EXCLUSIVE - Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's new UFO sauna: Inside $175m Beverly Hills compound after jaw-dropping transformation

By SARA MCGIFF

It might be Jeff Bezos's magnum opus.

And now his $175 million Beverly Hills mega-mansion is brought vividly to life - complete with UFO-inspired structures, sea-themed pools and lush landscaping  touching every part of the terrain - in these exclusive Daily Mail photos.

The completion of the mansion comes just six months after Bezos and his bride Lauren Sanchez tied the knot in Venice in what was hailed as the most jaw-dropping wedding of 2025.

The ten-acre California estate, once owned by media mogul David Geffen, has been transformed into a sprawling luxury compound, combining two neighboring properties, linked by a striking raised bridge.

Bezos bought the main mansion in 2020 in what became one of the priciest real estate transactions in Los Angeles history at a staggering $165 million price tag. He snagged the neighboring building for just $10 million.

And now, five years later, the full extent of his transformation can be revealed, marking yet another milestone in Bezos's ever-expanding real estate empire. 

The historic Benedict Canyon property was originally designed in the 1930s by world-renowned architect Roland Coate for Jack L Warner, the co-founder of Warner Bros.

Regarded as one of the last true symbols of Hollywood's Golden Age, the Georgian-style three-story mansion has retained its old-world charm, including its signature Greek portico - a grand architectural nod to the temple entrances of ancient Greece.

But Bezos has stamped his own absurdist vision onto the estate, installing an aquatic-core pool adorned with painted stingrays, an octopus, a sea turtle and a whole cast of other marine creatures. 

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's $175 million historic Beverly Hills mansion is finally complete six months after their fairytale wedding and after five years of renovations - transforming into a Hollywood Golden Age oasis with an absurdist twist 

Bezos's five-year transformation starkly contrasts the property's former state after he purchased it in 2020 for $165 million, one of Los Angeles' priciest real estate deals

The ten-acre estate was originally designed in the 1930s by world-renowned architect Roland Coate for Jack L Warner, the co-founder of Warner Bros, before it was bought by media mogul David Geffen and then sold to the Amazon billionaire

In a separate nod - presumably to both the 1947 Roswell incident in New Mexico and his own space venture, Blue Origin - he's added a humorous flourish: a classic UFO-style sauna with a clear plastic observation dome, planted in the middle of a cactus garden and encircled by a firepit and teak furniture.

Overlooking the aquatic-themed pool is a ginormous wraparound balcony with four separate seating areas offering sweeping views of the estate - including two spots positioned directly in front of sliding doors, presumably leading into bedrooms.

The front of the estate boasts a broad, brick-paved motor court centered around a perfectly manicured circular fountain, ringed with bright red blooms and dense greenery that creates a dramatic, garden-island effect.

It's one of the few areas that still shows signs of ongoing work, with a ring of green cones marking off a section of the herringbone brick pavement that appears to be undergoing a small patch repair.

To the left of the front of the house is the second property that appears to act as a guest house.

Connected by a paved bridge, the other side also has a large rectangular pool, a hot tub, a lush green lawn and a full-sized beach volleyball court with a firepit and seating tucked to the side.

Fitness fanatic Bezos also made sure to install three pickle ball courts on the main property with a large viewing deck so players can compete in a professional environment.

Other features include a covered banquet table that seats more than 20 people beneath a long pergola beside the pickleball courts, along with a small vegetable garden in raised beds.

While retaining its Georgian style, Bezos has added his own absurdist touch, including an aquatic pool decorated with stingrays, an octopus, a sea turtle and other marine creatures 

Overlooking the aquatic pool, a massive wraparound balcony features four seating areas with sweeping estate views, including two positioned outside bedroom sliding doors

In a playful nod to the 1947 Roswell incident and his company Blue Origin, Bezos added a UFO-style sauna with a clear dome in the cactus garden, surrounded by a firepit and teak furniture

The estate's front boasts a brick motor court with a circular fountain and lush red blooms, while a small section of herringbone brickwork remains cordoned off for repairs 

To the left of the front of the house is the second property that appears to act as a guest house, set with a full-sized beach volleyball court, a pool and a firepit with seating tucked to the side

On the main property, Bezos also added three pickleball courts with a large viewing deck, creating a professional style playing area on the main property

To the side of the pickleball courts is a long banquet table that appears to have a capacity of 20 seats under a long pergola

A fleet of golf carts, tucked along the long driveway behind the pickleball courts, allows the couple to easily traverse the sprawling property

To isolate the property from the outside world, Bezos made sure to keep the marital home surrounded by high-security tall hedgerows.

A fleet of golf carts will make it easy for the couple to traverse around the property and are tucked away in the long driveway the ends behind the pickle ball court. 

The road to completion wasn't without setbacks. In April 2023, it emerged that work on the mega-mansion had been halted indefinitely after Bezos failed to complete a planning application for a new 'game court fence.' 

He had also planned to extend the estate with a pool house, powder room and new retaining walls.

The initial permits were granted in 2021, but when Bezos submitted a revised request in January 2023 to add a 'game court fence with lighting', it was denied due to incomplete paperwork.

The original plans sought to add roughly 1,000 square feet to the 28,000-square-foot mansion. Still, within a month, construction was back underway.

The mega mansion is just one piece of Bezos's sprawling real estate empire, estimated at around $600 million, as he and Sanchez split their time between luxury properties across the country - and around the world if you consider that mega yacht.

He recently transformed his ultra-exclusive Indian Creek Island retreat in Florida's famed 'Billionaire Bunker' into a real-life Amazon, complete with a dazzling canopy of tropical trees and a multimillion-dollar landscaping overhaul. 

The couple $600 million property portfolio also includes a reported $78 million mega mansion in Maui, Hawaii 

Bezos's $60 million Lake Washington estate in Seattle, Washington, which was his main stronghold before he decided to relocate to the East Coast to be closer to family in 2023

Beyond his land holdings, he also boasts a $500 million superyacht, Koru, recently seen in Florida, the Caribbean and off the coast of Ibiza in August

Exclusive Daily Mail photos revealed how the tech mogul, 61, packed the grounds of his $90 million estate with towering oaks, royal palms and dense greenery, turning the property into an exotic botanical garden worthy of a rainforest.

He also owns four separate apartments inside an art-deco block on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Three of the apartments inside the complex at 25 Central Park West were bought back in 2019 for a reported sum of $80 million.

He then shelled out $16 million this spring for a fourth unit at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

The Amazon boss also owns a Texas ranch and homes in Washington, DC and Maui. 

Beyond his land holdings, he also boasts a $500 million superyacht, Koru, recently seen in Florida, the Caribbean and off Ibiza in August.

The one-of-a-kind vessel is a 417-foot, three-masted sailing yacht that was built in the Netherlands by Oceanco in 2021.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

14-12-2025 om 22:29 geschreven door peter  

Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk?

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

Millions of buildings and even more Americans could be at risk of sinking underwater by the end of the century.

Researchers from McGill University in Canada warned rising sea levels, resulting from continued greenhouse gas emissions, threaten to wipe out coastal cities worldwide.

Sea level rise measures the ocean's surface height over time. Level increases can cause flooding in areas that sit near or below the waterline.

Greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide from cars and factories, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, making the planet warmer. Those increased temperatures melt ice caps and glaciers, and also cause ocean water to expand as it heats up.

The McGill team revealed that even in the best-case scenarios, where sea levels rise just 1.6 feet by 2100, three million buildings in the Southern Hemisphere alone would be underwater by then.

The study is the first large-scale, building-by-building assessment of how long-term sea level rise could affect coastal infrastructure across the Global South, including Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America. 

Researchers used satellite imagery and elevation data to map how many buildings could be inundated under different scenarios, providing critical insights for urban planners and policymakers. 

While the estimate didn't account for potential damage in the US, Europe and much of northern Asia, where over two billion people live, maps have provided people with the worst-case scenarios for their hometowns.

The Sea Level Submergence Explorer map revealed how 65 feet of sea level rise could impact New York in a doomsday climate scenario

Major cities, including Washington, DC, (pictured) could see historic landmarks submerged by rising sea levels over the next 75 years

The data suggested that if emissions are unchecked, sea levels could rise by as much as 65 feet in the examined timeframe. 

In this doomsday climate scenario, major cities like New York, Washington, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, Oakland and Sacramento could be submerged within the next 75 years.

Millions would be impacted in New York City and Washington, DC

While the McGill team did not focus on Earth's Northern Hemisphere, its Sea Level Submergence Explorer map painted a grim picture for America's most famous metropolis.

New York City would see much of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx end up below the higher sea level.

More than 8.5 million people live and work in over a million buildings in New York, all of which could be severely impacted by a dramatic increase in flood risks.

The nation's capital, Washington, DC, would also be dramatically affected by out of control sea level rise.

The map estimated that the White House and other government buildings would be submerged if sea levels rose by 65 feet over the next century.

Professor Natalya Gomez, a study co-author from McGill University, said in a press release: 'Sea level rise is a slow, but unstoppable consequence of warming that is already impacting coastal populations and will continue for centuries.

'People often talk about sea level rising by tens of centimeters, or maybe a meter. But, in fact, it could continue to rise for many meters if we don't quickly stop burning fossil fuels.'

Even if the global emissions reduction goals of the Paris Agreement are met, researchers found sea levels would still rise by three feet and flood five million buildings in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America by 2100.

The worst case scenario from the Sea Level Submergence Explorer map warned that more than half of the state of Florida could end up underwater by 2100

The entire state of Delaware was submerged in a map showing sea level rise reaching its estimated peak of 65 feet over the next century 

Florida and Delaware would be devastated

This worst-case scenario also projected that several East Coast states, including the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey, would have their beachfront communities wiped off the map.

In Delaware, a small state along the Atlantic with roughly one million residents and 200,000 buildings, the damage was projected to be even worse, with almost the entire state falling below sea level.

Farther south, Florida's landmass would shrink to just a tiny fraction of what it is today. Cities like Miami, Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Jacksonville would be submerged by the rising Atlantic.

Eric Galbraith, another McGill professor involved in the study, said in a statement: 'Everyone of us will be affected by climate change and sea level rise, whether we live by the ocean or not.'

In the Gulf, both New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, would be submerged by catastrophic sea level rise

Although the West Coast did not see as much flooding in models of sea level rise, California's capital of Sacramento along with the Bay Area were still pictured as casualties in flooding maps

The Gulf states and California would be crippled by floods

New Orleans and Houston, two major cities along the Gulf Coast, would also become submerged in this projected nightmare climate situation.

New Orleans, home to more than 360,000 people, has already been devastated by regular flooding during hurricane season.

