A digest of science & health advances  

 FROM CBC TV News - December 22, 2009:

Top Nine of '09 - health and science stories of 2009: 1. Discovery of 'Ardi' (the oldest human skeleton), filling in some blanks in understanding human evolution. 2. H1N1 for instigating a 'successful dry run' in handling a flu pandemic. 3.Genome analysis of 50 types of cancer, with three (breast, lung and skin) being announced so far. 4. Vitamin D promoted as highly necessary for human health, especially in the northern hemisphere where lack of adequate exposure to sunshine is unavoidable. 5. Water on the moon is discovered by NASA. 6. Twitter reaches critical mass with 25 million users. 7. Three Canadian astronauts went into space this year. 8. Diabetes-related stem cell research at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto makes progress in understanding a cure. 9. Discovery of an Alzheimer's gene by University of California researchers. 

 FROM CNN (TV) ~ Campbell Brown interviews - January 2, 2010:

OVERVIEW:  Advancements in the past 10 years:  Nano-levels of health management. Cancer cures. The economy. Social media.  Main issues for 2010.  Primary issues for 2010 will be security, population growth, climate change and swine flu (H1N1). In areas of health, the medical profession will learn to grow organs, cure cancer and end pain.

New approaches to curing cancer.  "Nanoparticles will be used to invade cancer cells, emit light that turns into heat, and kill those cells. Research is underway." ~ Naomi J. Halas, Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University 

Tech-related social trends in the coming decade.  "Due to e-networking and social media, distant friends will become closer and closer friends will become more distant. More people and businesses will become better at navigating large groups of people. There will be a phenomenon of 'neotribes', i.e. searching to find people who are like ourselves. With all the bloggers and providers of information, what will an expert be? Will there be expertise without formal training? We are going to revise our orientation to the ideas of 'Big Brother' and privacy. We had previously organized our future (thoughts of) around not having Big Brother, but now no one will have privacy. Privacy management consulting will become a new service." ~ Watts Wacker, futurist

Anti-aging advances.  We will learn to turn on our body's natural defences against disease and aging. Genes that control healthy responses will be activated; this will help the ill and the elderly to lead better lives. ~ Dr. David Sinclair, Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School

The natural approach to anti-aging.  With a diet of nutritious food and adequate physical exercise we can activate hundreds of our own anti-aging genes within just three months. Comprehensive lifestyle change are now proven to make a difference -- even reversing severe coronary heart disease without drugs or surgery. ~ Dr. Dean Ornish, Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Sausalito, CA

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