Why Do Zebras Have Stripes?

Wikipedia

Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? Scientists Have The Answer -- The Guardian

There have been many explanations for the zebra’s impressive stripes. New research strongly suggests that they have evolved to deter parasitic flies.

The zebra’s striped coat is simultaneously extraordinary and stunning. So wondrous, in fact, that many people have imagined it to be evidence of God’s infinitely artistic hand. Over the years, there have been many more rational explanations, but that all-important scientific consensus has remained elusive.

Charles Darwin certainly found the zebra’s stripes to be a conundrum. In The Descent of Man, he dismissed the idea they could act as camouflage, citing William Burchell’s observations of a herd:

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My Comments: It apparently all comes down to biting flies not liking stripes.

NASA Breaks Contact With Russia's Space Agency Because Of Crimea

Backdropped by Earth, the International Space Station is seen in this image photographed by an STS-130 crew member on space shuttle Endeavour after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation, in this undated NASA handout photo. Reuters

NASA Suspends Contact With Russia Over Ukraine Crisis -- The Verge

Work on International Space Station will continue.

Citing Russia’s ongoing violations of Ukraine’s sovereign and territorial integrity, NASA told its officials today that the agency is suspending all contact with Russian government representatives. In an internal NASA memorandum obtained by The Verge, the agency said that the suspension includes travel to Russia, teleconferences, and visits by Russian government officials to NASA facilities. NASA is even suspending the exchange of emails with Russian officials.

Ongoing International Space Station activities are exempt from this suspension, however, as are meetings with other countries held outside of Russia that include the participation of Russian officials. The directives come directly from Michael O'Brien, the agency associate administrator for International and Interagency Relations.

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More News On NASA Breaking Contact With Russia's Space Agency Because Of Ukraine

NASA Internal Memo: Suspension of NASA contact with Russian entities -- Space Ref
NASA cuts ties with Russia except on space station -- AP
NASA halts contact with Russia, except for International Space Station -- CBS News
NASA orders its staff to stop talking to Russia, because Crimea -- Washington Post
NASA Limits Cooperation With Russia -- Voice of America
NASA to suspend almost all ties with Russia, according to leaked internal memo -- Christian Science Monitor
NASA suspends ties with Russian gov't officials over ongoing crisis in Crimea -- FOX News
NASA Suspends Some Ties With Russia Over Ukraine Crisis -- NPR
NASA Breaks Most Contact With Russia -- New York Times
NASA Cuts All Non-ISS Ties with Russia Over Ukraine (Updated) -- Gizmodo
NASA suspends relations with Russia space agency -- UPI
NASA Limits Contact With Russia, Except for Space Station -- NBC
NASA suspends cooperation with Russia over Ukraine crisis -- RT
NASA Suspends Space Contracts With Russia Due To Ukraine Crisis -- Red Orbit
Leaked NASA Memo Says Agency Is Giving Russia the Cold Shoulder -- Time
The U.S.-Russia Fight Has Entered Space -- National Journal
NASA suspends relations with Russia, but Putin holds all the cards -- Peter Spotts, Christian Science Monitor
NASA must immediately cease contact with Russia [Updated at 19:30 CDT] -- Ars Technica
Russia regrets NASA halting cooperation, experts warn of impact on intl space work -- RT

Whale Sets Record For Deepest Ever Dive After It Plunges 9,816ft (2,992 Metres) Below The Waves

A study has revealed that the shy Cuvier's beaked whale performs the deepest dives made by any mammal on the planet at 9,816ft (2,992metres) below the waves - the equivalent of just under seven Empire State Buildings - and stays below for 138 minutes

10,000 FEET Under The Sea: Whale Sets Record For Deepest Ever Dive After It Plunges Seven Empire State Buildings Deep -- Daily Mail

* One Cuvier's beaked whale dived 9,816ft (2,992 metres) below the waves and stayed below for 38 minutes
* The equivalent of 6.75 Empire State Buildings placed on top of one another
* Biologists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California tagged eight of the whales off San Nicholas Island in southern California
* They are interested in whether the whales display unusual behaviour when they hear sonar emitted from ships

Whales are capable of swimming vast distances across oceans, but they are also expert divers.

And now a study has revealed that the shy Cuvier’s beaked whale performs the deepest dives made by any mammal on the planet.

Scientists were surprised to record one of the mammal's dives, which was 9,816ft (2,992 metres) below the waves.

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My Comment: Wow .... I never knew that they can dive that deep and stay underwater for that long.

Why Do The Japanese Wear Surgical Masks?

Why Do Japanese People Wear Surgical Masks? It’s Not Always For Health Reasons -- Rocket News 24

Like kimono and T-shirts with English writing (sometimes vulgar, sometimes comical, always unintelligible), the number of people you’ll see in Japan wearing surgical masks is pretty surprising. Sure, Japan is a hard working society, and the spread of productivity-sapping sickness is always a concern at schools and workplaces, but that doesn’t seem like reason enough for the proliferation of facial coverings that sometimes has Tokyo offices looking more like an operating room.

Health concerns are only part of the equation, though, as recent studies have revealed multiple reasons people in Japan wear masks that have nothing to do with hygiene.

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My Comment: So typically Japanese .... they are being polite and considerate of others.

Pentagon Announces A ‘Super-Soldier’ Serum That Will Grant ‘Significant Boost To Troop Performance’

U.S. Military Perfects ‘Super-Soldier’ Serum That Grants ‘Significant Boost To Troop Performance’ -- Guns.com

U.S. Military scientists in conjunction with the office of the Vice President and Warner Music Group have developed a working “super-soldier” serum that “significantly boosts troop performance.”

