Clemson dean named president at Presbyterian College

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Published: Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 3:15 a.m. Last Modified: Friday, June 15, 2012 at 10:18 p.m.

A Clemson University dean was announced as the next president of Presbyterian College Friday.

The colleges board of trustees elected Claude C. Lilly, Clemsons dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science, to serve as Presbyterian Colleges 17th president. He will succeed John Griffith, Presbyterian Colleges president since 1998.

I am honored by the opportunity to serve as the new president of Presbyterian College and look forward to building on the outstanding foundation laid by faculty members, trustees, staff, students and alumni under the leadership of President Griffith, Lilly stated in a news release posted to the PC website Friday morning. My wife, Fran, and I are eager to become a part of the Clinton community and a PC environment that inspires learning.

Lilys career spans higher education and private industry and includes 39 years of administrative and teaching experience at Texas Tech University, the University of Southern California, Florida State University and the Belk College of Business Administration at the University of North Carolina. The Georgia native has served in his current capacity with Clemson since 2007, during which he played a critical role in relocating the MBA, the MBA in Entrepreneurship, the MACC and the MS programs to downtown Greenville.

Dr. Lilly has an impressive record of leadership in both the academic and private sectors and truly embodies the PC motto of Dum Vivimus Servimus While We Live, We Serve, said William B. Shearer, Jr., chairman of the Presbyterian College Board of Trustees. With a compelling vision for academic program development and community and financial growth, he will be a dynamic, creative, and decisive leader committed to a strong future for Presbyterian College.

The Lillys have four children and seven grandchildren.

Lilly will assume his new role on July 15.

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Clemson dean named president at Presbyterian College

Study: Omega-3 effecting brain health a myth

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Study: Omega-3 helping brain health a myth

Omega -3 Fatty Acids effect on brain health in people 60 or older may be more myth than medical fact.

Researchers with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine issued a report Wednesday that found direct evidence on the effect of omega-3 on incident dementia is lacking.

Dr. Alan Dangour, author of the new study, admits he was disappointed in the results which reviewed 3,536 patients taking placebos versus fish oil for six months to more than three years.

"This is a great shame, Dangour said. "It would be lovely to find a solution for cognitive decline and dementia, and unfortunately, the evidence as it stands says it does not benefit cognitive function in older people."

Dr. Deborah Harding, CEO of The Harding Anti-Aging Center in Orlando, says the window of time for the studies is too short to make any real conclusions.

"This study, in my opinion, doesnt tell us anything," she said. "Number one, its too short, number two they are not measuring the Omega fish oil levels in the participants blood."

Hardings patients are given levels of Omega-3 based on their individual blood results. That was never done in any of the clinical studies reviewed in the London report. Dementia is a progressive illness which mainly affects older people. The changes are subtle at first, then over time, the decline in memory and verbal fluency is stunted.

According to the study, "previous research from observational studies has suggested that increased consumption of fish oils rich in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) may reduce the chance of developing dementia, while other studies show no effect."

Dr. Dangour, a nutritionist and co-author of the study concedes time may play a key in the impact of fish oil on the brains health.

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Study: Omega-3 effecting brain health a myth

Eastman Kodak files for auction of Digital Imaging patents

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Kodak(Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co filed a motion on Monday seeking approval of bidding procedures for bankruptcy auction of its Digital Capture and Kodak imaging Systems and Services patent portfolios, which together comprise more than 1,100 patents.

Kodak's motion outlines a sale process such that only the winning bidder and the successful bid amount will be publicly announced at the end of the auction, it said in a statement.

Kodak, now in bankruptcy, expects the motion to be heard by the Court on July 2, with the auction being held in early August and the winning bidder being announced by August 13.

"In filing these proposed procedures in advance of the June 30 deadline in our lending agreement, we are moving ahead as quickly as possible with the process of monetizing our digital imaging patent portfolio," Timothy Lynch, Kodak's Chief Intellectual Property Officer said.

