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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Mercury rising: 5 consequences from the drought that’s scorching American farmland

Mercury rising: 5 consequences from the drought that’s scorching American farmland | The Lookout - Yahoo! News: "The worst drought in a generation is punishing farmers and burning up the nation's corn crop. Nearly 65 percent of the nation is experiencing a drought right now, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Many farmers were just trying to get over last summer's dry spell when the hottest June on record rolled in, threatening to destroy crops and desiccate pastures.



While it's still unclear exactly what the drought will mean for the U.S. environment and economy, a few concerning consequences are already apparent. But experts predict other worrisome outcomes yet to come. (If you have stories or photos about how the drought is affecting you, share them with us here.) Here are a few consequences that could crop up due to the drought:"

'Virtual bacteria' created by scientists

'Virtual bacteria' created by scientists - Telegraph: "Scientists have created a "virtual bacteria" which mimics the way the organism works, in a breakthrough which could improve our understanding of disease and help find new treatments."

Astrobiologists Resurrect a 500-Million-Year-Old Gene -- New Insights into Evolution

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Using a process called paleo-experimental evolution, Georgia Tech researchers have resurrected a 500-million-year-old gene from bacteria and inserted it into modern-day Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. This bacterium has now been growing for more than 1,000 generations, giving the scientists a front row seat to observe evolution in action.

“We think that this process will allow us to address several long standing questions in evolutionary and molecular biology,” said Betül Kacar, a NASA astrobiology postdoctoral fellow in Georgia Tech’s NASA Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution. “Among them, we want to know if an organism’s history limits its future and if evolution always leads to a single, defined point or whether evolution has multiple solutions to a given problem.”

Read More: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/07/astrobiologists-resurrect-a-500-million-year-old-gene-a-new-insight-into-evolution.html

Second India blackout in two days cuts power to 670 million

Second India blackout in two days cuts power to 670 million | Reuters: "Grids supplying electricity to half of India's 1.2 billion people collapsed on Tuesday, trapping coal miners, stranding train travellers and plunging hospitals into darkness in the second major blackout in as many days."

Nephilim Apocalypse

Transhumanism and Batman - Can We Have an Intensely Thrilling World, without Tears and Suffering?

Transhumanism and Batman - Can We Have an Intensely Thrilling World, without Tears and Suffering?: "Why are we drawn to blood and suffering? Do we lack the courage to believe in dramatically-positive visions of the future? If we had this courage, would it give us the visceral, emotional drama that we crave?



Reflecting on the latest Batman movie it occurred to me that the darkness, war and suffering portrayed in such movies provides far more intensity and drama than peace-time movies such as Woody Allen’s beautiful and hilarious, but arguably less exhilarating (and surely less box office-rich), “To Rome With Love.”"

How technology makes us vulnerable

How technology makes us vulnerable - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- The future of science and technology sounds so promising. Unprecedented advances in computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, genetics, neuroscience and biotechnology hold the potential to radically transform our world for the better and create mass abundance for all.



I sincerely want to believe in this techno-utopian vision of things to come, but my work as a police officer and global security strategist working in more than 70 countries around the world has taught me that there is a darker side to these emerging technologies."

Killer-Drone Showdown Set as Lockheed Unveils Jet-Powered 'Bot"

Killer-Drone Showdown Set as Lockheed Unveils Jet-Powered 'Bot | Danger Room | Wired.com: "Sometime in the next few years the world’s most sophisticated drone prototypes will likely face off in what could be a multi-billion-dollar competition to shape the future of air warfare. And now we finally know what all four contestants look like."

Research that could set humanity back 20,000 years: Ornaments and tools show that Modern Man emerged 44,000 years ago (much earlier than we thought)

Research that could set humanity back 20,000 years: Ornaments and tools show that Modern Man emerged 44,000 years ago (much earlier than we thought) | Mail Online: "Human behaviour, as we know it, emerged 44,000 years ago - much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study.

Next Scare: Seal Flu?

Next Scare: Seal Flu?: DNews Nuggets : Discovery News: "Seal Virus: Caught From Birds?: Last year scientists were puzzled by the deaths of 163 harbor seals around the coast of New England -- how did they die? Now researchers have the answer and it's disturbing."

Is the U.S. at Risk of Becoming a Police State?

Is the U.S. at Risk of Becoming a Police State? : Discovery News: "The Dark Knight shooting raised questions about how much police protection is enough and how much is too much."

The Weird Neuroscience of Immortality -- Uploading the Human Mind

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Neuroscientist Kenneth Hayworth, 41, recently of Harvard and a veteran of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, believes that he can live forever, the Chronicle of Higher Education reports. "The human race is on a beeline to mind uploading: We will preserve a brain, slice it up, simulate it on a computer, and hook it up to a robot body." Hayworth wants his 100 billion neurons and more than 100 trillion synapses to be encased in a block of transparent, amber-colored resin—before he dies of natural causes. Why?  Because Hayworth believes that he can live forever.

"If your body stops functioning, it starts to eat itself," Hayworth says, "so you have to shut down the enzymes that destroy the tissue." If all goes according to plan, I'll be a perfect fossil." Then one day, not too long from now, his consciousness will be revived on a computer. By 2110, Hayworth predicts, mind uploading—the transfer of a biological brain to a silicon-based operating system—will be as common as laser eye surgery is today.

Read More: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/07/the-weird-neuroscience-of-mind-uploading-part-of-our-evolutionary-future.html

Attack of the Drones: Mysterious UAVs in Our Skies

The emergence of new drone technologies have captured the public’s imagination, as well as sparked controversy, especially since the arrival of the US Navy’s show-stealing X-47B drone. With its triangular shape, non-existent tail, and sleek, almost saucerian look, the aircraft succeeds in resembling classic descriptions of flying saucers dating all the way back to the 1940s.

As a journalist, one never wants to spend too much time discussing his or her own experiences, opting instead to present a fair, unbiased perspective on such subjects. However, my purpose here is hardly to dissect the controversies surrounding drone use in military operations, border patrol operations, or even surveillance in urban areas. Rather, my reason for addressing the drones on a personal note has to do with my own recent observation of some variety of small, controlled aircraft for which, at present, remains unidentified… and quite perplexing.

Read More: http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/07/attack-of-the-drones-mysterious-uavs-in-our-skies/

Police using ‘predictive analytics’ to prevent crimes before they happen

Police using ‘predictive analytics’ to prevent crimes before they happen | The Raw Story: "Crime fighters have long used brains and brawn, but now a new kind of technology known as “predictive policing” promises to make them more efficient. A growing number of law enforcement agencies, in the US and elsewhere, have been adopting software tools with predictive analytics, based on algorithms that aim to predict crimes before they happen."

Future foods: What will we be eating in 20 years' time?

BBC News - Future foods: What will we be eating in 20 years' time?: "Earlier this year, Dutch scientists successfully produced in-vitro meat, also known as cultured meat. They grew strips of muscle tissue using stem cells taken from cows, which were said to resemble calamari in appearance."

Warrior King Statue Discovered in Ancient Mediterranean City

Warrior King Statue Discovered in Ancient Mediterranean City | LiveScience: "A newly discovered statue of a curly-haired man gripping a spear and a sheath of wheat once guarded the upper citadel of an ancient kingdom's capital."

UFO sightings in Canada reach record high

UFO sightings in Canada reach record high | Mail Online: "Sixty-five years after the infamous Roswell incident, it seems that aliens have finally discovered Canada.

'The 2011 Canadian UFO Survey' has declared a near record high of 986 UFO sightings in 2011

UFO sightings north of the border reached a near record high last year, with the group Ufology Research reporting 986 sightings across Canada, or almost three per day.

The report entitled 'The 2011 Canadian UFO Survey' does state that the majority of sightings were simply street lights or aircraft, however eight out of the 986 were considered to be 'high quality unknowns'"

Monday, July 30, 2012

UFO Over Olympics Opening Ceremony: A Classic Flying Saucer

Friday night's spectacular pyrotechnics display of the most watched opening ceremony in summer Olympics history attracted more than the eyes of over 40 million people. A clearly seen unidentified flying object was videotaped making its way over London's Olympic stadium. Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/29/ufo-over-olympics-opening_n_1716887.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

“…Messages from non-earthly sources”

“…Messages from non-earthly sources” | Mysterious Universe: "Occasionally, I get asked something along the lines of this: “Why do you place so much faith in the Freedom of Information Act when it comes to looking for UFO data?” Such a question is often posed by those who assume that anything of a Flying Saucer nature that surfaces out of the carefully guarded vaults of officialdom simply has to be faked or disinformation. That, however, is very far from being the case.



