Skip to main content

Brain loss

New Scientist (June 16, 2012) reveals the loss of 147 brains from a research laboratory – not stolen, but damaged due to freezer failure.

The world’s largest repository of human brains had freezer failure on May 31, leading to the loss of brains for research, including a rare collection of 53 brains from donors with autism. Researchers at the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, only noticed the thaw when they opened the door because both the temperature reading and the two alarms failed to register the problem.

The temperature display still read minus 79 degrees Celsius, and the rising temperature failed to trigger two alarm systems on separate circuits. Camera footage showed that the technical failures were not due to foul play. Currently two internal investigations are underway to determine the cause and why the early warning systems failed.

However, all may not be totally lost. All 53 autistic brains and 12 others had been cut in half, with one half frozen and the other half of each brain preserved in formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has retained the tissue intact and useful. Hence the brain-halves in formaldehyde can still be used for research.


(www.newscientist.com)

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...
1 comment
Read more

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...
2 comments
Read more

Independence statue, Phnom Penh

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Post a Comment
Read more