Women’s Swimming

The Alaska Women’s Swim Team had four relays earn slots in the top 15 finishes over the two-day Husky Invitational Swim Meet in Washington on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.  Sophomore Margot Adams and junior Bente Heller contributed to Alaska’s record with two individual top ten finishes.  Adams earned fifth place in the 100 butterfly, touching the wall after 55.33 seconds.  In the 200 freestyle, Heller placed seventh with a time of 1:51.62.

Women’s Basketball

On Dec. 1, the Alaska Nanooks Women’s Basketball team lost to rivals Alaska Anchorage.  Alaska Fairbanks started strong with a lead of 11-4, but was overtaken by the Seawolves in the first half.  Junior April Fultz led the Nanooks with 18 points.  The final score was 86-58, in favor of Anchorage.

Andrew Kelly flies through the air to deposit the ball in the net in the game against Miami on Nov. 29. Lauren Fisher/Sun Star

Men’s Basketball

During Thursday, Nov. 9′s game against Seattle Pacific, the Alaska Men’s Basketball team lost 60-72.  The Nanooks played a close game, trailing Seattle by nine points at the buzzer of the first half.  Junior Pat Voeut scored 15 points to lead Alaska’s team, but lead scorer Patric Simon of SPU, who scored 30 points.   SPU’s higher shooting percentage earned them the victory. The Nanooks returned to the Patty Center on Dec. 1 to defeat Montana State Billings.  Alaska held the lead throughout the game.  Voeut beat his score from Thursday night’s game by one point, while senior Dominique Brinson earned 20 points for the Nanooks.  Alaska left the gym with a 80-73 win.

Men’s Hockey

The Alaska Nanooks Hockey Team suffered a sweep at the hands of the Miami Redhawks over the weekend, beginning with a 2-5 loss on Friday, Nov. 30.  The Hawks scored two points in each the first and second periods of the game before freshman Josh Atkinson got the puck to Senior Andy Taranto, who scored for Alaska.  Freshman Nolan Huysmans scored the Nanook’s final point just minutes later, but Miami nabbed one more point before the final buzzer, giving them a three point margin over Alaska. The following night, the Nanooks were unable to make it onto the scoreboard against Miami.  After the Hawks scored the first goal two minutes into the game, Alaska held them at bay until the third frame, in which they scored three more goals.  The final score was 4-0, in favor of the Red Hawks.

Super Earth

Astronomers have found another planet that is  similar to Earth and could possibly support life. The planet, HD 40307, is larger than Earth and orbits a star that is only slightly smaller than the Sun. HD 40307 is just the right distance away from its star to possibly allow for water to collect on its surface. The planet has five sister planets that rotate the same star. The planet is 40 light years away.

-Discover Magazine

No CDs for New Macs

Apple released the new MacBook Pro this month. With the release the Senior Vice President of the company, Phil Schiller, announced that the company is fading out optical drives and Ethernet ports. The new computer will be thinner than the last generation of MacBook Pros and will include Apple’s Retina display.

-Tech Republic

Obama the Book

President Barack Obama and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel are in the process of writing a book together. The men are writing, “a book of two friends,”  Wiesel said in an interview with The Guardian. Obama first met Wiesel at a lecture where he was was speaking. They became friends in 2009 when the president invited Wiesel to visit Buchenwald, a concentration camp. A release date for the book has not been made public yet.

-The Guardian 

Disney buys Lucasfilms

Disney is the new parent of Star Wars and Indiana Jones created by George Lucas. For $4 billion, Disney will get the rights to some of the most famous movie franchises. “I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me,” Lucas said, in an interview with NPR.

-NPR

Yoko Ono didn’t break up Beatles

In an interview with British journalist David Frost, Paul McCartney said that Yoko Ono wasn’t responsible for the Beatles breaking up in the 1970′s. The interview will air later this month on Frost’s British television program,

-Time Magazine

Amy Winehouse’s wedding dress stolen

Amy Winehouse’s wedding dress was stolen from her north London home earlier this month. The deceased singer wore the dress in her wedding to Blake Fielder-Civil in 2007. The dress, along with other items, were supposed to be shipped to New York in 2013 for a fundraiser. The dress was estimated to sell for as much as $160,000 at auction.

