News Science

"No single gene is a guaranteed fountain of youth. Instead, the secret of longevity probably lies in having the right “suite” of genes, according to new studies of centenarians and their families. Such combinations are extremely rare — only one person in 10,000 reaches the age of 100. The genes found so far each appear to give a little extra protection against the diseases of old age. Centenarians appear to have a high chance of having several such genes embedded in their DNA. “Long-lived people do not have fewer disease genes or ageing genes,” said Eline Slagboom of Leiden University, who is leading a study into 3,500 Dutch nonagenarians. “Instead they have other genes that stop those disease genes from being switched on. Longevity is strongly genetic and inherited.”"

"Slagboom and her colleagues recently published studies showing how the physiology of people in long-lived families differs from normal people. Other studies, showing the genetic causes of those differences, are due for publication soon.

“People who live to a great age metabolise fats and glucose differently, their skin ages more slowly and they have lower prevalence of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension,” she said.

“These factors are all under strong genetic control, so we see the same features in the children of very old people.”"

"The so-called Methuselah genes — named after the biblical patriarch who lived to 969 — are thought to include ADIPOQ, which is found in about 10% of young people but in nearly 30% of people living past 100. The CETP gene and the ApoC3 gene are found in 10% of young people, but in about 20% of centenarians.

The studies show that tiny mutations in the make-up of particular genes can sharply increase a person’s lifespan"

"A UC Berkeley professor who is conducting an informal assessment of the Deepwater Horizon wellhead blast said Tuesday that BP documents leaked to him indicate that contaminants in cement encasing the well were the initial cause of the explosion that led to the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico."

"Bea said that the cement was tainted with the same slushy gas hydrate that scuttled BP's plan to contain the oil with a giant box last week.

The hydrates hidden in the cement turned to gas and seeped into the well column, Bea says.
Not all experts agree that the evidence suggests this. But most agree with Bea's general point: Cement used to close up the well was leaky."

I'm sticking with my North Korean sub theory.

"Cement can fail for many reasons, including contamination from drilling mud or other substances. Bea said he believes that in this case, hydrates — exotic compounds that only exist in high-pressure conditions — mixed with the cement while it was still mushy.

When workers eased pressure in the well by replacing drilling mud with seawater, those hidden hydrate pockets turned from solid to gas and shot toward the surface, Bea said. "They didn't realize it had mixed with the cement," he said.

David Valentine, a geochemist at UC Santa Barbara, said that Bea's theory is possible — provided the cement was cool enough.

Regardless of the exact cause of the cement flaw, a series of other failures were needed to produce the blowout, experts say, including the possible failure of synthetic seals and a blowout preventer.
"

MVB, the more in vogue conspiracy theory is cyberattack

I'll look in to it, RAP... ;)

i agree with MVB