study of 8 child prodigies suggests a possible link between these children’s special skills and autism. Of the prodigies studied, 3 had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
In addition, half of the prodigies had a family member or a first- or second-degree relative with an autism diagnosis, suggesting that autism is at least partly genetic. It could also be an indication that autism is a form of evolution.
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Drinking to ring in the New Year may have left many of you suffering with the dreaded hangover. According to a 2009 study, the cure may be asparagus!
The amino acids and minerals found in asparagus extract may alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells against toxins.
Researchers analyzed the components of young asparagus shoots and leaves to compare their biochemical effects on human and rat liver cells. Researcher B.Y. Kim says, "The amino acid and mineral contents were found to be much higher in the leaves than the shoots."
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A scientist has built a living bacterium from four bottles of chemicals. Biologist Craig Venter took the natural bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium and replaced its genetic structure with DNA they created from the chemicals.
The Daily Mail quotes Venter as saying, "We consider this the second in significant steps of a three-step process in our attempts to make the first synthetic organism. This entire process started with four bottles of chemicals."
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It’s a potentially habitable planet that’s orbiting a nearby star, that’s capable of having liquid water and thus supporting life as we know it.
In the Huffington Post, Mike Wall quotes astronomer Steve Vogt as saying, "This discovery is in keeping with our emerging view that virtually every star has planets, and that the galaxy must have many such potentially habitable Earth-sized planets. They are everywhere, even right next door."
He quotes astronomer Mikko Tuomi as saying, "It is impossible to tell the composition, but I do not consider this particular planet to be very likely to have a rocky surface. It might be a ‘water world,’ but at the moment it’s anybody’s guess."
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