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We recently reported that the childhood condition of autism may be able to be reversed. Now Alzheimer’s, a devastating brain disease that strikes at the end of life, may be able to be reversed as well.

Researcher have found that a special protein can be injected into the body to reverse learning problems in mice that have an animal version of Alzheimer’s disease. This protein is an antibody that grabs onto the amyloid beta protein in the brain and prevents it from changing into the toxic substance that is believed to cause Alzheimer’s disease.
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When astronomers used to search for solar systems with planets that might harbor life, they looked for a large planet in the outer orbit, like Jupiter, because they thought these planets absorbed the blows from incoming space rocks that could kill off all life on smaller planets in interior orbits. But now they know that isn’t true.

New computer calculations show that while it is true that Jupiter keeps some comets from hitting the earth, it ALSO sends almost as many comets towards us as it deflects, because its large mass actually attracts incoming objects. In BBC News, Liz Seward quotes Jonathan Horner as saying, “Rather than it being a clear cut case that Jupiter acts as a shield, it seems that Jupiter almost gives with one hand and takes away with the other.”
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From time to time, on unknowncountry.com, we talk about bugs–both the real kind and the computer kind. We also refer to bacteria as a "bug," and now it’s been discovered that 8-million year old bacteria that was removed from the oldest ice on earth is STILL GROWING. Also, fake bugs are being used to spy on antiwar protesters. Keep reading to find out more!

In New Scientist, Catherine Brahic reports that the fact that this ancient bacteria is still growing means that, as global warming melts glaciers and ice sheets, the bacteria that emerges could still be alive?and dangerous. It also means that bacteria that arrived on asteroids could very well have colonized our planet.
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The asteroid threat continues, and scientists continue to work frantically to figure out how to deflect dangerous asteroids that may be heading our way, before they impact the earth?or infect us with dangerous alien bacteria.

In New Scientist magazine, David Shiga writes that “a swarm of mirror-bearing spacecraft could deflect an asteroid by focusing sunlight on its surface.” They would heat up its surface and vaporize it. As gases evaporating from the asteroid, they would create a small thrust in the opposite direction and change its orbit so that it would (hopefully) miss the earth.

A major impact may not be the only threat from asteroids. Can bacteria hitch a ride from one planet to another on a space rock? And if it can, is this good or bad?
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