New_Scientist_April_8_2017_vk_com_stopthepress

LETTERS [email protected] @newscientist newscientist

EDITOR’S PICK Another reason for the less likely to survive, compared
brain’s border control with those with an efficient
Flies’ visual filters may explain zebra stripes blood-brain barrier. I fear it
From Chris Good, may be dangerous and counter-
From Adrian Bowyer, Could the reason instead be the Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK productive to interfere with this
Foxham, Wiltshire, UK Reichardt-Hassenstein filters that all James Mitchell Crow discusses barrier therapeutically.
Reviewing Tim Caro’s book Zebra sighted animals have in our vision the blood-brain barrier (18 March,
stripes, Matthew Cobb says that “for neurology? These detect visual flow. p 34). But he doesn’t mention an How safe are tobacco
reasons that are still unclear, flies You can feel them working if you walk important reason for limiting the pouch products?
dislike landing on striped surfaces” fast down the middle of a corridor entry of inflammatory cells and
(18 March, p 42). He notes the (which will feel comfortable) and then cytokines to the brain. From Harry Lake,
conjecture that flies cannot see stripes do the same close to one wall. Your Bussum, Netherlands
of some widths. filters detect the difference between The brain is the only organ I am amazed that you didn’t
the fast visual flow of the close wall (unless you count bone marrow) mention the risks of tobacco
and the slow flow of the far one, encased in a rigid container. products such as snus (18 March,
making you instinctively want to It has just one significant exit, p 6). I seem to remember reading
equalise them to minimise the danger the foramen magnum at the over the years about them causing
of collision. base of the skull. cancers. Has something changed?

The filters give a strong visual flow Expansion of the brain, such as From Lars-Erik Rutqvist,
signal for movement at right angles to that associated with haemorrhage, Scientific Adviser, Swedish Match,
stripes, and a weak one for parallel inflammation or injury, can only Stockholm, Sweden
movement. This gives conflicting occur here, which compresses the You report smoking rates for men
information about how fast a fly is hindbrain. This process is called in their 30s in Sweden plunging to
approaching a striped surface, which coning and is rapidly fatal unless 5 per cent. As you say, this is likely
would make landing difficult. Hence, treated. Organisms with brains linked to 18 per cent of Swedish
maybe, the evolution of zebras’ stripes. not protected from the usual
processes of inflammation are

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52 | NewScientist | 8 April 2017

“@POTUS needs to read this before declaring war on the
environment. Shame it’s more than 140 characters”

Glenda Charles commends our report on coral bleaching
to the President of the United States (1 April, p 7)

men using snus as a smoking p 6). But couldn’t the decrease energy used will release more emotions (11 March, p 40).
substitute. But is snus safe? in Australian smokers after the carbon dioxide, as will the planes Whenever the article mentions
advent of plain packaging be bringing in tourists, with their one of these “new” emotions,
The World Health Organization caused by other facets of an anti- own enormous footprints. they are always explained as a
says that it is “considerably less smoking campaign? combination of others.
hazardous” than smoking. The This is a microcosm of the
EU Scientific Committee on It may be a “record decline”, but spiral of hedonistic lifestyle we For example, the Japanese
Emerging and Newly Identified is it dramatically different from have got ourselves into ever since arigata-meiwaku is the negative
Health Risks says the relative the decrease in smoking since the we started on the industrial feeling when someone does you
health advantages are anti-smoking campaign began? bandwagon. a favour that you didn’t want.
“undeniable”. In the longer online
version of the article you quote a The editor writes: It’s time for a big – global – cost- I wonder whether there is in
Cancer Research UK official ■ Several readers asked similar benefit analysis of what we are fact a set of “primary” emotions
singling out pancreatic cancer as questions. The introduction of expecting to take from the which, like primary tastes, forms
a concern. Swedish men have the plain packaging coincided with environment and what we put a basis on which cultural concepts
lowest rate of pancreatic cancer in an abrupt steepening in the trend out. It may already be too late, of emotions build.
the EU. Swedish Match is happy to line for declining smoking rates. but we must continue to try.
provide public health bodies with Lisa Feldman Barrett writes:
independent scientific evidence. The carbon emissions Are emotions a palette ■ One version of the classical
from building islands built from primaries? view does propose that a small
Could smoking reduction set of emotions are “basic” and
have other causes? From Daniel Hackett, From Giuseppe Sollazzo, universal. But research shows that
London, UK London, UK people in different cultures have
From Tamsin Nicholson, Does anyone else see an irony in Lisa Feldman Barrett argues different emotions that feel to
Glasgow, UK the Maldives building up islands that the way our brain interprets them like “primaries”. For
You say that plain packets help or constructing new ones as sea any single emotion is culture- example, in situations where
Australian smokers quit (4 March, levels rise (25 March, p 12)? The dependent and we “rewire” our a Westerner might feel sad,
brain to conceptualise different Tahitians feel an emotion called >

