Minor Thoughts

A genetic mutation may hold an AIDS cure.

The startling case of an AIDS patient who underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia is stirring new hope that gene-therapy strategies on the far edges of AIDS research might someday cure the disease.

The patient, a 42-year-old American living in Berlin, …

This is cool. It’s amazing how far and fast medical technology is developing. I can’t wait to see what will be available by the time I need serious medical help.

In 2001, the FDA approved the use of capsule endoscopy, which uses a capsule size camera [1.2 inches long by 0.4 inches in diameter]. …

Meet some high school students that are working their way through school:

Almost every weekday, 14-year-old Tiffany Adams rises before 6 a.m. in the Newark, New Jersey, home she shares with her grandmother and sisters. She dons her school uniform and catches two New Jersey Transit buses across the city, arriving at Christ the …

I’ve been wanting to get back into shape. These new pills could be the perfect solution.

In a series of startling experiments in mice, the drugs improved the ability of cells to burn fat and retain muscle mass, and they substantially prolonged endurance during exercise. Using one of the compounds for just a month, …

Telecommuting — the next generation. This is how I need to work from home.

Programmer Ivan Bowman spends his days at iAnywhere Solutions Inc. in much the same way his colleagues do.

He writes code, exchanges notes in other developers’ offices, attends meetings and, on occasion, hangs out in the kitchen …

Silicon nanoparticles enhance performance of solar cells

Placing a film of silicon nanoparticles onto a silicon solar cell can boost power, reduce heat and prolong the cell’s life, researchers now report.

To make their improved solar cells, the researchers began by first converting bulk silicon into discrete, nano-sized particles using a …

One of the great things about the division of labor — having each person do one job and do it well — is the lengths to which complete strangers will go to make each others’ lives better.

Take, for example, road signs. We drive by thousands of them each year. Have you ever thought about what …

It turns out that I don’t read too much. In reading, I’m strengthening my brain and preparing it for old age. So say researchers in the July 31 edition of Neurology. Mental Abilities: Good Readers Better Able to Retain Brain Skills – New York Times

It is not surprising that when doctors examined people …

Growing up, I always heard that I should have an ”attitude of gratitude”. That phrase sounded annoyingly pat back then and still does now. That doesn’t make it any less true. Here are two examples of people with a great attitude of gratitude.

First, Chef Mojo from Daily Pundit wrote about experiencing life with new hearing …

If you really want an iPhone, but you don’t want a two-year AT&T contract, there’s good news. You can use it with AT&T’s prepaid plans.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog has instructions on how to activate the phone with a prepaid plan. They also have screenshots of the monthly plans that are available.

Assuming that $20 of the …