Gene tests investigated
The honeymoon seems to be over for firms that sell genetic tests directly to consumers. US Congressional investigators have sent letters to 23andMe, Navigenics and Pathway Genomics demanding information on each company鈥檚 practices. This follows a recent suggestion from the Food and Drug Administration that such tests count as medical devices and so need the agency鈥檚 approval.
Volcano quietens at last
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Eyjafjallaj枚kull, the infamous Icelandic volcano, would appear to have stopped erupting, according to the Icelandic Met Office. Over the past week, the eruption plume has been decreasing in height. As of 23 May, the volcano was spitting out steam rather than ash and no magma was visible.
Transplant test
A blood test could reveal whether transplant recipients can be weaned off immunosuppressive drugs. Unique patterns in gene expression and immune activity have been found in kidney transplant recipients who stopped taking the drugs but didn鈥檛 incur organ damage (Journal of Clinical Investigation, and ).
India鈥檚 emissions
India this week became the first developing country to release its records of greenhouse gas emissions up to 2007, revealing that they had grown by 52 per cent since 1994. This makes India the fifth-largest emitter behind the US, China, the European Union and Russia.
Grebe no more
And then there were none. The Alaotra grebe, unique to a lake in Madagascar, has been driven to extinction by a combination of fishing nets and carnivorous fish that were introduced to the lake by humans. The announcement is part of the latest update of the Red List of endangered species.