Colour-blind no more

Two formerly colour-blind squirrel monkeys can now see in full colour. The animals were injected in the eye with a harmless virus carrying a gene they lacked. This enabled them to make "long-wavelength opsin", a pigment needed to distinguish red from green (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature08401).

Protect the mothers

If pregnant women catch swine flu, their health is at particular risk, so mothers-to-be are the subjects in the latest swine flu vaccine trial, conducted by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The 120 receiving the vaccine will be monitored for adverse effects, whether they produce H1N1-flu antibodies and how well their placenta transports these to the fetus.

Saturn's stormy nights

A lightning storm on Saturn has zapped its way into the record books. First seen by NASA's Cassini probe in January, it is now the longest-running storm observed in the solar system. Saturn is no stranger to extreme weather: a region called Storm Alley has experienced lightning storms up to 3000 kilometres across.

Enjoy a group session

Good news for gregarious people: group exercise boosts endorphin levels. College crews rowing in synchrony had a heightened endorphin rush compared with when they trained alone using the same regime (Biology Letters, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0670).

More room for rockets

Work on China's fourth space-launch centre began this week on Hainan Island in the South China Sea. The Wenchang Space Satellite Launch Center will launch China's powerful Long March CZ-5 rocket, capable of carrying components for a space station or lunar mission.

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