Images and insights on star death: Supernova 1987A | Space. When Supernova 1987A first appeared in earthly skies 26 years ago, astronomers were beside themselves with delight. It was the closest observed supernova since 1604. In this shining pinpoint in our sky, those fortunate to be in Earth’s Southern Hemisphere (in whose sky the supernova appeared) could see the death throes of a giant star. The new star remained visible to the eye for many months. It has been studied by astronomers for decades since. Today (April 2, 2013), astronomers in Australia and Hong Kong released new images and insights about this nearby supernova. Their work, published today in Astrophysical Journal, suggests that: … a compact source or pulsar wind nebula [is] sitting in the center of the radio emission, implying that the supernova explosion did not make the star collapse into a black hole. Their plan for the coming months and years is to attempt to observe further into the core of Supernova 1987A, and see what’s there. 1. 2. 3.
Iceman Mummy Suffered Head Blow Before Death. Ötzi the Iceman, Europe's oldest mummy, likely suffered a head injury before he died roughly 5,300 years ago, according to a new protein analysis of his brain tissue. Ever since a pair of hikers stumbled upon his astonishingly well-preserved frozen body in the Alps in 1991, Ötzi has become one of the most-studied ancient human specimens. His face, last meal, clothing and genome have been reconstructed — all contributing to a picture of Ötzi as a 45-year-old, hide-wearing, tattooed agriculturalist who was a native of Central Europe and suffered from heart disease, joint pain, tooth decay and probably Lyme disease before he died.
None of those conditions, however, directly led to his demise. A wound reveals Ötzi was hit in the shoulder with a deadly artery-piercing arrow, and an undigested meal in the Iceman's stomach suggests he was ambushed, researchers say. [Mummy Melodrama: Top 9 Secrets About Otzi the Iceman] 6 Women Scientists Who Were Snubbed Due to Sexism. In April, National Geographic News published a story about the letter in which scientist Francis Crick described DNA to his 12-year-old son.
In 1962, Crick was awarded a Nobel Prize for discovering the structure of DNA, along with fellow scientists James Watson and Maurice Wilkins. Several people posted comments about our story that noted one name was missing from the Nobel roster: Rosalind Franklin, a British biophysicist who also studied DNA. Her data were critical to Crick and Watson's work. But it turns out that Franklin would not have been eligible for the prize—she had passed away four years before Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received the prize, and the Nobel is never awarded posthumously.
But even if she had been alive, she may still have been overlooked. Over the centuries, female researchers have had to work as "volunteer" faculty members, seen credit for significant discoveries they've made assigned to male colleagues, and been written out of textbooks. Underground Supermodels. Corbis, Frans Lanting Pitch dark, dank, and seething with saber-toothed, sausage-shaped creatures, the world of the African naked mole-rat is a hostile habitat. In the 1980s, scientists made the remarkable discovery that naked mole-rats live like termites with a single, dominant breeding queen and scores of nonbreeding adult helpers that never leave their natal colony. But the bizarreness doesn’t stop there. Naked mole-rats, unlike other mammals, tolerate variable body temperatures, attributed to their lack of an insulatory layer of fur. Brain tissue of naked mole-rats remains functional with no oxygen supply for more than three times as long as brain tissue of laboratory mice.
The current hypotheses for the existence of this suite of unusual features center around the equally unusual lifestyle traits of the naked mole-rat. No oxygen? Most mammalian brains, including those of humans, start to suffer damage after just 3–4 minutes of oxygen deprivation. Feeling no pain Cancer schmancer. Most Distant Supernova May Shed Light on Dark Energy. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has spied a supernova ten billion light-years from Earth—the most distant stellar explosion of its kind ever detected, a new study says. (See "Biggest Star Explosion Seen; Was Rare, 'Clean' Death. " ) The faint, near-infrared speck of light from this ancient beacon, dubbed UDS10Wil, now pushes back the previous record-holder by 350 million light-years. The newfound supernova, along with seven other stellar blasts more than nine billion light-years out, is part of a three-year Hubble survey of faraway supernovae. These eight faraway phenomena appear to be Type Ia supernovae, which are used as "standard candles" because they emit approximately the same amount of energy in the form of light whether they're in a galaxy close to us or billions of light-years away.
The small differences that exist can be calibrated. Shedding Light on Dark Energy Far-Out Supernovae Could there be even more remote supernovae awaiting discovery? Chilean rose tarantula. The Rose Hair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea), also known in the United States as the Chilean rose tarantula, Chilean flame tarantula, Chilean fire tarantula or the Chilean red-haired tarantula (depending on the colormorph), is probably the most common species of tarantula available in American and European pet stores today, due to the large number of wild-caught specimens exported cheaply from their native Chile into the pet trade.
