Sharp Science

Wikileaks - The Breakdown

2010-12-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

Most of this sites readers are no doubt familiar with the massive amount of attention, and activity surrounding Wikileaks and its spokesman, Julian Assange. This article isn't meant to take sides on the controversy surrounding the site, but rather give you a breakdown of some things you should know about Wikileaks.

If any information is incorrect or missing, please feel free to let us know in the comment section. Discussion (excluding planning activities related to the site) is also welcome.

What is Wikileaks?

It is self described as a not-for-profit organization that was launched in 2006. The purpose of the site is to distribute any confidential documents of ethical, political, diplomatic, or historical value. they do not accept rumors, opinions, or any unsupported documents.

Why the publicity?
Wikileaks recent publicity has to do with the release of 251,287 classified cables near the end of Nov/2010 from an anonymous source. While this was the major release of information, just prior to the cable release, Afghan and Iraq war logs were also released in July, and Oct 2010. the "Collateral Murder" Video was also released in April, 2010.

The total number of released documents are 718,030, and US Army Intelligence Analyst Bradley Manning is thought to be the source for all of them. This is unconfirmed, but he has been arrested regardless.

Wikileaks Partnership With News Organizations
The cables released in Nov were released to four major news organizations before the information was actually posted on the site. The information was given to The Guardian, Der Spiegel, El Pais, and Le Monde. The Guardian passed the information onto the New York Times as well.

While all the news organizations listed have all the cables in text format, they do not have all the meta-data associated with the cables, such as country of origin, date, etc. The Guardian has done an analysis of the cables to try and figure out the missing data. Their analysis can be found here.

Wikileaks itself has only actually released 960 of the cables, and had been releasing them in conjunction with the news organizations release of the information. This was done to maximize impact, and to avoid an information overload.

Julian Assange
An australian citizen, Julian Assange has been an editor and spokesperson of Wikileaks since 2006. Many credit him with founding the site, although the truth of this is debatable. Julian has written essays that can be found here that have recently been used as an explanation for his political views. The basic theme o the essays is that Julian is against authority based governments, of which he includes the USA.

The "Insurance File"
Following the Afghan war logs being released, a file named with the name "Insurance" was released on Wikileaks. The file is 1.4 gigabytes in size, and is encrypted with AES256. The file is still available on many peer-to-peer networks. The password for opening the file has not been released as of yet, and it is rumored that the password will be released should Wikileaks become non-operational, or should harm befall Julian Assange. It is claimed that the file has been downloaded more then 100,000 times.

Result of the Leaked Cables
Following the leaked cables, Amazon (the site that hosted Wikileaks) shut it down citing a violation of terms of service. Wikileaks had also come under several DDoS attacks, making the site difficult to stay operational. Paypal also closed Wikileaks account, citing a violation of terms of service as well.

There was of course retaliation. Paypal and Amazon bore the front of DDoS attacks that came from Wikileaks supporters. Although other organizations such as MasterCard also came under attack.

The Sardine Run: A Yearly Feeding Frenzy Off South Africa's Coast

2010-12-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

One of the most magnificent sights on the planet. Every year millions of sardines migrate northward past the south coast of Africa. This migration has often been referred to as one of the most magnificent wonders of the natural world.

There is no specific numbers on how many sardines there are. The migrating shoal of fish can stretch multiple miles in length, a mile in width, and forty meters deep. This mass of fish is easily visible from low flying planes above the ocean.

Predators of all types take advantage of the massive amounts of sardines. Dolphins, many species of sharks, sailfish, gannets, seals, orcas, whales and even penguins take part in one of the largest predatory event on this planet.

Gannets Dive Bombing Sardines

The dolphins will herd the sardines into a "bait ball", and then force this ball to the surface, in range of diving gannets. The bait ball makes the sardines easy for the dolphins to pick off, and the other predators on the scene take advantage of the dolphins work as well.

Here is an amazing video. It shows diving gannets, feeding dolphins and sharks, and even many passes by a few Bryde's Whales. Near the end of the video, the photographer gets a little to close to a whale, and you can see in the video that the current from the whale passing threw the diver off. Also, a whale almost eats a shark near the very end of the video as well! As always, maximize the video to see it at its best.

In recent years, changed in the ocean temperature and currents has made the sardine run unpredictable, some years not even happening at all. This is because the sardines rely on a seasonal cold current to carve a path in the ocean between their spawning grounds in the south, to their more northern feeding grounds. The reason they need this colder current to make the journey is that sardines cannot tolerate temperatures over 20 degrees Celsius.

Dolphins Herding Bait Ball

Sex in Space a No-Go

2010-12-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

If you day dream about going into space, or wish you could be on that 30 month trip to mars that increasingly looks like it won't happen, think twice. NASA has a policy against sex during their flights!

