Show Me The Science Month Day 16



Black wolves look like creatures out of frightening fairy tales, but their black color actually came from pet dogs. Today's evolution paper is about a potentially beneficial mutation for black coat color picked up by wolves as the result of interbreeding with dogs. This story got some press, so it may sound familiar, but here we're going to focus on just how scientists could know where the black color gene came from. This research is a great example of the genetic sleuthing that's now possible with easy, affordable DNA sequencing.

Increasing numbers are risking their health just because they want to have a tan, say researchers in an editorial published on bmj.com today.

The authors, led by Michael Evans-Brown from Liverpool John Moores University, argue that while the actual number of people having 'tan jabs' (the drugs Melanotan I and Melanotan II) is unknown, they are easily available via the internet and in some tanning salons and hairdressers. A thriving online community of users exist, the largest of which is Melanotan.org with over 5,000 members.

BARCELONA, Spain, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- Forges Strategic Partnerships with Belgacom International Carrier Services and the Royal Bank of Scotland Group

MINNEAPOLIS, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- Leopold to Offer AdvantEdge Support to German Users

BARCELONA, Spain, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- GSMA also reveals winners of 2009 Mobile Innovation Global Award Competition

The GSMA today announced the winners of the 14th Annual Global Mobile Awards at a gala dinner at the National Palace in Barcelona, hosted by the rising star of comedy, Michael McIntyre. The ceremony, one of the highlights of the Mobile World Congress, the leading event for the mobile communications industry, also revealed the Global Champion of the GSMA's 2009 Mobile Innovation Global Award Competition.

IRVINE, California, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- Carriers can now offer 3G touch and QWERTY keyboard smartphones for mass market adoption

AnyDATA Corporation, a global leader in the design and manufacture of wireless communications devices, is introducing at the 3GSMA Mobile World Conference a series of 3G smartphones for carriers worldwide. AnyDATA smartphones provide a unique combination of innovative design, high quality components, and the latest wireless technologies, yet at an affordable price for mass market adoption.

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), a worldwide leader in telecom research and consulting services, has launched a new research product line aimed specifically at identifying and analyzing growth opportunities in emerging markets.

The Pyramid Research Telecom Insider series delivers concise and timely data and analysis covering telecom trends in key regional emerging markets, including:

-- Africa the Middle East -- Latin America -- Asia/Pacific -- Europe

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) will showcase its capabilities at the International Defence Exhibition Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Feb. 22-26, 2009. General Dynamics is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat vehicles and systems, armaments, and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and mission-critical information systems and technologies. General Dynamics companies have long-standing and trusted relationships with nations across the Gulf region, especially in the aerospace, military and security fields.

Stand information

The General Dynamics stand is at Hall 4 - Booth A11, with a display of military vehicle capability at Hall 12 - B20.

Scientists have discovered a mutation responsible for cancer progression, a finding with potential implications for the development of treatment against not one, but a series of cancer types, since this mutation can be linked to an abnormality recently discovered to exist in all malignancies.   The discovery has just been published in Nature Genetics.(1)

ATLANTA and LONDON, February 17 /PRNewswire/ --

IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of global futures and over-the-counter (OTC) marketplaces and clearing houses, and ICAP (IAP.L), the world's premier interdealer broker, announced the successful execution through ICE Clear U.S.(TM) of the first agricultural cleared swap transaction in the history of U.S. exchanges. The OTC sugar swap transaction was submitted to the clearinghouse by ICAP, on behalf of Infinium Capital Management and Credit Suisse.