An artificial meteorite designed by the European Space Agency has shown that traces of life in a martian meteorite could survive the violent heat and shock of entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. The experiment’s results also suggest that meteorite hunters should widen their search to include white rocks if we are to find traces of life in martian meteorites.

The STONE-6 experiment tested whether sedimentary rock samples could withstand the extreme conditions during a descent though the Earth’s atmosphere where temperatures reached at least 1700 degrees Celsius. After landing, the samples were transported in protective holders to a laboratory clean-room at ESTEC and examined to see if any traces of life remained. The results were presented by Dr Frances Westall at the European Planetary Science Congress on September 25th.

Life has been discovered in the barren depths of Rome's ancient tombs but it's not zombies or Knights Templars protecting secret treasure; it's two new species of bacteria found growing on the walls, and though they're not protecting any treasure, they may be helping to protect our cultural heritage monuments, according to research published in the September issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

American children are approximately three times more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medication than children in Europe, according to a new study published Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health. The study claims that the differences may be accounted for by regulatory practices and cultural beliefs about the role of medication in emotional and behavioral problems.

Julie Zito led a team of researchers from the USA, Germany and the Netherlands who investigated prescription levels in the three countries. She said, "Antidepressant and stimulant prevalence were three or more times greater in the US than in the Netherlands and Germany, while antipsychotic prevalence was 1.5 to 2.2 times greater".

BRUSSELS, Belgium, September 25 /PRNewswire/ --

- Theme for 2008 World Diabetes Day - November 14 - is "Diabetes in Children and Adolescents"

BRUSSELS, Belgium, September 25 /PRNewswire/ --

The International Diabetes Federation announced today that it is calling on groups and individuals worldwide to get involved in activities to raise awareness of diabetes in the 50 days leading up to World Diabetes Day on November 14. The theme for this year's campaign is "Diabetes in Children and Adolescents."

LONDON, September 25 /PRNewswire/ --

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) has responded to the 2008 Which? report, A test of your own medicine.

David Pruce, Director of Policy at the RPSGB says: "The RPSGB was pleased to see that, since the 2004 Which? report, there have been significant improvements reported in the provision of pharmacy services, particularly with regard to the use of private consultation areas, the supply of Emergency Hormonal Contraception and Medicine Use Reviews being well received by Which? members.

TORONTO, Canada, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

- RedMAX(TM) 4C Mobile WiMAX Subscriber Devices Join Redline's Roster of Proven WiMAX Forum Certified Product; Enables Mobile Service Providers to Offer High-Revenue Personal and Commercial Broadband Services

Redline Communications Group Inc. ("Redline") (TSX and AIM: RDL), a leading provider of WiMAX and broadband wireless infrastructure products, today announced its RedMAX 4C Mobile WiMAX products have been awarded the WiMAX Forum Certified(R) mark for conformity to the IEEE 802.16e standards for Mobile WiMAX.

NEW YORK, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

As the United Nations General Assembly convenes this week, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) is encouraging foreign leaders to collaborate on a global effort to advance a dialogue about minimizing the impact of Alzheimer's disease on the 26 million people worldwide currently living with the disease and those who will be affected in the future.

Eric J. Hall, AFA's president and CEO, said the increasing incidence of the disease worldwide - expected to quadruple by 2050 - warrants further awareness-raising on a global level, similar to the national advocacy efforts that AFA has been advancing in the United States.

SAN FRANCISCO, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

- KPN's Eelco Blok Joins Cisco, IBM, Ingencio, Microsoft, Siemens and Royal Dutch Shell on Keynote Stage; Microsoft to Reveal OCS Release 2

LONDON, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

Pearson today announced that it has successfully completed the final stage of the worldwide pilot program for its new computer-based international academic English language test, Pearson Test of English (PTE).

Pilot testing enabled Pearson to gather information about the technical functioning of the test administration hardware and software. Pearson received valuable feedback about the full range of innovative and integrated item types and obtained direct feedback on test takers' experience and perceptions of the test.

LONDON, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is introducing a new family of multisensor marine speed log products at the 2008 SMM maritime technology exhibition in Hamburg, Germany this month.

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://media.primezone.com/noc/

The NAVIKNOT 600 series of products, which are being marketed under the Sperry Marine brand, are based on a new satellite speed sensor that yields dual axis speed over ground.

The satellite speed log can serve as a standalone device or be integrated with a single-axis electromagnetic or Doppler speed log. The three-way satellite-electromagnetic-Doppler combination provides maximum built-in flexibility and redundancy.