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GLOBAL NEWS America has the highest incarceration rate by population, but is only sixth in the world when it comes to college degrees. (Source: The Atlantic, 1 November 2011, http://tinyurl.com/3dhatxn) when squid had shells. The material is compatible with living things, is easily manufactured, and can be recycled from crab shells and squid pen discarded by the food industry. (Source: ScienceDaily.com, 20 September 2011, http://tinyurl.com/6bdst22) BRITISH MINISTER MISLED MPs OVER DEPLETED URANIUM he UK Armed Forces Minister, Nick Harvey, has been forced to apologise over misleading statements he made regarding the legality and dangers of depleted uranium (DU) weapons. The revelations come as a cross- party campaign is launched to pile pressure on the Ministry of Defence o phase out the use of depleted uranium. In 2013, the tank shells hat depend on it have to be renewed. Depleted uranium is a chemically oxic and radioactive heavy metal produced as waste by the nuclear power industry. DU is included in weaponry because it is an extremely ard material capable of piercing armour. Once the frontline has moved on, however, it can contaminate the environment, and it as been linked to health problems in civilian populations. The British Army fired shells containing 2.3 tonnes of DU during he 1990-91 and 2003 Gulf wars. DU is used to harden CHARM 3 armour- piercing shells carried by British Challenger tanks. (Source: The Guardian, 14 November 2on, http://tinyurl.com/bmm3a6m, PROTON-BASED TRANSISTOR MAY LET MACHINES INTERFACE WITH LIVING THINGS uman-made devices, from light bulbs to iPods, send information using electrons. Human bodies and all other living things, on the other hand, send signals and perform work using ions or protons. Now, scientists at the University of Washington have built a transistor that uses protons, creating a key piece for devices that can communicate directly with living things. Devices that connect with the human body's processes are being explored for biological sensing and for prosthetics, but they typically communicate using electrons, which are negatively charged particles, rather than protons, which are positively charged hydrogen atoms, or ions, which are atoms with positive or negative charge. "So there's always this issue, a challenge, at the interface: how does an electronic signal translate into an ionic signal, or vice versa?" asked lead author Marco Rolandi, a UW assistant professor of materials science and engineering. "We found a biomaterial that is very good at conducting protons, and allows the potential to interface with living systems. "In our device, large bio-inspired molecules can move protons, and a proton current can be switched on and off in a way that's completely analogous to an electronic current in any other field-effect transistor,” Rolandi said. The device uses a modified form of the compound chitosan, originally extracted from squid pen, a structure that has survived from CIA HAS RELATIONS WITH MANY TERRORIST GROUPS peers Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar claims that the Haqqani network was established by the USA, adding that the CIA also has relations with many other errorist groups. In interviews with Arab and American TV networks, she said that e USA itself established the Haqqani network and then accused Pakistan of having ties with it. She said that the USA should take care of the interests of Pakistan in e war against terrorism, and noted at Pakistan is facing terrorism on a daily basis. No country is able to control terrorism alone, she added. The Foreign Minister pointed out at Pakistan has sacrificed more people than any other country in the war against terrorism, and that the nation is asking what Pakistan has achieved in this war. Source: SANA, 26 September 2o11, http://tinyurl.com/cmt7fgr) to Doka Strage: Six Forms Digital NEXUS ¢ 7 DECEMBER 2011 - JANUARY 2012 www.nexusmagazine.com