Russian mathematician declines Fields Medal

A Russian mathematician, Grigori ("Grisha") Perelman, who is credited proving the Poincaré conjecture declined to accept the Fields Medal, regarded as the highest honor in the field of mathematics.

The Fields Medal, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of mathematics", was awarded this year to Andrei Okounkov (Russia/US), Terence Tao (Australia/US) and  Wendelin Werner (France) in addition to Perelman. The award was handed out by King Juan Carlos of Spain and is accompanied by a C$15'000 (approximately US$13'400 or 10'400EUR) cash prize (less than the one million Euros that come with the Nobel prize). Nominees have to be under 40 years, because the founder of the award, Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields wanted the medal to be a stimulus for future endeavours.

Perelman submitted two papers in 2002 and 2003 outlining a proof for Thurston's geometrization conjecture, which in turn, implies a proof for the Poincaré conjecture. Other mathematicians filling in the details have found no flaws in Perelman's approach yet. In 2003, Perelman made a short tour in the United States to explain his proof of the conjecture. When he went back to the St Petersburg department of the Steklov Institute of Mathematics, he gave up his job, and is reported to be unemployed and living with his mother ever since.

"The reason Perelman gave me is that he feels isolated from the mathematical community and therefore has no wish to appear as one of its leaders." declared Manuel de Leon, chairman of the Congress, when asked about Grisha's motivation to decline. Prof. John Ball, retiring president of the International Mathematical Union, added: "The reason centres on his feeling of isolation from the mathematical community." Perelman's friend Anatoly Vershik said the reclusive math genius just wanted to be declared correct, and regarded recognition as superficial.

The Poincaré conjecture is widely considered one of the most important questions in topology (a branch of mathematics concerned with spatial properties preserved under deformation like stretching without tearing or gluing). It is one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems for which the Clay Mathematics Institute is offering a $1,000,000 prize for a correct solution.

Observers speculate that he will also refuse this prize. In 1997, he also refused an award by the European Congress of Mathematicians, because he deemed the judges unable to understand his work. A spokesman for the Institute said it would decide on the prize in two years. Richard Hamilton's "Ricci flow" equation could also earn him a part of the prize, since it formed the basis for Perelman's papers.

In 1966, German Alexander Grothendieck refused his Fields Medal in Moscow out of protest against the presence of the Red Army in Eastern Europe. But later he accepted it.

The Poincaré conjecture is not an easy thing to explain in plain English. A sphere as we know it is called a two-dimensional sphere in topology (because it's surface can be approximated by a two-dimensional plane). The four-dimensional analogue of such a 2-sphere is a 3-sphere (which is an example of a 3-manifold).

Now imagine a ball and a donut made of rubber. If you throw a lasso around the ball and pull, you can squeeze it to a single point and slide off the lasso. But you can't do that with the noose through the hole of a donut, the only way is to cut through the donut. So in topology, there are basically two kinds of objects: objects with or without holes. By deforming objects without holes you can make them look like a sphere, but this is impossible for objects with holes. So basically, Grisha proved that in topology a ball and a banana are the same.

The Poincaré conjecture surmises that if a closed three-dimensional manifold (our multiple-dimension banana) is sufficiently like a 3-sphere (a kind of hypersphere) in that each loop in the manifold can be tightened to a point, then it is really just a three-dimensional sphere.


Russischer Mathematiker Grigori Perelman lehnt Fields-Medaille ab

Madrid (Spanien), 23.08.2006 – Auf dem zurzeit in Madrid stattfindenden „International Congress of Mathematicians“ (ICM) wurde gestern drei Mathematikern die Fields-Medaille überreicht. Grigori Perelman, ein russischer Mathematiker, der in den Jahren 2002 und 2003 anscheinend die so genannte Poincaré-Vermutung gelöst hat, nahm jedoch nicht an dem Kongress teil und lehnte den Preis ab.

Die Poincaré-Vermutung wurde bereits im Jahre 1904 von dem französischen Mathematiker Henri Poincaré aufgestellt, und seitdem waren immer wieder Mathematiker von dem Problem fasziniert. Es handelt sich dabei um ein zentrales Problem in der Topologie, einem Teilgebiet der Mathematik. Ob Perelmans Beweis für die Vermutung wirklich richtig ist, ist momentan noch unklar. Er wird noch von Mathematikern überprüft. Hält er den Prüfungen stand, so wird Perelman einen vom Clay Institute of Mathematics ausgelobten Preis in Höhe von einer Million US-Dollar erhalten. Die Poincaré-Vermutung gehört zu den sieben Millenniumproblemen der Mathematik.

