What's New Robert L. Park 16 Nov 2011

WHAT'S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 11 Nov 16   Washington, DC

1. THE ALTERNATIVES: SYMPOSIUM EXAMINES QUACK CURES.
Sadly, the death of Steve Jobs from pancreatic cancer came just a month=20
before the Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium, =93Alternative Medici=
ne,=20
Under the Microscope=94 was held 7&8 Nov 2011 at McGill University in=20
Montr=E9al, Canada.  Although it=92s unlikely that alternative medicine=20
contributed directly to Jobs=92 death, his delay in seeking effective=20
treatment probably did (WN 28 Oct 11).  Not a scientist, Jobs initially=20
turned to alternative medicine rather than face surgery.  The four=20
symposium speakers, Harriet Hall, Paul Offit, Bob Park, and Edzard Ernst,=
=20
are well-known debunkers of alternative medicine.  Free to the public, th=
e=20
symposium was funded by McGill alumnus and benefactor Lorne Trottier. He =
co-
founded Matrox, a computer graphics corporation. =20

2.CANCER AND CAUSALITY: EINSTEIN DIDN=92T HAVE A CELL-PHONE.
Of the world=92s 7 billion people, an incredible 5 billion have cell phon=
es=20
(=93mobiles=94 in most countries).  The safe use of mobiles is therefore =
a=20
global health concern. The response of the World Health Organization was =
to=20
conduct a huge epidemiologic study aimed at demonstrating a link between=20
cell-phone radiation and brain cancer.  The effort was seriously misguide=
d =96
no such link exists.  The study served only to raise widespread public=20
alarm over a nonexistent hazard.  Epidemiology, which is the study of=20
health patterns in populations; is important, but it=92s not a substitute=
 for=20
science.  Science is the organization of knowledge into testable laws and=
=20
theories.  It has been known for more than 100 years that electromagnetic=
=20
radiation at frequencies below the ultraviolet is non-ionizing, and thus=20
cannot create the mutant strands of DNA that constitute incipient cancers=
. =20
In 1905, Einstein=92s =93miracle year,=94 he theorized that electromagnet=
ic=20
radiation consists of discrete units of energy, now called =93photons,=94=
 which=20
are equal in energy to the frequency multiplied by Planck's constant. It=20
marked the origin of wave-particle duality and earned Einstein his 1921=20
Physics Nobel Prize.  His theory is verified every time a cell phone=20
works. =20

3. SPACE STATION: SOYUZ MISSIONS TO THE ISS ARE RESUMED.
Why is not clear. A three month suspension of manned Soyuz flights, impos=
ed=20
after the crash of an unmanned supply vehicle in August, ended Monday wit=
h=20
the launch of a three astronaut replacement team to the ISS.  Two Russian=
=20
cosmonauts and an American astronaut will rendezvous with the ISS today t=
o=20
replace a team that has been there since June.  What will the new team do=
? =20
They will attempt to stay alive until they=92re replaced.

4. =93CURIOSITY=94: NEXT WEEK THE NEW MARS ROVER WILL BE LAUNCHED.
The new rover has far greater capability than its predecessors to retriev=
e=20
and analyze samples.  Moreover, the solar panels have been replaced with =
Pu-
238 radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will supply far more powe=
r=20
than the solar panels.=20

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
---
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