Hubble Space Telescope Celebrates Twenty Years of Out-of-this-World Exploration

Mankind always had a fascination for the study of the heavens. Ever since the most ancient times man has looked up into the night sky with wonder and awe. But great leaps forward were made possible only with advancing technology. The first giant step in the progress of man’s understanding of the reality which exists outside our home planet of earth came with the discoveries made by Galileo and his indispensable telescope. Since that time, as telescopes improved, so has our understanding of the universe. However, as long as telescopes were confined to the surface of the earth, they were seriously restricted in their ability to see past an “ocean” of atmosphere which separates them from space. Even telescopes on the highest mountain tops did not completely eliminate the detrimental effects of the earth’s atmosphere on the telescopes ability to observe space.

In 1990, with the deployment of the first telescope not hindered by the obscuring effects of the earth’s atmosphere, one of the greatest advances in the history of astronomy was made. The Hubble Space Telescope, in orbit around the earth, allows astronomers to see the universe as never before. Great leaps in our understanding of galaxies, objects in space, gravity, time, the age of the universe, and many other subjects have been made possible with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Tips for Nail Care

Some people seem to neglect their nails even though in general, personal grooming is very important to them.  But often, first impressions go straight to the extremities so it’s not a good idea to neglect the nails.  If you spend so much time on clothes, make up and accessories, why would you wear it all with horrible, bitten and uneven nails?  So here are some tips to ensure you are fully groomed at all times:
a)    Make sure you get a regular manicure by a professional at a highly reputed salon.
b)    In between visits, ensure that you regularly file your nails even if you want to keep them long.  This is a bit like the same advice with hair care; ensure you cut your hair at regular intervals even if you are growing it.  It’s always best to file regularly so as to keep them strong.
c)    Protect your nails as much as possible.  If you are working with chemicals that could cause splitting, make sure you wear rubber gloves.
d)    For other protection of nails, use a coating of cotton.

e)    If you are a nail biter, try to stop but if that seems too difficult, use a nail varnish especially made to guard against this habit that will taste horrible if you bite them.  Choose one with an added strengthener.
f)    Regular scissors aren’t good for nails.  If you want to cut your nails, buy special nail scissors.
Keep up these tips and in no time at all your nails will be part of your overall beauty and something you can be proud of.

NOAA Exploration at the Bottom of Lake Huron

Summer makes me think of water. Water makes me think of the ocean, and the ocean is just begging to be explored. So what is new these days in deep sea exploration? Well for one thing, not all of it is taking place in the sea. From August 16-27 2010 a team from NOAA, (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) conducted a hunt for shipwrecks in Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes in the Northern Midwestern section of the United States. Joining NOAA was the Applied Research lab at the University of Texas at Austin.  They will be using an advanced sonar device which will be fitted onto a REMUS 600 autonomous underwater vehicle.

The exploration took place at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which was created in 2000 in order to protect what is considered to be one of America’s most significant collections of shipwrecks. Because of the cold, fresh water of the lake, the wrecks are in a particularly excellent state of preservation, making them a true treasure for archeologists and historians. Visit the website and explore the bottom of the lake with the NOAA.

ADHD – Only for the Younger Kids in the Class?

Two new interesting U.S. studies point to one of the ways that children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – age as compared to peers.  It appears that children who are younger than their classmates tend to get the diagnosis more often than do their older peers.

The first study, by researchers at North Carolina State University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Minnesota, compared children who were born just before the kindergarten eligibility date and those born just after the eligibility date.  They found a 25% higher rate of ADHD diagnosis in those who were younger in the class.  They used three separate data sources and looked at tens of thousands of children aged seven to 17.

When a doctor evaluates whether a child may have ADHD, one of the frequent questions that is asked is if the behavior seems to be exhibited in their child more often than in others.

The other study looked at 12,000 children by a Michigan State University economist Todd Elder.  It found that the youngest child in the class is 60% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than is the oldest child in the class.

Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Testing Ended

Eli Lilly, the giant pharmaceutical company, has decided to halt the development of its latest experimental drug which was a hopeful candidate for treating Alzheimer’s disease. Instead of helping sufferers of this illness, which causes severe memory loss and dementia in mostly older people, the drug was actually thought to be worsening the condition upon administration.

The medication, semagacestat was showed in preliminary results from large studies that cognition and the performance of daily tasks was hindered markedly due to the drug. There was also data from the studies that showed an association of use of the drug with an increased risk of skin cancer.


Although the loss of this drug from the future in the  fight against Alzheimer’s is a disappointment, Eli Lilly reassured those concerned that this decision in no way alters the continuing development and testing of solanzumab, another drug with hopeful possibilities for a future treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

Get Back to Nature at Multnomah Falls

Sometimes it’s really great to take a break and get back to nature.  When living in Portland, Oregon, you’re in a prime spot as there are so many places to visit.  One such spot is Multnomah Falls, which is a stunning waterfall situated on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge.  This can be found amidst Corbett and Dodson, east of Troutdale.  It is a most impressive waterfall, dropping in two steps and split into upper falls of 165 m and lower falls of 21 m.  The waterfall’s total height is 189 m, making it Oregon’s tallest waterfall.  For anyone who loves beautiful scenery, this is a must-see, given that it really has some of the area’s most  beautiful views and also leads on to many impressive wilderness areas and recreational places including Bonneville Dam and Cascade Locks.  Even en route to Multnomah Falls it is something spectacular, since getting there requires one travel along beautiful, scenic highways.