The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
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Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
29-04-2023
World’s largest bee, thought to be extinct, found in Indonesia
World’s largest bee, thought to be extinct, found in Indonesia
The Megachile pluto is about four times the size of a honeybee.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The giant bee was first discovered in 1859, but since has only officially sighted once.
An international team of researchers set out to rediscover the bee in January.
Determining exactly when a species is extinct is difficult, especially for small animals like insects.
In 1859, while exploring the remote island of Bacan in the North Moluccas, Indonesia, the renowned naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace made an astounding discovery: the Megachile pluto — the world’s largest bee. Wallace described the bee, which is about four times the size of a honeybee, as a “large black wasp-like insect, with immense jaws like a stag-beetle.” But for more than a century, that was the only known sighting of the Megachile pluto, and some feared that deforestation had rendered the giant insect extinct.
In 1981, biologist Adam Messer discovered several Megachile nests on Bacan and neighboring islands — a sight so rare that locals said they’d never before seen the nests. Again, it would be the only known sighting for decades.
Then, several years ago, Eli Wyman, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History, and nature photographer Clay Bolt teamed up to go rediscover Wallace’ giant bee. In early 2018, the pair saw that a Megachile specimen had sold for $9,000 on eBay, creating a new sense of urgency to travel to Indonesia to find the bee.
“We decided that we had to go there,” Bolt told Earther. “Number one, to see it in the wild, to document it, but also to make local contacts in Indonesia that could begin to work with us as partners to try and figure out how to protect the bee.”
In January, Clay, Wyman and other researchers finally rediscovered Wallace’s giant bee, this time in a termites’ nest in a tree.
“It was absolutely breathtaking to see this ‘flying bulldog’ of an insect that we weren’t sure existed any more,” Clay Bolt, the photographer who captured the first images of the species alive, told the BBC. “To actually see how beautiful and big the species is in life, to hear the sound of its giant wings thrumming as it flew past my head, was just incredible.”
FEARS OF SPARKING A COLLECTORS’ FRENZY
The hope, among scientist and conservationists, is that the existence of a sole female in the wild means the region’s forests still harbor a sustainable population of the giant bees. One concern, however, is that the news will spark frenzy among collectors willing to pay big money for rare specimens.
The world's largest bee -- roughly the size of a human thumb -- has been rediscovered in a remote part of Indonesia in its firstsighting in nearly 40 years, researchers said on February 21, 2019. Despite its conspicuous size, no one had observed Wallace's giant bee -- discovered in the 19th century by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace and nicknamed the "flying bulldog" -- in the wild since 1981, the Global Wildlife Conservation said.Show less
AFP PHOTO / GLOBAL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION / CLAY BOLT
“We know that putting the news out about this rediscovery could seem like a big risk given the demand, but the reality is that unscrupulous collectors already know that the bee is out there,” Robin Moore, a conservation biologist with Global Wildlife Conservation, told The Guardian. “By making the bee a world-famous flagship for conservation we are confident that the species has a brighter future than if we just let it quietly be collected into oblivion.”
WHY IT’S HARD TO KNOW WHEN A SPECIES IS EXTINCT
Determining when a species is extinct is difficult, in short, because the planet is huge, conservation resources are scarce, and it’s simply hard to prove a negative.
“It all boils down to the challenge of definitively proving something does not exist,” Gary Langham, chief scientist for the National Audubon Society, an environmental organization, told Audubon.org. “It’s much easier to prove something does exist.”
Size also makes a difference: It’s far easier for scientists to keep track of the populations of large animals — say, the northern white rhino, whose last male died in 2018 — than of small birds or insects. For some animals, scientists often must rely on more indirect measures to determine population size, such as by gathering data on habitat destruction, collecting reports of sightings and examining things left behind by the animals, like droppings or nests. The difficult of these kinds of surveys means that it’s usually not enough to say that a species is extinct simply because nobody’s seen it in some 50 years.
“It’s a thing that keeps getting perpetuated, that there’s a 50 year rule,” Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the Red List unit at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), told the BBC.
Inside this geometric structure is a demolished uranium mill and its radioactive tailings. Buried in 1992 by the Department of Energy, this mill near Grants, N.M. is one of about 20 uranium mill tailings sites in the U.S. that were remediated as part of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action project (UMTRA).
Astronomers have developed a way to cheaply and easily measure the radiation exposure experienced by airline crews over Africa.
Cosmic radiation constantly bombards our atmosphere. Composed of tiny particles traveling at nearly the speed of light, cosmic rays originate from a variety of high energy processes throughout the universe, like quasars and supernovae.
These cosmic rays are a source of cancer in all living beings. The cosmic rays can slip between our cells and snip apart strands of DNA, which can lead to replication errors. We are safest on the ground because our atmosphere acts as an excellent safety blanket, blocking and absorbing all but the highest energy forms of cosmic rays.
But passengers on high-altitude flights suffer a slightly higher level of exposure. While casual passengers face no considerable additional risk, the same is not true for frequent travelers and especially for airline personnel. The governments of the United States and Europe have outlined safety standards for the maximum allowable radiation dose that aircraft crew can receive. Those governments have also set up monitoring systems over their airspaces to ensure that the cosmic ray environment does not pose a significant health hazard.
But the same is not true for Africa. We actually have no idea what the level of radiation risk is over that continent. To fix this, a team of astronomers tested a new idea. They mounted an especially sensitive Geiger counter to aircraft traveling from Germany to South Africa. They monitored the radiation level experienced by the aircraft during the long-haul flight.
Their initial measurements revealed that, thankfully, the radiation environment in the African skies was not unusually high. But this is just a test and the first development of a prototype. The researchers hope to deploy many more such instruments and piggyback on commercial aviation to build a much more robust map of the African radiation environment. This will ensure the health and safety of all the crews and passengers flying over that continent.
The ice sheet thickness and movement speed therefore vary a great deal over longer periods, and the mountain range further into the continent seems to be an important division between the dynamic coast and the ice sheet further towards the South Pole, which varies much less in thickness.
Sixty per cent of the world's fresh water is bound up in Antarctic ice sheets. Thirty million cubic kilometres of ice is perhaps a difficult number to grasp. But if absolutely all Antarctica's ice melted, the seas would rise by 58 metres on average.
"The ice sheet in East Antarctica stores enormous amounts of water. This means that this is the biggest possible source of future sea level rise - up to 53 meters if all of the East Antarctic ice melts - and is seen as the largest source of uncertainties in the future sea level adaptation planning," says Irina Rogozhina, an associate professor at the Department of Geography at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Most melting/ice loss in Antarctica happens through ocean-driven melting of ice shelves and ice calving. This, in turn, leads to an acceleration of ice streams on land and a greater discharge of ice into the ocean, where it gets lost to melting/calving, she said.
This was also likely the cause of larger ice loss during warmer periods of the past. In Greenland, these two processes contribute about 65% of all ice loss.
But not all the ice needs to melt before it can have major consequences.
Researchers from NTNU were among a group of scientists who examined the ice in Queen Maud Land in East Antarctica. The results show that this ice sheet sector has varied a lot over time. This information is important as researchers try to learn more about the planet's climate and how it is changing.
Rogozhina's group studied the ice sheet in East Antarctica and a meltdown that took place a few thousand years ago. The results have been published in the Nature journal Communications Earth and Environment.
Collecting rocks on Månesigden mountain, in Heimefrontfjella. The polished surface of the rocks show that they have been covered by an ice layer. The researchers analysed the rocks for cosmogenic isotopes that can tell them how long it has been since the rocks were covered by ice. Carl (Calle) Lundberg is taking notes while PhD student Jenny Newall collects samples.
Credit: Ola Fredin, NTNU
The ice in the east lies on land The ice sheet in Antarctica is not evenly distributed or uniform. In the west, large parts of the ice sheet lie under sea level, down to a depth of 2,500 metres. This makes it very vulnerable to ocean warming. In contrast, much of the ice sheet in the east sits directly on land, above sea level, meaning it is less sensitive to the ocean's influence.
This ice sheet sector in East Antarctica was thinner in the past than it is now, and not particularly long ago either. In fact, it was thinner following the end of the last ice age, when massive ice sheets previously covered North America, northern Europe and southern South America. When these ice sheets melted, they raised the sea level by more than 100 metres.
"From the evidence we presented in our study, we concluded that the East Antarctic ice sheet in Queen Maud Land also melted rapidly along its margins between 9,000 to 5,000 years ago, in a period we call the mid-Holocene. At this time, many parts of the world experienced warmer-than-present summers," Rogozhina said.
"Although this kind of response by the East Antarctic ice sheet to the warmth during the Holocene is not completely unexpected, it is still difficult and worrisome to believe that the sluggish East Antarctic ice sheet can change so rapidly," she said.
It's difficult to find a simple, easy explanation for this behaviour, or to determine the exact timing when the melting took place, not least because the conditions in this part of the world are rather inhospitable at times.
But the researchers found a way to unravel this mystery.
Cosmic radiation changes rocks The research group examined rocks from various nunataks in Queen Maud Land for exposure to cosmic radiation.
"Nunataks are mountains that stick up through the ice. We have visited nunataks and taken samples," says Ola Fredin, a professor at NTNU's Department of Geosciences and Petroleum.
The researchers examine different isotopes, or variants, of elements such as chlorine, aluminium, beryllium and neon in rocks from the nunataks. With the help of cosmogenic isotopes, they can figure out how high the ice was over geological time in Queen Maud Land. Fredin compares this to using a dipstick to measure the level of engine oil in your car.
In this way, the researchers can say something about how long the rocks have been exposed to cosmic radiation. They can then also say something about how long it has been since the rocks have been under a protective layer of ice and thus have not absorbed any cosmic radiation.
For this, they use data from different areas and run a variety of computer simulations.
Rising seas and warmer water broke up the ice The researchers also believe that they are on track to find a reason why the ice sheet sector in East Antarctica thinned so much immediately after the end of the last ice age.
