Science News Digest - 23rd January 2012
In the science news this week, how quantum computing could make the 'cloud' more secure, why there is concern about Britain's waterways, a new exhibition about Captain Scott opens, and finally... why scratching your ankle is so satisfying.
Quantum leap in ‘cloud’ computing
A study published in Science last week has suggested that the benefits of quantum computing could be applied to ‘cloud’ storage to make it more secure.
Quantum computing has long been heralded as the next step in secure communications, explained the BBC.
One of the peculiarities of quantum mechanics is that an object can be in two places at once, which can be taken advantage of in communications, allowing for incredibly fast data transfers.
This method is also extremely secure as it prevents anyone from hacking into the message. If they did, this would break what is known as the ‘entanglement’, making the message unintelligible.
Cloud computing has become increasingly popular online as it allows for information to be stored in a virtual way, without the need for hardware.
This new technique described by University of Vienna quantum computing pioneer Anton Zeilinger and a team of international scientists, combines the two.
The only downside is that current technology won’t allow for the data to be converted into quantum bits, or qubits, in a consumer setting.
Until there is a demand for quantum computing at a larger scale it is hard to say when this research will have applications in everyday life.
As the technology improves, however, it will become increasingly likely that quantum cloud computing will become a reality.
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Britain's waterways are drying up
There is increasing concern that Britain’s rivers, lakes and streams are drying up at an unprecedented rate, according to a new report published by the Environment Agency.
The study, reported in The Observer, has predicted that if temperatures continue to rise as a result of climate change, then some river levels could drop as much as 80 per cent.
"The problem is not just that average summer temperatures could rise by two or three degrees in Britain over the coming decades," said Trevor Bishop, the head of water resources at the Environment Agency. "It is also forecast that the population of England and Wales is likely to rise by more than 9 million. That will only add to the burden that we are placing on our water supplies."
The study – The Case for Change: Current and Future Availability – is the second river report prepared by the agency. The previous one had used out-of-date figures on climate change, and less precise forecasts, according to the agency.
The report identifies population increase and rising temperatures as the biggest threats, claiming that a decrease in available water could lead to the loss of vital natural habitats. It would also pose a risk to housing, wildlife, tourism and other industries.
"Fish species such as Atlantic salmon and brown trout, which need cold water to thrive, may struggle to survive. While plants and animals decline in some parts of England and Wales, they are likely to become more prevalent in other areas out-competing species and habitats local to the area."
The agency's analysis suggests that urgent action is needed. "However, our understanding of the water needs of our ecosystem is still developing," adds the report. "Climate change will create a new level of complexity on top of our current understanding that we have only just begun to tackle."
The report calls for a drastic change in our water usage in order to avoid these problems.
The concern is that the population’s water usage and wastage has steadily increased over the past century and has now reached an unsustainable level.
"For the past hundred years or so, the average amount of water used by each person in England and Wales has steadily increased. However, that rise has now stopped and for the first time it has started to decline – slightly."
The introduction of domestic water meters is likely to be the reason for this slight decline.
"When one is fitted, water usage drops by an average of 12.5% in a household," Bishop added. "People become aware they have left on taps or hose pipes and so they switch them off."
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New Scott exhibition opens in London to mark century since Polar expedition
The centenary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to the South Pole was celebrated last week with the opening of a new exhibition at Natural History Museum in London. On 17th January 1912, Scott and his four comrades reached the South Pole, a spectacular achievement that was sadly eclipsed by the realisation that Amundsen’s Norwegian team got there first.
It’s a story known around the world, and this is in part because of its tragic ending. Scott’s team never made the return journey, and all five of them perished tantalisingly close to the next supplies depot.
The new exhibition celebrates the scientific achievements of the team, as well as the rest of the camp who made Antarctica home for over two years.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is the life size replica of the hut the men called home during their time there. New Scientist reported that, “a shopping list on display conveys the very British character of the mission. One can't imagine Amundsen's team taking along 320 kilograms of marmalade, 225 kilograms of tea, 72 bottles of port or 540 kilograms of suet.”
The exhibition opened on January 20th and will run until September.
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And finally…
The most satisfying itch to scratch is on your…ankle?
New research in the British Journal of Dermatology has revealed that the most satisfying place to scratch an itch is on your ankle. Reported in The Telegraph, the researchers induced an itch on participants in three different places on the body – the forearm, the back and the ankle – using a cowhage, a plant with tiny hairs that irritates the skin.
The participants were forbidden from scratching for five minutes, and then asked to rate how itchy they felt. Then the researchers scratched each area using a “laboratory brush” to ensure a consistent technique.
The most itchy spot was on the ankle, and this was also where the pleasure of scratching was most keenly felt. In contrast, the forearm was the least itchy place, and wasn’t as pleasurable to scratch.
Professor Francis McGlone, a member of the International Forum for the Study of Itch and one of the researchers, said: "It was interesting that the ankle was the itchiest site and that the most pleasure came from scratching it, because the back has been well-known as a preferred site for scratching."
