Israel’s Oil Dreams, Laughter Fights Pain, Italian Scientists on Trial
Drilling in process at a site in Israel. (Photo by Daniel Estrin)
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This Week: We’re taking you to Israel, Italy and the U.K. Italy has put a group of scientists on trial regarding the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. Scientists in Oxford have found that laughter lowers pain. And Israel has discovered vast oil reserves.
Italian Scientists on Trial for Manslaughter: The 2009 earthquake in the mountain city of L’Aquila, Italy killed some 300 people in the city and surrounding areas. Now, a group of scientists have gone on trial for manslaughter. The prosecution is accusing the scientists of failing to properly warn residents of the danger.
Laughter Fights Pain: Scientists have found that laughter may indeed be the best medicine. They found that a good giggle can help people withstand up to 10% more pain. Anchor Lisa Mullins talks to Mark van Vugt, who is a co-author of the study.
Israel’s Oil Dreams Spurs Environmental Battle: When you think of petroleum in the Middle East, Israel is hardly the place that comes to mind. Well, Israel recently announced controversial plans to drill for natural gas in a contested region of the Mediterranean Sea. And now an Israeli firm contends that the country is sitting on an oil bonanza, in the form of a vast deposit of energy-rich rock known as oil shale. The company says the resource could transform Israel’s energy economy, but its plans have set off an environmental battle replete with biblical imagery.
Read more here.