"We believe that the ice sheet became less stable due to higher, regional sea levels and warmer water rising from the ocean depths in the polar regions, penetrating under the ice margins and melting them from below. This leads to the break-up of large icebergs and accelerates the movement of ice from the land to the ocean, which in turn thins the inland section of the ice sheet. The process is similar to when a house on a hill slope loses its supporting foundation and starts sliding downhill," Rogozhina said.
In short, the less stable, rapidly flowing parts of the ice sheet in East Antarctica, which are called ice shelves and float on the ocean, were broken up more easily, which in turn led to the ice sheet becoming much thinner within a relatively short time, geologically speaking, or a few hundreds to thousands of years.
Researcher Nat Lifton (closest) and mountain guide Carl Lundberg (higher up) climb a small nunatak to look for suitable rock samples.
Photo: Ola Fredin, NTNU
Thick ice is the most common along the coast Cosmic radiation can also help researchers figure out how common it is for ice to cover an area. The researchers have also investigated this.
The results show that it is most common for the ice in Queen Maud Land to be thick along the coast. But not further into the continent, where mountain peaks protrude through the ice and the land can be several thousand metres high.
"We found that the land masses along the coast of Queen Maud Land have been covered by ice between 75 and 97 per cent of the time during the last one million years," Fredin said.
He was part of another study, which has also had its results published in the Nature journal Communications Earth and Environment. This group examined rocks from several different areas in Queen Maud Land, and found great variations.
"In contrast to areas along the coast, which have been ice-covered most of the time, we find that mountain summits further into the continent have been ice-covered as little as 20 per cent of the time," Fredin said.
The ice sheet thickness and movement speed therefore vary a great deal over longer periods, and the mountain range further into the continent seems to be an important division between the dynamic coast and the ice sheet further towards the South Pole, which varies much less in thickness.
Chinese Air Force WZ-8 supersonic reconnaissance drone.
Chinese Air Force WZ-8 supersonic reconnaissance drone.
WZ-8 was observed in Chinese Airforce experimental test bases by military analysts on satellite images. The vehicle was revealed to the public on 1 October 2019 and was subsequently displayed at Zhuhai Airshow in 2021. WZ-8 is a supersonic-hypersonic, remotely operated, high-altitude reconnaissance vehicle.
15 of Ancient History’s Most Ingenious Siege Weapons (Video)
15 of Ancient History’s Most Ingenious Siege Weapons (Video)
Warfare has been a constant throughout human history, and with it, the development of increasingly sophisticated weaponry to overcome defensive fortifications. The ancient world was no exception, and siege warfare was a common tactic used to conquer enemy cities and strongholds. To accomplish this, ancient armies employed an array of ingenious siege weapons that varied from simple battering rams to complex machines capable of launching projectiles with deadly accuracy.
From the ballista, a giant crossbow first used by the ancient Greeks, to the trebuchet, which could hurl projectiles weighing over 1,000kg with ease, our ancestors were no slouches when it came to creating devastating weaponry. As technology advanced, so did the sophistication of these ancient siege weapons , with some armies even employing early forms of flamethrowers and chemical weapons. While the brutality of ancient siege warfare may seem barbaric by modern standards, the ingenuity and engineering prowess displayed in these ancient siege weapons are a testament to humanity's endless quest for innovation and advancement.
Wetenschappers zien zich genoodzaakt de grote wijzer van de doemdagklok te verschuiven. En niet de goede kant op. De beweging is grotendeels te wijten aan de oorlog in Oekraïne.
Dat heeft het Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists vandaag bekend gemaakt. De klok staat nu op 90 seconden voor middernacht. En daarmee is een droevige mijlpaal bereikt; nog nooit stond de doemdagklok (zie kader) zo dicht bij middernacht als nu.
Over de klok De doemdagklok werd in 1947 in het leven geroepen om in één oogopslag weer te kunnen geven in hoeverre de mensheid erop afstevent de planeet (en misschien zelfs zichzelf) te vernietigen. Daarbij wordt de klok steevast op een aantal minuten voor middernacht gezet, waarbij middernacht dus symbool staat voor de apocalyps. Waar in 1947 de grootste dreiging daarbij nog uitging van kernwapens hebben wetenschappers in de loop der jaren verschillende nieuwe dreigingen in overweging moeten nemen alvorens te besluiten over de stand van de wijzers van de doemdagklok. Zo wordt sinds 2007 bijvoorbeeld ook de dreiging van catastrofale effecten van klimaatverandering meegenomen. Waar de wijzers van de doemdagklok temidden van al het tumult in de wereld op uitkomen wordt met enige regelmaat besproken binnen een speciaal comité – het Bulletin’s Science and Security Board – waarin vooraanstaande wetenschappers zitting hebben.
Kernwapens Dat de wijzers van de klok – die vorig jaar nog op 100 seconden voor middernacht stonden – iets verder zijn opgeschoven, heeft voornamelijk te maken met de oorlog in Oekraïne. Met enige regelmaat dreigt Rusland daarbij met de inzet van kernwapens en dat laat zien dat escalatie – hetzij met opzet of per ongeluk – een reëel gevaar is, zo betogen de wetenschappers.
Daarnaast wijzen de onderzoekers erop dat Rusland erop blijft hameren dat Oekraïne van plan zou zijn om chemische en biologische wapens in te zetten. Het doet vrezen dat Rusland er zelf over denkt dergelijke wapens – die het volgens experts nog altijd ontwikkelt – in te zetten, aldus het comité.
Eerdere tijden De laatste keer dat de doemdagklok verzet werd, was in 2020. Toen werd deze van 2 minuten voor middernacht (in 2019) verzet naar 100 seconden voor middernacht. Dat was al ongeëvenaard: nog nooit stond de klok zo dicht bij middernacht. En in 2021 en 2022 bleef de klok op die tijd staan. En nu is de klok dus nog wat verder vooruitgezet, naar 90 seconden voor middernacht. Een nieuw record in de geschiedenis van de doemdagklok die in 1947 op 7 minuten voor middernacht werd gezet om in 1953 – de Koude Oorlog was in volle gang – voor het eerst gevaarlijk dicht bij middernacht in de buurt te komen: de klok werd in dat jaar op 2 minuten voor 12 gezet. In de eerste jaren erna komt de klok niet meer zo dicht bij middernacht en in 1991 wordt zelfs een tijd van 17 minuten voor 12 genoteerd. In de periode daarna gaat het vrij snel bergafwaarts; van 14 minuten voor 12 in 1995 naar 7 minuten voor 12 in 2002. Nog eens tien jaar later staat de klok op 5 voor 12 en in 2018 komt deze op het niveau van 1953, met een tijd van 2 voor 12, waarna de wijzers vervolgens dus nog iets dichter naar middernacht kruipen.
Kernramp Daarnaast zijn er op dit moment ook grote zorgen over het feit dat Rusland er tijdens deze bloedige oorlog niet voor terugdeinst ook de kerncentrales in Tsjernobyl en Zaporizhzhia te beschieten. Daarmee worden internationale protocollen aan de laars gelapt en is er een kans dat het een keertje misgaat, met het vrijkomen van radioactieve materialen tot gevolg.
New START Ook is er bezorgdheid rond New START, het laatste bestaande kernwapenverdrag tussen Rusland en de VS dat in 2026 afloopt. Nu de relatie tussen beide grootmachten bekoeld is, lijken onderhandelingen over verlenging ver weg. En daarmee kan dit verdrag zomaar aflopen. Daarmee zou ook een einde komen aan wederzijdse inspecties, waardoor het onderling wantrouwen toeneemt en een nieuwe kernwapenwedloop op de loer ligt.
Klimaat Ook voor het klimaat is de oorlog in Oekraïne en de ijzige betrekkingen tussen Rusland en de rest van de wereld slecht nieuws. Landen die eerder afhankelijk waren van Russisch gas en olie zoeken wanhopig naar nieuwe leveranciers, waardoor er in plaats van minder nu juist meer geïnvesteerd wordt in bijvoorbeeld de gaswinning.
“De Russische invasie van Oekraïne heeft de kans op het gebruik van kernwapens en biologische en chemische wapens vergroot, de reactie van de wereld op klimaatverandering verlamd en internationale pogingen om andere wereldproblemen aan te pakken, beperkt,” zo concluderen de onderzoekers. Het is dan ook van het grootste belang dat er gewerkt wordt aan vrede in Oekraïne. “Een manier vinden om serieus te onderhandelen over vrede kan de kans op escalatie flink terugdringen. In deze tijd van ongeëvenaarde wereldwijde dreiging is gecoördineerde actie vereist en elke seconde telt.”
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an important model organism.
Credit: Eye of Science/Science Photo Library
Scientists have generated the first complete map of the brain of a small insect, including all of its neurons and connecting synapses.
The research, published on 9 March in Science1, provides a brain-wiring diagram known as the connectome of a complex animal for the first time — the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The map shows all 3,016 neurons and 548,000 synapses tightly packed in a young Drosophila’s brain, which is smaller than a poppy seed.
The map is a milestone in understanding how the brain processes the flow of sensory information and translates it into action. “Now we have a reference brain,” says Marta Zlatic, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge, UK, and co-author of the paper. “We can look at what happens to connectivity in models of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and of any degenerative disease.”
Ideal model
Until now, scientists had mapped the connectomes of only the worms Caenorhabditis elegans and Platynereis dumerilii, and the larva of the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis. Drosophila was an ideal model for connectome studies, because scientists have already sequenced its genome, and the larvae have transparent bodies. Fruit flies also exhibit sophisticated behaviours — including learning, navigating landscapes, processing smells and weighing the risks and benefits of an action. “Its size is manageable for current technology,” says Chung-Chuang Lo, a computational neuroscientist at the National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan.
“If you had asked me in the Eighties, when the C. elegans work was being done, about this project in the fruit fly, it would have been impossible,” says Albert Cardona, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge and co-author of the paper.
This diagram depicts connectivity in the fruit fly brain. Each point represents a neuron. Neurons with more-similar connectivity are plotted closer together. Lines show the connections between neurons. The border shows examples of different neuron structures and shapes.
Credit: Benjamin Pedigo
The researchers spent a year and a half capturing images of the brain of a single six-hour-old Drosophila larva with a nanometre-resolution electron microscope. Using a computer-assisted programme, they then pinpointed the neurons and synapses and spent months manually checking them.
