By Christine Suh
UPI Science News
From the Science & Technology Desk
Published 4/17/2003 7:45 AM
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VOICE RECORDINGS EASY TO FAKE

It is easy to fake a voice recording and hard to detect, Oregon researchers have found. "Many places in the world are developing technologies that can quickly and easily transform voices," said Jan van Santen, mathematical psychologist at Oregon Health and Science University. Because of this, distinguishing a faker from the real thing is becoming more difficult. To fake a voice recording, an actor mimics someone else's voice, dialect and rhythm. Then a system transforms the actor's speech to sound just like the original person. This is one of many methods, researchers noted. Although the owner of the original voice could detect a copycat, newer and better techniques are being developed, each one with its own signature, researchers said, adding this proliferation will make voice identification more and more difficult -- and perhaps impossible.

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DISINFECTANT TURNS TOXIC IN SUNLIGHT

Some of the toxins in the environment could be coming from the interaction between sunlight and a common ingredient in anti-bacterial soaps, new research has found. In a cascade of events, starting at someone's sink, the transformation could become an environmental threat. At the Mississippi River, researchers added triclosan to the water and shined ultraviolet light on it. The light converted between 1 and 12 percent of the triclosan to dioxin, an extremely toxic chemical. Although not immediately threatening -- because the dioxin variety formed was relatively benign -- the authors said treatment of this water with chlorine could lead to the production of more toxic dioxins. Researchers took on this study, funded by the U.S. Geological Survey, after reading reports of pharmaceutical compounds in surface waters around the country. The USGS reported last year triclosan is in 58 percent of natural waters tested.

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SEXY FIREFLY FLASHES

In terms of firefly flashes, the longer the shine, the more attractive the male, Tufts University researchers have found. Like flamboyant birds that display audacious tails and scarlet crests, male fireflies try to glow longer to show they will be good mates. Researchers also found being a good mate involves giving a large nuptial gift, e.g., food. Male fireflies who lit up longer were likely to provide sizable gifts. Bigger packages mean more nutrients for the females, an important factor for the future mothers. Another discovery: the fireflies studied stopped eating once they reach adulthood.

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PREMATURE-AGING GENE FOUND

Researchers have identified the gene that causes Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria, a rare but fatal disorder that accelerates the aging process. The chromosomal culprit is the LMNA gene, which programs the Lamin A and Lamin C proteins. With a third protein, they create a mesh lining around a cell's nucleus. Researchers determined that a LMNA mutation interferes with the proper making of Lamin A proteins. Defective proteins can cause cells to divide improperly and die early, which hinders tissue regeneration. The genetic problems within give children with HGP the outward appearance and health problems of older age –- baldness, aged-looking skin, joint stiffness and cardiovascular problems. The key discovery, described in Science, could help researchers eventually come up with a therapy for the currently incurable disease.

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(Editors: For more information on VOICE COPIES, contact Sydney Clevenger at 503-748-1546 or clevenge@ohsu.edu. For TOXINS, Deane Morrison at 612-624-2346 or morri029@umn.edu. For FIREFLY, Craig LeMoult at 617-627-4317 or craig.lemoult@tufts.edu. For GENE, Lisa Onaga at 202-326-7088 or lonaga@aaas.org)