US Scientists Urge to Seek Contact with Alien Life

Scientists at the SETI Institute have said at a conference in the US that it is time for us to start actively seeking contact with alien life.

The SETI, Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, has been in operation for more than 30 years, use radio telescopes to listen for signals from outer space. So far, there hasn't been anything, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything there, according to the institute's researchers.

And these researchers have now said they think we should make the first move - we should send messages out there, into the universe, for other potential lifeforms to listen to and respond.

Of course, radio signals bearing messages for aliens have been sent out into the cosmos before. For example, in 1974, the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico sent out an image of a DNA double helix and a picture of stick man to some stars 21,000 light years away.

Russian scientists also sent their own message out in 1999 from the Crimean Yevpatoria telescope. And in 2008, NASA beamed out the Beatles' "Across the Universe" to the North Sea, which is 430-odd light years away.

But at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the conference held in San Jose in California, the scientists said that we should be considering what the message should be. And once the message has been devised, it should be repeatedly sent over the course of months or years to the same set of nearby stars.

"We should expand our strategies, so we are not only passively listening, but also transmitting intentional, information-rich signals," explained Dr Douglas Vakoch, SETI Director of Interstellar Message Composition. "With recent detections of Earth-like planets in the habitable zones of other stars, we have natural targets for such transmission projects."

Dr Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer and Director of the SETI Institute, said the sending out messages more often might elicit a response should there be anything out there to give one.

He said that there are some people who are against "shouting into the jungle", not knowing what dangers may come of it. But he doesn't think that it is likely that if there are alien lifeforms out there, that the intention would be to cause our planet harm.

"I don't see why aliens would have the incentive to do that," he pointed out. He added that with all the signals that have been leaking from the planet over the past 70 years, we have already been sending messages notifying anything out there of our existence. "Any society that could come here and ruin our whole day by incinerating the planet, already knows we're here."

Whether or not the signals will actually be sent out hasn't been confirmed yet, but it is certainly something to think about.

Grecia to Get a 3D-Printed Prosthetic Beak

Here at Daily Diamond, we love the stories about animals being given a new lease of life with prosthetics. You might remember us telling you about Dudley the duck getting a new leg after losing his in a fight with some chickens. So, we couldn't wait to share this heart-wrenching-turned-heart-warming story with you about Grecia, the toucan. Grecia is named after the area he was found in, in Costa Rica, rescued after being attacked by a group of teenagers with a block of wood. During the incident, the upper part of Grecia's bill broke off, leaving the poor bird practically helpless. Without the top of his beak, Grecia has extreme difficulty eating by himself. Toucans also use their beaks to regulate their temperature, and the female birds choose their mate based on the colour of his beak. You might have learnt about Grecia's mistreatment via social media last month. He was taken in by the Zoo Ave animal rescue centre in San José, where he has been looked after by Dr Carmen Soto. "The quantity he manages to eat on his own is very small," she explained, "so we have to help him." Shortly after he was taken in and his story was released to the media, a crowdfunding campaign was started on IndieGoGo, which quickly surpassed the initial target of $5,000 (£3,300). Through this campaign, several companies got wind of the toucan's situation and volunteered their 3D-printing services to provide Grecia with a new beak. Nelson Martinez, who is designing the perfect new beak for Grecia, explained that using any adhesive with chemical components could compromise the structure of the beak. Because of this, the team is working a model with both a fixed part and a movable part so that the beak can still be cleaned, and as Grecia grows, the beak can be replaced. While a horrible thing for any animal to have to go through, there are a couple of silver linings to what has happened to Grecia - though it certainly shouldn't have had to come this far. Firstly, the organiser of the IndieGoGo campaign said that as Grecia has been offered a new beak, he won't need the funds that have so far been donated. The money will now be going to a new animal hospital to help any other animals that are found in the same situation as Grecia was. Costa Rica's president, Luis Guillermo Solís, has also announced that the tragic surroundings of Grecia's situation highlighted the need for an animal cruelty bill to be passed. "These acts go against the respectful and peaceful society that characterises Costa Rica," he added. Grecia's bill isn't ready just yet, but we'll be sure to let you know when we know more. If you would like to donate to the IndieGoGo campaign, you can do so here .

