Rock your world.....

ROCK your world..........
Despite the reputation of rocks being as dull as, well, rocks, their dazzling colors, intriguing shapes and sense of challenge or discovery can be Mother Nature at her most alluring. Sedimentary, metamorphic, igneous or molten, rocks exert an irresistible force that drives some of us to climb them, collect them and let them transport us back in time. Whether you're an adventurer, romantic or rock hound, these West Coast destinations will help you get in touch with your inner geologist.

-- 1. Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas The fiery red boulders of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - just 17 miles from Las Vegas' flashing neon canyons - rise from the flat Mojave Desert. Hike these multistory rock formations or take the scenic drive to panoramic views of the Spring Mountain Range. 17 miles west of downtown Las Vegas on Charleston Boulevard/Highway 159, Las Vegas. (702) 242-2576. http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/.
2. Drakesbad, California
Molten rock deep in the Earth is the source of steaming water and bubbling mud at Devils Kitchen and Boiling Springs Lake in the heart of Lassen Volcanic National Park. Both are a short walk from Drakesbad Guest Ranch, where the swimming pool is, of course, geothermal heated. Drakesbad Guest Ranch.
3. Agate Beach, Trinidad (Humboldt County)
Winter storms toss thousands of agates, valued for their natural luminescent beauty, onto this narrow strip of sand. After filling your pockets, don't miss the agate collection at the park visitor center. Access to the beach is from the day use area of Big Lagoon County Park. 4150 Patrick's Point Dr., Trinidad.
4. E. Hadley Stuart Jr. Hall of Gems and Minerals, Los Angeles
While not exactly a hidden gem (it's in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County near downtown), it is one of the most significant gem and mineral collections west of the Smithsonian. The 150,000 specimens, including 50 meteorites, represent half the Earth's known mineral species.
5. Rock City, Mount Diablo State Park..
While it's hardly remote, you could be on another world among the sandstone formations. Climb Sentinel Rock or head up the 6.25-mile Trail Through Time, where signs guide you through 190 million years of geologic history. Diablo Road, off Interstate 680 to North Gate Road, Danville.

enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glaucoma Drugs May take part in Role in Longer Life

Glaucoma Drugs May acquire part in Role in Longer Life..
People who take medication to treat glaucoma appear to outlive those who don't treat the eye disease, new research has found.
whether the reduced risk for premature death stems from the glaucoma drugs themselves or from the individuals' overall health or even their access to health care remains unclear.

Use of glaucoma drugs poses important questions for the more than 2 million Americans with the eyesight-threatening condition, which causes steady deterioration of the optic nerve, said Dr. Joshua D. Stein, an assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Michigan and lead author of a report on the research, published in the February issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

"There are four or five classes of drugs for ophthalmology, and they have side effects," Stein said. "Among other things, they can affect kidney function and blood pressure, so it's important to know whether drug therapy is beneficial or detrimental to overall health."

The study, which involved 21,506 people with glaucoma or suspected glaucoma, came down strongly in favor of drug therapy. It found that the drugs do not harm overall health. And, it discovered that those who regularly took glaucoma medications had a 74 percent reduced risk for early death, compared with those who didn't take the drugs.

But Stein stressed that those numbers say nothing about whether or why regular use of glaucoma drugs lowered the chances of dying. "The type of data we are working with can't answer that question," he said.

It's possible that the medications are beneficial, acting to boost kidney function, lower blood pressure or otherwise improve general health, he said. "But the fact that all the different classes of medications have the same benefit suggests to me that it might not be the medications themselves," Stein said. "It could be the types of patients who are receiving the medications. Patients who have more life-threatening conditions are less likely to get glaucoma treatment, so perhaps they are healthier people in general. Or perhaps it is access to care. Some people who don't have access to glaucoma care have less access to medical care in general."

The new study is the latest contribution to a long-running debate about whether glaucoma itself can increase the risk for death, said Dr. Louis Pasquale, director of the glaucoma service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital. A number of studies have come to differing conclusions on the issue, said Pasquale, who has published a meta-analysis of such studies.

Swiss technology tackles greying society

One WEF session heard Switzerland could no longer cling to a retirement age that was set generations ago

Technological advances could meet some of the challenges..
Swiss scientists in Davos outlined the latest medical, robotics, biomechanics and architectural research aimed at improving the lives of the elderly. But delegates also heard that tough political decisions would be necessary.

All demographic projections point to a marked increase in the number of pensioners in the next 50 years, coupled with a significant downturn in birth rates.

In Switzerland, the over-65s age group is tipped to make up a third of the population by 2050 compared to around 17 per cent at present. The phenomenon, which would be mirrored throughout the world, threatens to place an unbearable burden on social security and health systems while impeding economic output.

Some problems could be solved with technological advances aimed specifically at meeting the challenges. A team of professors from the Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) and Lausanne (EPFL) highlighted how such breakthroughs could relieve the burden on the public purse as well as on pensioners.



Science keeps you working
Breakthroughs in the field of biomechanics, for example, have made it possible to estimate the likelihood of bone fractures caused by normal domestic tasks such as lifting shopping bags. Such data could form the basis of preventative medical treatments, saving not only suffering but also more lengthy post-accident repair work.

Designing homes with the elderly in mind would both enhance the independence of occupants and reduce the need for household help. The use of robots and artificial intelligence could also serve similar functions, according to Dario Floreano, director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at EPFL.

Floreano’s research includes sensors that monitor fatigue levels to indicate how much physical activity can be safely undertaken. He is also developing robotic exoskeletons that would give walkers or lifters an extra boost and an array of robotic domestic help.