A 2024 study published in the Hydrogeology Journal discovered that a large portion of the city sits on soft, squishy soils (peat and clay) that sink when drained or built on.

Much of this soil has already rotted after being exposed to the air or has been compacted under the weight of local buildings and roads.

Houston has also been significantly affected by flooding during hurricane season on multiple occasions - most notably during Hurricane Harvey in August 2017.

The record-breaking rainfall caused catastrophic flooding that inundated over 160,000 homes, killed 68 people and caused $125 billion in damage across southeast Texas.

On the West Coast, the Sea Level Submergence Explorer found much less damage even if sea levels rose by the map's maximum estimates.

However, California's capital, Sacramento, would be in an area devastated by climate-related floods.

The doomsday scenario showed the city of more than 500,000 people would be completely submerged.

Nearby coastal cities in the Bay Area, such and San Francisco and San Jose, would also be severely affected.

Scientists have used satellite maps to work out how many buildings would be destroyed if sea levels rise between 0.5 metres (red) and 20 metres (yellow). In the worst-case scenario, over 100 million buildings would be flooded in the global south alone 

The US has been heavily impacted by both flash floods and coast flooding in recently years, particularly in areas near or below sea level. Pictured: A drone view of vehicles partially submerged in flood water following flash floods along the Concho River in San Angelo, Texas, on July 4, 2025

A separate team launched a detailed map revealing US counties most at risk of flooding, pollution, chronic illness and other factors linked to climate change

Study authors noted that this would be an extreme situation that could also take much longer to fully play out than anticipated - possibly taking until the year 2300.

However, they warned that meeting emissions goals may be the only way of slowing this potential global flooding event.

Lead study author Maya Willard-Stepan said in a press release: 'There is no escaping at least a moderate amount of sea level rise.

'The sooner coastal communities can start planning for it, the better chance they have of continuing to flourish.'

Climate change advocates think sea level rise can be prevented by using cleaner energy sources like wind or solar power, planting more trees to absorb carbon dioxide, and building sea walls to protect flood-prone areas.

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

13-12-2025 om 22:23 geschreven door peter  

Gigantic sinkholes hundreds of feet deep have been opening up throughout Turkey, mirroring a biblical prophecy.

The Book of Numbers, Chapter 6, describes the earth opening up and swallowing people as divine punishment for rebellion, a connection that some are drawing after the massive collapses in the Konya Plain, a key wheat-growing region. 

Many have interpreted the growing phenomenon as a sign that 'God is on the move.'

However, scientists point to far more earthly causes. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority has reported 648 massive sinkholes in the Konya Plain, primarily the result of severe drought and excessive groundwater pumping.

 Researchers at Konya Technical University have discovered more than 20 new sinkholes in the past year alone, adding to the nearly 1,900 sites already mapped by 2021 where the ground was slowly sinking or starting to cave in.

Before 2000, only a handful of sinkholes appeared each decade, but climate change and prolonged drought are blamed for the dramatic increase over the past 25 years. 

Today, dozens of enormous collapses occur annually, some more than 100 feet wide.

Falling groundwater tables are driving the problem, causing drier wells, stressed ecosystems, dwindling crops, and land subsidence. Farmers pumping more water to save sugar beet and corn crops are further exacerbating the situation.

Scientists warn that similar risks could emerge in parts of the US, Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Australia, where declining groundwater levels threaten communities and ecosystems.

A massive sinkhole in Turkey. Researchers have discovered nearly 700 similar-sized openings in the country's Konya Plain caused by drought and groundwater pumping

Turkey Today reported that some farmers have already lost crops or had to abandon fields deemed too dangerous 

According to NASA's Earth Observatory, Turkey's water reservoirs reached their lowest levels in 15 years in 2021. 

The groundwater table in parts of Konya has dramatically dropped over the past few decades, according to Turkish geological studies. 

The same issues are plaguing the US, with major declines seen in the Great Plains, Central Valley and Southeast. 

Parts of Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Arizona could be affected by major sinkholes if drought conditions worsen and groundwater pumping is not carefully regulated.

The US Drought Monitor noted that pockets of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming have also reached this severe level of drought. 

Massive sinkholes form in drought-ridden areas when farmers and cities pump massive amounts of groundwater from limestone rock layers to survive the dry years, emptying the underground caves that were once filled with water.

When that water support vanishes, the cave roofs collapse, creating huge holes that swallow farmland and roads overnight, just like in Turkey and parts of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The sinkholes in Turkey (Pictured) have opened up near many farms, which have been battling drought conditions believed to be intensified by climate change

In the US, scientists have warned of an 'unprecedented 21st century drought risk' in the Southwest and Central Plains.

Over the last decade, multiple studies have forecasted 'severe and persistent drought' conditions through the year 2100.

Currently, the nation's Drought Monitor system found that the worst conditions in 2025 were found along the US-Mexico border in western Texas, measuring at 'D4' - the most severe drought rating.

Several other regions in northern Florida and southern Georgia, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah were all graded in December 2025 as being in severe drought (D2) or extreme drought (D3).

US officials have revealed that several areas of the Southwest are at risk of similar sinkholes as severe drought conditions worsen in the coming century

In Upton County, Texas, a massive sinkhole formed around an abandoned 1950s oil well near McCamey, measuring about 200 feet wide and 40 feet deep in March.

In southeastern Arizona's Cochise County, land subsidence (ground sinking) from groundwater pumping has led to multiple fissures and sinkholes this year.

These sinkholes have varied from 10 to 30 feet across, with local areas reportedly sinking by more than six inches per year across hundreds of acres, creating pockets of unstable ground in farming areas.

In southern New Mexico, a 30-foot-deep sinkhole opened in May 2024 near homes in Las Cruces, swallowing two cars and forcing nearby homes to evacuate.

Officials cited unstable soil from recent droughts as the key factor, though no statewide pumping cutbacks were enacted in response.

In Texas, over 100 public water systems have imposed restrictions on groundwater pumping this year, as new drought rules have limited groundwater pumping for agriculture and in cities across central Texas.

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

13-12-2025 om 22:04 geschreven door peter  

Mystery US military jet makes three-minute flight in Japan as tensions escalate with China and Russia

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A US military transport aircraft was spotted in Japan on Thursday as tensions with China and Russia continue to escalate.

Flight tracking data shows a US Boeing C-40 Clipper stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, the largest US Navy base in the Pacific, briefly departed the base at 5.21am ET before returning after just over three minutes. 

Aviation observers noted the unusually short flight, sparking questions about its purpose.

The Clipper is a VIP-configured aircraft, specially designed for the secure, reliable, and comfortable transport of high-ranking military and government officials. 

While it is unclear who was aboard, such flights are typically associated with urgent missions or strategic coordination.

The flight comes just a day after US strategic bombers joined a fleet of Japanese fighter jets in a joint exercise meant to showcase military cooperation around Japan's airspace. 

This show of force followed Chinese and Russian bombers flying together near western Japan on Tuesday, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets, though no airspace violations were reported.

Tensions between Japan, China and Russia stem from historical disputes and overlapping military interests, including Taiwan, Japan's growing defense ties with the US and territorial disputes.

A US Boeing C-40 Clipper made a short flight, just over three minutes, while in Japan

The Clipper is a VIP-configured aircraft, specially designed for the secure, reliable, and comfortable transport of high-ranking military and government officials

These issues create a complex security dynamic in which China and Russia view Japan's military resurgence as a threat.

The Tuesday incident also followed a separate threat in which Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets over international waters last Saturday, further straining Tokyo-Beijing relations.

According to the Japanese Joint Staff, the exercise on Wednesday was conducted 'as the security environment surrounding our country is becoming even more severe,' underscoring growing concerns about regional stability.

The Clipper is a military variant of the commercial Boeing 737-700, serving as a medium-lift transport aircraft for the US Navy. 

It supports can be configured to carry up to 121 passengers, eight cargo pallets up to 40,000 pounds or a combination of both. The aircraft has a range of approximately 3,682 miles unrefueled, a top speed of about 530 mph, and is typically crewed by three flight crew members plus five to ten mission crew. 

As of 2025, the US Navy operates 17 active C-40As, with squadrons like VR-57 'Conquistadors' handling Pacific operations. 

Production ran from 2001 to 2019, delivering 17 units at an average cost of around $70 million each. 

Flight tracking data shows a US Boeing C-40 Clipper stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, the largest US Navy base in the Pacific, briefly departed the base at 5:21 a.m. ET before returning after just over three minutes

The Clipper was previously used to escort Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington in 2022.

The Ukrainian president was stashed in a US Air Force Boeing C-40 Clipper as part of the delicately planned cloak-and-dagger operation to avoid any Russian sabotage on his first foreign visit since Vladimir Putin sent troops over the border.

But now the US has deployed the jet to assist another ally.

The Japanese Joint Staff said the allies 'reaffirmed the strong resolve to prevent unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and the readiness between the SDF and the U.S. forces.'

Two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers and three Japanese F-35 stealth fighter jets and three F-15 jets conducted their joint flight drills near Japan´s western airspace, above the waters between the country and South Korea, officials said.

The Joint Staff denied that the exercise was conducted in response to a specific incident, but acknowledged Chinese military aircraft´s recent radar-locking on Japanese jets and the China-Russia joint bomber exercises on Tuesday as examples of a worsening security environment around Japan.

Relations between Japan and China have deteriorated after Japan´s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in early November that Japan's military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

11-12-2025 om 21:31 geschreven door peter  

The real-life Demogorgon! Incredibly rare '7-legged' octopus washes up on a beach in Scotland

• READ MORE: Can you spot what makes this snail so special?

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

Scottish beachgoers have been left dumbfounded by a rare 'seven-legged' octopus that washed up on a local beach.

The creature, also known as septopus, was found in fragments along the Ythan estuary near Forvie National Nature Reserve, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire. 

Due to its impressive size – its arms alone reach about 20 inches – researchers think the deep sea creature was a female. 

Dr Lauren Smith, a marine biologist at research organisation Saltwater Life, called it 'an extraordinary find' – but how it got there is 'a bit of a mystery'. 

It's possible the unfortunate specimen was attacked by hungry whales before its remains washed along the shore. 

'It may have been trawl-caught and thrown back, or predated on by a whale,' she told the Daily Mail. 

'Or somehow it found its way into the shallow waters and become disoriented then predated on.

'Specimens are being sent various labs and museums. It's very rare to get this species to work with so everyone is exited.' 

The final missing piece of the creature to be found was the beak and the three arms (pictured) which washed onto shore last Thursday 

The discovery has now been confirmed as Haliphron atlanticus, commonly known as the giant gelatinous octopus or seven-arm octopus  a species typically found in waters deeper than 1,600 feet (500 metres)

Dr Smith found out about the remains when a friend sent her photos that were circulating online following the sighting by beachgoers on November 30. 

