Why Jamaicans are so good at sprinting
Symmetrical knees could help to explain why Jamaicans are so good at sprinting, according to a study into why such a small nation dominates international sprint events for both men and women. Jamaican runners, epitomised by the 100m world record holder Usain Bolt, lead the world in sprinting and now scientists believe they can explain why with the help of a long-term research findings into the body symmetry of Jamaican children. The researchers found that the most symmetrical children with the most symmetrical knees in the study were also the most likely in the group to become the best sprinters when they became adults, said Professor John Manning of Northumbria University in Newcastle. “We found that Jamaican children have particularly symmetric legs, in comparison to Europeans. Furthermore, in children symmetry in the legs, particularly in the knees, predicted their willingness to sprint and their sprinting times when they were adults,” Professor Manning said. (The Independent)
Pilots land jet at wrong airport
Southwest Airlines suspended two pilots from flying after their jetliner with 124 passengers landed at the wrong airport near Branson, Missouri. A Southwest captain, who has worked 15 years for the airline, and a first officer were removed from flying duties pending a federal investigation of the landing, said Michelle Agnew, a Southwest spokeswoman. The Boeing 737-700 landed at M Graham Clark Downtown Airport instead of at Branson Airport, the main commercial air strip near Branson, which has a much longer runway, Southwest said in a statement. The airports are about 7 miles apart. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the mistaken landing but had no other comment, spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said. The plane left Chicago Midway Airport on Sunday on a flight to Dallas love Field with a planned first stop in Branson, a musical entertainment and tourism mecca in southwest Missouri. After landing at the wrong airport, passengers were taken by ground transportation to the correct airport and then were flown to Dallas on another jet later on Sunday, she said. Southwest apologised to passengers, is refunding the cost of their tickets and giving them travel credits, she said. (Reuters)
Scientists microchip bees to map movements, halt diseases
Australian scientists are gluing tiny sensors onto thousands of honey bees to track their movements in a trial aimed at halting the spread of diseases that have wiped out populations in the northern hemisphere. Scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency, said the microchips could help tackle so-called colony collapse disorder, a situation where bees mysteriously disappear from hives, and the encroachment of the parasitic varroa mite. Scientists will use tweezers to glue on the sensors, weighing about 5 milligrams and measuring 2.5 millimeters (a little more than 1/16 of an inch) square, after soothing the bees to sleep by refrigeration. Some young bees, which tend to be hairier than older bees, need to be shaved before the sensor can be glued on. Scientists will examine the effectiveness of pesticides in protecting the bees from colony collapse disorder and varroa mite. The study will also enable farmers and fruit growers to understand and manage their crops, given the honey bee’s crucial role in the pollination of crops globally. (Reuters)
Biting fish injure more than 70 bathers in Argentina
A swarm of biting fish injured more than 70 people who were bathing at a popular beach in Argentina on Christmas, a medical official said on Thursday. A seven-year-old girl had her finger partially amputated and dozens more suffered bite wounds on their extremities from the fish, a relative of the piranha called “palometas,” said Federico Cornier, the director of emergency services in the city of Rosario. “This is not normal,” Cornier said. “It’s normal for there to be an isolated bite or injury, but the magnitude in this case was great... this is an exceptional event.” The attack happened off the beaches of the Parana River near Rosario, 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Buenos Aires, where many Argentines were seeking relief from a heat wave over the holiday. (Huffington Post)
Cricketers talk man out of suicide bid
England cricketers Matt Prior and Stuart Broad turned Good Samaritans after talking a man out of jumping off a bridge in Darling Harbour, Sydney, media reports said. Wicketkeeper Prior was with fast bowler Broad and England security officer Terry Minish when they spotted the unnamed man, who was thought to be English, about to jump. “We just did what anyone would do in that situation,” Prior was quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph. “It all happened very quickly and we acted on impulse,” said Prior, who was dropped after the third test of England’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing by Australia. Broad and Prior had been at a fund-raising event organised by the Barmy Army (England’s fan club) before spotting the man. They talked to him for almost an hour before police arrived. “We were trying to help a bloke who was in a bad way. I’m just glad we left the bar when we did and we were there for him,” he said. (Reuters)