April 2010

Face Off / Face On

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Well, for burn patients, and for people born with facial deformities or develop them, or are injured, and  for people hiding out  -- Mafia folks, folks in witness protection, folks who just want to get away from their old lives, their spouses, their bill collectors --  and or people who want a new life, a movie star face -- and  for people who work in the spy business  -- yesterday's announcement that the first full face transplant has been carried out is probably big news.

A man injured in a shooting accident received the world's first full face transplant -- facial skin and muscles - including cheekbones, nose, lips and teeth -- of a donor.

"Face from a dead donor is removed:Veins, arteries, skin, muscles, and bones are taken The donor face and accompanying blood vessels are stitched to the patient using complex microvascular surgery " (BBC)

Win an Invitation to Michio Kaku's "Physics of the Impossible"

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Of late, I’ve become interested in Physics, and have enjoyed Michio Kaku’s articles about what may or may not be possible in the future. Of course, that  doesn’t necessarily mean that I understand Physics entirely and I think I know why. I have yet to reach the high level of total geekiosity necessary to understand the workings of of Quantum Physics.

The Science Channel just announced a new series starring Michio Kaku entitled “Physics of the Impossible” and is having a contest to select individuals to win an invitation to take part in the filming. As a non-science person, I found the parameters of the contest more than a little entertaining.