On January 26th 2018, Undark.org posted an excerpt from a book written by science journalist Alanna Mitchell, that make the case for a shift of the Earth's magnetic poles. She says that the magnetic poles shift or flip once every 200,000 to 300,000 years, and that we are over due as one hasn't happen for nearly 780,000 years. The Earth's magnetic field protects our planet from harmful solar and cosmic radiation by deflecting high energy particle off into space.
According to Ms. Mitchell readings from the European Space Agency's SWARM satellite system, which were launched in 2013, coupled with data from Germany's CHAMP satellite were used by researchers to take measurements of the Earth's crustal magnetization. Their findings help them to discover that the Earth's magnet field is in a permanent state of flux. They also learned that the earth's magnetic field tried to shift but failed about 40,000 years ago.
If a pole shift were to occur in the not to distant future, it could be very bad for life on Earth. Scientists haven't been able to determine when a pole reversal would take place. They do however, believe that pole shifts happen slowly and could possibly take anywhere from a couple of months to thousands of years. During a pole shift, our planet would be left unprotected and the ozone layer depleted. High energy particles and ultra violet rays would not only damage our electrical systems but could also cause man to go the way of the Dinosaurs.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
The Chinese Produce First Cloned Monkeys
On January 24th 2018, scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai, China, announced in the journal, Cell, that they have successfully cloned two Macaque monkeys. The monkeys represent the first time that a primate has been successfully cloned. They were born eight weeks and six weeks ago through the use of the same process that was used to clone Dolly the sheep in 1996. The monkeys names are Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua.
The scientists involved in the cloning used the DNA from a single fetal tissue cell which was then inserted into an egg that had its DNA removed. The DNA and Egg were then fused together using chemicals. Then, a small amount of electricity was used to get the dividing process to begin, which was continued until an embryo was formed. A surrogate mother of the same species was then chosen to carry the embryo to term.
A total of 181 embryos were created, with 79 of the embryos yielding pregnancies. Only Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua were born. The researchers are aware of the concerns over the application being used for human cloning, and say that they only intent to clone monkeys to use in biomedical research.
The scientists involved in the cloning used the DNA from a single fetal tissue cell which was then inserted into an egg that had its DNA removed. The DNA and Egg were then fused together using chemicals. Then, a small amount of electricity was used to get the dividing process to begin, which was continued until an embryo was formed. A surrogate mother of the same species was then chosen to carry the embryo to term.
A total of 181 embryos were created, with 79 of the embryos yielding pregnancies. Only Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua were born. The researchers are aware of the concerns over the application being used for human cloning, and say that they only intent to clone monkeys to use in biomedical research.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
NASA Develops Space Navigation System
On January 11th 2018, NASA announced that it has successfully tested an autonomous x-ray navigation system. The system is called Neutron-star Interior Composition Explorer or NICER, and it is an orbital observatory that is currently attached to the exterior of the International Space Station. NICER monitors the clock work like pulses that are emitted by rapidly rotating neutron stars know as pulsars.
NICER works on a principle similar to the Global Positioning System, or (GPS) that uses atomic clocks mounted on satellites that orbit the Earth. It, however, as an x-ray telescope, uses x-rays to probe the nature of ultra dense matter. In November of 2017, a research team used pulsars that rotate thousands of times a second (millisecond pulsars), to determine the location of an object that was traveling at thousands of miles an hour through space.
NASA believes that the development of the NICER technology will make the navigation of automated deep space missions much more accurate. Current deep space missions rely on what's know as the Deep Space Network or DNS, which is a global system of radio antennas.
NICER works on a principle similar to the Global Positioning System, or (GPS) that uses atomic clocks mounted on satellites that orbit the Earth. It, however, as an x-ray telescope, uses x-rays to probe the nature of ultra dense matter. In November of 2017, a research team used pulsars that rotate thousands of times a second (millisecond pulsars), to determine the location of an object that was traveling at thousands of miles an hour through space.