The final 'missing piece' of the creature to be found was the beak and the three arms, which washed onto shore last Thursday (December 4). 

'All parts and photographs will be from the same individual,' Dr Smith said. 

Photos and measurements taken at the scene quickly ruled out any of Scotland’s native coastal octopus species. 

It had been initially thought the remains might be of a giant squid (Architeuthis dux) – a species with a few historic records in Aberdeenshire, including Newburgh in 1998. 

However, the absence of the characteristic 'toothed' suckers seen in the giant squid suggested otherwise. 

Instead, it has been confirmed as Haliphron atlanticus, a species formally identified in the 19th century, also known as blob octopus or septopus. 

This species is found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide, from the Azores west of Portugal, Puget Sound at Washington State and Chatham Rise, New Zealand. 

Experts think the unfortunate septopus might have been attacked by hungry whales before its remains washed along the shore

It had been initially thought the remains (pictured) might be of a giant squid (Architeuthis dux) - a species with a few historic records in Aberdeenshire, including Newburgh in 1998. However, the absence of the characteristic toothed suckers seen in the Giant Squid suggested otherwise

The identification has been agreed upon by researchers in California, New Zealand and Natural History Museum London

Septopus is typically found in waters deeper than 1,600 feet (500 metres) – known as 'the twilight zone' due to lack of sunlight that penetrates so far down. 

Males of the species are quite small, typically only reaching 8 inches (21 cm) long, but females are comparatively enormous, reaching 13 feet (4 metres). 

Despite their name, the seven-arm octopus actually has eight arms like other octopuses – but there is a reason why it's known as such. 

As is typical of octopuses, male Haliphron atlanticus individuals have a special modified arm (a 'hectocotylus') for transferring sperm during mating. 

But the species tends to keep this arm tucked into a sac beneath their right eye, giving the appearance of only seven arms. 

'Likely the first specimen was just observed to have seven arms and the name stuck,' Dr Smith told the Daily Mail. 

Nevertheless, this is a 'remarkable and rarely documented' species, which has even fewer recorded appearances in northeast Scotland than the giant squid. 

For now, the remains of the deep-water giant gelatinous octopus are in Dr Smith's freezer, where they will stay until 'the not too distant future', she said.

Remains of the deep-water giant gelatinous octopus (aka the blob octopus) washed ashore in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire. Arms measure about 20 inches 

Following outreach to cephalopod specialists worldwide and the sharing of images on social media, the identification was confirmed as Haliphron atlanticus

They will be studied and preserved at Aberdeen University, TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network, National Museum Scotland and Natural History Museum London. 

'To have a deep-water species like Haliphron atlanticus appear here is incredibly rare and offers a valuable opportunity for further study,' Dr Smith added. 

'The recovered remains have been frozen down for further study, with some potentially being preserved as museum specimens.' 

Dr Steve O’Shea, a marine biologist, environmentalist and world expert on cephalopod (octopus and squid), helped verify the species. 

The identification has been agreed upon by researchers in California, New Zealand and Natural History Museum London.  

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

10-12-2025 om 21:44 geschreven door peter  

{ https://scientias.nl/nieuws/natuur-klimaat/ }

05-12-2025 om 21:29 geschreven door peter  

China introduceert helikopterdrone voor extreem landschap

Key takeaways

China heeft zijn nieuwste onbemande luchtvaartuig onthuld, de Meyu Arrow helikopterdrone. De geavanceerde drone, ontwikkeld door Tengden Technology uit Sichuan, onderging onlangs zijn eerste live raketafvuurtest op meer dan 4.000 meter hoogte.

Bestrijding van extreme omgevingen

Volgens China Central Television (CCTV) is de Meyu Arrow ontworpen voor extreme omgevingen en moeilijk terrein. Na een succesvolle eerste raketlancering gaat de helikopter nu een nieuwe fase van testvluchten in. Tengden Technology wil de mogelijkheden verder uitbreiden en plant tests voor besturing buiten de zichtlijn op hoogtes boven 6.000 meter.

De Meyu Arrow heeft een aantal indrukwekkende technische kenmerken. Hij is 7,87 meter lang en heeft een rotordiameter van 6,4 meter, kan tot acht uur in de lucht blijven en heeft een bereik van 900 kilometer. Het operationele plafond is een indrukwekkende 7.000 meter.

Demonstratie

Tengden Technology heeft eerder de prestaties van de drone gedemonstreerd door het bereiken van een snelheid van 135 km/u op 6.500 meter en een werkelijke snelheid van 178 km/u tijdens een afdaling naar 4.500 meter. Deze tests tonen het vermogen van de helikopterdrone om de controle te behouden in moeilijke windomstandigheden en in ijle lucht.

De Meyu Arrow is ontworpen voor verkennings- en aanvalsmissies, gewapende escorte en precisiedoelen. Hij blinkt uit in bergachtige gebieden waar traditionele UAV’s met vaste vleugels beperkt zijn. Dankzij de mogelijkheden voor verticaal opstijgen en landen kan het toestel opereren vanuit krappe ruimtes. Die zijn ontoegankelijk voor bemande vliegtuigen, zoals smalle valleien of hooggelegen posities.

Nieuw schakelpunt in China’s dronecapaciteit

Deze helikopter vult een cruciaal gat in China’s onbemande arsenaal door de wendbaarheid van roterende vleugels te combineren met een bewapende precisieslag over extreem terrein. De mogelijkheid om op 6.000 meter hoogte te opereren met behulp van satellietcommunicatie zou het operationele bereik vergroten tot buiten de gezichtslijn, een eigenschap die meestal geassocieerd wordt met grotere UAV’s met vaste vleugels.

Dergelijke drones op grote hoogte zijn bijzonder nuttig voor het beveiligen van betwiste grenszones, hoogvlakten en bergcorridors. Ze krijgen daardoor een strategische rol binnen China’s defensiebeleid, vooral langs de grens met India.

{ Business AM Dutch }

01-12-2025 om 23:25 geschreven door peter  

Scientists have come up with an unusual way to stop the Gulf Stream collapsing and plunging Europe into another Ice Age - and it involves MELTING an ice sheet

• READ MORE: Gulf Stream on the verge of collapsing reveals key 'fingerprint'

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Melting the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could save the Gulf Stream, a remarkable new study reveals. 

The vast icy mass in the southern hemisphere contains around 750,000 cubic miles of ice – enough to fill Wembley Stadium nearly three billion times. 

As it melts, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet sends salty water towards the North Atlantic, which helps the water stay dense enough to keep the crucial ocean current moving, the study authors reveal. 

However, the scientists stress that in other ways the melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would be a total disaster.  

If the ice sheet melted, it would raise sea levels by up to 14 feet (4.3 metres) – causing flooding, fatalities, infrastructure damage and more.

The findings suggest we may have to choose between saving the Gulf Stream (which would stop Europe from entering a deep freeze) and saving the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (which would prevent global flooding). 

According to study author Dr Sacha Sinet, climate scientist at Utrecht University, which terrifying scenario is worse is 'hard to tell'. 

Ultimately, reducing greenhouse gas emissions might be the only way to save both the Gulf Stream and the ice sheet – and avoid both eventualities. 

There are two ice sheets on Earth: the Greenland Ice Sheet in the Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Southern Hemisphere (divided into east and west). According to the study's findings, melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could keep the AMOC from collapsing 

The Gulf Stream is only a small part of a much wider system of currents, officially called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or AMOC. 

A 'conveyor belt of the ocean', AMOC moves warm water near the ocean's surface northwards – from the tropics to the northern hemisphere. 

When the warm water reaches the North Atlantic (Europe and the UK, and the US east coast), it releases the heat and then freezes. 

As this ice forms, salt is left behind in the ocean water.

Due to the large amount of salt in the water, it becomes denser, sinks, and is carried southwards – back towards the tropics – in the ocean depths below. 

Eventually, the water gets pulled back up towards the surface and warms up ('upwelling'), completing the cycle.

Experts think AMOC brings enough warmth to the northern hemisphere to keep temperatures there relatively mild, so if the AMOC were to slow down or collapse, large parts of Europe and the US could enter a deep freeze.

But according to the Utrecht University researchers, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is potentially the AMOC's unlikely saviour. 

The researchers used a complex computer model, CLIMBER-X to examine how the AMOC would respond to different speeds and timing of ice sheet collapse

Scientists think AMOC brings enough warmth to the northern hemisphere that without it, large parts of Europe could enter a deep freeze. This remarkable satellite picture showing the extent of snow across Britain on January 7, 2010 gives an idea of what this could be like

The team used a computer model called CLIMBER-X to predict what would happen if both Greenland and Antarctica started melting rapidly in the future due to continuing global warming. 

CLIMBER-X simulates the response of the Earth to changes in different climate-related factors, such as changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. 

Amazingly, the model revealed that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's melting water didn't always increase the risk of an AMOC collapse. 

Under some conditions, such as when its melting was rapid and began to slow down as Greenland's melt peaked, it could prevent a total collapse.

The effect happens because Antarctic meltwater changes how layers of water behave in the Southern Ocean, which eventually sends slightly saltier water toward the North Atlantic. 

Over time, this helps the water stay dense enough to keep the AMOC moving, at least according to the computer model. 

Previous studies have already shown that melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet destabilises the AMOC. When its meltwater pours into the North Atlantic, it can slow down or stop the sinking of dense water that helps drive it. 

Amazingly, the study, published in Science Advances, seems to suggest the opposite for West Antarctic Ice Sheet. 

An ice sheet is a mass of glacial land ice extending more than 50,000 square kilometers (20,000 square miles). The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is the western segment of the Antarctic Ice Sheet - and is more strongly affected by climate change 

Greenland melt generally destabilises the AMOC, whereas, as we have shown, West Antarctic Ice Sheet's melt may, under certain conditions, stabilise it,' Dr Sinet told the Daily Mail. 

However, if the timing is wrong, such as if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's melt peaks too late or is too slow, its stabilising effect vanishes. 

In fact, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's meltwater could even accelerate the AMOC's tipping point.

Dr Sinet stressed that greenhouse gas emissions need to be curtailed to avoid both collapse of the AMOC and melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

But the new findings may be helpful to understand the nuances of a warming world.  

'If emissions remain too high to preserve the stability of key tipping elements, then understanding whether the AMOC collapses or not becomes essential for anticipating the climate impacts that societies will need to prepare for,' he told the Daily Mail. 

