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Big Bang or Big Bounce?: New theory on the universe's birth
Key Concepts: * Einstein’s general theory of relativity says that the universe began with the big bang singularity, a moment when all the matter we see was concentrated at a single point of infinite density. But the theory does not capture the fine, quantum structure of spacetime, which limits how tightly matter can be concentrated and how strong gravity can become. To figure out what really happened, physicists need a quantum theory of gravity.
* According to one candidate for such a theory, loop quantum gravity, space is subdivided into “atoms” of volume and has a finite capacity to store matter and energy, thereby preventing true singularities from existing.
* If so, time may have extended before the bang. The prebang universe may have undergone a catastrophic implosion that reached a point of maximum density and then reversed. In short, a big crunch may have led to a big bounce and then to the big bang.
Atoms are now such a commonplace idea that it is hard to remember how radical they used to seem. When scientists first hypothesized atoms centuries ago, they despaired of ever observing anything so small, and many questioned whether the concept of atoms could even be called scientific. Gradually, however, evidence for atoms accumulated and reached a tipping point with Albert Einstein’s 1905 analysis of Brownian motion, the random jittering of dust grains in a fluid. Even then, it took another 20 years for physicists to develop a theory explaining atoms—namely, quantum mechanics—and another 30 for physicist Erwin Müller to make the first microscope images of them. Today entire industries are based on the characteristic properties of atomic matter.
Physicists’ understanding of the composition of space and time is following a similar path, but several steps behind. Just as the behavior of materials indicates that they consist of atoms, the behavior of space and time suggests that they, too, have some fine-scale structure—either a mosaic of spacetime “atoms” or some other filigree work. Material atoms are the smallest indivisible units of chemical compounds; similarly, the putative space atoms are the smallest indivisible units of distance. They are generally thought to be about 10 –35 meter in size, far too tiny to be seen by today’s most powerful instruments, which probe distances as short as 10 –18 meter. Consequently, many scientists question whether the concept of atomic spacetime can even be called scientific. Undeterred, other researchers are coming up with possible ways to detect such atoms indirectly.
----------more at link
I believe this plane of existence is composed just like an atom as well. It seems like there is a Universal architecture that is huge (the solar system, Universe), to the smallest particles we know starting with the atom. No matter what, I know I am 'here' and 'now' and however the Universe is built, no matter how fascinating this subject is, I exist with the rest of the world, and my existence depends on the rest of the world, therefore, all of our existences are dependent on one another, just like the Universe is dependent on it's architecture. So, with that said, I feel we all have a responsibility to help the world in one way or more and that world peace is possible with the collective consciousnesses of all people now living. namaste Key Concepts: * Einstein’s general theory of relativity says that the universe began with the big bang singularity, a moment when all... more -
Jet-Man the incredible flying man to fly English Channel!!!
A Swiss adventurer will today make a record-breaking attempt to become the first person to fly solo across the English Channel using a single jet-propelled wing.
Yves Rossy, known as Fusionman, will jump from a plane more than 8,200ft (2,500m) above ground, then fire up jets on his homemade wing and soar across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
The 49-year-old is hoping to make the flight from Calais to Dover just after 1pm BST after suffering a setback earlier this week when poor weather conditions postponed his attempt by a day.
Rossy, a former military pilot, aims to trace the route of French aviation pioneer Louis Bleriot, who became the first person to fly across the Channel in a plane 99 years ago.
Flying at speeds approaching 125mph, it is expected that the 22-mile televised flight across the Channel should take Rossy around 12 minutes to complete.
To achieve the feat, Rossy - a pilot with Swiss International Air Lines - must overcome significant challenges, not least the container ships that will be passing through the sea.
In an interview earlier this week, he said: "If I calculate everything right, I will land in Dover. But if I get it wrong, I take a bath."
Rossy will review safety measures before take-off in Calais, especially important as his jet-propelled wing needs to be ignited while still inside the plane.