-Rolling Stone

Elephant learns Korean

According to researchers in South Korea, an elephant at a local zoo can say “hello,” “good,” “no,” “sit down” and “lie down” in Korean. The elephant uses his trunk in the same way as humans use lips. Scientists don’t fully understand how this works, and they suspect that the elephant doesn’t fully understand what he’s saying.

-Live Science

$25,000 shoes for tallest man

Igor Vovkovinskiy is the tallest man in America standing at 7 feet 8.8 inches and has recently received three pairs of custom made Reebok sneakers. Ten designers used laser technology to tailor the shoes to his exact measurements. Each pair of shoes is branded with Vovkovinskiy’s first name, his height and a personalized logo. The shoes are size 24 and width 10E.

-CNN

Pentagon opens to immigrants

The Pentagon reopened its program to allow illegal immigrants to enlist in the military. The purpose of the program is to attract immigrants with special language and medical skills. The program only enlists 1,500 recruits each year, most of whom go into the Army.

-New York Times

Wii U to lose money

Nintendo plans to sell their Wii U at a loss. The company says they are planning on making a profit off of add-on sales as well as decreasing their manufacturing costs. Nintendo plans on selling Wii U at a lower cost during the release in an effort to maximize profits later on, a common play in the world of technology.

-BusinessWeek

Plastic surgery trend kills in Thailand

Women in Thailand are using plastic surgery to remain young and beautiful looking as a key aspect of their professions. These women are hired by agencies to promote products from laundry detergent to luxurious cars and get paid only $100 a day. In Thailand, these women are referred to as “pretties.” Many of the women pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for their surgeries.

-BBC

Boy Scouts of America gets serious

On Thursday, Oct. 18, Boy Scouts of America released a list of more than 1,000 people who were banned from the organization. These people have been accused of inappropriate sexual contact with young scouts. The list contains names of black listed members from to 1965 to 1985 as well as recent cases. The list will not contain the names of any scouts or witnesses. The Oregon Supreme Court gave permission for the list to be released.

-CNN

Rwanda voted into United Nations

Argentina, Australia, South Korea, Luxembourg and Rwanda have been officially voted into the UN Security Council as of Thursday, Oct. 18. The countries now hold a temporary seat on the council for a two-year term. Rwanda will fill South Africa’s Chair beginning Jan. 1, 2012.

-BBC

Average student loan: $27,000

According to the Institution for College Access & Success, in 2011, approximately 66 percent of all university students graduated with loans. The average for these loans was- $26,600. That number is up 5 percent from the previous year. The study found that people with a college degree are twice as likely to find a job than those without one.

-CNN Money

Newsweek goes strictly digital

The American magazine Newsweek announced last week that the 80-year-old print magazine will change to an all-digital medium in January 2013. The online magazine will have a mandatory subscription fee for readers. Some content will remain free of charge on The Daily Beast, Newsweek’s partner online magazine.

-The Daily Beast

Court order to remove beard

Maj. Nidal Hasan of the U.S. Army has been ordered arrive in court clean shaven as a part of military dress code. The U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals made the decision to force Hasan to shave his beard for court. If Hasan refuses he may have his beard forcibly removed. In 2009, Hasan murdered 13 people on the Fort Hood military base in Texas and is facing murder charges in court. Hasan said he began growing the beard because he is Muslim, yet the U.S. Army has a specific ban on beards and few exceptions made for religious affiliation.

-Aljazeera

Multimedia more popular than sex

A new study shows that it is harder for adults to resist Facebook than sex. University of Chicago assistant professor Wilhelm Hoffmann conducted the survey. Hoffman included 205 participants in Germany, each were instructed to contact researchers every 30 minutes and report their desires, such as hunger, sexual urge and nicotine yearnings. The top reported cravings were eating and sleeping, followed by drinking, and finally the longing to access the Internet to check emails or Facebook. Having sex was the ninth over all wish on everyone’s list.

