A worker in front of the Obelisk during work (courtesy Getty/AFP Images)

In 1937 dictator Benito Mussolini had the obelisk moved to the square in Rome where it stood as a commemoration of Ethiopian conquest before the Ministry for Italian Ethiopia. After World War II a UN agreement forced a return of the monument to its rightful owners, the people of Ethiopia. Unfortunately it has take over 50 years for the agreement to be honored, but still its return appear to be healing old wounds between the African country and its former occupiers. According to a Reuters story, it cost the Italian government over $10 million in shipping and construction costs alone to re-erect the looted treasure.

Axum, was a thriving center of an ancient trading empire almost two mellinia ago. Centuries before the birth of Christ, the Auximite civilization was the envy of the ancient world. The legend of the Queen of Sheba, Solomon and their son’s absconding with none other than the Ark of the Covenant, permiate a rich Ethiopian culture that has its roots in the lore of both antiquity and biblical history. The “arc” legend is perhaps the most interesting of these, and many believe that if the fabled Arc still exists, that its resting place may well be here. Ethiopians consider themselves the decedents of this great civilization and rightfully, their rejoicing was apt for the Axum Obelisk’s return.

Recent archaeological discoveries indicate that the Queen of Sheba and the Kingdom of Sheba stretched even into southern Arabia. Our traditional view of Ethiopia, antiquity and Africa in general has always been rather limited in scope with regard to its impact on modern culture. Not many people really know much other than bible stories with little or no geographical or historical context to place them in.

The Bar’an temple in Ma’rib Yemen (courtesy Wikipedia)

It is interesting to see in this one example, how the gravity of symbols and perhaps even folklore tend to re-center objects and sometimes thinking back to their original context. For this writer, it is wonderful and interesting news to see antiquity returning to its rightful place in the news and in the hearts of those people affected by it.

Axum northern stelea park (courtesy Wikipedia)

British scientists of the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, were offered £462,000 by the Natural Environment Research Council to explore what they call the “lost world” that will provide for some important clues and evidence that will help solving the global puzzle of deep sea life.

The research will span over the next three years and it will be conducted from the board if UK research ship RRS James Cook by recognized experts in the field: geologist Dr. Bramley Murton, oceanographer Dr. Kate Stansfield, geochemist Dr. Doug Connelly, and marine biologists Dr. Jon Copley and Professor Paul Tyler.

Exploring the deep sea has had important impacts on our lives. Being the largest ecosystem on our planet, the ocean already provided

“new cancer treatments and better fibre-optic cables for the internet, both thanks to deep-sea creatures.” - Dr. Jon Copley

Full story at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton - ‘Lost world’ beneath the Caribbean

There are no clear answers to why they vanished. For many years the explanations were reduced to Homo sapiens were more intelligent and more advanced than Neanderthals and they survived by producing better tools.

New research shows that the Neanderthals were as skilled tools craftsmen as the Homo sapiens.

According to Metin Eren

“It is time for archaeologists to start searching for other reasons why Neanderthals became extinct while our ancestors survived. Technologically speaking, there is no clear advantage of one tool over the other. When we think of Neanderthals, we need to stop thinking in terms of ’stupid’ or ‘less advanced’ and more in terms of ‘different.’”

Indeed, according to research conducted by a team of archaeologists from the University of Exeter, Southern Methodist University, Texas State University and the Think Computer Corporation, the tools used by Homo sapiens were not more efficient than the tools used by Neanderthals. What’s even more surprising is that in some aspects the Neanderthals’ tools proved to be more efficient.

Now researchers need to answer to why Homo sapiens switched from the tools used by Neanderthals to a different technology as well as to find the answer to why did the Neanderthals actually died?

Related story: Neanderthals Matched Brawn With Brains

Robert Connolly from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology has recently declared for Discovery News:

“I studied one of the mummies, the larger one, back in 1979 [and] determined the blood group data from this baby mummy and compared it with my 1969 blood grouping of Tutankhamen. The results confirmed that this larger fetus could indeed be the daughter of Tutankhamen.”