'The important distinction is that the Greenland effect is well established and broadly accepted, whereas the influence of West Antarctic melt remains poorly understood and lacks consensus, and will likely continue to be debated for some time.' 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

27-11-2025 om 18:45 geschreven door peter  

Scientists issue ominous warning over mind-altering 'brain weapons' that can control your perception, memory and behaviour

• READ MORE: Analysis of 45 notorious murderers uncovers 4 common traits

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

Mind control weapons may sound like something from a dystopian science fiction film, but experts now say they are becoming a reality. 

Scientists have issued an ominous warning over mind-altering 'brain weapons' that can target your perception, memory, and even behaviour.

In a newly published book, Dr Michael Crowley and Professor Malcolm Dando, of Bradford University, argue that recent scientific advances should be a 'wake-up call'.

Professor Dando says: 'The same knowledge that helps us treat neurological disorders could be used to disrupt cognition, induce compliance, or even in the future turn people into unwitting agents.'

Nations including the US, China, Russia, and the UK have been researching so-called central nervous system (CNS)-acting weapons since the 1950s.

Now, Dr Crowley and Professor Dando argue that modern neuroscience has become so advanced that truly terrifying mind weapons could be created.

Professor Dando says: 'We are entering an era where the brain itself could become a battlefield.

'The tools to manipulate the central nervous system – to sedate, confuse, or even coerce – are becoming more precise, more accessible, and more attractive to states.'

Scientists have issued an ominous warning that developments in neuroscience could see powerful 'brain weapons' become a reality (stock image) 

Just like the fictional drug 'Soma' from the science-fiction classic 'Brave New World' (pictured), scientists warn that new chemicals could be used as a powerful form of mind control 

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, most of the world's major powers 'actively sought' to develop their own mind-controlling weapons.

Their goal was to create devices that could incapacitate large numbers of people through unconsciousness, hallucination, disorientation, or sedation.

Most famously, the American military developed the compound 'BZ', which produces a powerful sense of delirium, hallucinations, and cognitive dysfunction.

The US manufactured approximately 60,000 kilograms of the potent drug and used it to create a 340-kilogram (750 lbs) cluster bomb.

Although the bomb was intended to be used in Vietnam, and BZ was tested intensively on US soldiers, there's no evidence that the weapon was ever used.

Meanwhile, the Chinese military has developed a 'narcosis-gun' designed to shoot syringes of incapacitating chemicals.  

However, Dr Crowley and Professor Dando point out, the only time that a CNS-targeting weapon has ever been used in combat was by Russian security forces during the 2002 Moscow theatre siege.

After armed Chechen militants took 900 civilians hostage, security forces used a fentanyl-derived 'incapacitating chemical agent' to disable the attackers.

 

Since the 1950s, major world powers have been attempting to create chemical weapons that target the brain. These include the US military's BZ bomb filled with hallucination-inducing gas (right) and the Chinese 'Narcosis-gun' (right)

The only time that so-called central nervous system (CNS)-targeting weapons have been used was by the Russian security services during the 2002 Moscow theatre siege (pictured). A gas containing fentanyl derivatives was used to knock out the gunmen inside 

While the chemical weapon did break the siege, the gas killed 120 of the 900 hostages and an undetermined number more to face long-term health issues and premature death.

However, since then, the mind-warping potential of these weapons has extended far beyond simply knocking out attackers or triggering hallucinations.

The same scientific research that is helping to treat neurological disorders can also be used to build weapons which target specific brain functions.

'That's the dual-use dilemma we face,' says Professor Dando.

For example, scientists are investigating parts of the brain's 'survival circuits', which are the neural pathways that control fear, sleep, aggression, and decision making.

Understanding how these circuits work is critical for treating neurological conditions, but also opens the door to weaponising these regions of the brain.

In fact, Dr Crowley and Professor Dando are so concerned about this possibility that they are travelling to the Hague for a key meeting of states to argue the case for urgent action.

The issue, the researchers warn, is that CNS-targeting weapons currently sit within a 'loophole' in the rules governing the use of chemical weapons.

While the gas did break the siege, it also killed 120 of the 900 hostages in the theatre and left an unknown number with life-long illnesses. Pictured: Vladimir Putin visits survivors of the theatre siege 

This comes amid growing concern that future armies could be made up of cyborgs with neurological enhancements allowing them to see, hear and fight better than current soldiers

Read More

• The most detailed map of the brain ever seen: Stunning simulation details 10 MILLION neurons 

The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the use of harmful chemicals in war, but there is a grey area allowing the use of some chemicals in certain circumstances, such as law enforcement.

That leaves a potential legal justification for the development and use of powerful mind-control weapons within the current scope of the law.

Professor Dando says: 'There are dangerous regulatory gaps within and between these treaties. Unless they are closed, we fear certain States may be emboldened to exploit them in dedicated CNS and broader incapacitating agent weapons programmes.

'We must act now to protect the integrity of science and the sanctity of the human mind.'

WHAT ARE PSYCHO-ELECTRONIC WEAPONS AND HOW MIGHT THEY WORK?

Rumours of governments experimenting with pyscho-electronic weapons have long abounded among conspiracy theorists.

Also known as pscyhotronic or mind-control weapons, it is claimed they use electromagnetic forces to achieve a variety of results.

This includes mind-reading and mind control, as well as torture and harassment.

The basis for these claims does have some origin in fact.

In 1953, the then director of Central Intelligence officially approved project MKUltra. 

It was intended to help the US government keep up with experiments they believed the Soviets were conducting during the Cold War.

They hoped to achieve this aim through 'the use of biological and chemical materials in altering human behavior,' CIA director Stansfield Turner testified in 1977.

Footage has since emerged of experiments conducted into the potential of weaponising LSD as a method of controlling or subduing enemy forces.

Since that time, conspiracy theorists have expanded their claims about the kinds of techniques agencies like the CIA or others may have experimented with.

Some individuals say they have been targeted with pscyhotronic weapons, leading to a variety of unpleasant side effects.

That includes transmitting thoughts and sounds into people's minds, although most medical professionals agree this is likely the result of psychiatric disorders.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

24-11-2025 om 22:46 geschreven door peter  

Scientists have unveiled the most detailed map of the brain ever created. 

The fascinating chart represents almost 10 million neurons, 26 billion synapses and 86 interconnected brain regions.

It was created with Fugaku, Japan's ultra–fast supercomputer, which is capable of quadrillions of calculations per second. 

Scientists will use their digital copy to answer questions about what happens in a disease, how brain waves shape mental focus and how seizures spread in the brain. 

Until now, these questions could only be answered using real brain tissue, one experiment at a time. 

Dr Anton Arkhipov, an investigator at the Allen Institute in Seattle who worked on the project, called the map a 'technical milestone'. 

'With this kind of computational power, the goal of a full, biophysically accurate brain model isn't just science fiction anymore,' he said. 

'Scientists are in a new frontier where understanding the brain means, quite literally, being able to build one.'

The image is a detailed simulation of the whole mouse cortex neuron by neuron. It represents 'spontaneous' activity of the cortex in a resting state. Neurons are colored by cortical area and marked with a light flash when active. Only 1 per cent of neurons are shown for clarity

The stunning new image is a virtual copy of a mouse's cortex, the brain's critically important outermost layer. 

The vibrant colours refer to the different cortical areas responsible for different jobs, such as visual processing, body movement, decision–making and more.

Each region is made up of an incredibly dense forest of neurons (otherwise known as nerve cells) which transmit electrical and chemical signals to enable communication throughout the brain and body.

The little white tree–like branches emanating from all the regions are the active neurons, which spike, signal, and chatter to send messages. 

Electrical signals travel the length of a single neuron, from its round central body down a long, specialized tendril called an axon, until that axon reaches a connection point with another neuron. 

The electrical signal triggers a chemical signal, where molecules known as neurotransmitters flow from one cell to the next and serve as the signal hand–off, beginning a new electrical current in the next cell.

'Modeling is incredibly important, because the brain is too complex a system to use your intuition to figure out how cells should be behaving,' said Dr Tim Jarsky, associate director of electrophysiology at the Allen Institute. 

'Even with the subset of kinds of neurons in this dataset, we have so many possible interactions with many different types of signaling. 

The incredibly detailed brain simulation shows a dense forest of neurons – otherwise known as nerve cells, which transmit electrical and chemical signals to enable communication

The simulation, carried out on supercomputer Fugaku with approximately 150,000 compute nodes, describes several seconds of biological dynamics of the mouse cortex

'You really need a model to understand how the circuit could behave when you put all those elements together.' 

According to the experts, the long–term goal is to simulate the entire brain of the mouse, not just the cortex, as well as human brain models.

This is, however, a reliable model for human brain development due to certain structural similarities between the two species. 

The image was created using Fugaku, a powerful supercomputer at the Riken Center for Computational Science in Kobe, Japan. 

Japan's flagship supercomputer is capable of more than 400 quadrillion calculations per second and can crunch data faster than we can blink. 

To put that into perspective, if you started counting in seconds right now, it would take over 12.7 billion years to reach that number – nearly the age of the universe! 

'Fugaku is used for research in a wide range of computational science fields, such as astronomy, meteorology, and drug discovery, contributing to the resolution of many societal problems,' said Dr Tadashi Yamazaki from Japan's University of Electro–Communications in Tokyo.

'On this occasion, we utilised Fugaku for a neural circuit simulation.' 

It is the product of Supercomputer Fugaku (pictured), one of the fastest supercomputers in the world built with the backing of the Japanese government  

Fugaku was deemed the world's fastest supercomputer back in June 2020, but five years later it has slipped down the TOP 500 list to seventh. 

At the top of the list is El Capitan, hosted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. 

El Capitan, the most powerful supercomputer in the world, is the third 'exascale' system deployed by the United States. 

Exascale refers to a system that can perform at least one quintillion operations per second – a billion billion calculations, or 1 followed by 18 zeroes. 

An upcoming paper will unveil the new virtual brain simulation at SC25, a supercomputing conference taking place this week in St. Louis, Missouri. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

17-11-2025 om 20:36 geschreven door peter  

Unusual inventions throughout history

©Getty Images

Unusual inventions throughout history
Thousands of patents are granted for new inventions every year in the hope they will change the world. And while many inventions have over the decades, from computers to domestic appliances, made life easier, numerous inventions ended up being pointless, and some even dangerous.

Intrigued to check out some bizarre inventions? Then click through this gallery.

©Getty Images

Illuminated tires
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. wanted to brighten up tires with 18 internal light bulbs. Despite being well received, the flashy tires were too costly and impractical to produce on a large scale.

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Siamese dancing shoes
Designed for ballroom dancing, these Siamese dancing shoes could help couples stay in sync on the dance floor, whether it was mastering the foxtrot or waltz.

©Getty Images

Horse gas mask
Developed by Our Dumb Friends League, a humane society in London, England, the horse gas mask was meant as a precaution against gas attacks during World War II.