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LETTERS [email protected] @newscientist newscientist

pe’ape’a which is more similar to physical movement, nuclear Modifications to what personal data theft, subverting
“ill” or “fatigued”. reactions and biological evolution kind of gravity? them to mislead healthcare
become instant? professionals could cause real
We define dimensions From Ian Payne, harm to patients by misdiagnosis.
because they are useful Wouldn’t a major effect be to Coulsdon, Surrey, UK
provide the universe with an Mark Anderson (7 January, p 9) These apps are being used for
From Steven Day, Mayfield East, absolute time, uniform for all tells us that Erik Verlinde’s new diagnosis, so they should be
New South Wales, Australia frames of reference everywhere? theory of gravity builds on formally approved under the
Stuart Clark asks whether there Mordehai Milgrom’s modified EU medical device directives.
are really just three dimensions Albert Einstein’s argument Newtonian dynamics (MOND)
(4 March, p 31). against simultaneity would fail, theory. But does the new theory Another reason not to
since we could then ascertain still support space-time in which give up bread for Lent
Weren’t the three dimensions whether any two events anywhere gravity is linked to the curvature
created by us as a convenient were simultaneous by simple of space? Does it have time From Richard Weeks,
mathematical way to understand observation. dilation and does it explain the Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK
and measure spaces and to plan precession of Mercury? In other The information in New Scientist
and construct things? Time would just rumble on, words, is it rather a Modified comes to my rescue again. I had
a constant framework for the Einsteinian Dynamics? been thinking of decreasing my
Shouldn’t the question be “Can other main forces of nature. carbon dioxide emissions in Lent
we better understand, measure, All medical data must by switching to unleavened bread
model and make things by using From Roy Harrison, be kept secure and eliminating the generation of
a mathematical method that has Verwood, Dorset, UK yeasty gases. However, since “the
more dimensions than the Clark mentions the experiment From Sam Edge, equivalent of half a kilogram of
traditional three?” by US physicists Albert Michelson Ringwood, Hampshire, UK carbon dioxide goes into the
and Edward Morley that tried to In your report on the roll-out atmosphere for every loaf”
Life in a universe with measure the then-expected of two apps that help people (4 March, p 14), it seems my
an infinite speed of light difference in the speed of light in monitor their health at home by sacrifice would only be symbolic.
“the direction of Earth’s rotation” UK National Health Service trusts,
From Ron Partridge, and at right angles to it. I didn’t see any mention of data End of an era
Sittingbourne, Kent, UK security (18 February, p 11).
Stuart Clark suggests that, if the It’s worth recalling that this From Brian Cordon,
speed of light were infinite, “cause difference was expected to be Have any of these apps been Wirksworth, Derbyshire, UK
would sit on top of effect and caused primarily by Earth’s independently security audited? F. White suggests we should leave
everything would happen at once” rotation around the sun (with a Apart from the dangers of the naming of the new geological
(4 March, p 29). But would all velocity of 110,000 kilometres per period to whoever inhabits it
hour) not that on its axis (1700 (Letters 18 March). I have thought
kilometres per hour). for many years that we humans
are presently living in the
TOM GAULD Endoscene period.

For the record

■ Thar she blew. The early 1900s was
when blue whale numbers crashed
because of factory-ship whaling
(18 March, p 44).
■ The tectonic plates of Europe and
North America are separating (UK and
Australian editions, 18 March, p 51).