-Wired

 Strokes for all folks

According to the American Academy of Neurology Journal, one in five stroke victims have reportedly been under the age of 55 in recent years. Their study included 1.3 million people who were 55 or younger. 19 percent of them had a stroke in 2005, which is up thirteen percent since 1993. The Stroke Association is now looking at several possible causes, but are considering the rise in diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol as main contributing factors.

-BBC

Cause of panda cub death determined

A giant panda that was born in the Smithsonian’s Nation Zoo in Washington D.C. died in September. Recently, the zoo released the bear’s cause of death, a lack of oxygen because of its underdeveloped lungs. The cub was 4 ounces and six-days-old at its time of death.

-CNN

Novel Prize literature winner announced

This year, Mo Yan of China has been announced as the 111th winner of the Nobel prize for literature. Yan uses dark humor and imagination to convey his views of modern China to the rest of the world. His most recent work is “Frogs,” a novel that discusses China’s family planning policies. Yan is the first Chinese author to wince a Nobel prize since 2000.

-New York Times

Rocket Car

British engineers have successfully tested a rocket at a Royal Air Force base hangar that will power a car traveling at 1,000 mph. The pencil-shaped car is planned to race across South Africa next year in hopes of breaking the current world record land speed of 763 mph.

The hybrid rocket uses synthetic rubber, a solid material, as fuel. It turns the matter into an aerosol and then the fuel is pushed into the rocket via an engine that is also used in Formula One racecars.

The rocket produced 14,000 pounds of thrust, -approximately 40,000 horsepower. Additionally, a jet engine that will also be used in the car will boost the car’s horsepower to a total of 135,000.

-CNN

007 Turns 50

Over the past 50 years five different actors have portrayed British Secret Agent James Bond, more commonly referred to as  007. Bond is perhaps one of the most popular British personalities of the last century next to The Doctor, and is famous for not only his love of women, fast cars and handguns, but also for his preferred drink order, “vodka martini, shaken, not stirred.” Over the years Bond had been viewed by some as sexist for having flings with characters named “Pussy Galore” and “Honey Ryder.”

“Dr No,” the first movie of the franchise, grossed $60 million and the most recent “Quantum of Solace” grossed almost $600 million. It has been estimated that the 22 film franchise, soon to be 23, has earned approximately $5.1 billion.

-Vancouver Sun

Engagement Photo Scandal

New Yorkers Brian Edwards and Tom Priviere learned this month that a photo of them kissing was being used in a political campaign in a different state. The couple along with their photographer Kristian Hill, are now sueing the Public Advocate for stealing the photo and violating the men’s privacy.

“They use you personally to instill this fear of us and this disgust of a gay couple,” Privitere said.

The couple and their lawyer believe that Public Advocate found the photo online, instead of paying for a stock photo. Public Advocate has not responded to the claim.

-BBC

Curving your thirst

Grab a glass, but not just any glass. New reports show that drinking beer from a curved glass speeds a drinker up, according to Alcohol Research UK, the financial backer behind the study. Reports also show that people might drink more, not drink faster. Participants in the experiment were given lager in either a straight glass or a curved one, then were instructed to watch a documentary. They were asked to note when their glass was half full. Test subjects who drank from curved glasses finished their drink sooner than those drinking from straight glasses. This suggests that people may believe a curved glass was more full than it actually was, allowing the drinker to believe they were drinking at a slower rate than they were.

-BBC Future

Teen boys murder grandmother

Last week two 13-year-old boys from Wisconsin were charged with stealing a hatchet, killing the great-grandmother of one of the boys and stealing her jewelry and car. Both teens appeared in court on Friday and each was held on a $1 million bond with charges of first-degree intentional homicide. According to prosecutor, Joe DeCecco, the boys went to 78-year-old Barbra Olson’s home on Monday with the intention of killing and stealing from her. The boys went out for pizza after committing the crimes. The defense is attempting to move the case to juvenile court.