The authors identified 3,016 neurons, 93% of which were paired with a partner neuron in the opposite brain hemisphere. Most of the unpaired neurons were Kenyon cells, key neurons in the learning and memory centre.
The researchers then traced each neuron’s twisting connections and annotated 548,000 synapses, which could be grouped into four types. “This is really time-consuming and labour-intensive,” says Kei Ito, a neuroscientist at the University of Cologne, Germany.
Most connectome work has included one type of connection — from the axon of one neuron to the dendrites of another — and ignored axon-to-axon or dendrite-to-dendrite connections. “Now we need to reconsider them: we probably need to think about creating a new computational model of the nervous system,” says Lo.
Multiple pathways
The wiring diagram showed that the insect’s brain was multilayered, with pathways of varying lengths connecting brain inputs and brain outputs.
It is “a nice, nested structure”, says Michael Winding, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge and co-author of the paper. But some of the brain networks have shortcuts, skipping layers. The authors suggest that such shortcuts increase the brain’s computational capacity and compensate for the limited number of neurons.
The team also found that 41% of the brain neurons form ‘recurrent loops’, providing feedback to their upstream partners. These shortcuts and loops resemble state-of-the-art artificial neural networks that are being used in artificial-intelligence research. “It’s interesting that the computer-science field is converging onto what evolution has discovered,” says Cardona.
The current map provides data from a single animal, but the authors say that technological advances will allow mapping of more flies — and eventually of other species. “One can now use it to train machine learning to do it much faster,” says Zlatic.
“It is not the full story,” says Lo. The next step is to map the brain of the adult Drosophila, which is more complex and has more neurons, he adds.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00709-7
UPDATES & CORRECTIONS
Correction 10 March 2023: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the team used machine-learning algorithms to trace each neuron’s connections.
DR. JENNIFER NUZZO: H5N1 is deadlier than COVID-19 and it's spreading. Humans are not easily infected YET - but the NEXT pandemic may just be a few mutations away
DR. JENNIFER NUZZO: H5N1 is deadlier than COVID-19 and it's spreading. Humans are not easily infected YET - but the NEXT pandemic may just be a few mutations away
What's the cause of all these recent unusual events?
A highly pathogenic virus known as H5N1 - avian influenza.
Thankfully, H5N1 is not yet capable of spreading between people like the flu viruses we're used to battling in North America during the fall and winter.
Though the operable word is 'yet'.
Waterfowl are natural carriers of these dangerous viral strains. And most of the time, they don't pose a threat to humans, unless there is direct contact with infected animals or their waste.
Avian influenza viruses don't bind easily to human respiratory cells. Therefore, the disease is not readily transmitted from one person to another through coughing, sneezing or droplets in the breath.
But the increasing ability of H5N1 to spread among animals and directly infect people is stoking fears that the world may be just a few genetic mutations away from another pandemic.
And there are good reasons to worry.
Since 2022, in the United States alone, a record-breaking 58 million farm birds, like chickens and turkeys, have been killed or culled after exposure to the virus.
Tens of thousands of birds suddenly die in coastal Peru and throughout the Americas. (Above) Municipal workers collect dead pelicans on Santa Maria beach in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2022
Then hundreds of sea lions turn up dead. And tragically, an 11 year old girl in Cambodia loses her life. (Above) Bean Narong died of the bird flu on February 22 after falling sick a week earlier
The virus has also jumped to red foxes, mink, racoons, skunks and other non-human mammals across the northwest, midwest and northeast.
In fact, various forms of H5N1 have been spreading in wildlife populations for more than 20 years and they are nasty.
H5N1 has wiped out entire flocks and devastated wildlife populations. Hundreds of people have gotten sick since the virus was first identified in 1997. And among those known to have gotten the virus, about half have died.
That makes H5N1 far more lethal than COVID-19.
What we don't know is how deadly the virus would be if it were to gain the ability to easily infect and transmit between humans.
Everytime a virus invades a cell, it makes copies of itself. Sometimes in the process it makes a mistake – a mutation. Mutations may not result in any changes in how the virus can infect or sicken. But as we've seen with the Delta and Omicron variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, sometimes these mutations can make the virus more transmissible.
And we do know enough to want to act swiftly to prevent that from happening.
H5N1 is hardly the first zoonotic virus – a pathogen that originates in wildlife and spills over into human populations - to pose a serious threat.
Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV, which has killed upwards of 40 million people and counting, first emerged in wildlife. The virus likely infected human populations multiple times before it gained the ability to spread and move around the world.
Since the emergence of HIV, there have been many more animal viruses that gained the ability to infect humans.
In the last twenty or so years, the list of zoonotic disease outbreaks that have occurred is staggering. The list includes Ebola, West Nile Virus, Mpox, pandemic influenza in 2009, and two new coronaviruses that predate the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Zoonotic diseases are thought to kill more than 2.7 million people across the globe each year.
That's astonishing.
And if that's not concerning enough, we're likely not ready for the next one.
The virus has also jumped to red foxes, mink, racoons, skunks and other non-human mammals across the northwest, midwest and northeast.
The steady drumbeat of these events signals to us that the accelerating emergence of new zoonotic diseases is the new normal.
Since the 1940s and 1950s when HIV may have first jumped from chimpanzees to humans, the frequency of zoonotic disease outbreaks has been steadily increasing.
By the end of the 20th century, the number of outbreaks of new infectious disease was more than five times greater than what was occurring in the 1940s - not all are zoonotic, but most are.
And stunningly, more than two thirds of all human outbreaks of new diseases have been caused by zoonotic pathogens
There are many possible reasons for this.
In North America and around the world, human land use is constantly expanding. We're putting new stresses on wildlife populations, increasing their likelihood of getting sick and becoming infected with new illnesses. Climate change is altering natural environments adding to the strain.
The animals themselves are migrating to new regions, creating new opportunities for them to come in contact with people, thus spreading new viruses. And repeated exposure to humans creates more opportunities for the diseases to mutate.
While all viruses are different, it would be folly to ignore that conditions which may have led to the HIV epidemic are magnified today.
If these viruses do become easily transmissible between humans, our modern behavior aids their spread. We are more mobile than ever before – any destination on the planet is reachable within 48 hours.
Finally, as bad as H5N1 avian influenza is, it may not be the worst zoonotic disease threat that we could face.
The U.S. has been preparing for a possible H5N1 pandemic for about 20 years. It has labs that can detect avian influenza and has stockpiled millions of doses of H5N1 vaccines.
Thanks to a seasonal influenza vaccine market, a global infrastructure to make vaccines for new influenza viruses already exists. The U.S. even has a secret supply of eggs to grow new influenza vaccines, if needed.
But as COVID-19 has shown us, when a completely new virus emerges and spreads, it is much harder to respond to it. If a new zoonotic disease emerges, we would not have ready access to the same tools we now employ to combat influenza or COVID-19.
Without vaccines or medicines to prevent or treat infections, we are left with masks and social distancing to contain the spread.
The U.S. has been preparing for a possible H5N1 pandemic for about 20 years. It has labs that can detect avian influenza and has stockpiled millions of doses of H5N1 vaccines.
Since 2022, in the United States alone, a record-breaking 58 million farm birds, like chickens and turkeys, have been killed or culled after exposure to the virus.
We need new tools and strategies to protect ourselves from contagious, zoonotic pathogens that don't just rely on our willingness to lockdown society and lock ourselves inside our homes. Forcing businesses and schools to close represents a failure to prepare.
We can't let zoonotic diseases like H5N1 spread unchecked or else they could mutate to become a bigger threat to humans.
The Biden Administration is right to consider vaccinating U.S. poultry against H5N1, but it's not enough.
That may protect U.S. agricultural interests, but it won't prevent the virus from infecting wildlife or mutating to more easily infect humans.
We need to do more.
Ensuring our schools and businesses are well-ventilated will not only reduce our vulnerability to future zoonotic threats, but will make us safer from other viruses, like seasonal influenza.
We shouldn't wait until our worst case scenario comes true to jump start research and development of new vaccines, rapid tests and medicines.
The World Health Organization recently called on governments to invest in developing prototype vaccines for every animal influenza strain so that they can be more rapidly evaluated and manufactured.
We need better surveillance of emerging wildlife viruses and of people who have high risk exposure to animals.
After three years of responding to COVID-19, the public and, crucially, politicians may have little willingness to do what it takes to prevent a new virus from upending our lives.
Funding for the response to COVID-19 has lapsed. Millions of healthcare workers have left their positions, leaving our fragmented and weakened pandemic healthcare entities further depleted. Efforts to develop new and improved vaccines for COVID-19 are stalled.
None of this bodes well for our readiness for the next pandemic.
We don't know when it may occur or what disease it will be, but we have lots of reasons to count on it being a zoonotic disease, and possibly one we've not yet seen before.
Animals, especially those on land, can't grow indefinitely. The reason has to do with the square-cube law.
An illustration of Argentinosaurus, possibly the most massive dinosaur that ever existed. (Image credit: Warpaintcobra via Getty Images)
The largest animal ever to walk on Earth was likely the dinosaur Argentinosaurus, a hulking 77-ton (70 metric tons) titanosaur that lived about 90 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous. For comparison, the heaviest animal on land today is the African elephant(Loxodonta), which weighs less than 7 tons (6 metric tons). And both look positively dainty next to the blue whale(Balaenoptera musculus), which, at an average of 165 tons (150 metric tons), may be the heaviest animal ever to have lived.
But could any animal ever top that? Is there a limit to how large an animal can get?
"We look at blue whales, and the question is whether we could get anything bigger," Geerat Vermeij(opens in new tab), a professor of geobiology and paleobiology at the University of California, Davis, told Live Science. "I'm not sure I'd be willing to say no to that question. Size depends on many factors, and I take a relativistic point of view."
At least in theory, though, there may be a hard limit — enforced by the laws of physics — of about 120 tons (109 metric tons) for land animals, according to Felisa Smith(opens in new tab), a professor of paleoecology at the University of New Mexico. "To be bigger than that, on land, your legs would have to be so wide to support your body that you couldn't efficiently walk," she told Live Science in an email.
