Hot but not so bothered
Climate change may be bad news for us humans, but it could be a boon for life in the long run. Marine fossil records from the last 540 million years suggest warmer climes increase biodiversity. Extinction rates go up, but new species can also flourish (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1200844109).
When hurricane Isaac made landfall in Louisiana last week, it pushed the Mississippi into reverse. For nearly 24 hours on 28 August, the river flowed backwards up its channel, according to the US Geological Survey. The last reversal was the handiwork of Katrina in 2005.
Grünenthal, the German firm that developed thalidomide to treat morning sickness, has apologised to those born with birth defects after their mothers took the drug. Martin Johnson, chairman of the UK Thalidomide Trust, criticises the apology because it doesn’t discuss what, if anything, Grünenthal knew about the drug’s ill effects before it was withdrawn.
Wolves of Wyoming
The wolves in the US Rockies are all better, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. It has decided that the Wyoming population has recovered and no longer needs protecting under the Endangered Species Act. The Montana and Idaho populations had already reached this milestone. The three states are collectively home to over 1700 wolves.
Newborn stars can have a touch of sweetness. The ALMA telescope in Chile has for the first time found the simple sugar glycolaldehyde, a key ingredient of RNA, around a sun-like star. It’s the perfect spot for sugars to become part of future planets.