The company's financial adviser, Lazard, has marketed these assets over the past 12 months, and 20 parties have signed confidentiality agreements to date, the company revealed in a statement.

Kodak, which invented the handheld camera and the digital camera, filed for bankruptcy protection on January 19.

via Yahoo! Finance

Also see: Kodak Posts $114 Million Loss (May 2008) 

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Soft drinks are not the major contributor to childhood obesity, say researchers

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Consumption of soft drinks and other sweetened beverages is not a major contributor to the rising levels of childhood obesity, according to Canadian research that assesses consumption and risk in over 10,000 children and youths.

The study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism examines the relationship between beverage intake patterns of Canadian children and their risk for obesity. Led by Susan Whiting of the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, the researchers revealed that sweetened beverage intake is not a risk factor for childhood obesity in most agree groups, noting that intake seems to be a risk factor only in boys aged 6-11.

Whiting and her colleagues revealed that whilst many children and youths consume soft drinks and other sweetened beverages such as fruit punch and lemonade almost all groups are not at any higher risk for obesity than their peers who drink healthier beverages.

"We found sweetened drinks to be dominant beverages during childhood, but saw no consistent association between beverage intake patterns and overweight and obesity," said Whiting.

However, the lead researcher noted that overconsumption of sweetened beverages may put some children at increased risk for overweight and obesity, especially as consumption habits formed early in life and are often maintained into adulthood.

Indeed, boys aged 6-11 years who consumed mostly soft drinks were shown to be at increased risk for overweight and obesity as compared with those who drank a more moderate beverage pattern," she revealed.

Study details

The researchers noted that sweetened beverage intake has risen in past decades. This increase in consumptions has been matched with a rise in prevalence of overweight and obesity among children.

Our objective was to examine the relationship between beverage intake patterns and overweight and obesity among Canadian children.

The research team determined beverage consumption patterns among Canadian children aged between two years old and 18 years old using cluster analysis where socio-demographics, ethnicity, household income, and food security were significantly different across the clusters.

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Soft drinks are not the major contributor to childhood obesity, say researchers

Herbalife Becomes Nutrition Sponsor of Team SpiderTech Powered by C10

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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) and UCI Professional Cycling Team SpiderTech powered by C10 announced a one year sponsorship agreement making Herbalife the teams Official Nutrition partner.

The riders will be fueled with the new Herbalife24 sports performance line, which includes Formula 1 Sport, Hydrate, Prepare, Prolong, Rebuild Endurance, Rebuild Strength, and Restore.

SpiderTech will compete in the upcoming USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado, as well as having raced in the Amgen Tour of California, two of the biggest cycling stage races in the U.S. In addition, SpiderTech has 100 racing days planned across Europe. With a full-range of sports nutrition products, Team SpiderTech riders will have an optimal pre-race meal, hydration, on-the-bike fuel, and multiple recovery options with Herbalife24. Riders have absolute confidence in the products since every batch of product is certified and tested by BSCG (Banned Substances Control Group, http://www.bscg.org) for illegal performance-enhancing substances.

Herbalife had a deep understanding of athletes nutritional needs when formulating these products, says Steve Bauer, Director Sportif, and Olympic medalist who wore the famed Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey) in the Tour de France in 1988 and 1990. The product diversity suits all of our riders needs. Team SpiderTech also hails the fact that the Herbalife24 products do not contain any artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Its something a lot of our riders have been advocates for, says Ian McLagan, team manager. In addition to the Herbalife24 line, Herbalife offers a wide array of other supplements including heart health products ranging from omega-3 fish oils to joint health support.

SpiderTech powered by C10 team soigneur comments that the riders love the recovery products, and on cold days, we even serve them warm, something they really look forward to. Rider Guillaume Boivin, who finished 7th at Amgen ToC stage 4, said, Herbalife24 Prolong really helped me have good sensations at the end of the stage. I had good feelings in my legs, and I was able to smash the hammer down in the sprint.