While President Obama recently confirmed the military is already “building Iron Man,” (see video below) the revelation that a “super-soldier” serum exists comes as nothing short of a surprise. According to military researchers, Project Perspective began over 70 years ago at the height of WWII, but it was only after combining two never-before-tried elements that the experiment truly began to shine.

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My Comment: OK .... I am two days late with my April Fools joke. :)

Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading In West Africa

Ebola Outbreak Causing Panic In West Africa -- Jennifer Lazuta, Special for USA TODAY

DAKAR, Senegal – The rising death toll and the wide spread of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has sparked fear across the region with at least 80 already having died from the nearly always fatal virus.

"Every day we're reading about it in the newspaper, hearing about it on the radio, and wondering when it's going to come here," said 32-year-old Mossa Bau, who lives in Dakar, Senegal. "Everyone is very scared because, really, it's a dangerous disease and no one has the means to stop it."

The World Health Organization says that as many as 125 people across three countries are now believed to have contracted the highly contagious disease. Senegal shut off its border with Guinea, where the outbreak is believed to have originated, in the hopes of keeping the disease from spreading its way.

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My Comment: This is a nasty disease.

America's Beer Map

Researchers analysed a million tweets to see what people preferred to drink, and found huge differences between the coasts

The East Coast Prefers Bud, While The West Goes For Coors: Beer Maps Of America Reveals Top Tipples (And Finds If You Live Near The Coast, You're Probably Drinking Wine) -- Daily Mail

* Researchers analysed a million tweets to find what beers people were drinking
* Found those living near the coast tend to prefer beer over wine
* Washington, Colorado and California prefer wine, while Midwest, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas prefer beer

The East Coast prefers Bud Light, and those near the coast are more likely to prefer wine over beer, a new study of America's drinking habits has revealed.

Researchers analysed a million tweets to find out which each region prefers.

They found tweet preferences for Bud Light were found mainly in the Eastern half of the US, while preferences for Coors Light originate in the Western half, particularly near Colorado and surrounding states.

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My Comment: I prefer Guinness and Stella Artois.

The Inside Story Of Gmail

Gmail's home page as it looked on March 31, 2004, shortly before the service launched. Skizzers.org

How Gmail Happened: The Inside Story Of Its Launch 10 Years Ago Today -- Time

Google's email breakthrough was almost three years in the making. But it wasn't a given that it would reach the public at all

If you wanted to pick a single date to mark the beginning of the modern era of the web, you could do a lot worse than choosing Thursday, April 1, 2004, the day Gmail launched.

Scuttlebutt that Google was about to offer a free email service had leaked out the day before: Here’s John Markoff of the New York Times reporting on it at the time. But the idea of the search kingpin doing email was still startling, and the alleged storage capacity of 1GB—500 times what Microsoft’s Hotmail offered—seemed downright implausible. So when Google issued a press release date-stamped April 1, an awful lot of people briefly took it to be a really good hoax. (Including me.)

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My Comment: I am still a Hotmail user .... but I also use a GMail account. But if given the choice .... I will take GMail.

Massive 8.2 Magnitude Earthquake Off The Coast Of Chile

A map of the Pacific coast of Chile, where an earthquake was reported on April 1, 2014. Google

8.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Chile; Tsunami Strikes Coast -- ABC News

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 has struck off the coast of Chile, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A tsunami warning was issued following the quake, which was centered 49 miles west-northwest of Iquique, Chile, and was 6.21 miles deep, the USGS said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a 6-foot tsunami that hit Pisagua, Chile, at 8:04 p.m. ET. No damage assessment has been made at this time.

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More News Of A Massive 8.2 Magnitude Earthquake Off The Coast Of Chile. Tsunami Strikes Coast

Powerful earthquake strikes off Chile: Live Updates -- CNN
Tsunami alert after 8.2 quake strikes off Chile -- BBC
Deadly 8.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Chile Coast, Tsunami Warning Issued -- NBC
Chile earthquake: Massive earthquake causes landslides, tsunami,10 aftershocks -- Christian Science Monitor
8.2 Earthquake Hits Northern Chile, Setting Off Small Tsunami -- Voice of America
2 dead as magnitude-8.2 quake hits northern Chile -- AP
Officials evaluating whether tsunami warning will be issued for Hawaii -- Reuters
As South America Flees, Hawaii Told to Prepare for Tsunami -- NBC
Magnitude-8.2 quake strikes northern Chile -- AP
Massive 8.0 quake off Chile coast sparks tsunami -- Reuters
Magnitude 8.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Coast of Chile -- Time
Powerful quake strikes off Chile; tsunami warning posted -- Time
Tsunami warning after 8.0 quake strikes off Chile -- BBC
Large earthquake strikes off coast of Chile, tsunami warning issued -- New York Daily News
Tsunami Alert Issued After Magnitude 8.0 Quake Off Chile Coast -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Chile earthquake: No tsunami warning for California or West Coast -- L.A. Times
Experts Say Chile Fault Was Due for 'Big One,' But How Big? -- Alan Boyle, NBC

A Yellowstone Volcano Eruption In 2014?

This map from the U.S. Geological Service shows the range of the volcanic ash that was deposited after the biggest of the Yellowstone National Park eruptions around 2.1 million years ago. "These eruptions left behind huge volcanic depressions called “calderas” and spread volcanic ash over large parts of North America," it said. "If another large caldera-forming eruption were to occur at Yellowstone, its effects would be worldwide. Thick ash deposits would bury vast areas of the United States, and injection of huge volumes of volcanic gases into the atmosphere could drastically affect global climate. Fortunately, the Yellowstone volcanic system shows no signs that it is headed toward such an eruption in the near future. In fact, the probability of any such event occurring at Yellowstone within the next few thousand years is exceedingly low."

