Despite twenty-six years of research, activism, and education, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to affect the lives of millions worldwide. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), estimates that by the end of 2006, approximately 32.7 million adults and 2.3 million children were living with HIV. Sadly the same year, UNAIDS also estimates that 4.3 million people were newly infected with HIV, and that about 2.9 million people died from AIDS. (1) Although, the treatment and prevention plans of today offer hope to some, there is still much to be done to combat this deadly disease.

Oil prices near $100US per barrel, and home heating this winter makes a significant dent in your wallet. The rising demand for fossil fuels has driven a surge in the cost of oil, and has forced consumers to look for ways to reduce their energy utility bill. Aside from energy conservation practices, alternative energy sources could mean lower energy bills in the long run.

Evolution has been very conservative. For example, it is hard to believe how closely our nervous system resembles that of marine snails, tiny slimy creatures. The marine snail, has approximately 20,000 neurons in its central nervous system; humans have approximately one trillion. The large brain cells of this animal make it easy to study the effects of one cell in relation to another. Taking advantage of this simplicity and similarity at the cellular level, scientists have relied on the snail as a model to learn about anesthetics.

A team of researchers at Cambridge University are using a new technique to make carbon nanotubes. For years now, carbon nanotubes have been one of the most promising new materials available to researchers. Carbon nanotubes are found commonly in the general environment.