Macrocosm Science Magbook

Otzi The Iceman's Old and New Look - Which Is Better?

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:43:00 +0000

Otzi the mummy as he is. (Wikipedia image)

Otzi the iceman, the 5,300 year old hunter found by hiking tourists in 1991 in the Otztal Alps between the border of Austria and Italy is one of the more popular mummies ever found. Revealed by melting ice together with his weapons and a few articles of clothing, Otzi has given useful clues as to how people lived more than five thousand years ago during the Chalcolithic (Copper) Age. The mummy is now recognized as the oldest natural human mummy in Europe.

For years, Otzi's remains and belongings were displayed at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige-Sudtirol. Reconstruction of his real face revealed a glimpse of what the hunter actually looked like when he was still alive. But the reconstruction was hardly convincing, and made Otzi appear more like a mannequin rather than a Copper Age hunter. But then the Dutch brothers Andrie and Alfons Kennis came up with the idea of doing a better reconstruction of Otzi using modern forensics and the fine art of modeling that you'd only expect to see in movies. The result is a more realistic Otzi that is fitting enough to be displayed at Madame Tussauds wax museum.

Huh! Look at what they did to me. They made me look old!

Before, Otzi had a young and smooth face, but the Kennis's brothers version gave him long graying hair and a weather beaten face - the kind that you'd normally expect for someone who's always exposed to the elements. Which do you think is the one that closely mirrors Otzi when he was still alive?

Callao Man Beats Tabon Man As Oldest in the Philippines

Feeling like traveling in time to the era of cave people? Take a grand trip with this Turok: Son of Stone Hardcover graphic novel (Vol.3) Click here or on the image to order your own Turok graphic novel.

What Are Fecal Transplants?

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0000

This is stool bacteria, the kind that gets injected from someone else's gut into yours if you suffer from ulcerative colitis. (Wkipedia image)

Ulcerative colitis (Wikipedia image)

Well, we've all heard of transplants like whose involving the heart, liver, kidneys, and even the face, but have you heard of fecal transplants? Of course by the term itself you already have an idea what's involved. Yes, it's feces, otherwise known as stool and in other more crass terminology used in the expression of dismay or disgust.

Fecal transplants involve transferring of fecal material from a donor to a patient. The patient usually suffers from pseudomembranous colitis, otherwise known as ulcerative colitis. The introduction of fecal material from one person to the gut of another is supposed to bring back normal levels of bacterial flora that are beneficial to the digestive system. Fecal transplants involve enemas or the introduction of fluids into the intestines. But unlike the regular enema done through the anus, fecal transplants sometimes use a nasogastric instrument. Instead of your behind, this goes into your nose and down your esophagus.

Fecal transplants are done several times until the patient is well. The procedure is also known as fecal bacteriotherapy, fecal transfusion, and human probiotic infusion. That last definition is the most ear-friendly of all. Oh if you're wondering, donors are usually relatives who are healthy. So, if you are ever lined up to receive the procedure, you don't have to worry about where the hospital is sourcing the feces. But to save you from all this trouble, why not just drink Yakult first and see what happens?

Why Brush Your Tongue?

Tell the world that you have a "very crabby stomach!" If for some reason you need to, then this Peanuts tin poster will do just fine. Click here or on the image to order your official Peanuts Crabby Stomach Tin Sign today.

L-Ergothioneine from Ergot Is Anti Aging in OXIS Antioxidant Products

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Thu, 27 May 2010 07:18:00 +0000

In 1909, an amino acid called L-Ergothioneine was discovered. It was extracted from the ergot fungus (Cliviceps purpurea), which some of you may have read as responsible for a condition called St. Anthony’s fire. Victims of ergot in the Middle Ages were said to have experienced symptoms of ergotism after ingesting rye bread tainted with ergot (left; shown on wheat spikes). The sensations of ergotism included a burning sensation in limbs due to constricted blood circulation, and hallucinations. But thankfully, those horror stories are better off in movies. Truth be told, ergot today is really the source of practical medicines that help in postnatal bleeding and migraines.

Lately, the super antioxidant properties of L-Ergothioneine (left; molecule) were discovered, leading the way to nutraceutical anti aging products that allow people to live healthier lives. One company that’s pursuing this is OXIS International. This company has taken L-Ergothioneine, or ERGO, to a new level of recognition and efficacy as the primary youth-enhancing ingredient of its products, like Ergo-Pur™ and Ergo-Plex™. OXIS has placed these two products at the forefront, with others to follow.

OXIS has patented the synthesis process for ERGO, which was previously too impractical to extract from natural sources like the ergot fungus. The quantity is just too small. While L-Ergothioneine is also found in grapes, mushrooms, meat, and milk products that people eat, not much gets into the body because of the low levels involved. But with the OXIS process, L-Ergothioneine can now easily find its way to consumers who will benefit from its antioxidant properties.

