Scratch and play yourself.
American-Swedish student invents clothes that play music. When someone lays their paws on your clothes, sounds come out...and even music. The unusual fashion concept has been developed by an American student at the Swedish School of Textiles along with a fellow technician, Dan Riley. The first sounds they have created resemble the tones from a harp, and they are working on a much wider repertoire. “The outfit is for a traveling nomad who wishes to communicate with other nomads, so the sound is inspired by nature,” says Han. She adds that that the aesthetic aspect is important and considerable effort has gone into developing the pattern. She has also received assistance from the Gothenburg Strap Factory Museum in producing the straps for the outfit. “The outfit is made of material with integrated sensors that react when someone comes close or touches it,” explains Riley. Their vision is to launch a band in which members will wear these special cloth costumes on stage, and thus, perform by playing themselves. “We also want to develop the technology to make it easy to produce the clothing in the future,” concludes Han.

More get old, especially women.
While females are on average living to an older age than men, both more often reach 90 today. Nowadays, an increasing number reach very old age, but reaching 90 was rare in Sweden for those born in 1861, when only 3% of women and 2% of men experienced nine decades of age. Among women born in 1861, nearly half, 47%, were still alive at age 65. Suffering higher mortality due to wars and generally rougher lifestyles, the relative proportion of men reaching 65 back then was 42%. Among people born half a century later in 1911, the corresponding proportions were 73% and 65%. Among 1911 births, 19% of women experienced 90, but only 8% of men. Also among the statistics from the Swedish Bureau of Census, SCB, figures for 1943 babies record that the mortality rate has dropped so that 87% of women and 81% of men have reached their 65th birthday.

Karolinska celebrates bicentennial.
Among the world’s great medical universities, Karolinska Institutet has launched its 200th birthday celebrations with the opening of the Hall of Fame gallery that shows past researchers and luminaries, the unveiling of a glass sculpture depicting science photography by Lennart Nilsson (still working at KI), and a film describing KI. Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf is the patron during the jubilee year during which a televised series will feature popular science lectures by KI researchers. Also, a book and picture exhibition between May-Aug. at Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde examines the human body with images from the Hagströmer Library at KI, and Sweden's post office will release two stamps depicting elements discovered by KI’s co-founder, Jöns Jacob Berzelius. “The biggest events in 2010 will be activities that concern culture, children and young people, and scientific conferences for the international scientific community,” says President Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson. Each year, Karolinska Institutet awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine that is awarded in elaborate ceremonies in early December. The Swedish holiday of Lucia, Dec. 13, coincides with day of the university’s actual founding by the King of Sweden back in 1810, Karl XIII.

Stay slim: use computers.
Computer kids stay slim, tv kids get fat. Most of the time, it requires two hands to work on a computer or operate a cell phone with games and SMS. Probably for this reason alone, youngsters who use their computers and mobile devices are not gaining as much weight as other children who simply watch videos or play games on their TV sets. These facts were at least solidly indicated in a survey made of grade schoolers in Lund by a school nurse, Pernilla Garmy. Reported in the regional edition of Metro, the survey was interpreted by the nurse as meaning that eating junk food, unnecessary smacking or habitual eating caused obesity among TV watching children that was not seen among their peers who kept their hands busy with computer keyboards, chatting or playing games. The survey did not evaluate youth who played game consoles or used television sets as displays when playing video games, but results were expected to be similar and relating to the need for attention for lengthy periods without pauses that enabled snacking.

Nobel research open to public.
Located in the Stock Exchange's basement in Stockholm the Nobel Museum's research library is now open to all researchers, students and other persons who are interested in Alfred Nobel or the Nobel Prize. The library currently houses around 5,000 titles, of which the majority are searchable in the national library database. Previously only for researchers, the library is accessible on Tuesdays between 13-16 (1-4 pm).

Oslo next for Anna.
Anna Bergendahl from Nyköping won the Swedish Melodifestivalen and will thus represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo in May. The 18-year old sang “This is my life”, described as a gospel-like radio pop ballad, and received a score of 214, 31 points ahead of Salem Al Fakir, who came in second. “Oh my god! What happened? I guess I am still in shock!” said Bergendahl after her win. “I wish I could invite everyone who voted for me to party with me tonight!”

Arrested for massacre threat.
A man was arrested for threatening a student massacre at KTH, Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (Royal Institute of Technology) in Stockholm. The man, who was arrested in Göteborg, admitted to the offence. “He has admitted to it, yes,” said Björn Engström, at the Stockholm Police. “At the moment I can’t say much more than that.” It was during an Internet forum that the man let his plan be known: “On Monday I will bring my gun to KTH and shoot as many as I can,” he wrote. Some 20 policemen had gathered at KTH to inform people and try to establish calm. “It’s good to know the police is still here, in case it turns out the man wasn’t acting alone,” said Anna Pettersson, a student. A security guard at KTH, Lena Edvardsson said: “We’re very grateful the man has been arrested. We will also allot more time for studying for exams for those students who were too scared to come here today.” Swedish police doesn’t believe the man had any accomplices. Except for his age, 33 years, not much else is known about him.

Sweet dreams at Haga Palace.
Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling will sleep soundly and beautifully in monogrammed sheets of pure linen from Klässbols Linen Mill in Arvika, Värmland. The sheets, which have been described as “soft as the wings of a butterfly in the night”, cost 26,000 SEK ($3,667.95). “These sheets are particularly thin and of an exclusive quality,” a spokesperson for Klässbol explains. Four pillow cases, two duvet covers and two sheets are on their way to Victoria and her fiancé. But the pattern? Will there be stripes, flowers or squares? About that, Klässbol is mum. All they let out is that the bed linen is classically white, and crowned by the couple’s monograms. This is a select gift from Klässbol to Victoria and Daniel, and it will be delivered some time early April. Nothing but the very best is good enough for our young royal couple!

No drug testing of kids.
The Swedish government is not too happy about Lagrådet (Sweden’s Council on Legislation), which said no to drug tests on children under age 15. “Early intervention is crucial when it comes to young addicts,” said Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask. According to the Council on Legislation, drug-testing youngsters by forcing them to submit a urine test, for instance, means violating their integrity. But Ask is of the opinion that it is of greater importance to catch early addictions in order to take appropriate measures. “It’s not always easy to find the parents or to get their permission, and that’s when I think it’s important to see if there’s an addiction,” she explained. She further said the action is important especially when police finds children under age 15 in so-called dope dens. The Council also expressed concern that police would use the forced measure as a way to punish young people, to which Ask replied: “The police has more important things to do than to pester kids.”