10 Who Were Blinded (or Worse) by Science

(NEWSER) - On August 25, 1609—400 years ago today—Galileo Galilei introduced Venice to the telescope, and the discoveries it enabled were every bit as revolutionary as Darwinism, writes Peter Walker of the Guardian. With his telescope, a brown stick weaker than today's store-bought models, Galileo detected moon-like phases of Venus, proving that planets revolve around the sun and not Earth. That brought Galileo scientific immortality, but not before he suffered years of persecution. More»

Targeted therapy may prevent lethal spread, researchers say

(NEWSER) - Researchers have singled out a gene that spreads breast cancer and makes it chemo-resistant, raising the prospect of drug therapy that localizes the disease and improves survival rates, the Baltimore Sun reports. Scientists believe that metadherin, or MTDH—found in 40% of the breast cancer patients studied—makes tumor cells sticky so they latch onto blood vessels in distant organs. More»

Heretic remains a touchy subject in Catholic Church

(NEWSER) - Galileo Galilei is riling the Catholic church yet again, the Wall Street Journal reports, as an anonymous donor has offered to pay to erect a statue in the Vatican of Catholicism’s most famous heretic. But though the church has come around on science, Galileo remains a touchy subject. He’s “like a Mexican soap opera,” said one Vatican official. “It never ends.” More»

And why it's hard to treat

(NEWSER) - Electrical signals carry pain impulses to the brain—that much scientists know. But how to treat pain remains a question, LiveScience reports. Here's the scoop:

1. It "is a complex mixture of emotions, culture, experience, spirit, and sensation," one expert said. In other words, it's hard to even define.

2. People suffering from chronic pain like backaches have smaller brains. Maybe their neurons just get stressed out.

Esquire presents a real man's guide to life before death

(NEWSER) - On Esquire's 75th anniversary, the quintessential men's mag recommends 75 things every man should do before he dies. A smattering:

1. Eat wild game you killed, dressed, and cooked yourself.
2. Acknowledge the accomplishments of others
3. Make an omelet
4. Fast for three days, consuming only water
5. Play a game of rugby