Perelman lehne die Fields-Medaille ab, weil er sich in der mathematischen Gemeinschaft isoliert fühle, berichtete John Ball, der Präsident der „International Mathematical Union“. Ball war nach St. Petersburg gereist, um Perelman zu überzeugen, den Preis doch anzunehmen.

Den übrigen Gewinnern der Fields-Medaillen, Andrei Okunkow von der Princeton University in New Jersey, USA, Terence Tao von der University of California in Los Angeles, USA, und Wendelin Werner von der Université de Paris-Sud in Orsay, Frankreich, überreichte der spanische König Juan Carlos die Preise.

Okunkow ist bekannt für seine Entdeckung von unerwarteten Zusammenhängen zwischen Ergebnissen der Algebraischen Geometrie auf mathematischer Seite und Ergebnissen aus der Statistischen Mechanik in der Physik. Tao, der erst 31 Jahre alt ist und bereits mehr als 80 Artikel veröffentlicht hat, hat sich durch seine Forschungsergebnisse in der Zahlentheorie und bei den mathematischen Hintergründen der Relativitätstheorie und der Quantenmechanik einen Namen in der mathematischen Gemeinschaft gemacht. Werner ist für die mathematischen Hintergründe, die er zum physikalischen Phänomen der Phasenverschiebung erarbeitet hat, berühmt.

Die Fields-Medaille ist einer der angesehensten Preise unter den Mathematikern und wird manchmal auch als „Nobelpreis der Mathematik“ bezeichnet. Der Preis hat einen Wert von 15.000 kanadischen Dollar, das sind umgerechnet zurzeit etwa 10.500 Euro.


Le Russe Grigori Perelman refuse la médaille Fields

Pour sa démontration de la conjecture de Poincaré, le mathématicien russe Grigori Perelman se voyait recevoir le prix tant convoité avec trois autres collègues russes, australien et français. Cependant, M. Perelman a décliné l'offre l'année de ses quarante ans (il faut avoir moins de 40 ans pour avoir le prix). De plus, n'ayant à ce jour pas publié ses résultats sur la conjecture de Poincaré dans une revue spécialisée. D'autre part, la récompense d'un million de dollars remis par le Clay Mathematics Institute ne lui sera pas versée (il ne l'aurait pas demandée). En l'an 2000, l'institut avait classé cette conjecture comme l'un des « sept problèmes du millénaire ». Il avait déjà refusé le Prix du jeune mathématicien décerné par la Société mathématique européenne en 1996.

Les trois autres lauréats sont le Français Wendelin Werner, l'Australien Terence Tao et un autre Russe, Andrei Okounkov. Ils ont reçu ce prestigieux prix à l'ouverture à Madrid du 25e Congrès international des Mathématiques (CIM), qui réunit jusqu'au 30 août quelque 3500 mathématiciens.

La Médaille Fields, du nom du mathématicien canadien John Charles Fields, représente la plus haute distinction existant dans la branche. Elle est distribuée depuis 1936, tous les quatre ans, à des chercheurs de moins de 40 ans. Au total, 48 scientifiques ont désormais été honorés.


Russian polar submarine TV footage faked

Part of the video footage of the Russian submarines (MIR 1 and 2) planting a flag on the sea bed at the North pole, shown by Russian state TV channel Rossiya and re-broadcasted by Reuters, included shots from the James Cameron film Titanic, according to a Finnish newspaper.

The inclusion of the Titanic fragment was spotted by a 13-year-old Finnish boy, Waltteri Seretin, who compared Reuters' pictures with his own DVD version of the Titanic film. He alerted the Finnish tabloid paper Ilta-Sanomat. Screen grabs form the Rossiya footage were shown on web sites and newspapers around the world.

The two MIR submarines used in the Russian expedition were designed in Russia but actually made in Finland, and were indeed used in the Titanic film. However The Guardian reports that the shots used by Rossiya were in fact models shot in the studio. The Russian channel broadcast the pictures before the pole was reached and claimed it was using it in the same spirit as library footage. However Reuters gave the impression that it was actual footage of the expedition. Reuters published an apology, but only admitted that the pictures were from the Atlantic, not the Arctic, and not admitting that the footage showed a studio model.

