Israel bombed dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday and said that while it was prepared to step up its offensive by sending in troops, it preferred a diplomatic solution that would end Palestinian rocket fire.
Police said, "Militants in the Gaza Strip fired 110 rockets at southern Israel on Monday, causing no casualties." For the second straight day, Israeli missiles blasted a tower block in the city of Gaza housing international media. Two people were killed there, one of them an Islamic Jihad militant. Khaled Meshaal, exiled leader of Hamas, said a truce was possible but the Islamist group, in charge of the Gaza Strip since 2007, would not accept Israeli demands and wanted Israel to halt its strikes first. Khaled Meshaal said, “Whoever started the war must end it."
Yaalon also said Israel wanted an end to Gaza guerrilla activity in the neighbouring Egyptian Sinai peninsula. Although 84 percent of Israelis supported the current Gaza assault, according to a poll by Israel's Haaretz newspaper, only 30 percent wanted an invasion, while 19 percent wanted their government to work on securing a truce soon. A senior officer close to Netanyahu said, “Israel is prepared and has taken steps, and is ready for a ground incursion which will deal severely with the Hamas military machine.”
Egypt is acting as a mediator in the biggest test yet of Cairo's 1979 peace treaty with Israel since the fall of Hosni Mubarak. “I think we are close, but the nature of this kind of negotiation, (means) it is very difficult to predict,” says Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, who visited Gaza on Friday to show support to its people.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Living on Caffeine
The article written by Veronique Greenwood describes how scientists have recently discovered a bacterium that can derive energy by consuming caffeine, essentially making the phrase, "living on caffeine," literal.
Last month, scientists discovered a new bacterium that possesses the capability to derive energy from caffeine when consumed. They also use vitamins and minerals found in caffeine that human beings aren't able to extract because we do not possess the correct enzymes needed to break down caffeine. Scientists theorize that once the entire human microbiome is sequenced during future testing, the discovery of a hidden enzyme possessing the same capabilities of the enzyme found in this newly discovered bacterium could be quite possible. If an enzyme similar to or the same as the enzyme in this bacterium is discovered inside of humans, scientists may be able to start the process that would allow us to use vitamins and minerals found in caffeine, and essentially make it possible for human beings to live off of caffeine.
Personally, I don't normally drink coffee, or anything caffeinated for that matter. The chances that I would be affected in any way by having an enzyme discovered that could break down caffeine are very slim, given the fact that I stay away from caffeinated beverages.
Last month, scientists discovered a new bacterium that possesses the capability to derive energy from caffeine when consumed. They also use vitamins and minerals found in caffeine that human beings aren't able to extract because we do not possess the correct enzymes needed to break down caffeine. Scientists theorize that once the entire human microbiome is sequenced during future testing, the discovery of a hidden enzyme possessing the same capabilities of the enzyme found in this newly discovered bacterium could be quite possible. If an enzyme similar to or the same as the enzyme in this bacterium is discovered inside of humans, scientists may be able to start the process that would allow us to use vitamins and minerals found in caffeine, and essentially make it possible for human beings to live off of caffeine.
Personally, I don't normally drink coffee, or anything caffeinated for that matter. The chances that I would be affected in any way by having an enzyme discovered that could break down caffeine are very slim, given the fact that I stay away from caffeinated beverages.
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