He has never flown for longer than 10 minutes. And his wing weight and measurements must be incredibly precise, with even the addition of a tiny camera possibly affecting how long he can stay in the air.
In addition, weather conditions must be perfect for him to fly long enough to complete the journey. A helicopter will hover nearby to capture images of him and he will be equipped with a camera mounted on his 2.5 metre-long wing.
Over the past few months, he has been fine-tuning the wing's design and performance and carried out several test flights in wind tunnels and the Swiss Alps.
His wing weighs about 55kg with fuel and includes four simple, kerosene-burning jet turbines to keep him airborne.
Created from a lightweight carbon composite, the wing has no steering devices, meaning Rossy will have to use his head and back to control the wing's movement.
He will be outfitted with a special suit, helmet and parachute as part of the precautions to protect him from the jet turbines mounted just centimetres from him on the wing.
If the weather conditions turn out to be poor, another attempt at the crossing will take place tomorrow.
National Geographic Channel will broadcast the flight live in 164 countries around the world except France, Canada and Switzerland and will stream it live online at http://www.natgeotv.com/jetman
-----------story courtesy http://www.telegraph.co.uk
-----------video http://www.jet-man.com/ A Swiss adventurer will today make a record-breaking attempt to become the first person to fly solo across the English Channel using a... more -
KEPPE MOTOR - WATCH LIVE !
From Sept. 24 – 27, 2008, the World Conference of Analytical Trilogy will explore the ground-breaking work emerging from the Brazilian School of Analytical Trilogy founded by Dr. Norberto R. Keppe. The Conference will present a stimulating and diversified selection of workshops and lectures that will address and offer solutions to our myriad social problems.
One of the highlights of the Conference will be the unveiling of a breakthrough new motor based on Keppe’s postulates outlined in his book, The New Physics. Inventors hope the Keppe Motor will soon power everything from cars to industrial equipment.
The Keppe Motor addresses numerous environmental and social problems present in the world today. As non-renewable energy sources dwindle fast, massive environmental damage and global warming continue unchecked and electrical bills and oil prices skyrocket, the revolutionary — and completely green — Keppe Motor ushers in a new era of sustainable, clean and inexpensive technology. Partnerships with the Keppe/Pacheco Association are currently being sought and developed to bring the Keppe Motor to the world market. From Sept. 24 – 27, 2008, the World Conference of Analytical Trilogy will explore the ground-breaking work emerging from the Brazilian... more -
KEPPE MOTOR: NEW MOTOR USHERS IN TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION - PART II
About Keppe Motor Primary source of energy: scalar or essential energy (from space).
Secondary source of energy: battery or electrical current used only to give the initial start.
Motor heating: none.
Environmental pollution: none.
Energy cost to operate: 5-10% of what it costs to operate motors of the same potency.
Energy consumption: 10-20 times less than normal.
Operating area: any place on the planet because it is not dependent on other sources of energy such as atomic, hydroelectric, eolic (wind) or coal.
RPM: adjustable in accordance with the applied voltage. 3500 RPMs has already been accomplished with a motor whose rotor weighs 400 grams and consumes 15 watts and 4500 RPMs with a 250 gram rotor.
Torque: a minimum of 5 times greater than the best conventional motors.
Efficiency: depending on the dimensions can be 20 times greater than normal motors About Keppe Motor Primary source of energy: scalar or essential energy (from space). ... more -
UN’s Top Climate Scientist Urges People to Combat Climate Change by Eating Less Me...
Monday evening, the UN’s top Climate Scientist, Rajendra Pachuari, will speak in London at a meeting organized by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), urging people to fight global warming by taking meat off their menu. Monday evening, the UN’s top Climate Scientist, Rajendra Pachuari, will speak in London at a meeting organized by Compassion in World ... more
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Hawking bets CERN mega-machine won't find 'God's Particle'
Renowned British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has bet 100 dollars (70 euros) that a mega-experiment this week will not find an elusive particle seen as a holy grail of cosmic science, he said Tuesday. Renowned British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has bet 100 dollars (70 euros) that a mega-experiment this week will not find an elusi... more
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Bewilder by the Beauty of these Poisonous hoppers
More than 50 species of amphibians of just about every variety of shape, size and colour that you can imagine thrive within the 112 acres (45 hectares) of pristine rainforest.