NASA believes that the development of the NICER technology will make the navigation of automated deep space missions much more accurate. Current deep space missions rely on what's know as the Deep Space Network or DNS, which is a global system of radio antennas.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Fast Radio Burst Mystery
On January 10th 2018, researchers from the American Astronomical Society published a paper in the journal Nature describing what they believe is the cause of a fast radio burst transmission emanating from extra galactic space. Fast radio bursts are short duration surges of radio waves that have intrigued scientists since 2007. The signal in question has been named FBR 121102 and was first discovered in 2012.
Scientists have observed that FBR's happen as a fraction of a millisecond, single play, one time occurrence. What makes the discovery of FBR 121102 unique is that it is the first FBR that is known to repeat. They have also observed that FBR 121202's wave pattern is twisted. This could mean that this FBR may be passing through some highly magnetically charged source before it arrives here on Earth.
In August 2017, the researchers noticed that the repeating signal had become hyperactive. At that point in time they began using the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico and Green Bank telescope in West Virginia to take a better look at FBR 121102. At first they thought the FBR's signal pattern might be twisted because the radio waves are passing though a neutron star. But after receiving 16 bursts in a 10 hour period, that were so extremely distorted by a powerful magnetic field, they concluded that they had to have passed through a black hole.
While the researchers search for an answer that will solve the mystery, the possibility of alien contact has been ruled out.
Scientists have observed that FBR's happen as a fraction of a millisecond, single play, one time occurrence. What makes the discovery of FBR 121102 unique is that it is the first FBR that is known to repeat. They have also observed that FBR 121202's wave pattern is twisted. This could mean that this FBR may be passing through some highly magnetically charged source before it arrives here on Earth.
In August 2017, the researchers noticed that the repeating signal had become hyperactive. At that point in time they began using the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico and Green Bank telescope in West Virginia to take a better look at FBR 121102. At first they thought the FBR's signal pattern might be twisted because the radio waves are passing though a neutron star. But after receiving 16 bursts in a 10 hour period, that were so extremely distorted by a powerful magnetic field, they concluded that they had to have passed through a black hole.
While the researchers search for an answer that will solve the mystery, the possibility of alien contact has been ruled out.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Scientist Discover A New Group Of Native Americans
On January 3rd 2018, researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Copenhagen announced that their DNA analysis of the 11,500 year old remains of a Native American child, has revealed evidence of a previously unknown early population of humans believed to be the first to settle in the Americas. The child was a baby girl whose genome is the oldest and now the most complete genetic profile of a human in the new world.
The cremated remains of a six week old was discovered in an archeological site in central Alaska called Upward Sun River in 2010. Two other infants were actually found, one the body of a still born and the other a 3 year old. DNA was extracted from one of the bones in 2013. The genes were then compared to the DNA of other ancient and modern people and a family tree was created. The researchers discovered that this group of Native Americans diverged from their Asian ancestors 25,000 years ago.
This new group of Native Americans is being called the Ancient Beringians. They predate other native groups that appeared in the region around 17,000 and 14,000 year ago. Most Native Americans are believed to have originated in Siberia. The researchers are as yet unable to determine if the Ancient Beringians genome split in Siberia or after they arrived on this continent.
The cremated remains of a six week old was discovered in an archeological site in central Alaska called Upward Sun River in 2010. Two other infants were actually found, one the body of a still born and the other a 3 year old. DNA was extracted from one of the bones in 2013. The genes were then compared to the DNA of other ancient and modern people and a family tree was created. The researchers discovered that this group of Native Americans diverged from their Asian ancestors 25,000 years ago.
This new group of Native Americans is being called the Ancient Beringians. They predate other native groups that appeared in the region around 17,000 and 14,000 year ago. Most Native Americans are believed to have originated in Siberia. The researchers are as yet unable to determine if the Ancient Beringians genome split in Siberia or after they arrived on this continent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)