Letters should be sent to:
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Email: [email protected]

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54 | NewScientist | 8 April 2017

CROSSWORD

Compiled by Richard Smyth

Crossword No5

ACROSS covers the insular cortex (9)
19 Compound with the chemical
1 The manipulation of materials on
the scale of atoms or small groups formula CH2 (9)
of atoms (14) 20 To find and resolve defects (in

10 African hoofed mammal of the software, for example) (5)
family Giraffidae (5) 22 A 10-legged creature (7)
25 In meteorology, a rapidly rotating
11 Scientist who studies the
measurement and representation column of air (7)
of the Earth (9) 27 The toughest form of natural

12 A visualisation of the movement diamond (9)
of groundwater through aquifers 28 Solution of sodium chloride in
(4,3)
water (5)
13 Rod-shaped bacteria (7) 29 Part of the digestive tract that
14 The injection of fluid into the lower
includes the caecum, colon and
bowel for medical purposes (5) rectum (5,9)
16 The part of the human brain that

DOWN approaches zero as they get
closer to infinity (9)
2 An instant of realisation, revelation 17 An anode or cathode, perhaps (9)
or creative impulse (3,6) 18 The apparent oscillating
movement of an orbiting body
3 Constellation in which the stars such as the moon (9)
Rigel and Betelgeuse are found (5) 19 British ___ Journal, scientific
periodical founded in 1840 (7)
4 92 (6,3) 21 Hollow mineral masses found in
5 Informal term for a thermonuclear some sedimentary and volcanic
rocks (6)
weapon (1-4) 23 Sampling tool for retrieving
6 Fatty substance in olive oil (5,4) sediments, pollen or ice, for
7 Oxford college whose alumni example (5)
24 Outlet for removing water from a
include two science Nobel system or blood from a wound (5)
laureates (5) 26 Term for an automaton
8 Chemical element, atomic number popularised by Karel Capek (5)
39 (7)
9 “A mathematician is a device for
turning ___ into theorems” – Alfréd
Rényi (6)
15 In geometry, a line whose

distance from a given curve

Answers to Crossword No4

ACROSS: 6 GLYCINE, 7 LEECH, 9 MEME, 10 VACUUM PUMP, 11 ANGSTROM, 13 ONLINE, 15 IDEA,
17 L-DOPA, 18 AIDS, 19 LINEAR, 20 EXPOSURE, 23 PLANCKS LAW, 26 CUBE, 27 RANGE, 28 MELANIN.
DOWN: 1 CYBERSPACE, 2 SILVER, 3 NERC, 4 GLAUCOMA, 5 NEAP, 6 GLENN, 8 HOMINID, 12 MOORE,
14 LEAP SECOND, 16 DAIMLER, 17 LORIKEET, 21 POWELL, 22 RUBIN, 24 NINE, 25 LAMP.

8 April 2017 | NewScientist | 55

FEEDBACK For more feedback, visit newscientist.com/feedback

protections against interference, electricity whatsoever – prompting
after Metropolis Studios announced reviewer Ashley Iredale to wonder
the world’s most expensive why it needs plugging in at all.
headphones would be on show.
“Our testing shows Geoclense has
A press release boasted that all the effectiveness of a tin foil hat,
delegates would be able to try out a but lacks the hat’s potential for use in
pair of Sennheiser HE 1 headphones, food preparation,” writes Iredale.
or walk away with them for a cool “If you are thinking of blowing $150,
£55,000. For this much money, why not buy a roll of aluminium foil
musical aesthetes might prefer having instead? The money you save could
their favourite band play live in their buy you a subscription to CHOICE – a
own sitting room instead. resource that’s been proven to work.”

