[July 22, 2011] AP Science NewsBrief at 10:22 a.m. EDT Tweet (Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) UK scientists want human-animal tests monitoredLONDON (AP) _ British scientists say a new expert body should be formed to regulate experiments mixing animal and human DNA to make sure no medical or ethical boundaries are crossed. In a report issued on Friday, scientists at the nation's Academy of Medical Sciences said a government organization is needed to advise whether certain tests on animals that use human DNA should be pursued. End of an era: Last space shuttle comes homeCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) _ The space shuttle passed into history Thursday, the words "wheels stop" crackling over the cockpit radio for the very last time. In an almost anticlimactic end to the 30-year-old program, Atlantis and its four astronauts glided to a ghostly landing in near-darkness after one last visit to the International Space Station, completing the 135th and final shuttle flight. GAO: Blocked fuel line hampered military satelliteDENVER (AP) _ A small piece of cloth stuck in a fuel line may be the reason a military communications satellite hasn't reached its planned orbit since it was launched in August, government auditors said Thursday. The Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite is still expected to reach its intended altitude, but not until October, nearly a year late. The Air Force Space Command, based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and the contractor, Lockheed Martin Corp., devised a work-around plan to get the satellite to its intended altitude. Hot nights can compound danger from heat wavesWASHINGTON (AP) _ The killer lurking in the shadows of the current heat wave may be hot nights. "Everybody kind of gets fixated on how hot it gets: `Did we break 100?'" observed Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel. "But the nighttime temperatures can be just as important." iFraud: Entire Apple stores being faked in ChinaBEIJING (AP) _ It looks almost exactly like a sleek Apple store. Sales assistants in blue T-shirts with the company's logo chat with customers. Signs advertising the iPad 2 hang on the white walls. Outside, the famous logo sits next to the words "Apple Store" _ one of the few clues that the whole thing is a fake. China, long known for producing counterfeit consumer gadgets, software and brand name clothing, has reached a new piracy milestone _ fake Apple stores. Applause, but no tears in Mission Control at endHOUSTON (AP) _ There was no crying in Mission Control. In fact, it took awhile before any signs of emotion from the steely engineers of that famous room that takes care of the astronauts from post-launch to just after wheels-stop. Shuttle workers face layoffs, diminished staffCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) _ Kennedy Space Center workers in Florida celebrated and mourned the final space shuttle landing Thursday. They were thrilled with the success of the last mission, which ended with Atlantis touching down before dawn at the Florida landing strip. But they also traded goodbye hugs and took souvenir photos of their colleagues, knowing some of them won't be returning next week. Heat and humidity conspire for discomfort, dangerWASHINGTON (AP) _ When it comes to the discomfort and health risks of the current heat wave, it's not just the heat or the humidity _ it's both. The temperature conspires with the amount of moisture in the air to make it hard for the human body to cool itself. Living-long paper withdrawn after data questionedWASHINGTON (AP) _ The authors of a widely reported study that offered an early glimpse into factors leading to long life are withdrawing the paper because of problems with some of the data they used. The study, published last July in the journal Science, said that by looking at genetic markers the researchers were able to determine with 77 percent accuracy which gene groups came from people over 100. Science materials in Texas get prelim. approvalAUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ An expected fight over teaching evolution in Texas classrooms fizzled Thursday when the state's Board of Education gave preliminary approval to supplemental science materials for the coming school year and beyond with only minor changes. The Republican-dominated board drew national attention in 2009 when it adopted science standards encouraging schools to scrutinize "all sides" of scientific theory, a move some creationists hailed as a victory. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]