-Associated Press

Homecoming queen pranked

Whitney Kropp, a 16-year-old in Michigan, was voted homecoming queen of her high school as a prank. The young teen felt betrayed by her classmates after many of them told her it was a joke. Kropp had been bullied in the past. After word of the prank spread across the community, business owners and parents came together to support Kropp. Kropp is now planning on appearing at her homecoming football game. Several community members are buying her dinner, styling her hair and providing her with a dress and tiara for the dance.

-LA Times

Few of the UAF Hockey team members stop for a water break during their first practice of the season at UAF. Sept. 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Lauren Fisher/Sun Star Reporter
September 25, 2012

Nanook volleyball comes up short against Central Washington

On Saturday, Sept. 15, the UAF Nanooks  Women’s volleyball team played against the Central Washington Wildcats in the Patty Center.  The Nanooks did not win.  Although they had the lead in the beginning of the first and third sets, they were not able to hold on to it.  Central Washington took all three of the sets played, winning 25-23, 25-19, and 25-23.

The Nanooks lost possession three times due to service errors, serves which did not land within bounds on the opponents side,  in the first set.  Second set, there were another three service errors.  In the third set, the Nanooks doubled their total service errors.

“We tried moving people to get a better rotation, but not enough,”  said Head Coach Phil Shoemaker.  “We’re growing up as a team, and we’re certainly anxious to grow up a little bit faster.”  He also said that this was the best job the ladies have done in blocking this season.

Sam Harthun, UAF’s second best scorer for the game, said that the Wildcats “were more consistent throughout all three games,” and that “we let things happen instead of going out and doing it.”

Keri Knight was the top scorer on the Alaska team, earning a total of 19 points.  “I was going to go out and be the aggressor” Knight said.  When asked to comment on her kills, Kerrie recognized the help her team gave her that allowed her to score.  Katlyn Mataya had a total of 35 assists throughout the three sets.

The Nanook’s women’s volleyball team is currently traveling.  They played Saint Martin’s in Lacey, Washington on Thursday, Sept. 20, and Western Oregon in Monmouth, Oregon on Sept. 22.

First Day of Hockey Practice

The University of Alaska’s Men’s Ice Hockey Team had their first practice on Monday, Sept. 17.  “Everyone’s really into it the first day,” said Andy Taranto, a senior on the team.  Several of the players stayed after practice to work for a little bit longer.

Garrick Perry, a sophomore, said “the first practice is always a tough one.”  His goal for the season is to focus on the simple things.

The players said that they have started with high intensity.  The first game they will be playing is a Blue vs. Gold scrimmage at the Patty Center on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.

Nanooks gather at the end of practice to listen to the coach. Sept. 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Sam Harthurn reaches to save the ball. She is cheered on by her teammates Allison Oddy. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

UAF Men's Hockey team goes through some running drills during their first practice of the season on Monday. Sept. 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

UAF Men's Hockey Team practices during the first practice on Monday, September 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Allison Oddy dives to keep the ball in bounds in the Wildcats game at the Patty Center Gym at UAF. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Katlyn Mataya bumps the ball to keep it going over the line during the UAF Women's Volleyball Team vs. The Wildcats. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Spike! By Reilly Stevens during the September 15h, 2012 game at the Patty Center Gym on UAF. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Katlyn Mataya tips the ball over the net. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Suicide kills more Americans than car crashes

A recent study shows that more Americans commit suicide than die in car crashes.  This makes suicide the leading cause of injury deaths in the U.S.  Over the last ten year, the number of deaths from car crashes has slowly declined, which accounts for the difference between the two statistics.  However, Ian Rockett, the author of the study believes that suicides are seriously under counted, and the problem is much worse than it seems.

-U.S. News, Health

No overdue fines ever again

Hernando Guanlao is a librarian in the Philippines who’s shelves hold thousands of books.  He lets his library patrons borrow, take home, bring back, keep or pass on to another any of the thousands of his library’s books.  The Philippines boasts a population of 92 million people with fewer than 700 public libraries, and buying books is a luxury few can afford.  Guanlao called his library the Reading Club 2000, which began 12 years ago as a tribute to his parents who gave Guanlao his love of reading.  In honor of them, Guanlao lets book lovers drop by any time of the day and pick up a book with no strings attached.