About Herbalife

Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) is a global nutrition company that sells weight-management, nutrition, and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in 81 countries through a network of independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children. Herbalife's website contains a significant amount of information about Herbalife, including financial and other information for investors at http://ir.Herbalife.com. The company encourages investors to visit its website from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted.

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Herbalife Becomes Nutrition Sponsor of Team SpiderTech Powered by C10

Mead Johnson Nutrition Announces Steve Golsby’s Intent to Retire as President and CEO in 2013

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GLENVIEW, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (MJN) announced today that its President and Chief Executive Officer, Steve Golsby, notified the Board of Directors of his intent to retire by the 2013 annual meeting of stockholders. Mr. Golsby informed the Board of his intentions at the Companys Board meeting and pledged his commitment to support the succession plan in the months ahead.

Subsequently, the Board of Directors unanimously selected Kasper Jakobsen, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Mead Johnson Nutrition, as CEO-elect and appointed him to the MJN Board of Directors effective immediately. Mr. Jakobsen is expected to succeed Mr. Golsby as Mead Johnson Nutrition President and CEO upon Mr. Golsbys retirement. Kasper Jakobsen will continue in his role as Chief Operating Officer, and the current senior leadership structure and reporting relationships will remain in effect.

Chairman of the Board Jim Cornelius stated that, Steve has been an extraordinary leader of the Mead Johnson Nutrition team since the Companys initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange in February 2009, and for many years prior to that, while MJN was a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb. The Board is fully supportive of Mr. Golsby continuing to serve as a director on the MJN Board following his retirement. The Board maintains robust succession plans at all senior levels of the organization contemplating such events. As Steves replacement, Kasper Jakobsen has the confidence of the full Board, reflecting his experience as a 14-year veteran of Mead Johnson, including operational leadership responsibility for the businesses in Asia, North America and Latin America prior to becoming Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer earlier this year.

Commenting on his planned retirement, Mr. Golsby thanked the Board for the strong support and insightful guidance it has given him during his tenure as CEO, saying, I feel privileged to have led Mead Johnson for over eight years and to have had the opportunity to manage its transformation into a high-performing public company and a global leader in its category. I know I will be leaving the Company in good hands, with an outstanding Board and talented global management team who can build upon the success we have achieved to date, and I look forward to having the opportunity to serve on the Mead Johnson Board following my retirement as CEO.

About Mead Johnson

Mead Johnson, a global leader in pediatric nutrition, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes more than 70 products in over 50 markets worldwide. The company's mission is to nourish the world's children for the best start in life. The Mead Johnson name has been associated with science-based pediatric nutrition products for over 100 years. The company's "Enfa" family of brands, including Enfamil(R) infant formula, is the world's leading brand franchise in pediatric nutrition.

For more information on the company, go to meadjohnson.com.

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Mead Johnson Nutrition Announces Steve Golsby’s Intent to Retire as President and CEO in 2013

Scientists tie DNA repair to key cell signaling network

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Public release date: 15-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Kelly jpkelly@utmb.edu 409-772-8791 University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have found a surprising connection between a key DNA-repair process and a cellular signaling network linked to aging, heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions. The discovery promises to open up an important new area of research one that could ultimately yield novel treatments for a wide variety of diseases.

"This is a totally new concept it goes against current dogma about the role of DNA repair," said UTMB professor Istvan Boldogh, senior author of a paper on the work now online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. "We couldn't believe it ourselves, but the data convinced us."

Boldogh and his colleagues came up with the idea of a link between DNA repair and cellular signaling after a close examination of the relationship between DNA damage and cell death produced unexpected results. Conventional DNA-repair dogma holds that a cell's lifespan is determined by the amount of accumulated DNA damage it suffers the overall corruption of genetic information stored in sequences of molecules called bases, which form the "rungs" of the DNA double helix. The cells used in Boldogh's study were especially vulnerable to damage because they lacked a key enzyme that repairs the DNA base guanine. According to dogma, this should have shortened the cells' lives; instead, they actually lived longer than expected. This made Boldogh wonder if another factor was involved in reducing the lifespan of normal cells.