Brian Kubicki, who set up the centre in 2002, says: "In a lot of other highland areas, species have really declined."
The herpetologist has spent years turning his patch of land into an amphibian haven - and the site now has the highest concentration of amphibians anywhere in Costa Rica.
A team from Manchester University and Chester Zoo, who are being followed by the BBC, visited the rainforest during daylight and after nightfall.
Here are some of the incredible amphibians that live in this mist-shrouded forest.
**click the link for more of the article and watch the videos as well*** More than 50 species of amphibians of just about every variety of shape, size and colour that you can imagine thrive within the 112 ac... more -
Watch how Bumblebees outwit robotic spiders
Elizabeth Mitchel of BBC wrote how Scientists found out the survival traits of bumblebees.
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Scientists have found that bumblebees learn from their "near-death" encounters with crab spiders and adapt their future foraging strategies.
They watched real bees in an artificial meadow - containing yellow "flowers" and robotic crab spiders.
Bees that had been "captured" spent longer inspecting flowers during subsequent foraging trips.
They may outwit the spiders - but at the expense of valuable foraging time, Current Biology reports.
Crab spiders lie in wait on flowers, ready to ambush their "most prized prey" - the bumblebee.
This cryptic predator has an amazing ability to change its colour to closely match the flower it is lurking on.
Scientists wanted to know if bumblebees adapt their foraging behaviour after encountering a crab spider.
(more of the story if you click the link of course : ) Elizabeth Mitchel of BBC wrote how Scientists found out the survival traits of bumblebees. ** ... more -
New Stem Cell Tools To Aid Drug Development
Scientists have designed, developed and tested new molecular tools for stem cell research to direct the formation of certain tissue types for use in drug development programmes.
A collaborative team of scientists from Durham University and the North East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) have developed two synthetic molecules which can be used to coax stem cells to ‘differentiate’ - that is, transform into other forms of tissue.
Their use could also help reduce the number of animals used in laboratory research.
The team’s results are published in the current issue of the scientific journal, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.
The new molecules, called EC23 and EC19*, have been found in robust scientific tests to be far more stable than the naturally-occurring molecule currently used to induce stem cells to differentiate in the laboratory, known as All-trans-retinoic Acid (ATRA). Their use will thus improve the reliability of experiments.
The scientists, who tested the effectiveness of EC23 and EC19 on four types of stem cells, say it is also significant that each individual synthetic molecule has been found to be more effective at causing the cells to transform into specific types of tissue.
**more on the link** Scientists have designed, developed and tested new molecular tools for stem cell research to direct the formation of certain tissue ty... more -
Global Sea-rise Levels By 2100 May Be Lower Than Some Predict, Says New Study
Despite projections by some scientists of global seas rising by 20 feet or more by the end of this century as a result of warming, a new University of Colorado at Boulder study concludes that global sea rise of much more than 6 feet is a near physical impossibility.
Tad Pfeffer, a fellow of CU-Boulder's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and his colleagues made calculations using conservative, medium and extreme glaciological assumptions for sea rise expected from Greenland, Antarctica and the world's smaller glaciers and ice caps -- the three primary contributors to sea rise. The team concluded the most plausible scenario, when factoring in thermal expansion due to warming waters, will lead to a total sea level rise of roughly 3 to 6 feet by 2100.
A paper on the subject was published in the Sept. 5 issue of Science. Co-authors of the study were of the University of Montana's Joel Harper and Shad O'Neel of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation and a University of Colorado Faculty Fellowship.
**more when you click the link** Despite projections by some scientists of global seas rising by 20 feet or more by the end of this century as a result of warming, a n... more -
Number of bot-infected PCs skyrockets
Brian Kebs of Washington post wrote an article about the alarming increase of bot-infected PC's.
