On 1960, 2nd June, Singapore had its first open-heart operation which was a success (source: Chronicle of Singapore, 1959-2009). But now, 50 years later, the A* Star scientists team in Singapore has found out a way that could solve the problem of heart transplants. Scientists used a mouse heart as scaffold to grow a human heart. They removed all the mouse's heart cells, leaving the heart scaffold. Human stem cells - which grow into different types of cells - were then implanted in the scaffold to create the new human heart. But the scientist said that the implanted heart does not work now because the cardiac cells grown from the human stem cells are not fully functional. They are now investigating why the cardiac cells do not work and finding a way to improve it.
I am heartened by the fact that the Singapore government is investing a lot of money in science research. I am truly amazed by how modern scientist can grow a human heart from a mouse heart! "Heart disease is the second most common cause of death in Singapore". If this research is successful, many more lives would be saved.
Another medical improvement was the ability to perform a neck operation without scars through robotic arms. The newspaper reported:"The robotic arms mirror the surgeon's hand movements but with greater precision and dexterity. The new procedure is significant because the large incisions in a neck dissection are a quality of life issue, not just an aesthetic one. It lets us preserve both form and function in ways that were inconceivable even a few years ago". I am fascinated and I admire those scientists (and engineers?) who invented the robotic arms. Modern technology has truly changed the world and in a fast pace. A person who has more knowledge certainly has more to contribute to the world.
Here is an article, which caught my attention, on the killer instinct of plants:
Over millions of years, plants have developed ways to fend off hungry animals. Here are the details and pictures (taken from Google Images) of eight of the most dangerous plants:
Venus Flytrap
- Can clamp shut a prey in a half-second
- Insects need to touch two of the flytrap's hairs consecutively in order for the plant to react. This is to ensure that it does not waste energy in trapping a fallen leaf or get activated by a raindrop!
- Obtains the rest of its sustenance through photosynthesis. Energy from the sun converts carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen. The sugar produced is then converted to energy.
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| Venus Flytrap |
Angel Trumpet
- Powerful punch of toxins
- All parts contain dangerous levels of poison and
may be fatal if eaten by animals or humans
Monkshood
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| Angel Trumpet |
- Loaded with the poisonous alkaloid aconite, which causes asphyxiation
- 1g of its root can cause death
- A simple contact with the skin can cause paralysis
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| Monkshood |
- One single leaf can kill an adult human
- A person who eats the honey made by bees which have digested oleander nectar can be poisoned
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| Oleander |
- Secretes a nectar-like substance to attract prey into a pool of enzymes and acid
- A series of sticky, downward ribs make it impossible for trapped prey to escape
- Its 30cm is large enough to trap rodents
Rosary Pea
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| Giant Pitcher Plant |
- Often used to make jewellery
- Causes almost immediate death if swallowed or chewed
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| Rosary Pea |
Castor Bean Plant
- Contains ricin. The amount contained in a single bean would kill a human in just just a few minutes and there is no antidote
- Used in drugs for chemotherapy, immune suppression and as a topical treatment for skin ulcers
- Castor oil has made safe by having the lethal compound removed
Common Bladderwort
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| Castor Bean |
- An aquatic meat-eater which relies on several submerged bladders to capture prey
- When an unsuspecting passer-by brushes against an external bristle-trigger, the bladders will spring open and capture it
- Once inside, the victim dies of suffocation or starvation and then decays into a liquid that is sucked up by cells on the walls of the bladder
I find these plants very special. Massive animals with huge canines can kill. So do these plants which cannot roam around freely. They have developed killer instincts and have evolved in such a way that they adapt to their environment.
"Carnivorous plants are basically green plant. That means that they are able to photosynthesise. They also produce flowers, fruits and seeds. But most carnivorous plants grow in mineral-deficient soils and have been adapted to get extra nutrients from their prey" (info from 'Green Culture Singapore' online article by Cindy Chiang). For example, the Venus Flytrap inhabit moist soil which lack in nutrients and is wet all year round. Hence, they have developed instincts to eat insects to get extra nutrients and only react when two of their hairs are consecutively touched.
Here is a Youtube Video on how killer plants kill.
As I was keen to find out whether there are any 'killer plants' in Singapore, I did some research. Click this link. There are 13 species of killer plants in Singapore, two of which are extinct. These are the images of three specimens of the killer plants native to Singapore. I was surprised to find killer plants native to Singapore as I thought all species were native to bigger countries. As read, these plants are endangered and hence are kept under conservation. I feel that the Ministry is doing a good job to save our native species.
When I was browsing the explorer, I came across an interesting article dated 27 Aug 2011 about a newly discovered 'Diamond Planet'. The planet is made entirely of diamond, lying around 4,000 light years away from Earth in the constellation Serpens. The team of astronomers who made this discovery was from Australia, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US. Click this link to see the article-->http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/204898/20110827/diamond-planet-discovered-pulsar-star-video.htm
According to the article, the diamond is about five times the Earth's diameter. As it is largely made up of carbon and has the right conditions to be crystallized to a diamond. If this 'diamond planet' is real, it would be the universe's biggest diamond.
- When an unsuspecting passer-by brushes against an external bristle-trigger, the bladders will spring open and capture it
- Once inside, the victim dies of suffocation or starvation and then decays into a liquid that is sucked up by cells on the walls of the bladder
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| Common Bladderwort |
"Carnivorous plants are basically green plant. That means that they are able to photosynthesise. They also produce flowers, fruits and seeds. But most carnivorous plants grow in mineral-deficient soils and have been adapted to get extra nutrients from their prey" (info from 'Green Culture Singapore' online article by Cindy Chiang). For example, the Venus Flytrap inhabit moist soil which lack in nutrients and is wet all year round. Hence, they have developed instincts to eat insects to get extra nutrients and only react when two of their hairs are consecutively touched.
Here is a Youtube Video on how killer plants kill.
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| Drosera adelae |
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| Dionaea muscipula |
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| N. ampullaria |
When I was browsing the explorer, I came across an interesting article dated 27 Aug 2011 about a newly discovered 'Diamond Planet'. The planet is made entirely of diamond, lying around 4,000 light years away from Earth in the constellation Serpens. The team of astronomers who made this discovery was from Australia, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US. Click this link to see the article-->http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/204898/20110827/diamond-planet-discovered-pulsar-star-video.htm
According to the article, the diamond is about five times the Earth's diameter. As it is largely made up of carbon and has the right conditions to be crystallized to a diamond. If this 'diamond planet' is real, it would be the universe's biggest diamond.
Here's the video:
If there is really this planet, it would change the discovery of the solar system. I wonder how it looks like, if it was really made of diamond. Are there any more planets waiting to be discovered?
