Science magazine’s breakthroughs of 2006
- 1. The Poincare Conjecture.
Reclusive Russian mathematician Grigory Perelman apparently solved the venerable mathematical problem.
- 2. Digging out fossil DNA.
Researchers used new techniques to sequence more than one million bases of nuclear DNA from a Neanderthal.
- 3. Shrinking Ice.
Glaciologists discovered that the world’s two great ice sheets were indeed losing water to the oceans – at an accelerating pace.
- 4. From sea to land.
Details emerged of a 375-million-year-old fish that fills an evolutionary gap between sea creatures and land animals.
- 5. The Ultimate Camouflage.
A British-American team built a “metamaterials” cloaking device, that rendered an object invisible to microwaves.
- 6. Ray of Hope.
Clinical trials show the drug ranizumab improved the vision of about one-third of patients with an age-related condition that causes degeneration in vision.
- 7. The road to speciation.
Studies on the fruit fly and on butterflies aided our understanding of how species arise.
- 8. Beyond the light barrier.
New microscopy techniques allowed biologists to get a clearer view of the fine structure of cells and proteins.
- 9. The Persistence of Memory.
Neuroscientists provided insights into how the brain records new memories.
- 10. Small molecules.
Researchers reported a new class of small RNA molecules that shut down gene expression.
Via BBC News
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Posted by api at 09:38 - No Comments »
The Shroud of Turin: relic, historical artifact, icon or pious fraud?
Proposal to clone DNA:
A secretive group of 13 or 14 Christians called the Second Coming Project propose to obtain a small sample of DNA from the shroud or from a relic that people believe can be traced to Yeshua of Nazareth’s (Jesus Christ’s) body. They propose to clone Yeshua by taking the ovum from a woman, removing her DNA and replacing it with the DNA obtained from a relic. If the fertilized ovum successfully divides, it would be implanted in the womb of a woman and hopefully result in a birth nine months in the future. They targeted 2001-DEC-25 as the date of birth, even though there is a consensus among Christian theologians that Yeshua was born circa 4 to 7 BCE, probably in the fall. There are obstacles to this project. There is no consensus among the scientific and religious communities that Yeshua’s DNA is present on any relic or artifact. There is no assurance that DNA that has been in existence for two millennia can be made to replicate. Bill Merrell, vice president of convention relations for the Southern Baptist Convention, said that this effort is “the height of foolhardiness,” “the highest silliness in the category of neither science nor religion” and “perfectly reprehensible.” The project appears to be founded on the belief that Yeshua is the son of God and that this condition was determined by his DNA. Thus, a cloned version of Yeshua would also have divine status. In essence, they would be creating a God — a fourth member of the Trinity.
2 The project apparently failed, because there was no further information in the media.
I personally believe that cloning and genetic manipulation will be as commonplace as aspirin and band aid within a hundred years or so. That is, if we don’t manage to blow the entire planet up before that.
Posted by api at 11:16 - 1 Comment »
Space: 1999 Catacombs- Episode Guide
Film Compilations / Film 0 (1976) – 88 minutes
Compiled From:
Breakaway
Ring Around The Moon
Another Time, Another Place
Background
This movie was edited from three episodes to launch the series in Italy. The poster shows astronauts fighting; the spacesuits are white. This scene was not in the movie. It was subsequently released to Italian video.
Music
The title music and incidental themes are by famed composer Ennio Morricone (A Fistful of Dollars, Once Upon A Time In America). Most of the music is random tonalities, but it becomes more lyrical during the return to Earth sequences.
Yes, yet another post related to space exploration! It must the Christmas that’s approaching ever so quickly (and those clever Swedes that made it space before us, dammit) that is inducing these fantasies about unexplored frontiers.
I still can’t believe that I missed the Ennio Morricone concert in Hammersmith Apollo while I was practically there… just a few tube stations away. The 50 pound ticket price seemed too steep at the time, but after I saw what eating out and living cost over there, it seems like a bargain now.
He is already 78.. I hope Lady Fate will grant me with one more chance to hear the master before he passes on to the eternal hunting grounds.
Posted by api at 11:44 - No Comments »
NASA – New Station Flight Control Room
JSC2006-E-43860 (6 Oct. 2006)— International Space Station flight controllers have this area as their new home with increased technical capabilities, more workspace and a long, distinguished history. The newly updated facility is just down the hall from its predecessor at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston. Known as Flight Control Room 1, it was first used to control a space flight 38 years ago, the mission of Apollo 7 launched Oct. 11, 1968. It was one of two control rooms for NASA’s manned missions. The room it replaces in its new ISS role, designated the Blue Flight Control Room, had been in operation since the first station component was launched in 1998.
Photo credit: NASA
It looks a bit like they are playing video games over there, doesn’t it? NASA has done a tremendous job popularizing the notion of space flight and it is indeed one of the few areas of exploration that still has that special aura of glory associated with it. Sweden just got their first astronaut, a former national Frisbee champion, Christer Fuglesang. There is apparently quite a space fever in Sweden right now. Magazines and television are covering the flight in great detail.
I often visit Nasa’s web site just to browse around and see what’s happening. A section that I found particularly interesting describes the Golden Record that was sent to space with Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. It is a sort of a time capsule containing sounds and images from earth. It’s a bit shocking to notice how dated the images have become in only a few decades. I’m not sure if they have made time capsules like this on other vessels after the Voyager missions. Who knows… maybe they have, but they just haven’t told anyone.
EDIT: the image above is of the station flight control room, not of the original Flight Control Room 1
Posted by api at 10:45 - 1 Comment »
Shelter: Add your name to the Wall of Shame
Shelter is calling on Gordon Brown to fund an extra 20,000 social rented homes each year in a bid to end the housing crisis. And to get his attention, we built a 30-metre interactive Wall of Shame on London’s South Bank.
Thousands of Shelter supporters transformed the grey Wall of Shame into a red Wall of Hope using red ‘brick’ stickers customised with their signatures and messages of support.
I tried really hard to think of a good message to put on the wall, but all I could come up with at the time was “Everyone needs a home“. After I left the scene, I thought of “His shelter is your castle” to underline the mutual nature of benefit campaigns like this.
I uploaded a whole bunch of other London photos as well. If interested, have a look.
Posted by api at 13:53 - 2 Comments »
USB Cell is a clever little invention. It is a AA size rechargeable battery that you can charge via any USB port. They had them down at the PC World in Peckham and I bought a pair out of curiousity. There is a built in LED indicator that glows when the battery is charging and it blinks once the charge is up to 90% of the 1300 mAh capacity.
In other news, we paid a visit to Camden market today and watched Borat’s movie film at the local Odeon Cineplex with my friendly hosts Tina and Stefan. Believe or not, but there is an urban neightbourhood fox that lives near their place in Rotherhite. She greeted us with glowing eyes when we arrived home the other day. Tina tells me that she sees the fox every morning when she goes to work.
My visit to London has been a very pleasant experience so far.
Posted by api at 01:44 - No Comments »
