Colour-blind no more
Two formerly colour-blind squirrel monkeys can now see in full colour. The animals were injected in the eye with a harmless virus carrying a gene they lacked. This enabled them to make 鈥渓ong-wavelength opsin鈥�, a pigment needed to distinguish red from green (Nature, ).
Protect the mothers
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If pregnant women catch swine flu, their health is at particular risk, so mothers-to-be are the subjects in the latest , conducted by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The 120 receiving the vaccine will be monitored for adverse effects, whether they produce H1N1-flu antibodies and how well their placenta transports these to the fetus.
Saturn鈥檚 stormy nights
A lightning storm on Saturn has zapped its way into the record books. First seen by NASA鈥檚 Cassini probe in January, it is now the longest-running storm observed in the solar system. Saturn is no stranger to extreme weather: a region called Storm Alley has experienced lightning storms up to 3000 kilometres across.
Enjoy a group session
Good news for gregarious people: group exercise boosts endorphin levels. College crews rowing in synchrony had a heightened endorphin rush compared with when they trained alone using the same regime (Biology Letters, ).
More room for rockets
Work on China鈥檚 fourth space-launch centre began this week on Hainan Island in the South China Sea. The Wenchang Space Satellite Launch Center will launch China鈥檚 powerful Long March CZ-5 rocket, capable of carrying components for a space station or lunar mission.