Science & TechnologyS


Archaeology

What the last common ancestor of apes and humans looked like

Charles Q. Choi
Live Science
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 07:15 UTC
Ape skull
© Fred spoorThis skull belongs to a 16-month-old ape, now called Nyanzapithecus alesi, that died about 13 million years ago.
The most complete extinct-ape skull ever found reveals what the last common ancestor of all living apes and humans might have looked like, according to a new study.

The 13-million-year-old infant skull, which its discoverers nicknamed "Alesi," was unearthed in Kenya in 2014. It likely belonged to a fruit-eating, slow-climbing primate that resembled a baby gibbon, the researchers said.

Among the living primates, humans are most closely related to the apes, which include the lesser apes (gibbons) and the great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans). These so-called hominoids - that is, the gibbons, great apes and humans - emerged and diversified during the Miocene epoch, approximately 23 million to 5 million years ago. (The last common ancestor that humans had with chimpanzees lived about 6 million to 7 million years ago.)

Much remains unknown about the common ancestors of living apes and humans from the critical time when these branches diverged. Fossil evidence from this part of the primate family tree is scarce, and consists mostly of isolated teeth and broken jaw fragments. As such, researchers were not sure what the last common ancestors of living apes and humans might have looked like, and even whether they originated in Africa or Eurasia.
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Jet3

Hypersonic weapons are today's 'missile gap' between US & Russia

Dan Goure
National Interest
Mon, 07 May 2018 11:54 UTC
hypersonic missiles
© US Air Force
In a speech on the Senate floor on August 14, 1958, then-Senator and aspiring presidential candidate John F. Kennedy proclaimed the existence of a "missile gap" between the United States and Russia. Kennedy went on to warn that unless this gap was immediately addressed, the result would be the erosion of the U.S. strategic forces' ability to deter the Soviet Union. It later became apparent that the balance in nuclear-capable ballistic missiles decisively favored the United States.

A new "missile gap" is emerging, one that is based in fact. This is the disparity between the United States and its main competitors, Russia and China, in the field of hypersonic weapons systems. A hypersonic vehicle is one that moves through the atmosphere at a minimum speed of five times that of sound, or Mach 5. A hypersonic cruise missile travels continuously through the air employing a special high-powered engine. A hypersonic glide vehicle is launched into space atop a ballistic missile, after which it maneuvers through the upper reaches of the atmosphere until it dives towards its target. Both vehicle types can carry either conventional or nuclear weapons.

Hypersonic weapons systems could dramatically alter the existing balance of conventional military power forces between the United States and its major competitors. They could strike key military targets such as airfields, command and control centers, depots and force concentrations almost without warning. Hypersonic delivery systems are viewed as particularly useful against aircraft carriers, large surface combatants, amphibious warfare ships and even transports carrying critical military supplies.
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Info

Primate Fossil Points to 'Out of Asia' Theory

Charles Choi
LiveScience
Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:06 UTC
Primate Migration
© Marc KlingerResearchers have discovered remains of an anthropoid primate, now named Afrasia djijidae, in Myanmar. Here a reconstruction of the small primate, which probably weighed about 3.5 ounces.
The ancestors of monkeys, apes and humans may have originated in Asia and not Africa as often thought, new fossils suggest.

The origin of anthropoids - the simians, or "higher primates," which include monkeys, apes and humans - has been debated for decades among scientists. Although fossils unearthed in Egypt have long suggested that Africa was the cradle for anthropoids, other bones revealed in the last 15 years or so raised the possibility that Asia may be their birthplace.

Now, an international team of scientists has unearthed a new fossil in Southeast Asia that may prove that anthropoids originated in what is now the East, shedding light on a pivotal step in primate and human evolution.

The fossil is named Afrasia djijidae - Afrasia from how early anthropoids are now found intercontinentally in both Africa and Asia, djijidae in memory of a young girl from village of Mogaung in central Myanmar, the nation where the remains were found.

The four known teeth of Afrasia were recovered after six years of sifting through tons of sediment, often working with oxcarts, since even cars with four-wheel drive cannot penetrate the area.

The teeth of 37-million-year-old Afrasia closely resemble those of another early anthropoid, the 38-million-year-old Afrotarsius libycus, recently discovered in the Sahara Desert of Libya. The anthropoids in Libya were far more diverse at that early time in Africa than scientists had thought, which suggested they actually originated elsewhere. The close similarity between Afrasia and Afrotarsius now suggests that early anthropoids colonized Africa from Asia.
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Bulb

How genetics is proving that race is not necessarily a social construct

David Reich
New York Times
Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:00 UTC
Genetics
© Angie Wang
In 1942, the anthropologist Ashley Montagu published "Man's Most Dangerous Myth: The Fallacy of Race," an influential book that argued that race is a social concept with no genetic basis. A classic example often cited is the inconsistent definition of "black." In the United States, historically, a person is "black" if he has any sub-Saharan African ancestry; in Brazil, a person is not "black" if he is known to have any European ancestry. If "black" refers to different people in different contexts, how can there be any genetic basis to it?

Beginning in 1972, genetic findings began to be incorporated into this argument. That year, the geneticist Richard Lewontin published an important study of variation in protein types in blood. He grouped the human populations he analyzed into seven "races" - West Eurasians, Africans, East Asians, South Asians, Native Americans, Oceanians and Australians - and found that around 85 percent of variation in the protein types could be accounted for by variation within populations and "races," and only 15 percent by variation across them. To the extent that there was variation among humans, he concluded, most of it was because of "differences between individuals."

In this way, a consensus was established that among human populations there are no differences large enough to support the concept of "biological race." Instead, it was argued, race is a "social construct," a way of categorizing people that changes over time and across countries.

