Neural GPS: Alzheimer’s and the Brain Thursday, Aug 11 2011

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When your brain maps a room- it does so quite literally. Scientists have identified the cells responsible for your internal GPS and how they work. This new information on how the brain maps the external world may provide insight on how to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s. Read more at Questional.com

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• Brain scans for Alzheimer’s could be widespread soon (beinghealthyhomeandaway.blogspot.com)
• New Alzheimer’s drug is developed (bbc.co.uk)
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The Atheist’s Taste Test Wednesday, Aug 3 2011

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A study shows how moral disgust may translate into physical disgust. After reading Muslim and Atheist literature self proclaimed Christians rated their disgust with a gross beverage higher than the same beverage before reading the literature.

In 2010 Ryan S. Ritter publishedGross Gods and Icky Atheism: Disgust Responses to Rejected Religious Beliefs in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. The paper highlights two experiments, which claim to demonstrate a correlation between moral and physical disgust. Ritter found that self-described Christians rated a beverage more disgusting after hand copying passages of the Qur’an or The God Delusion than after copying a control text (the dictionary).

Read more on Questional.com

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• Tool Time: Christians Threaten Atheist (milkandcookies.com)

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Bacteria Use “Batman” Like Grappling Hooks Wednesday, Jul 27 2011

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A recent UCLA study finds certain bacteria are using Batman-style grappling hooks to move through a surface before they develop the goopy biolfim which sticks them to their environment. We decided to take a look at what icky bacteria and the Dark Knight have in common.

In a study published online the week of the July 17 2011 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, UCLA researches announced the discovery of certain bacteria’s use of a “Batman” like grappling hook to move over surfaces.

Read more on Questional.com

 

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• University of Houston professor co-authors PNAS paper on how bacteria move (eurekalert.org)

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Karim Hijazi, Unveillance and the CSFI in Libya Wednesday, Jul 27 2011

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Did a Government agency fleece Karim Hijazi, CEO of Unveillance, for botnet data on Libya? Questional looks into the IRC logs and email provided by LulzSec.

On June 6, 2011 the now defunct LulzSec released personal emails taken from Karim Hijazi, CEO of Unveillance, and an IRC log of a conversation between members of LulzSec and Hijazi. The data implies that a US Government-funded agency considered taking malicious control of Internet servers in Libya.

Read more at Questional.com

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How did LulzSec hack Bethesda / Brink? What is LulzSec? Friday, Jun 24 2011

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LulzSec has broken into the mainstream media as effectively as they broke into the servers of Bethesda, Fox, the CIA, the FBI and many others. Questional takes a look at who they are and their tactics. Why was it so easy for LulzSec to own these high profile servers? Are they really at war with Anonymous? Full story at Questional.com

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What’s new in iOS5 and what is iCloud? Wednesday, Jun 8 2011

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Steve Jobs announced the new iOS5 and iCloud at this year’s Apple Developer’s Conference. Are Apple products living in the shadow of the Android? Questional takes a look at what’s new in iOS5.

On June 6, 2011 Apple announced the iOS5 and iCloud at the Apple World Wide Developer’s Conference. The iOS5 is the highly anticipated upgrade to Apple’s hand held mobile device operating systems and iCloud promises wireless cloud storage and management of iProduct data and applications.

Read more on Questional.com

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The Future Unlocked: Gamification Part II Sunday, May 22 2011

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Questional continues its in depth look at Gamification. In the second installment of The Future Unlocked we take a look at the practical applications of Gamification. These include a NIH funded look at artificially intelligent health care providers.

Also, Jonathan Blow helps us understand the questions we should be asking about Gamification. Read more on Questional.com

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“Gimmie Shelter!” Advances in Stroke Treatment Sunday, May 22 2011

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SHELTER is a new device for stroke patients that extends their window of treatment from 3 to 8 hours. A revolution in stroke treatment, it has the ability to contain, breakup, and remove clots. We decided to take a look at this fantastic piece of technology that is years ahead of anything we’ve got. Read more on Questional.com

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How Rust and Simple Science are Saving Lives by Creating Clean Drinking Water Sunday, May 22 2011

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How can rusty iron filings cure viruses in developing nations? We decided to take a look at how a group of Illinois students used simple science to improve a low-cost-low-tech water filter already saving lives around the world.

If the systems are as effective as they seem, worldwide scalability of the concept could help provide clean drinking water to millions. Read more on Questional.com

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Solar Flares, Neutrinos and Radioactive Decay: A Bizarre Love Triangle Sunday, May 22 2011

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Are solar flares affecting physics on earth?

We decided to investigate the strange relationship between solar activity and the radioactive decay rates of various isotopes. The answer may be an invisible particle that can travel through walls that scientists are trying to capture in massive underground research labs! Read more on Questional.com

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