Humpbacks in firing line
For the first time in 40 years humpback whales face the hunter鈥檚 harpoon. On Sunday six vessels left Shimonoseki harbour in Japan with the aim of catching 50 humpbacks for 鈥渟cientific鈥� research, which the US-based Environmental Investigation Agency says is a front for commercial whaling.
Has AIDS peaked?
The number of people around the world living with HIV appears to be levelling off at just over 33 million 鈥� although more than two-thirds of those affected are in sub-Saharan Africa. UNAIDS and the WHO, which released the figures on 21 November, downgraded their original estimate of 40 million because of more reliable data from India.
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Space on a shoestring
Are you short of $20 million for a tourist鈥檚 seat into space? Well, for a mere $3 million, Space Adventures, the Virginia-based firm that blasted the first space tourist Dennis Tito into orbit, is offering standby seats. If you miss one flight, the cash can be credited against future flights, should you find yourself with deeper pockets.
Where there鈥檚 life
Battered and bruised 鈥� but still going. That鈥檚 the prognosis for NASA鈥檚 Mars Opportunity rover after its rock grinder tool seized up last week, following a series of instrument failures in recent months. Opportunity and its twin, Spirit, were designed to last just 90 days but have survived for nearly four years. NASA engineers said the rovers have 鈥測ears more鈥� left in them.
骋别苍别鈥耻蝉
It鈥檚 a first for gene therapy. Twelve patients with Parkinson鈥檚 disease improved after they were given injections of viruses carrying the gene for GABA (, ). Levels of the neurotransmitter are abnormally low in people with Parkinson鈥檚.