But why ERGO? OXIS uses L-Ergothioneine because of its ability to work with other antioxidants like glutathione in order to promote anti aging in cells. It neutralizes free radical atoms in the body that destroy cells by attacking them so as to capture electrons. L-Ergothioneine stops reactive oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the body before they can do oxidative stress damage. With ERGO in OXIS products, the result is ready protection from age- and disease-related conditions that affect the brain, the skin, and the blood. OXIS products detoxify, reduce inflammation, regulate blood-sugar, and improve the immune system.

According to OXIS, it intends to develop partnerships and long-term relationships with consumers and wellness industry leaders. The ultimate goal of OXIS is to be a “partner in health,” such that even with initial penny stocks, it is assured of a future where healthy and happy customers are at the center of its neutraceutical consumer products.

http://www.oxis.com

Oxis on Twitter
Oxis on facebook

Cheap Visitors is here to help your business website get more customers for more sales! Make it a partner now! Click here to find out more.

The Explanation Behind Four-Leaf Clovers

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:09:00 +0000

Four-leaf clovers are supposed to be a lucky find for those who come upon them. People are always happy to get one. It's rare, but why do some clovers have four leaves? Science has the answer. Four-leaf clovers are actually the result of a genetic mutation of the trifolium clover plant which has over 300 species. Each leaf of the trifolium clover has three leaflets, as the name already suggests. but there are instances when there are more. St. Patrick supposedly used the three leaflets to symbolize the Holy Trinity.This could also have helped promote the clover as a lucky charm.

According to biologist Kenneth Olsen, clover leaves can have more than three leaflets as the plant is already genetically-inclined to sport such an anomaly. In fact, the record of the most clover leaf leaflets ever found is fifteen! If you ever find such a clover "leaf" you must really, really be lucky! The fiteen-leaf clover was found by was found by Shigeo Obara of Japan in May of 2002 and now he's famous.

Cheap Visitors is here for the benefit of your business website! Join now!

Organic Wastes to Fertilizer and Clean Coal

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:45:00 +0000

We've seen it and smelled them before - organic and other biological wastes that go to drains and ditches by the roadside or dumped in places where you'd least expect them. They are out of sight for the most part, but you know they are around and give a revolting experience, nevertheless, when you smell them.
Cities, municipalities, and even corporations have this problem of disposing organic wastes from houses, establishments, and such industries as farming and livestock.

Organic wastes generally get mixed with garbage and leach into the soil contaminating groundwater. If there is no effective treatment method, the wastes only serve to contaminate the environment. It's a big problem, but few people are aware that there is a way to deal with them and allow municipalities and private establishments to benefit and protect the environment at the same time. It involves the use of special waste to energy technologies to process and disinfect municipal organic wastes - practically changing them into useful reusable products that enrich the soil. A company that provides such a solution is N-Viro International.

N-Viro International uses a patented process that takes municipal bio-solids and mixes them with lime and mineral-rich byproducts from the coal combustion, electric generation, cement, and lime industries. These wastes function to pasteurize, immobilize, and change sludge material and other organic wastes into useful and clean bio-mineral agricultural soil-enrichment products - fertilizers that make good produce! From useless environmental refuse, the process produces something of value that can create money, generate jobs, and help make the world a better place with less waste. The technology is now licensed in the United States and internationally and is currently serving satisfied clients. The system has already proven it's worth in the state of Florida in the US, successfully serving municipalities in the central area with a facility in Daytona that converts municipal bio-solids into what is called N-Viro Soil.

Apart from this natural soil-enrichment product, N-Viro International is also making use of organic wastes for the creation of fuel products in its waste to energy N-Viro Fuel technology program. The products are either a combination of bio solids or manure and coal to produce two blended fuels that compete with standard coal and conform with current emission standards - having been tested and proven that particulates produced are well below the regulation limits. The products have been successfully tested at the Michigan State University coal-fired power plant. The products have generally been dubbed clean coal and the positive response to them have made them into opportunity fuels of this age that's in dire need of alternative energy sources and/or renewable energy products.

With this kind of technology handy and accessible to the world's cities, people will have less to deal with the problem of organic waste disposal and everything to gain from the new products from materials that used to be nothing but repugnant waste. There are lots of benefits from this green technology from the likes of companies like N-Viro as this will lessen the financial burden of local governments and private companies when it comes to waste disposal. Since the initial public offering of N-Viro in 1993, underwritten by Robertson Stephens, Raymond James, Oppenheimer & Co., and Paine Webber, the company has already had sales amounting to $40 million.

http://www.nviro.com

Generate more sales for your business online by partnering with Cheap Visitors. Learn more here.

China Succumbs to the Creeping Desert

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:27:00 +0000

China is a big country, but it appears that its size and power cannot keep mother nature at bay as the western desert from the Mongolian region and the north seems to be starting a campaign against the country, claiming areas to the east as far as the coast, with dust and sand storms that grow in intensity near the spring season. The volume of dust is so great that the particles circle the globe and affect the quality of air in places as far as the United States! The dust makes for beautiful sunsets, but it's really a big problem.