"The number of PCs compromised with software that lets cyber criminals control the machines from afar has more than quadrupled over the last quarter, security experts warn.
The estimates come from Shadowserver, a group of volunteers that monitor activity from robot networks or "botnets," large armies of hacked personal computers used for spam, phishing and all kinds of criminal activity. Shadowserver saw a rise from roughly 100,000 botted PCs to about 400,000 over the past three months.
John Bambenek, an incident handler with the SANS Internet Storm Center, which tracks hacking trends, speculates that the spike is probably related to the massive numbers of Web sites that have been hacked by SQL attacks, and seeded with browser exploits."
More at the link. Brian Kebs of Washington post wrote an article about the alarming increase of bot-infected PC's. ... more -
Sony Recalls Laptops for Possible Overheating
Sony Corp. is recalling 440,000 Vaio laptop computers worldwide because of a wiring flaw that could cause overheating.
Sony said Thursday the recall involves 19 models in the Vaio TZ series manufactured between May 2007 and July 2008.
The Tokyo-based consumer electronics company said improperly placed wires near the hinge connecting the body of the laptop and its display could wear quickly, causing a short circuit and overheating. A flaw in a circuit board inside the display could also overheat its rim. Sony Corp. is recalling 440,000 Vaio laptop computers worldwide because of a wiring flaw that could cause overheating. ... more -
Addicted to tanning beds? 'Tanorexia' common among university students
A new study conducted at a large university finds more than 25 percent of those surveyed reported symptoms of tanning dependence, including symptoms similar to alcohol and drug-addicted individuals.
Suggestively, the study also found those with a tanning dependence tend to be more likely to be thin and smoke cigarettes than others. The study by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center is published in the September/October issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, accounting for half of all human cancers with over a million new cases diagnosed yearly in the United States. It is reported that up to 90 percent of all skin cancers are associated with ultraviolet radiation.
For the study, Heckman and her colleagues set out to understand what proportion of college students report problems with tanning dependence and whether there are shared behaviors among those considered to be tanning dependent and those with other forms of addiction.
"Adolescents and young adults tend to put themselves at risk for later skin cancer by exposing themselves to high levels of ultraviolet radiation, so by understanding some possible reasons why, we hope to develop innovative interventions to help prevent these risky behaviors," explains Carolyn Heckman, Ph.D., an associate member at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
**more if you click the link** A new study conducted at a large university finds more than 25 percent of those surveyed reported symptoms of tanning dependence, incl... more -
'Autonomous' Helicopters Teach Themselves To Fly
Stanford computer scientists have developed an artificial intelligence system that enables robotic helicopters to teach themselves to fly difficult stunts by watching other helicopters perform the same maneuvers.
The result is an autonomous helicopter than can perform a complete airshow of complex tricks on its own.
The stunts are "by far the most difficult aerobatic maneuvers flown by any computer controlled helicopter," said Andrew Ng, the professor directing the research of graduate students Pieter Abbeel, Adam Coates, Timothy Hunter and Morgan Quigley.
The dazzling airshow is an important demonstration of "apprenticeship learning," in which robots learn by observing an expert, rather than by having software engineers peck away at their keyboards in an attempt to write instructions from scratch.
Stanford's artificial intelligence system learned how to fly by "watching" the four-foot-long helicopters flown by expert radio control pilot Garett Oku. "Garett can pick up any helicopter, even ones he's never seen, and go fly amazing aerobatics. So the question for us is always, why can't computers do things like this?" Coates said.
**click the link for more** Stanford computer scientists have developed an artificial intelligence system that enables robotic helicopters to teach themselves to ... more -
Good News for XBOX 360 fanatics
Microsoft said on Thursday that it was cutting the price of its Xbox 360 game console. Starting this Friday, its base model will now sell for $199, down from $279. That makes the 360 the cheapest of the new generation of consoles — and, pointedly, cheaper than the $249 Nintendo Wii.