Comment: See Also: Also check out SOTT radio's: The Truth Perspective: Does Racism, Sexism, Homophobia etc. Actually Exist?

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Info

Inflammation can turn your hair grey says new study

Fiona McMillan
Cosmos Magazine
Sun, 06 May 2018 19:04 UTC
Grey Hair
© Gary John Norman/Getty ImagesLinks between genes that code for melanin and those involved with immune response could explain cases of sudden greying.
A newly discovered link between genes that contribute to hair colour and those involved in immunity and inflammation may explain why hair can turn grey in response to severe illness or chronic stress.

The finding, made using mouse models, is published in the journal PLOS Biology.

Hair fibres are primarily made of keratin, a long relatively colourless structural protein. In hair follicles, cells called melanocytes make the pigment melanin and transfer it to the cells that produce keratin. The melanin is then incorporated into the hair fibre.

The most common form of the pigment is eumelanin, which has a brown-black colour. Pheomelanin, however, is reddish. High levels of eumelanin lead to darker hair, while high levels of pheomelanin produce red hair. Variations in the ratios of these melanins produce the wide range of natural hair colours we've come to know.

Melanocytes only live for three to five years, but melanocyte stem cells produce new ones. As we lose these cells with age, new hair eventually appears whitish or grey.
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Eye 1

The eyes reveal: Scientists create 'mind-reading' AI that predicts personality based on the motion and size of your pupils

Phoebe Weston
Daily Mail
Fri, 04 May 2018 02:09 UTC
Eye movements linked personality
The eyes really are a window to the soul, according to scientists who have created a 'mind-reading' AI that can predict your personality from looking at small eye movements and blinking.
You[r] eyes may be able to reveal more about you than you realise.

Scientists have created a 'mind-reading' AI that can predict your personality from looking at pupil movements and blinking.

Curious people tend to look around more and open-minded people stare at abstract images for longer periods of time, researchers revealed.

Comment: Researchers in the field of artificial intelligence are so keen to discover the inner workings of our minds that it's difficult not to suspect that the real intent is to learn how to better manipulate and control the populace.

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Moon

Moonset: Moon 'vanishes' rapidly behind Earth in stunning video by Russian ISS cosmonaut


RT
Sun, 06 May 2018 15:50 UTC
Moon
© Oleg A / YouTube
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev has filmed a stunning video of the moon "vanishing" mysteriously behind the Earth during moonset, as seen from the International Space Station (ISS).

The short video filmed by the cosmonaut, who is currently aboard the ISS, was published on social media earlier this week. It provides a fresh perspective of the Earth's only natural satellite, which appears fast and agile rather than slow, as seen from Earth.
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Gear

Genomic revolution: Has your genome been hacked?

Norman A. Paradis
The Coversation
Mon, 30 Apr 2018 13:45 UTC
genome
© Connect world/shutterstock.comWhat secrets will your DNA give away?
On April 25, California law enforcement announced the possible capture of a long-sought serial killer. Shortly after, it was reported that police had used public DNA databases to determine his identity.

This extraordinary event highlights that when you send off a cheek swab to one of the private genome companies, you may sacrifice not just your own privacy but that of your family and your ancestors.

In a time of widespread anxiety over the misuse of social media, Americans should also be concerned over who has access to their genetic information.

Comment: Special investigation: How my genome was hacked
You might have thought that genome hacking requires specialist skills, and personal access to sophisticated equipment. But in recent years, some companies have started to offer personal genome scans to the public over the internet. Other firms routinely analyse genomes on behalf of scientists involved in human genetics research. In theory, both types of service are vulnerable to abuse by a genome hacker determined to submit someone else's DNA for covert analysis.


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Solar Flares

Earth hit by G2 geomagnetic storm

Rini Sharma
India.com
Thu, 03 May 2018 06:44 UTC
Solar Storms emanating from Sun
© NASASolar Storms emanating from Sun.
A massive solar storm or geomagnetic storm is expected to hit earth on May 6, as stated in a report by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

According to the report, the sun has opened its three coronal holes due to which a huge amount of cosmic particles are being ejected towards earth. These cosmic particles would eventually result into a solar storm, the report said further.

Reportedly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in statement said that according to its forecasters G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible when the gaseous material arrives.

The statement also asked the high latitude sky watchers to remain alert for weekend auroras, especially in the southern hemisphere. However, experts believe that the solar storm might have far more serious consequences than just the Southern Lights.

It is being speculated that the solar storm may result into a partial Tech Blackout on earth as it may affect the satellite-based technology of the planet.

Comment: Spaceweather.com reports:
Geomagnetic storms have intensified to category G2 as Earth moves deeper into a stream of fast-moving solar wind. The gaseous material is flowing from a wide hole in the sun's atmosphere. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras, especially in the southern hemisphere where deepening autumn darkness favors the visibility of Southern Lights.


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Brain

Dan­cer's brain activity dis­play fre­quen­cies linked to emo­tion and memory pro­cesses


Medical Express
Sat, 05 May 2018 18:16 UTC
Neuroscience has studied music for decades, and it has been found to activate both the cortical and deeper brain areas. Neuroscience of dance, instead, is a young but quickly growing field.
dancer
© 123RFThe change in music was apparent in the dancer's brain as a reflex before they are even aware of it at a conscious level.
In her doctoral dissertation, Master of Science Hanna Poikonen developed methods for understanding the processes that dance generates in the cortex at the Cognitive Brain Research Unit of University of Helsinki. In her research project, she compared the brain functions of professional dancers and musicians to people with no experience of dance or music as they watched recordings of a dance piece.

According to the results, the brain activity of the dancers was different from that of musicians and the control group during sudden changes in the music, long-term listening of music and the audio-visual dance performance.

Comment:

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