From the satellite images shown here, you can see how much dust is being sent by the prevailing winds from the west. It forms a cyclone shape just below Beijing. You can see from the Google Maps screen-capture how big the whirling dust is. Beijing is the circular gray area in the middle of the picture near the top.

The encroachment of the desert has been a problem for years, with the government having spent a lot of money, time, and effort in planting trees to keep the desert from advancing. But apparently, the efforts are not enough and the dust that billows into the cities have caused problems. In Beijing, as well as other parts of China, travel has been limited due to poor visibility and of course, people now have to deal with dust in invading their respiratory system. People claim the dust gets on everything and because it mixes with industrial air pollution, it's become sticky.

It's not certain how long the dust will be coming in from the desert. But this invasion is likely to continue if the efforts in greening the desert fails. Thousands of years ago, the Sahara also experienced an expansion that caused much of the green areas to retreat, together with the animals and people that once lived there. Is the same phenomenon happening in China? Is it turning into a big desert like the Sahara is now? If that's the case, what will be the consequences? How will people adapt?

Join GeoString! See how far you can grow your money! You can be as powerful as the dust over China and make a lot of money here! See for yourself.

Oxygen Levels in Earth's Ocean Getting Lower - Marine Life Dying

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:18:00 +0000

Oxygen levels in the Earth's oceans are apparently getting lower. Years after year, scientists have seen how certain deep areas of the seas, which normally have low oxygen, are getting bigger and moving into areas that are not known to suffer from hypoxia (lack of oxygen). The change is very evident in the Pacific Northwest coast. Already, in areas off the Washington and Oregon coast, an almost complete lack of oxygen in the water has left marine life, mostly crabs, dead with their carcasses littering the ocean floor. Such mass kills include fish in other areas of the world. Scientists believe the changes are part of the global climate change.

The "dead" hypoxic water in oceans usually lie deep and far from the continental shelf. But now, they are moving closer to shore and getting nearer the surface, where marine plants and animals typically thrive. Oceanographer Gregory Johnson, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Seattle, describes the depletion of oxygen levels in the oceans as striking. Scientists estimate the decline of oxygen in certain areas of the world to be at least one-third of what used to be the levels used to be 50 years ago.

Marine scientist Francis Chan says the Earth's oceans can expect to experience more depletion if the planet continues to warm up. Warmer waters ted to stay put near the surface and prevents the usual temperature-difference circulation of water from the deep ocean to the surface. It's like water in an aquarium that's not agitated by bubbles. The less agitation, the less oxygen is dissolved in the water. In the opinion of some people, not much can be done about the depletion since the affected areas are too widespread and there's no control over the marine life that can come into contact with them.

Cheap Visitors is for your business website's success! Find out more or register now.

2010 Chile Earthquake Nudged Earth's Figure Axis

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:19:00 +0000

A lot of things can happen to the Earth as it ages. Earthquakes change the landscape, but if powerful enough, they can even have an impact on the whole planet. Such was the case of the seventh most powerful earthquake ever recorded in history. The Chile earthquake in February, 2010 registered at 8.8 magnitude. As of this writing, over 700 were confirmed dead. The resulting tsunami from the upheaval reached as far as Japan. Indeed strong earthquakes like that are rare but when they happen, they can have a lasting global effect.

The Chile earthquake was the result of the movement of a deep and steep fault. According to Richard Gross (left) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, it had likely nudged the Earth's figure axis by 3 inches (final data pending). The figure axis is the axis around which the Earth's mass is balanced. It is different and offset from the North-South axis.

Gross said that because of the steepness of the source fault, the Chile quake had a strong effect in shifting the Earth's mass vertically and shifting the figure axis. The Earth is like a top that spins at around 1,000 miles per second. Depending on the distribution of its mass (whether near or far to the figure axis), it's spin and angle are determined. As of this writing, Gross and his team are still gathering data on the earthquake which will fine-tune their measurements. What follows are before and after NASA satellite images of the 2010 Chile quake zone.

RIGHT BEFORE the quake:

RIGHT AFTER the quake:

***
Business websites should not miss out on joining Cheap Visitors. It's the online businessperson's partner for targeted visitors that boost sales! Join now!

Aghoni Bora - Rice Grains That Need No Cooking Unveiled in India

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:50:00 +0000

Rice grains are supposed to be hard and unpalatable when uncooked, but now there's this new type of rice hybrid that's already soft after harvesting. All that needs to be done to be able to eat it is to add water. No, it's not freeze-dried. That's just the way the rice is. Scientists believe that since it does not need cooking, it will help a lot of poor people who cannot afford cooking fuel. It is also environment-friendly because it helps reduce the carbon-footprint of a person from all the cooking that he does in a lifetime. Pollution from combustion byproducts is reduced and trees are saved. But best of all, people will go less hungry.