NTV channel, who sent their correspondent on icebreacker, broadcast the actual videos, filmed from inside the submarine.[1]


Video del submarino ruso transmitido por TV fue una farsa

El video del submarino transmitido por Rossiya, un canal de TV controlado por el estado de Rusia, que mostraba claramente a los submarinos MIR 1 y 2 plantando una bandera rusa de titanio en el lecho del Ártico, fue una farsa e incluía imágenes de la película Titanic (1997) de James Cameron, de acuerdo a lo que reportó un diario de Finlandia.

El video fue mostrado en la web y periódicos de todo el mundo.

La inclusión del video fue notada por un niño finés de 13 años, Waltteri Seretin, que comparó la versión de Reuters con su versión en DVD de Titanic. Esto fue publicado el tabloide Ilta-Sanomat.

Los dos submarinos MIR utilizados en la expedició rusa fueron diseñados en Rusia pero fueron hecho en Finlandia, y fueron utilizados de hecho en la película Titanic. Sin embargo, The Guardian reportó que las imágenes utilizadas por Rossiya eran de hecho tomas en un estudio.

El canal de televisión mostró las imágenes antes de que llegara al polo.

Sin embargo, Reuters dio la impresión que era una transmisión verdadera de la expedición. Reuters publicó una disculpa, y admitió que las imágenes eran del Atlántico, y no del Ártico, aunque no admitió que la transmisión había sido hecha en un estudio.


Russian spacecraft Phobos-Grunt falls in Pacific Ocean

The Russian spacecraft Phobos-Grunt fell into the Pacific Ocean some 1,250 kilometers west of Wellington, Chile yesterday after circling in Earth orbit for two months. The spacecraft was designed to retrieve soil samples from the largest moon of Mars, Phobos, but its engines failed and it had remained in Earth orbit ever since.

According to the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), the spacecraft was in a near-Earth orbit with perigee 113.8 km and apogee 133.2 km at 8.15 p.m. UTC yesterday. It fell into the Pacific ocean around 9.45 p.m.

Predictions had varied on whether any segments would reach the Earth's surface, and it is still unknown whether any did so. People from New Zealand and London reported sighting the spacecraft glowing bright orange as it passed eastwards.

Russian authorities plan to determine the reasons behind the accident. The failure of the mission is being considered as a major setback in Russia’s interplanetary programme. Vadim Lukashevich, a space expert, commented, "Five and half billion rubles and all the hopes of Russian space science for a revival… today burn up without any glory in the earth’s atmosphere."


La sonda espacial rusa Fobos-Grunt cae en el Océano Pacífico

La sonda espacial rusa Fobos-Grunt cayó ayer en el Océano Pacífico a unos 1.250 kilómetros al oeste de la isla Wellington, Chile, tras orbitar alrededor de la Tierra durante dos meses. La sonda fue diseñada para recuperar muestras del suelo del mayor satélite de Marte, Fobos; pero sus motores fallaron y la sonda se mantuvo en la órbita de la Tierra desde entonces.

De acuerdo con Roscosmos (Agencia Espacial Federal Rusa), la nave estaba en una órbita cercana a la Tierra con un perigeo de 113,8 kilómetros y un apogeo de 133,2 kilómetros a las 20:15 UTC de ayer. Cayó al Océano Pacífico cerca de las 21:45.

Las predicciones habían variado acerca de si alguno de los segmentos llegarían a la superficie terrestre, y aún se desconoce si alguno lo hizo. Testigos en Nueva Zelanda y Londres reportaron haber visto la nave espacial de color naranja brillante en su paso hacia el este.

Las autoridades rusas planean determinar las razones del accidente. El fracaso de la misión está siendo considerado como un importante revés en el programa interplanetario de Rusia.


Despenha-se no Pacífico a sonda russa que falhou missão a Marte

A sonda russa Phobos-Grunt, lançada em Novembro passado do cosmódromo Baikonur com destino ao Phobos, maior lua do planeta Marte, caiu no Oceano Pacífico hoje, cerca de 1.250 quilômetros a oeste da Ilha Wellington, no Chile depois de circular na órbita da Terra durante dois meses (estava aos 345 quilómetros de altitude) e tendo ficado presa à orbita terrestre. A espaçonave foi projetada para recuperar amostras de solo da lua Phobos, mas seus motores falharam e que tinha permanecido em órbita do planeta Terra desde então.

