Trudging gingerly across the arid sands of the Gobi desert, Czech explorer Ivan Mackerle is careful not to put a foot wrong, for he knows it may be his last. He scours the land and shifting valleys for tell-tale signs of disturbance in the sands below, always ready for the unexpected lurch of an alien being said to kill in one strike with a sharp spout of acidic venom to the face. A creature so secretive that no photographic evidence yet exists, but the locals know it’s there, always waiting in silence for its prey, waiting to strike – the Mongolian Death Worm.

Reported to be between two and five feet long, the deep-red coloured worm is said to resemble the intestines of a cow and sprays a yellow acidic saliva substance at its victims, who if they’re unlucky enough to be within touching distance also receive an electric shock powerful enough to kill a camel… or them.

Given the latin name Allghoi khorkhoi, the Mongolian Death Worm was first referred to by American paleontologist Professor Roy Chapman Andrews (apparently the inspiration for the Indiana Jones character) in his book On the Trail of Ancient Man, in 1926 but he didn’t appear to be entirely convinced about the whole idea. Even though locals were desperate to relay events of when the dreaded worm struck, Andrews writes: “None of those present ever had seen the creature, but they all firmly believed in its existence and described it minutely.” But it wasn’t to stop other inquisitive adventurers taking up the investigative mantle when Andrews was no longer interested, or able to pursue the matter.

Only a few years ago, in 2005, a group of English scientists and cryptozoologists spent a month in the hostile Gobi desert searching for the fabled creature, and although they spoke to a number of Mongolians in the area, all of whom regaled wondrous stories of the worm, no one could verify they had seen the creature first-hand. Even still, after four weeks the team had gathered enough verbal evidence to be convinced that the worm really does exist. Lead researcher, Richard Freeman, said: “Every eyewitness account and story we have heard describes exactly the same thing: a red-brown worm-like snake, approximately two feet long and two inches thick with no discernable head or back (tail).”

Today, it is Ivan Mackerle, a self-made cryptozoologist who travels the world in search of scientific evidence that proves creatures like the Loch Ness monster and Mongolian Death Worm exist. As a boy he read the stories of the Russian paleontologist Yefremov, who wrote about a worm, which resembled a bloody intestine, that could grow to the length of a small man and mysteriously kill people at great distance, possibly with poison or electricity.

Mackerle says: “I thought it was only science fiction. But when I was in university, we had a Mongolian student in our class. I asked him, ‘Do you know what this is, the Allghoi khorkhoi?’ I was waiting for him to start laughing, to say that’s nothing. But he leaned in, like he had a secret, and said, ‘I know it. It is a very strange creature.’”

So Does the Mongolian Death Worm really exist, and what if it does?

This insistence by locals that worm is a reality will continue to fuel inquisitive minds and as long as open-mindedness remains a fair virtue, we’re prepared to wait a little longer for empirical proof of its existence.

Just remember, if you do decide to go Death Worm hunting in the Gobi desert, don’t wear yellow, seemingly that’s the color that sends our wrinkly friend into one its trademark electrifying, spitting freak outs. Don’t say we didn’t warm you.

A miraculous 'elixir of youth' which could extend the human life span by more than a decade is being developed by scientists.

The anti-ageing pill was created from a chemical found in the soil of Easter Island - one of the most remote and mysterious places on the planet.

In tests on animals, the chemical increased life expectancy by a staggering 38 per cent.

While the breakthrough sounds like something out of science fiction, scientists say the discovery is a major leap towards longer lives for everyone.

The drug, rapamycin, is already used to suppress the immune systems of organ transplant patients.

It is also employed in heart operations and is being tested for its anti-cancer properties.

The scientists believe that the drug could be developed within a decade.

Dr Arlan Richardson, who led the research at the University of Texas, said: 'I never thought we would find an anti-ageing pill for people in my lifetime. However, rapamycin shows a great deal of promise to do just that.'

An anti-ageing pill is a Holy Grail for medical research and its development would have major repercussions for society.

In a world where people routinely live to 90 and 100, retirement ages would need to creep forward into the 70s while extended life spans would put enormous pressures on healthcare, housing and social services - as well as marriages.

The implications of a such a pill also depends on the quality of those extra years.
If an ageing drug delays every aspect of getting old, then users could enjoy 100 years of good health.

But if it simply postpones death, they could find their last few decades blighted by failing eyesight, hearing loss, frailty and dementia.

Rapamycin was discovered in the 1970s during a worldwide search for new antibiotics.

The chemical is produced by a microbe that lives in the Easter Island soil.

In its current form, the drug is too dangerous to hand out as an anti-ageing pill.

The compound suppresses the immune system and makes patients vulnerable to any viruses and bacteria.

The existing version of the drug also increases the risk of cancer and would need to be modified before using in human trials.

However, researchers believe the new discovery will lead them to similar - but less harmful - anti-therapies.

In the study, reported today in the journal Nature, scientists tested rapamycin on nearly 2,000 laboratory mice aged around 600 days - roughly the equivalent to a 60-year-old person.

Around a quarter of the mice were given a normal diet, the others the Easter Island chemical.

The drug increased the maximum life span of the mice from 1,094 days to 1,245 days for females, and from 1,078 to 1,179 days for males.

From the point the mice began the treatment, the drug extended the females' life expectancy by 38 per cent, and males by 28 per cent. Overall it expanded their life span by 9 to 14 per cent.

What amazed the scientists is that the drug worked even though the mice started to be given it only in middle and old age.

Until now, scientists have developed just two ways of extending the life span of mammals.

One is to tinker with their genes, the other to restrict their diet.

Repeated studies have shown that cutting calories can make animals and people live longer.

