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Scientists develop 'Star Trek phaser'
TG Daily ^ | 11/19/2009 | Emma Woollacott

Posted on 11/19/2009 10:29:57 AM PST by markomalley

Its inventors are comparing it to the Star Trek phaser: a way of exploiting an on-off 'switch' in nematodes that paralyzes them when they're exposed to a beam of ultraviolet light.

The animals stay paralyzed even when the light is turned off. But when exposed to ordinary light, they become unparalyzed and wake up. It's the first time that photoswitching has been demonstrated in a living animal.

The report describes the development and successful testing of a photoswitch composed of the light-sensitive material, dithienylethene. The scientists grew the transparent, pinhead-sized worms - C. elegans - and fed them dithienylethene.

When exposed to ultraviolet light, the worms turned blue and became paralyzed. When exposed to visible light, the dithienylethene became colorless again and the worms' paralysis ended.

While some of the worms died, many lived through the paralyze-unparalyze cycle.

The scientists aren't actually sure how the switch causes paralysis. But the study demonstrates that photoswitches may have great potential in turning photodynamic therapy on and off, and for other applications in medicine and research, they say.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: alientech; phaser; science; startrek; stringtheory; stunner; ufo
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To: markomalley

OK, now that we have the Phaser problem solved, can we now get to work on the important stuff? Im talking a little something McCoy picked up in episode 15, Shore Leave. make that two little somethings.

Photo here

http://www.denofgeek.com/trek/250728/star_trek_the_original_series_episode_15_review.html


21 posted on 11/19/2009 11:16:56 AM PST by NavyCanDo
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To: markomalley

Well, if it works on these worms, it should be effective on liberals!


22 posted on 11/19/2009 11:29:48 AM PST by Redleg Duke ("Don't fire unless fired upon, but it they mean to have a war, let it begin here." J Parker, 1775)
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To: markomalley

Can you use it on a moose?


23 posted on 11/19/2009 11:34:54 AM PST by mlo
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To: a fool in paradise
Tribble research can't be far off

That's troubling.

24 posted on 11/19/2009 11:39:12 AM PST by IYAS9YAS (The townhalls were going great until the oPods showed up.)
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To: NavyCanDo
Post 21

This would have been enough.

25 posted on 11/19/2009 11:39:22 AM PST by Peter Horry (Those who aren't responsible always know best.)
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To: markomalley; All
Well, this is useful if the Gorn are distantly related to nematodes, otherwise, give me a good solid club, or the mineral components of gunpowder, bamboo, and diamonds.


26 posted on 11/19/2009 11:52:01 AM PST by The Comedian (Evil can only succeed if good men don't point at it and laugh.)
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To: Peter Horry
Working on it...

If at first you don't succeed...

27 posted on 11/19/2009 11:58:28 AM PST by a fool in paradise (I refuse to "reduce my carbon footprint" all while Lenin remains in an airconditioned shrine)
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To: mlo

Does it work on Beebers?


28 posted on 11/19/2009 11:59:26 AM PST by a fool in paradise (I refuse to "reduce my carbon footprint" all while Lenin remains in an airconditioned shrine)
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To: martin_fierro; KevinDavis; AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; ...
The Doctor Fun Page

29 posted on 11/19/2009 5:26:01 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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