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Family bicycle
Invented by Charles Steinlauf, this four-person bicycle was made so that the whole family could enjoy the pleasures of a bike ride. It even had a dedicated seat for a seamstress to continue her sewing work on the go!

©Getty Images

Rolling bridge
The rolling bridge was a British invention that emerged during the Victorian era. The invention served as an alternative to the traditional bridge, and enabled the user to move across water on a rolling platform that was attached to rails. Not very practical at all!

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Pramobile
In the 1920s, parents and their baby could hit the streets with the pramobile. Modern-day versions of this design allow parents to tow their youngsters in trailers that clip on behind bicycles.

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Massage helmet
If you wanted a head massage back in the 1960s, then you could slip on a massage helmet for the ultimate air-powered scalp relaxation.

©Getty Images

Spaghetti aid
Sorry to any Italian! If swirling spaghetti around the fork got tricky, this invention was there to help with just that.

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Mass shaving machine
Men were flocking to barbershops in the 19th century, and to manage the high demand this unusual invention allowed barbers to shave several costumers simultaneously.

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The face glove
Developed in the US, the face glove mask was designed to refine and preserve youthful skin. Resembling something from a creepy horror film, the main problem was the treatment didn't result in anything...

©Getty Images

Urban window baby cage
The urban window baby cage was used in the 1930s to give infants plenty of fresh air. Doctors believed that this would boost their immune systems and help them stay healthy. However, there were some obvious risks of dangling a baby above a city street!

©Getty Images

Doughnut dunker
Dunking a doughnut into a cup of coffee without getting your fingers wet was a real challenge. But with this gadget, it became a problem of the past..

©Getty Images

Cat-mew machine
For anyone who needed a mousetrap, this 1963 mechanical cat from Japan was an option. To scare away rodents, its eyes would light up, and it would meow 10 times every 60 seconds.

©Getty Images

Cyclomer
Don't want to abandon your bike when entering the ocean? The cyclomer is just for you! Invented in 1932 in Paris, the bike worked both on land and sea.

©Getty Images

Hip trimmer
Forget the gym! Back in the '20s, the hip trimmer was the go-to for anyone looking to trim a few inches off their waistline by simply jiggling fat away.

©Getty Images

Mustache shield
The mustache shield was designed to keep facial hair out of the way when drinking and eating. It was patented by Virgil A. Gates in 1876.

©Getty Images

Rain goggles for race drivers
Wipers were not just on racecar windshields in the 1930s. They also came on special rain goggles that drivers would wear in open cars.

©Getty Images

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Dynasphere
The dynasphere was invented by John Purves as an alternative road vehicle in the 1930s. Drivers, however, may have gone head over heels if they tried to brake too hard!

©Getty Images

Butter protector
In the 1950s, no one wanted to accidentally drag their sleeves through a stick of butter while reaching across the table. So inventor Russell E. Oakes solved that problem with this spider-like gadget.

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Churchill’s pressure egg
Aircraft pressurization hadn’t yet become a thing during the time of Winston Churchill, so the Institute of Aviation Medicine built him his very own pressurized pod for safer flying. Unfortunately, it was rejected for its size and weight.

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Rubber bumper
The first few decades of the 20th century were a dangerous time to be on the road, with thousands of deaths and injuries. Inventor A.J. Grafham tried to make it safer in the 1930s with a rubber bumper that promised to protect pedestrians from injuries if they were hit by a speeding car.

©Getty Images

Anti-bandit briefcase
This anti-bandit bag would release its contents all over the ground if a thief tried to steal it. It wasn't as frighting as a similar bag of the time, which would release a smoking chemical vapor if someone tried to steal it.

©Getty Images

Yodel meter
Before auto-tune, there was the yodel meter! The device, photographed here in 1925, could measure the pitch of a singer’s voice. A bizarre but interesting gadget.

©Getty Images

Water taxi
For travelers who needed to cross the rivers around Somerville, Massachusetts, they could hail this water taxi for on-demand service.

©Getty Images

Ornithopter
In 1963, engineer Alan Stewart created the ornithopter, a human flight machine designed to flap its wings like a bird. Smaller versions are now used at some airports to scare away pigeons and seagulls.

©Getty Images

Amphibocycle
Lakes and rivers didn't have to interrupt a blissful bike ride. In the early 1900s, the amphibocycle allowed cyclists to keep going over water.

©Getty Images

Ice age-resistant boats
Back in the 1600s in the Netherlands, there was a fear of an impending ice age. So they designed a boat that they believed had the capacity to transport goods over frozen rivers and lakes.

©Getty Images

Portable hat radio
Decades before the Walkman, iPod, and smartphones in general, listening to the radio on the move became a reality with a portable hat radio.

©Getty Images

The gas-resistant stroller
When World War II hit, gas-resistant strollers were designed to protect babies and toddlers from gas attacks during possible air raids.

Sources:

• (All That's Interesting)
• (Insider)
• (History Hit)

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{ Stars Insider }

15-11-2025 om 22:00 geschreven door peter  

This Russian Woman Claimed to Have Super Psychokinetic Powers, Could Move Objects with Her Mind, Magnetize Items, and Affect Organs.

Nina Kulagina was particularly interesting to the United States government, which possessed unbelievable telekinesis abilities. Stranger still, her supernatural achievements are detailed in multiple US federal reports.

Nina was born in St. Petersburg in 1926. At 14, she was recruited to fight against the Nazis in World War II. During her service in the Red Army, she was seriously injured, ending her military career. Afterward, she got married and had children. But soon, strange things started happening to her.

One day, when she was furious, Nina noticed objects around her moving on their own. She thought it might be a poltergeist. Over time, she realized that these movements were linked to her strong emotions.

Curious, Nina began practicing to control this strange ability, known as psychokinesis. At first, she struggled to move objects at will. But with persistence, she managed to move small items like matchsticks just by thinking about it.

As her confidence grew, she could move heavier objects and even develop other psychic abilities, such as sensing what was in a stranger’s pocket or identifying colors while blindfolded.

However, the intense mental training started to affect her health, and she ended up in the hospital for exhaustion. While there, the medical staff witnessed her strange powers. Soon after, the state authorities took an interest in her.

Nina attracted the attention of parapsychologists and doctors across Russia. Many were doubtful about her supposed supernatural abilities. Forty scientists, including two Nobel Prize winners, studied the mysterious housewife and conducted various strict experiments. To the experts’ surprise, she repeatedly succeeded in many tests under controlled conditions, showing impressive skill.

After confirming her telekinetic abilities, doctors examined her. They found that her heartbeat, brain waves, and electromagnetic field changed during psychokinesis. Each session was closely monitored by researchers. Here are some of the intriguing paranormal accomplishments they recorded and filmed:

• Physically moving objects & altering their rotation.
• Cracking an egg, then reassembling the shell fragments.
• Imprinting images on undeveloped film. Magnetizing or demagnetizing things.
• Altering living cells and organic tissue. Modifying essential physiological functions.
• Affecting internal organs such as the heart.

On March 10, 1970, Nina Kulagina, a housewife and former member of the Red Army tank regiment, stopped a frog’s beating heart using only her mind.

According to the Soviet doctors monitoring her, Kulagina’s own heart rate increased dramatically during the seven minutes it took her to mentally stop the frog’s heart. It had taken her 20 minutes to prepare for the exercise.

Dr. Genady Sergeyev claimed that normally frog hearts remain active in solution up to 1.5-2 hours after removal from the frog. In the first of the experiments, the electrocardiogram (EKG) indicated activity ceased about 7 minutes after Kulagina began concentrating on “stopping the heart.” The heart had been in a ceramic container.

In the second experiment, with the heart in a metallic container, heart activity ceased after 22 minutes. In both these experiments, Kulagina was 1.5 meters from the “target” hearts. (U) Sergeyev measured weak electric and magnetic fields at the target heart that correlated with some of Kulagina’s physiological activity.

Read also:

• This Man Says NASA Asked for Help After Astronauts Encountered Orbs Containing 125-Foot Winged Angelic Beings That Smiled at Them
• This Woman Claims to Have Touched a Non-Physical Being Hand Formed from Ectoplasm During a Séance
• The Mexican Scientist Who Vanished Said We Live in Holographic Matrix & Shamans Can Manipulate It

This may have been responsible for the effect noted on heart activity. (U) In another experiment, Kulagina attempted to increase the heart rate of a skeptical physician.

Electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and other parameters were measured in both. Abrupt changes in these parameters were noted in both people within 1 minute after the experiment began. After 5 minutes, Sergeyev judged that the heart activity of the physician had reached dangerous levels, and the experiment was terminated.

Subsequent analysis indicated a definite synchronous effect was noted between certain heart parameters for both the physician and Kulagina. Sergeyev apparently views psychokinetic-type phenomena as being closely related to healing-type phenomena and apparently has done (and is doing) considerable investigations in this direction. (Source)

As the arms race unfolded and the atmosphere of deep suspicion intensified, both the U.S. and the USSR focused enormous resources on innovating ever-stranger and more sophisticated modes of spycraft. One of them was psychic power.

It was an odd turn for the Soviets, considering that they saw mysticism the same way they saw religion: as an “opiate of the masses,” in Marxist terms. As historian Annie Jacobsen writes in her book Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government’s Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis, the Soviets had outlawed anything in the realm of the paranormal — that is, until they realized they might be able to use mysticism to spy on their enemies, and did an ideological about-face.

But first, they had to couch their activities in more scientific terms. In a 1963 edict, “Soviet nomenclature around ESP was rewritten to sound technical,” writes Jacobsen, “thereby severing all ties to ESP’s occult past.” She goes on to list some of the notable terminological changes this entailed: telepathy became “long-distance biological systems transmissions.” Psychokinesis (moving physical objects with the mind) became “non-ionizing, in particular electromagnetic, emissions from humans.” (Source)

In the 1960s, the Soviets studied energy around humans to control physical systems. They believed understanding this energy could be as powerful as atomic energy.

Meanwhile, the US discovered strange signals coming from a Moscow apartment, aimed at the US Embassy. This led the Pentagon to start a secret program to duplicate the signals. Later, the US studied Soviet psychic powers, like a woman who could move objects with her mind.

A report concluded that the Soviets were developing ways to control human behavior through hidden means, and their interest in psychic powers was huge. In 1978, the CIA started a secret program called StarGate to develop psychic abilities, especially “remote viewing”. This meant using psychic powers to describe places far away, like Soviet military bases, just by knowing their coordinates.

The results were often surprisingly accurate. The CIA called this unusual way of gathering information “anomalous cognition”. Some of the strange activities of StarGate were documented in the book “The Men Who Stare At Goats”, which was later made into a film.

