This week in European sciences -- week 36
 

Overview
The Guardian considers why so many scientists believe in God, and asks what mathematicians actually do all day long. FAZ reports on the flu virus as an underestimated killer. Also FAZ writes on weight problems of children and the epidemic of obesity. Süddeutsche Zeitung explains why in real life human mating behaviour follows like-seeks-like. Der Spiegel likes the science behind making coffee. FAZ writes about a piece of archaeology at India's Ayodhya where Hindus gather conflict with Moslems. Also a report on new findings in particle physics that may lead to new theoretical approaches describing the microcosmos. In addition: A NY Times editorial is concerned with the recent heatwave in Europe.
 

Is God lurking behind the universe?

According to a survey of Nature magazine some years ago, in the US four out of 10 scientists believe in God. Why, asks Tim Radford in his report in The Guardian (September 4, 2003). And how do they manage. Anyway, you have to add that some 45% did not believe, but the amount of believers is surprising - for people outside science. But the quoted British materials scientist, polymer researcher and high-energy physicist have their well-reasoned arguments. They don't see any contradiction between science and religion. In fact, they delight in "the clarity and power of science, precisely because it is questioning rather than dogmatic." Touching the borders of knowledge, they state "Science cannot provide all the answers." But if religion will provide them is also questionable, according to prominent sceptic Richard Dawkins: "Why not ask the gardener or the chef?"
David Price, US anthropologist, tells the story why "so many archaeologists have worked for the intelligence services. They're experts on local culture, they hang around in odd places and they're good with codes."
Marcus du Sautoy, author and professor of maths at Oxford, explains what the mathematicians actually do all day. A diary piece.
Paul Brown reports on the disappearance of glaciers. Temperature change and the lack of snow cause 90% of the world's glaciers to retreat or disappear with dramatic consequences. Glaciers in Africa will disappear completely in 20 years. In the Alps glaciers are not replenished due to the lack of snow. They retreat.
 

The Underestimated Killer

Beside HIV and SARS the viruses of flu seemed to count for nothing. But this is a misinterpretation, as Karoline Stürmer writes in FAZ (September 4, 2003). According to Udo Buchholz of Robert Koch institute in Berlin which undertakes Germany's statistics on infectious diseases mortality is highest by the influenza virus. The average death toll of a flu wave counts in Germany about 5000 to 10,000 people. Most of them old and affected by chronic sufferings. An important result of a recent study is that vaccination of hospital staff is the key factor in reduction of patients mortality over winter season.
 

Germans Are Too Fat

But others in Europe also. - How would people react when an epidemic virus affects a quarter of a country's population? asks Joachim Müller-Jung in FAZ (September 3, 2003). The outcry for some vaccine would have been enormous. But the epidemic is on the run, as identified by WHO (the World Health Organization) in a report on obesity of people. But you hear no outcry at all. WHO speaks in its report that is due to be released next year of an epidemic in the industrialized world. Following a recent report of the Robert-Koch institute in Berlin, Germany, just a third of German men have normal weight - related to the well-approved body-mass-index (BMI = weight in kg, devided by twice the height in meters). Adults with a BMI above 25 have overweight. Above 30 means obesity. The problem for public health is that overweight and obesity were put as private and more as a cosmetic case. Most people gain weight by eating to much, to unbalanced and do no sports.
Nicola von Lutterotti does some additional reporting on overweight children. Overweight may lead to hard breathing, heigh blood pressure and early suffering with diabetes. Children need help by their parents and by school. It has been shown that parents mostly react on the weight problems of their children when they get official information by school. Reinhard Ketelhut of Vivantes Auguste-Viktora hospital in Berlin, Germany, undertakes a study involving children of a kindergarten three times a week in sports training. The results are promising. It is scheduled to establish the training in the EU and its member states.
Christian Schwägerl writes about contradictions in German federal funding of genetical engineering with plants the so-called green genetics. On the one hand the ministry of research (held by social democrats) supports programs for genetically modified organisms (GMO) like the genome sequencing and the preparation for genetic manipulation of barley, potatoes and sugar-beet. On the other hand Renate Künast (The Greens) hands out a submission for a law controlling genetic modification and field trials. The submission seems rather to be an exit door than a regulation for GMO, notes Schwägerl.
Reinhard Wandtner is amused by the wording "adult clone sudden death syndrome" by researchers that shall explain the death of cloned mammals - in particular pig that are studied intensively because of genetic similarities to humans.
 