Yellowstone Volcano Eruption in 2014? Are Animals Fleeing Park As ‘An Alert’? -- Zachary Stieber, Epoch Times

A number of bloggers are posting videos that show bison and other animals allegedly leaving Yellowstone National Park, prompting theories that as earthquakes ramp up the seismic activity will set off the Yellowstone supervolcano.

Two of the main bloggers behind the discussion stress that there’s no way to know when the supervolcano will go off but note that the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that hit on March 30 seemed to set off a reaction from the animals, who are moving for a reason.

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My Comment: Here is an easy prediction .... if such an eruption should occur .... it will be the number one news story for all of us for a very very very long time.

U.S. Air Force's X-37B Breaks It's Own Record After Circling The Earth For 470 Days

Mystery Of The Pentagon’s Space Plane: X-37B Breaks Record After Circling Earth For 470 Days - But Won't Reveal What Mission Was For -- Daily Mail

* Spacecraft taken into orbit on a rocket but lands by gliding down to Earth
* Is the third and longest flight for mission which is shrouded in secrecy
* Some analysts suggest it will help support American soldiers in warzones
* Other rumours are circulating that the craft has been kept in space to spy on the new Chinese space station, Tiangong

A U.S. space plane, shrouded in secrecy, has broken its own longevity record by staying in orbit for more than 469 days.

The flight is the third for the X-37B mystery mission and was launched on December 11, 2012, atop an Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral.

Little is known about the spacecraft, which is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.

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More News On The X-37B

Air Force’s X-37B breaks orbit record -- FOX News
Air Force’s X-37B Breaks Orbit Record -- Defense Tech
Pentagon's secret X-37B plane breaks space longevity record -- Space Daily/Voice of Russia
Top secret Pentagon spacecraft stays in orbit over 469 days, breaks longevity record -- Space Daily/Voice of Russia
Report: Air Force’s Unmanned Space Plane Close to 500-Day Orbit Mark -- Executive Gov

A Pill That Helps Adults Learn New Skills As Quickly As Children?

In 2011 thriller Limitless, Bradley Cooper, pictured centre, takes a pill that opens up closed regions of his brain. This boost his intelligence, motor skills and ability to learn new languages

The Real-Life Limitless Pill? Drug Helps Adults Learn As Fast As Children By Making The Brain More 'Elastic' -- Daily Mail

* Donepezil is used to improve memory function in Alzheimer’s patients
* Children learn skills quickly as their brains go through 'critical periods’
* Researchers found donepezil can revert adult brains to these periods
* It increases the 'elasticity' of the brain making it capable of learning rapidly
* Researchers rewired a visually impaired patient’s brain to process images
* The drug works by boosting chemicals in the brain that reduce with age

It may sound like something from 2011 thriller Limitless, but researchers have discovered a pill that helps adults learn new skills as quickly as children.

A professor at Harvard rewired the brain of a visually impaired women to process images by giving her Alzheimer’s drug donepezil.

The pill boosts chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and acetylcholine, which are both found in high concentrations in the brains of young children.

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My Comment: Faster please. On a side note .... the 2011 thriller Limitless with Bradley Cooper is a great film.

Seven People Hold The Master Keys To Worldwide Internet Security

Meet The Seven People Who Hold The Keys To Worldwide Internet Security -- The Guardian

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction: seven keys, held by individuals from all over the world, that together control security at the core of the web. The reality is rather closer to The Office than The Matrix

In a nondescript industrial estate in El Segundo, a boxy suburb in south-west Los Angeles just a mile or two from LAX international airport, 20 people wait in a windowless canteen for a ceremony to begin. Outside, the sun is shining on an unseasonably warm February day; inside, the only light comes from the glare of halogen bulbs.

There is a strange mix of accents – predominantly American, but smatterings of Swedish, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese can be heard around the room, as men and women (but mostly men) chat over pepperoni pizza and 75-cent vending machine soda. In the corner, an Asteroids arcade machine blares out tinny music and flashing lights.

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My Comment: A fascinating look at the internet that is rarely seen. Hmmmm .... makes you wonder what influence the NSA has in this group.

Knowledge Transfer Between Computers

Researchers had agents -- virtual robots -- act like true student and teacher pairs: student agents struggled to learn Pac-Man and a version of the StarCraft video game. The researchers were able to show that the student agent learned the games and, in fact, surpassed the teacher. Credit: Image courtesy of Washington State University

Knowledge Transfer Between Computers: Computers Teach Each Other Pac-Man -- Science Daily

Researchers in Washington State University's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science have developed a method to allow a computer to give advice and teach skills to another computer in a way that mimics how a real teacher and student might interact.

The paper by Matthew E. Taylor, WSU's Allred Distinguished Professor in Artificial Intelligence, was published online in the journal Connection Science.

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My Comment: Pac-Man today .... who knows what tomorrow.

A 200+ Mile Backpacking Experience Through Yosemite National Park (Video)

My Comment: Beautiful.

Android Has 97 Percent Of Global Mobile Malware

Such mobile market. Very malware. Wow! [Image Source: F-Secure via Forbes]

Android Has 97 Percent Of Mobile Malware, But Nearly None In The U.S. -- Daily Tech

But almost all of that comes from third party apps stores in Asia and the Middle East

Google Inc. (GOOG) has fought the mobile war against Nokia Oyj. (HEX:NOK1V), Apple, Inc. (AAPL), and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) (among others) and it has won -- at least in terms of OS market share.

I. Almost No Android Malware in the U.S.; a Whole Lot in China

Roughly four out of every five devices sold around the globe today run a version of Android. And Android is now the world's largest tablet platform as well, in terms of unit share.