-The Guardian

One-third of the world is on the internet

A report from the International Telecommunications Union revealed that about one-third of the world is online.  Twenty percent of households in developing countries have access to the internet currently, and ITU plans to have forty percent online by 2015.  The report said that by the end of 2011, mobile internet users were overtaking fixed connections by two to one.  Other changes include the language the internet is being accessed in.  If current rates keep up, Chinese will outstrip English speakers online by 2015.  Currently, the United States ranks as twenty-third in the world for percentage of individuals online.

-Al Jazeera

New Species of Monkey Found in Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, researchers discovered a new species of monkeys that live in the remote forests of the Congo. The species has been named Cercopithecus Lomamiensis or Lesula.  Lesula is only the second known discovery of a new mokey species in the past 28 years. The Lesula was first discovered when researchers made a scheduled stop in Opala, and found this strange looking monkey being kept as a young girls pet. Researchers spent three years researching the Lesula’s genetic makeup to other monkeys. The final data supports the theory that the Lesula is in fact a new species of monkey. Some of the monkeys characteristics are large, almost human like eyes, a pink face, golden mane, and being timid creatures. Researchers claim that the discovery of this animal is proof that there is still much to learn about the world and what inhibits it, and hope that this will inspire a newfound effort to preserve Africa’s pristine forests.

-CNN

Will Mars Be Our Future Home?

NASA scientists, astronomers, and civilians alike are asking the question if humans will one day be able to walk upon mars and be prosperous. NASA Chief Charles Bolden emphasizes “the critical importance of Curiosity, because it’s not the first, but it’s the most critical, the largest mission, that’s a precursor for putting humans on Mars.” It is predicted that the first manned visits could occur around 2035, and the first outposts could occur after 2060. Although many are in favor of this endeavor, many are not because of the harsh living conditions. On an average day on Mars temperatures could range from freezing during the day, to minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit during the night. Aside from this, the carbon dioxide atmosphere is so minuscule on Mars, it would be considered a vacuum on earth. Additionally, a six month stay on Mars would give off as much radiation to equal about 240 chest X-rays. Even with all of the risks, many are still passionately for the voyage; “I think there will be good circumstantial evidence that people will be able to tolerate a Mars mission when the time comes,” said space psychologist Nick Kanas of the University of California-San Francisco. Whether or not this will actually happen, will only be answered in time.

-USA Today

Regenerative Medicine Helps Rebuild Wounded Warriors

A recent experimental treatment from the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, has found a way to regenerate wounded soldiers muscles. Ron Strang, a former marine sergeant who suffered trauma to his left thigh from an explosion in Afghanistan, was one of the first individuals to receive this experimental treatment. After the accident, Strang underwent more than a dozen surgeries and skin grafts. However, he was still only able to walk with the use of cane or walker. After this experimental treatment, however, Strang progressively became stronger and stronger, soon being able to walk, and even run without help. The procedure uses pig tissue stripped of cells, which is implanted in the soldier’s thigh. The tissue is called extracellular matrix, and acts as a “cell-scavenging scaffold” that tricks the bodies natural stem cells to start regenerating muscle. This treatment has helped countless soldiers get back the limbs that were injured in the war. “It’s really amazing that you can take stuff and make bones and muscle, grow ears and organs,” said Strang, adding that he’s glad scientists have his back. “It definitely makes me happy that they’re looking out for us in that way. And they’re just getting started. There’s so much more they can do.”

-ABC News

Columbian drug lord shot dead

Drug lord Griselda Blanco was killed in her hometown of Medellin, Columbia at age 69. Blanco is best known for transporting tons of cocaine from Columbia to Miami in the 1970s and 1980s. She is assumed to be the mastermind behind dozens of murders in the United States and Columbia.  The U.S. believes that she was importing an average of 35,000 pounds of the drug annually, and was responsible for its distribution into Florida, New York and California. In 2004, Blanco was released from a U.S. prison after spending the last 19 years incarcerated for conspiring to manufacture, smuggle and distribute cocaine within the U.S. and ordering three murders, including that of a three-year-old boy. After she served her sentence Blanco was deported to Columbia where she spent lived a relatively quiet life. Blanco was the mother of four children and several grandchildren.