The psychic programs always had their detractors, but they persisted into the 1990s and possibly beyond. In 1984, The Washington Post reported that the CIA continued to take psychic research seriously, adding that “Former CIA director Stansfield Turner told critics their skepticism about the CIA’s psychic projects was healthy, but that research should keep pace with their skepticism.”

For her part, Kulagina was suspected by magicians and other skeptics of rigging her supposedly psychic feats. She was called out by the Russian newspaper Pravda as a fraud. She sued for defamation in 1987 and was granted a partial victory. But her exposure didn’t change the Soviet and even post-Soviet pursuit of a psychic advantage.

Officials involved in the program report that groups of military psychics were employed by Russia as recently as the Chechen wars. (Source)

Nina struggled much to prove her psychic abilities and would have given many such experiments. But, near the end of her life, in her late seventies, she seems to have lost her powers, and her health did not support conducting scientific tests to prove her abilities. According to some reports, her psychic abilities were the root cause of her heart attack.

So, the truth behind Nina’s abilities wied along with her. At her funeral, the Soviets praised Nina Kulagina as a “Hero of Leningrad” who fought for her people and her country. But, till now, some Russians believe in her psychic abilities that are yet to be proven genuine even today.

Whether or not the Soviet Union faked Kulagina, or if she really did have profound psychokinetic abilities, remains a mystery.

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{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

13-11-2025 om 21:38 geschreven door peter  

Urgent warning to seafood lovers as scientists discover dangerous microplastics in LOBSTERS

• READ MORE: Man catches rare 'FRECKLED' lobster off Massachusetts coast

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

It's bad news for seafood lovers, as dangerous microplastics have been found in the meat of the American lobster for the first time. 

Scientists at Dalhousie University analysed the flesh of 16 male and female lobsters found in major fishing regions in Canada's east coast.

They found the tiny toxic particles in every one of the creatures, which are a popular food exported around the world. 

Five years ago, scientists found microplastics in the larvae of American lobsters, but this is the first study to find them in the flesh of adults. 

The experts say there's an 'urgent need' for continued research and monitoring of lobsters and their microplastic consumption at the site. 

'The presence of microplastics in lobster muscle tissue has potential implications for the overall health of lobsters, seafood consumers and various stakeholders,' they say.

'[We need] to fully comprehend the transport and fate of microplastics within marine organisms, the environment and on human health.' 

Microplastics – plastic fragments less than 5 mm in diameter, invisible to the naked eye – have been linked with toxic impacts on the body, such as cancer. 

Scientists have found microplastic contamination in the muscle tissue of edible American lobster (Homarus americanus, pictured)

Graphical abstract from the study: Interestingly, the smaller the lobster tail the higher the concentration of microplastics

In the lab, the researchers examined edible muscle tissue from the tails of 16 American lobsters (Homarus americanus). 

The creatures, representing both sexes and a mix of sizes, were caught in four major commercial fishing zones off of Nova Scotia, the eastern Canadian province.

Around 60 per cent of Nova Scotia's lobster is exported to buyers in the US, although other important markets include Asia and Europe. 

The team used a special dye that makes microplastics glow under a microscope, allowing them to see tiny specks of plastic light up like 'small stars'. 

They also used a technique called 'raman spectroscopy' that acts like a chemical fingerprint for each particle to identify each type of plastic embedded in flesh.

Worryingly, all the lobsters examined contained 'internalized microplastics' in their tail muscle tissues, 'possibly originating from the digestive tract'.

On average, the team found six to seven microplastic particles in a single gram of meat (one gram is equivalent to about three pea-sized blobs).

They found the average size of plastic particles was 3.65 micrometres or 0.003 of a millimetre – about 30 times thinner than the width of a human hair. 

The researchers analysed the flesh of lobsters caught in four commercial fishing areas off of Nova Scotia, the eastern Canadian province. Interestingly, there were significantly higher microplastic concentrations in lobsters from the south-west area ('site 1')

Interestingly, there were significantly higher microplastic concentrations in lobsters from the south-west zone ('site 1'), although it's unclear why. 

In this area, lobsters tended to have shorter tails, but did not have a significantly smaller total weight relative to other lobsters.

Smaller tails may be to due to microplastic ingestion causing reduced feeding and metabolic rates. 

The scientists then identified the various plastic specks as polyester clothing fibres, industrial adhesives and marine-grade plastics. 

The most abundant polymer identified was polyethylene vinyl acetate, found in everything from footwear to surfboards and shower curtains. 

Also abundant were polyester (used to manufacture clothing, home furnishings, carpeting) and polysulfone (used for electrical equipment, in vehicle construction and medical technology). 

Already, ingested microplastics have been shown to reduce feeding efficiency and increase mortality rates in various crustaceans, but microplastics will inevitably end up in the human body as we are at the top of the food chain. 

The human health risks of ingesting microplastics and other human-made particles are understudied, but have been linked to cancer, DNA damage and cellular damage. 

This image reveals the percentage of different-sized microplastics in micrometres (μm) from lobsters collected at four different sites in Nova Scotia waters 

'Microplastics have been detected in human body tissues, including blood, placenta and brains,' the team conclude. 

'Their presence in humans has raised concerns regarding potential health effects, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infertility, premature births, and various types of cancers.' 

The study, published in the journal Regional Studies in Marine Science, is just the latest to find microplastics in the food we eat. 

Earlier this year another team of scientists reported the discovery of microplastics in six popular seafood options – salmon, lingcod, black rockfish, pink shrimp, Pacific herring and Pacific lamprey. 

Scientists warned at the time that the foreign fragments travel 'from the ocean to our kitchen table' before being consumed by humans in restaurants and homes. 

Microplastics are ubiquitous, having already been found in bottled water, salt, milk, sugar, beer, honey, beef, chicken, veggie burgers and tofu. 

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06-11-2025 om 20:31 geschreven door peter  

Arachnophobes, look away now! World's biggest spiderweb is discovered - and it contains more than 111,000 creepy crawlies

• READ MORE:  Britain's most dangerous spider goes on a biting spree

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

If you're not keen on spiders, look away now.

Experts have unearthed the world's largest web that's home to more than 110,000 arachnids, creating a nightmare megacity deep within a cave.

The monumental structure stretches 106 square metres (1,140 square feet) along the wall of a narrow, low–ceilinged passage.

It is situated deep inside 'Sulphur Cave' on the Albanian–Greek border, around 50 metres (164 feet) from the cavern's entrance.

The sprawling network of thousands of funnel–shaped webs is home to two species – Tegenaria domestica, also known as the domestic house spider, and Prinerigone vagans, a small, moisture–loving spider measuring just 3mm in length.

Their giant web is strikingly similar to that of the lair of Shelob – an enormous, mystical spider that features in the Lord of the Rings. Her home, a winding network of tunnels, is filled with thick, sticky webbing that catches her prey.

'The natural world still holds countless surprises for us,' lead author István Urák, an associate professor of biology at Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania in Romania, told Live Science.

'If I were to attempt to put into words all the emotions that surged through me [when I saw the web], I would highlight admiration, respect and gratitude.'

The enormous spider web deep inside Sulphur Cave is home to a mixed colony of two different species

The monumental structure stretches 106 square metres (1,140 square feet) along the wall of a narrow, low–ceilinged passage

The domestic house spider weaves funnel–shaped webs which have joined together to create a megacity

The massive colony marks the first documented case of communal behaviour in two spider species.

Researchers estimate around 69,000 domestic house spiders and more than 42,000 P. vagans are sharing the same sprawling structure.

The web is so heavy that, at certain points, it may 'detach from the wall under its own weight'.

'We report the discovery and detailed analysis of an extraordinary spider assemblage in Sulphur Cave,' they wrote in the journal Subterranean Biology.

They suggest that the cave's unique sulphur–rich environment may have encouraged the two species to cluster together in record–breaking numbers.

Scientists would normally expect domestic house spiders to prey on their smaller neighbours, but the lack of light in the cave may impair their vision, the team said.

Instead, they appear to feast on non–biting midges which also call the dark cave their home.

Further analysis revealed the spiders living inside the cave are genetically different to their counterparts living outside, indicating they have adapted to their unique surroundings.

A male (left) and female (right) Prinerigone vagans, a tiny spider who also call the huge web home

Their giant web is strikingly similar to that of the lair of Shelob – an enormous, mystical spider that features in the Lord of the Rings 

'Often, we think we know a species completely, that we understand everything about it, yet unexpected discoveries can still occur,' Dr Urák added.

'Some species exhibit remarkable genetic plasticity, which typically becomes apparent only under extreme conditions.

'Such conditions can elicit behaviours that are not observed under 'normal' circumstances.'

Concluding their study, the researchers wrote: 'Sulfur Cave in the Vromoner Canyon located on the border between Greece and Albania contains exceptionally abundant and diverse invertebrate communities that thrive in total darkness.'

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05-11-2025 om 22:33 geschreven door peter  

World's biggest spiderweb discovered inside 'Sulfur Cave' with 111,000 arachnids living in pitch black

{ https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth }

04-11-2025 om 22:20 geschreven door peter  

More than half of Antarctica's ice shelves could collapse by 2300 – sparking 32 FEET of irreversible global sea level rise, scientists warn

• READ MORE: Report warns 22 of Earth's 34 'vital signs' are at record highs

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Cities and towns around the world could be plunged underwater in just 275 years, a new study has warned. 

Scientists from Sorbonne University in Paris predict that up to 59 per cent of Antarctica's ice shelves could collapse by 2300. 

If this happens, it will result in up to 10 metres (32ft) of irreversible global sea–level rise. 

Here in the UK, Hull, Glasgow, and Bristol would be submerged, while over in the US, people living in Houston, New Orleans, and Miami would be forced to move inland. 

This might sound like something from the latest science fiction blockbuster. 

However, the experts say it could become a reality if greenhouse gas emissions continue to skyrocket. 

'Our results show that current choices to change emission pathways could significantly affect the likelihood of the long–term loss of most Antarctic ice shelves,' the researchers explained. 

'The viability of ice shelves strongly depends on the emission scenario, as only one ice shelf becomes likely or very likely non–viable by 2300 in the low–emission scenario compared with 59% in the high–emission scenario.'

Scientists from Sorbonne University in Paris predict that up to 59 per cent of Antarctica's ice shelves could collapse by 2300

Cities and towns around the world could be plunged underwater in just 275 years, a new study has warned. Pictured: impression of London underwater

Antarctica is home to 15 major ice shelves and many smaller ones. 

As the floating margins of the Antarctic ice sheet, these ice shelves are crucial for controlling ice loss. 

'As they restrain the ice flow from the grounded ice sheet to the ocean through so–called buttressing, they represent a safety band around Antarctica,' the researchers, led by Clara Burgard, explained in their study, published in Nature. 