Like seeks like - in real life

Observing mating behaviour of our human colleagues people have, for short, two answers: 'opposites attract' and 'like seeks like'. Michael Brendler refers in the Süddeutsche Zeitung (September 2, 2003) to recent studies showing that in real life the like-seeks-like option is more likely. However, our favourite is Natalie Angier's report on the same issue in NY Times (July 8, 2003).
Brigit Bomfleur writes about a conflict between astronomers and computer specialists if for clocks the fading of earth rotation shall be taken into account by leap-seconds or not. Computer experts want to relinguish the critical adjustment of clocks.
Michael Brendler has an interview with nobel laureate (1995) Paul Crutzen. The atmospheric chemist explained first the chemical reactions causing the ozone hole. "We have to wait for 50 more year", Crutzen says, unless the ozone hole will vanish completely.
Angelika Jung-Hüttl has a try with formation of islands. In focus she has got the developing Kachelotplate in North Sea as reported by Spiegel (August 4, 2003). She pushs the story somewhat further explaining also the creation of islands by volcanoes.
 

The Physics of Making Coffee

Manfred Dworschak has fun writing on fans of making espresso at home (Der Spiegel, September 1, 2003). Can it ever be as good as in an Italian café? Similar to hi-fi enthusiasts arguing on the right shielding of cables there is lot of discussion on the correct preparation of coffee. Thousands of volatile aromatic compounds contribute to the flavour and taste of coffee. A real experimental science: Only those who follow the correct procedure get the tasty coffee. Hot water (92°C) is pressed with nine bars in 25 seconds through the coffee powder - details are under discussion. Of course the real expert roasts the green coffee beans herself or himself.
Klaus Brinkbäumer follows the track of Caribbean pirate Sir Henry Morgan (1635 - 1688). He was an admiral and a killer. The German salvage specialist Klaus Keppler and the historian Peter Earle have found the sunken graveyard in which Morgan probably lies buried, and two of his ships. He rule over 3000 men and 30 ships in his zenith. Most probably because of his liberal behaviour towards his colleague pirates. Outwardly he played the tyrant.
Julia Koch is inspired by the German school teacher Karl Witte who has invented a new subject: good conduct. Once a week the headmaster personally cares of the behaviour of ten year old pupils. "They have to learn social behaviour as good as any vocabulary", says Mr Witte. He has in focus: no rude words, how to greet, no punching, how to express one's thanks. Other officials in education point out that good conduct has to be learn in school generally - and is a task of the parents.
Philip Bethge examines why German doctors are world champions in radiodiagnosis (see also: This week 35). The German factor: every doctor may roentgenize a patient. In other countries the expensive apparatuses and therapies are available only in hospitals or at a specialist. In Germany a family doctor possessing a X-ray apparatus wants to utilize it fully - and earn money. Scientists know that even low dosage of radiation may damage the DNA of cells. Hence, they demand to X-ray patients as less as possible, and use smaller dosages. Another point is radio tomography diagnosis that is increasingly used in wealthy Germany.
 

A Summer to Remember

Even a New York Times editorial (September 1, 2003) is concerned with the recent heatwave in Europe: "Seasons are now the backdrop to lives moderated by thermostat. We can work as productively in August as in February (because of air-conditioned offices -- Ed.). But sometimes, like this summer, there comes a startling realization that the weather is still out there. The earth grows hotter. Blackouts arrive out of nowhere. We have to remember how to cope, how to combat inhumane waves of heat ourselves and how to care better for those who sit and wait for the heat to pass."
 

New York Times
September 1, 2003

Jochen Buchsteiner and Ulf von Rauchhaupt report on a conflict between Hindus and Moslems in Indian town Ayodhya (August 31, 2003). It's a religious conflict involving archaeology: The Hindus claim that under the islamic temple which has been torn down in 1992 are some foundations of an earlier temple devoted to god Rama. The governmental "Archeological Survey of India" supports this by a recent dig out. But independent researchers contradict and find the Hindu position biased. In the end, Indian politicians use the conflict to distract from urgent problems like hunger and unemployment.
Grit Kienzlen writes on new findings in particle physics that may challenge the standard model. This theory describes for over 30 years all experimental results correctly. But there are open questions. Fundamentally: Is this all in particle physics? Aesthetically: What about the fourth force, gravitation, which is not described by standard theory? Now, a tiny difference in experiment and computer calculations makes physicists considering a so-called supersymmetric theory - beyond standard model.
 

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