We’ve been keeping an eye on efforts to make the dreaded dentist’s drill a thing of the past for some time, and now there’s more good news on the horizon for the cavity-prone (and pain-phobic). Engineers at the University of Missouri (MU) in conjunction with Nanova, Inc. have successfully lab-tested a plasma ‘brush’ that can painlessly clean and prep cavities so well, there’s no need for mechanical abrasion prior to filling. The really good news is that human clinical trials begin soon and, if all goes well, the device could hit dentist’s offices as soon as late 2013.

The overall process, which in the lab proved to be free of side effects, takes about 30 seconds per cavity and not only disinfects the area by bombarding bacteria with ions, but also favorably alters the surface of the tooth so that the filling material bonds even more effectively.

‘One of the major problems in the dental field is there are certain types of cavities that, when you try to restore them, the life-span of that restoration is only about 5-7 years,’ said Andre Ritts, senior scientist at Nanova, Inc. ‘So we’ll try to use the plasma brush to modify the tooth surface to […]

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WASHINGTON — The US Nuclear Regulatory Committee on Thursday gave the green light to the design of a new Westinghouse Electric Co. reactor, paving the way for the first construction of nuclear reactors in the United States since the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear accident over 30 years ago.

The AP 1000 reactor is a 1,100 megawatt electric pressurized water reactor, equipped with passive safety measures designed to cool the reactor in the event of an accident without the need for human intervention, according to the panel.

The move to approve the design submitted by Westinghouse, a subsidiary of Japan’s Toshiba Corp., could affect the trend of reviewing nuclear power generation around the world in the wake of the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan.

The construction and operations of new reactors are expected to be approved in Georgia early next year.

The United States has 104 nuclear reactors but has frozen construction of new facilities since the 1979 nuclear accident.

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FORT MEADE, Md. - After seven days of testimony and the submission of more than 300,000 pages of documents, a key question remains unanswered in the case against Army Pfc. Bradley Manning:

How exactly did his leak of hundreds of thousands of secret documents, logs and at least one video - which he passed to WikiLeaks - directly harm U.S. national security?

It’s a near-certainty that Manning, whose pretrial Article 32 hearing concluded Thursday, will next face a court-martial, but experts say that it’s unclear whether the government will be able to prove its most serious charge against the former Army intelligence analyst - that he aided the enemy. A conviction on that charge could send Manning, 24, to prison for life.

‘Whether or not he did (illegally download and distribute classified documents) is a factual thing. Whether he undermined national security is a judgment thing,’ explained John Hutson, a former military judge advocate.

Prosecutors at the Article 32 hearing - the military equivalent of an evidentiary hearing - only had to show a ‘reasonable belief’ that Manning committed a crime; if the case proceeds to a court martial, the prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt for conviction.

In a court martial, […]

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Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of an ancient Mayan city in the mountains of North Georgia believed to be at least 1,100 years old. According to Richard Thornton at Examiner.com, the ruins are reportedly what remains of a city built by Mayans fleeing wars, volcanic eruptions, droughts and famine.

In 1999, University of Georgia archeologist Mark Williams led an expedition to investigate the Kenimer Mound, a large, five-sided pyramid built in approximately 900 A.D. in the foothills of Georgia’s tallest mountain, Brasstown Bald. Many local residents has assumed for years that the pyramid was just another wooded hill, but in fact it was a structure built on an existing hill in a method common to Mayans living in Central America as well as to Southeastern Native American tribes.

Speculation has abounded for years as to what could have happened to the people who lived in the great Meso-American societies of the first century. Some historians believed that they simply died out in plagues and food shortages, but others have long speculated about the possibility of mass migration to other regions.

When evidence began to turn up of Mayan connections to the Georgia site, South African archeologist Johannes Loubser brought teams to the site […]

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Biotech giant Monsanto has been declared the Worst Company of 2011 by Natural Society for threatening both human health and the environment. The leader in genetically modified seeds and crops, Monsanto is currently responsible for 90 percent of the genetically engineered seed on the United States market. Outside of GM seeds, Monsanto is also the creator of the best-selling herbicide Roundup, which has spawned over 120 million hectacres of herbicide-resistant superweeds while damaging much of the soil. Despite hard evidence warning against the amplified usage of genetically modified crops, biopesticides, and herbicides, Monsanto continues to disregard all warning signs.

In a powerful review of 19 studies analyzing the dangers of GMO crops such as corn and soybeans, researchers revealed some shocking information regarding the safety of these popular food staples. Researchers found that consumption of GMO corn or soybeans may lead to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice – particularly in the liver and kidneys. This is particularly concerning due to the fact that 93 percent of U.S. soybeans are known to be genetically modified. Ignoring this evidence, Monsanto continues to expand their genetic manipulation.

Monsanto’s Genetic Manipulation of Nature

Outside of genetically modifying crops, Monsanto has also created genetically modified crops […]

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