Experts believe that rapamycin - which acts on a protein in cells called TOR - might fool the body into thinking that calories are being restricted. British scientists described the findings as exciting - but stressed that rapamycin weakens the immune system, exposing patients to potentially dangerous diseases.

In its current form, an extended life span would come at the cost of having to live in a germ-free tent.

Researchers want to find another more subtle drug target that extends life, but which does not damage the immune system.

Dr Lynne Cox, researcher in ageing at Oxford University, said: 'In no way should anyone consider using this particular drug to try to extend their own life span as rapamycin suppresses immunity. While the lab mice were protected from infection, that's simply impossible in the human population.

'What the study does is to highlight an important molecular pathway that new, more specific drugs might be designed to work on.

'Whether it's a sensible thing to try to increase life span this way is another matter: Perhaps increasing health span rather than overall life span might be a better goal.'

They say that timing is everything, and newborn Van William Shephard is off to an auspicious start.

He was born at 4:56 p.m. on July, 8, 2009, at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa. His parents were thrilled with their healthy, handsome bundle of joy, but they didn't immediately realize the significance of the timing.

"They pulled him out and said, 'Time of birth, 4:56 on 7/8. Oh, wait a second! 4,5,6,7,8,9!" explained new father Kenny Shepherd.

The numerological coincidence doesn't end there. Mother Jen Shepherd said little Van's birth weight was 7 pounds, 8 ounces. What are the odds?

"It's a fun, new adventure for us," the proud mother told Fox 5. "It's great that we have a fun date and all that stuff to look back on."

Van's due date was originally July 7, so Van's parents didn't think about it. Now they are now wondering if numbers will play a role in little Van's future.

"A CPA would not be too bad. Then he can support us when we get old," Kenny Shepherd said with a laugh.

As for baby 456789, the special birth date doesn't appear to have made much of an impression yet, his mother said.

"He's not interested in anything but sleeping." Jen Shepherd told Fox 5.

Expectant parents have at least one more interesting date to shoot for this year. Numerologists say Sept. 9 at 9:09 a.m. would also be a fine time to enter the world.

Tour De France 2009 Standings.

Daily I will bring you the update of every Tour De France 2009 stage as well as the General Classification Standings.


Tour De France 2009 Overall Standings after Stage 8

1. NOCENTINI Rinaldo AG2R-LA MONDIALE 25h 44′ 32″
2. CONTADOR Alberto ASTANA + 00′ 06″
3. ARMSTRONG Lance ASTANA + 00′ 08″
4. LEIPHEIMER Levi ASTANA + 00′ 39″
5. WIGGINS Bradley GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM + 00′ 46″
6. KLÖDEN Andréas ASTANA + 00′ 54″
7. MARTIN Tony TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC + 01′ 00″
8. VANDE VELDE Christian GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM + 01′ 24″
9. SCHLECK Andy TEAM SAXO BANK + 01′ 49″
10. NIBALI Vincenzo LIQUIGAS + 01′ 54″

An Indian photographer, Jaswant Singh, is living with five kidneys after three donations from members of his family.

Mr Singh, 33, has had three transplant operations after donations from his two sisters and mother.

However, after the first two failed, doctors decided to leave the non-functioning organs inside him.

Mr Singh has received his latest kidney from his 55-year-old mother and is determined that this time the transplant will work.

Mr Singh had his first transplant in 2002 after both his kidney's suddenly failed.

The organ, which was donated by his older sister, Harjindar Kaur, 36, functioned for more than a year.

"However, my body rejected the kidney once I stopped post-operation medication because of financial constraints," he said.

Two years later, Mr Singh received another kidney, this time from his younger sister, Ranvir Kaur, 27. After 14 months, he was placed back on dialysis, after his body rejected the organ of yet another family member.

While discussing his latest transplant, Mr Singh cited his family's "determination to see me live," adding, "this time my mother, 55, gave me her bean shaped organ."

Amar Kaur, 56, offered to donate knowing it was her son's last chance.

"The new kidney is functioning properly so for," said Mr Singh, who lives in the Punjab. "But presently I am on heavy medication. It will become more clear after I cut down my medication in six months.

"It is very difficult to explain how much I have suffered. Sometimes I could not work for months at a time. I couldn't go far from my home or eat outside."

Doctors from India's National Kidney Hospital were so moved by the young photographer's story and the determination of his family, who spent £11,500 (Rs 900,000), that they performed Mr Singh's most recent transplant surgery for free.

"I was not able to afford the surgeries myself by running a photography shop. But I am thankful to my family. They sold their farmland to pay for my surgeries. My father sold about eight acres of land. "

Mr Singh's family makes a modest living - his brother is a driver and his father sells milk.

"I hope my body doesn't reject this kidney," he said. I do not know what to do if worst happens but still I have hopes on my family, on my brother and father.

"My sisters and my mother happily donated their kidneys for me. They were not scared at all and voluntarily did it.

"My sister told me, 'You are my brother and I will try to save your life even at the cost of my own life.' This really moved me. I cannot give them back anything in return.

"I cannot explain it in words and there is no way that I can pay them back. My life is indebted to them and it is their greatness that I am still living."

Since July 7, midnight on the International Dateline, all voting is on hold as the results of the 2nd phase are calculated and verified. From July 9, the top 77 nominees will be shown on this website, from which the New 7 Wonders of Nature Panel of Experts will advise on the choice of the 28 Official Finalists, to be announced on July 21, 2009 at 7 minutes past midday GMT - and on that day, voting resumes in the Official New 7 Wonders of Nature, to be chosen by over 1 billion votes and to be revealed in 2011.