Smith is referring to the square-cube law(opens in new tab), a mathematical principle first described by Galileo Galilei as "the ratio of two volumes is greater than the ratio of their surfaces." In other words, as an animal increases in size, its volume will grow faster than its surface area, so larger animals need much larger limbs to support their weight. If we were to merely scale up an elephant by several orders of magnitude, the square-cube law holds that it would collapse — its mass would increase by a power of three, while its limbs would increase in size by a power of two.
Elephants are the biggest land animals alive today. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
The only way our imaginary mega-elephant could overcome this limitation would be to have disproportionately large and thick legs. But even then, at around the 120-ton mark, the limbs necessary to keep the mega-elephant on its feet would become improbably bulky. "The largest animals in the fossil record are just under 100 tons [90 metric tons], which supports this theoretical maximum," Smith said, adding that "it's not clear that bigger ones couldn't have evolved."
But physics is not the only constraint on animal size. If it were, we would live in a world packed with 100-ton land animals, carefully toeing Galileo's square-cube line. Resource availability is also a significant factor — megafauna have to eat. "Animals that live in more productive environments with high quality foods are generally able to harbor larger maximum body sizes," said Jordan Okie(opens in new tab), a quantitative biologist at Arizona State University. "Whales, elephants, and other megabiota tend to live in productive, nutrient rich environments."
Nutrient requirements also explain why reptiles, like titanosaurs, grew much larger than even the largest land mammals, according to Smith. Because warm-blooded mammals have faster metabolisms, they require about 10 times the amount of food to support a given body size than reptiles do, Smith explained. Reptiles, on the other hand, have lower body temperatures and slower metabolisms, so they can afford to eat less and can grow on a calorie budget that would starve a mammal.
"Not surprisingly, the largest dinosaurs in terrestrial areas were about 10x bigger than the largest mammals," Smith said.
Blue whales, which can weigh about 165 tons and are warm-blooded mammals, are glaring exceptions to several of these rules. But their unique environment explains their success(opens in new tab). Marine megafauna can take advantage of their buoyancy to scale up in size without straining their muscles and bones, growing in ways that would make the limbs of land animals crumble. And whales have miles of open ocean at their disposal, which they travel to pursue meals.
Blue whale skeleton in the Natural History Museum (2018). (Image credit: Laura Geggel)
"Animals in water are expected to be less limited by biomechanical constraints," Okie told Live Science in an email. "The oceans also provide abundant, nutrient-dense resources for those animals that are mobile and resourceful." In particular, the evolution of baleen plates allowed whales to consume zooplankton efficiently enough to support their enormous sizes, Okie added.
Various constraints aside, the planet can clearly support megafauna. For hundreds of millions of years, megafauna were pervasive. Yet, throughout the past 20,000 years or so(opens in new tab), a mere blink in evolutionary time, megafauna have all but vanished. Large land mammals such as elephants and rhinos are in decline, existing in only specific parts of the world; several groups of marine megafauna, such as whales, are perpetually tottering on the brink of extinction. So where did all of the giants go?
"Humans eliminated most of them," Vermeij said. "Mammoths, elephants, bison, large carnivores — we've eliminated 90% of large animals, maybe more, and certainly all of the largest ones."
Humans are also the chief obstacle to the revival of these large species.
"You'd have to have no humans before megafauna could make a comeback," Vermeij said. "We're the dominant species, by far, and no animal is going to get large under our hegemony. The chances of getting anything as big as a Cretaceous dinosaur again are unlikely."
Sacred Marvels: 17 Cathedrals That Will Take Your Breath Away, In Pictures
Sacred Marvels: 17 Cathedrals That Will Take Your Breath Away, In Pictures
Cathedrals are some of the most awe-inspiring structures in the world, with their grandeur and intricate details captivating visitors for centuries. These religious buildings are often the most iconic landmarks of a city or region, featuring unique architectural styles and intricate works of art. Cathedrals can be found all around the world, from the towering spires of the Gothic cathedrals of Europe to the colorful domes of the Orthodox cathedrals in Eastern Europe and beyond. Many of these cathedrals have played significant roles in the history of their respective regions and continue to be important cultural and religious centers today.
St. Basil's Cathedral is an iconic symbol of Moscow and one of the most famous landmarks of Russia. It was built in the 16th century under the reign of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of the city of Kazan. The cathedral is known for its colorful onion-shaped domes and intricate patterns, and is considered a masterpiece of Russian architecture.
The Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is located in the city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, and is considered to be one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world. The cathedral is believed to be the burial place of Saint James, one of the apostles of Jesus, and has been a place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years. The cathedral's impressive Romanesque architecture and its baroque façade make it a popular tourist destination in Spain.
Milan Cathedral, also known as the Duomo di Milano, is one of the most famous landmarks of Milan and one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world. The cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete and features over 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and stunning stained-glass windows. The cathedral's roof also offers breathtaking views of the city of Milan.
The Zipaquira Salt Cathedral is an underground Roman Catholic church located in the town of Zipaquira, Colombia, about an hour's drive from Bogota. The cathedral is built inside an abandoned salt mine, which was transformed into a religious sanctuary in the 1950s. The cathedral is a popular tourist attraction, known for its impressive architecture, including its cross-shaped layout, and the numerous salt sculptures that decorate its interior.
Sainte Chapelle is a Gothic-style royal chapel located in the heart of Paris, France. It was built in the 13th century by King Louis IX and is known for its stunning stained-glass windows, which cover a total area of over 600 square meters. The chapel's lower-level features intricate murals and sculptures, while the upper level is reserved for the spectacular stained glass windows, which depict scenes from the Bible.
The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower is a cathedral located in the heart of Florence, Italy. The cathedral is famous for its iconic dome, which was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The interior of the cathedral is also notable for its stunning frescoes, including the Last Judgment by Giorgio Vasari.
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is one of the most impressive and iconic landmarks of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. It was built in the early 20th century and named after the Russian prince and national hero Alexander Nevsky. The cathedral's neo-Byzantine architecture, intricate frescoes, and beautiful gold-plated domes make it a must-see attraction for visitors to Sofia.
Notre Dame Cathedral is a historic Catholic cathedral located on the Île de la Cité in Paris, France. It was built in the 12th century and is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world. The cathedral is known for its impressive rose windows, soaring ceilings, and intricate sculptures, and attracts millions of visitors every year. In April 2019, a devastating fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral, causing significant damage to its roof and spire, and prompting a major restoration effort that is still ongoing.
Saint Sophia Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most significant landmarks of Kiev, Ukraine. The cathedral was built in the 11th century and is renowned for its Byzantine architecture, including its stunning mosaics and frescoes. It was named in honor of the ancient Hagia Sophia in Constantinople and played a crucial role in the history of Kievan Rus.
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière is a prominent landmark in Lyon, France, situated atop Fourvière Hill overlooking the city. The basilica was constructed in the late 19th century in a neo-Byzantine style and is known for its ornate design, including intricate mosaics, stained glass windows, and a beautiful golden statue of the Virgin Mary.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is a stunning Gothic-style cathedral located on Stephansplatz square in the heart of Vienna, Austria. The cathedral's construction began in the 12th century and continued for over 400 years, resulting in a fascinating blend of architectural styles. The cathedral's towering spire, intricate carvings, and stunning stained-glass windows make it one of Vienna's most beloved and iconic landmarks.
Cologne Cathedral, also known as Kölner Dom, is a stunning Gothic-style cathedral located in the city of Cologne, Germany. The cathedral's construction began in the 13th century and took over 600 years to complete, resulting in a fascinating blend of architectural styles. The cathedral is known for its impressive size, with two spires standing over 150 meters tall, as well as its stunning stained glass windows and intricate carvings.
The Notre-Dame Basilica is a stunning Gothic-style church located in the heart of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was constructed in the mid-19th century and is known for its impressive size, intricate carvings, and stunning stained-glass windows.
The Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is a Catholic church located in the city of Zaragoza, in northeastern Spain. The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of the Pillar, and is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Spain. The cathedral's architecture is a mix of styles, including Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic, and is known for its impressive dome and stunning frescoes.
St John's Co-Cathedral is a stunning Baroque-style cathedral located in the heart of Valletta, the capital city of Malta. The cathedral was built by the Knights of Malta in the 16th century and is known for its ornate interior, including intricate marble floors, gilded columns, and stunning frescoes. The cathedral is also home to several important works of art, including paintings by Caravaggio and other prominent Baroque artists.
The Sagrada Familia is a world-famous cathedral located in the city of Barcelona, Spain, and is one of the most iconic landmarks of the city. Designed by the renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, the cathedral's construction began in the late 19th century and is still ongoing. The cathedral is known for its unique architectural style, including its towering spires, intricate sculptures, and stunning stained-glass windows.
Cathedrals continue to inspire visitors with their beauty and spiritual significance, and many have become beloved landmarks of the cities and regions in which they are located. Despite the challenges of time and natural disasters, these architectural wonders have endured for centuries, serving as a testament to the skill and creativity of their builders. Whether you are admiring the soaring spires of a Gothic cathedral or the colorful mosaics of an Orthodox basilica, cathedrals offer a unique glimpse into the art, architecture, and religious traditions of cultures around the world.
Top image: The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, St. Petersburg, Russia. The 18th century cathedral is the final resting place of many members of the Russian royal family, including Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.
Sudden Stratospheric Warming aan de gang. Wat zijn de gevolgen?
Sudden Stratospheric Warming aan de gang. Wat zijn de gevolgen?
Er is momenteel een Sudden Stratospheric Warming aan de gang. Dat wil zeggen dat de gemiddelde temperatuur bij de Noordpool in de stratosfeer op korte tijd enorm stijgt en de Polar Vortex rake klappen krijgt. De Polar Vortex zal zich ook verplaatsen en sterk afzwakken. Er ontstaat daardoor een anticyclonaal patroon boven de Noordpool. Hebben we al meer zicht op de gevolgen?