Whether his statements are true, we will only find in December this year, when the DNA tests and CT scans are finished. The research will be conducted at the Egyptian Museum with funding from the Discovery Channel.

In the meanwhile the paternity of the two female fetuses is still subject of debate. There is also the question about who was the fetuses’ mother. It is of course possible that the mother was Ankhesenpaaten, Tutankhamen’s wife, but in the absence of DNA proof this is pure speculation.

However, Connolly’s statements are logic and make sense:

“Since these two fetuses were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, there is no reason to think that they were other than his offspring.”

The method is called “geographic profiling” and it starts from the premise that like animals, serial killers like to create a “safe” zone around their habitat and travel to more distant locations to commit crimes.

“They want to operate in a comfort zone, close to an area they know but not where everyone knows them,” said Kim Rossmo, who originally developed geographic profiling in the 1980’s.

Assuming that the criminals are not smart enough as to read the news online and to change their patterns, it is always interesting to learn new things about criminology.

Rossmo thinks that the same method could be used by zoologists and it could also be applied in other areas, like epidemiology. Applying geographic profiling to animal studies help to better understand predator species.

For example in stickleback fish studies conducted by Nigel Raine it was proved that the fish create nests for their eggs in the midst of vegetation but travel further away to forage. The vegetation near the nest is kept intact to hide the nest from other predators.

The most interesting observation comes from Lorie Velarde, a GIS analyst for the Irvine California Police Department:

“If there is something happening in the animal world it certainly applies to the human world as well,” she said.

And…

GP works great. The cases where it isn’t as accurate is where we don’t have enough crimes.

Source: Bees, Fish Analyzed to Understand Serial Killers

The dandelions that are actually needed to produce rubber are from the Taraxacum koksaghyz family, a plant that grows in Uzbekistan and it is also known as the Russian dandelion. Up to 20% of this plant’s root is rubber ready, without needing biotechnological modification. Currently the researchers from Oregon State University are working with the Ohio scientists to develop seeds that might increase yields. In a few years the processing plants in Ohio will have the capacity to produce 20 million tons of dandelion rubber annually, numbers that will potentially triple by 2015.

No matter what researchers have tried so far they couldn’t find a suitable synthetic replacement for rubber. All synthetic rubber created has impurities that make it inferior to natural rubber.

All drivers know that the highest amount of natural rubber used in the production of a tire the highest the price they need to pay. Natural rubber is simply safer and steadier.

Last but not least, it is probably good to know that the first to make tires out of Taraxacum kok-saghyz rubber were the Soviets back in the World War II.

Read the full story at Discovery.

Polypterus senegalus, also known as the Senegal Bichir or the Dinosaur Eel has some special scale characteristics that make it almost indestructible. The scales are about 500 millionths of a meter thick, displayed in four layers of different geometry and thickens. The natural “design” protects the fish against enemy bites. The soft tissues under the scales remain unharmed and the layers also limit the damage to the shield.

The fish is believed to be one of the oldest inhabitants of the muddy pools of West Africa – its closest ancestors inhabited these waters 96 million years ago. Its defense mechanism shows that there is still a lot to learn from the nature surrounding us and that the best “inventions” do not wear human signature.

The study was conducted by experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and backed up by the Pentagon (naturally). Enthusiasts can read the full study in Nature Materials’ tomorrow edition.

No Fish Tale

A recent Megafishes project headed b Biologist Zeb Hogan aimed to document over 20 species at least two meters in length or above 220 pounds. Hogan and his team documented some truly amazing species and sadly revealed that most of these megafish are endangered or even possible extinct.

Overfishing and human encroachment on habitats have all but decimated these particularly specialized creatures. Even the world’s top contender for largest freshwater fish - the Chinese paddlefish is possibly extinct already. There have been no sightings of this species (see image below) since 2003 according to a story on the National Geographic site.