I don’t dispute – at all – that the official world is sitting on a massive body of data on UFOs that still has yet to see the light of day. And, the unfortunate reality of the situation may mean that it will never see the light of day. But, that doesn’t mean the relatively small body of data that has surfaced is without any merit. Quite the opposite, in fact…"

Moon formation: Was it a 'hit and run' accident?

BBC News - Moon formation: Was it a 'hit and run' accident?: "What is certain is that some sort of impact from another body freed material from the young Earth and the resulting debris coalesced into today's Moon. But the exact details of the impactor's size and speed have remained debatable."

Simulations of moon formation

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Science fiction comes to life in Italian lab

Science fiction comes to life in Italian lab - Yahoo! News: "Once the preserve of science fiction, increasingly sophisticated robotic devices are vying for a place side by side with humans in the real world."

Non-Human Consciousness Exists Say Experts. Now What?

Non-Human Consciousness Exists Say Experts. Now What? | Singularity Hub: "Have you ever considered the consciousness, or unconsciousness, of your dog? Well, a group of neuroscientists have been thinking on the subject pretty seriously, and it was announced last week that “humans are not the only conscious beings in the universe“."

Synthetic biology: 'playing God' is vital if we are to create a better future for all

Synthetic biology: 'playing God' is vital if we are to create a better future for all | Adam Rutherford | Comment is free | The Guardian: "The present gains and future benefits of synthetic biology are too great for it to be written off with fear-mongering maxims"

DARPA Military Projects That Will Change Your Life

DARPA Military Projects That Will Change Your Life - Business Insider: "The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) gets a ton of funding to develop the science and technological future of the military.
This is the agency responsible for GPS, the internet and stealth planes. They're the real deal."

A way to consistently manufacture nanotechnology

Genetically modified 3-parent children hitting their teens

Genetically modified 3-parent children hitting their teens | LifeSiteNews.com: "A controversial IVF method resulting in 3-parent babies has recently been debated in the UK, but according to reports brought to light by Dr. Joseph Mercola of the health website Mercola.com, the technique has already been used in the US as far back as 1997. The birth of these genetically-modified children was indicated in a 2001 report issued by the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of Saint Barnabas (IRMS), New Jersey, so the children are now over 10 years old."

World's first 'smart city' to be completed by 2015: 'Songdo' the Orwellian control grid

World's first 'smart city' to be completed by 2015: 'Songdo' the Orwellian control grid | Grant J. Kidney, at War with the Establishment!: "The world’s first ‘smart city’ is being built in Asia- and it promises to serve as an experiment for the high-tech tyranny that is surely to come about as a response to the collapse of this present era of human industrial civilization."

DARPA's Blue Angel - Pentagon prepares millions of vaccines against future global flu

DARPA's Blue Angel - Pentagon prepares millions of vaccines against future global flu — RT: "The Pentagon’s DARPA lab has announced a milestone, but it doesn’t involve drones or death missiles. Scientists at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency say they’ve produced 10 million doses of an influenza vaccine in only one month’s time."

Enceladus: home of alien lifeforms?

Enceladus: home of alien lifeforms? | Science | The Observer: "Mars dominates the search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system, but a growing number of scientists believe Enceladus, an icy moon of Saturn, is a much better bet"

Saturday, July 28, 2012

UFO looks like a Bird of Prey

Incognito Supercomputers and the Singularity

Incognito Supercomputers and the Singularity | Endless Innovation | Big Think: "Thanks to rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and computer processing ability, machines are now evolving faster than humans. At some point within the next decade, according to proponents of the Singularity, machines will become so intelligent that they will start making decisions for us in ways that we could never imagine or understand.

Incognito%20supercomputers

The conventional wisdom, of course, is that humans will be able to recognize that day and adjust things accordingly so that we’re still in charge here on Earth. (Isn’t that what the Turing Test was for?) As the line between human intelligence and machine intelligence continues to blur, though, it is no longer so obvious that we will we be able to recognize that day when our machines are smarter than us. The supercomputers will be in control and incognito."

Robot Apocalypse Inches Closer as Machines Learn To Install Solar Panels

Robot Apocalypse Inches Closer as Machines Learn To Install Solar Panels | Smart News: "Robots can run, they can fly, they can swim, and they can feed on the corpses of plant and animal alike. Clever (evil?) engineers have been designing ways for robots to power themselves, independent of us pesky flesh-bags, for years. But so far, each of these self-fueling automatons has had to go it alone."

A Working Assault Rifle Made With a 3-D Printer

A Working Assault Rifle Made With a 3-D Printer | Popular Science: "Get ready. It's now possible to print weapons at home.



An amateur gunsmith, operating under the handle of "HaveBlue" (incidentally, "Have Blue" is the codename that was used for the prototype stealth fighter that became the Lockheed F-117), announced recently in online forums that he had successfully printed a serviceable .22 caliber pistol."

Nephilim DNA...? Neanderthal-type species once roamed Africa, DNA shows

Neanderthal-type species once roamed Africa, DNA shows - The Washington Post: "The human family tree just got another — mysterious — branch, an African “sister species” to the heavy-browed Neanderthals that once roamed Europe.

While no fossilized bones have been found from these enigmatic people, they did leave a calling card in present-day Africans: snippets of foreign DNA."

J.C. Penney's Latest Leap: Retailer to Ditch Cash Registers, Cashiers

J.C. Penney's Latest Leap: Retailer to Ditch Cash Registers, Cashiers - DailyFinance: "J.C. Penney (JCP) will say farewell to cash registers, checkout counters and cashiers by 2014, said Ron Johnson, the chain's CEO, during the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference, reports Time."

DOJ to Colorado Family: Give Up Your Religion or Your Business

DOJ to Colorado Family: Give Up Your Religion or Your Business | CNSNews.com: "The Justice Department last week presented the Newland family of Colorado--who own Hercules Industries, a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning business--with what amounted to an ultimatum: Give up your religion or your business."

Illinois among states hardest hit by drought

Illinois among states hardest hit by drought - chicagotribune.com: "Dry spell, which could becomes state's worst on record, may lead to higher food prices"

The Door to Hell: Giant hole in the Karakum Desert has been on fire for more than 40 YEARS

The Door to Hell: Giant hole in the Karakum Desert has been on fire for more than 40 YEARS | Mail Online: "At first glance, it could be a dramatic scene from a science-fiction movie.

But this giant hole of fire in the heart of the Karakum Desert is not the aftermath of an attack on Earth, launched from outer space.

Illuminating: The hole in Derweze, Turkmenistan, is 70 metres wide and the flames within light up the sky

It is a crater made by geologists more than 40 years ago, and the flames within have been burning ever since.

Welcome to Derweze in Turkmenistan - or, as the locals have called it, 'The Door to Hell'."

FEMA Preps for UFO Attacks!

FEMA Preps for UFO Attacks! (Video) | Gather: "For those who wonder how seriously the government plans to counter possible alien attacks, the ABC News report in the video below is a real eye opener. An entire chapter of a new firefighter emergency response manual covers what to do in the event of an attack by unidentified flying objects and aliens from another planet."

Friday, July 27, 2012

Scientists show off the amazing robotic insect that can hop, skip (and even jump) on water

Scientists show off the amazing robotic insect that can hop, skip (and even jump) on water | Mail Online: "It is the tiny robot that can do something astonishing. Canadian researcher today showed off the incredible tiny machine inspired by an insect. Like the water strider it was based on, it can walk on water - and even jump, all without sinking."

'Beast of Brooklyn' washed up in New York

'Beast of Brooklyn' washed up in New York | Fox News: "Mystery surrounds the discovery of a hideous creature washed up under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.



Dubbed the "Manhattan monster," its ghoulish carcass has a mutilated face, hairless flesh and five human-like fingers at the end of its limbs. The gruesome find has sparked an array of theories as to whether it is a giant water-logged rodent, a cooked pig, a swollen dog -- or something more sinister."

Strange Underwater Tower Off California

Strange Underwater Tower Off California : Discovery News: "A newly discovered methane seep off San Diego hosts a seafloor mound about the height of a two-story building and the size of a city block."

