On March 17th 2016, Egyptian antiquities minister, Mamdouh el-Damaty, announced that radar scans of King Tutankhamun's tomb have revealed the existence of two unexplored chambers. The scans also revealed that there are objects made of both metal and organic material inside those hidden rooms. While el-Damaty did not elaborate on what exactly might be within the two chambers, he did say that it could be a member of King Tut's family.
The radar scans were taken in November 2015 by Hirokatsu Watanabe. The initial results suggested a 90% certainty that another chamber is behind the north wall of the tomb. The radar findings were reviewed by outside researchers that included Remy Hiramoto, Jason Herrmann, and British archeologist Nicholas Reeves. It is Reeves who believes that the hidden chamber contains the remains of King Tut's mother, Queen Nefertiti.
Queen Nefertiti was the wife of pharaoh Akhenaten, King Tut's father. Akhenaten's tomb is believed to have been found in the Valley of the Kings, while Queen Nefertiti's grave has never been found. Reeves also believes that King Tut's tomb was originally built for the queen but was used to house the young king's body, after he died suddenly at age 19. El-Damaty said, "This would be like having the discovery of Tutankhamun again. It could be the discovery of the century."
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Scientists Discover A New Bacteria That Eats Plastic
On March 11th 2015, scientists announced that they had discovered a new variety of bacteria that eats and digests plastic. The plastic in question is polyethylene terephthalate or PET, which is used in the making of, packaging trays, blister packs, bottles, and polyester clothing. The bacteria is named, Ideonella Sakaiensis, and was discovered by a team of researchers working at the Kyoto Institute of Technology and Keio University in Japan.
The new bacteria was discovered outside a bottle recycling plant. The research team took samples of the soil, sediment, and waste water from around the plant. All of the samples were contaminated by PET. When they tested the samples they found that a microbe was degrading the plastic. More tests revealed that the bacteria, Ideonella Sakaiensis did so through the use of two enzymes.
The team found that the first enzyme was used to create an intermediate chemical that the second enzyme uses to break down the plastic into carbon and energy. Their tests showed that this process allowed the bacteria to degrade low quality plastic in about six weeks. However, the bacteria has a harder time breaking down highly crystallized PET that is found in most hard plastic.
At this time, the potential applications of the research team's findings are not clear. While they are not certain that Ideonella Sakaiensis could be used to help clean up the environment, they do believe that it might lead to the creation of other biological agents that are capable of breaking down other types of plastics.
The new bacteria was discovered outside a bottle recycling plant. The research team took samples of the soil, sediment, and waste water from around the plant. All of the samples were contaminated by PET. When they tested the samples they found that a microbe was degrading the plastic. More tests revealed that the bacteria, Ideonella Sakaiensis did so through the use of two enzymes.
The team found that the first enzyme was used to create an intermediate chemical that the second enzyme uses to break down the plastic into carbon and energy. Their tests showed that this process allowed the bacteria to degrade low quality plastic in about six weeks. However, the bacteria has a harder time breaking down highly crystallized PET that is found in most hard plastic.
At this time, the potential applications of the research team's findings are not clear. While they are not certain that Ideonella Sakaiensis could be used to help clean up the environment, they do believe that it might lead to the creation of other biological agents that are capable of breaking down other types of plastics.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
NASA's Mars Insight Mission Delayed
On March 9th 2016, NASA announced that it will delay InSight, it's next Mars mission until 2018. InSight, which stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport, was originally scheduled for a March 2016 launch. The mission was cancelled when a vacuum leak was discovered in the spacecraft's seismometer. The new launch window will allow for a May 5th 2018 launch, with a November 26th 2018 landing on Mars.
InSight's goal is to understand how rocky planets, like the Earth and others, were formed. The mission will send a lander to the Martian surface. That lander's prime science instrument or SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structures) was built with the cooperation of the Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the European Space Agency's PRODEX program, the Max Planck institute for Solar System Research, and Imperial College in the UK.
