Volcanic ozone wipeout
Eruptions in Siberia devastated Earth鈥檚 ozone layer 251 million years ago, coinciding with the largest mass extinction in history, according to models of atmospheric chemistry. The models suggest ozone-destroying halogen gases were released as lava reacted with coal and salt deposits (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2007.2046).
Drugs clash
Advertisement
Nigeria has filed a $7 billion lawsuit against US pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer over trials conducted in 1996 of an antibiotic against meningitis, claiming it harmed Nigerian children. The case follows several recent challenges to Big Pharma from developing countries.
Multiple culprits
The same genes may be responsible for several common diseases, according to a genome-wide study of such links. Researchers have identified four chromosome regions as carrying genes that may predispose people to type 1 diabetes and Crohn鈥檚 disease, as well as a single gene called PTPN2 that is implicated in both diseases. Such multi-purpose genetic markers could help doctors screen for several disease risks at once (Nature, vol 447, p 661).
Smash-up on hold
The start-up of the Large Hadron Collider is being delayed until early 2008. The world鈥檚 largest particle collider, being built at the CERN facility near Geneva, Switzerland, was due to begin operations in November. According to CERN, the delay is due to an accumulation of small setbacks.
Lumbering lizard
Tyrannosaurus rex could run at up to 40 kilometres per hour, but changing direction would have taken a ponderous 2 seconds because of the creature鈥檚 long tail, according to biomechanical calculations published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. An adult T. rex would typically have weighed around 8 tonnes.