"We proposed the hypothesis that instead of the accumulation of damaged guanine in DNA causing ill effects, what is significant is the release of a DNA-repair byproduct that somehow activates processes that shorten the lifespan of cells," Boldogh said.

The researchers knew just where to look to find this hypothetical repair byproduct. The majority of DNA damage is caused by ubiquitous reactive oxygen species, very chemically active molecules created as byproducts of respiration. When DNA meets reactive oxygen species, one of the most common results is the transformation of the DNA base guanine into a molecule called 8-oxoguanine, which can produce mutations in genes.

To protect the integrity of the genetic code, cells remove 8-oxoguanine from their DNA with a repair enzyme called OGG1. OGG1 does its job by attaching to a damaged base, cutting it free from the DNA molecule, and then releasing it. Boldogh and his collaborators found that their key byproduct was being produced just after this repair process was completed. Analyzing test-tube, cell-culture and mouse experimental data, they realized that immediately after being released by OGG1, 8-oxoguanine reunites with the repair enzyme, attaching at a bonding site different from the one used previously. And the resulting 8-oxoguanine-OGG1 complex, they found, has the ability to activate the powerful Ras signaling pathways, some of the most important biochemical networks in the cell.

"Ras family proteins are involved in almost every cell function: metabolism, activation of genes, growth signals, inflammation signals, apoptosis," Boldogh said. "Because it activates Ras pathways, the release of 8-oxoguanine in DNA base repair could be a master regulator of many very basic processes."

According to Boldogh, learning to control this "master regulator," could result in profound consequences for biomedical science and human health. "The ability to regulate 8-oxoguanine excision may give us the ability to prevent the inflammation that's key to a number of chronic diseases arthritis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and others," he said. "We believe it may even enable us to extend lifespan, or at least healthy lifespan, which would be a very big achievement. Possibilities like that make us believe that this discovery is going to be very significant."

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Scientists tie DNA repair to key cell signaling network

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'Tree of Life' symposium at NYBG

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Public release date: 15-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Stevenson Swanson sswanson@nybg.org 718-817-8512 The New York Botanical Garden

Three leading researchers in evolutionary biology and biodiversity will explore pressing current issues in one of the most important projects in contemporary sciencethe quest to understand the fundamental evolutionary relationships among speciesat the 2012 Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Symposium on Wednesday, June 20, at The New York Botanical Garden.

Ever since Charles Darwin sketched a simple tree to illustrate how species are related, scientists have endeavored to construct a "tree of life" that traces the evolutionary ancestry of related species. The advent of fast, reliable DNA sequencing and dramatically increased computing capacity has transformed that endeavor, allowing researchers to discover relationships among species at the molecular level.

The Cullman Symposium, "Assembling the Tree of Life," will cover such subjects as the significance of the tree of life as a scientific endeavor with practical applications, the impact it is having on environmental research and information technology, and its potential to help address a wide array of problems, from climate change to human disease.

Quentin Wheeler, Ph.D., Founding Director of the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University, will discuss his experiences as the former director of the Division of Environmental Biology at the National Science Foundation, where he was responsible for launching the Assembling the Tree of Life (AToL) program.

Sandra Knapp, Ph.D., Merit Researcher at the Natural History Museum in London, will talk about the importance of understanding the species at the tips of the tree of life, not just its branching patterns, in using tree-of-life information to conserve plant diversity.

Dennis Stevenson, Ph.D., the Botanical Garden's Vice President for Laboratory Research, will draw on his extensive research as a leading evolutionary botanist to show how understanding evolutionary problem solving at the genetic level could help address such current problems as species conservation, climate change, and even human diseases.