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Impressionante Sudden Stratospheric Warming
In onze vorige blog beschreven we al dat er een Sudden Stratospheric Warming zat aan te komen. Ik ga dus niet meer in detail in op wat dat precies betekent, maar verwijs graag naar dit artikel.
Vaak worden SSW’s geassocieerd met intenser winterweer over Noord-Europa en Azië. Dat staat nog niet meteen op de weerkaarten, integendeel. Momenteel is er nog geen neerwaartse propagatie en koppeling tussen stratosfeer en troposfeer. Dat betekent dat er geen gevolgen zijn van de SSW en Polar Vortex voor ons weer. Als stratosfeer en troposfeer niet gekoppeld zijn werken ze onafhankelijk van elkaar en hebben we dus geen invloed van de SSW.
Krijgen we winterweer in maart?
Toch lijkt het dat er in maart meer klassieke gevolgen te verwachten zijn. De weermodellen hebben er steeds meer vertrouwen in dat de SSW zal evolueren naar een PV-splitsing, wat een sterkere koppeling met het oppervlak en een negatieve NAO aan het oppervlak kan bevorderen.
Daarnaast tonen de laatste updates van de weermodellen duidelijk een meer robuuste neerwaartse propagatie van significante positieve anomalieën naar de tropopauze en zelfs tot aan het oppervlak. Hoewel dit geen garantie is voor een hogedruk blokkade bij Groenland, wordt de kans daarop wel een pak groter.
Als Groenland blokkeert zouden de temperaturen kouder moeten worden in Europa. De lente (maart-april) zou dan ook in het teken kunnen staan van de effecten van de SSW. Misschien krijgen we daardoor wel een koudere (periode in) maart.
Mogelijke effecten van de SSW met hogedruk bij Groenland. (Weatheriscool)
Forecast of warming in the stratosphere from February 3 to February 19
(Source: Judah Cohen/Verisk/AER/NOAA)
Wind direction and speed forecast at the stratosphere at 60 degrees north latitude. The forecast shows a negative wind which means an easterly wind and part of a Sudden Stratospheric Warming.
De verschrikkelijke voorspellingen van Nostradamus en Baba Vanga voor 2023
De verschrikkelijke voorspellingen van Nostradamus en Baba Vanga voor 2023
De toekomst volgens helderzienden
2022 zal met name herinnerd worden vanwege de verschrikkelijke oorlog tussen Rusland en Oekraïne. En het is nog niet afgelopen. Volgens verschillende lezers van de Franse astroloog Nostradamus had deze helderziende de oorlog al voorspeld in de 16e eeuw.
Profetieën voor 2023
Over profetieën valt altijd te debatteren. Verschillende mensen kunnen de woorden van zieners op verschillende manieren interpreteren. Daarnaast spreekt het voor zich dat het voorspellingen zijn; er is geen enkele garantie dat ze ook echt uitkomen...
Nostradamus en Baba Vanga
In deze galerij zullen we proberen ons te beperken tot de belangrijke (en nogal verontrustende) feiten die Nostradamus en Baba Vanga voorspelden voor het jaar 2023.
De grote Oorlog
Tot de voorspellingen van Nostradamus voor het jaar 2023 behoort helaas 'Een Grote Oorlog.' Diezelfde voorspelling omvatte ook het jaar 2022, en dat is uitgekomen. De Russische aanval op Oekraïne is de grootste Europese oorlog die we kennen sinds de Tweede Wereldoorlog.
De woorden van Nostradamus
Dit zijn de woorden van de profeet opgeschreven door de website wionews.com: "Zeven maanden na het begin van de Grote Oorlog stierven mensen omdat ze kwaad deden. Rouen, Évreux zal niet in de handen van de koning vallen."
Russisch-Oekraïense oorlog?
Deze woorden suggereren een mogelijke escalatie in de aanhoudende oorlog tussen Oekraïne en Rusland. Deze zou mogelijk kunnen leiden tot een nucleaire wereldoorlog. We hopen oprecht dat Nostradamus op dit punt ongelijk had.
Opwarming van de aarde
Een andere profetie van de Franse astroloog betreft de opwarming van de aarde. De voorspelling gaat over een verdere stijging van de temperatuur en de zee- en oceaanspiegels.
Zijn woorden zijn opgeschreven in het boek der profetieën
Dit zijn de woorden die hij hierover opschreef in de 16e eeuw: "Net als de zon, zal het hoofd de heldere zee verbranden: de levende vis van de Zwarte Zee zal op het punt staan te koken.
Opstanden
Helaas zouden deze gebeurtenissen, de oorlogen en opwarming van de aarde in 2023, ook leiden tot grote burgeropstanden. Ook deze zijn voorspeld door Nostradamus.
'Grote veranderingen, verschrikkelijke rampen en wraakacties'
Nostradamus beschreef de situatie met de volgende uitspraken: "Vroeger of later zul je getuige zijn van grote veranderingen, verschrikkelijke rampen en wraak." Volgens sommige interpretaties verwijzen deze woorden naar een mogelijke opstand van arme tegen rijke mensen.
Een nieuwe paus
In zijn profetie voor 2023 voorspelde Nostradamus ook de komst van een nieuwe paus. Er zou dus een opvolger komen voor de huidige paus Franciscus.
De laatste paus?
Bovendien zal Franciscus, volgens de teksten van Nostradamus, de laatste 'echte' paus zijn. Betekent dat het einde van het katholieke leiderschap zoals wij dat kennen?
Hemels vuur
Volgens de gelovers van Nostradamus voorspelde de Franse astroloog ook het einde van deze wereld. Hij voorzag het begin van een nieuwe wereldorde voor 2023.
De nieuwe wereldorde
De woorden die aanleiding gaven tot deze interpretaties zijn: "Hemels vuur over het koninklijk gebouw." Dit moet volgens kenners van Nostradamus geïnterpreteerd worden als een nieuwe wereld, geboren uit de as van een oude beschaving.
Mars
In zijn boek met profetieën voorspelde Nostradamus met betrekking tot 2023 ook de landing op Mars, hoewel hij dat nogal cryptisch leek te doen.
Op Mars in 2023?
"Licht dat op Mars valt." Dat zijn de woorden die geïnterpreteerd worden als een indicatie van een mogelijke menselijke landing op de rode planeet. Onze hedendaagse 'waarzegger' Elon Musk meent overigens dat die marslanding gepland staat voor 2029.
Economische crisis
Onder de verontrustende profetieën van Nostradamus bevindt zich ook een rampzalige economische crisis die de mens tot onherstelbare wanhoop zou kunnen leiden.
Ernstige ontberingen en hongersnood
In dit verband schreef de ziener de volgende gruwelijke woorden op in zijn boek: "De graanprijs zal zo hoog zijn dat de man zijn buurman zal opeten." (Dit betekent waarschijnlijk oorlog, niet letterlijk kannibalisme.)
Baba Vanga
Naast Nostradamus is er nog een beroemde ziener die het vermelden waard is. Haar naam is Baba Vanga en ze wordt ook wel beschouwd als de Nostradamus van de Balkan.
Profetieën door Baba Vanga
De in 1996 overleden Bulgaarse mysticus verwierf bekendheid dankzij haar 'voorspellingen' van de aanslagen van 9/11 in New York en de dood van prinses Diana.
Verwoestende zonnestorm
Helaas zijn de profetieën van Baba Vanga voor 2023 verre van positief. Naast het door Nostradamus voorspelde apocalyptische scenario kondigt Baba Vanga ook een verwoestende zonnestorm aan.
Totale verduistering
Als dit zou gebeuren, zou de infrastructuur van de wereld ernstig worden beschadigd, wat zou leiden tot een stroomuitval van meerdere jaren. De gevolgen daarvan zouden rellen en sociale chaos zijn.
Verandering van de baan van de aarde
Een andere verontrustende profetie van de in Bulgarije geboren helderziende betreft een apocalyptische verandering van de baan van de aarde.
Hogere temperaturen
Als zoiets zou gebeuren, zelfs maar een kleine verandering, zoals history.co.uk beweert, "zouden de effecten apocalyptisch kunnen zijn," met als gevolg een toename van straling en temperaturen.
Biologische wapens
De aanhangers van Baba Vanga beweren dat de ziener informatie had over biowapentests in een groot land in 2023. Het is niet bekend om welk land het ging.
Nieuwe virussen
In het geval van zo'n test met biologische wapens kunnen de gevolgen desastreus zijn, zelfs ronduit apocalyptisch. Het zou bijvoorbeeld kunnen gaan om de ontwikkeling van nieuwe virussen in een laboratorium.
Profetieën en interpretaties - serieus te nemen?
Al deze scenario's zijn beangstigend. Maar laten we er iedereen aan herinneren dat het slechts (indicaties van) voorspellingen en hun interpretaties zijn. Er is geen enkel wetenschappelijk bewijs voor de waarde van deze voorspellingen.
US Air Force unveils B-21 Raider - dubbed the 'most advanced military aircraft ever built' - with cutting-edge stealth bombers costing $750 million apiece
US Air Force unveils B-21 Raider - dubbed the 'most advanced military aircraft ever built' - with cutting-edge stealth bombers costing $750 million apiece
US Air Force publicly unveiled its next-generation stealth bomber in Palmdale, California on Friday night
B-21 Raider is the most advanced long-range, stealth intercontinental strategic bomber in the world
Cutting-edge stealth technology makes it virtually 'invisible' to enemy radar and detection
Bomber, named for WWI's 'Doolittle Raiders,' is capable of conventional and thermonuclear strikes
The US Air Force has publicly unveiled its next-generation stealth bomber, which has been called the 'most advanced military aircraft ever built.'
Pentagon officials and representatives of contractor Northrop Grumman revealed the B-21 Raider at a dramatic ceremony in Palmdale, California on Friday night.
As a crew of airmen drew back the tarp covering the sophisticated bomber, a cheer went up from the crowd of invited guests, excited to get their first glimpse of the plane after years of anticipation.
The ceremony started with a flyover of the three US bombers still in service: the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit. Then the hangar doors slowly opened and the B-21 was towed partially out of the building.