Once on Mars, the lander will deploy a probe called the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, which was built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The probe will be hammered into the ground next to the lander at about 16 feet deep. NASA hopes that this tool will provide them with precise measurements of the planets interior activity. Another instrument, RISE (Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment), which is being provided by JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), will take precise measurements of the planet's rotation.
NASA says that though the InSight mission has been delayed, it is still on track with its other plans to visit the Red planet. Its future plans for Mars include another rover slated to land in 2020, and of course plans for human missions for the 2030s are still a go.
InSight's goal is to understand how rocky planets, like the Earth and others, were formed. The mission will send a lander to the Martian surface. That lander's prime science instrument or SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structures) was built with the cooperation of the Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the European Space Agency's PRODEX program, the Max Planck institute for Solar System Research, and Imperial College in the UK.
Once on Mars, the lander will deploy a probe called the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, which was built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The probe will be hammered into the ground next to the lander at about 16 feet deep. NASA hopes that this tool will provide them with precise measurements of the planets interior activity. Another instrument, RISE (Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment), which is being provided by JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), will take precise measurements of the planet's rotation.
NASA says that though the InSight mission has been delayed, it is still on track with its other plans to visit the Red planet. Its future plans for Mars include another rover slated to land in 2020, and of course plans for human missions for the 2030s are still a go.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
A New Study Cites Modern Influences Of Neanderthal DNA
On February 11th 2016, a study published in the journal Science concluded that Neanderthal DNA can effect everything from the health to the smoking habits of modern humans. The study revealed that humans mated with other hominids after leaving Africa some 50,000 years ago. Researchers say that they have found a Neanderthal genetic variant within the human genome.
The data used in the new study was compiled by the eMerge (Electronics Medical Records and Genomics) network of Vanderbilt University, and included the analysis of the data sets of 28,000 individuals. Genetic researcher Tony Capra of Vanderbilt University said, that after comparing the DNA of Neanderthal fossils to the DNA of the study subjects, he and his team found a link to several associated diseases.
Capra said that he and his team found a Neanderthal DNA variant that is associated with actinic keratosis, which is a condition that causes growths on the skin. They also found a link to an increased amount of blood clotting, which can lead to strokes, pulmonary embolisms, and pregnancy complications. The study also revealed a connection between Neanderthal DNA and some mood disorders, and a possible addiction to nicotine, and depression.
The researchers also found a less than 1% overall risk that a Neanderthal DNA variant is associated with having other disorders such as obesity, respiratory infections, and arteriosclerosis. The evidence in the study makes the case that humans and Neanderthals are more alike than once believed.
The data used in the new study was compiled by the eMerge (Electronics Medical Records and Genomics) network of Vanderbilt University, and included the analysis of the data sets of 28,000 individuals. Genetic researcher Tony Capra of Vanderbilt University said, that after comparing the DNA of Neanderthal fossils to the DNA of the study subjects, he and his team found a link to several associated diseases.
Capra said that he and his team found a Neanderthal DNA variant that is associated with actinic keratosis, which is a condition that causes growths on the skin. They also found a link to an increased amount of blood clotting, which can lead to strokes, pulmonary embolisms, and pregnancy complications. The study also revealed a connection between Neanderthal DNA and some mood disorders, and a possible addiction to nicotine, and depression.
The researchers also found a less than 1% overall risk that a Neanderthal DNA variant is associated with having other disorders such as obesity, respiratory infections, and arteriosclerosis. The evidence in the study makes the case that humans and Neanderthals are more alike than once believed.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
A Small Asteroid Will Make A Flyby In March
On February 2nd 2016, it was announced that a small asteroid would make a close pass of earth on March 5th 2016. The asteroid named 2013 TX68, is a 100 ft long space rock that is expected to flyby the Earth at a distance of either 9 million miles or as close as 11,000 miles. The reason for the wide possible range is that the asteroid was only discovered on October 6th 2013, when it flew past the Earth at 1.3 million miles.