-CNN

Mother reunited with children

Purnima Halder gave away her three daughters because she was unable to feed them. Halder believed they deserved a better life than she could offer them, so she was advised to sell her daughters for 185 rupees ($3).  After being forced out of a home, Hadler relocated her family to a platform in a railroad station. She was penniless. In the station a woman approached Hadler and offered to raise her middle daughter. Hadler accepted the woman’s offer. The next day Hadler gave away her other two daughters.  In Hadler’s area of India many girls, as young as 12, are sold by their own parents and many end up in the sex trade. Despite rumors, it was determined that Hadler did not gained financially from giving her children away.  The family is now reunited and permitted to stay in their shelter for another six months.  Hadler is not yet convinced that this is the best situation for her daughters and still believes they deserve a life better than the one she can offer them.

-BBC

Biomarker may help beat depression

People who suffer from depression have also dealt the task of determining which antidepressants are best for them. A recent study has determined that blood tests can predict who will respond to what medicines. This is the first time there has been a test like this available in psychiatry.  Inflammation influences depression in many people.  In order to test if an anti-inflammatory could help control depression, the researchers brought in 60 people who had lived with severe depression for more than ten years and had not been affected by any past prescribed antidepressants. Half of the participants received the drug Infiximba, used to treat inflammatory bowl diseases, and the others received a placebo. The experiment did not work as expected, those with a high C-reactive protein level responded well to the drug, resulting in less sadness, fewer thoughts of suicide and far less anxiety. Based on this research, is it estimated that a biological drug like Inflixmab may be a more productive option compared to others such as aspirin.  There are no drugs similar to Infixmab currently on the market as an antidepressant. However the team of researchers believe that pharmaceutical companies will soon catch onto the test’s success rates.

-Scientific America

U.S. Sanction shuts out Iranian World of Warcraft players

U.S. sanctions placed upon Iran are now affecting the massively multiplayer online game, World of Warcraft. Iranian players flooded the message boards last week, after being unable to access WOW or the battle.net website. The locking of the website made Iranian players unable to cancel their subscriptions or access their other games. Blizzard Entertainment, the game‘s creator, tightened their procedures to comply with the sanction laws. This caused the company to block access to Iranian gamers and according to Blizzard, the sanction disables their ability to give a refund.  According to the U.S. Treasury, they did not ask Blizzard to block the game and are able to seek a license request to open their servers back to Iran, if the company chooses to do so.

-LA Times

Police use social media to put people behind bars

The use of social media to communicate with family and friends around the world gave the law enforcement a great idea, use the information that people publish on the Internet as evidence to help fight crime. Melvin Colon is a suspected New York gang member who released information to friends on Facebook, which could link him to past and present crimes. Thanks to his folly, he may be looking at time behind bars.  Colon had left a record of past crimes on his Facebook as private information. With a little help from Colon’s friends, police were given access to his private information.  According to the judge, Colon’s privacy ended when he shared this information with friends, claiming they were free to use the information however they chose. These new social media techniques are being used in approximately 1,221 law enforcement agencies across the country. Police and courts are now starting to accept public internet information from websites as evidence for cases, which begs the question, is information people share over the Internet still considered private once it is on the Internet?

-CNN

Having a sweet tooth is not a bad thing

Swedish researches found that men who eat chocolate regularly may have a decreased risk of stroke according to recent studies. In the last decade researches followed the diets of 37,000 men, in the study men who ate more chocolate than others showed a 17% decrease in first time stroke risk. Don’t rush to the chocolate just yet though, the men who ate the most chocolate in the study only ate a third of a cup of chocolate chips a week. The current study is based off 37,100 Swedish men ages 49 to 75 who reported on their intake of chocolate and other foods. During the 10 year study, 1,995 men suffered a first time stroke. Although the researchers had weight, blood pressure and diet information, it was still only an observatory study. Meaning there could be more forces lowering stroke risk, not just the chocolate.