'This isn't just another airplane,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. 'It's the embodiment of America's determination to defend the republic that we all love.'
Similar in shape to the B-2, a 'flying wing' design already in the Air Force's inventory, the B-21 be able to deliver both conventional and nuclear weapons around the world due to its long-range and mid-air refueling capabilities.
Each B-21, billed as a 'sixth generation bomber', was projected to cost approximately $550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about $750 million in today's inflation-adjusted dollars.
Pentagon officials and representatives of contractor Northrop Grumman revealed the B-21 Raider (seen under a large tarp) at a dramatic ceremony in Palmdale, California on Friday night
Each B-21, which can deliver both conventional and nuclear bombs, was projected to cost approximately $550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about $750 million in today's inflation-adjusted dollars
Similar in shape to the B-2, a 'flying wing' design already in the Air Force's inventory, the B-21 will also be able to deliver nuclear weapons around the world because of long-range and mid-air refueling capabilities
'This isn't just another airplane,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. 'It's the embodiment of America's determination to defend the republic that we all love.'
The Air Force planned to buy at least 100 of the planes and begin to replace B-1 and B-2 bombers.
The service has estimated that the program will likely cost at least $203 billion over 30 years to develop, purchase and maintain the B-21 fleet.
The B-21 is part of the Pentagon's efforts to modernize all three legs of its nuclear triad, which also includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads, as it shifts from the counterterrorism campaigns of recent decades to meet China's rapid military modernization.
China is on track to have 1,500 nuclear weapons by 2035, and its gains in hypersonics, cyber warfare and space capabilities present 'the most consequential and systemic challenge to U.S. national security and the free and open international system,' the Pentagon said this week in its annual China report.
Northrop is calling the plane a sixth generation aircraft given its ability to connect to other aircraft and easily integrate future weapons into its systems architecture.
Other changes include advanced materials used in coatings to make the bomber harder to detect, Austin said.
'Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft,' Austin said. 'Even the most sophisticated air defense systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky.'
Other advances likely include new ways to control electronic emissions, so the bomber could spoof adversary radars and disguise itself as another object, and use of new propulsion technologies, several defense analysts said.
It also features more durable stealth-enabling low observable surface material that will require less maintenance and keep operations costs and downtime to a minimum, Doug Young, sector vice president and general manager at Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, told Reuters in an interview.
'This aircraft was possible because of American innovation,' said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the ceremony
As a crew of airmen drew back the tarp covering the sophisticated bomber, a cheer went up from the crowd of invited guests, excited to get their first glimpse of the plane after years of anticipation
Pentagon officials and representatives of contractor Northrop Grumman revealed the B-21 Raider at a dramatic ceremony in Palmdale, California on Friday night
The crowd of guests is seen at the unveiling ceremony where they caught the first glimpse of the plane
The US Air Force finally unveiled its secret B-21 stealth bomber aircraft on Friday in Palmdale, California, which is touted to be virtually 'invisible' to all enemy stealth radars and will included the latest features in military tech
While the Raider may resemble the B-2, once you get inside, the similarities stop, said Kathy Warden, chief executive of Northrop, which is building the bomber.
'The way it operates internally is extremely advanced compared to the B-2, because the technology has evolved so much in terms of the computing capability that we can now embed in the software of the B-21,' Warden said.
Northrop beat out a team comprised of Boeing and Lockheed Martin when it won the 2015 contract to make the bomber, alongside suppliers including engine maker Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems and Spirit Aerosystems.
The rollout at Northrop's Plant 42 in Palmdale provided the first photographs of the new bomber. So far, only artist renderings have been published.
Six of the planes, which is to have its first flight in mid-2023, are in various stages of assembly. More than 8,000 people from Northrop Grumman, industry partners and the Air Force work on the program today which consists of more than 400 suppliers in 40 states.
THE B-21'S NEWEST FEATURES FOR MODERN WARFARE
The B-21's features groundbreaking stealth technology built on top of more than three decades and six generations of US bomber innovation.
Northrop boasts that the new aircraft will included advance materials that will greatly reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures, making it virtually undetectable.
The bomber's stealth tech is expected to counteract even the latest Russian and Chinese surface-to-air missiles, something '90 percent of the nation's current bomber fleet is incapable of doing,' the company said.
The B-21 will also include a 'digital bomb bay', which will allow the aircraft to integrate new weapons faster than ever before. It ensures that the bomber can be readily and affordably upgraded.
Northrop Grumman unveils the B-21 Raider, a new high-tech stealth bomber developed for the U.S. Air Force
The B-21 Raider is set to replace the $2bn per plane B-2 Spirit - and features a smaller wingspan and price tag of $639m. Unlike its predecessor, the B-21 will be able to go on unmanned bomber and surveillance missions anywhere in the world
An early artist rendering of the plane is seen. Developers Northrop Grumman said the aircraft will also use AI-controlled sensors to share data with all branches of the military in record time for coordinated strikes
The new system grants the aircraft the ability to be nuclear-capable and carry an estimated payload of 30,000 pounds of firepower.
Additionally, the B-21 will come with AI-controlled sensors, which Northrop said would be able to identify enemy targets and share intelligence with allies for coordinated strikes in record time.
The system will be able to share data with the Army, Navy, Air Force and Space Force.
'The B-21 provides utility to accomplish our nation's security objective in every scenario imaginable,' retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula told the Wall Street Journal. 'No other weapons system can do that.'
'The B-21 is America's China-deterrence bomber,' said Mark Gunzinger, a retired bomber pilot who flew the B-52.
A FULLY REMOTE STEALTH BOMBER
Unlike its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, the B-21 Raider is expected to allow for unmanned missions.
While the current plans for the Raider include a crew of two, the Air Force has said that future aircraft must be able to be completely remote.
Representatives for Northrop called the B-21 'pioneering' and 'technological excellence.'
'The B-21 is the most advanced military aircraft ever built and is a product of pioneering innovation and technological excellence,' said Northrop sector vice president and general manager Dough Young.
A teaser for the unveiling of the B-21 Raider released by aerospace and technology contractor Northrop Grumman
HOW DOES IT COMPETE WITH RUSSIA AND CHINA?
The stealth aspect of the B-21 Raider is touted as its main asset against Russian and Chinese forces.
Like its predecessor, the B-21 is expected to be a subsonic aircraft, meaning it will fly slower than 768 mph.
That puts it at a notable disadvantage against China's J-20 stealth fighter, which flies at more than 1,300 mph and is capable of carrying 24,000 pounds of payload.
The B-21 will also be slower than Russia's SU-57, which can hit a top speed of 1,330 mph and reportedly saw its first operational use in November when officials claimed it downed a Ukrainian jet.
Despite the slow speed, Northup claims the B-21 will be among the most undetectable aircrafts in the sky, capable of hiding from foreign nation's radar system.
The Air Force is planning to buy at least 100 of the B-21 Raider. Pictured: A rendering of jet released by the US Air Force
Russia currently touts the most capable surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, which can shoot down stealth aircrafts from 250 miles away.
China currently employs is HQ-17 SAM system, which can track 24 different targets and shot two down at the same time from nine miles away.
Although there have been rumors that China has developed a new radar capable of detecting any and all stealth aircrafts, they have been rejected by military experts.
The Department of Defense has said that a new generation of stealth bombers are needed for America's national security imperative, which includes deterring conflicts in the South China Sea.
BEERDIERTJES KUNNEN DECENNIALANG ZONDER WATER OVERLEVEN EN ONDERZOEKERS DENKEN NU TE WETEN HOE ZE HET DOEN
BEERDIERTJES KUNNEN DECENNIALANG ZONDER WATER OVERLEVEN EN ONDERZOEKERS DENKEN NU TE WETEN HOE ZE HET DOEN
Caroline Kraaijvanger
Zonder water ga je dood. Dat geldt voor vrijwel alle levensvormen op aarde, maar – dankzij een gaaf en voor beerdiertjes uniek eiwit – niet voor deze minuscule meercelligen.
Beerdiertjes zijn opzienbarende wezentjes; de amper 0,5 millimeter lange diertjes zijn tijdens ruimtereizen bestand gebleken tegen vacuüm en kosmische straling. En toen onderzoekers ze recent in een speciaal geweer stopten om ze af te vuren,konden de beerdiertjes dat ook gewoon navertellen. Ook extreme hitte en kou, een gebrek aan zuurstof of kiemdodende ultraviolette lampen doen de beerdiertjes weinig. Net als een langdurig tekort aan water; onderzoek heeft reeds uitgewezen dat beerdiertjes decennialang zonder water kunnen overleven.
Raadselachtig Dat laatste is – net als veel van het voorgaande trouwens – tamelijk raadselachtig. Want op watergebrek volgt uitdroging en dat vinden levende cellen niet zo prettig; wanneer ze uitdrogen, verliezen ze hun vorm en storten uiteindelijk compleet ineen. Ze functioneren dan niet meer (goed) en kunnen uiteindelijk afsterven. En dat heeft vanzelfsprekend weer dramatische gevolgen voor het organisme waar ze deel van uitmaken.
Maar uitdrogende beerdiertjes hebben dus geen last van in elkaar zakkende en afstervende cellen. “Hoewel water essentieel is voor al het leven dat we kennen, kunnen sommige beerdiertjes mogelijk decennialang zonder water leven,” stelt onderzoeker Takekazu Kunieda.
CAHS-eiwitten Kunieda en collega’s hebben nu achterhaald hoe de kleine beerdiertjes dat precies doen. En een heldenrol is daarbij weggelegd voor zogenoemde CAHS-eiwitten. “De truc zit ‘m in hoe hun cellen omgaan met de stress die het proces van uitdroging met zich meebrengt,” legt Kunieda uit. “Aangenomen wordt dat wanneer water een cel verlaat, er een soort eiwit moet zijn dat voorkomt dat de cel ineenklapt. Na het testen van verschillende eiwitten, hebben we ontdekt dat cytoplasmic-abundant heat soluble (CAHS) eiwitten – die alleen beerdiertjes bezitten – verantwoordelijk zijn voor het beschermen van de cel tegen uitdroging.”