Scientists at NASA's Near Earth Objects Center (NEO) say that, though there isn't much data on asteroid 2013 TX68, there is little chance that it will collide with the Earth. But they have, however identified a somewhat remote chance of 2013 TX68 hitting the Earth when it flies by again on September 28th 2017. They say that odds of an impact at that time will be more than 1-in-250. The asteroid is expected to pass the Earth again in 2046 and 2097.
At 100 ft across, asteroid 2013 TX68 is a little less than twice the size of the asteroid that broke up over Chelyabinsk, Russia, which has been estimated to have been 65 ft in length. If an asteroid the size of 2013 TX68 were to strike the Earth's atmosphere, it would create an air burst twice the size of the Chelyabinsk event. Scientists are hoping that 2013 TX68 will be picked up by NEO search telescopes during its flyby next month, giving them more data about its uncertain orbit.
Scientists at NASA's Near Earth Objects Center (NEO) say that, though there isn't much data on asteroid 2013 TX68, there is little chance that it will collide with the Earth. But they have, however identified a somewhat remote chance of 2013 TX68 hitting the Earth when it flies by again on September 28th 2017. They say that odds of an impact at that time will be more than 1-in-250. The asteroid is expected to pass the Earth again in 2046 and 2097.
At 100 ft across, asteroid 2013 TX68 is a little less than twice the size of the asteroid that broke up over Chelyabinsk, Russia, which has been estimated to have been 65 ft in length. If an asteroid the size of 2013 TX68 were to strike the Earth's atmosphere, it would create an air burst twice the size of the Chelyabinsk event. Scientists are hoping that 2013 TX68 will be picked up by NEO search telescopes during its flyby next month, giving them more data about its uncertain orbit.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Scientists Find Eintein's Gravitational Waves
On February 11th 2016, a team of scientists announced that they had successfully detected the existence of gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are ripples in space time that were first predicted by Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. Researchers discovered the gravitational waves as the result of two colliding black holes.
The discovery was made by scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). The gravitational waves were first discovered on September 14 2015 by LIGO detectors in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington. What they detected was two huge black holes, one 35 time the mass of our sun and the other 29 times our sun's mass, circling each other.
Scientist listened to the two black holes which were 1.3 billion light years from Earth, and somewhere beyond the Magellanic Cloud. They listened for a 20th of a second. At first the two black holes circled each other at a rate of 30 time a second. After 20 milliseconds the two objects were circling each other at a rate of 250 times a second, before they finally collided with each other.
Working in unison, the two detectors picked up minute vibrations from the gravitational waves as they passed by the Earth. The scientist then converted those vibrations into audio waves and listened to the sound of the two black holes as they merged. The sound that was played back, was "a low rumbling pierced by chirps." The gravitational waves only changed LIGO's instruments by one ten thousandth the size of a proton.
The researchers believe that because gravitational waves are so radically different from electromagnetic waves, they will ultimately reveal some very big and unexpected surprises about the universe.
The discovery was made by scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). The gravitational waves were first discovered on September 14 2015 by LIGO detectors in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington. What they detected was two huge black holes, one 35 time the mass of our sun and the other 29 times our sun's mass, circling each other.
Scientist listened to the two black holes which were 1.3 billion light years from Earth, and somewhere beyond the Magellanic Cloud. They listened for a 20th of a second. At first the two black holes circled each other at a rate of 30 time a second. After 20 milliseconds the two objects were circling each other at a rate of 250 times a second, before they finally collided with each other.
Working in unison, the two detectors picked up minute vibrations from the gravitational waves as they passed by the Earth. The scientist then converted those vibrations into audio waves and listened to the sound of the two black holes as they merged. The sound that was played back, was "a low rumbling pierced by chirps." The gravitational waves only changed LIGO's instruments by one ten thousandth the size of a proton.