The paddlefish is probably the largest freshwater fish

Awareness Equals Salvation

Hogan’s 3 year project is as much about making people aware as it is about research. The project spans 6 continents in search of some of the largest freshwater species in the world, and according to on Hogan admirer; “Some of the ugliest creatures on the planet”. Asia appears to be home to more gigantic freshwater specimens than any other local, and Hogan’s team

Hogan’s Megafishes project is a three-year endeavor which has taken his team to six continents, especially in Asia, where there are more species of freshwater giant fish than any other area of the planet. With resources from the National Geographic Society, Hogan’s megafish-finders hope to raise awareness and possibly save these fascinating creatures. According to Hogan, most people do not even know these fish exist.

Giant Barb in Cambodia - Evidence suggests some were 10 feet long

If steps are not taken to save them, many will never suspect they ever did. Like so many species on our planet, these megafishes have fallen victim to unsustainable growth and basically ignorance. It seems to this writer that if we cannot save our most extraordinary specimens, the fate of lesser creatures is fairly sealed. Fascinating creatures, and yes ugly.

South American Arapaima

Images courtesy National Geographic

GLAST is designed to investigate perhaps them most exotic and interesting data in the universe and nothing short of a phenomenal music accompaniment would seem fitting. However, mixing cold space data with harmonic beauty mirrors the difficulty of space exploration itself.

Gasser is first and foremost a musician, with little or no training in science the composer was faced with a rather daunting task. Glasser was asked to undertake the challenge by Dr. Peter Michelson of Stanford University, who is the Principal Investigator of GLAST - Michelson suggested the commemoration of the mission via an original music score. Gasser immediately set about learning as much as possible about the GLAST mission.

“Having received a commission to compose a work for the launch and mission of the GLAST space telescope, I naturally felt obliged to learn something about it. My research included a lot of reading on the topics of GLAST, gamma rays, the electro-magnetic spectrum, particle physics, the history of astronomy and the telescope, etc.,” said Gasser.

According to the news from NASA, Gasser composed the GLAST Prelude to tell the mission’s story in six basic elements:

1. A general beginning celebrating the overall mission.
2. Preparation for launch, as GLAST is readied upon the Delta II rocket, and the countdown is begun.
3. A pause during the countdown as if entering a “dream sequence”.
4. A history of astronomy, the electromagnetic spectrum, instrumental cooperation.
5. Back to the launch pad, and a resumption of the countdown.
6. Finally, lift-off and GLAST into orbit, opening of solar panels, and the beginning of work.

The music of GLAST was recorded by the world renowned American Brass Quartet and then transposed into its full version by Goddard TV. Animation was a key for the impactful integration from art to science to sound and visual and Goddard’s Conceptual Image Lab did most of this work. The debut of the final work was presented prior to launch at Cocoa Beach before NASA and GLAST contractors. The debut was also sponsored by General Dynamics and Stanford University.

Struggling to create the GLAST Prelude made Gasser realize another link between art and science. According to Gasser, both scientists and artists often share in the experience of having flashes of inspiration, which are often followed by “nose to the grindstone” work to achieve the vision. Beyond the mathematical certainty of science and music, there surely reside other parallels we are not aware of. It is a little difficult to synthesize the often cool and calculating data of science with the synergy and loveliness of music, but perhaps in the end, as in most circumstance excellence is not that far removed from excellence.

To view the GLAST music video, go here and check it out!

According to a communiqué by The National Academies, a report from the US National Research Council states that by the end of 2020 here will be around 2 million. By the end of 2023 the production costs of such vehicles could become competitive with conventional vehicles.

The report also reveals preliminary costs that would be needed to make the transition from conventional oil powered vehicles to hydrogen fuels. About $55 billion in government support will be needed at least till the end of 2023 and it is expected that the private industry would invest around $145 billion.

Hydrogen vehicles will drastically reduce oil dependence and carbon dioxide emissions. This means that the transition will bring a positive contribution to the environment. This contribution though is entirely dependent on how the hydrogen is produced. There are of course alternatives to hydrogen powered vehicles like biofuels and fuel-efficient conventional vehicles. All these together could reduce greenhouse gas emissions to less than 20% of current levels by 2050.

The study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.