Fossils Found of Scandinavian Ex-Parrot

Paleontologists have discovered fossil remains of parrots on the Isle of Mors in the northwest of Denmark.

Could this be a sub-species of the Norwegian Blue? anticipated in the 70s by Cleese and Palin.  Certainly deceased, bereft of life and possibly ‘pinin for the fjords’ which hadn’t yet formed.  

 See article

or Dead Parrot Sketch at YouTube

MicroBling & Quantum Computing

 Scientists have made the world’s smallest diamond ring (5 millionths of a meter across), which could play a key role in the future of computing.

The ring was laser carved from diamond crystal by Phyicists at the University of Melbourne, and will help researchers build quantum computers.  Apparently it also comes in a nice, circular presentation holder.

Quantum computing is an exciting new computing concept, still in its infancy that will e.g. theoretically be able to crack ciphers requiring astronomical numbers of guesses, in seconds rather than years.

Presented at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Found at Australian Broadcasting Co

Scientists genetically modify onions for no tears

 

Scientists in New Zealand and Japan have created a “tear-free” onion using biotechnology to switch off the gene behind the enzyme that makes us cry, one of the leading researchers said Friday.

The discovery could signal an end to one of cooking’s eternal puzzles: why does cutting up a simple onion sting the eyes and trigger teardrops?

The research institute in New Zealand, Crop and Food, used gene-silencing technology to make the breakthrough which it hopes could lead to a prototype onion hitting the market in a decade’s time.

Colin Eady, the institute’s senior scientist, said the project started in 2002 after Japanese scientists located the gene responsible for producing the agent behind the tears.

Found at Breitbart.com

Premium Gas is not ‘Best’

 I came across this answer in Slate.com to the question ” is high-octane gas bad for the environment?” I occasionally get into this argument and never fail to be amazed that most people refuse to believe that the three grades of gas and their octane ratings are entirely a technical requirement, mostly a function of  the compression ratio of your engine. There is absolutely no benefit to using a grade higher than specified in your car manual; it is simply throwing money away.  All that spiel about better detergents and additives in Premium is complete marketing baloney. So is the disproportionate price difference.

See complete answer plus discussion posts.

Manuscript Confirms Identity of Mona Lisa

Handwritten notes made by an acquaintance of Leonardo Da Vinci have been discovered that document Da Vinci was working on three paintings in 1503 which is when art historians agree the work is dated. The notes discuss that one of the projects was a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo who has been tentatively linked to the painting before; the painting in the Louvre is also known as La Gioconda.

The notes were found in a manuscript at Heidelberg University library and the University’s Dr. Armin Schlechter has confirmed that “all doubts are now eliminated” as to the identity of the famous smiling lady, a Florence noblewoman born Lisa Gherardini in 1449.

View Manuscript

See Reuters Article

See Wikipedia Lisa del Giocondo reference

Black Holes - Coming to your neighborhood?

 Two recent stories emerged concerning these unimaginably exotic but apparently cosmologically common place objects.

The largest black hole so far detected has been demonstrated to be 18 billion times the mass of our sun, i.e. it weighs as much as a small galaxy. Its mass has been able to be estimated due to the fact that a second  black hole weighing 100 million suns, has been observed in orbit around it.

The mass of the Sun is 2 octillion metric tons. 1 octillion =  1 followed by 27 zeros. Amazing to try and think that that this mass (times 18 billion) is shrunk to the size of well, nothing since a black hole is a singularity and has collapsed so completely as to occupy no space.  Black holes possess a sphere of influence around them called an event horizon, beyond which nothing can escape, even nearby light is captured since the gravitational pull is so strong. The event horizon surrounding such a gargantuan black hole would be millions of miles across.

Super massive black holes tend to lurk at the center of galaxies and our own Milky Way galaxy is purported to be holding several. However research has now shown that some smaller, intermediate size black holes (a mere 100-1000 solar masses) are pinging around the galaxy like billiard balls. There are supposedly so few of them that the chances our solar system would encounter one, are infinitesimal, however we would be unlikely to see it coming and if we did, it would be rather an inconvenience. At the very least, disrupting planetary orbits and possibly devouring our whole system which is what black holes do and how they get bigger- Death Stars in reality.

See Biggest Black Hole in Cosmos Discovered

See Rogue Black Holes May Abound in Milky Way

Black Hole Wikipedia Reference

Big Pharma Spends More On Advertising Than Research And Development

  A new study by two York University researchers estimates the U.S. pharmaceutical industry spends almost twice as much on promotion as it does on research and development, contrary to industry claims.

The authors examined the 2004 reports of two international market research companies to show that the U.S. pharmaceutical industry spent 24.4% of the sales dollar on promotion, versus 13.4% for research and development, as a percentage of US domestic sales of US$235.4 billion.   

  

Found at Science Daily

Published Paper

Al-Qaeda urges attack on Bush during Mid East trip

 An American member of al-Qaeda has called on Muslim fighters to welcome George Bush, the US president, “with bombs” during his visit to the Middle East next week.
Adam Gadahn, a convert to Islam who has been indicted for treason by a US jury, made the call in a videotaped message posted on a website on Sunday.

Don’t they realize that the US is only a heartbeat away from you know who??

See Article

Intelligence reports of concerted new campaign in Iraq

Amazon’s world wide top sellers in 2007

 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  by J.K. Rowling

The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling’s spellbinding series

2. The Secret  by Rhonda Byrne

New Age self-help book on the law of attraction, its thesis is that one’s positive thoughts are powerful magnets that attract wealth, health & happiness.

3. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert

The author, in her early 30s, divides a year equally among three dissimilar countries, exploring her competing urges for earthly delights and divine transcendence.

4. Harry Potter und die Heiligtümer des Todes by J.K. Rowling

See # 1 Auf Deutsche

5. A Thousand Splendid Suns  by Khaled Hosseini

As special as The Kite Runner was, A Thousand Splendid Suns is more so, bringing Hosseini’s compassionate storytelling and his sense of personal and national tragedy to a tale of two women, weighted equally with despair and grave hope.

6. The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden                 

Equal parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense of adventure in the lives of boys and men

7. Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food  by Jessica Seinfeld

As a mother of three, Jessica Seinfeld can speak for all parents who struggle to feed their kids right and deal nightly with dinnertime fiascos. As she wages a personal war against sugars, packaged foods, and other nutritional saboteurs, she offers appetizing alternatives for parents who find themselves succumbing to the fastest and easiest (and least healthy) choices available to them

8. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?

9. Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen

the story of Jacob’s life with this circus. Sara Gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself.

10. StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths  by Tom Rath

Helped millions to discover their top five possibly untapped talents

Found at Economist

Descendants of couple who sailed to America around 1630, account for 15% of all colon cancer in Utah.

 Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers have discovered two large families - one originating in Utah and one in New York - that carry the couple’s genetic mutation, responsible for an increased risk of colo-rectal cancer.  The findings are published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The mutation, results in a high pre-disposition for pre-cancerous polyps called attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP) which, if unchecked has a high incidence of progression to cancer.

Thousands of people would now have some ancestry with these early emigrants;  the phenomenon was noted in Utah, because of its world renowned genealogical database.  The names of the families is however being kept secret since it is feared that Health Insurance companies would use the information to make business decisions regarding coverage.

The leader of the study, Dr Deborah Neklason said people with a history of precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer in their family should talk to their health care provider about getting a genetic screening for AFAP. It could provide them - and their family members - with life-saving information. Of course that takes you right back to the business decision problem.

See Article