The researchers believe that because gravitational waves are so radically different from electromagnetic waves, they will ultimately reveal some very big and unexpected surprises about the universe.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
The Old Guard: Maurice White, Leader Of Earth Wind & Fire, Dies At 74
The words "old guard,"
tend to refer to the established, often conservative element within a
society. But, I have often heard it used in reference to those whose
customs, practices, and traditions carry on beyond the times in which
they were created. When it comes to music, the "old guard,"
can be found among those artists and bands whose music has stood the
test of time. The names of which are numerous and stretch across every
genre.
On February 3rd 2016, Maurice White the leader of the R&B band/group, Earth Wind & Fire, died in his home in Los Angeles, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was 74. Mr. White formed the band with his brother Verdine in 1969. He was one of the band's lead singers up until the mid 1990s, and continued to write and produce for the band/group until shortly before his death.
Mr. White spent time in his early career backing Ramsey Lewis. At the time he was in Chicago, but in 1969 he moved to Los Angeles with a band called, The Salty Peppers. When the group failed to take off, in 1971 Mr. White changed the name of the group to Earth Wind & Fire after certain elements of his astrological sign. The group's lineup changed in the first few years. Philip Bailey and Mr. White's brothers Verdine and eventually Fred, joined the band.
Earth Wind & Fire's early hits include, Head to The Sky and Mighty Mighty. Then in 1975, things really took off with the release of the sound track to the movie, That's The Way of The World. The movie also featured the band playing a fictional version of themselves as struggling musicians. The album featured the number one hit, Shining Star, which the band won a Grammy for best R&B performance.
After the success of That's The Way of The World, the hits became many as Earth Wind & Fire"s mix of R&B, Soul, Funk, Jazz, and Rock set a standard for what an R&B band should be. Through out the 70s and into the 80s they became known for uptempo grooves like Serpentine Fire and Let's Groove as well as ballads like Love's Holiday and After the Love is gone. In time, many other artists came to emulate their style.
Mr. White was once quoted as stating the world was a "negative place" and that he wanted to emphasize all things positive. He said, "Our goal was to reach all of the people and keep a universal atmosphere - to create a positive energy."
While Funk is not Classical music, which continues to enjoy popularity, it can still be said that there are Funk classics, and Rock and Jazz classics too. The question is, whether or not someone from this or future generations will step forward and carry the torch! Be true to the Funk and remember the, "old guard."
On February 3rd 2016, Maurice White the leader of the R&B band/group, Earth Wind & Fire, died in his home in Los Angeles, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was 74. Mr. White formed the band with his brother Verdine in 1969. He was one of the band's lead singers up until the mid 1990s, and continued to write and produce for the band/group until shortly before his death.
Mr. White spent time in his early career backing Ramsey Lewis. At the time he was in Chicago, but in 1969 he moved to Los Angeles with a band called, The Salty Peppers. When the group failed to take off, in 1971 Mr. White changed the name of the group to Earth Wind & Fire after certain elements of his astrological sign. The group's lineup changed in the first few years. Philip Bailey and Mr. White's brothers Verdine and eventually Fred, joined the band.
Earth Wind & Fire's early hits include, Head to The Sky and Mighty Mighty. Then in 1975, things really took off with the release of the sound track to the movie, That's The Way of The World. The movie also featured the band playing a fictional version of themselves as struggling musicians. The album featured the number one hit, Shining Star, which the band won a Grammy for best R&B performance.
After the success of That's The Way of The World, the hits became many as Earth Wind & Fire"s mix of R&B, Soul, Funk, Jazz, and Rock set a standard for what an R&B band should be. Through out the 70s and into the 80s they became known for uptempo grooves like Serpentine Fire and Let's Groove as well as ballads like Love's Holiday and After the Love is gone. In time, many other artists came to emulate their style.
Mr. White was once quoted as stating the world was a "negative place" and that he wanted to emphasize all things positive. He said, "Our goal was to reach all of the people and keep a universal atmosphere - to create a positive energy."
While Funk is not Classical music, which continues to enjoy popularity, it can still be said that there are Funk classics, and Rock and Jazz classics too. The question is, whether or not someone from this or future generations will step forward and carry the torch! Be true to the Funk and remember the, "old guard."
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