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Science News
May 5, 2004
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On Bended
Wing: Flexible Flying Machines - Space.com Most
air travelers today take comfort in the knowledge that when flying from
place to place, the wings on their aircraft always keep their shape. But
some aerospace researchers are working to do just the opposite; build a
plane with malleable wings that bend and twist during flight. Unlike
their fixed-wing cousins, airplanes with flexible wings could lead more
efficient and maneuverable aircraft for both military and commercial
aviation. |
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Anti Missile Defense Shield On Alert By September - SpaceDaily The
Pentagon is likely to deploy its multi-billion dollar national missile defense
system in Alaska in September even if it fails its flight tests this summer, the
general in charge of the program said Tuesday. The five missiles, if
they are put on alert, would only be able to detect and intercept warheads
coming from North Korea or the Pacific. Kadish said it will not be until the
United States deploys a powerful radar at Flyingdales, Great Britain that a
missile threat from Iran can be countered -- provided the system works as
advertised.
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Green-tinged farm points the way -
BBC Pigs and
chickens that glow in the dark may signal a new era for the farm yard. UK
scientists at the Roslin Institute say they have dramatically improved
the technique for introducing modifications to an animal's genetic
make-up. So far, the researchers have used the new method to
introduce a jellyfish gene that makes their pigs and chickens fluoresce
- to prove changes will work. Now, the scientists expect to create
animals that are resistant to disease or can be used to study disease.
The improved technique borrows from procedures developed for gene
therapy in humans.
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