Quantum Computing Closer with Lasers

Quantum Computing Closer with Lasers : Discovery News: "In the future, computers will be faster than the fastest supercomputers of today, they'll be able crack any code, analyze gobs of data and know immediately if they're being infiltrated by hackers. The computers able to do that will be based on quantum physics, a mysterious and paradoxical area of physics that scientists are still trying to figure out. It requires, at its foundation, the ability to control a single photon."

Millions of Birds Dead, Killed in Mexico Flu Outbreak

Millions of Birds Dead, Killed in Mexico Flu Outbreak | Fox News Latino: "Some 4.9 million birds have died since the outbreak of bird flu started five weeks ago at farms in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, officials said."

Genetically Modified Apples Newest GMO Creation

Genetically Modified Apples Newest GMO Creation: "After setting sights on creating a heavily modified apple that ‘never browns’ and doing their very best to hide the fact that they are indeed genetically altered, a biotech corporation known as Okanagan Specialty Fruits is now pushing for their new genetically modified apples to hit the market."

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Debt crisis: Europe is sleepwalking towards imminent disaster, warn top economists

Debt crisis: Europe is sleepwalking towards imminent disaster, warn top economists - Telegraph: "The euro has completely broken down as a workable system and faces collapse with “incalculable economic losses and human suffering” unless there is a drastic change of course, according to a group of leading economists."

Pentagon’s 30,000-pound bunker-buster ‘superbomb’ ready for use

Pentagon’s 30,000-pound bunker-buster ‘superbomb’ ready for use — RT: "The biggest conventional bomb ever developed is ready to wreak destruction upon the enemies of the US. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said its record-breaking bunker-buster has become operational after years of testing."

This US Air Force photo shows weapon specialistsas they look on as a mock up of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator sits in bomb bay of the B-2 weapons load trainer (AFP Photo)

Blind mice can see again with breakthrough injection that could lead to radical cures for humans

Blind mice can see again with breakthrough injection that could lead to radical cures for humans | Mail Online: "An injection into the eye could one day restore sight to the blind, scientists say."

A second Earth? Telescope finds solar system that mirrors ours - and offers hope that life could thrive on its worlds

A second Earth? Telescope finds solar system that mirrors ours - and offers hope that life could thrive on its worlds | Mail Online: "A solar system arranged just like our own has been discovered a thousand light years from the Earth."

Giving the dog a clone: Labrador duplicated from dead pet's DNA becomes a father itself

Giving the dog a clone: Labrador duplicated from dead pet's DNA becomes a father itself | Mail Online: "The dog who was cloned after his grieving owners could not bear to say goodbye has become a dad."

Attack of the vampire sun! Astronomers spot binary system where one star sucks the life out of another

Attack of the vampire sun! Astronomers spot binary system where one star sucks the life out of another | Mail Online: "These stars have short and violent lives and play a key role in the evolution of galaxies. They are also linked to extreme phenomena such as 'vampire stars', where a smaller companion star sucks matter off the surface of its larger neighbour. 'These stars are absolute behemoths,' said Hugues Sana, from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, who is the lead author of the study."

Glasses that add Instagram effects to real life: The ultimate hipster eyewear?

Glasses that add Instagram effects to real life: The ultimate hipster eyewear? | Mail Online: "A new pair of glasses will allow hipsters to add Instagram effects to the real world - as if seeing the retro-tinted pictures all over Facebook wasn't enough. The glasses, designed by German Markus Gerke, would have a five-megapixel sensor built in, and would add filter effects using built-in computer."

Biggest space experiment ever helps unravel universe's mysteries

Biggest space experiment ever helps unravel universe's mysteries | Fox News: "Space’s largest ever science experiment celebrated its one year anniversary this week having collected over 17 billion “cosmic ray” events in its search for the secrets of the universe."

Iran's Nuclear Facilities Are 'Thunderstuck'

Iran's Nuclear Facilities Are 'Thunderstuck' : Discovery News: "In 2005, as head of Iran's Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad banned all forms of Western and "indecent" music from radio and television stations controlled by the state.

Ac_dc-622

Considering such a drastic move, ole' boy can't be too happy about this: Iran's nuclear facilities have allegedly been infiltrated and hacked, causing nuclear plant workstation speakers to blast AC/DC's "Thunderstuck" at top volume."

Ancient Life-Size Lion Statues Baffle Scientists

Ancient Life-Size Lion Statues Baffle Scientists : Discovery News: "Each of the two life-sized statues weighs about 5 tons and archaeologists aren't sure what they were used for."

Biometrics may soon replace credit cards in your wallet

Biometrics may soon replace credit cards in your wallet | Digital Life | FP Tech Desk | Financial Post: "Sure, it’s cool and easy to pay for stuff with the wave of a smartphone — but why bother when you could just use your face? Fast-evolving biometric technologies are promising to deliver the most convenient, secure connection possible between you and your bank account — using your body itself in place of all of those wallets and purses stuffed with cash, change and plastic cards."

Faith, Hope, and Singularity: Entering the Matrix with New York’s Futurist Set

Faith, Hope, and Singularity: Entering the Matrix with New York’s Futurist Set | Betabeat: "It's the end of the world as we know it, and they feel fine."

The 4 Horsemen of the High-Tech Apocalypse

The 4 Horsemen of the High-Tech Apocalypse | InvestorPlace: "I recently penned an article about how during the past two decades, tech innovations have gutted our job market, upending industries from media to retailing to manufacturing. The Atlantic also had a story out last week about “The Post-Employee Economy” that discusses how high-tech means allow for big savings for consumers and big gains for productivity … but very little hope for labor and the prospect of jobs."

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Russian Navy UFO records say aliens love oceans

Russian Navy UFO records say aliens love oceans — RT: "The Russian navy has declassified its records of encounters with unidentified objects technologically surpassing anything humanity ever built, reports Svobodnaya Pressa news website."

Federal agencies kick off $132 million effort to create 'human on a chip'

Federal agencies kick off $132 million effort to create 'human on a chip' - Cosmic Log: "Many medications and treatments, even after years of research, fail in the final phase of review — when they're actually tested in humans. Despite having performed well in the lab, in mice, and perhaps in closer human analogues like monkeys, drugs occasionally turn out to be ineffective or toxic when used by the humans they're meant to help. To improve this process, and limit the risks to human testers, the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency are together pledging up to up to $132 million for creating "organ-on-a-chip" systems, with the eventual goal of simulating the entire human body."

The £45m 'organ chip' scientists hope could one day replace animal experiments

The £45m 'organ chip' scientists hope could one day replace animal experiments | Mail Online: "A £45 million research project could see future generations of drugs tested on "organ chips" that mimic different parts of the human body. As well as improving and speeding up drug development, the move could prevent the suffering and death of many thousands of laboratory animals."

15 incredible military technologies

15 incredible military technologies: "Mind-blowing advancements in military tech means that the battlefields of today and tomorrow are filled with cyborg bugs, invisible tanks, guided bullets and more."

'Seeds' of Supermassive Black Holes Discovered

'Seeds' of Supermassive Black Holes Discovered : Discovery News: "We've found small black holes and we've found really, really big black holes. But what about the "inbetweener" black holes?

Imbh-cluster

The very existence of this class of black hole is disputed, but a Japanese group of astronomers have found the potential locations of three intermediate black hole (IMBH) candidates inside previously unknown star clusters near the center of the Milky Way."

500 Million-Year-Old 'Mistake' Led to Humans

500 Million-Year-Old 'Mistake' Led to Humans : Discovery News: "A spineless creature experienced two doublings in DNA, triggering the evolution of humans and other animals."

The Other Rolling Stones

Beyond any shadow of doubt, the most famous of all the many mysteries of Death Valley, in California’s Mojave Desert, are its rolling stones – and, no, I’m not talking here about Mick and Keith. For decades, astounded visitors to the valley – and particularly so in the vicinity of an 850-feet high hillside of dolomite on the southern side of its Racetrack Playa – have come across large stones and rocks that appear to have moved across the desert floor of their own free will and under some perceived, but poorly understood, magical power.

Such scenarios and beliefs have gained a great deal of weight by the fact that, behind the same stones and rocks, grooves and tracks are always found – sometimes extending for hundreds of feet, and occasionally even displaying evidence of the rocks having actually flipped over during the course of their curious travels across the harsh lands of Death Valley.