The rice looks like any other but the scientists at the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) in Cuttack, India say that's where the similarities end. If the special no-cook rice grains are soaked in water for about 45 minutes, they become soft enough to eat. There's no need to boil and the rice need only stay in the water for it to soak in the moisture. This type of strain called Aghani or Aghoni bora in India, falls under the "soft rice" or komal chawl category. It came from a low-yielding northern Indian variety and developed to become a high-yielding one.

According to Tapan Kumar Adhya of the CRRI (left), the rice is currently in test cultivation and he says the results are positive. One farmer who has taken up cultivating the no-cook rice says his friends and relatives like it. Aghani bora rice is low in starch, which makes it ideal for weight-watchers.

But of course, nothing really beats piping-hot rice. And if people still want to cook Aghani bora rice, then it's their option. They only need to cook it just a little bit though and it will be ready to eat! That equates to a lot of fuel saved. Because Aghani bora rice is so easy to prepare, it is ideal for calamity and disaster distribution. In countries like the Philippines hit by floods yearly, it is perfect as an emergency staple in areas where the use of fire or heat is not an option due to the water.

Learn more on how you can save planet Earth.

Make Cheap Visitors your partner in advertising. Learn more.

Unknown Objects Spotted in Space Near Earth

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:47:00 +0000

Did you know that on January 13, 2010, a small unknown object thought to be space junk, or an asteroid, streaked past the Earth from only 130,000 kilometers (left)? It was discovered only two days before its close encounter and was called 2010 AL30 (top). Although it didn't hit, astronomers said it wouldn't have caused any damage at all since it is only 10 meters wide.

2010 AL30 was as bright as a tenth magnitude star and was like how Pluto would have appeared from the Earth. Strangely, it's orbit period is exactly the same as the Earth's at one year. This led to speculation that it may be space junk left over from a spacecraft launched in the past, like from an Apollo lunar mission.

Senior research scientist at the Space Science Institute, says 2010 AL30 is more likely a natural object because it does not follow any useful spacecraft launch trajectory. The NASA Near-Earth Object (NEO) Program Office suggested that its steep, eccentric orbit made it more likely it was just a near-Earth object (asteroid). Michel Khan, analyst at the European Space Agency (ESA), on the other hand, said it may have been the upper stage of the Russian Soyuz rocket used to launch the Venus Express Spacecraft in 2005.

Earth is no stranger to unknown objects whizzing by. Did you know that in 2002, a strange, elongated, tumbling object was spotted orbiting the Earth (left)? Called J002E3, it's 60 feet long and rotates every minute. At only magnitude 16, it was very dim but was still discovered by Bill Yeung, an amateur astronomer. Scans of the sky never showed it before and it's assumed that it only entered the orbit around the Earth prior to it's discovery.

J002E3's orbit was described then as chaotic by Paul Chodas of NEO. It goes around Earth once every 48 days or so, coming as close to our planet as the Moon and moving as far away as twice that distance. CHodes retraced it's orbital history and determined that it could have originated from Earth in 1971, so he speculated it was the 60-ft S-IVB fuel tank of the Apollo 14 lunar rocket. The problem was all the parts of that mission were accounted for.

Then, it occurred to Chodas that J002E3 could be the tank of Apollo 12 Saturn 5 rocket (left) that was jettisoned Nov. 15, 1969 after it ran out of fuel. Ground controllers switched the tanks engine on and it was supposed to be sent to an orbit around the Sun. But a mistake happened and the fuel burned for too long, sending it instead in an orbit that closely matches that of J002E3. Is J002E3, the fuel tank of the Apollo 12? It's anyone's guess. But, spectral analysis of the J002E3 showed that it has titanium dioxide paint - exactly what was used on the Saturn V rocket 40 years ago as of this writing! Click on the images for more info on the unknown NEO objects here.

Your online business could use Cheap Visitors! Find out about the benefits here.

Old science-fiction fans will remember his classic tv-spacecraft from Space: 1999. It's the ship the people of Moonbase Alpha use on missions on the Moon that's been blasted out of Earth orbit into the unknown reaches of space! Click here or on the image to purchase. It's limited to only 200 items and very, very rare and expensive!

Ancient Burial in the Sahara Tell a Poignant Tale of Tragedy and Love

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:55:00 +0000

Around twelve thousand of years ago, the Sahara was green. It had a lush forest cover where people used to live in and die in. In the early 2000s, paleontologists hunting for dinosaur bones discovered a graveyard of two peoples that lives thousands of years apart, the Kiffians from the earlier green period, and the Tenerians from the later part. The inhabitants of the Green Sahara disappeared along with the forests. Around 3,500 years ago, the sands which once covered the Green Sahara reclaimed the land.

