Gearfuse

Good idea: buying a PS2 to play some sick games.

Bad idea: buying a PS2 to gut it and smuggle drugs into your country.

That’s just what these three men, two Canadians and a New Zealander, are accused of. Well, not so much accused but more like getting caught red handed. Australian customs detected the parcel containing the drugs at Sydney’s international mail facility on October 5. They found 3,400 ecstasy pills hidden inside the PS2 that was en route to an address connected to the three men. They’re now facing life imprisonment and/or a $825,000 fine. Drugs don’t pay, kids.

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From Melbourne, Australia comes a Silicon-based chip that might one day help scientiests and doctors with the early diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease. Melbourne scientists have started diagnostic testing the 17 genes they believe to be causes of the neurological disorder.

If tests show to be successful, the $500 genetic test could make previous measures obsolete, which were also a lot more expensive. The new technology relies on a gene-sequencing chip less than half the size of a matchbook and should one day be able to tell the patient how quickly their disease will progress and what treatment would work best for them.

Current tests cost more then $4000, but the new chip could predict childrens risk of acquiring the disease for a mere percentage of that price. Scientists also hope to further narrow down or expand on the list of 17 genes they believe to be involved. Roger Norton, chief executive of Parkinson’s Australia, who himself has the disease says “It can be alarming because you’ve got the shakes and your arms and legs don’t work properly and you don’t know why. A test that can help with diagnosis is a marvelous development.” Indeed it is. — Andrew Dobrow

Aussie first for Parkinson’s disease [News.com.au]