The species is also known from Bolivia and Argentina.[1] G. rosea is a common pet of tarantula hobbyists. Females have been known to live as long as 15–20 years, but due to the limited time they have been available on the market (and hence for extensive study) it is possible that they may live considerably longer than 20 years. There is considerable confusion between this species and Grammostola porteri, with some arguing that many of the "G. rosea" in the pet trade (such as the specimen in the taxobox photo to the left) actually are G. porteri. Habitat[edit] Mexican redknee tarantula.
Brachypelma smithi (common name the Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula), is a terrestrial tarantula native to the western faces of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre del Sur mountain ranges in Mexico. They are a large species, and are a popular choice for enthusiasts. Like most tarantulas, they live a very long life. Description[edit] The mature Brachypelma Smithi has a dark-colored body with orange patches on the joints of its legs. An adult female has a body roughly 4 inches long, with a leg span of 6 inches, and a mass of approximately 15 grams. Longevity[edit] The Mexican redknee grows very slowly and matures relatively late. Molting[edit] Like all tarantulas, the Mexican Red knee, a mygalomorph,[1] must go through a molting process in order to grow.
Behavior[edit] Like most New World tarantulas, they will kick urticating hairs from their abdomens and their back legs if disturbed, rather than bite. Habitat[edit] References[edit] Jump up ^ "Infraorder Mygalomorphae - Mygalomorphs". Mosh Pit Math: Physicists Analyze Rowdy Crowd. Hide captionFans in the mosh pit during the performance of Liturgy at the 2012 Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park, Chicago, on July 14, 2012. Roger Kisby/Getty Images Fans in the mosh pit during the performance of Liturgy at the 2012 Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park, Chicago, on July 14, 2012.
Physics and heavy metal don't seem to have a lot in common, but Matt Bierbaum and Jesse Silverberg have found a connection. Both are graduate students at Cornell University. They're also metal heads who enjoy going to concerts and hurling themselves into mosh pits full of like-minded fans. About five years ago Silverberg took his girlfriend to her first gig. While he was watching, he realized that the motion of people in a mosh pit looks kind of like molecules moving in a gas. "It was basically just this random mess of collisions, which is essentially how you want to think about the gas in the air that we breathe," he says.
YouTube Note: This video contains profanity. Brain-Scanning Headphones Match Songs to Your Mood. Compiling the perfect song playlist has a well-known reputation for being a transcending, yet agonizing, form of art. But what if we could could delete the agony of finding the perfect song and tap into the ecstasy of having it chosen for us? NEWS: Brain Scanner Customizes Web Surfing That’s where Mico headphones enter the picture. Developed by Neurowear, the headphones feature a protruding electroencephalograph (EEG) sensor that scans brain patterns to match a person’s mood with an appropriate song. When plugged in to a smart device running Mico’s app, the headphones detect the wearer’s state of mind and select a “neuro-tagged,” mood-fitting song from Neurowear’s database. While the headphones are definitely an intriguing concept, they do seem to ignore the possibility that a person might not want to listen to a song that reflects their mood. BLOG: First Electronic Tattoo Printed Onto Skin via Gizmag Credit: Neurowear.
New Guinea singing dog. The New Guinea singing dog (also known as the New Guinea dingo, Hallstrom dog, bush dingo, New Guinea wild dog, and singer) is a wild dog once found throughout New Guinea. New Guinea singing dogs are named for their unique vocalization. Little is known about New Guinea singing dogs in their native habitat. There are only two confirmed photographs of wild singing dogs.[1] Current genetic research indicates that the ancestors of New Guinea dingoes were probably taken overland through present day China to New Guinea by travelers during pre-Neolithic times.[2] Captive-bred New Guinea dingoes serve as companion dogs.
Part of conservation efforts focus attention on their intelligence and physical abilities. History and classification[edit] A singing dog after a bone The first singing dog was taken from New Guinea in 1897. MacGregor sent both the skin and the skeleton, preserved in alcohol, to the Queensland Museum. In 1956, Albert Speer and J.P. Dr. Physical description[edit] Build[edit] Fur[edit] Blue Lacy. The Lacy Dog or Blue Lacy Dog[1] is a breed of working dog that originated in Texas in the mid-19th century.[2] The Lacy was first recognized in 2001 by the Texas Senate. In Senate Resolution No. 436, the 77th Legislature honored the Lacy as "a true Texas breed". In June 2005, Governor Rick Perry signed the legislation adopting the blue Lacy as "the official State Dog Breed of Texas".[2] As expected, the vast majority of Lacy dogs are found in Texas. However, as the breed becomes more well recognized, there are breeding populations being established across the United States, and in Canada.