Hoe werkt het? Deze CAHS-eiwitten zitten dus in de cellen van het beerdiertje. En zodra ze ‘merken’ dat de cel die hen omringt, uitdroogt, komen ze in actie. De eiwitten vormen dan een netwerk van gelachtige filamenten die de uitdrogende cel als het ware stutten en er zo voor zorgen dat deze zijn vorm behoudt. Dat is een omkeerbaar proces. Want zodra de cellen van het beerdiertje weer vocht tot hun beschikking hebben, trekken de gelachtige filamenten zich langzaam weer terug.
Mensen Het is een ingenieuze oplossing. En grappig genoeg werken deze eiwitten – waar dus alleen beerdiertjes over beschikken – ook in cellen van andere organismen. De onderzoekers trekken die conclusie nadat ze de eiwitten in het laboratorium toepasten in uitdrogende cellen van insecten en mensen. Tot hun verbazing zagen ze dat de eiwitten ook hier in actie kwamen en stuttende filamenten vormden.
Hier zie je hoe CAHS-eiwitten filamenten vormen in een uitdrogende menselijke cel.
Als het aan de onderzoekers ligt, is hun studie de opmaat naar meer. Zo hopen ze dat deze er uiteindelijk toe leidt dat wetenschappers – geïnspireerd door de beerdiertjes – nieuwe manieren gaan vinden om bijvoorbeeld celmaterialen en biomoleculen droog op te slaan. Zo kan de houdbaarheid van materialen die veel in het laboratorium gebruikt worden, maar bijvoorbeeld ook van medicijnen en misschien zelfs van complete organen (bestemd voor transplantatie) in de toekomst wellicht worden opgerekt.
Daarnaast zijn er nog veel meer eiwitten die de wetenschappers graag onder de loep zouden nemen om het beerdiertje en zijn opmerkelijke eigenschappen nader te doorgronden. Uiteindelijk hopen Kunieda en collega’s zelfs meer dan 300 eiwitten van het beerdiertje te onderzoeken en zo verscheidene andere ‘superkrachten’ van het mysterieuze meercellige organisme te ontrafelen en waar mogelijk natuurlijk vervolgens ook in andere settings toe te passen.
ZO ERG IS HET ZOGEFFECT: WINDPARKEN OP ZEE VERANDEREN HET WEER TOT 150 KILOMETER VERDEROP
ZO ERG IS HET ZOGEFFECT: WINDPARKEN OP ZEE VERANDEREN HET WEER TOT 150 KILOMETER VERDEROP
Jeannette Kras
Je verwacht het misschien niet direct, maar windmolens hebben invloed op het weer in hun
Het is niet zo dat een groot windpark op zee klimaatverandering veroorzaakt. Het effect op het weer is plaatselijk, maar kan de lucht tot wel 200 meter hoogte beïnvloeden. Als de omstandigheden gunstig zijn, kunnen windmolenparken tot 150 kilometer verderop zorgen voor een afname van de windkracht.
Luchtlagen mixen De draaiende rotorbladen van een windturbine zetten de bewegingsenergie van de wind om in elektriciteit. Achter een windpark is er zodoende minder wind. Door het mixen van luchtlagen en de turbulentie die hierbij komt kijken, mengen vocht en warmte in de lucht beter. Dat kan – zeker bij de stabiele atmosfeer in het voorjaar en de vroege zomer, wanneer de zee kouder is dan de lucht erboven – zorgen voor aanzienlijke zogeffecten in de windschaduw van het windpark. De windturbines transporteren koudere en vochtigere lucht naar hogere luchtlagen, waardoor de kans op mist mogelijk afneemt en er meer kans is op laaghangende bewolking, al is er meer onderzoek nodig om deze weerseffecten met zekerheid te kunnen vaststellen.
Tien keer zoveel windparken in 2050 Op de hele Noordzee stond in 2020 ongeveer 19 gigawatt aan geïnstalleerd windturbinevermogen. In 2050 zal er naar verwachting tien keer zoveel windenergie worden opgewekt. Het geïnstalleerd vermogen is de hoeveelheid energie die windturbines kunnen produceren als ze altijd aan zouden staan en geen last zouden hebben van externe factoren. In werkelijkheid is de opbrengst lager, vanwege onder andere die zogeffecten, maar ook doordat windturbines soms stilstaan voor onderhoud.
Onderzoeker Peter Baas van de TU Delft (Whiffle) legt aan Scientias.nl uit hoe groot de zogeffecten kunnen zijn. “We onderzoeken met het WINS50-project het verschil tussen het geïnstalleerd vermogen en de werkelijke opbrengst van windturbines en windparken. De invloed van zogeffecten – dit is het effect waarbij de turbines van een windpark in elkaars windschaduw staan – hangt van veel factoren af. Zo spelen de afstand tussen de turbines, de hoeveelheid turbines in het park en het type windturbine allemaal een rol. Een recente studie met het atmosferische hogeresolutiemodel van Whiffle laat zien dat voor grote toekomstige windparken, waarbij het geïnstalleerd vermogen meerdere gigawatts bedraagt, de zogverliezen kunnen oplopen tot 15 procent of soms nog meer.”
Formatie op zee Een windpark is een obstakel waar de wind omheen en overheen wil. Het is dus interessant om te kijken wat de beste opstelling is voor een windpark en hoe windparken ten opzichte van elkaar kunnen worden geplaatst. “De formatie van de turbines in een windmolenpark speelt een belangrijke rol. Er wordt bij de aanleg van windparken dan ook uitgebreid naar gekeken om de opbrengst te optimaliseren. Zo kun je bij veel windparken zien dat de turbines in de richting van de meest voorkomende windrichting verder uit elkaar staan dan in de richting die daar loodrecht op staat”, zegt Baas.
Foto: Chesster RPK
Gebouwen in een stad kunnen ook effect hebben op de wind, maar dat is van een heel andere aard, legt de wetenschapper uit. “In een stad wordt de wind afgeremd door de gebouwen zelf. In een windpark wordt wind niet zozeer afgeremd door de turbines zelf maar door de energie die ze aan de wind onttrekken. Ook wordt de lucht direct beïnvloed tot hoogtes van 200 meter, terwijl in de meeste steden de gebouwen zich alleen laag bij de grond bevinden. Dus in een stad zit de afremming meest aan de grond, bij een windpark met name ter hoogte van de turbines. Zeker de toekomstige windparken zijn veel uitgestrekter qua oppervlakte dan een Nederlandse stad. Het effect van windparken op weer en wind is dus veel groter dan dat van een stad”, zegt Baas.
Negatief effect op opbrengst Het zal in de komende decennia steeds drukker worden in de Noordzee. Windparken zullen steeds vaker in elkaars schaduw staan. Het is daarom belangrijk om in te schatten hoeveel invloed dit soort effecten hebben op de opbrengst. Hoeveel groter zijn de zogeffecten in zo’n toekomstig scenario? “Ook dit is een van de vragen waar we in het WINS50-project aandacht aan besteden. Met het atmosfeermodel van Whiffle hebben we een pilotstudie uitgevoerd die laat zien dat omliggende windparken een significant negatief effect op de opbrengst van een windpark kunnen hebben”, aldus Baas.
Onderhoud en vogeltrek “Ook modelsimulaties die met het KNMI-weermodel zijn gedaan binnen het WINS50-project laten duidelijk zien dat zogeffecten van het ene park de wind bij een ander park kunnen beïnvloeden. We zien dat dit steeds belangrijker wordt omdat er zowel op de Noordzee als op andere locaties steeds grotere clusters van windparken ontstaan. Juist daar kunnen wij heel goed modelberekeningen op uitvoeren. Ook wordt bij de bouw van windparken rekening gehouden met trekroutes van vogels en vleermuizen. Windturbines staan niet alleen stil door onderhoud, maar moeten soms ook uitgezet worden vanwege de vogeltrek.”
Het verkleinen van opbrengstverlies, kan dan ook op allerlei manieren, legt Baas uit. “Ook oplossingen in de windturbine zelf spelen een rol. Zo kan ‘wake steering’, het sturen van de zogeffecten, mogelijk een positieve bijdrage leveren.” Hoeveel invloed dit allemaal heeft, is nog niet helemaal helder. “Er is nog veel onduidelijk als het gaat om de invloed van grootschalige uitbreiding van windparken op zee op de energieproductie en het weer. Binnen ons project proberen wij effecten in kaart te brengen en onzekerheden te verkleinen. Op die manier willen wij een bijdrage leveren aan de transitie naar hernieuwbare energie.”
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
Story by Molly Glick
This past year, long-form Horizons stories delved into the technologies that could dictate our future, including everything from cancer-destroying bacteriato a satellite-flinging launch station. Inverse’s in-depth reporting spanned forward-looking fields like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, robotics, and private space travel.
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
As 2022 comes to a close, a few stories stand out as the wildest, most inspiring breakthroughs. Here’s our list of the best Horizons stories of the year.
Space companies finally reckoned with their junk
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
As the private space race heats up, entrepreneurs are beginning to tackle the elephant in the room: the massive amounts of waste they leave behind in the final frontier. In recent years, space magnates have decided to incorporate reusable components into their rockets, though it isn’t entirely out of environmental concern — they also want to reduce operating costs. Here’s how space companies are going green-ish.
A glimpse of the 21st-century gold rush
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
As global demand for electric vehicles surges, it has become clear that we’re going to need tons of lithium for lithium-ion batteries. The sought-after metal is usually sourced from mines in Latin America, Australia, and China, but the world’s supply is limited — hence the recent sky-high lithium prices that are driving up the cost of EVs. But a solution to this dilemma could lie in a salt lake in California’s desert, where the lithium leftovers from geothermal plants may help satiate our appetite for EVs. Read the story here.
This classic sci-fi franchise is using AI to resurrect dead characters
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
Star Wars fans may have noticed that the resurrected young Luke Skywalker sounded a bit strange in The Mandalorianand The Book of Boba Fett. While some media outlets claimed that the CGI character had a completely synthesized voice, the production process wasn’t quite so simple. It was, in fact, based on Mark Hamill’s voice: A Ukrainian tech company fed an AI old audio recordings. This type of technology could change the film industry forever.
