Tearless Onions!!!
Researchers in Japan at the House Foods Corporation in Chiba have discovered the enzyme that creates the compound that reacts with the eyes to make them tear-up. The compound is called propanthial S-oxide, and is the product of a reaction involving lachrymatory-factor synthase. This lachrymatory-factor synthase acts independently of any of the compounds that give onions their sweet, yet spicy flavor. This means that someday we might see genetically modified onions in which the gene that leads to the expression of the culprit enzyme is silenced sitting on our supermarket shelves . It might be the first GM food product that consumers will actually buy since no genes will have been added to the genome. The undesirable effect of tears will simply have been removed. Read more at
Nature Science Update.
Black Hole at the Center of the Galaxy
Astronomers at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany have been studying the center of our galaxy for the past ten years. Now they say that they finally have enough proof to support the notion that a massive black hole exists at the center. Their supporting evidence includes the emission of x-rays and radio waves from the area. But, the deciding factor is the existence of a star called S2 that appears to be on an elliptical orbit around an astronomical object that might correspond to the black hole itself. Only the massive amount of gravity produced by a black hole could catch a star in the orbit that has been observed. Read more at
Nature Science Update.
current science news posted by Kirsten at 10/17/2002 10:27:00 AM
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