From June 16th to June 22nd, the Garden is hosting scientists from around the world who study one of the oldest but often overlooked forms of plant life on Earth--mosses. This group of plants, called bryophytes, was a pivotal step in the evolution of plants from water to land, and their significance in maintaining healthy ecosystems and preserving biodiversity is increasingly recognized.

The weeklong series of scientific presentations and lectures encompasses two separate conferences and the Cullman Symposium, which is held every other year at the Garden to inform a diverse audience, ranging from scientists to the general public, about the latest advances in molecular biology.

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'Tree of Life' symposium at NYBG

10 foods that can make you look YOUNGER

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No anti-aging cream, lotion or medicine can have your skin looking as young as when you consume foods that keep it healthy.

When you have the money, a scalpel and a knife can reverse your natural aging process and have you looking younger, but then it's rather plastic. You can get that genuine radiance from deep within -- a little restructuring of your diet will let the glow stay forever. So here's the list of top 10 foods which will trap your youth for the long term!

1. Nuts

Rich in Vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, nuts are a rich source of nutrients vital to your skin. They protect it by forming a fluid, rich membrane in the skin that is moist and flexible. Hence, wrinkles are kept away at bay and the radiance is blemish-free. The fluidity keeps the skin supple and prevents premature aging.

Your pick: Walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts, chia seeds and flaxseed

LifeMojo is one of the most trusted sources of information about good health and wellness. To those who want to manage their health themselves, LifeMojo provides necessary information, tips, tracking tools and support to help them stay informed and motivated.

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10 foods that can make you look YOUNGER

QualityStocks News – International Stem Cell (ISCO) Announces Discovery of New Protein-Based Stem Cell Technology

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Technology to provide ISCO with future out-licensing opportunities to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industriesScottsdale, Arizona (PRWEB) June 15, 2012 QualityStocks would like to highlight International Stem Cell Corporation, a publicly traded company focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell ...

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QualityStocks News - International Stem Cell (ISCO) Announces Discovery of New Protein-Based Stem Cell Technology

Stem cell treatment helps heal stroke victims

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"So it's interesting to see that in all the patients so far they have improved slightly over the course of their involvement in the study."

The six patients suffered strokes between six months and five years before they were treated, and all had been left with limb weakness.

The patients were assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale which ranked the first five patients with a median score of eight before the treatment and four points three months afterwards.

The sixth patient was treated less than three months ago. Six further patients will be treated as part of this Phase 1 trial.

Professor Muir said he was "intrigued" by the early results.

He added: "We know that if you're involved in a trial you are going to see patients change in behaviour, particularly if you're doing something invasive, so we need to be very cautious indeed in interpreting these results.

"However, that said, it is not something we'd anticipated seeing in this group of patients."

Further trials are needed to establish whether stem cells actually help the brain repair damaged tissue.

Michael Hunt, chief executive officer of the company developing the treatment, ReNeuron, said: "The clinical trial is primarily a safety study and we must therefore treat any of the observed early indications of functional benefit with considerable caution at this stage.

"That said, we remain encouraged by the results seen in the study to date and we look forward to providing further updates."

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China space program to launch 1st female astronaut

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China will send its first woman into space Saturday along with two other astronauts to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming the only third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.

Liu Yang, a 34-year-old air force pilot, and two male colleagues will be launched Saturday aboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, which will dock with the bus-sized Tiangong 1 space module now orbiting at 343 kilometres above the Earth.

"Arranging for women astronauts to fly is not only a must for the development of human spaceflight, but also the expectation of the public," space program spokeswoman Wu Ping said. "This is a landmark event."

Two of the astronauts will live and work inside the module to test its life-support systems while the third will remain in the capsule to deal with any unexpected emergencies. Wu said the mission will last more than 10 days before the astronauts travel back to Earth in the capsule, landing on Western Chinese grasslands with the help of parachutes.