Após dois meses em órbita, de acordo com a Agência Espacial da Rússa (Roscosmos), a nave estava em órbita próximo à Terra com perigeu 113,8 km e apogeu km 133,2 às 08:15 UTC de hoje. Ele caiu no oceano Pacífico em torno de 09:45. Com a queda, acabou por seguir as previsões dos cientistas da Roscosmos e despenhou-se hoje no oceano, sob vigilância das agências espaciais russa, europeia e norte-americana.

Previsões variaram sobre se todos os segmentos iriam atingir a superfície da Terra, e é ainda desconhecido se algum o fez. Pessoas da Nova Zelândia e Londres (capital do Reino Unido) informaram ter avistado a nave espacial laranja brilhante e como ele passou para o leste. Autoridades russas plano para determinar as razões por trás do acidente.

Este incidente foi mais um fracasso da missão por parte da Agência Espacial Russa (que tem acumulado falhas nos últimos tempos) está sendo considerado como um grande revés no programa da Rússia interplanetário e terá destruído igualmente a Yinghuo-1, a primeira sonda chinesa com destino a Marte, que foi lançada em conjunto com a Phobos-Grunt e deveria ter servido para estudar a superfície do planeta vermelho durante dois anos.

Vadim Lukashevich, um especialista em espaço, comentou:


Russian Wikipedia reaches half a million articles

The Russian Language Wikipedia surpassed 500,000 articles at 10:02 UTC on February 25, 2010, after "Ys", an article about a Joanna Newsom album, was created by Nurse fiction, a newcomer to the Wikipedia.

The Russian language Wikipedia is the tenth largest language edition of Wikipedia, boasting over three hundred and fifty "Featured Articles" and 930 "Good Articles",  shown to be the best in the freely-editable encyclopaedia. Russian Wikipedia is also one of the few languages to adopt the Flagged Revisions system.

Wikipedia is a multilingual encyclopaedia that can be edited by almost anyone with an internet connection, meaning that the Russian Wikipedia has 437,862 registered users with 12,929 making at least 1 edit within the last month. The youngest known user is 10 years old, and the oldest is 80.

Last year, the Russian chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization behind Wikipedia, started active work supporting Wikipedia editions in the numerous languages used in Russia — such as Tatar, Chuvash, Ossetian and Yakut.


Rosyjska Wikipedia ma już pół miliona artykułów

Rosyjska wersja językowa Wikipedii 25 lutego 2010 roku przekroczyła liczbę 500 000 artykułów. Jubileuszowym artykułem okazało się hasło o "Ys", albumie muzycznym amerykańskiej wykonawczyni Joanny Newsom, które zostało utworzone o 10:02 czasu UTC.

Poprzedni kamień milowy 400 000 artykułów został osiągnięty 16 czerwca 2009. Rosyjska Wikipedia potrzebowała więc nieco ponad 8 miesięcy, aby osiągnąć przyrost o sto tysięcy nowych haseł.

W związku z tym zdarzeniem liczba wersji językowych Wikipedii, które posiadają pół miliona lub więcej artykułów wynosi obecnie dwanaście.


Полмиллиона статей в русской Википедии

Счётчик числа статей русского раздела Википедии преодолел отметку в 500 000! Юбилейной оказалась статья о музыкальном альбоме «Ys», созданная участником Nurse fiction в 10:02 по универсальному координированному времени (UTC). Предыдущее юбилейное число — 400 000 статей — было достигнуто 16 июня 2009 года. Таким образом, прирост ещё на 100 тысяч статей произошёл за 8 месяцев и 9 дней[1].

Стоит отметить, что, как всегда, множество участников попыталось стать тем самым, который добавит юбилейную статью, однако достигла полумиллионной отметки статья новичка.

Что же дальше? Часть участников считает, что надо обогнать по количеству статей португальскую Википедию, которая находится впереди приблизительно на 46000 статей, другие же находят, что пора серьёзно улучшить качество написанного. Их можно понять, ведь по состоянию на 25 февраля 2010 года в русском разделе Википедии статус избранной получила 351 статья, статус хорошей — 930 статей[1], то есть чуть большей пятой части процента статей получили признание за своё качество. Но, говоря о качестве, нельзя не отметить внедрённый механизм ручной проверки статей на отсутствие вандализма. Русская Википедия была одной из первых, внедривших эту систему, благодаря которой значительно уменьшается количество вандальных правок, оставшихся незамеченными в статьях.