Read more: http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/07/the-other-rolling-stones/

Mayor Bloomberg Says Cops Should Go On Strike Until Americans Give Up Their Guns

Mayor Bloomberg Says Cops Should Go On Strike Until Americans Give Up Their Guns - Hit & Run : Reason.com: "New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told CNN's Piers Morgan last night that he doesn't "understand why police officers across this country don’t stand up collectively and say we’re going to go on strike, we’re not going to protect you unless you, the public, through your legislature, do what’s required to keep us safe.""

Food price crisis feared as erratic weather wreaks havoc on crops

Food price crisis feared as erratic weather wreaks havoc on crops | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "'What the world economy really needs right now is a break', one economist says, but instead it appears headed toward upheaval"

Scientists Read Monkeys' Minds, See What They're Planning to Do Before They Do it

Scientists Read Monkeys' Minds, See What They're Planning to Do Before They Do it | Popular Science: "Neurologists working with monkeys at Washington University in St. Louis to decode brain activity have stumbled upon a rather surprising result. While working to demonstrate that multiple parameters can be seen in the firing rate of a single neuron (and that certain parameters are embedded in neurons only if they are needed to solve the immediate task), they also found that they could read their monkeys’ minds."

The 'chemputer' that could print out any drug

The 'chemputer' that could print out any drug | Science | The Observer: "When Lee Cronin learned about the concept of 3D printers, he had a brilliant idea: why not turn such a device into a universal chemistry set that could make its own drugs?"

Is Planet Gliese 581g Really the 'First Potentially Habitable' Alien World?

Is Planet Gliese 581g Really the 'First Potentially Habitable' Alien World? | Space.com: "Nearly two years after spotting Gliese 581g, the celebrated "first potentially habitable" alien world, the planet's discoverers continue to fight for its existence."

Micro-drones: The new face of cutting-edge warfare

Micro-drones: The new face of cutting-edge warfare - New Scientist: "Drones are getting smaller and smarter, able to navigate and identify targets without GPS or human operators"

Alien invasion would be like ‘Bambi meeting Godzilla’ according to Michio Kaku

Alien invasion would be like ‘Bambi meeting Godzilla’ according to Michio Kaku | Openminds.tv: "Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku appeared on CNN Newsroom on July 19 to discuss extraterrestrial life. He offered his opinion that, if we encounter extraterrestrials, they are likely to be friendly. But, if humans ever have to face hostile extraterrestrials in battle, he thinks “it would be like Bambi meeting Godzilla.”"

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Facial recognition tech is rocketing ahead of laws that can control it

Facial recognition tech is rocketing ahead of laws that can control it | Ars Technica: ""Many Americans don't realize they're already in a facial recognition database," Jennifer Lynch, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said Wednesday in a hearing on the technology. Addressing Senator Al Franken and the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, Lynch pointed out that there is a painful disconnect between how little personal action is required to capture a face and how much personal information can be associated with it. All that, thanks to the Internet. As it is, Lynch said, "Americans can't take precautions to prevent the collection of their image.""

Seth Shostak From SETI: We WILL Find Aliens In Space

Seth Shostak From SETI: We WILL Find Aliens In Space | Singularity Hub: "Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, has been patiently waiting by his computer for over two decades now, anticipating the day when some sign of Extraterrestrial Intelligence pops up on his radar screen. It’s been a fairly quiet job so far, but Shostak visited Singularity University on Monday with an optimistic perspective about SETI’s prospects for the near future. With at least 10^22 stars in a universe that has been around for 14+ billion years, the odds are surely in favor for life sprouting up somewhere else besides this pale blue dot we call home. The problem at the moment is that SETI’s range is laughably small when comparing it to the scope of the cosmos; we barely get out of our own solar system let alone tap into other galaxies. But judging by the trends in technology and the advancements of SETI’s satellites, which are increasing at Moore’s Law rates, Shostak believes we will find some sort of ET in the next few decades."

2012 Doomsday: It’s not just Mayan claim

2012 Doomsday: It’s not just Mayan claim: "An author investigating ancient prophecies is again sounding the alarm about numerous predictions suggesting 2012 could be the beginning of the “end of the age” spoken of in the Holy Bible."

Mysterious bond between atoms found in white dwarf stars could change computing forever

Mysterious bond between atoms found in white dwarf stars could change computing forever | Mail Online: "A new kind of bond between atoms found only in the crushingly intense magnetic fields of white dwarf stars could unlock new secrets of quantum physics.

The find - a 'third kind' of bond between atoms, unknown on Earth - could also unlock the secrets of ultra-powerful new computers.

White dwarf stars have magnetic fields 10,000 times stronger than the strongest fields on Earth - and the strange chemical bonds occur within the fields

The find rewrites the rules of the universe - adding a third kind of bond after the 'ionic' and 'covalent' bonds learned by schoolchildren."

Scientists create transparent solar panels out of 'glass-like' plastic

Scientists create transparent solar panels out of 'glass-like' plastic | Mail Online: "One of the occasional complaints around solar panels is that they are 'an eyesore'. Well this may be about to change, after researchers developed a new transparent solar cell which means windows in homes and other buildings can have the ability to generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside."

Set your doomsday clock now: Earth will be ripped from the sun just before universe blows up

Set your doomsday clock now: Earth will be ripped from the sun just before universe blows up (.... but only in 16.7 billion years) | Mail Online: "A doomsday timetable predicts what will happen to our universe if mysterious 'dark energy' rips our universe to shreds."

Made in space: Nasa tests 3D printers that will let Mars-bound astronauts craft their own equipment as they travel

Made in space: Nasa tests 3D printers that will let Mars-bound astronauts craft their own equipment as they travel | Mail Online: "Future astronauts might 'forget to pack', just like Earthbound holidaymakers - but it won't matter. Instead, astronauts will use 3D printing machines that can make any object the astronauts need - even metal machine parts."

Syria Update: What the News Isn't Reporting

Land Destroyer: Syria Update: What the News Isn't Reporting: "Wider UNSC dissension, Turkish offensive against its own "rebels," and Iraq's rejection of latest "Arab League" statement before massive Al Qaeda attacks.

Air Force to begin testing drone-fired lasers over North Dakota

Air Force to begin testing drone-fired lasers over North Dakota: "On July 26, the U.S. Air National Guard will get the green light to begin firing lasers from unmanned attack drones in a vast swath of skies over North Dakota, despite the concerns of local commercial pilots."

Transhumanism – Techno-Eugenics Usurping Humanity

Transhumanism – Techno-Eugenics Usurping Humanity « Just Wondering – Alternative News and Opinions: "Transhumanism has a variety of definitions and can be made to appear as just an innocuous notion. In fact, it’s latest portrayal is as a method of transcending death through technology.



Nice try.

We’re plagued with mechanization and digitization. Technology moves information, ourselves, our economy. So how can it be bad? Why not use it to enhance our capabilities?

Yeah, but where do you draw the line? What’s really going on?"

Monday, July 23, 2012

"Hacking the Universe"--Stephen Hawking Launches the Cosmos Supercomputer

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Stephen Hawking has launched the most powerful shared-memory supercomputer in Europe, the COSMOS supercomputer, manufactured by SGI and the first system of its kind. Hawking says will open up new windows on the universe.

During the launch, which is part of the Numerical Cosmology 2012 workshop at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge, Hawking said, “We have made spectacular advances in cosmology and particle physics recently.” “Cosmology is now a precision science, so we need machines like COSMOS to reach out and touch the real universe, to investigate whether our mathematical models are correct."

The COSMOS supercomputer is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council DiRAC High Performance Computing facility, a national service for UK cosmologists, astronomers and particle physicists, as well as non-academic users.

Read More: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/07/stephen-hawking-has-launched-the-most-powerful-shared-memory-supercomputer-in-europe.html

America's fascination with the apocalypse

BBC News - America's fascination with the apocalypse: "The end of the world is nigh. Or so you might think if you immersed yourself in American popular culture."

"Dramatic" New Maya Temple Found, Covered With Giant Faces

"Dramatic" New Maya Temple Found, Covered With Giant Faces: "Archaeological "gold mine" illuminates connection between king and sun god."

A mask depicts a sun god in the guise of a shark.

'Minority Report' software hits the real world

'Minority Report' software hits the real world: "AFP - The software behind the film "Minority Report" -- where Tom Cruise speeds through video on a large screen using only hand gestures -- is making its way into the real world."