But Android also has a massive malware headache. A new report from Finnish security firm F-Secure claims 97 percent of the fast-growing field of mobile malware is Android exclusive. But here comes the twist -- virtually all of that malware comes from smaller Asian and Middle Eastern third-party app stores. - See more at: http://www.dailytech.com

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My Comment: China and Chinese malware is the problem.

A Letter From A Roman Soldier 1,800 Years Ago

The newly translated letter is from an Egyptian soldier named Aurelius Polion while he served as a volunteer Roman legion in Europe.

Arguing With Mum And Missing Home: The 1800 Year Old Letter That Reveals What Life As A Roman Soldier Was Really Like -- Daily Mail

* From an Egyptian soldier named Aurelius Polion while he served as a volunteer Roman legion in Europe
* Reveals a row with his mother, and plans to return to his family

A letter home from a Roman soldier 1,800 years ago has revealed that even for a volunteer on the front, family rows are still an issue.

The newly deciphered letter is from an Egyptian soldier named Aurelius Polion while he served as a volunteer in a Roman legion in Europe.

It reveals a row with his mother, and plans to return to his family.

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My Comment: It seems that aside from advancements in science and technology .... nothing much else has changed over the years.

Médecins sans Frontières: Guinea Faces An Ebola Epidemic On An Unprecedented Scale

Image: The outbreak of Ebola had centred around Guinea's remote south-eastern region of Nzerekore but it took the authorities six weeks to identify the disease. BBC

Guinea Faces Ebola Epidemic On Unprecedented Scale, Doctors Warn -- The Guardian

Médecins sans Frontières says lethal virus has broken out in areas hundreds of miles apart, while death toll passes 80

Guinea faces an Ebola epidemic on an unprecedented scale as it battles to contain confirmed cases now scattered across several locations that are far apart, the medical charity Médecins sans Frontières said.

The warning from an organisation used to tackling Ebola in central Africa came after Guinea's president appealed for calm as the number of deaths linked to an outbreak on the border with Liberia and Sierra Leone passed 80.

The outbreak of one of the world's most lethal infectious diseases has alarmed a number of governments with weak health systems, prompting Senegal to close its border with Guinea and other neighbours to restrict travel and cross-border exchanges.

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More News On The Spread of The Ebola Virus In West Africa

Ebola Spreads from Guinea to Liberia -- Time
Scale of Guinea's Ebola epidemic unprecedented: aid agency -- Reuters
Scale of Guinea's Ebola epidemic unprecedented, aid agency says -- FOX News
Deadly Ebola Virus Sparks Fears in West Africa -- Voice of America
Ebola Virus Hits Second Country in West Africa -- The Wire
Ebola Outbreak in Guinea Spreads to Liberia, Sierra Leone -- ABC News
Ebola outbreak in Guinea 'unprecedented' - MSF -- BBC
Liberia confirms Ebola's arrival from Guinea -- Al Jazeera
Outbreak of deadly flesh-eating Ebola virus has now spread to three countries and already killed 78 -- Daily Mail
Ebola death toll hits 82 as doctors warn West Africa outbreak is 'unprecedented' -- The Telegraph
Guinea reports Ebola death toll rises to 78 -- AP
Guinea: Ebola death toll reaches 70 -- CNN
Ebola outbreak spreads to Liberia after killing 70 in Guinea -- The Verge

The U.N. Issues Another Gobal Warming Report

Threat From Global Warming Heightened In Latest U.N. Report -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Global warming poses a growing threat to the health, economic prospects, and food and water sources of billions of people, top scientists said in a report that urges swift action to counter the effects of carbon emissions.

The latest report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says the effects of warming are being felt everywhere, fuelling potential food shortages, natural disasters and raising the risk of wars.

"The world, in many cases, is ill-prepared for risks from a changing climate," the IPCC said on Monday, after the final text of the report was agreed.

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More News On The U.N. Issuing Another Gobal Warming - Weather Report

Climate impacts 'overwhelming' - UN -- BBC
Climate impacts report: Key findings -- BBC
Costs of climate change steep but tough to tally -- Washington Post/AP
Climate change could cost more than $100 billion a year -- CNN
UN warns of climate change risks -- Al Jazeera
Massive U.N. Report Says Climate Risks Go Beyond Red Alert -- NBC
UN climate report warns permanent change has already begun -- Sydney Morning Herald
The U.N.'s Latest Disaster Forecast -- Wall Street Journal
UN Report Warns Of Severe, Irreversible Impact Of Global Warming -- RTT
IPCC report: 'No one will be untouched by climate change' -- The Telegraph
Wake up to the reality of climate change -- Bill Richardson, CNN
Little time left to turn down the world's heat, U.N. says -- Matt Smith and Brandon Miller, CNN
Viewpoints: Reactions to UN climate impacts report -- BBC

My Comment: I live in Canada but this was my reality this winter .... It was March misery in frigid northern, eastern USA -- USA Today

China Considering Plans To Cover The Globe With Surveillance Satellites

China mulls global satellite surveillance after flight 370 riddle

China Mulls Global Satellite Surveillance After Flight 370 Riddle -- South China Morning Post

Beijing mulls launching network of dozens of satellites, giving it the ability to monitor the whole world, in wake of lost flight 370

China is considering massively increasing its network of surveillance and observation satellites so it can monitor the entire planet, scientists working on the project said.

The government is mulling building more than 50 orbiting probes, which Chinese researchers said would make the nation's satellite surveillance network on par with, or even larger than, that of the United States.

Frustration with the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft over the past three weeks had led the project to win strong backing from decision makers in Beijing, the researchers said.

