Syphilis shock
The US government has apologised to Guatemala following revelations that American doctors deliberately infected Guatemalans with syphilis in the 1940s to assess the effects of penicillin. One researcher went on to run the infamous Tuskegee study, in which African-Americans who already had syphilis were observed, but not treated.
Small step for rockoon鈥�
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The Aeronautics and Cosmonautics Romanian Association (ARCA) has launched its flagship balloon-lifted rocket. The aim is for the 鈥渞ockoon鈥� to carry a robot to the moon and win the $20 million Google Lunar X Prize. On 1 October, the rockoon reached 40 kilometres, a record for an object built in Romania, ARCA claimed.
鈥iant leap for Chang鈥檈
Meanwhile, China鈥檚 second lunar probe is to enter the moon鈥檚 orbit this week. Like the rockoon, Chang鈥檈 2 also blasted off on 1 October. It is scheduled to snap pictures of the moon鈥檚 surface, particularly the lava-flooded Bay of Rainbows. That鈥檚 the planned destination for China鈥檚 lunar lander, which could launch in 2013.
Long time coming
IVF treatment with an embryo frozen for almost 20 years has resulted in a healthy birth, beating the previous record by seven years. Before now, it was unknown whether an embryo that had been frozen for so long would survive transfer to the uterus (Fertility and Sterility, ).
Solar power play
He may not have got a climate bill through the US Senate, but Barack Obama can console himself when he installs solar panels on the White House鈥檚 living quarters. The move was announced on Tuesday. Obama won鈥檛, however, be the first American president to do so. Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush beat him to it.