A photo by Mike Hettwer from the National Geographic site article on the Lost Tribes of the Green Sahara shows a woman and her two children buried with hands apparently clasped by the mourners in a display of love. One of the children's face is turned towards the elder one, as if saying, "Don't leave me, mother." It is not clear how the three died, but researchers speculate they all died on the same day. Pollen in the burial area showed that the "mother and children" were laid to rest on flowers.

You can view Hettner's photo of the excavation of the woman and child burial through this link.

View more of Mike Hettner's photos of the excavation of the burial site of the Tenerians and Kiffians here.

***
Cheap Visitors can show you the money from better sales. Register here!

Russia to Attempt Deflection of Near-Earth Object Threat Apophis

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:32:00 +0000

In 2004, an asteroid called Apophis was discovered. After analyzing it's path across the solar system, astronomers established that it has a 1 in 37 chance of impacting Earth in 2029. With more detailed studies, the chances were dropped even if the asteroid will come to 29,450 kilometers near Earth. In 2036, it will again buzz by with an estimated to 1 in 250,000 chance of hitting. It seems that Apophis has a slim chance of hitting our planet. But in spite of the latest figures, the Russian Federal Space Agency is planning an unmanned mission to the asteroid to deflect it and lessen it's chances of hitting Earth even more.

According to the space agency's chief Anatoly Perminov, NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese Space Agency, and other like agencies around the world are likely to be invited to participate in the project. Don Yeomans, head of the NASA Near-Earth Object Program, says that "While Apophis is almost certainly not a problem, I am encouraged that the Russian science community is willing to study the various deflection options that would be available in the event of a future Earth threatening encounter by an asteroid."

Perminov said the mission will not require the use of a nuclear explosion, like what is depicted in movies like Armageddon and Deep Impact. He only said that calculations show that it's possible to create a special purpose spacecraft within the time left, which would help avoid the collision. While Perminov did not give specifics as to how Apophis will be deflected, he said it will have to be worked out.

Apophis is the name of an ancient Egyptian demon. Apophis, or Apep (left) in Egyptian, is the embodiment of darkness, dissolution, and non-being. He is the nemesis of the Sun god Ra. He is depicted as a snake that swallows beings into non-existence. He is supposed to have existed before creation and will continue to exist performing acts of malevolence.

Join Cheap Visitors for targeted web traffic to boost your business.

2000-2009: The Warmest Decade Since 1850 Records

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:48:00 +0000

What's to debate about when everywhere in the world, there are signs that the earth has warmed. Whether it's climate change or not, the whole planet is experiencing a warming that has melted glaciers, shrunk polar ice, and flooded low masses of lands in oceans. Now, the United Nations has announced that the years between 2000 and 2009 are the warmest since record-keeping began in 1850. Climate scientists are predicting at warmer years ahead. Should this be a cause for concern? It's likely.

Between 2007 and 2009, the Arctic ice cap was reduced to the smallest ever recorded due to summer melt. This opened up new sea routes in areas that used to be ice clad. The situation posed questions on how Arctic life would fare with very little ice since a lot of animals there depend much on solid ice in order to thrive.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the warmest years since 1850 are 2005, 1998, 2007 and 2006, although the difference in temperatures between them are so little to be statistically insignificant. The recent climate change talks in Copenhagen (2009) sought to encourage governments worldwide to help in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and get their commitment to the cause by implementing solid measures to deal with the problem.

Get your targeted web traffic for your website with Cheap Visitors. Increase sales conversion rates! Click here to join as a customer or affiliate.

Vatican Unites with Science to Search for Life Beyond Earth

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:08:00 +0000

The Vatican has admitted mistakes to science in the past. The most well-known is what it did to Galileo and other men of science who were marked as heretics in the past for going against the teachings of the Church and putting forward ideas that were against a Godly plan. In 1600, Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for his scientific studies; 1633, the Church forced Galileo to recant his view that the Earth moved around the Sun. Well, we all know now that Galileo was right and that the Church which did not really use science, was wrong.

Well, the Church took several hundred years, but it's finally made an apology and set things right with science. Now, the Vatican has its own scientists and researchers to support the new findings in science, particularly in the space sciences, that could lead to proof that there is life somewhere else in space outside the Earth. It's a fact that planets outside the solar system are now routinely discovered and some of them could possibly harbor life.

The Vatican had hosted a five-day conference in 2009 attended by 30 scientists, some non-Catholics, to talk about astrobiology, the science of establishing the origins and possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. According to Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, an astronomer and director of the Vatican Observatory., "the questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration."

Astronomy professor Chris Impey of the University of Arizona says, "both science and religion posit life as a special outcome of a vast and mostly inhospitable universe," he told a news conference Tuesday." He also says "there is a rich middle ground for dialogue between the practitioners of astrobiology and those who seek to understand the meaning of our existence in a biological universe."