-Chicago Tribune

Hoverbikes more than a sci-fi novel

Aerofex, an aerospace company, is working on a fully operational hover bike. Aerofex has been working on the bike since 2008. The company recently released a video of their hoverbike in-action racing around the desert. The company keeps a flight log in order for readers to watch the company’s improvements on the vehicle. The vehicle is able to stay off the ground using two ducted rotors on the bottom of the vehicle. The rotors spin in opposite directions to keep the hover bike afloat. The bike is controlled by leaning left and right, the same way one does with a bike or motorcycle on the ground. The company stated that it has no plans to sell the bike to the public since it is for military drone testing.

-LA Times

The mosquitoes were bad this year

Not only were mosquitoes out in force this year, they caused the largest outbreak of West Nile virus in the U.S. to date. This summer has had the highest amount of recorded cases of the virus, since the disease was first detected in 1999. So far, 1,118 cases  have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 41 of these cases were fatal. The CDC does not know why the outbreak was so high this year. The CDC speculated that the warm weather could have been favorable for the disease’s transfer. Texas has been hit the hardest by the disease this summer with 586 confirmed cases and 21 deaths. Don’t freak out too much though, in areas where mosquitoes can carry the virus, only about 1 in 500 actually carry it.

-CNN

 Older dads DNA  may doom children

Researches in Iceland have suggested in recent studies, that mutations in male DNA increase with age.  In the study, researches have searched through genomes or genetic material makeup, of 78 families for mutations and looked at the number of genetic mutation in children’s DNA in relation to the age of the parent. Most children of the families with older fathers had non-hereditary autism or schizophrenia. Researchers speculate that every year a man ages, he will pass on more than two new mutations to the conceived child, and that mutation rate doubles for fathers between ages 20 to 58. This study is the first of its kind to make a connection between the entire genome of the parents in relation to their children.

-U.S. News

Wait, Phelps lost?

It was the outcome no one was expecting.  Michael Phelps lost his first match in the 2012 London Olympics. During the 400 Individual Medley race that took place Saturday, July 28, Phelps came in fourth place. The winner was his teammate, Ryan Lochte. Brazil’s Thiago Pereira came in second and Japan’s Kosuke Hagino came in third. Lochte was in the lead from the moment the whistle blew. He was seconds away from passing the line that would have surpassed Phelps’ 4:03:84 record set in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Lochte won the race in 4:05:18 and earned the first gold medal for the U.S. After setting his record for 400IM in 2008, Phelps said he would never race it again but he did, and failed. This race is the first time since Phelp’s was 15-years-old, that he did not win an Olympics medal.

-Associated Press 

Gun control dominates the public’s attention

Since the massacre in Aurora, Colorado, there has been a 43% rise in back ground checks for people wanted to buy guns. The massacre, which left 12 dead and 70 wounded, occurred during the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. 24-year-old James Holmes entered the theater during the showing and began to shoot at innocent people. President Barack Obama agrees that current gun laws should be enforced more. A ban that prohibited the commercial sale of some semi-automatic weapons to civilians, expired 8 years ago. Obama supports the reinstatement of this ban. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney (R), said that he “didn’t support new gun laws” in an interview with Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Tonight. The issue of gun control will continue to be prevalent in the wake of the massacre in Aurora and the middle of an election year.

-CNN

Bella and Edward no more

Scandals are prevalent in Hollywood. Especially when paparazzi are there to document every breath a celebrity takes. When a photographer captured some shots of Kristen Stewart in her vehicle with another man “pawing each other like teenagers,” he knew something was up. After calling co-workers and returning to the office to verify the mystery man in the photos, he finally understand what he had. The photographer had taken photos of Stewart, 22, with her Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders, 41. At the time of the photos, Kristen was currently in a 4-year relationship with her Twilight co-star Robert Patterson. Sanders is a married man with children. Both parties have issued public apologies.

-LA Times