Sci Files

Compiled by Ernist Reid and Flynn Daunt

1 New spine finds
Researchers at the Queen’s MRI facility found new ways spinal cords function. The facility’s director, Dr. Peter Stroman, has discovered that spinal cords actually processes information, similar to our brains. This discovery may change the way spinal cord injuries are pin-pointed and repaired.
Dr. Stroman was also shocked to see how levels of attention affect how the spinal cord processes information. “We already knew that a person’s level of attention affects information processing in the brain,” Dr. Stroman said. “But this finding has made us aware that [attention level] has to be properly controlled in research that aims to accurately map spinal cord function.”
With files from Queens U

2 Free to pay news
On Monday, the New York Times launched its digital “paywall” internationally after testing out the system on Canadian readers. Without subscribing, readers will now only be able to read 20 articles every month. The paywall has its flaws, however – NYT requested Twitter shutdown @freeNYTimes, after they discovered visits through Twitter were unlimited. There is also NYTClean, a javascript bookmark that clears the paywall in four lines of code. Talking to Forbes about NYTClean, a spokesperson said “as with any paid product, we expect that there will be some percentage of people who will find ways around our digital subscriptions. We will continue to monitor the situation but plan no changes.”
With files from blogs.Forbes

3 Pepsi bottling plants look to their gardens
Pepsi may have hit a chord with the new generation, recently revealing a new bottle that should make its way to store shelves in 2012. PepsiCo now offers packaging entirely created from plant products. The products used for this new bottle include plants like grass and bark along with food scraps like orange peels. While the new bottle is not biodegradable, it is recyclable, and the fact it does not use petroleum products will reduce the carbon footprint of each bottle created. Pepsi hopes to continue this trend, as they also created the compostable SunChips bag.
With files from MSNBC