The consoles, of course, aren’t interchangeable, and price is hardly the sole arbiter of whether a console sells. Among the other bits of context here worth noting:
Microsoft also cut the price of the Xbox last year at this time, so such a cut is unsurprising. Console makers have traditionally cut the prices of their machines over time to expand the user base. Xbox, which jumped out to an early lead on its competition — Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the Wii — has struggled more recently. In July, Microsoft sold 205,000 units, which was less than both the PS3 (225,000) and the Wii (555,000), according to figures released two weeks ago by the NPD Group, a market research firm.
Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for the 360, said Microsoft’s decision to drop the price was partly in keeping with an effort to stimulate demand over the holidays. He noted that 75 percent of console sales happen in the fourth quarter.
He also said Microsoft’s research showed that 75 percent of the sales of the original Xbox and the PlayStation 2 happened after the price fell below $200.
“There’s a huge audience that aren’t willing to pay more than $200,” he said.
He argued that Wii sales don’t come at the expense of Xbox sales.
“We’re a complementary experience to the Wii,” he said.
source "Matt Richtel, New York Times" Microsoft said on Thursday that it was cutting the price of its Xbox 360 game console. Starting this Friday, its base model will now s... more -
Broadband to 'skip a generation'
Communities bypassed by broadband should be the first to get even faster services, says an Ofcom advisory group.
The regulator's Consumer Panel said excluded areas of the UK should "leapfrog" to next generation access.
Consumer Panel chair Anna Bradley admitted that the areas concerned were likely to be the least cost-effective places for such services.
But, she said, the step was vital to prevent Britain's digital divide deepening.
Public services
"If we are imaginative and use a mix of private and public business models, we could provide a way for consumers who are excluded from first generation broadband to leapfrog straight to the next generation," she said.
Super-fast broadband, with speeds of up to 100 Mbps (megabits per second), could be used by government to deliver a range of public services, she added.
Telemedicine, the delivery of specialist services to disabled people and the provision of education to remote communities are all given as examples by the panel, which was established by Ofcom to represent consumers in the markets it regulates.
"Decisions need to be informed by a proper sense of the value of next generation networks, not just to companies and consumers, but to the economy and society as a whole," said Ms Bradley.
Broadband refuseniks
According to the Office of National Statistics, 35% of UK households do not have internet access.
Some 1.48 million (9%) of UK households which have net access use a dial-up connection despite the fact that most could get broadband if they wanted.
Broadband speeds around Britain
A recent report from consumer group BroadbandChoices found that the cheapest dial-up connection costs £175.89 (AOL Anytime)in the first year compared with £89.97 (TalkTalk) for broadband.
"That's a price difference of nearly 100%," said Michael Phillips, product director of BroadbandChoices.
While some find the pay as you go rate and the lack of a minimum contract period good reasons to stick with dial-up, many are just unwilling to shop around.
"The most common reason for sticking with an inferior service is simply customer inertia. The longer people spend on dial-up, the more money they are throwing down the drain," he said. Communities bypassed by broadband should be the first to get even faster services, says an Ofcom advisory group. ... more -
Hope of mankind: Oxyfuel Boiler
Beneath the gargantuan grey boiler towers of Schwarze Pumpe power station which pierce the skies of northern Germany, a Lilliputian puzzle of metal boxes and shining canisters is about to mark a moment of industrial history.
This mini power plant is a pilot project for carbon capture and storage (CCS) - the first coal-fired plant in the world ready to capture and store its own CO2 emissions.
Next week the pilot - an oxyfuel boiler - will be formally commissioned.
A cloud of pure oxygen will be breathed into the boiler. The flame will be lit. Then a cloud of powdered lignite will be injected.
The outcome will be heat, water vapour, impurities, nine tonnes of CO2 an hour… and a landmark in clean technology.
