Four new diabetes genes found
BETHESDA, Md., April 27 (UPI) -- U.S. and European researchers have found four new genetic variants linked to type 2 diabetes and confirmed another six variants.
The findings from three academic research groups were published online in the journal Science. A separate report from Iceland's DeCode Genetics was published online in Nature Genetics.
The New York Times said the DeCode paper found one new gene and the academic groups -- led by Dr. David Altshuler of the Broad Institute, Michael Boehnke of the University of Michigan and Mark McCarthy of the University of Oxford -- found the other three.
The head of the National Institutes of Health calls the findings "a major milestone in the battle against diabetes."
"It will accelerate efforts to understand the genetic risk factors for this disease, as well as explore how these genetic factors interact with each other and with lifestyle factors," NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni said Thursday in a release.
"Our current one-size-fits-all approach will soon give way to more individualized strategies based on each person's unique genetic make-up," he said.
Hawking experiences zero gravity
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 27 (UPI) -- British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, paralyzed by Lou Gehrig's disease, experienced weightlessness on a stunt flight off the coast of Florida.
The frail 65-year-old theorist, who has been in a wheelchair for about four decades, spun twice through the air Thursday during each of the 25-second spells of zero gravity on a specially equipped Boeing 727, The Washington Post reported.
"It was amazing. ... I could have gone on and on. Space, here I come," Hawking said afterward through a special computer device.
Hawking has said he hopes to fly into space in 2009 on a plane being developed by Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, the newspaper said. He has often said the future of mankind lies in space.
"Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers," Hawking said in a statement. "I think the human race has no future if it doesn't go into space. I therefore want to encourage public interest in space."
Americans say global warming is a problem
NEW YORK, April 27 (UPI) -- A new poll says nearly half of all people in the United States view global warming as a serious problem.
In a CBS News/New York Times poll, 52 percent said that global warming should be a high priority for government leaders. Eight percent said the problem was not serious.
The New York Times said 90 percent of Democrats, 80 percent of independents and 60 percent of Republicans asked said immediate action was required to stop global warming.
Fifty-one percent of those polled, however, said they could vote for a candidate who did not share their environmental views.
CBS News said requiring automakers to build more energy-efficient automobiles was favored by 92 percent, while 58 percent opposed raising gasoline taxes.
The poll found that most people want the government to develop new energy sources, but 57 percent oppose opening up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.
The Times said 1,052 adults were polled by telephone from last Friday through Tuesday. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.
Toxic algae killing California marine life
LOS ANGELES, April 27 (UPI) -- California researchers say a virulent outbreak of domoic acid is killing hundreds of marine animals and birds off the Pacific coast.
Jay Holcomb, director of the International Bird Rescue Research Center in San Pedro, Calif., said local beaches have been littered with sick and dead pelicans, sea lions and dolphins, The Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
Scientists say domoic acid is produced by microscopic algae that have flourished in recent years because of overfishing, destruction of wetlands and pollution.
While the toxin has not been definitively linked to all the recent deaths, many of the dead animals tested positive for domoic acid poisoning, the newspaper said.
Domoic acid accumulates in shellfish and fish and is then passed on to the birds and animals that eat them.
Dave A. Caron, director of the Caron Laboratory at the University of Southern California, told the newspaper this year's algae bloom is the largest he has seen in five years.