"If we had a global monitoring network today, we wouldn't be searching in the dark. We would have a much greater chance to find the plane and trace it to its final position," said Professor Chi Tianhe, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth.

"The plan is being drafted to expand our regional monitoring capability to global coverage."

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More News On Reports That China Is Developing Plans To Cover The Globe With Surveillance Satellites

‘Frustrated’ China mulls building 50 satellites following failure to find MH370, says daily -- Malaysian Insider
In wake of MH370 saga, China plans 50 satellites for global surveillance -- Malaysia Chronicle
China’s plan for global network of surveillance satellites spurred by fruitless search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 -- Daily Telegraph
China considers launching 50 satellites to set up global monitoring network -- Today Online
China mulls global satellite surveillance after flight 370 -- Indian Defense

A New XPrize In The Field Of Artificial Intelligence Announced

TED XPrize

Can A Robot Give A TED Talk? TED Hopes So -- Popular Science

A new XPrize for artificial intelligence takes center stage

Today, Peter Diamandis and Chris Anderson, the heads of the XPrize Foundation and the TED series of conferences respectively, announced a new XPrize, in the field of artificial intelligence. The winner will be the first to develop an AI system capable of independently delivering "a compelling TED talk with no human involvement."

Previously announced XPrizes have involved challenges such as cleaning up oil spills or landing a lunar rover.

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My Comment: This could be a fascinating talk.

The Family Tree Of DOGS

From pugs to pinchers and spaniels to samoyeds, one artist has created a dog family tree (pictured) that highlights the diversity of dogs and how breeds are interconnected

The Family Tree Of DOGS: From Tiny Chihuahuas To Rottweilers - This Infographic Reveals Exactly How Every Breed Is Related -- Daily Mail

* Family tree highlights the diversity of dogs and how the pure breeds are interconnected
* Chart features 181 dog breeds from tiny ‘toy’ animals like the pug and the fluffy pomeranian to working dogs like the Alaskan malamutes and family favourites such as golden retrievers and terriers
* It might seem incredible that dogs with such different visible characteristics – from their size to their type of hair – can be so different, but it is because all dogs are members of the same species – Canis lupus familiaris

Have you ever wondered how tiny chihuahua can be related to a rottweiler or a pit bull terrier can be similar to a dalmatian?

One artist has created a dog family tree that highlights the diversity of dogs and how breeds are interconnected.

From terriers to toys and mountain dogs to sight hounds, it delineates almost every standard pure-breed dog so you can see how one canine is connected to another.

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My Comment: Border Collie is my favorite dog (had one for 14 years). And for the GF .... she has a 2 year old Rottweiler right now.

The U.S. Air Force Secret Space Plane X-37B Breaks It's Own Space Longevity Record

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle taxis on the flightline during testing at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida in this U.S. Air Force handout photo dated March 30, 2010.(Reuters / U.S. Air Force)

Pentagon’s Secret X-37B Plane Breaks Space Longevity Record -- RT

One of the US Air Force’s most mysterious projects – an unmanned space-faring plane – has broken its own longevity record by staying in orbit for more than 469 days.

There aren’t many details floating around in public regarding the X-37B – a classified project that’s seen three launches into space thus far – but a new report by the IDG News Service suggests the plane is being used to test out the Air Force’s new space capabilities while also boosting the intelligence community’s surveillance capacity.

Launched back in December 2012, the Boeing-designed X-37B has been floating above the Earth ever since. The plane looks like a smaller cousin to NASA’s past space shuttle models, and has been designed with quick turn-around times in mind, so that it can easily be re-launched after landing.

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More News On The Air Force Space Plane X-37B Breaking It's Own Space Longevity Record

Air Force's X-37B Space Plane Shatters Orbital Endurance Record -- Huffington Post/Space.com
Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane Shatters Orbit Record -- NBC
Air Force’s unmanned ‘shuttle’ breaks orbital endurance record -- Defense Systems
Classified X-37B space plane breaks space longevity record -- Computer World

Predicting Lottery Numbers

The mathematician behind the study has created a website which uses colour patterns to show number combinations which are more likely to win the lottery based on previous draws in 20 lotteries from around the world - but you may need more than GCSE maths to decipher the code

Mathematician Claims Probability CAN Predict Lottery Numbers More Likely To Be Drawn (But You May Need A Maths Degree To Work Them Out) -- Daily Mail

* Renato Gianella says it is possible to predict winning lottery numbers
* Theory is based on patterns as predicted by Law of Large Numbers
* Brazilian claims not all numbers have equal chance of being drawn
* He's developed website to help people select more favorable combinations
* But users may need more than basic maths to understand how it works
* Study was based on 20 lotteries around the world

A Brazilian mathematician claims it is possible to predict the results of a lottery draw by applying complicated maths and probability theories.

Renato Gianella has found it is entirely possible to predict numbers which are more likely to appear than others, by following the same behaviour patterns as predicted by the Law of Large Numbers.

His study called The Geometry of Chance: Lotto Numbers Follow a Predicted Pattern, finds not all combinations of numbers have the same probability of occurring – so in short, it is possible to predict patterns of numbers with a greater chance of being drawn.

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My Comment: Sadly .... he does not mention if he has used this system for himself .... and if has .... how much has he won.

No Pentagon Money For Google's Robot Program

Google Rejects Military Funding In Robotics -- Defense Tech

Google doesn’t want the U.S. military’s money.

Even though the Internet search giant owns two companies that have contracts with the Pentagon, Google is choosing to forego military funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in at least one robotic competition.

Google bought the robotics firm Schaft that had developed a bipedal robot that won DARPA’s Robotics Challenge. The competition asked companies to develop a robot that could perform disaster response tasks to include navigating debris, climbing ladders and turning off a valve.