Getting to know 2022’s meme king
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
If you spent any time on Twitter over the past year, you likely encountered mind-bending memes that feel like screenshots from a fever dream — take, for example, images of Yoda robbing a liquor store, Guy Fieri giving a TED talk, or an octopus assembling Ikea furniture. We can thank machine-learning engineer Boris Dayma for democratizing the meme-making AI platform, DALL-E Mini. Here’s how (and why) he did it.
Robots could rival human chefs
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
Automatons have gotten pretty good at preparing food, whether it be flipping burgers or assembling pizzas. But scientists have long struggled to give them a crucial culinary ability: taste. This past spring, a team from the University of Cambridge laid out a technique to help bots assess a key dish characteristic. But can human chefs ever really be replaced? Dig in here.
When we’ll get headache-free EV road trips
Space junk, robot chefs, Star Wars clones: The 6 best innovation stories of 2022
Thanks to today’s wide selection of electric vehicles, cross-country road trips need no longer entail carbon-spewing cars. But treks in a Tesla or Nissan Leaf still aren’t as convenient as voyages done in gas-powered vehicles. EV chargers aren’t as ubiquitous as gas pumps, and it still takes a while to juice up an electric car. But the eco-friendly driving experience could eventually get a lot easier. Here’s when to expect an easier ride.
The tiniest possum in the world—once thought extinct—was discovered alive on an Australian island
The tiniest possum in the world—once thought extinct—was discovered alive on an Australian island
This amazing creature was considered extinct. However, it was discovered to exist in Australia.
When Kangaroo Island caught fire, many animals died. Back then, it was believed that many animal species had disappeared, but it seems that everything is not so bad.
Over 20 species were still found alive. Among them is this incredible creature.
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Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife is credited with discovering this creature
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The director of Exceptional Kangaroo Island, Craig Wickham, told Nevsveek that many animals were found after the disaster. This required many cameras with powerful sensors.
This possum is hard to spot, but it is truly an amazing creature.
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Fauna ecologist Pat Hodgens said there was always hope they would find the creature
When these worms begin consuming everything in their path, gigantic piers, ships, and fairy bridges are all endangered. And if this worm is starving and there is only a tiny snail around, all that will be left of it will be the shell. Why are grotesque beings so vital to our world? Where did the iron snail originate? Why did Darwin chop up worms? How did snails acquire long-range weaponry like harpoons? Let’s find out.
WETENSCHAPPERS VINDEN MYSTERIEUZE 'BLAUWE SMURRIE' OP DE BODEM VAN DE OCEAAN EN HEBBEN GEEN IDEE WAT HET IS
WETENSCHAPPERS VINDEN MYSTERIEUZE 'BLAUWE SMURRIE' OP DE BODEM VAN DE OCEAAN EN HEBBEN GEEN IDEE WAT HET IS
Caroline Kraaijvanger
Ideeën? Iemand?
Wetenschappers spotten de mysterieuze ‘blauwe smurrie’ tijdens een expeditie naar de Mid-Atlantische Rug; een grotendeels onder water gelegen bergketen in de Atlantische Oceaan. Onder meer met behulp van onderwaterrobots werd het gebied rondom deze keten – en het leven dat daar te vinden is – nader in kaart gebracht. Voorafgaand aan de expeditie verwachtten onderzoekers daarbij onder meer op diepzeekoraal en sponzen te stuitten, maar verrassingen waren zeker niet uitgesloten.
Blauwe smurrie En zo’n verrassing heeft zich nu dus aangediend in de vorm van wat de onderzoekers zelf ‘blauwe smurrie’ noemen. De ‘smurrie’ is op verschillende plekken voor de kust van de Amerikaanse Maagdeneilanden – op enkele honderden meters diepte – aangetroffen. En onderzoekers hebben geen idee wat het is.
Het zou een zacht koraal kunnen zijn, merkt één van de onderzoekers in bovenstaande video op. Maar, zo benadrukt een ander, we weten het nog niet. Het zou bijvoorbeeld ook een soort spons kunnen zijn. Of een soort manteldier. “Ik denk dat het een mysterie blijft, tot we het kunnen bemonsteren,” stelt één van de onderzoekers. Of tot een deskundige het op basis van de vrij scherpe beelden kan identificeren.
Gaten Het is zeker niet het eerste mysterie dat de expeditie naar Mid-Atlantische Rug voortbrengt. Zo stuitten onderzoekers eerder al op tamelijk mysterieuze gaten in de zeebodem waarvan nog altijd onbekend is hoe ze tot stand komen.
De nog altijd onverklaarbare gaten in de zeebodem die onderzoekers eerder aantroffen.
Afbeelding: NOAA Ocean Exploration, Voyage to the Ridge 2022.
En ook kwamen wetenschappers tijdens de expeditie een zeer zeldzame vergadering van zee-egels tegen. Onderzoekers zijn er nog maar zelden getuige van geweest dat zee-egels het gezellig maken samen. Maar wat de ontmoeting nog bijzonderder maakte, is dat alle verzamelde zee-egels zichzelf een ‘hoedje’ van puin hadden aangemeten. Waarom de zee-egels elkaar ontmoetten en waarom ze daarbij allemaal een hoedje op hadden, is nog altijd onduidelijk.
Eerder stuitten de onderzoekers tijdens de expeditie ook al op een zeldzame vergadering van zee-egels, waarbij alle verzamelde zee-egels ook nog eens een mysterieus ‘hoedje’ droegen.
Afbeeldingen: NOAA Ocean Exploration, Voyage to the Ridge 2022.
Zoveel onbekend De mysterieuze ontdekkingen op de bodem van de oceaan geven wel aan hoe belangrijk het is dat er meer onderzoek naar onze oceanen wordt gedaan. De oceaanbodem is nog tamelijk onontgonnen terrein; hoewel de oceaan zo’n 70 procent van het aardoppervlak bestrijkt, is slechts 20 procent van de wereldwijde zeebodem tot op heden in kaart gebracht. En ook de organismen die op de bodem en in de (dieper gelegen) wateren leven, hebben nog behoorlijk wat geheimen voor ons.
Langste bergketen Dat geldt zeker ook voor het gebied waar de beelden van de blauwe smurrie en mysterieuze gaten zijn gemaakt; de Mid-Atlantische Rug is met een lengte van 16.000 kilometer de langste bergketen op aarde, maar deze onder water gelegen berg en omgeving zijn nog nauwelijks bestudeerd. Wetenschappers probeerden daar recent daar tijdens een serie expedities – die samen aangeduid worden als ‘Voyage to the Ridge 2022‘ verandering in te brengen. Vanaf het onderzoeksschip Okeanos Explorer werd de Mid-Atlantische Rug en omgeving met sonarapparatuur in kaart gebracht, terwijl onderwaterrobots een inkijkje gaven in wat er allemaal in het gebied leeft. Want pas als we dat weten, kunnen we de ecosystemen gaan monitoren en eventueel ingrijpen als een ecosysteem – bijvoorbeeld door inmenging van mensen – in de knel dreigt te komen.
Eerder deze maand kwam de laatste van de serie expedities naar de Mid-Atlantische Rug ten einde. De komende tijd zal de sonardata gebruikt worden om de – nog altijd flinke – gaten in onze kaarten van de wereldwijde zeebodem te helpen opvullen. De onderzoekers leveren zo een bijdrage aan Seabed 2030: een project dat erop gericht is om de complete zeebodem tegen 2030 in kaart te hebben gebracht. Daarnaast zullen ook de door onderwaterrobots gemaakte beelden ongetwijfeld verder worden uitgeplozen. Of het tot identificatie van de nu nog mysterieuze blauwe smurrie zal leiden, is afwachten. Vaststaat dat de data leidend zal zijn voor het plannen van nieuwe expedities naar de bodem van de oceaan. Want wat alle vergaarde gegevens vooral laten zien, is dat er nog heel veel is wat we niet weten of in ieder geval slecht begrijpen.
After eating, a female gloomy octopus (left) tosses away empty shells. This requires an unusual position of the tube-shaped structure called the siphon, suggesting that the throw is deliberate.
Credit: P. Godfrey-Smith et al./PLOS ONE (CC BY 4.0)
For the first time, octopuses have been spotted throwing things — at each other1.
Octopuses are known for their solitary nature, but in Jervis Bay, Australia, the gloomy octopus (Octopus tetricus) lives at very high densities. A team of cephalopod researchers decided to film the creatures with underwater cameras to see whether — and how — they interact.
Once the researchers pulled the cameras out of the water, they sat down to watch more than 20 hours of footage. “I call it octopus TV,” laughs co-author David Scheel, a behavioural ecologist at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. One behaviour stood out: instances in which the eight-limbed creatures gathered shells, silt or algae with their arms — and then hurled them away, propelling them with water jetted from their siphon. And although some of the time it seemed that they were just throwing away debris or food leftovers, it did sometimes appear that they were throwing things at each other.
The team found clues that the octopuses were deliberately targeting one another. Throws that made contact with another octopus were relatively strong and often occurred when the thrower was displaying a uniform dark or medium body colour. Another clue: sometimes the octopuses on the receiving end ducked. Throws that made octo-contact were also more likely to be accomplished with a specific set of arms, and the projectile was more likely to be silt.
A gloomy octopus throws silt at another octopus as it approaches. For hitting fellow octopuses, silt is the projectile of choice.
Credit: P. Godfrey-Smith et al./PLOS ONE (CC BY 4.0)
“We weren’t able to try and assess what the reasons might be,” Scheel cautions. But throwing, he says, “might help these animals deal with the fact that there are so many octopuses around”. In other words, it is probably social.
Tamar Gutnick, an octopus neurobiologist at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy, says the work opens a new door for inquiries into the social lives of these famously clever animals. “The environment for these specific octopuses is such that they have this interaction between individuals,” she says. “It’s communication, in a way.”
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-03592-w
References
Godfrey-Smith, P., Scheel, D., Chancellor, S., Linquist, S. & Lawrence, M. PLoS ONE17, e0276482 (2022).
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Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
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