The alcohol rule is self explanatory. Being in space is very technical and mix ups can have sever consequences, not to mention that no one is going to be impressed if some drunkard opens the air lock on the International Space Station! There were actually some incidents of intoxication while on duty in the ISS before NASA implemented this rule.

Space flights are very similar, psychologically atleast, to prolonged missions to the Antarctic. During Antarctic missions, it is common for researchers to engage in a "Bachelor Marriage" for the duration of the mission. This gives the scientists an obvious stress relief from the high-stress working conditions of our southern-most continent.

So why would NASA not allow sex in space? There is the obvious problem of the "couple" having a fallout during the mission. Since missions can be months long, this would obviously pose a negative situation, with the two previous lovers trapped in the same, confined space for several months after the fallout. There is also the problem of sexual harassment, which would pose a similar problem to the one stated above.

Way back in 2000, there was an eight month space station simulation on earth. During this simulation, a Russian man twice tried to kiss a Canadian woman. The Russian was rejected and the resulting tension forced the project managers to install locks between the Russian and International compartments of the simulation.

During the 30 month mission to mars, sexual tensions are bound to rise. It is a real problem that NASA must address. NASA has considered sending couples on the mission, or perhaps making a low sex drive part of the criteria for the mission. There is also the issue of privacy, astronauts vital signs, including temperature and heart rate, are always being monitored. The values of these signs during sex would be a dead giveaway, so NASA must also make a decision balancing privacy and safety in regarding sex. Not to mention the other crew members would be a few meters away (at the most) at any given time.

There is also the very real problem of pregnancy in space. Drugs are absorbed less effectively in lower gravity, so many forms of birth control would be less effective on long voyages. Not to mention the problem of the developing fetus should pregnancy occur. It would be very likely to experience all sorts of developmental problems.

Obviously sex in space is going to happen, again and again. This being said, it is a area of study that has been barley touched. Considering there are many real, significant issues, further research is needed.

Deepest Living Fish In the World (Video)

2010-12-18T08:06:00.000-08:00

A fish called the "Hadal snail fish" (Pseudoliparis Amblystomopsis) is the deepest living fish known to man. The fish lives in total darkness, at depthes of 25,000 ft deep in the trenches of the Pacific. At this depth the water pressure is immense, and the temperature approaches freezing.

It was thought that any fish living at these depths must be slow and relatively sparse populated due to the low-energy available in the environment. But a video filmed by a team of British scientists in 2008 at a depth of more then 25,000 ft clearly shows that they are active, numerous, and even sociable.

The fish look almost like tadpoles and are a plain grey color. Light is non-existent at these depths, and the fish's eyes seem to have all but disappeared. The fish instead use vibration sensors and smell as their primary senses.

Small shrimp-like creatures make up the majority of this the Hadal Snail fish's diet. These shrimp-like creatures feed on detritus and the carcasses of fish from above that sink to the ocean floor.

I recommend full screening this video, as it's quite small otherwise.

Many scientists predict that there are likely fish living at even deeper depths than the snail fish live!

Machine with Animal Brain? Or Animal with Machine Brain? (2 Videos)

2010-12-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

Two videos from New Scientist show different approaches for the development of cyborgs. One video shows several different research teams controlling insect flight through electrodes implanted into the insects brain. What immediately comes to my mind when I hear about this is the potential for military, police, and scientific exploration of hostile environments with these computer controlled bugs.

The other video shows cyborgs developed in the opposite direction. These scientists start with a mechanical body and grow rat brain cells to help control it. The brain is separate from the actual machine, and communicated with the robot wirelessly. and has been grown in a culture, and the culture has then been attached to electrodes.

I apologize about the dry voice overs in these videos, not my fault.

Nova

2010-12-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

Small, promotional post here, a "real" post will follow later today, promise.

I just wanted to share a link with the readers of this blog. For anyone interested in scientific documentaries, Nova is one of the best sites for this. They have a lot of great content posted, and I encourage anybody interested in science to check the site out.

I would also like to announce that I have started a new site at:

http://litttlebitofeverything.blogspot.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/

First Battery 2,200 years old

2010-12-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

There was a battery invented much earlier then our modern version of batteries. The "baghdad" battery has been discovered, unsurprisingly, near Baghdad, Iraq. The Battery is 2,200 years old, and is the oldest battery known to man. I'm aware that this is old news, but it is still interesting regardless.

The housing of the battery is a clay jar 5.5" high and 3" across. The jar houses a hollow copper tube that was positioned vertically. An iron was placed inside of the copper tube, it hung from a asphalt plug positioned at the top of the jar.

When the Jar was filled with vinegar, or any other acidic liquid, the battery created a current from the copper tube to the iron rod. The battery is capable of producing 2 volts.

The purpose of the battery is uncertain, and there are several different theories. One theory is that the battery could have been used for medical treatments, as the Romans were known to shock themselves with electric fish and eels as a pain killing treatment. Other theories suggest that the batteries could have been used for electroplating gold onto silver.

Google Facts! How Big is Google?