In 2008, Rev. Funes said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano that "believing the universe may host aliens, even intelligent ones, does not contradict a faith in God." He added that "just as there is a multitude of creatures on Earth, there could be other beings, even intelligent ones, created by God. This does not contradict our faith, because we cannot put limits on God's creative freedom." He maintains that if indeed life elsewhere in the universe is eventually discovered, it would still be regarded as part of God's creation. Funes also believes that the Big Bang (left) is a reasonable explanation as to how God created the universe.

In 2005, the Vatican Observatory (top, left) also hosted a similar conference on the implications of extraterrestrial life.

The Simpsons Hungry are the Damned from the first Treehouse of Horror episode. This limited edition giclée on paper is a must-have for fans of The Simpsons and funny aliens. Click here or on the image to purchase.

Website owners, here's how you can get tons of people to visit your website and get a high rate of sales conversions!

140-Million-Year-Old Spider Web Found

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:02:00 +0000

The oldest known spider web (to date) has been found. It's 140 million years old and it's been preserved in amber or fossilized tree sap. The amber had preserved it as it was all that time including the droplets that resemble those found in modern day webs of orb-web garden spiders (see microscopy images above). According to lead researcher Martin Brasier of the University of Oxford, the find shows the earliest webs that are incorporated in the fossil record.

The strands of fossilized spider webs were reconstructed using computer-aided technology called confocal microscopy. The findings suggest that the spiders that lived those millions of years ago also fed on insects that are the ancestors of modern day species. Other things preserved in the amber along with the webs are insect droppings, plant matter, and even microbes.

FLASH: Largest web-spinning spider discovered.

This orb-web golden spider (see video that follows) is the largest web-spinning spider ever discovered. It's as broad as an optical disc. Interestingly, the discovery is based on dead spider remains in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The new species of orb-weaver spider, Nephila komaci is found to be larger than other Nephila species. For trivia's sake, you might be interested to know the largest spider in the world non-web spinning) is the Goliath Bird Eater (Theraphosa blondi).

This red-light-eyed giant tarantula spider looks real and even feels real with it's furry exoskeleton. But it's just a toy and it's remote controlled so you can scare the wits out of your friends and neighbors! Click here or on the image to place your order.

Economic Recession Counters Global Warming

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:37:00 +0000

In 2007, scientists revealed that human-made carbon dioxide emissions were increasing beyond what's been predicted. In the 1990s, it was only at 1.3% annually, but in the next decade moving into the 21st century, this figure went up to 3.3%. It was a dramatic increase that was blamed on growing industries. The results of the study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) journal.

The NAS identified the sources of the carbon dioxide emissions as part of the economic boom experienced in that time worldwide. According to study author Josep Canadell of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, this boom resulted in the increase of greenhouse gas contributors such as coal-burning electricity plants. Canadell said this is reflected in carbon intensity, which measures the amount of carbon needed to produce $1 for the economy.

The level of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has been known for a long time to be steadily increasing. As a greenhouse gas, this can trap the sun's heat in the atmosphere which can increase average temperatures worldwide and cause climate change, specifically global warming.

Now, scientists are saying that CO2 emissions have tapered off. A recent study (2009) conducted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) concludes that the dip in CO2 emissions over the last year will be greater than any dip in the last forty years. The reason for the drop, as identified by the IEA, is the current economic recession as well as the imposition of stricter environmental policies signed into law by governments like the United States.

Canadell said efficient technologies mean more wealth generated for the same level of emissions. While this is offset by growing economies which still use old fashioned energy sources, the belt-tightening of countries and a more environmentally-conscious populace means there's a trend to use less energy. It's now felt in the form of less CO2 emissions. The IEA research came one year after the start of the global economic meltdown.

What does this mean for global warming? For one, it simply shows that with concerted effort (and this does not mean working together to bring down the economy), it is possible to make a change that could very well keep the Earth from plunging into a very warm future that could devastate civilization as we know it with extreme environmental changes. The debates on global warming may continue, but any change that may take place as a result of the physical conditions around us will have to be either dealt with or claimed. In the meantime, this news will allow a little breathing room until the economy picks up again.

This post is for Blog Action Day, October 15, 2009.

Participate in the International Day of Climate Change Action on October 24, 2009

Join the No Impact Project, starting on October 19, 2009 and show the world what you're doing to lessen your carbon footprint!

Do you want to be like Al Gore and campaign against global warming? Here's one way to put his head on your shoulders! Click here or on the image to place your order.

Subsurface Ice Found Near Martian Equator

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:05:00 +0000

In a study in 2008 relating to recent impact craters on Mars, researchers have found that subsurface ice exists underneath the Martian surface soil. The ice was discovered when the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's (MRO) Context camera team was looking for blemishes on Mars which could be recent meteorite impacts. They are usually dark and are not in older images.

The team found a few and so had these sites imaged by high-resolution cameras. What they saw was a surprise because instead of seeing dark material from under the surface exposed by the impacts, they saw something that was bluish white. Team member Shane Byrne said they found it when they followed up on the first of three craters. He said it looked a lot like water ice. The MRO Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer took a peek at the spectrum of the material and it showed the signature of water ice.

