WTF.

So, a New Zealand biotech company, Living Cell Technologies, began a trial today (Thursday). This is an experimental treatment for Type 1 diabetes, in which 8 VOLUNTEERS will be implanted with cells from newborn pigs. Personally, I can't believe people actually volunteered for this. But they did. And others have volunteered for the same thing in the past. One trial with only 6 patients, and another with 10.

Anyway, the hope is that the cells will be able to delay the effects of the Type 1 diabetes, which include premature coronary illness, limb amputation as a result of poor circulation, and blindness. Agreed, that would be great if those things could all be way delayed. But there's something about implanting pieces of pigs into people that really freaks me the fuck out.

As for the risk of contracting a pig retrovirus infection, Professor Bob Elliott, medical director of Living Cell Technologies, said "there is no evidence of a risk." Hm. Don't care that there's no risk. Still creepy.

So, what happened to the people in the first 2 trials? Elliott said he saw increased insulin production in some subjects. Others, however, reject the pig cells, or the pig cells stopped producing insulin after a year. But, that's only 16 people, so it hardly counts.

Would you volunteer to be implanted with pieces of baby pig?

There is a huge blob of stuff floating around, just going with the current. And just how big is this blob of crap?? 15 miles long!

So, of course, people were sent to investigate and try to figure out what the substance is.

Petty Officer 1st Class Terry Hasenauer said "It's certainly biological. It's definitely not an oil product of any kind. It has no characteristics of an oil, or a hazardous substance, for that matter. It's definitely, by the smell and the makeup of it, it's some sort of naturally occurring organic or otherwise marine organism."

So that's good news... it's not harmful oil or toxic waste or anything. So that rules those options out... but still, nobody knows what it is.

Gordon Brower with the North Slope Borough's Planning and Community Services Department also got a good look at the goop. Brower said, "That's one of the reasons we went out, because in recent history I don't think we've seen anything like this. Maybe inside lakes or in stagnant water or something, but not (in the ocean) that we could recall ... If it was something we'd seen before, we'd be able to say something about it. But we haven't ...which prompted concerns from the local hunters and whaling captains. From the air it looks brownish with some sheen, but when you get close and put it up on the ice and in the bucket, it's kind of blackish stuff ... (and) has hairy strands on it."

Samples have been brought in for analization. The large blog could just be a giant algae bloom. I'm curious! 

Photo: North Slope Borough

NASA certainly hopes so, as their 5th attempt to launch a shuttle headed for the International Space Station is scheduled for 6:51pm EDT tonight. This launch has been delayed again and again due to fuel leaks and bad weather.

NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said "We're going to give it a shot," in reference to today's launch, even though there is a 60% chance of bad weather, and therefore another delay.

This shuttle is set to deliver the last piece of Japan's lab station into space.

Wonder if it will launch today... hm.

Yup... we definitely need more crap floating around in space. WTF.

Anyway, NASA is getting ready for a new kind of mission to the moon. One in which they trigger a 6-mile-high explosion over the surface of the moon in hopes of confirming the presence of water. 

It is a $79 million mission. If they find water, it would be a potential source of hydrogen for rocket fuel and oxygen for life support. And more space junk to boot. Seriously. Isn't there enough shit floating around up there... enough of OUR shit?! Ugh. 

Anyway, to read all about this explosive mission, check it out here.

Along with 51 other species.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has a new report out and it found that 21% of Britain's bird species are on their way to extinction unless something is done to protect them. Tim Webb, a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said the cuckoo and other birds that are summer visitors to Britain are suffering population losses due in large part to a decrease in food and water supply in sub-Saharan Africa, which is where many of the birds migrate from.

Webb said "The Sahara desert is spreading and the birds are having a hard time flying out in good condition. There isn't just one single problem, there are a host."

The society also said the poplution of cuckoos in Britain has gone down 37% since 1994. 

Yowza! That's a very large dip, isn't it?! 

The Tasmanian Devil, native to Australia, was added to the endangered species list on Friday. The decision due in part to a contagious cancer that has wiped out a large majority of the wild population of the little devils.

Since the contagious facial cancer was first discovered among the devils in 1996, approximately 70% of the wild population has been wiped out. Though zoos are breeding Tasmanian devils to help avoid complete devestation of the species, no wild devils exist outside Tasmania. 

This is super sad. They're cute. 

Environmental Minister Peter Garrett said "Strong action is being taken to find out more about this disease and to stop its spread." 

That being said, hopefully they'll be able to figure it out and solve the problem.

As previously mentioned, the name Colbert won NASA's contest as the name of the new node on the space station. NASA has always maintained it has the right to name it whatever it wants, according to the contest rules. So NASA has decided NOT to name it after Stephen Colbert, even though he won. NASA is, however, naming a treadmill after him! A treadmill that astronauts use to work out in space. So Colbert's name will be rolling around in space... "I'm gonna go jump on Colbert for a few minutes" HA! 

Node 3 of the space station will be named Tranquility. But there's a treadmill up there, and it's name is now Colbert. What a great compromise guys! 

Is going to be announced on The Colbert Report on April 14th. HA! That's probably NASA's way of saying sorry dude, we're not naming the new module after you, but we'll go ahead and announce it on your show since you did win the name game. Ah well. 

NASA had an online contest to name a new room at the international space station. The idiots at NASA allowed write-ins for the contest. And now...?!

The name COLBERT has WON THE CONTEST! Ha, ha, wow. 

Colber urged poeple who watch his show, The Colbert Report to write in his name to the contest and it paid off. NASA did reserve the right in the contest rules to go with whatever they want, despite the winner, but still. Colbert won. So funny.

Well, what do you think? Will NASA name the new room Colbert, or go with their choice of Serenity or the like? I'm betting on Serenity. 

Looks like a bat may have tried to hitch a ride into space on the Space Shuttle Discovery on Sunday.

Don't think the bat made the entire journey... Flight Director Paul Dye said "I heard that it was clinging to the tank at liftoff, but I don't think anyone has seen it since."

Above is a closeup of a bat clinging to the fuel tank of the shuttle during its launch. Awww... the little guy's kind of cute.

Amusing. What? They couldn't give the little guy a seat inside the shuttle?!