An estimated 13.7 million alcoholics in the U.S. may soon have help in dealing with their dependency. The search for the causes of alcoholism may lead to solutions for treatment of the disease, and fruit flies may be the answer. Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco are using fruit flies in an attempt to crack the genetic causes of alcoholism. There is also a formal classification for the fruit flies who are the first to weave, stumble, and finally tumble down a series of ledges. And while discovering that fruit flies share some of the symptoms with humans is not exactly identifying the gene for alcoholism, it offers a genetic approach to locating both acute and chronic effects of alcohol in people.
Many professionals can choose their own work schedules or telecommute from home.
Students can earn a degree by e-mail or view tapes of lectures far from campus. Services such as banking are available on-line at any time. People are demanding the freedom to do what they want, when they want, and are increasingly able to find technology that allows them to do it. The Internet, automated teller machines, and 24-hour phone services allow more Americans to conduct business, do their jobs or have fun at any hour. A small segment of the population has always worked the night shift and operated on different schedules, but technology is increasingly blurring the lines between night and day.