Health

Welcome to 2013 and our first headlines posting of the year. This week's stories include:

• Mars Rover Approaches Ninth Anniversary on the Planet and is Still Ticking
• Study Correlates Climate Change with Increased Episodes of Volcanism

MobiSante has built the first smartphone-based ultrasound system designed to support diagnostic imaging anywhere there is cellphone coverage and that means virtually everywhere on the planet.

I have my annual physical next week and as always it involves collecting vials of my blood for numerous tests - cholesterol, iron levels, calcium, blood sugar....you name it. What always gets me is the amount of blood taken. I'm a regular blood donor and sometimes I swear that I give more blood during my annual physical than I do when I go to a donor clinic. Of course that's not true.

If some pundits are right, 80% of doctors will find themselves replaced by machines in the 21st century. What kind of machines?

This week's five stories look at:

• New 3D Display Represents Advance in Augmented Reality;
• More Evidence that Fracking Causes Earthquakes;
• Seeding the Ocean to Sequester Carbon a Non-Starter;
• New Microscale Actuator Provides Engine for Micro Robots;