Tattooing a Fresh Start

Chris Baker of Chicago in the US has been covering up or removing tattoos for free. But Chris is not a rich man, and these are not inexpensive things to carry out, so why would someone do it free of charge? Chris and his family moved from LA to Chicago around eight years ago. When they first arrived, Chris went through a tough time trying to work out what to do with his life. Needing some sort of guidance, Chris turned to prayer, which is when he came up with the idea of his tattoo shop, Ink 180 . Ink 180 has been offering their free coverups and removal services since 2011. But there is a catch - the people entitled to this work are those whose ink serves to remind them of lives they are trying to leave behind. This could include former gang members, or the survivors of sex trafficking, domestic abuse or self-harm. Enamored with his idea, though he was, Chris was skeptical when his friends told him that people would be queueing up around the block for his free services. And yet, since the shop first opened, Chris and his team have carried out more than 2,000 free coverups or removals. Unsurprisingly, demand is high, and appointments tend to be booked out for weeks in advance. Obviously, the shop wouldn't get anywhere if everything they did were for free, which is why Ink 180 also offers the standard of paid tattoos and piercings. Taking this in mind, 80% of the work they do there is still pro bono, and the shop is funded almost entirely by donations. And, of course, because of the nature of the shop, you might imagine that money is tight and that Chris struggles to pay his bills - and you wouldn't be wrong. But despite this, Chris has no plans for putting a stop to the free services at Ink 180. If nothing else, Chris said that he loves to see the look on his clients' faces when they look down on their wrist or arm and no longer see the name of their abusive ex. "They don't have to look down and have that tattoo trigger horrible reminders of what they have been through," he said. And it is enough for the tattoo artist that he can help so many people, with the whole mission of Ink 180 reflected in his faith. In fact, he says his work is based on the 2 Corinthians Bible verse: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" However, despite most of the local tattooists and religious communities embracing the work that Ink 180 are doing, there are people who aren't all for giving away something for free. These critics are a handful of tattoo artists who see the shop as competition for their paid work. Chris explained that these tattoo studios see what Ink 180 is up to as taking potential paid work away from them. But what these "competitors" probably don't realise is that some of these customers can barely afford to feed themselves, let alone pay for ink. Chris even pointed out that it isn't unusual to buy the client a sandwich or pizza before getting down to the job - because these people haven't been able to afford to eat in days. The tattoo studio also operates its very own mobile units. These will regularly travel into Chicago during the summer. But these units aren't just about bringing the tattooist to the customer's door... Chris recognises that survivors might have other needs that they need to meet. Because of this, Ink 180 partners up with local organisations who offer the likes of educational training or provide accessible vision, dental and overall medical care. Regardless, whether or not people like tattoos, they do love that Ink 180 is giving people a second chance. "We are letting people know that no matter what you have done, or what life you have lived," Chris explained, "you can be redeemed and changes it if you want it bad enough."