The rocket began fueling Friday at the Jiugquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi desert in northern China, Wu told reporters at the centre. The launch is scheduled for 6:37 p.m. (1237 GMT) Saturday, she said.

Joining Liu, a major, is veteran astronaut and mission commander Jing Haipeng and newcomer Liu Wang, both air force senior colonels.

"You could say this mission is a combination of the old and the new and co-ordination between the male and female," Wu said.

Success in docking and in living and working aboard the Tiangong 1 would smooth the way for more ambitious projects, including the creation of a permanent space station and missions to the moon, and add to China's international prestige in line with its growing economic prowess.

China is hoping to join the United States and Russia as the only countries to have sent independently maintained space stations into orbit. It already is in the exclusive three-nation club to have launched a spacecraft with astronauts on its own.

The mission demonstrates China's commitment to "long-term human spaceflight" and marks a test of "the technological capabilities requisite for a future permanent space station," said Joan Johnson-Freese, an expert on the Chinese space program at the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island.

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China space program to launch 1st female astronaut

China sending its first female astronaut to temporary space base

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JIUQUAN, China China will send its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.

Liu Yang, a 34-year-old air force pilot, and two male colleagues will be launched Saturday aboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, which will dock with the bus-sized Tiangong 1 space module now orbiting at 343 kilometers (213 miles) above the Earth.

"Arranging for women astronauts to fly is not only a must for the development of human spaceflight, but also the expectation of the public," space program spokeswoman Wu Ping said. "This is a landmark event."

Two of the astronauts will live and work inside the module to test its life-support systems while the third will remain in the capsule to deal with any unexpected emergencies. Wu said the mission will last more than 10 days before the astronauts return to Earth in the capsule, landing on Western Chinese grasslands with the help of parachutes.

The rocket began fueling Friday at the Jiugquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi desert in northern China, Wu told reporters at the center. The launch is scheduled for 6:37 p.m. (1237 GMT) Saturday, she said.

- Chinese space program spokeswoman Wu Ping

Joining Liu, a major, is veteran astronaut and mission commander Jing Haipeng and newcomer Liu Wang, both air force senior colonels.

"You could say this mission is a combination of the old and the new and coordination between the male and female," Wu said.

Success in docking -- and in living and working aboard the Tiangong 1 -- would smooth the way for more ambitious projects, including the creation of a permanent space station and missions to the moon, and add to China's prestige in line with its growing economic prowess.

China is hoping to join the United States and Russia as the only countries to have sent independently maintained space stations into orbit. It already is in the exclusive three-nation club to have launched a spacecraft with astronauts on its own.

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China sending its first female astronaut to temporary space base

China's New Space Station Isn't Really A Space Station [Spacelopnik]

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Sometime very soon, China will be launching three Taikonauts to their new space station, making them only the third country ever to accomplish such a feat. The station, Tiangong 1 (it means Heavenly Palace, which sounds like a place I have a take-out menu from) was launched back in late September of last year. If you were to compare it to the first space stations launched by the old Soviet Union and the US (which everyone will), it seems incredibly modest and small. But that would be doing the Chinese space program a disservice, since they don't really intend it to be a space station at all.

They have a much better plan in mind it's not really a secret, but it's also not the story given to most media right now.

It's really a prototype of a cargo ship for a future, real space station.

That may not be as exciting as saying it's an orbiting laser platform that tracks you by your iPhone device ID, but it's actually a really smart move on the Chinese Space Agency's part. The Chinese are taking a very slow and carefully measured approach to their space program; compared to America's (or Russia's) they're spending very little money. So they have to make each and every launch count. Space stations as a concept are well understood now the hardest work has been done by the nine space stations that have preceded it since 1971 (for fun, here are the nine manned space stations: Salyuts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Mir, Skylab (which was huge), and the ISS).