PAUL MCDEVITT PREVIOUSLY Feedback discussed ON TO the mountains of Chile,
the concept of the Erdös-Bacon- from whose fertile soils sprout
THE UK has rolled out a new, 12-sided giants to make everyone’s Sabbath number, a way to radio telescopes in ever greater
pound coin (given the pound has been communications insecure. measure the connectedness of diameters, leaving us bereft of
hit hard by Brexit, we assume the those in the fields of science, film superlatives (25 February).
original design had 14 sides). Still, Readers will remember that the and music (18 February).
John Crofts relays that his local church previous home secretary, Theresa M. Myqle reports that “the olive
is doing its bit to tidy up any resulting May, became fed up with waiting Richard Chapman says this packers solved the problem long
scrap: “Arnold Methodist Church is for drugs to be proven harmful technique “may come up with ago. On the shelves of my local
pleased to announce a Free Collection before they were banned, and some unexpected results when grocery I find: small, medium,
Service for all of your old redundant banned the sale of all things that expanded to all figures of note”, large, colossal, mammoth.”
pound coins,” a circular reads. “For the could possibly affect citizens’ in all walks of life. Feedback
next few months, during the Sunday minds, known and unknown, doesn’t like the idea of having to However, our investigations
morning service, a receptacle will be unless otherwise exempted. choose a paragon for each field – find that even the olive industry
passed round to enable you to deposit the sportiest, the cleverest, the appears to have run short on
all your old pound coins, which will be We can only presume that fairest – students of Greek terms: the commercial terms
disposed of in an environmentally Rudd will soon outlaw anyone mythology will tell you wars have beyond mammoth are given by
friendly way.” having secrets without been fought over such accolades. some as “super mammoth”, and,
government pre-approval, and er, “super super mammoth”.
Feedback is moved to add that ban anti-surveillance measures In any event, the results may
pound coins can also be disposed of such as gummed envelopes, not be interesting: we suspect the
at newsagents, anyone depositing curtains and whispering. UK is already organised according
more than four at a time with the to degrees of separation from
cashier is entitled to a free copy of SPARE a thought for the discerning figures of note, with the
New Scientist. hypothetical zero point floating
audiophile, faced by ever more somewhere over Eton.
FOLLOWING the recent attack in
central London, politicians are innovative ways to separate them FIGHTING the good fight, Australia’s KARMA Beauty in Colchester, UK,
once again lining up to demand consumer advocacy group CHOICE has has a hot offer for customers, reveals
that mathematics, like terrorism, from their cash. Feedback readers will been putting the Geoclense Home Philip Woodcock. He sends Feedback
be outlawed. UK Home Secretary Harmonizer through its paces. a flyer announcing their “new molten
Amber Rudd told the BBC’s no doubt recall the peerless sound lava stone massage”, which is
Andrew Marr that end-to-end Bernie Broom directs us to their “designed to melt away deep tension”.
encryption was “completely quality offered by eye-wateringly review of what is succinctly described It certainly will, Philip thinks, as well
unacceptable”, calling on internet as a “block of green plastic with a as taking any nearby tissue. Effective,
expensive vacuum-sealed, gold- plug”, which promises to somehow but hardly a recipe for repeat custom.
shield the home against all kinds of
plated audio cables that are immune invisible electrosmog, from stray Wi-Fi You can send stories to Feedback by
beams to electromagnetism leaching email at [email protected].
to radio interference, corrosion and from those cheap, non-vacuum- Please include your home address.
sealed, gold-plated audio cables. This week’s and past Feedbacks can
the advent of robust digital signals. be seen on our website.
Unfortunately, the Geoclense failed
The wallets of those attending last to perform in any of the tests, proving
incapable of altering electromagnetic
month’s Headroom trade show in fields, the Earth’s magnetism, light
levels or negative ions. However,
London could do with similar it did pass one test with flying colours:
when plugged into the mains, the
UK baker Warburtons is to open a new R&D block of inert resin consumed no
centre in Bolton. “This will be daunting work,”
writes Tom Patton, “as they’ll be trying to
invent the best thing since sliced bread.”

