Welcome to A Week in Science, I'm Paul Willis from RIOs bringing you the news in science
all week, every week.
This week we're coming to you from our glorious boardroom.
In April this year, two major earthquakes struck off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia
measuring 8.6 and 8.2 on the Richter scale.
Scientists have examined the effects that these quakes had on the earth itself.
It's possible these earthquakes may herald the formation of a new boundary between the
Australian and Indian tectonic plates.
And it was noted that there was a five-fold increase in the number of earthquakes around
the world, possibly triggered by the Sumatran quakes.
The chemical BPA found in some plastics hit the headlines again this week for the effects
that it has on our bodies.
The safety of BPA has been questioned over recent years with effects noted on a number
of areas of the body.
Now, BPA has been found to interfere with sex cell formation and the development of
the ovaries.
Other headlines this week include ancient Korean records reveal that castration may
increase lifespan by up to 19 years.
A case of live long don't prosper.
California has joined Nevada as a major government to legalize the use of autonomous or driverless
cars.
The human brain continues to develop in the womb longer than that of chimpanzees, indicating
the massive expansion of the human brain starts during fetal development.
And in good news for our producer, Ben, it's been found that among leaders, the feeling
of control counters the stress of responsibility.
US researchers have developed a soluble microchip that may advance the future of electrical
medical implants.
Using cocoon silk, they developed microchips which harmlessly dissolve after a given length
of time.
They successfully used the chips in a number of medical situations, but also suggested
that they could be used to help reduce waste from electronic devices.
And finally, the insectivorous sundew plant from southern Australia has been examined
by German researchers.
For the first time, they've demonstrated experimentally how these plants use their tentacles to capture
prey.
The tentacles literally catapult the prey onto a leaf trap where the hapless insect
is captured and digested.
Check out the RIO's website for upcoming events in October, including a discussion about
animal to human organ transplants on October 10th, where you get to join in the discussion
wherever you are.
That's been the highlights of A Week in Science, brought to you by RIOs.
For more information on these and other science news stories, go to the RIOs website, rios.org.au.
You can also follow A Week in Science on Twitter and join in the discussions using the hashtag
A Week in Cy.
I'm Paul Willison, and on behalf of RIOs, I'll see you next week.