As expected in the thin Martial atmosphere, the ice changed over time and disappeared. Ice on Mars do not last long exposed to air because it sublimates like dry ice does, turning directly into water vapor and never turning to flowing water. The image at the top shows what happens to the Martian landscape when ice vaporizes from underneath.

The discovery of subsurface ice will help a lot in the quest to learn more about the past of Mars, which is believed to have gone through a wet period. It's possible that microbial life once existed or still exists trapped in the ice. Current studies on Mars are a prerequisite to the first Mars astronauts on the red planet. Next to the Moon, Mars is likely the second body beyond Earth where people would set foot on.

One day, people will go to Mars and grow plants for food and oxygen. Will this Mimosa plant be one of the first few to go on a different planet? Click here or on the image to place your order.

Rat Brain Cells for Robots

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:36:00 +0000

Three hundred thousand rat brain cells (held by gloved hand) cultured in a nutrient bath and firing electrical signals have been used as the brain of a robot to navigate in a tight space.

Researchers Kevin Warwick and Ben Whalley at the University of Reading in the UK were able to connect the rat neurons with the output of a robot's distance sensors, thereby becoming the "brain." The distance sensors feed the neurons information that cause reactions in the form of electrical signals that are used to power the motors for navigation.

The scientists say the next step would be to use cultured human neurons, which they say could prove to be useful in the study of neurological conditions like epilepsy. They say the way the rat neurons respond to stimulus, releasing an electrical burst all at the same time, could be similar to what happens in an epileptic's brain during a seizure.

If successful, the team would be the first to use human brain cells in a robot to control its movement. They will be comparing how rat brain cells perform against human ones. For your information, cultured human brain cells are readily available for purchase for lab work. Warwick and Whalley need not harvest them from any corpse or a living brain.

This Wall-E toy robot doesn't have rat brain cells in its head, but it will still give you tons of fascinating excitement with the remote control unit. Relive the movie at home! Click here or on the image to place your order.

More information on technology in the Information on Technology blog

Crows Use Stone Tools Just Like in Aesop's Fable

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:02:00 +0000

Aesop once told a story about how a crow used stones to raise the level of water in a jug. It's an interesting tale where the moral overshadows this interesting bit of information. People would think that it's just a fairy tale. Who would have thought that crows really knew how to use stones to raise the level of water in a container? But the fact is that crows (rooks) really do use this technique, and it may have been something crows have been doing for a very long time.

Researchers have reported observing crow-relatives called rooks use the same rock technique to get to a worm floating on the water in a narrow container. Three of the birds were used in the experiment. In previous experiments, crows and rooks have been shown to have used other tools like sticks (left). According to the scientists, the rooks appeared to get the idea that larger stones will do the trick faster.

Christopher Bird of Cambridge University and fellow researchers used a six-inch tall plastic tube filled with water with a worm floating on top. Bird (the researcher, not the rook) noted that the rooks appeared to estimate how many stones were needed. It's something to think about and one reason why the term "bird-brained" shouldn't really mean "stupid" anymore.

In Aesop's time, rooks were also called crows. Ever wonder why they were eventually called rooks? Perhaps they like to use rocks?

Venus Gets a White Spot Just about the Same Time Jupiter Gets Its Dark Impact Blemish

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:18:00 +0000

While attention was on Jupiter due to the recent July 19 impact of a comet, something strange was happening on Venus at the same time. For some mysterious reason, a white spot has formed on the southern-hemisphere clouds of Venus. It was noticed by amateur astronomer Frank Melillo of Holtsville, New York on July 19 but was largely ignored because of the "bigger" and unprecedented event on Jupiter.

According to Sanjay Limaye, planetary scientist of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, it's not the first time that this has happened on the clouds of Venus (left; European Space Agency), in effect saying it's a normal occurrence. Nevertheless, the cause of such whitenings remains unclear. Limaye says this event is unique in that it happened in a smaller area.

After receiving Melillo's report, other astronomers and the Venus Express spacecraft of the European Space Agency took a look at it. The result is a series of pictures that show how the white spot changed in time. The photographs showed that the white spot appeared four days earlier than the report by Melillo. Theories about it range from volcanic eruptions to effects of a coronal mass ejection from the Sun.

Oldest Non-Geological Structures on Earth Built by Primitive Lifeforms

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:16:00 +0000

Earth is roughly 4.5 billion years old and just a billion years after it took the form of a real planet, structures that resemble upside down egg cartons and broad ice cream cones began to form in the first bodies of water. Some of these formations are still intact today, and geologists have argued and toyed with theories on what formed them.