This means the Chinese don't need to prove the concept, they need to just do it on their own. Even here they're standing on the shoulders of the Soviet program. Their manned spacecraft, Shenzou, is very much an improved, modernized Soyuz. Their future space station designs are based on the Salyut and Mir designs, though heavily modified and modernized. Tiangong, however, is different. It's not really based on the Salyut design, as a watcher of the Chinese space program would expect for their first station. It seems closer to a modified Shenzou.

Even though I preemptively chastised hypothetical other journalists from comparing Tiangong to other early space stations, that's exactly what I'm going to do now. But I give myself special permission. Let's first look at it compared to the very first space station ever, Salyut 1 from way back in 1971. Salyut 1 was basically a 40,000 lb pressurized cylinder with a docking port and 3500 cubic feet of internal volume for living, experiments, and what I suspect was the first 0g masturbation (of a higher primate I'm sure there was a reason there was no film of Ham the space chimp's flight). Tiangong 1, to compare, is a pressurized cylinder about 17,600 lbs and encloses about 508 cubic feet of habitable space. That's an awful lot less space for a crew of three to live and work in. And that's the first big clue this isn't a true space station.

If the Chinese could launch a 500 cubic foot cylinder, they could launch a 1500 cubic foot one or more without too much trouble. There's a good reason it's as small as it is. China is even referring to it as a "Target Vehicle" and space geeks are more likely to think of it as a "man-tended station" that is, it's a place you visit for a bit, not live in for long periods, like an actual space station. But all this is because it's a large cargo vehicle, not a small station.

As the Soviets demonstrated with Salyut 6, the key to living in space for really long periods of time is to have a spaceship with two or more docking ports and robotic resupply craft to keep sending up food, fuel, water, air, nudie mags, experiments, equipment, etc. The robotic craft they developed, the Progress, was a huge success and is still in use today. This is the vehicle the Tiangong 1 should be compared to, and in this context it makes total sense. It has about twice the interior, cargo-haulin' volume, and possibly many other advantages as well. We just don't know the details yet, but based on the Shenzou compared to a Soyuz, it's likely.

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China's New Space Station Isn't Really A Space Station [Spacelopnik]

Astronauts to Hold Summer Olympics in Space

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To mark the upcoming Olympic Games in London, a crew of astronauts due to launch to the space station this summer is planning an orbital sporting event for the occasion.

NASA astronaut Sunita (Suni) Williams, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency spaceflyer Akihiko Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko are due to launch July 14 to the International Space Station.

Their planned four-month stay in space will overlap with the London 2012 Olympics July 27 to Aug. 12, so the sporty spaceflyers have something up their sleeves to celebrate the event.

"Something unique about our increment is we have a very huge sports event during our increment, so what we're talking about amongst ourselves is, why don't we do some kind of sports event onboard the station too?" Hoshide told reporters during a NASA preview the mission. "We're just tossing around ideas right now, what kind of sport event we can do. That's something I'm looking forward to."

Astronauts have staged orbital sports before. In fact, for the last Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, the 11 astronauts aboard the space station and the space shuttle Endeavour, which was docked there at the time, recreated the event in orbit. [Video: Sports in Space]

The spaceflyers tried their hand at space skiing, the zero-Glugeand weightless figure skating, all the while beaming a video of their orbital Olympics to Mission Control.

"You are officially the only folks who are able to get more hang time than Shaun White," the American gold medal-winning snowboarder, Mission Control radioed to the astronauts.

This time around, the spaceflyers are still working out which orbital events to stage, given their limitations.

"We just thought it would be something fun to do on orbit," Hoshide said."We have limited space and limited equipment."

Williams herself has participated in weightless workouts before, when she ran along with the Boston marathon on the treadmill aboard the International Space Station in 2007. She completed the marathon infour hours, 24 minutes, all while orbiting the Earth at some 17,500 miles (28,163 kilometers) per hour.

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Astronauts to Hold Summer Olympics in Space