An employee demonstrates the use of a data glove to navigate a map on a computer screen at Los Angeles-based software company Oblong Industries' offices in Washington in June 2012. The software behind the film "Minority Report" -- where Tom Cruise speeds through video on a large screen using only hand gestures -- is making its way into the real world.

Science: Transhumanism

Science: Transhumanism: "There is so much incredible information to get out to you that I sort of had brain lock trying to get this to you. It was information overload. I have not posted on this topic for a long time, and I was shocked at the advancement towards the “Image of the Beast” and trying to destroy the image of God in man. All I can say is “wow”."

The truth IS out there with rise in UFO sightings in Australia

The truth IS out there with rise in UFO sightings in Australia | thetelegraph.com.au: "FOR those searching for life on another planet, the mission involves not just finding the evidence but getting others to take them seriously."

From statins to sugar: The 'Chemputer' which can give you any drug or organic material using a 3D printer

From statins to sugar: The 'Chemputer' which can give you any drug or organic material using a 3D printer | Mail Online: "Jump forward a few years, and we may find the humble pharmacy resigned to the history bin.

Tiny detail: The F1 nano-car was created by the Vienna Institute of Technology in a record-breaking four minutes

For a professor, described as a 'one-man catalyst, has taken a commercially available 3D printer, and adapted it to inject organic-based inks into tube-like structures to create the new home-grown version of a pill."

Playing God: Scientists simulate first-ever 100% realistic sex disease bacteria - and find could pave way for artificial life

Playing God: Scientists simulate first-ever 100% realistic sex disease bacteria - and find could pave way for artificial life | Mail Online: "The first-ever complete computer model of a tiny, sexually transmitted bacteria is now 'living' inside a computer.

The 'complete' model of the 'Mycoplasma genitalium' bacteria behaves exactly like the real thing - based on data from 900 scientific papers.

The discovery could pave the way for scientists to design new bacteria in the same way we design cars or 3D models now.

Every chemical change inside the bacteria is simulated at the molecular level - a breakthrough that could be a a stepping-stone towards creating tailor-made life forms."

New gadget that controls a car's functions with just a wink or a nod of the driver's head

New gadget that controls a car's functions with just a wink or a nod of the driver's head: "Engineers have come up with a whole new way driving using just facial expressions after creating a gadget that controls a car's functions using nods and winks. The infra-red sensor is mounted on the dash board and recognises the driver's facial expression to control the car. A computer concealed inside the car translates the gestures which corresponds to a list of commands for the radio, Sat Nav, heating and mobile phone."

Swimming jellyfish built out of rat cells, silicone

Swimming jellyfish built out of rat cells, silicone: "Using rat heart cells and silicone polymer, researchers have bioengineered a "jellyfish" that knows how to swim."

jellyfish-mimic-120722

Fountain of Youth (in Bees): Acting Younger

Fountain of Youth (in Bees): Acting Younger : Discovery News: "People are not bees, but the new findings fall in line with growing evidence that the size of our social networks, along with other lifestyle factors, can influence how we age. The proteins implicated in the new study also appear in human brains, opening up the possibility that, like bees, changing our behavior could help us avoid some of the brain-centered pitfalls of aging."

Huddled in Beijing As Killer Storm Strikes City

Huddled in Beijing As Killer Storm Strikes City : Discovery News: "Late Sunday the Beijing city government issued a statement saying that 25 people drowned, six were crushed in collapsed homes, one was hit by lightning and five were electrocuted by fallen power lines. That death toll is more than double the dozen deaths reported earlier that day."

The Aztec UFO and Psy-Ops

According to a Technical Report prepared by the Air Force’s flying saucer study, Project Grudge, in August 1949: “Upon eliminating several additional incidents due to vagueness and duplication, there remain 228 incidents, which are considered in this report. Thirty of these could not be explained, because there was found to be insufficient evidence on which to base a conclusion.” Arguably, however, the most important and intriguing entry in the document appears in the Recommendations section. It’s one that many UFO researchers have not appreciated the significance of. It states: “That Psychological Warfare Division and other governmental agencies interested in psychological warfare be informed of the results of this study.”

The Department of Defense’s definition of psychological warfare is: “The planned use of propaganda and other psychological actions having the primary purpose of influencing the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of hostile foreign groups in such a way as to support the achievement of national objectives.”

Read More: http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/07/the-aztec-ufo-and-psy-ops/

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Transhumanist Philosophies in Sci-Fi Films of the 1970s & 1980s

Nodus: Notes on Popular Culture: Transhumanist Philosophies in Sci-Fi Films of the 1970s & 1980s: "As a popular culture scholar, I am interested in examining how films reflect and express social issues surrounding the growth of technology. With this in mind, I have reflected here, through a quick video guide, on specific media (1970s and 1980s films) that I consumed across my early life that socialized me toward transhumainst philosophies..."

UFO Evidence - The history of UFOs as seen in Petroglyphs, Cave Paintings, and Artwork

UFO Evidence - The history of UFOs as seen in Petroglyphs, Cave Paintings, and Artwork - YouTube: "Pictoral evidence that UFOs have existed for over 17,000 years. Starting with cave paintings dated from 17,000 BC, UFOs have been dipicted by man from all four corners of the earth."

Interstellar space travel may be possible using lasers and antimatter

Interstellar space travel may be possible using lasers and antimatter | Fox News: "While interstellar journeys have been explored by researchers, one type of mission has not received much attention, namely the interstellar rendezvous and return mission that could be accomplished on timescales comparable with a working scientist's career.

interstellar-laser.JPG

Such a mission would involve an initial boost phase followed by a coasting phase to the target star system. Next would be the deceleration and rendezvous phase, which would be followed by a period of scientific data gathering.

Finally, there would be a second boost phase, aimed at returning the spacecraft back to the solar system, and subsequent coasting and deceleration phases upon return to our solar system.

Such a mission would represent a precursor to a future manned interstellar mission; which in principle could safely return any astronauts back to Earth."

The Rivers of Saturn's Titan --"A Weirdly Earth-like Place"

Titan (1)

In 2004, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft — a probe that flies by Titan as it orbits Saturn — penetrated Titan’s orange haze, providing scientists with their first detailed images of the surface. Radar images revealed an icy terrain carved out over millions of years by rivers of liquid methane, similar to how rivers of water have etched into Earth’s rocky continents. The image above from the Cassini mission show river networks draining into lakes in Titan's north polar region.

While images of Titan have revealed its present landscape, very little is known about its geologic past. Now researchers at MIT and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville have analyzed images of Titan’s river networks and determined that in some regions, rivers have created surprisingly little erosion. The researchers say there are two possible explanations: either erosion on Titan is extremely slow, or some other recent phenomena may have wiped out older riverbeds and landforms.

Read More: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/07/weekend-feature-the-rivers-of-saturns-titan-a-weirdly-earth-like-place.html

Brilliant Scientists Are Open-Minded about Paranormal Stuff, So Why Not You?

Brilliant Scientists Are Open-Minded about Paranormal Stuff, So Why Not You? | Cross-Check, Scientific American Blog Network: "Serious scientists aren’t supposed to believe in paranormal phenomena, sometimes called “psi,” and yet some serious scientists do. I thought it would be fun to list a few, starting with ones who, like Turing, have passed into the great beyond."

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Scientists show how to scrunch up space-time

Scientists show how to scrunch up space-time | TG Daily: "Mathematicians say they've discovered a new way to crinkle up the fabric of space-time - at least in theory."

UFO Sighting Near Russian Nuke Plant

UFO Sighting Near Russian Nuke Plant: "A UFO video on YouTube shows what look like two glowing orange orbs hovering in the twilight sky over a Russian nuclear power plant. As the video plays, each of the objects wink on and off. They don't look like conventional aircraft, so, what are they?"

Stanford and Venter Institute Simulate an Entire Organism With Software

Stanford and Venter Institute Simulate an Entire Organism With Software - NYTimes.com: "The scientists and other experts said the work was a giant step toward developing computerized laboratories that could carry out many thousands of experiments much faster than is possible now"

Hubble Space Telescope spots 10-billion-year-old spiral galaxy, oldest ever seen

Hubble Space Telescope spots 10-billion-year-old spiral galaxy, oldest ever seen. - latimes.com: "Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered the oldest known spiral galaxy, a 10.7-billion-year-old anomaly that by all rights shouldn't exist. The galaxy was present in the early universe, about 3 billion years after the Big Bang, at a time when galaxies were still forming and normally looked clumpy and irregular. "The vast majority of old galaxies look like train wrecks," said UCLA astronomer Alice E. Shapley, one of the discoverers of the unusual spiral galaxy. "Our first thought was, why is this one so different, and so beautiful?""

Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel talks about investigating and debunking UFO sightings

Molecular Machine Breakthrough: Solid State Synthetic Molecular Machine

Molecular Machine Breakthrough: Solid State Synthetic Molecular Machine | Accelerating Future: "In a major breakthrough for the field of molecular machines, Canadian chemists have created a self-assembling metallo-organic molecular wheel and axle. This is the first time scientists have proved that interlocked molecules can function inside solid materials."

Did We Meet Martians 36 Years Ago?

Did We Meet Martians 36 Years Ago? : Discovery News: "As we count down to the much-anticipated landing of NASA's six-wheeled Mars Science Lab (MSL) on Aug. 5/6th, it's noteworthy that 36 years ago today mankind made the first successful touchdown on the Red Planet."

New Singularity in Space-Time Found

Shockwave

Einstein’s theory of general relativity explains gravity as a curvature in space-time. But the theory starts from the assumption that any local patch of space-time looks flat, Temple said. But mathematicians at UC Davis "...show that space-time cannot be locally flat at a point where two shock waves collide,” said Blake Temple, professor of mathematics at UC Davis. “This is a new kind of singularity in general relativity.”

A singularity is a patch of space-time that cannot be made to look flat in any coordinate system, Temple said. One example of a singularity is inside a black hole, where the curvature of space becomes extreme.

Read More: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/07/new-singularity-in-space-time-found.html

Predictive Software “Validates” WikiLeaks Psy-Op Attack on Syria

Predictive Software “Validates” WikiLeaks Psy-Op Attack on Syria: "A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), called “Point process modeling of the Afghan War Diary”, says that data supplied by WikiLeaks can accurately predict where terrorist (or insurgent) attacks will happen."

WikiLeaks

New GMO 'Agent Orange Soy' Silently Backed by USDA

New GMO 'Agent Orange Soy' Silently Backed by USDA: "Instead of turning to sustainable and environmentally-friendly farming practices to combat super ‘mutant’ bugs and mega-weeds, the biotech industry is making even stronger and more dangerous super herbicides and toxic recipes."

How a movie changed one man’s vision forever

BBC - Future - Health - How a movie changed one man’s vision forever: "Bruce Bridgeman lived with a flat view of the world, until a trip to the cinema unexpectedly rewired his brain to see the world in 3D. The question is how it happened."

Asteroid nearly a mile wide will sail past Earth this Sunday

Asteroid nearly a mile wide will sail past Earth this Sunday | Mail Online: "An asteroid nearly a mile wide will hurtle past Earth on Sunday July 22. The asteroid is estimated to be 2,000 to 4,500ft wide, and qualifies as a 'near Earth object'."

Hurtling through space: The asteroid is estimated to be 2,000 to 4,500ft wide, and qualifies as a 'near Earth object'

Friday, July 20, 2012

Superhuman: are we the greatest design project of the century?

Superhuman: are we the greatest design project of the century? | Art and design | guardian.co.uk: "From ear trumpets to i-Limbs, the Wellcome Collection's exhibition looks at the way in which design and technology have enhanced the human body – and the ethical implications of this quest"

Performance enhancement: Superhuman athletes

Performance enhancement: Superhuman athletes : Nature News & Comment: "Enhancements such as doping are illegal in sport — but if all restrictions were lifted, science could push human performance to new extremes."

Genetically Modified Bt Corn Affects Livestock's Health

Genetically Modified Bt Corn Affects Livestock's Health: "With the support of local prosecutors, Mr. Gloeckner, a German farmer who had 65 cows die after he fed them genetically modified Bt corn has filed criminal charges against the manufacturer, alleging that the company not only knew the corn could be lethal to livestock, but was covering up deaths that occurred during clinical trials."

Human corpses harvested in multimillion-dollar trade

Human corpses harvested in multimillion-dollar trade: "A grisly trade in human body parts leaves relatives grieving and some recipients at risk of life-threatening disease."

Rockefeller’s Depopulation Dreams Published by Foundation Linked to Mass Graves

Rockefeller’s Depopulation Dreams Published by Foundation Linked to Mass Graves :: "What is most interesting about the eugenics based Rockefeller Foundation’s ideology (an ideology which shined brightly in a recent 2010 publication) is the fact that it essentially forecasts future events but claims that it is not a forecast in anyway, thus leaving the doors wide open for the possibility of staged future events."

Bay Area Drivers Could Be Tracked By GPS, Taxed Per Mile Driven

Bay Area Drivers Could Be Tracked By GPS, Taxed Per Mile Driven « CBS San Francisco: Bay Area drivers could one day be tracked using a GPS-like device in their cars and taxed per miles driven – a scenario which is part of a proposed long-range study aimed at finding ways to reduce traffic and pollution, while also raising revenues."

Millions of Mysterious Purple Creatures Wash Ashore in Hawaii

Millions of Mysterious Purple Creatures Wash Ashore in Hawaii: "A mass invasion of O’ahu’s south shores by millions of tiny purple creatures has biologists and beach goers scratching their heads.. and watching where they step. Last weekend, an onslaught of mysterious little monsters began washing up on some Hawaiian beaches, and the mysterious pea-sized creatures couldn’t readily be identified by biologists."

Within Two Worlds - Awesome Time Lapse Video

Within Two Worlds on Vimeo: ""Within Two Worlds depicts an alternate perspective by giving us the illusion of times movement, signifying a beginning and end within a world of constant contradiction. It appears you are traveling in the midst of a dream, half-sleeping, half-waking, and touching the arch connecting heaven and earth.""

http://vimeo.com/45858333

Super-Silent Owl Drone Will Spy on You Without You Ever Noticing

Super-Silent Owl Drone Will Spy on You Without You Ever Noticing | Danger Room | Wired.com: "For spy tools, drones are pretty easy to spot. And hear, because they’re as loud as a gut-busting rock concert. But now the intelligence community’s research division, Iarpa, plans to start designing a silent drone inspired by quiet, creeping, flying owls."

Forget the Olympics - Here come the Superhuman games for genetically enhanced humans

Forget the Olympics - Here come the Superhuman games for genetically enhanced humans | Mail Online: "Superhuman athletes created by gene therapy and biomechanical engineering will one day be competing at the Olympics - but will need their own events, predict scientists.

Performance-enhancing technologies will advance to a point where they will not only extend human limits - but demand a events all of their own, similar to the Formula One version of car racing.

oscar

Professor Hugh Herr of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology said: 'For each one there will be a new sport - power running and power swimming and power climbing.

'Just like the invention of the bicycle led to the sport of cycling. What we’ll see is the emergence of all kinds of new sports.'

Mechanical prosthetics will become much more proficient than the ‘cheetah-style’ legs used by amputees including Oscar Pistorius from South Africa."

World's 1st Free Course on "Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life"

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Edinburgh University’s upcoming free course, “Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life” will open up an exciting new era in the study of extraterrestrial life. According to Jeff Haywood, vice principal of the University of Edinburgh, the number of students for the online course is potentially 100,000 or more. The course reflects the ever increasing global awareness of the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its societal implications.

Over two thousand years ago, the ancient Greeks wondered if other worlds were habitable. In the coming years this question will be experimentally tested. This course is an introduction to astrobiology. It explores the origin and evolution of life on the Earth and its potential to exist elsewhere. Astrobiology addresses compelling questions of wide interest such as: How did life originate on the Earth? Is this an inevitable process and is life common across the Universe? Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary science that bridges fields as diverse as astrophysics, biology, geosciences and chemistry.

Read More: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/07/worlds-1st-free-course-on-astrobiology-and-the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life.html

The Spitsbergen UFO: A “Plant”?

The Spitsbergen UFO: A “Plant”? | Mysterious Universe: "Now-declassified CIA files of 1952 on the Spitsbergen affair begin: “Writing in the German magazine Der Fliger, Dr. Waldemar Beck says that a flying saucer which recently fell at Spitsbergen has been studied by eminent Norwegian and German rocket experts. He writes that Dr Norsal, a Norwegian expert in rocket construction, went to the place where the flying saucer had fallen a few hours after it had been discovered in the mountains of Spitsbergen by Norwegian jet planes.”"