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My Comment: Too bad .... without this cooperation U.S. troops will probably not be able to benefit from this cooperation.

The U.S. Navy Is About To Deploy Robots

Robots Join The Navy To Fight Fires At Sea -- FOX News

The Navy’s new humanoid robots can detect fires on a ship, withstand extreme heat up to 500 degrees, and fight the fire shoulder to shoulder with human firefighters.

Designed to fight shipboard fires at sea, the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, known as SAFFiR, is a human-sized robot. Under direction and funding from the Office of Naval Research, Naval Research Laboratory researchers have been working with university researchers to develop the tech.

SAFFiR is meant to move autonomously throughout a ship, learn its layout and patrol for structural problems. The robot will be able to interact with the sailors onboard, and take on many of their dangerous firefighting tasks.

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Update: Navy’s robot will interact with sailors, fight fires aboard ship -- Defense Systems

My Comment: This is a trend that I expect to continue.

NYC Freedom Tower B.A.S.E. Jump (Video)

CSN Editor: From top to bottom in one minute.

A New Telescope That Could Allow Exoplanets To Be Photographed For The First Time

Could Flower Power Spot Alien Life? Nasa Reveals Giant Space Sunflower That Could Allow Exoplanets To Be Photographed For The First Time -- Daily Mail

* Nasa project could allow pictures of exoplanets to be taken clearly
* Flower would act as a starshade to block light from stars - but allow telescopes to see their exoplants

It may look like a giant sunflower blooming, but in fact this is Nasa's latest attempt to photograph an alien planet capable of sustaining light.

The unfurling flower can block light from a star, allowing space telescopes to get a clear view of planets orbiting it.

Experts hope the invention could revolutionise our knowledge of alien planets

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My Comment: This is what makes astronomy exciting.

YouTube Is Now Blocked In Turkey

Turkey Moves To Block YouTube Access After 'Audio Leak' -- BBC

Turkey has moved to block access to YouTube, a day after a court ordered the suspension of a ban on Twitter, which PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed.

The telecoms authority (TIB) said it had taken an "administrative measure" against the site but another report suggests that talks are under way.

Some users found access blocked while others could still use the site.

Earlier, what appeared to be a leaked audio recording of Turkish officials discussing Syria appeared on YouTube.

It relates to a discussion of possible military operations in Syria, which was apparently attended by Turkey's intelligence chief, its foreign minister and the deputy head of the armed forces.

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More News On Reports That YouTube Is Now Blocked In Turkey

Turkey Blocks YouTube After Leak of Syria Incursion Planning -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Turkey blocks YouTube access amid audio ‘leak’: reports -- Washington Times
Turkey bans YouTube after Syria security talk leaked -- AFP
YouTube Banned in Turkey -- NBC
Turkish telecoms authority blocks access to YouTube -- France 24
Turkey blocks YouTube in addition to Twitter -- RT
Turkey moves to block YouTube in addition to Twitter - reports -- Time
Turkey blocked YouTube over purported Syria leak - source -- Reuters
Google looking into reports that Turkey users unable to access YouTube -- Reuters
Turkey's Erdogan says leaking of Syria recording is "villainous" -- Reuters

Never Turn Your Back On BIG CATS!

My Comment: Their instincts are clearly at play.

Hat Tip: Geek Press

Ukraine's Military Dolphins Have Defected To The Russian Navy

Defecting: The Ukrainian army's dolphins, trained to hunt for mines, plant bombs and attack enemy divers, will be transferred to the Russian Navy. Daily Mail

Crimean Military Dolphins To Serve in Russian Navy -- RIA Novosti

SEVASTOPOL, March 26 (RIA Novosti) - The combat dolphin program in the Crimean city of Sevastopol will be preserved and redirected towards the interests of the Russian Navy, an employee at the facility where the dolphins are trained told RIA Novosti.

The program, dating to the 1960s, was previously scheduled to be disbanded by the Ukrainian navy in April, but the facility and the dolphins themselves have now become Russian following the reunification of Crimea with Russia last week.

"The oceanarium's engineers are developing new instruments for new applications to boost the operational efficiency of the dolphins underwater," the employee said, requesting anonymity. The employee added the animals are currently outfitted with extremely outdated equipment.

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More News On Ukraine's Military Dolphins Now Being A Part of The Russian Navy

Russian Navy takes over dolphin combat unit from Ukraine -- UPI
Ukraine’s secret unit of spy DOLPHINS that can plant bombs and attack divers with guns have defected to Russia -- Daily Mail
Russia Even Hijacks Ukraine’s Navy Dolphins -- ABC News
The Russian Navy Now Controls Ukraine's Combat Dolphin Program -- Business Insider
Ukraine's spy dolphins switch allegiance to Russia -- The Telegraph
Russia Stole Ukraine's Killer Dolphin Army -- The Wire
Russia commandeers Ukraine’s combat dolphins -- New York Post
Ukraine’s Combat Dolphins Are Now Russia’s Combat Dolphins -- Slate
Even Crimea's Dolphins Join Russian Forces, State Media Says -- Huffington Post

A Dwarf Planet Has Been Discovered At The Solar System's Edge

In this combined image, the colored dots show the movement of 2012 VP113. Each image was taken two hours apart

Dwarf Planet Discovered At Solar System's Edge -- CNN

(CNN) -- For anyone holding out hope of Pluto being reinstated as a major planet, you should probably do as they say in the movie "Frozen" and "let it go."

But here's a new exciting find from the far reaches of our solar system: Astronomers have discovered a dwarf planet that's even farther away than Pluto -- so far, in fact, that its orbit reaches into a new edge of the solar system.