2010-12-14T16:09:00.001-08:00

I love Google, I use so many different products and services that they offer, such as Gmail, Analytics, Blogger, Sites, and YouTube to name a few. The Diagram below shows some interesting facts about Google! It gives an idea of the financials and size of Google, as well as some other random facts, did you know that Google owns a T-Rex Skeleton! Read Below!

Here is a link to the original Google Housing unit, made completely of Lego!

http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.htm

You may have to click on the image to read it, as it's size was scaled down to fit the page.

Infographic by computer school.org

Solar Power Diagram: Germany > USA

2010-12-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

The picture below gives an idea of how far the USA is behind one of the worlds leaders in solar power, Germany. It would be so nice to get all those subsidies towards big oil redirected to solar power initiatives. Admittedly this picture is two years old, but the general state of solar power in the USA is the same.

Publish Post

Man Has Faith In His Invention: Risks Own Finger On A Table Saw

2010-12-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

A man has invented a unique saftey device for table saws. The device will prevent accidental amputations by saw blades. The saw is outfitted with a device that senses conductivity, since wood has poor conductivity, the blade will run properly when cutting wood, when an item with high conductivity (such as a human finger) gets near the saw blade, the blade is abruptly stopped at a ridiculous speed. The result is a mangled saw blade and safety device, and a perfectly fine finger.

The inventor has so much faith in his invention, that he personally inserts his finger into the saw blade. The device works as planned, and his finger is spared, the saw, not so much. The video is below.

Blue Whales Have A Very Efficient Feeding Style

2010-12-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

An article from New Scientist states that Blue Whales are one of the more efficient eaters on the planet. A team from the University of California tracked 250+ blue whales as part of a study to determine how the whales can support their high energy demand. The massive amount of calories needed by the whales is due to their large size and migratory lifestyle, along with having to live with the sparse hunting of their breeding grounds for a significant period every year.

Netting around 100 times more energy eating then they expend on hunting, the Blue whale feeds on huge swarms of krill in the water column. The whales dive up to 500 meters deep to find the large concentrations of krill. Diving below the krill, they lung upwards with mouths wide open, catching many many krill in the process. The whale then filters out the water through baleen, trapping the krill in the whales mouth.

The exact kilojoules of energy spent vs kilojoules of energy gained is in the link below.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19841-blue-whale-feeding-methods-are-ultraefficient.html

Banana'a are Infertile Hybrids

2010-12-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

It may surprise you to learn that banana's are actually not a product of nature at all. They are a result of cross-breeding between two different species of plants. To breed banana's, you cut pieces of root and cultivate it, essentially cloning the plant.

Since all banana's are clones, this means that they are all genetically identical. That's right, every banana on earth is genetically exactly the same as every other banana on earth. While this keep's flavor and texture consistent, it has the unfortunate side effect of making banana's very susceptible to diseases. In fact, the most common banana sold prior the 50's is actually extinct now due to a fungus that spread through the plantations. This brings up the obvious question of what happens if this were to happen with our current banana plantations?

North Korea attacks South Korea

2010-12-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

This post is a little against the theme of this site, but I thought I should post some information about the conflict. Apparently, North Korea has fired rounds of artillery at a South Korean island, killing four civilians, and injuring many others.

Here is a Youtube News broadcast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE3eXgxx7N8

It is apparently possible to go below absolute zero

2010-12-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

I found and article on New Scientist that states it is possible for temperatures to drop below absolute zero. The thing is, matter doesn't just behave as if its even colder once it drops below absolute zero, actually the opposite happens. Matter that is below absolute zero in temperature actually has more energy than above absolute zero temperatures.

The really interesting thing is that this has been proven both in theory, and in practice! I imagine plenty of interesting technologies could be developed using such methods.

The original article is here if anyone is interested

The possibility of life on mars

2010-11-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php/109827-Hardy-bugs-could-survive-a-million-years-on-Mars.

Above is a link to an amazing forum, one that I visit frequently. The thread I linked talked about microbe colonies that can survive conditions on mars for millions of years before dying out. Granted conditions on mars have likely been harsh for life for much more than a few million years. It does mean that if there is just the occasional period that the mars climate allows these microbes to multiply and spread, than there could very well be surviving colonies of martian microbes that survive from "green period" to "green period" (yes I know, there is no actual "green" on mars).

http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php/107448-Maybe-Viking-Did-Find-Organics-on-Mars

This other thread shows that there is a distinct possibility that the very process that the viking landers used to try and detect life, destroyed that life in the process. This would mean that there is the possibility that the viking landers found plenty of life, the testing system was just wrong.

I hope that they follow up with another martian mission, to try and experiment with different techniques for searching the red sands for signs of life.

First Post!

2010-11-29T15:17:00.001-08:00

Hey,

This is the first post of this blog. This blog will contain Science and Technology information and news. I hope that I can bring a collection of interesting information in one place for people to view.