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Scientists fascinated after Nasa orbiter photographs open crater leading into underground cavern on Mars

White Owl Conspiracy: "Nasa scientists are baffled as to what - or maybe even who? - created this unusual hole on the surface of Mars."

Email Your DNA, Create a Monster?

Email Your DNA, Create a Monster? - Mobiledia: "One scientist's vision for the future hinges on the idea of DNA as software and the creation of synthetic biological entities, and his ideas inspire both hope and serious ethical quandaries."

DNA analysis of ancient remains to uncover origin mysteries

DNA analysis of ancient remains to uncover origin mysteries: "Griffith University researchers will analyse DNA sequences from ancient human remains, some dating back 45,000 years"

Beware the singularity, says Skype founder

Beware the singularity, says Skype founder | Stuff.co.nz: "One of the founding engineers of Skype and Kazaa wants to sound a warning to the human race: fasten your seatbelts, as machines are becoming so intelligent that they could pose an existential threat.

I, Robot

Jaan Tallinn, in Australia at the moment, argues human-driven technological progress has largely replaced evolution as the dominant force shaping our future. Machines are becoming smarter than we are, but Tallinn warns that if we are not careful this could lead to a "sudden global ecological catastrophe"."

Not quite so scary now: Chinese exhibition of 'aliens' from top - and flop - films shows the less scary side of beasts from the stars

Not quite so scary now: Chinese exhibition of 'aliens' from top - and flop - films shows the less scary side of beasts from the stars | Mail Online: "A new exhibition in Beijing aims to explore the psychology of our visions of life beyond the stars - and shows off the rubber 'aliens' from films without lighting or editing.

The 'Alien Science Exhibition' aims to explore why our visions of alien life look so much like us.

Beast from beyond the stars? A boy looks at the model of an alien from the 1994 US movie 'Alien Autopsy'

Stars of the show include long-forgotten movies such as 'Alien Autopsy', which has a plastic model of an alien prepared as if to be dissected."

Rise of the Machines: Meet Bina48, the robot who can tell jokes, recite poetry and mimics mankind with startling ease

Rise of the Machines: Meet Bina48, the robot who can tell jokes, recite poetry and mimics mankind with startling ease | Mail Online: "Almost every house in America has a microwave, toaster, refrigerator, TV and maybe a car, but someday, everyone may have their own personal robot.

It may sound too Jetsons to be true, but the Terasem Movement Foundation in Bristol, Vermont, is betting that personal robots will be a huge part of the lives of future generations.

The robots, they say, will be able to download people's personalities, serving as avatars and assistants to busy professionals and in some cases, replacing those who have been lost.

The foundation's prized possession is Bina48, one of the most sophisticated humanoid robots ever built, capable of independent thought, emotion, and even being interviewed by the MailOnline."

Tiny eye implant could restore sight to the blind - with vision returning instantly, and recovery in just a week

Tiny eye implant could restore sight to the blind - with vision returning instantly, and recovery in just a week | Mail Online: "A revolutionary new eye implant could restore sight to the blind instantly - without bulky glasses or computer equipment. The 'Bio Retina' will be implanted under local anaesthetic, and will offer black-and-white vision similar to a computer monitor."

The Einsteins of the deep: Dolphins can perform feats of maths that would baffle human computer systems

The Einsteins of the deep: Dolphins can perform feats of maths that would baffle human computer systems | Mail Online: "Dolphins can perform complex feats of maths that defy human computer systems. The finding has forced scientists to reevaluate how intelligent the animals are."

Russian research project offers 'immortality' to billionaires - by transplanting their brains into robot bodies

  • A Russian entrepreneur who heads a hi-tech research project called 'Avatar' has contacted billionaires to offer them immortality.

Itskov claims he will personally oversee their immortality process, in exchange for an undisclosed fee.

Itskov, a media entrepreneur, claims to have hired 30 scientists to reach this goal - and aims to transplant a human brain into a robot body within 10 years.

'You have the ability to finance the extension of your own life up to immortality. Our civilization has come very close to the creation of such technologies: it's not a science fiction fantasy. It is in your power to make sure that this goal will be achieved in your lifetime,' says Itskov in a letter delivered to billionaires listed in Forbes magazine.

Eternal life? Iskov, a media entrepreneur, claims to have hired 30 scientists to reach this goal - and aims to transplant a human brain into a robot body within 10 years

Eternal life? Iskov, a media entrepreneur, claims to have hired 30 scientists to reach this goal - and aims to transplant a human brain into a robot body within 10 years

He has contacted a list of billionaires with a proposal for funding his quest for immortality - which Itskov refers to as 'cybernetic immortality' and the 'artificial body'.

The initiative is opening its San Francisco office this summer, and will be launching a social media project connecting scientists around the world.

'The 2045 team is working towards creating an international research center where leading scientists will be engaged in research and development in the fields of anthropomorphic robotics, living systems modeling and brain and consciousness modeling with the goal of transferring one’s individual consciousness to an artificial carrier and achieving cybernetic immortality,' says Itskov's official site.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2175374/Russian-research-project-offers-immortality-billionaires--transplanting-brains-robot-bodies.html

Why Neanderthals sported arms like Popeye

Why Neanderthals sported arms like Popeye: "Neanderthals apparently had unusually strong right arms, judging by their right humerus — the long arm bone underlying the biceps and triceps — which often boasted protrusions with which to attach powerful muscles."

SpaceShots: The 100 best photos of our universe

SpaceShots: The 100 best photos of our universe: "The best images of our solar system, the galaxy and everything out there, putting you in touch with the most distant parts of the heavens."

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Machines 'pose threat to humans'

Machines 'pose threat to humans': "ONE of the founding engineers of Skype and Kazaa is in Australia to sound a warning to the human race: fasten your seatbelts, as machines are becoming so intelligent that they could pose an existential threat."



Hacking the Biosphere: Transhumanism's Darkest Agenda

Hacking the Biosphere: Transhumanism's Darkest Agenda - YouTube:

'Invisible UFOs' Fill the Skies | Night Vision UFO Sightings

'Invisible UFOs' Fill the Skies: ""Why are all the good UFOs invisible?" one Gather.com user asked in response to the latest "invisible UFO" report posted to the site."

Mosquito Guts Implanted with GMO Malaria Assassins

Mosquito Guts Implanted with GMO Malaria Assassins | Observations, Scientific American Blog Network: "Mosquitoes don’t cause malaria—the disease comes courtesy of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. Yet mosquitoes do a fine job of spreading Plasmodium to about half a billion people every year."

Holy Genetically-Engineered Organisms Batman - Synthetic Biology Has A Banner Month!

Holy Genetically-Engineered Organisms Batman - Synthetic Biology Has A Banner Month! - Forbes: "t’s been a good month for synthetic biology. A few weeks ago, in a great talk (on the concept of “singularities”) given to METal International in Los Angeles, biophysicist Reese Jones showed footage of the world’s first DNA laser printer at work.



You heard me right—a DNA laser printer. Created by the San Francisco-based company Cambrian Genomics (Jones is one of the founders), a DNA laser printer works just like a normal laser printer—only replace the traditional ink with genetic code."

Why A Chemical Threat in Syria Is Terrifying

Why A Chemical Threat in Syria Is Terrifying : Discovery News: "As escalating unrest in Syria has turned into full-fledged civil war, concerns are growing that the Assad regime will employ chemical weapons to squelch the opposition, the BBC has reported. According to some rumors, chemical agents have already come into play there. So, how do chemical weapons work and what makes them so terrifying?"

Will these Genetically Modified Babies Alter Human Species?

Will these Genetically Modified Babies Alter Human Species?: "When I first read that genetically modified humans have already been born, I could hardly believe it. However, further research into this story featured in the UK's Daily Mail proved it to be true. They've really done it... they've created humans that nature could never allow for, and it's anyone's guess as to what will happen next."

How Close Are We to New Great Depression?

How Close Are We to New Great Depression? - Business News - CNBC: "The risk of a new depression — a sustained, severe recession — has struck fear into the heart of markets and driven monetary policy in developed economies since the current financial crisis began."

Human Cyborg: McDonald’s Employees Assaulted Me For Wearing My Gear

Human Cyborg: McDonald’s Employees Assaulted Me For Wearing My Gear | LiveScience: "No shirt. No shoes. No augmented reality glasses. No service. Earlier this month, human cyborg and University of Toronto Professor Steve Mann, claims he was brutalized and kicked out of a Paris McDonald’s after employees objected to his headset and its ability to record photos and videos of his experiences."