'Their thinning and eventual collapse hence accelerates ice discharge into the ocean.'

In their study, the team conducted simulations to understand how the melting of 64 ice shelves could change as emissions continue to rise. 

Their results revealed that, under a low–emissions scenario in which global warming is kept below 2°C by 2300, only one of the 64 ice shelves would be at risk. 

However, under a high–emissions scenario, we face a bleak future. 

The simulation found that if global warming reaches 12°C by 2300, 38 (59 per cent) of the ice shelves could disappear – contributing to 10 metres (32ft) of sea–level rise. 

The simulation found that under a high-emissions scenario, by 2300, 38 (59 per cent) of the ice shelves could disappear – contributing to 10 metres (32ft) of sea–level rise

If sea levels do rise by 32ft (10 metres), entire cities around the world will be plunged underwater, according to Climate Central's Coastal Risk Screening Tool

And though 2300 feels quite far away, we'd begin feeling the impacts much sooner, according to the researchers.  

'The period between approximately 2085 and 2170 marks the period with the highest rate of ice shelves that would reach likely non–viability,' they explained. 

While this all feels quite dramatic, the researchers actually say that their estimate is 'conservative'. 

'This estimate is on the most conservative side, and actual thinning, retreat or collapse could occur sooner depending on the vulnerability of a given ice shelf to other processes such as damage, rifting, hydrofracturing or calving,' they added. 

If sea levels do rise by 32ft (10 metres), entire cities around the world will be plunged underwater, according to Climate Central's Coastal Risk Screening Tool. 

In the UK, people living in Portsmouth, Southend-on-Sea, Hull, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bristol, and Cardiff will be submerged. 

Huge swathes of London along the River Thames will also be underwater, including Hammersmith, Greenwich, Southwark, and Westminster.  

In Europe, the entire coast from Calais in France to Ringkobing in Denmark will be underwater, while Venice, Montpellier, Seville, and Lisbon will also be impacted. 

In the US, the entire coast of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas faces life underwater if sea levels rise by 32ft (10 metres)

Over in Asia, much of Bangladesh will be affected, along with cities like Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, and Karachi. 

And in the US, the entire coast of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas faces life underwater. 

Overall, the researchers hope the findings will highlight the need for urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions. 

'Our results show that current choices to change emission pathways could significantly affect the likelihood of the long-term loss of most Antarctic ice shelves,' they concluded. 

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01-11-2025 om 20:17 geschreven door peter  

Revealed: What the world will look like in 2100 - so, can you guess where each location is?

• READ MORE: Map reveals English locations that could go underwater by 2050

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Climate change has previously been described as 'the greatest threat to our existence'. 

Now, an online game lets you see the damage climate change will do to the world in just 75 years' time. 

The free game, called FutureGuessr, presents hundreds of AI-generated locations as they're expected to look in 2100. 

According to scientists who created the game, FutureGuessr shows what will happen if no action is taken' to stop carbon emissions.  

From flooding to wildfires and drought, heatwaves and storms, global warming will change the face of the planet as we know it. 

'Showing the future of recognisable places we care about might be powerful in building support for climate action,' they say in The Conversation. 

'Games can create space for serious conversations about how to tackle climate change.'

Six locations from the game are included below – so, can you guess where they are? Scroll down for the answers! 

An online game lets you see the damage climate change will do to the world in just 75 years' time. Pictured: what London could look like in 2100

The free game, called FutureGuessr, presents hundreds of AI-generated locations as they're expected to look in 2100. Pictured: New Orleans in 2100 as imagined by the game

Image 1

Firstly, this image If a location in North America (below) is currently considered the world's largest intact forest ecosystem.  

Measuring 270 million hectares, it stores carbon, purifies the air and water, and regulates the climate.

But 75 years from now, FutureGuessr shows it to be a fiery landscape burnt to the ground with hellish orange skies and toxic smoke. 

According to experts, the whole territory 'will be reshaped by frequent wildfires, invasive insects and a reduced ability to absorb carbon'. 

'Wildfires will release millions of tons of CO2, weaken natural carbon sinks, and further accelerate global warming.'

Image 2

Today this serene oasis, a UNESCO world heritage site, comprises an abundance of palm trees, stunning waters and imposing cliffs. 

IMAGE 1: This forest in North America is reduced to a hellish landscape ravaged by wildfires in the year 2100

IMAGE 2: This UNESCO world heritage site will be a desiccated dessert landscape where vegetation cannot grow

How to play 

1. Go to the FutureGuessr webpage and select your language (English or French)
2. Hit the green button marked 'play' and you'll be presented with an image of a location, as it will look in 2100
3. Holding and dragging the screen lets you get a 360-degree view of your surroundings 
4. You then have to then identify the location by tapping on a map and tapping 'guess'
5. The game will tell you how far off you were in kilometres.  

But according to experts, this green sanctuary will be slowly buried under sand due to droughts and rising temperatures. 

The image shows cracked ground due to lack of rainwater and freshwater, leading to the loss of vegetation.

'Agriculture will become impossible and inhabitants may be forced to leave,' the site says. 

Image 3

Today, this area of Europe is packed with rolling golden hills, historical architecture, luscious vineyards and century-old olive trees.

But by 2100 these treasured features, which draw tourists from around the world, will turn reddish and cracked under the sun.

Rainfall will decline, but arrive in more violent bursts here, which means vineyards will struggle with low yields of poorer quality – which is bad news for wine lovers.

Experts say this part of the nation's countryside may 'lose its fertility and its charm' if summer temperatures here rise by just 4°C/7.2°F. 

Image 3: Rolling golden hills, once lined with century-old olive trees and terraced vineyards, will turn reddish and cracked under the sun

IMAGE 4: This location will be a withered 'landscape of ashes and scorched trunks' because of frequent uncontrollable wildfires

Image 4

Today it's a national park covering over 1.1 million acres, with grand conifers reaching more than 200 feet tall. 

But by 2100, this next location will be a withered 'landscape of ashes and scorched trunks' because of frequent uncontrollable wildfires. 

These vulnerable trees described as 'ancient giants' will be trapped in a climate that is too dry and too hot – factors known to make wildfires more intense. 

Smoke from the fires will also worsen air pollution and negatively impact public health.

Researchers warn that by as soon as 2050, nearly half of the forest could be at risk.  

Image 5 

This Asian 'megacity' will be 'fighting to stay above water' by 2100 when global warming has melted Earth's glaciers and ice sheets. 

IMAGE 5: This Asian 'megacity' facing a northern coast will be 'fighting to stay above water' by 2100, experts predict 

IMAGE 6: Experts say this region will be 'only cracked soil swept by scorching winds and abandoned greenhouses glinting under a now-hostile sun' 

Currently home to around 10 million residents, the northern part of the city nearer to the coast will already have vanished beneath the waves. 

Experts say it will be largely 'uninhabitable' with saltwater from the seas eroding soil, forcing thousands of families to flee. 

Read More

• The cities that 'will be flooded by global warming by 2100' - so, can you tell where they are? 

Image 6

Lastly, this image looks more like from the surface of Mars than anywhere on Earth, with sandy particles filling the air. 

But according to experts, this agricultural region shows what is already one of the driest places in Europe. 

By 2100, it will be a otherworldly desert zone with no more orchards or fields, but only cracked soil 'swept by scorching winds' under a hostile sun.

It will be 'stripped of its resources and its people' as the land will be to try to farm.

Locations that will be drastically altered by 2100 due to climate change - so did you guess them correctly?

1. Boreal forest of Canada 
2. Iherir oasis, Algeria 
3. Tuscany, Italy
4. Sequoia National Forest, California
5. Jakarta, Indonesia 
6. Almería, Spain

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27-10-2025 om 21:16 geschreven door peter  

2026 volgens Nostradamus het Westen valt in de schaduw en drie vuren uit het Oosten ontwaken

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2026 volgens Nostradamus het Westen valt in de schaduw en drie vuren uit het Oosten ontwaken
Nu de wereld zich opmaakt voor een nieuw jaar, vragen velen van ons zich af wat de toekomst voor de mensheid in petto heeft. En met die vraag komen de woorden van Nostradamus weer naar boven, misschien om te waarschuwen voor rampzalige gebeurtenissen die nog moeten plaatsvinden.

De Franse astroloog en beroemde ziener deed vele voorspellingen over de toekomst, en deze cryptische verzen blijven nieuwsgierigheid en onrust opwekken. Wat zou de oude arts voor onze planeet in 2026 hebben voorzien? Klik verder om het te ontdekken.

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Het jaar 2026
Volgens veel interpretatoren springt 2026 in de voorspellingen van Nostradamus eruit als een bepalend jaar. Het wordt niet alleen gezien als een apocalyptische mijlpaal, maar ook als een periode van onrust, zuivering en mogelijke wedergeboorte voor de mensheid.

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Een dichter van voorspellingen
Nostradamus was veel meer dan alleen een profeet van vernietiging. Hij was een observator van menselijk gedrag die patronen van angst, macht en ambitie omzette in voorspellingen die nog steeds door de eeuwen heen weerklank vinden.

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De architect van de profetie
In het midden van de 16e eeuw schreef Nostradamus meer dan 940 kwatrijnen (gedichten bestaande uit vier regels) in een boek met de titel 'Les Prophéties'. Zijn gedichten waren bewust doorspekt met symboliek en verwijzingen naar astrologie, zodanig dat ze een raadsel vormen dat mensen al lang proberen te ontrafelen.

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Uitgebreide voorspelling
Volgens sommige complottheoretici bevat het boek van Nostradamus voorspellingen die ver in de toekomst reiken. Velen geloven zelfs dat de gedichten gebeurtenissen voorspellen tot het jaar 3797.

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Collectieve spanning
De wereld die we vandaag om ons heen zien, weerspiegelt vermoedelijk de spanningen die Nostradamus in zijn kwatrijnen beschrijft. Politieke crises, milieurampen, technologische desoriëntatie en een diepe spirituele leegte in de samenleving maken zijn oude profetieën griezelig actueel.

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Het raadsel van 2026
Nu de speculaties over 2026 toenemen, worden de woorden van de Franse mysticus met nieuwe urgentie opnieuw onder de loep genomen. Zijn poëtische waarschuwingen lijken een echo te zijn van de huidige onzekerheden van de mensheid en roepen zowel fascinatie als angst op. Wat voorspelde Nostradamus voor volgend jaar?

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1. Mars heerst over de hemel
In een kwatrijn domineert Mars (de planeet die symbool staat voor oorlog, agressie en vuur) de hemel. Astrologisch gezien voorspelt deze stand verhoogde spanningen, mogelijke conflicten en wereldwijde onrust in verband met politieke of ideologische herschikkingen.