One theory on why the ankle has evolved to be so itchy is because it is likely to come into contact with insects and germs, which could be removed through scratching.
Quantum leap in ‘cloud’ computing
A study published in Science last week has suggested that the benefits of quantum computing could be applied to ‘cloud’ storage to make it more secure.
Quantum computing has long been heralded as the next step in secure communications, explained the BBC.
One of the peculiarities of quantum mechanics is that an object can be in two places at once, which can be taken advantage of in communications, allowing for incredibly fast data transfers.
This method is also extremely secure as it prevents anyone from hacking into the message. If they did, this would break what is known as the ‘entanglement’, making the message unintelligible.
Cloud computing has become increasingly popular online as it allows for information to be stored in a virtual way, without the need for hardware.
This new technique described by University of Vienna quantum computing pioneer Anton Zeilinger and a team of international scientists, combines the two.
The only downside is that current technology won’t allow for the data to be converted into quantum bits, or qubits, in a consumer setting.
Until there is a demand for quantum computing at a larger scale it is hard to say when this research will have applications in everyday life.
As the technology improves, however, it will become increasingly likely that quantum cloud computing will become a reality.
-------------------------------------------------
Britain's waterways are drying up
There is increasing concern that Britain’s rivers, lakes and streams are drying up at an unprecedented rate, according to a new report published by the Environment Agency.
The study, reported in The Observer, has predicted that if temperatures continue to rise as a result of climate change, then some river levels could drop as much as 80 per cent.
"The problem is not just that average summer temperatures could rise by two or three degrees in Britain over the coming decades," said Trevor Bishop, the head of water resources at the Environment Agency. "It is also forecast that the population of England and Wales is likely to rise by more than 9 million. That will only add to the burden that we are placing on our water supplies."
The study – The Case for Change: Current and Future Availability – is the second river report prepared by the agency. The previous one had used out-of-date figures on climate change, and less precise forecasts, according to the agency.
The report identifies population increase and rising temperatures as the biggest threats, claiming that a decrease in available water could lead to the loss of vital natural habitats. It would also pose a risk to housing, wildlife, tourism and other industries.
"Fish species such as Atlantic salmon and brown trout, which need cold water to thrive, may struggle to survive. While plants and animals decline in some parts of England and Wales, they are likely to become more prevalent in other areas out-competing species and habitats local to the area."
The agency's analysis suggests that urgent action is needed. "However, our understanding of the water needs of our ecosystem is still developing," adds the report. "Climate change will create a new level of complexity on top of our current understanding that we have only just begun to tackle."
The report calls for a drastic change in our water usage in order to avoid these problems.
The concern is that the population’s water usage and wastage has steadily increased over the past century and has now reached an unsustainable level.
"For the past hundred years or so, the average amount of water used by each person in England and Wales has steadily increased. However, that rise has now stopped and for the first time it has started to decline – slightly."
The introduction of domestic water meters is likely to be the reason for this slight decline.
"When one is fitted, water usage drops by an average of 12.5% in a household," Bishop added. "People become aware they have left on taps or hose pipes and so they switch them off."
--------------------------------------------
New Scott exhibition opens in London to mark century since Polar expedition
The centenary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to the South Pole was celebrated last week with the opening of a new exhibition at Natural History Museum in London. On 17th January 1912, Scott and his four comrades reached the South Pole, a spectacular achievement that was sadly eclipsed by the realisation that Amundsen’s Norwegian team got there first.
It’s a story known around the world, and this is in part because of its tragic ending. Scott’s team never made the return journey, and all five of them perished tantalisingly close to the next supplies depot.
The new exhibition celebrates the scientific achievements of the team, as well as the rest of the camp who made Antarctica home for over two years.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is the life size replica of the hut the men called home during their time there. New Scientist reported that, “a shopping list on display conveys the very British character of the mission. One can't imagine Amundsen's team taking along 320 kilograms of marmalade, 225 kilograms of tea, 72 bottles of port or 540 kilograms of suet.”
The exhibition opened on January 20th and will run until September.
--------------------------------------------------
And finally…
The most satisfying itch to scratch is on your…ankle?
New research in the British Journal of Dermatology has revealed that the most satisfying place to scratch an itch is on your ankle. Reported in The Telegraph, the researchers induced an itch on participants in three different places on the body – the forearm, the back and the ankle – using a cowhage, a plant with tiny hairs that irritates the skin.
The participants were forbidden from scratching for five minutes, and then asked to rate how itchy they felt. Then the researchers scratched each area using a “laboratory brush” to ensure a consistent technique.
The most itchy spot was on the ankle, and this was also where the pleasure of scratching was most keenly felt. In contrast, the forearm was the least itchy place, and wasn’t as pleasurable to scratch.
Professor Francis McGlone, a member of the International Forum for the Study of Itch and one of the researchers, said: "It was interesting that the ankle was the itchiest site and that the most pleasure came from scratching it, because the back has been well-known as a preferred site for scratching."
One theory on why the ankle has evolved to be so itchy is because it is likely to come into contact with insects and germs, which could be removed through scratching.
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