Description[edit] Appearance[edit] Lacy dogs are strong and fast, lightly built but proportional within the height-to-weight ratio. Color[edit] Though they are often called "blue" Lacys, there are three permissible color varieties of the Lacy. Coat[edit] The coat should be short, smooth and tight. Temperament[edit] Tricolor Lacy Dogs in general are intelligent, intense, active, and alert. Activities[edit]
Carolina Dog. The Carolina Dog, or American Dingo, was originally a landrace or naturally selected type of dog which was discovered living as a wild dog or free roaming dog by Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin. Carolina Dogs are now bred and kept in captive collections or packs, and as pets. A breed standard has been developed by the United Kennel Club that now specifies the appearance of these dogs.[1] Discovery[edit] Dr. Horace, a stray white dog with brown markings, was wandering the site's boundary when he caught Brisbin’s attention. Evidence of ancient roots[edit] Physical[edit] Some ancient paintings and rock art of Native Americans depict dogs that have physical traits similar to those of Carolina Dogs.
Height: 17-24 inches (45–61 cm.) Dixie Dingo Behavior[edit] In the 1980s, most Carolina Dogs were moved to captivity for study. After they gave birth or while pregnant, the dog would carefully push sand with her snout to cover her excrement. Carolina Dog / American Dingo Temperament[edit] DNA testing[edit] Catahoula Cur. The Catahoula Cur is an American dog breed named after Catahoula Parish, in the state of Louisiana, in the United States. After becoming the state dog of Louisiana in 1979, its name was officially changed to Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog. The Catahoula is believed to be the first dog breed developed in North America[citation needed]. The breed is sometimes referred to as the "Catahoula Hound" or "Catahoula Leopard Hound", although it is not a true hound, but a cur.
It is also called the "Catahoula Hog Dog", reflecting its traditional use in hunting wild boar. History[edit] The history of the Catahoula dog breed extends from prehistory through modern times, in the early 21st century. Origins[edit] The history of both the Catahoula lineage and the origins of the name "Catahoula" are both subject to uncertainty, however there are various theories (or hypotheses). There are two theories regarding the origin of the word 'Catahoula.' Bowie brothers[edit] Louisiana Governor Earl K. Recent[edit] Fennec fox. The fennec fox or fennec (Vulpes zerda) is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which also serve to dissipate heat. Its name comes from the Arabic word فنك (fanak), which means fox, and the species name zerda comes from the Greek word xeros which means dry, referring to the fox's habitat.[2] The fennec is the smallest species of canid in the world.
Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to high-temperature, low-water, desert environments. In addition, its hearing is sensitive enough to hear prey moving underground. It mainly eats insects, small mammals, and birds. The fennec has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity. Description Taxonomy Behavior Social behavior An 1876 sketch of a pack of fennec foxes Information on fennec fox social behavior is mainly based on captive animals.
Diet and hunting The species is able to live without free water, as its kidneys are adapted to restrict water loss. Do Dogs Forgive? | Dog Care - The Daily Puppy. Some dogs have rotten luck. Thousands of abused and abandoned pups show up in shelters every day, and humans are often amazed at the forgiveness and resilience these animals show. But do dogs really forgive people who have wronged them? It’s important to understand some basics regarding dogs, their emotions and the ways in which they learn. Dogs do forgive, but it may not be the same forgiveness you’d recognize in the human emotional spectrum. What Dogs Feel Dogs feel emotions, but they have a smaller range of feelings than humans. Pattern Recognition What many owners mistake for complex emotions on the part of their dog is actually the manifestation of pattern recognition.
About the Author Based primarily in Austin, Texas, Todd Bowerman has been working as a writer since 2004. Dog And Human Genomes Evolved Together. Gyrfalcon. Peregrine Falcon. Hydrocephalus. PDD-NOS. Status epilepticus. Bees Buzzing on Caffeine. Euglossa bazinga. Actor Johnny Depp immortalized in name of fossilized creature with 'scissor hand' claws. Monkeys Stay Away from Mean People. 'When in Rome': Monkeys found to conform to social norms. Baboon sounds may hold key to origins of human speech | The Sideshow.
Frost Flowers. Molecular trigger for Alzheimer's disease identified. Help Decelerate Polar Bears’ Rapid Decline. (VIDEO) Miracles of Engineering in Peru: Drinking Water Out of a Billboard. How to Make an Ecosystem in a Bottle. Extinct Species That Could Be Brought Back. Scientists Want to Bring Some Animals Back from Extinction. Resurrecting the Extinct Frog with a Stomach for a Womb.