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Science Tidbits Friday

By possum

Here we are again gathering for a day of new and exciting tantalizing news in the realm of science.  New discoveries.  New takes on old knowledge.  The base of information and knowledge grows at a rate much too fast to keep up with all that is available.  

Over the fold are some selections from some favorite science websites.  Links are at the end of the diary.  Today's tidbits include alcohol and sleep, tips for making your blog popular (I know that isn't real science but who can resist?), virtual autopsies, recycling that live Christmas tree, the economic burden of insomnia, and good news for organ donors.  Follow over the fold and down the yellow brick road for one more session of science education and entertainment.
Having trouble falling asleep?  Don't turn to alcohol as a solution.

...alcohol doesn't help you snooze. Quite the contrary. It actually exacerbates symptoms of insomnia.

 Better ways to insure a good night of sleep include regular exercise and waking at the same time every day.

Linkbait your blog for success.  Link to other big blogs.  A couple of the usual suggestions.  Nothing really new, but interesting nonetheless.

Virtual autopsies are now possible through the use of imaging and computer reconstruction. New Scientist offers a remarkable series of animal and human images.  These really must be seen to be believed!

If you use a live Christmas tree, recycle.  Tips for preparing the tree (remove all ornaments and lights, make sure to know the deadline for local recycling centers, and do not put the tree in a plastic bag) are here.

A Canadian study shows the cost of insomnia in terms of lost productivity and other costs to be very high.

The annual estimate of insomnia-related lost productivity is 27.6 days per year for individuals with insomnia syndrome, and 6.2 days per year for people with insomnia symptoms.

The cost of treatment is far less so for those of you with chronic insomnia, get yourself into a sleep center right away.

A new device is better than the conventional ice packing for organ transport.

Kidneys were less likely to fail within a year when stored this way, compared with being packed in ice for transportation.

The idea of the machine is to slow or halt deterioration of the organ prior to being placed in a recipient.  The more preservation the better for the long term function of the organ.

For more science news see these and other websites:
Eureka Science News
New Scientist
Wired News
LiveScience

NASA beauty picture of the day.  For more see the NASA website.  These pictures are evidence of your tax dollars hard at work being productive.

Peace.

Full post as published by Never In Our Names on January 02, 2009 (boomark / email).