While it's a typical belief that these formations were the result of primordial geological processes, there's much evidence to suggest they they were the result of organic action, which means they were created by living things - microbes in particular. Such old structures, called stromatolites, have young counterparts with recent ones that are half a billion years old. The evidence for biologic origin takes the form of layers of organic material that is present in the stromatolites.

Theory has it that microbes, likely blue-green algae, create beds on the floors of bodies of water like shallow seas. These beds act to promote deposits of sediments, much like how flypaper collects dust. However, it's been theorized that the microbes grow filaments that catch particles from the water. So it's likely the formations were the result of a play between passive deposition and organic action.

This is an aquarium designed for dinosaur shrimp, otherwise known as triops. They have been in existence on Earth for 350 million years and their eggs, which come with the aquarium package, easily hatch just by adding water! Take a tour far, far back in time with is Star Wars planet Naboo theme aquarium. Click here or on the image to place your order!

2,000-Yr-Old Man-Made Cave Discovered in the Jordan Valley

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:43:00 +0000

A huge man-made cave was discovered in the Jordan valley of Isreal that's 2,000 years old and supposedly the largest of all at an acre (.4 hectare) in area coverage. Inside, archaeologists like Adam Zertal, have found deep etchings on walls and pillars of what used to be an underground quarry. The researchers pointed to crosses (top) and symbols that Zertal had identified as a possible zodiac symbol (above left) used in the Roman era at around 1 A.D.

The cave was found in March, 2009 when the archaeologists came to a hole in the wall of the ancient quarry. Initial forays already revealed a huge pillared chamber, discernible even with little available light. The cave is believed to have been used as a hideout of persecuted Christians and as a refuge for Roman soldiers. It's also possible that it was used as a monastery, although only the etched crosses serve as a basis for this hypothesis.

Scientists Analyze Sunspots Up Close

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:58:00 +0000

Sunspots used to be very mysterious and vague. Sure, they look like dark spots against the brightness of the solar disk. But what do they really look like up close? In the set of video stills above, you can see how sunspots appear in close up. In the picture at the left, you can see how they appear in three dimensions. These views are now possible with recent imaging techniques and technologies used by astronomers. Click on the images to watch the associated videos.

Save gas! Convert your car to burn water.

Step-by-Step Guide to Increase IQ

How the Hemlock Water-Dropwort Plant Puts a Smile on the Faces of Dead People

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what the Joker uses in his special toxic blend of compound that puts a smile on his victims' faces? Yes, it's purely fiction, but the writers of Batman may have hit on something that's very real.

In ancient times, assassins and murderers have used the hemlock water-dropwort (Oenanthe crocata) plant (above) to incapacitate their victims slowly through the poisonous Botox-like effect of the extract and then do their heinous deed. The result are corpses with a smile on their face - which was already a clue to what was used.

The Mediterranean hemlock water-dropwort, common in the island of Sardinia, is similar in appearance to the parsnip plant, which has carrot-like roots and is an edible vegetable. Anyone mistaking the hemlock water-dropwort for the parsnip can be lethally poisoned. Fortunately, the leaves of the hemlock water-dropwort taste terrible. The roots, however, although more pleasant, is no less toxic, and this makes them even more dangerous. The poison is an oenanthotoxin, which is related to the cicutoxin of the water hemlock.

Authorities became interested in the hemlock water-dropwort due to a string of smiling-corpse suicides that pointed to it's use. The ancient Phoenicians of Sardinia used the toxin in ritual killings of old people and those who broke the law. That's how Homer (of ancient Greece; not of the Simpsons) came up with the term "sardonic grin." Using the toxin is a gruesome way to go with a smile, which only takes three hours. Don't try this at home... or anywhere else for that matter.

Save gas! Convert your car to burn water.

Step-by-Step Guide to Increase IQ

Thor's Winged Helmet Seen In Space

noreply@blogger.com (alvinwriter) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:43:00 +0000

Thor is the god of thunder and he's supposed to live in Asgard. But where is Asgard anyway? It's supposed to be up there somewhere in the sky and the fact is, this myth may have some truth in it because Thor's winged helmet is actually visible in deep space!

The nebula image above (from Wikipedia) is also viewable in a different and brighter photograph from Jean-Charles Cuillandre (CFHT), Giovanni Anselmi (Coelum Astronomia), and the Hawaiian Starlight site.

It's that of deep sky object, Thor's Helmet, an emission nebula also known as NGC 2359. By it's winged appearance, it's also called the Duck nebula. Now we know what happened to his helmet in the painting at the left - Thor misplaced it or it may have been stolen by his brother Loki and hidden among the stars in space! But seriously, it's likely most people might prefer to identify NGC 2359 with the Norse god of thunder, especially now that there's a Thor movie directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Fear not! You need not venture into Asgard nor outer space to find the winged-helmet of the god of thunder, Thor! It is here and all you have to do is click on the image to make it your own! Get it now before the god of mischief, Loki swipes it!

Save gas! Convert your car to burn water.

Step-by-Step Guide to Increase IQ