But historians cited by the New York Times said a more convincing, if humdrum, explanation is the Danish astronomer was exposed to mercury through alchemical experiments or from medicine used to treat his kidney or bladder ailments.

Radiographer loses registration in raunchy photo scandal


An Australian radiographer had his registration suspended and was given two years' probation after he tricked a nurse into sending him nude photos, the AAP reports.

According to a court hearing described by the AAP, Jordan Hennig, a 27-year-old radiologic technologist from the city of Gold Coast, convinced a nurse to send him nude and explicit photographs after he forged a bogus identity and offered her work as a model.

Recently, the medical radiologic technologists board for the state of Queensland revoked Hennig's registration, and told him he couldn't re-apply until his probation order expires next November, AAP said.

Hennig pleaded guilty to unlawful stalking in a Southport Magistrates Court in November 2009, and received two years' probation and was ordered to receive counseling, AAP said.

Portable ultrasounds fan India's abortion worries

Indian authorities worry that relatively cheap portable ultrasounds could make it easier for unscrupulous doctors to perform sex-selective abortions, the Times of India reports.

The paper cites health authorities from the northern state of Haryana who fear that the cell phone-sized ultrasound devices, which retail for between $12,100 - $13,300, could be used illegally to find out the sex of a fetus, leading to abortions of girls.

India has a lopsided sex ratio, which many activists blame on sex-selective abortions. The 2001 census revealed there were only 946 females for every 1,000 males, with 35 million fewer women and girls than boys and men, according to reports. And the Times says it's even more lopsided for "boy-crazy" Haryana: the sex ratio there is 850 women for every 1,000 men.

Sex determination tests have been illegal countrywide since 1994, and Haryana officials say there's no evidence portable ultrasounds have been improperly used. Nonetheless, there's widespread concern that underground sex determination tests still go on. The state's health ministry said it's preparing a report on the matter.

"Such portable ultrasound equipment are being widely used ostensibly to determine the gender of the fetus," Dr. Arvind Sharma, a member of parliament from the center-left Indian National Congress, said, according to the Times. "If no steps are taken against the misuse, all efforts to stop female feticide would go waste."


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