The dwarf planet's current name is 2012 VP113, and it is located in a "wasteland or badland of the solar system," said astronomer Chad Trujillo, head of adaptive optics at Gemini Observatory in Hawaii and co-discoverer of this object. His study was published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

"The big question is, how is this formed? How can you get an object out there?" he said. "We really don't know an answer to that yet."

Read more ....

More News On A Dwarf Planet Being Discovered At The Solar System's Edge

New dwarf planet hints at giant world far beyond Pluto -- New Scientist
Does our solar system have a SUPER EARTH? Cluster of rock at its edge hints at existence of an enormous planet -- Daily Mail
New Dwarf Planet Found at Solar System's Edge, Hints at Possible Faraway 'Planet X' -- Space.com
New dwarf planet found sneaking through the inner Oort Cloud -- Ars Technica
New Dwarf Planet Redefines Edge of Our Solar System -- Discover
Dwarf Planet Discovery Hints at Hidden World Orbiting Solar System -- National Geographic
A New Planetoid Reported in Far Reaches of Solar System -- New York Times
Dwarf planet discovery hints at a hidden Super Earth in solar system -- The Guardian
Icy body found orbiting far from Sun -- BBC
Planet 'Biden:' Astronomers Find New Planet at Edge of Solar System -- US News and World Report
New Dwarf Planet ‘Biden’ Discovered: 2012 VP113 Is The Most Distant ‘Family Member’ Of The Solar System -- IBTimes
Distant new world may point to undiscovered planets in solar system -- The Guardian

Here Comes Outernet The Replacement To The Internet

The Outernet project is aiming to raise tens of millions of dollars to launch hundreds of miniature satellites known as cubesats to make their dream a reality

Forget The Internet - Soon There Will Be The OUTERNET: Company Plans To Beam Free Wi-fi To Every Person On Earth From Space -- Daily Mail

* An ambitious project known as Outernet is aiming to launch hundreds of miniature satellites into low Earth orbit by June 2015
* Each satellite will broadcast the Internet to phones and computers giving billions of people across the globe free online access
* Citizens of countries like China and North Korea that have censored online activity could be given free and unrestricted cyberspace
* 'There's really nothing that is technically impossible to this'

You might think you have to pay through the nose at the moment to access the Internet.

But one ambitious organisation called the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) is planning to turn the age of online computing on its head by giving free web access to every person on Earth.

Known as Outernet, MDIF plans to launch hundreds of satellites into orbit by 2015.

And they say the project could provide unrestricted Internet access to countries where their web access is censored, including China and North Korea.

Read more ....

My Comment: I love this concept because it will circumvent government restrictions.

'Elephant Dung' Coffee Known As Black Ivory Is The Most Expensive Coffee In The World

An MGM Macau staff member grinds "elephant dung" coffee beans by hand before serving up the rarefied brew. Photo: Lana Lam

Fancy An 'Elephant Dung' Coffee? Visit Macau To Taste Most Expensive Beans In The World -- South China Morning Post

Adventurous visitors to Macau line up to try unusual beans costing US$1,500 a kilogram

Whether its description involves an expletive that has to be deleted or it is hailed as God's gift to caffeine aficionados, "elephant dung" coffee is the most expensive cup on the planet.

Also known as black ivory, it costs US$1,500 a kilogram, easily exceeding the price of its similarly processed cousin, kopi luwak, or civet coffee, which ranges in price from US$500 to US$1,000 a kilogram.

And the ferry trip to Macau - the only place where you can try this coffee in China - will cost you less than the drink, which will set you back 488 patacas for 35 grams - plus service charge.

Read more ....

My Comment: $1500 a kilogram for THIS!!!!! Waaaayyyy too rich for my taste.

A Mechanical FISH that Perfectly Mimics The Movement Of Marine Creatures

The Robot Set To Make A Splash! Mechanical FISH Perfectly Mimics The Movement Of Marine Creatures -- Daily Mail

* Robotic fish made of rubber changes direction in a fraction of a second
* Movements are controlled by carbon dioxide from a built-in canister
* Once released, gas passes through a channel, causing the tail to bend
* The fish performs up to 30 manoeuvres before the carbon dioxide runs out
* Its inventor hopes to use it to learn more about the behaviour of fish

Forget clunking, giant humanoid robots, an inventor in the U.S has created a soft machine that is not only waterproof, it perfectly mimics the rapid, elegant movement of a fish.

Andrew Marchese, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), created the soft exterior robot to learn more about how fish behave.

MIT said the robotic fish is ‘the first self-contained autonomous soft robot capable of rapid body motion’ and will be featured in their new Soft Robotics journal.

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My Comment: Impressive video.

50 Greatest Breakthroughs Since The Wheel

The 50 Greatest Breakthroughs Since The Wheel -- The Atlantic

Why did it take so long to invent the wheelbarrow? Have we hit peak innovation? What our list reveals about imagination, optimism, and the nature of progress.

Some questions you ask because you want the right answer. Others are valuable because no answer is right; the payoff comes from the range of attempts. Seven years ago, The Atlantic surveyed a group of eminent historians to create a ranked list of the 100 people who had done the most to shape the character of modern America. The panelists agreed easily on the top few names—Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, in that order—but then began diverging in intriguing ways that reflected not simply their own values but also the varied avenues toward influence in our country. Lewis and Clark, or Henry Ford? Thomas Edison, or Martin Luther King? The result was of course not scientific. But the exercise of asking, comparing, and choosing helped us understand more about what these historical figures had done and about the areas in which American society had proved most and least open to the changes wrought by talented, determined men and women.