St Andrews Uni Offers Booze-Free Student Housing

University is a time that many associate with partying and drinking in between studying for their degree. Sure, you're there to learn and whatever, but partying can make up a big part of your life during this important time. But what if you don't like drinking or partying? Maybe a student doesn't consume alcohol for health or religious reasons, or maybe they simply don't like drinking alcohol. Their experience at university is going to be slightly different then, isn't it? If a person who doesn't drink needs to stay in student accommodation, there is the chance they will be sharing quarters with someone who does enjoy a tipple every now and again. This might not be a problem for some, but for others could prove a distraction. The Universities of Bristol , Cork , and Swansea have already taken the initiative to make their students' experience more inclusive by providing housing for tee-total students. Other institutes in the UK instead off alcohol-free zones where drinking is prohibited. And from later this year, St Andrews University will be taking their lead and trialling its own student housing that will be an alcohol-free zone. Student flats at David Russell Apartments and Fife Park will be accommodating students who don't want to live at party central, for whatever reason. Each flat is capable of housing between four and six people, and will be offered to those who tick a checkbox on their accommodation forms, asking for this kind of housing. The flats are thought to be the first alcohol-free student housing to be offered in Scotland. Pat Mathewson is the President of the St Andrews Students' Association (SASA). He said that the association wants to see how popular these student flats are before deciding to make them a permanent feature or expanding the area. "We're always in favour of anything that will make our students feel more comfortable," he said. "By no means are any students going to be forced into student accommodation they haven't asked for." A spokesperson for the university explained that, of course, they are aware that not all students drink alcohol. The institution is committed to creating a student experience that is safe and healthy - and inclusive - for all, and alcohol-free housing is one way of doing that. "What's more, we believe student-learning lasts a lifetime, so reinforcing positive behaviour during this period of development can have a lasting influence," she said. She added that the university is proud of the SASA for trying to shape new attitudes when it comes to responsible drinking, helping to make the student experience as inclusive as possible. The idea is to help encourage the students to think about their lifestyle choices, while taking others' into consideration as well. The trial will begin from the start of the new academic year, in September. The flats will be subject to availability, which will depend on how popular they are. For more information, why not check out the university's website: http://bit.ly/1D2u9PC

Breath Test to Detect Lung Cancer

Less than two months after the death of his wife of colon cancer, Dr Billy Boyle and his company have invented a breath test that can detect lung cancer. Former advisor to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, as well as CEO of the charity Africa Governance Initiative , Kate Gross was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2012. She passed away on Christmas Day last year, but not before inspiring her scientist husband to see what he could do to help prevent other families from going through the same devastation as his own. And so, Dr Boyle and his colleagues at Owlstone Nanotech have created a breathalyser, developing on technology originally intended to detect explosives on the battlefield or in airports. To use the LuCID (Lung Cancer Indicator Detection), the patient blows into it, and if there are any traces of chemicals that indicate the user has lung cancer, the device will pick it up. Dr Boyle explained that the body makes a lot of normal, everyday chemicals. But if a person develops a disease like cancer, the cells mutate and make different chemicals, though only in minute amounts. The chip inside the LuCID can be programmed to recognise different chemical markers and signatures, meaning that it could be used to identify a range of conditions. He added that they already have the microchip made, and Owlstone is working on small, handheld devices that could be used in GP surgeries. And he is confident that the systems could be in regular use within two years - they have already been approved for clinical testing in NHS hospitals. As well as stopping other families from suffering the ways his has done, Dr Boyle also believes that the LuCID will provide a very real opportunity to improve the lives of cancer patients. He went on to explain that he and his wife spent time on cancer wards, talking about potential applications for Owlstone's technology. They realised that early detection of cancer would mean fewer people having to sit on those wards. Lung cancer kills more than 35,000 people in the UK ever year, and Dr Boyle is hoping the new technology will lead to earlier detection of the disease - and who knows what else. "And our goal is to save the NHS £245 million," he concluded, "but more importantly, to save 10,000 lives."

Runway of Dreams: Cool Clothing for Kids of All Abilities!

