The two faces of science

Jab that 'makes it boring to smoke' could help users to quit

Fancy a career in science? There's a lot of money to be made in epidemiology. All you need to do is come up with a conclusion that will get you a grant, then come up with some figures to support it. Kerching!

Junk science has a practical side too if you fancy inventing something. Like this vaccine.

Quitting smoking could become a whole lot easier thanks to a jab which apparently takes the pleasure out of the habit.
Nicotine addicts will be helped to break free by the vaccine which sends ‘Pacman-like’ antibodies out to ‘gobble up’ the chemical before it reaches the brain.
This would mean the physical effects of smoking our bodies crave such as relaxation and lowering of heart rate are stubbed out as soon as nicotine enters the bloodstream.

It seems to me like there is one serious flaw with this drug. According to that dumbed down, childlike description, this vaccine breaks down nicotine before it has an effect on the body.

Would this not be just the same as smoking cigarettes that did not contain any nicotine? The same as quitting by going cold turkey? A method that the Tobacco Control Industry tells us is doomed to fail.

They also want to give it to children

If it proved to be safe and effective, it could eventually be included in school vaccination programmes to stop youngsters from ever starting to smoke, said Dr Crystal.

It's one thing to vaccinate children against possible diseases, but to vaccinate them against future choices is beyond an Orwellian nightmare.

And then there's the second face of science.

Scientists develop spray-on battery

There a still some scientists who follow the old ways. Who still dedicate themselves to creating positive things that benefit society.

(Reuters) - Scientists in the United States have developed a paint that can store and deliver electrical power just like a battery.
Traditional lithium-ion batteries power most portable electronics. They are already pretty compact but limited to rectangular or cylindrical blocks.
Researchers at Rice University in Houston, Texas, have come up with a technique to break down each element of the traditional battery and incorporate it into a liquid that can be spray-painted in layers on virtually any surface.
"This means traditional packaging for batteries has given way to a much more flexible approach that allows all kinds of new design and integration possibilities for storage devices," said Pulickel Ajayan, who leads the team on the project.

A rechargeable battery that can just be painted on a surface? Coupled with solar technology and you have an environmentally friendly way of powering your small appliances.

Free, clean energy. No toxic batteries in landfill. Everyones a winner.

Isn't that a better application of science than tobacco control and social engineering? I suppose that depends on your morals.