56 | NewScientist | 8 April 2017

THE LAST WORD Last words past and present at newscientist.com/lastword

Whither wasps? If many queens are searching for nothing about any problems shadows on nearby houses,
a nest site in spring, there can be
I grow several varieties of soft fruit, intense competition for suitable getting the boots off. which causes indoor light levels
places and usurping another
so I am used to an annual battle with queen’s nest becomes common. Andrew Baker to fluctuate. This effect is called
Nests with several dead queens
wasps. Last year (2015), I only saw in their entrance bear testimony Epsom, Surrey, UK shadow flicker. Here, wind farms
to attempts at takeovers.
a few small ones. This year (2016), Philip Spradbery are laid out so no turbine casts a
Yarralumla, ACT, Australia
I have not yet seen any at all. What On the farm shadow on a house for a
Philip Spradbery is author of significant percentage of time.
causes yearly fluctuations in the Wasps: An account of the biology
and natural history of solitary It always seems that, in any wind But when one does create a
wasp population? and social wasps (Sidgwick &
Jackson, 1973). farm, at least one of the cluster of shadow, the turbine is turned
■ “Wasp years” – those occasional
years when wasps abound – occur Ant hill mob turbines isn’t turning. What is the off for a time.
in irregular cycles with no marked
periodicity. In the UK between While mowing the grass, I noticed Similarly, some countries limit
1864 and 1931, wasps were that in several places ant nests were reason for this? Is it undergoing repair the amount and type of noise a
abundant in 10 of those years and situated under clumps of daisies. Do or are there other, more interesting, wind farm can produce, to avoid
scarce in another 10, with peaks the ants choose to nest under daisies, factors at work?
separated by between two and or do these flowers grow where they
16 years. The last major wasp year do because of the ants’ activity? (Continued) “In some countries, wind
in the UK was 2013. (Continued)
farms are not allowed to
The key to wasp numbers is the ■ In the 29 October 2016 issue, cast moving shadows on
successful establishment of nests the Last Word quotes the lyrics of ■ Wind turbines need a nearby houses”
in spring. Weather plays a crucial Lonnie Donegan’s My Old Man’s a minimum wind speed, called
part. Unseasonal warm weather in Dustman as saying, “He’s got such
late winter can bring queens out a job to pull them off that he calls the cut-in speed, to generate
of hibernation prematurely and them daisy roots.” After checking
they then fail to find food and die. several lyric websites, I confirmed electricity. Below this, they are disturbing local residents. Noise
Clement spring weather is my suspicion that it is actually,
essential during the vulnerable “He’s got such a job to pull ’em up usually switched off to minimise production can vary with wind
period when the queen builds the that he calls them daisy roots.”
nest on her own and also has to wear. The wind speed can vary speed and direction, so when local
feed her daughters, until these The picture painted is one of
worker wasps can take over the the singer’s father looking silly across a large site, so that it is only limits would otherwise be
role of foraging for food and because he hasn’t pulled his boots
building materials. up enough. The previous line is, above the cut-in speed in some exceeded, one or more turbines
“He looks a proper nana in his
Once the colony has roughly great big ’obnail boots… .” So it is places. The cut-in speed also may have to be shut down.
20 adult workers, the queen has the look that matters, and it says
probably won the wasp lottery varies with turbine size and Colin Watters
of life. Apart from human and
badger interventions, such nests design, so on a wind farm with a Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, UK
will generally thrive until new
queens are reared in late summer mix of different makes of turbine,
and autumn.
the wind might be fast enough to
One phenomenon seems to
occur after a major wasp year. operate some, but not all, of them. This week’s question
Another issue is that wind slows
GIVE US A CLUE
down as it passes through a

turbine, creating a “wind shadow” I do cryptic crosswords. On my

effect behind. Wind farms are first attempt, I usually finish

usually laid out so no turbines are about half the clues and get stuck.

in the shadow of any others when When I return to the crossword

the wind blows from its prevailing the following day, even if I haven’t

direction. But when it comes from been consciously thinking about

other directions, it may drop it, I usually get a few more clues

below the cut-in speed at a very quickly. But after half an

downwind turbine. Therefore hour at most, I become stuck

this turbine will be switched off again. What’s going on?

while the others continue to run. Melanie Green

In some countries, wind farms Hemel Hempstead,

aren’t allowed to cast moving Hertfordshire, UK

The writers of answers that are published submitted by readers in any medium
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