Man narrowly develops BUBONIC PLAGUE and narrowly escapes death after cat bite

Man narrowly develops BUBONIC PLAGUE and narrowly escapes death after cat bite | Mail Online: "A 59-year-old man is out of hospital after spending a month in intensive care due to infection from the bubonic plague.

Paul Gaylord, 59, developed the symptoms after he was bitten by a stray cat his family had adopted.

The cat, named Charlie, had caught a rodent which was stuck in his throat. It is thought that the rat was infected by fleas, which carry the disease."

Terrible symptoms: The tell-tale signs of the disease gave it its name, the Black Death

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Robot Controlled By Thought From Thousands Of Miles Away

Robot Controlled By Thought From Thousands Of Miles Away | Before It's News: "Teleoperated robots, those that can be remotely controlled by a human, have been around for decades. Kheddar and his colleagues are going a step further. “True embodiment goes far beyond classical telepresence, by making you feel that the thing you are embodying is part of you,” says Kheddar. “This is the feeling we want to reach.”"

Geoengineers to release planet-cooling gas into New Mexico atmosphere

Geoengineers to release planet-cooling gas into New Mexico atmosphere | The Raw Story: "Two Harvard engineers are planning to spray thousands of tonnes of sun-reflecting chemical particles into the atmosphere to artificially cool the planet, using a balloon flying 80,000 feet over Fort Sumner, New Mexico."

Bernanke to Congress: We're Much Closer to Total Destruction Than You Think

Bernanke to Congress: We're Much Closer to Total Destruction Than You Think - CNBC: "In short, the official estimates members of Congress hear from their budget office are under-estimating our dire economic predicament. If fiscal policy is not brought under control, things will be much, much worse."

Syria's Collapse Could Be a Chem Weapon Nightmare

Syria's Collapse Could Be a Chem Weapon Nightmare | Danger Room | Wired.com: "What’s worse than a power-mad dictator with weapons of mass destruction? A power-mad dictator who may be about to lose them. This is the situation the world may soon be forced to face in Syria as the Assad regime begins to crack.  It is a potential nightmare that ultimately might lead to the use and proliferation of WMDs across the region."

Using Lasers and Antimatter to Trek to the Stars

Using Lasers and Antimatter to Trek to the Stars : Discovery News: "The VARIES concept will use powerful lasers to excite a quantum phenomenon, generating antimatter fuel from the vacuum of space."

Of Mystics and Mandrakes: Poison Plants and Mini-Men

Of Mystics and Mandrakes: Poison Plants and Mini-Men | Mysterious Universe: "For some of us, the strange and unusual will tend to crop up even when we aren’t looking for it. A fine example occurred over the weekend, while a friend and I were visiting a display at a local garden; to our surprise, the trip became delightfully weird and macabre, as it turned out that what I thought would be a display on exotic insect species ended up dealing instead with different varieties of poisonous and carnivorous plants.



As a child, I used to love to grow Venus Flytraps and pitcher-plants, both of which have evolved various clever ways of extracting extra nutrients by capturing and digesting insects. Several varieties of carnivorous plants appeared at the exhibit, which had been themed around a Victorian set design reminiscent of the old “murder mystery” tales of yesteryear. In addition to carnivorous and poisonous offerings, one area also featured hallucinogenic plant varieties, with references to the often DMT-rich ayahuasca imbibed by different native groups in South America."

Ratification of 'Law of the Sea' advances world government

Ratification of 'Law of the Sea' advances world government - The Hill's Congress Blog: "Ratification of the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) would be a giant step toward World Government. The principal purposes of LOST are to transfer technology and wealth from developed to underdeveloped nations and to increase exposure to international litigation."

'Monsanto Protection Act' to grant biotech industry total immunity over GM crops?

'Monsanto Protection Act' to grant biotech industry total immunity over GM crops?: "(NaturalNews) While millions of Americans were busy celebrating freedom from tyranny during the recent Independence Day festivities, Monsanto was actively trying to thwart that freedom with new attacks on health freedom. It turns out that the most evil corporation in the world has quietly attached riders to both the 2012 Farm Bill and the 2013 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would essentially force the federal government to approve GMOs at the request of biotechnology companies, and prohibit all safety reviews of GMOs from having any real impact on the GMO approval process."

Asteroid miners to hitch a ride with Virgin Galactic

Asteroid miners to hitch a ride with Virgin Galactic- New Scientist: "Billionaire-backed Planetary Resources, the company that in April announced ambitious plans to mine space rocks for minerals, will hitch a ride with space tourism company Virgin Galactic."

Monday, July 16, 2012

The Singularity: Science's Quest For Immortality And Satan's Deception

The Singularity: Science's Quest For Immortality And Satan's Deception | Beginning And End: "In Russia in March of 2012, the Global Future: 2045 Conference or  ‘GF2045′ held to focus on the Singularity – the moment when humanity will physically combine with machines to allow for humans to live outside of the physical body, with robot “avatar” bodies and overcome disease, pain and even death. While it sounds like the stuff of a science fiction movie, it is a very real movement and field of study for scientists who believe that humanity is on the cusp of its next stage of evolution. And it once again reveals an attempt to reach immortality without the God of the Bible."

Singularity Kurweil | Illuminati

'Step towards clean energy': Biggest laser pulse fired in human history could power new kind of nuclear reactor - and solve energy crisis forever

'Step towards clean energy': Biggest laser pulse fired in human history could power new kind of nuclear reactor - and solve energy crisis forever | Mail Online: "The most energetic laser shot in mankind's history was fired at the stadium-sized National Ignition Facility in California this month.

On July 5, an array of 192 lasers filed a pulse of ultraviolet laser light that deliver generated 500 trillion watts of peak power - 1,000 times more than the whole of the U.S. uses at any given time."

The Algorithm That Leads To The Robotic Revolution Has Been Found

The Algorithm That Leads To The Robotic Revolution Has Been Found | WebProNews: "It was both charming and frightening when Google made the robot brain that learned what a cat was just by watching videos of them on YouTube. The kind of artificial intelligence that makes these feats possible will obviously be the downfall of man at the hands of the robots. Despite the warnings of many paranoid people, science continues to march forward towards our eventual extinction.

The Algorithm That Leads To The Robotic Revolution Has Been Found

It all starts with an algorithm proposed by Dr. Łukasz Kaiser of Universite Paris Diderot. The algorithm proposes that machines can learn how anything works just by watching how it works. It’s like if Google’s cat loving computer learned what a cat was and then learned how to care for a cat by watching more videos of these actions."

Former Pentagon analyst: China has backdoors to 80% of telecoms

Former Pentagon analyst: China has backdoors to 80% of telecoms | ZDNet: "A former Pentagon analyst reports the Chinese government has "pervasive access" to about 80 percent of the world's communications, and it is looking currently to nail down the remaining 20 percent. Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE Corporation are reportedly to blame for the industrial espionage."

Search for human essence 'a 2,000-year myth'

Search for human essence 'a 2,000-year myth' - The Irish Times - Fri, Jul 13, 2012: "The differences between humans and our nearest relatives, the great apes, may be no more than a small collection of genes. And increasingly we are measuring our supposedly human mental capabilities against those running on the nearest computer, a session at the EuroScience Open Forum in Dublin heard yesterday titled: “I human: are new scientific discoveries challenging our identity as a species?”"

Aliens? We'll probably have a close encounter this century says leading physicist who warns governments to be ready

Aliens? We'll probably have a close encounter this century says leading physicist who warns governments to be ready | Mail Online: "It’s a scientific prediction that will get dollar signs pinging in Steven Spielberg’s eyes: We could make contact with aliens in less than 100 years.

But according to one of our leading physicists, it is a matter for governments – rather than Hollywood – who should start preparing for our first extra-terrestrial encounter now.

Interesting: It¿s a scientific prediction that will get dollar signs pinging in Steven Spielberg¿s eyes: We could make contact with aliens in less than 100 years

Speaking at the Euroscience Open Forum conference in Dublin, Jocelyn Bell Burnell said: ‘I do suspect we are going to get signs of life elsewhere, maybe even intelligent life, within the next century.

How well prepared are we? Have we thought of how we approach them? Should we put them in a zoo, eat them, send in GIs to bring them democracy?’"