Mosquitoes like my blood by Khalil A. Cassimally

Mosquitoes like my blood by Khalil A. Cassimally

Here in Mauritius, mosquitoes are in paradise. The male mosquitoes have all the fruits theyll ever dream ofgod knows whether they actually dreamall year long while the female mosquitoes can choose from a numerous number of tourists to feed on.

It is of no surprise that tourists get bitten more than we, locals do. And the reaction which occurs on the tourists skin is quiet unusual to me. A large red swelling develops. It is about twice the size that the one which would have formed on my skin if I was to get bitten. Apparently the bite that a tourist receives is also more irritant. In my opinion, this is because foreigners are not as used to get mosquito bites than Mauritians do. But one thing is for sire though: some people do get bitten more than others.

Why is this so? Or rather, why are some people bitten less? James Logan, a research student at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has found that some people give off masking odours that prevent mosquitoes from detecting them. Another study, done earlier by Professor John Pickett and his team, showed that the number of flies circulating around a herd depended on certain cows being present. Professor Pickett and his team discovered that unattractiveto mosquitoes at least - individuals gave out different chemical signals from other cows. To be sure about this fact, the unattractive cows were removed and the number of flies bothering the herd did indeed increase. These ordinary cows had not been camouflaged by the unattractive cows special masking odour and therefore the flies were attracted to the ordinary cows.

After some other experiments, it was concluded that the famous masking odours were acting as repellents or as a cover up. This finding could lead to a new type of insect repellent. These would be both safer and more effective.

Next time you get bitten, just think that the mosquitoes are not attracted by your sweet blood but by your own odour.
About the Author
Khalil A.Cassimally is the editor in chief of Astronomy Journal and Astronomy Journal Ezine. He is also the co-founder of the RCPL Astronomy Club.
He is currently Senior Columnist at BackWash.com and Columnist for bbc.co.uk h2g2 The Post where he writes 'Not Scientific Science' column.

DNAology! by Khalil A. Cassimally

DNAology! by Khalil A. Cassimally

The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a unique molecule. It contains every single piece of genetic information of a person; just like the memory card of a PC, which contains all the data. The major difference between the DNA and the memory card of your PC though is that the microscopic DNA helix can store more dataactually about a thousand times more. So, scientists have got the bright idea of mimicking the DNAs data-storage secrets for use on your PCs memory card. This will lead to a more compact data processing and storage circuitry.

In the standard silicon-based chip (which is the basic unit of practically any electrical instruments) information processing is limited by the distance between the units which store and process data. With DNA scaffolding however, the interconnections can be made really short so as to increase the performance. And thats what the scientists have been working on.

The DNA scaffolding is made up of artificial DNA tiles that automatically join together in a predetermined pattern. The so-formed molecular fabric has many strands. These DNA strands will clip to nanocomponents coated with the matching DNA strands. The nanocomponents could be metallic particles that can store or process data in form of an electric and magnetic state or they could simply be organic molecules.

We can now assemble a DNA scaffolding on a pre-existing template, such as a computer chip and then assemble nanocomponents on top of the DNA, said Richard Kiehl, a professor of electrical engineering.

This technology would enable computers to identify objects in images in a blink of an eye. The speed at which the computer could find the objects would near the speed of the eye and brain doing the same thing!

Revolutions in genetics have only just begun and surprisingly we are finding ways to put the newly found data in practicein a totally different way as first perceived, I might also add.
About the Author
Khalil A.Cassimally is the editor in chief of Astronomy Journal and Astronomy Journal Ezine. He is also the co-founder of the RCPL Astronomy Club.
He is currently Senior Columnist at BackWash.com and Columnist for bbc.co.uk h2g2 The Post where he writes 'Not Scientific Science' column.

Programmed life by Khalil A. Cassimally

Programmed life by Khalil A. Cassimally

Does aging happen by chance? Is aging the breaking down of an organism till the latter eventually stops working?

According to Valter Longos latest research, which was published in the September 27 edition of the Journal of Cell Biology, aging is a programmed process. For Longos part, aging is supposed to ensure the premature death of the majority of a population.

The dead will then consequently provide nutrients for the sake of a few individuals who have acquired genetic mutations. (Think of yeast rather than big complex mammals.) These mutants are more adapted to their environment than the other normal organisms. Therefore these sacrificial deaths increase the chances of reproduction of the mutants as the latter will have more nutrients to feed on.

Now Charles Darwin may not be very happy with Longos theory. Darwins natural selection happens at individual level. The better suited to its environment an organism is, the more probable that it will reproduce. This ensures that the species changes or evolves over time as such type of reproduction brings genetic changes to the offsprings. This makes the offsprings more adapted to their ever-changing environment.

Longos theory however rests on the group selection theory. Many scientists think that this theory is incorrect. The latter proposes that selection happens not at individual level but at group level instead.

Longos research is mainly based on the observation of programmed aging in yeast. Scientists have used yeasts because the molecular pathway that regulates its longevity is similar to other more complex organisms like mice and possibly humans.

The results of this research are surprising. Yeasts, which were studied died well before they were supposed to in order to provide nutrients for those yeasts within that same population which have acquired genetic mutations. In short, many millions of yeasts died early to suit the few better-adapted mutant yeasts. Can this process happen in humans as well?

If aging is programmed in yeast and the latters molecular pathway is very similar to humans, then isnt it possible that humans also die earlier than they have to? said Valter Longo.

Apart from the possibility that we might have been wrong in sticking with Darwins all-too-known theory for so long-provided Longos theory is proven to be correct- gerontologists (scientists studying the aging process) are now conjecturing that aging may actually be healed.

It seems easier to tweak the programming in a computer than to try to replace part after part in an old car that is steadily collapsing.

For Valter Longo, most organisms undergo programmed longevity. Is life therefore supposed to be programmed?
About the Author
Khalil A.Cassimally is the editor in chief of Astronomy Journal and Astronomy Journal Ezine. He is also the co-founder of the RCPL Astronomy Club.
He is currently Senior Columnist at BackWash.com and Columnist for bbc.co.uk h2g2 The Post where he writes 'Not Scientific Science' column.