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CSN Editor: The list starts here. My beef with this list is that alphabetization is on it .... but 'numbers' did not make it.

Giant Robot Crab Walks

Giant Robot Crab Walks, Is Probably Coming Right For You -- Popular Science

Next stop: ocean floor.

The Crabster CR200 is a 1,400-pound behemoth of a 'bot soon being sent to the ocean floor—for both scientific and commercial use. Up until now, we've mostly seen it in action through still photos and animations, but here it is, menacingly lumbering into video.

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My Comment: That's one big giant robot crab.

Could We Soon Find Out EXACTLY How Long We’ll Live?

Could We Soon Find Out EXACTLY How Long We’ll Live? Scientists Accurately Work Out Lifespan Of Worms By Analysing Their Cells -- Daily Mail

* Scientists analysed looking at the bursts of activity in mitochondria
* Mitrochondria are the parts of a cell that generates its energy
* The flashes in mitochondria caused by free radicals predicted lifespan
* Findings suggest organism’s lifespan is predictable in early adulthood

Fortune tellers may soon be out of the job.

Scientists have found a way to accurately predict lifespan in worms – a breakthrough that could one day be used to predict how long a human would live.

The secret, they claim, is in looking at the bursts of activity in mitochondria, a part of the cell which generates its energy.

Read more ....

My Comment:  It seems everything is becoming predictable.

WHO Report: One In Eight People Around The World Die From Air Pollution

People wearing masks are seen on a hazy day at Tiananmen Square in Beijing February 13, 2014. Kim Kyung Hoon—REUTERS

Millions Die Every Year From Air Pollution -- Voice of America

GENEVA — The World Health Organization reports air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. A new report finds seven million people died from exposure to air pollution in 2012, more than double the number previously estimated in 2008.

Air pollution is a global problem; the World Health Organization reports one in eight people around the world die from air pollution.

It says new data show people exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollution die prematurely from cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, as well as chronic pulmonary diseases and cancer.

Read more ....

More News On The WHO Report That Claims That Seven Million People Die Globally Each Year From Pollution

WHO: Pollution kills 7 million people every year -- Washington Post/AP
Polluted air linked to 7 million deaths in 2012 - WHO -- Reuters
Tainted Air Kills More Than AIDS, Diabetes, WHO Report Shows -- Bloomberg
Air pollution killed seven million people in 2012: WHO -- The Telegraph
WHO Report: Air Pollution Killed 7 Million People in 2012 -- Time
Air Pollution Kills 7 Million a Year, WHO Says -- NBC

Is This The Most Terrifying Robot Ever?

This Gyrating Animatronic Doll Will Haunt Your Dreams -- io9

The thing dancing in this video is not a person. It's a humanoid installation piece, featuring facial recognition technology that allows it to focus on and follow you with its gaze. And yes, it is freaky as all hell.

On display March 6 – April 19 at David Zwirner Art Gallery in NYC, the unnamed doll is the work of artist Jordan Wolfson, who created the figure in collaboration with creature effects studio Spectral Motion.

There's not a lot about this thing that isn't creepy. There's the metal pole running through its sternum. Its voice (which is actually Wolfson's). The sooty grime smeared across its buttocks, thighs, knees and chest. The version of "Blurred Lines" playing in the background that sounds like it's being performed through a vat of molasses. The gaze that locks onto you and doesn't let go. That mask.

Then, of course, there are the fingers.

Read more ....

Update: Is this the most terrifying robot ever? Animatronic dancer stares at you as 'she' gyrates to Blurred Lines -- Daily Mail

My Comment: Yup .... freaky as hell.

Building 'Super Telescopes' Is The New Space Race

The race will see sophisticated observatories built on top of mountains in Hawaii and Chile in an attempt to see the wonders hiding in the outer reaches of the cosmos

New Space Race Begins: Astronomers Compete To Build Next Generation Of 'Super-Telescopes' To Reveal The Hidden Universe -- Daily Mail

* Huge observatories will be built on top of mountains in Hawaii and Chile
* These include the Giant Magellan Telescope, the Thirty Meter Telescope and the European Extremely Large Telescope
* Astronomers hope to use these super-telescopes to look at the first stars
* They also plan to uncover life-threatening asteroids heading towards the planet and spot Earth-like worlds

A new space race is heating that could help unravel some of the biggest mysteries of the universe.

Astronomers around the world are going head to head to develop three major telescopes that will be at least 10 times more powerful than anything in operation today.

The race will see sophisticated observatories built on top of mountains in Hawaii and Chile in an attempt to see the wonders hiding in the outer reaches of the cosmos.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is a space race that I am all for.

How British Satellite Company Inmarsat Was Able To Track Down Malaysia Flight MH370

UK Firm Behind Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Breakthrough -- BBC

The revelation that flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean is based on new analysis by UK investigators and the British satellite firm Inmarsat, Malaysia's prime minister has said.

Najib Razak said relatives of the flight's 239 passengers and crew had been told of the "heartbreaking" news.

Inmarsat used new techniques to find the plane's last position, he said.

The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which probes serious civil aircraft incidents, was also involved.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on 8 March.

The announcement came as the international search effort reached a fifth day of operations in the southern Indian Ocean.

Read more ....

How British Satellite Company Inmarsat Was Able To Tack Down MH370

Satellite Company Inmarsat Says Its Data Could Help Find Malaysia Airliner -- FOX News
Plane crashed in Indian Ocean according to data -- The Telegraph
Missing Malaysia Flight MH370: French satellite data backs ‘evidence’ that Boeing 777 plane crashed in Indian Ocean -- The Independent
How British satellite company Inmarsat tracked down MH370 -- The Telegraph