How to Re-grow the Rainforest in 10 Minutes or Less

Aggressive trees, out of control plant growth; these are often supporting or vilified roles in the world of sci-fi or fantasy.  Dr. Lago, a Sao Paulo University biogenetic research professor, explains that this fantasy may have come true.  Using gene splicing, amplification and second messenger systems, the rainforest advocate has invented a new possibility of plant repopulation.  Dr. Lago explains "Old growth rainforest can take centuries to establish and solidify a working ecosystem.  As we all know, this can be destroyed in days.  "Starting my research, I had to have a way to keep up.  For years I have been looking for a way to replenish as quickly as it is destroyed.  Now, I think I am there."  Lago explains genetically modified trees as his secret weapon.  "There are certain plants, bamboo, for instance, that can grow up to 6 feet in a day.  With genetic manipulation, this can be possible for other organisms."  Lago explains his first obstacle was isolating the genes in bamboo that allowed this rapid growth.  "I encountered countless obstacles; heat production and subsequent plant tissue death was foremost."  As Lago's research progressed over the past 15 years, he learned everything there is to know about the bamboo plant's rapid growth process: what initiates the growth, how resources are allocated, regulation, finalizing the structure, ect..  He was then able to apply these characteristics to his trees.  "The trick was modifying the tree without changing its quality."

On 8/18/2010, after 15 years of committed research, Dr. Lago planted his first modified hardwood seedling in a mobile research outpost near the equator.  "I came back to the station in two days and the tree had grown so quickly it was pushing the station's roof up." Lago says the tree had ruined the roof, almost pushing through the metal shingles in two days time.  Lago explains the unexpected growth as the different end sizes of the Brazilian hardwood and the bamboo.  Comparing the growth shows a similar percentage increase.  Lago says that the confounding factor is resources.  He cites a hardwood, with its usual slow growth, will have time to allocate proteins, nutrients.  He says that using his modified trees without adequate resources results in a flimsy porous type wood.  Lago has successfully grown a Trebol tree with calculations of required resources and subsequent provision allowing for the perfect fast-growing hardwood.  "It has reached 50 feet in 2 weeks.  I cannot tell it apart from its neighbor that took 10 years to reach that height".  Lago has already patented the process and hopes re-growth will be a possibility.  Associates hope to use the process for lumber farms, providing more diversion to elimination of old growth ecosystems.     

   

A real life Inception: Mind control is closer than you think

Sweden - A Swedish based bioengineering company has developed a new method for advertising: direct control.  The company recently tested an electroencephalogram audio device that has proven beneficial for some local vendors.  The EEG based audio device was hidden outside of window shops in the Stockholm area.  When in use, the benefited store boasted a 50% increase in purchases.  The researchers found a stark contrast to turning the device off and a subsequent decrease in sales.  The findings were not isolated either, the same experiment was successfully repeated in other Stockholm stores.  While the company will not give the exact details of the device, head researchers allowed some description of its methods.  Dr. Halsten, the pioneer of the technology reports "We are essentially using an acclimating or evolving reverse-EEG.  Audio signals are sent out from the device and subtly altered, much like basic radar technology.  Once the altered signal is relayed, the device adjusts accordingly."  Dr. Halsten says the relayed signal correlates with the subjects temporal lobe brain-wave frequencies at the time of the signal.  After doing so, a small adjustment in the devices frequency can freeze conscious brain activity for roughly a millisecond.  "Its not much, but it's enough to place our message".  Dr. Halsten defers further details.  "It's can be a dangerous tool, you could control armies with this device." Dr. Halsten reports that he has already been contacted by Swedish officials and they have restricted any further use.  The researcher hopes to further develop the device possibly for humanitarian purposes.  "I would regret use of this device in the wrong hands; my greatest fear is to have an eventual Oppenheimer-like regret by inventing something that could destroy."    

Rats and gang activity

New York - A social behavior research team based in New York has recently found evidence of what could best be described as a gang social structure amongst New York sewer rats.  Using tagging computer software and surveillance equipment, the team was able to observe the rats over a period of six months, longer than previously studied, observing everyday behaviors and eventual apparent community structure.  The team describes separate groups of rats dominating a specific area of the sewers.  "Most groups occupied a set area, the different groups respecting each other's boundaries."  When a rat would cross into another's territory, the particular rat group would often respond with violence.  Interestingly, only certain rats would respond with violence.  After further observation, there appeared to be a hierarchical structuring to the different groups.  There were often one or two rats, "godfather rats" as the team calls them, that would not respond with violence to invading rats.  The "godfather rat" would often observe the violent rats, and exhibit alpha male characteristics after the altercation.  The "soldier rats", or those involved with the violence showed submissive behavior to this "godfather rat" in the form of food gathering and grooming.  Head researcher, Dr. James Conrad  says "We have never seen anything like this, this is unbelievable, this is something we have never observed in rat communities in the wild." The researchers cite the crowded conditions as possible precipitants to the observed structure.  "Our observations of rats in open settings with adequate resources show a more disorganized network.  Its almost as if the harsh conditions and increased need for survival in the New York sewers force the rats to use an adaptable and workable community." Dr. James Conrad hypothesizes that without such a "gang-like" social structure, the rats would not survive as long as they do.  Conrad suggests these same harsh conditions as possible contributors to the development of human gang activity.

Fear will be a thing of the past

A New England pharmaceutical company, Biosyn, has begun development of an experimental drug that could show promise in the field of behavioral medicine.  The drug reportedly shows modification and possible elimination of distressing memories.  Preliminary studies show hippocampal surface activation, with extension to associated neural networks as targets for the drug, RY6753.  Dr. John Samson explains "the drug acts by modifying the surface of hippocampus and its projections.  Essentially, any memory at the time of injection could be modified, eliminated or replaced."  Animal models have shown promise with the new drug, with successful elimination of prior conditioned fears.  Dr. John Samson continues: "We conditioned a fear response to rats using a wolf-puppet and noxious stimuli.  After showing the rat the wolf-puppet, but withholding the noxious stimulus, we injected RY6753.  Moments later, the rats physiological response calmed and his behavior re-normalized."  By Samson's explanation, in seconds, the learned fear was reversed.  Functional imaging correlates with the findings, showing activation and elimination of the hippocampal - amygdal projections.  Thus far, the drug has not shown any apparent side effects.  Most would agree, however, modifying brain structures is a risky venture.  The future shows promise with drugs that can target such specific areas of the brain.  Perhaps in a few years time we will be able to take a drug that will instantly eliminate our worst fears.