Because the CO2 will then be separated, squashed to one 500th of its original volume and squeezed into a cylinder ready to be transported to a gas field and forced 1,000m below the surface into porous rock where it should stay until long after mankind has stopped worrying about climate change.
This is the technology once lavishly described by the former UK Chief Scientist Sir David King as "the only hope for mankind"; and the plant operators, Vattenfall, have worked furiously for two years to get the pilot running.
"We are very proud - we think this is the future for coal," says Vattenfall's Hubertus Altmann.
They funded the 70m-euro project themselves because they wanted to lead a technology they believe solves the conundrum of providing energy security through plentiful coal supplies whilst avoiding the CO2 emissions officially blamed for climate change. ACCESS ALL AREAS
In video: Inside the CCS plant
Green-carpeted marquees are currently being furnished for the guests who will swell the applause at the grand inauguration. But big questions hang over this technology overall, particularly over where the CO2 will be stored and who will pay the high costs of building and running the CCS plants.
The EU wants to see 10-12 full-scale power plants demonstrating CO2 capture within the next few years, but although a number of other firms will soon join the race with pilot projects, no full-scale CCS coal plant has yet been commissioned.
The British government has promised a decision in October on how it will fund a full-scale CCS in the UK. It hopes to avoid landing the taxpayer with the bill, but questions over CCS funding in Europe are as yet unresolved by the European Commission and the European Parliament.
*** click the link for the continuation of the story**** Beneath the gargantuan grey boiler towers of Schwarze Pumpe power station which pierce the skies of northern Germany, a Lilliputian pu... more -
'Rare' mammoth skull discovered. This is not another "Big Foot"...
A 12 ft tall male mammoth's skull was discovered in Southern France. The specimen's skull who believed to have existed 400,000 years ago was still intact. This gave paleontologists enough leverage to study this colossal creature.
***more story, click the link*** A 12 ft tall male mammoth's skull was discovered in Southern France. The specimen's skull who believed to have existed 400,0... more -
The Pentagon: Some-things-never-change department
Nick Turse, an Associate Editor of Tom Dispatch.com wrote an article published in Aljazeera.com about the U.S. lethal technologies.
An excerpt in his article says:
"Today, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is beginning to show the stresses of age. The agency turned 50 this year and, as Sharon Weinberger reported at Wired Magazine's Danger Room last month, "its birthday present appears to be another $100 million in budget cuts, according to a Defense Department document…" -- and this was on top of a $32 million loss the month before.
Still, much remains the same. Despite current budget cuts, the agency is still "both intellectually and financially, a fabulous and alluring gravy train," and its funding for the life sciences still offers "a fertile area to further the science of death and destruction." Nick Turse, an Associate Editor of Tom Dispatch.com wrote an article published in Aljazeera.com about the U.S. lethal technologies.... more -
Researchers look to the tongue to help the disabled
The tireless tongue already controls taste and speech, helps kiss and swallow and fights germs. Now scientists hope to add one more ability to the mouthy muscle and turn it into a computer control pad.
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a university in Atlanta, believe a magnetic, tongue-powered system could transform a disabled person's mouth into a virtual computer, teeth into a keyboard, and tongue into the key that manipulates it all.
The group's Tongue Drive System turns the tongue into a joystick of sorts, allowing the disabled to manipulate wheelchairs, manage home appliances and control computers. The work still has a ways to go - one potential user called the design "grotesque" - but early tests are encouraging.
Ghovanloo's work centers on creating a virtual keyboard instead of a physical one. He does that through a magnet about three millimeters, or about one-tenth of an inch, wide that is placed under the tip of the tongue.
The magnet's movement is tracked by sensors on the side of each cheek, which sends data to a receiver atop a rather bulky set of headgear. It is then processed by software that converts the movement into commands for a wheelchair or other electronics.
It is an impressive display, and Ghovanloo said he hoped he could one day add dozens more commands that turn teeth into keyboards and cheeks into computer consoles. The tireless tongue already controls taste and speech, helps kiss and swallow and fights germs. Now scientists hope to add one more ab... more
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