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Meer dan fysieke oorlogsvoering
Terwijl velen bang zijn voor oorlog, zien anderen de invloed van Mars als een metafoor voor een ingrijpende wereldwijde herstructurering. Oude machten kunnen instorten, nieuwe kunnen opkomen en de mensheid zou getuige kunnen zijn van een radicale herverdeling van de wereldorde.

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Geopolitieke breuklijnen
De huidige spanningen tussen de Verenigde Staten en China, een hernieuwde rivaliteit tussen Oost en West en AI-gedreven militarisering weerspiegelen allemaal de vurige 'heerschappij van Mars'. Maar de mensheid staat mogelijk voor een transformatie door machtsverschuivingen en niet door een daadwerkelijke totale oorlog.

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2. Venus verliest haar kracht
De voorspellingen van Nostradamus zeggen dat Venus, de planeet van liefde en verbinding, in 2026 haar invloed zal verliezen. Dit betekent dat empathie en emotionele verbondenheid snel zullen afnemen door de digitale afstandelijkheid.

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De kille intimiteit van een digitale samenleving
Terwijl kunstmatige intelligentie gedichten en liefdesliedjes schrijft, worden menselijke relaties steeds meer bemiddeld door schermen. Ondanks hyperconnectiviteit zal eenzaamheid toenemen naarmate intimiteit bezwijkt onder het gewicht van technologische vooruitgang.

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Culturele erosie
De afnemende invloed van Venus duidt op een culturele malaise: het verval van mededogen, kunst en echte schoonheid in ruil voor algoritmisch gemak. De samenleving wordt efficiënt maar emotioneel verarmd, en blijft voortdurend verlangen naar betekenis.

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3. De 'drie vuren' uit het Oosten ontwaken
Nostradamus' beeld van 'drie vuren die oprijzen uit het Oosten' symboliseert nieuwe krachten die het mondiale evenwicht hervormen. Deze kunnen staan voor de opkomende machten China, India en Zuidoost-Azië, die een technologische renaissance leiden.

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De opkomst van Azië
De dominantie van China op het gebied van kunstmatige intelligentie en biotechnologie, de demografische en digitale expansie van India en de innovatie van andere Aziatische landen wijzen erop dat het mondiale leiderschap gestaag naar het oosten verschuift en de moderne beschaving herdefinieert.

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De technologische brand
Naast de politiek kan het derde vuur ook verwijzen naar technologie zelf (met name AI) als de transformatieve vlam die samenlevingen verenigt en destabiliseert, economieën verandert en het gevoel van controle van de mensheid op de proef stelt.

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4. De dominantie van AI
Hoewel kunstmatige intelligentie in 2025 aan belang heeft gewonnen, heeft Nostradamus voorspeld dat deze technologie in 2026 de wereld zal gaan domineren. De snelle ontwikkeling van AI zal een belangrijk keerpunt betekenen.

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Verlies van roeping
Blijkbaar zullen mensen in 2026 in nog grotere mate hun baan verliezen, aangezien AI-technologie belangrijke sectoren begint te veroveren en te domineren. En dit kan zelfs gelden voor technologie die verder gaat dan eenvoudige AI.

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Tesla's robotica
Elon Musk is al van plan om in 2026 humanoïde robots op de markt te brengen, met een waarde van ongeveer 21.000 euro per stuk. Deze 'universele assistenten' zouden in staat zijn om te helpen bij allerlei taken, waaronder huishoudelijke klusjes, kinderopvang en gezelschap.

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5. Het vervagende licht van het Westen
Een van de profetische kwatrijnen van Nostradamus spreekt over het Westen dat zijn licht verliest en in de schaduw valt. Dit voorspelt hoogstwaarschijnlijk de ondergang en vernietiging van de westerse wereld. Dit betekent niet noodzakelijkerwijs dat westerse landen fysiek in verval zullen raken, maar eerder moreel en cultureel.

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De uitholling van westerse idealen
De tanende dominantie van Amerika en de gestage afglijding van Europa naar bureaucratische stagnatie laten zien hoe de liberale democratieën in de westerse wereld, ooit symbolen van vrijheid, aan het instorten zijn.

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Op zoek naar vernieuwing
Maar het goede nieuws is dat de crisis in het Westen misschien minder te maken heeft met achteruitgang dan met transformatie. De voorspellingen van Nostradamus suggereren dat het Westen in 2026 een morele afrekening te wachten staat, een kans voor vernieuwing en herontdekking.

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6. Een belofte van hoop
Te midden van chaos eindigen de verzen van Nostradamus niet in wanhoop, maar in vernieuwing. Hij schreef: "Schaduwen zullen vallen, maar de man van het licht zal opstaan, en de sterren zullen hen leiden die naar binnen kijken."

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Chaos overstijgen
De mysticus suggereert dat de mensheid door zelfonderzoek en zelfbewustzijn in 2026 de duisternis kan overstijgen in plaats van erdoor te worden verteerd. De boodschap dringt aan op persoonlijke transformatie in plaats van collectieve verlossing.

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Spirituele wedergeboorte
Nostradamus suggereert dat de verlossing van de mensheid niet zal komen van regeringen of goden, maar van mensen die hun innerlijke kracht en spirituele helderheid herontdekken.

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Meditatie als modern verzet
In de huidige wereld vol lawaai, afleiding en ontkoppeling wordt introspectie een vorm van rebellie. Praktijken als meditatie en mindfulness kunnen in 2026 opnieuw opkomen als essentiële hulpmiddelen voor emotioneel overleven en het herwinnen van menselijke aanwezigheid.

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Het licht van hoop
In een eeuw die wordt gekenmerkt door angst, wordt hoop revolutionair. De voorspellingen voor 2026 herinneren ons eraan dat licht niet iets is dat we simpelweg van jaar tot jaar meedragen. Het wordt juist gecultiveerd, vaak in de donkerste tijden van onzekerheid.

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De morele uitdaging
Afgezien van politiek en oorlog zal de echte test van 2026 een morele zijn: of de mensheid in staat is om medelevend, ethisch en zelfbewust te blijven te midden van snelle veranderingen en sluipende ontmenselijking.

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De eeuwige vraag
Als alle voorspellingen terzijde worden geschoven, blijft één vraag over: zullen we mee evolueren met de wereld die verandert? De echte uitdaging van Nostradamus is misschien wel de eenvoudigste: kunnen we er nog steeds voor kiezen om mens te blijven in een wereld die dat steeds minder wordt?

Bronnen:

• (City Magazine)
• (LADbible)

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{ Stars Insider }

22-10-2025 om 17:04 geschreven door peter  

(Image Credit: Pixabay/The Debrief)

The Cortex

The cerebral cortex maps what the brain perceives in space. When we focus on our surroundings, theta-frequency waves sweep across them, searching for visual anomalies that might demand attention. Using animal subjects, the researchers sought to understand why performance in visual working memory tasks varies and why memory capacity appears limited.

Their work builds on previous studies identifying theta waves as being strongly correlated with attention—particularly during tasks requiring the brain to track multiple points at once. Miller’s earlier research supported the theory that different brainwave frequencies act as carriers for distinct forms of neural computation. The new study takes this a step further, revealing how those traveling waves may actively drive such computations.

“It shows that waves impact performance as they sweep across the surface of the cortex,” said Professor Miller, also of MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. “This raises the possibility that traveling waves are organizing, or even performing, neural computation.”

Brainwaves and Video Games

For their experiments, the team trained animals to play a simple video game: an array of colored squares appeared briefly on-screen, followed by a second array in which one square had changed color. The animals’ task was to look at the altered square as quickly as possible. Researchers tracked their eye movements and reaction times while recording brainwave activity in the frontal eye fields—a region of the cortex responsible for mapping visual information from the retina.

After analyzing hundreds of trials, the researchers found that both theta brainwave activity and the vertical location of the changed square were strongly correlated with how accurately and quickly the animals detected changes. Certain horizontal bands of the cortex appeared tuned to specific theta frequencies, meaning that a subject’s performance depended on whether the brain’s internal rhythm aligned with the position of the visual change.

“The optimal theta phase for behavior varied by retinotopic target location, progressing from the top to the bottom of the visual field,” the researchers wrote in Neuron. “This could be explained by a traveling wave of activity across the cortical surface during the memory delay.”

Continuing to Understand Visual Scanning

From this data, the team concluded that the brain’s ability to spot visual changes follows a distinct rhythm. The closer a visual change occurred to a band’s optimal theta phase, the faster it was recognized. The team says continued research will be needed to understand how this rhythmic mechanism evolved.

{ https://thedebrief.org/category/tech/ }

21-10-2025 om 22:12 geschreven door peter  

Boeing is pitching a new class of unmanned vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft — a modular, high-speed tiltrotor — that could operate alongside, support, and even protect crewed platforms like the AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook. 

By unveiling the CxR, Boeing is entering a high-stakes race to supply the next generation of collaborative rotorcraft, with the potential to shift tactical aviation paradigms.

According to Aviation Week, the CxR is projected to weigh between 5,000 and 7,000 pounds and will be powered by a single turboshaft engine driving a pair of tilting propellers, enabling speeds of 200 to 250 knots. The aircraft is also expected to have a maximum gross weight between 5,000 and 7,000 pounds, with a payload capacity of 1,000 to 2,000 pounds.

This configuration would make the CxR roughly twice the size of the MQ-1 Predator, giving it significantly more heft and operational flexibility than many of the smaller unmanned systems in the U.S. Army’s current arsenal.  

Despite its size, Boeing emphasizes that the CxR is designed to be expeditionary, fitting compactly inside a C-130 Hercules transport to allow for rapid deployment to remote or contested theaters.

Boeing is presenting the CxR as part of a “family of systems” tailored to the Army’s future vertical lift ecosystem, with two specific variants already envisioned to address distinct mission needs.

One variant, dubbed the “Collaborative Combat Rotorcraft” (CCR), would be designed for front-line combat operations. In this configuration, the CxR would be equipped with weapons, sensors, and electronic warfare systems, allowing it to perform strike, reconnaissance, or escort missions. 

It could also serve as a “mothership” for smaller launched effects (LEs) — miniature drones that can be deployed mid-flight for surveillance, jamming, or precision attacks deep within enemy territory.

Boeing suggests the CCR variant of the CxR could be specifically designed to integrate seamlessly with the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, extending its reach and capabilities on the battlefield.

Under the Army’s Manned-Unmanned Teaming-Extended (MUMT-X) architecture, Apache crews can already control sensors and flight paths of assets like the MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone. Boeing aims to extend that control paradigm to the CxR, making it a “true wingman” rather than an autonomous sidecar. 

{ https://thedebrief.org/category/defense/ }

16-10-2025 om 17:58 geschreven door peter