Every parent just wants their children to be happy, to feel as though they fit in, to be comfortable in their own skin. But for some families this is more of a challenge than for others. For some of these people, it's a matter of not having enough money; beggars can't be choosers and all that. For others, there simply isn't the merchandise available. There can be any number of reasons. Mindy Scheier from New Jersey in the US has three children, and she has been learning about what it feels like to fall into the second category. But she is putting her foot down and trying to do something about it. One morning, a couple of years ago, Mindy's son, Oliver (now ten years old) innocently asked if he could wear jeans to school that day. However, because Oliver has muscular dystrophy (a muscle weakening condition), he needs to wear leg braces to be able to walk safely, and jeans don't fit very well over them. Oliver would also struggle with fastening and unfastening the jeans. But Mindy knows that Oliver is like any other boy his age and just wants to fit in. She was faced with a very difficult decision. On one hand, Oliver could safely walking into school as he normally does with his sweatpants and leg braces, but with no jeans. On the other hand, he could go to school in his jeans. However, it would mean that Oliver couldn't wear his leg braces, but he would be able to hold his head high and look like all the other children. Adaptive clothing for children who are differently-abled is available, but just aren't very appealing to the children. Mindy explained that the clothing on offer wasn't like the mainstream clothing their typical age group was wearing and was quite expensive to buy. It was that moment that inspired Mindy to do something - to help Oliver and other families to overcome these clothing challenges, but in an affordable way. And so, in 2013, Mindy launched a non-profit foundation dedicated to making adaptive versions of clothing for differently-abled children and young adults. This programme is called Runway of Dreams, and you can check out their website here . But Mindy didn't just want to sit back, she really wanted to help and make a difference. And so, she did her research. Starting off with the local community, Runway of Dreams set out to find out if the clothing challenges that Mindy and Oliver faced were as common as they thought. It was then they realised that they had to look beyond their local community, look at the whole setup on a much larger scale. So Mindy set up a survey on Facebook , asking participants about what types of disabilities they or their children had, and what kinds of clothing challenges they faced. "I wanted to make sure it wasn't just in my little world," Mindy said, "and we literally got answers from all around the world, pertaining to all different types of disabilities." The survey results showed that there are three main areas of struggle when it comes to clothing: 1) Fastenings, such as buttons, zippers and snaps; 2) Adjustability in waistbands and cuffs, and lengths of sleeves and trouser legs; 3) Alternative ways of dressing instead of just pulling something on over the head. Using this feedback, Mindy created focus group samples in collaboration with a technical designer. Since then, the Runway of Dreams team has met with numerous brands and manufacturers, as well as other potential partners and supporters. There have even been some meetings with some high-level apparel designers who are interested in the foundation's mission of making fashion inclusive for everyone. The biggest challenge that Mindy and her team has been facing is convincing people that there is, indeed, a market for this kind of clothing. The fashion designer explained that there are millions of children, just in the US, who have a physical disability. But that doesn't mean that these children don't want to be able to wear the same kinds of clothing that their friends can. And not only is the market impressive, the customers are also very loyal. "When we find a garment that works for our children, we buy it in every colour [and] are willing to pay a higher price," Mindy pointed out. Runway of Dreams is growing and getting more and more attention as time rolls on. Mindy receives emails every day from people exclaiming how important a campaign she is running. Manufacturers have been getting in touch with the programme, and because the ultimate aim is to have every company offer options for all abilities, there is no competition or exclusivity for Mindy to work with them. "Our mission is so that this community can 'fit in' and feel better about themselves," Mindy explained. "And, in this case, 'fitting in' is a good thing. "Clothing can make the difference!"

170 Orphans Find Home with Tibetan Monk

In April, 2010, an earthquake shook an autonomous region of China called Yushu. More than 15,000 people were missing, injured, or had died after it had passed. After the earthquake, children across Yushu now found themselves orphans, their homes and families torn apart by the earthquake. 33 of these children found themselves in the care of Lama Lobsang, a Tibetan Buddhist monk. He took in the children as a temporary measure, to give them somewhere to stay after their lives had been turned upside-down. And the children just kept coming! He was brought to the attention of the world when the BBC filmed a documentary about him for their series, A Richer World: When Wealth is not Enough . Almost five years later, Lama Lobsang is now the proud "Sang Father" of 170 children. Some of these children have come to Lama Lobsang with their single parents, but most, without any family at all - except for the one that Lama Lobsang has provided for them. The Richer World series focuses on how, even though, the world is apparently getting wealthier. People are living longer, eating better, better educated and fewer are living in poverty. But this only serves to make the gap between the rich and the poor feel as if it is getting wider every day. Lama Lobsang supports his ever-growing family through donations from his followers and his religious lectures. Not only does he education everyone in his care, he looks after their health and mental well-being, as well. "These kids are the future," he explained. "They may be orphans or from single-parent families or from poor families, but I want to give them all a home. "This isn't a school or an orphanage. It is a home. They call me 'Sang Father' and I call them my children."