Поэтому Википедия приглашает поработать с ней всех желающих. Постоянно нужны авторы статей, переводчики, фотографы, иллюстраторы, программисты, рецензенты и многие другие. Википедии нужны любые участники — как те, которые напишут избранные статьи, так и те, кто просто исправит замеченную опечатку.

25 февраля 2010 года


Saturn moon Enceladus may have salty ocean

NASA's Cassini–Huygens spacecraft has discovered evidence for a large-scale saltwater reservoir beneath the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The data came from the spacecraft's direct analysis of salt-rich ice grains close to the jets ejected from the moon. The study has been published in this week's edition of the journal Nature.

Data from Cassini's cosmic dust analyzer show the grains expelled from fissures, known as tiger stripes, are relatively small and usually low in salt far away from the moon. Closer to the moon's surface, Cassini found that relatively large grains rich with sodium and potassium dominate the plumes. The salt-rich particles have an "ocean-like" composition and indicate that most, if not all, of the expelled ice and water vapor comes from the evaporation of liquid salt-water. When water freezes, the salt is squeezed out, leaving pure water ice behind.

Cassini's ultraviolet imaging spectrograph also recently obtained complementary results that support the presence of a subsurface ocean. A team of Cassini researchers led by Candice Hansen of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, measured gas shooting out of distinct jets originating in the moon's south polar region at five to eight times the speed of sound, several times faster than previously measured. These observations of distinct jets, from a 2010 flyby, are consistent with results showing a difference in composition of ice grains close to the moon's surface and those that made it out to the E ring, the outermost ring that gets its material primarily from Enceladean jets. If the plumes emanated from ice, they should have very little salt in them.

"There currently is no plausible way to produce a steady outflow of salt-rich grains from solid ice across all the tiger stripes other than salt water under Enceladus's icy surface," said Frank Postberg, a Cassini team scientist at the University of Heidelberg in Germany.

The data suggests a layer of water between the moon's rocky core and its icy mantle, possibly as deep as about 50 miles (80 kilometers) beneath the surface. As this water washes against the rocks, it dissolves salt compounds and rises through fractures in the overlying ice to form reserves nearer the surface. If the outermost layer cracks open, the decrease in pressure from these reserves to space causes a plume to shoot out. Roughly 400 pounds (200 kilograms) of water vapor is lost every second in the plumes, with smaller amounts being lost as ice grains. The team calculates the water reserves must have large evaporating surfaces, or they would freeze easily and stop the plumes.

"We imagine that between the ice and the ice core there is an ocean of depth and this is somehow connected to the surface reservoir," added Postberg.

The Cassini mission discovered Enceladus' water-vapor and ice jets in 2005. In 2009, scientists working with the cosmic dust analyzer examined some sodium salts found in ice grains of Saturn's E ring but the link to subsurface salt water was not definitive. The new paper analyzes three Enceladus flybys in 2008 and 2009 with the same instrument, focusing on the composition of freshly ejected plume grains. In 2008, Cassini discovered a high "density of volatile gases, water vapor, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, as well as organic materials, some 20 times denser than expected" in geysers erupting from the moon. The icy particles hit the detector target at speeds between 15,000 and 39,000 MPH (23,000 and 63,000 KPH), vaporizing instantly. Electrical fields inside the cosmic dust analyzer separated the various constituents of the impact cloud.

"Enceladus has got warmth, water and organic chemicals, some of the essential building blocks needed for life," said Dennis Matson in 2008, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"This finding is a crucial new piece of evidence showing that environmental conditions favorable to the emergence of life can be sustained on icy bodies orbiting gas giant planets," said Nicolas Altobelli, the European Space Agency's project scientist for Cassini.

"If there is water in such an unexpected place, it leaves possibility for the rest of the universe," said Postberg.


சனிக் கோளின் நிலவில் உப்புப் பெருங்கடல் இருக்கலாம், ஆய்வுகள் தெரிவிப்பு

என்சலடசு என்ற சனிக் கோளின் நிலவின் பனிக்கட்டி அடர்ந்த மேற்பரப்பிற்குக் கீழே பெருமளவு உப்புநீர் அடங்கிய தேக்கம் ஒன்று இருக்கக்கூடிய சான்றுகளை நாசாவின் கசினி-ஹியூஜென்ஸ் விண்ணுளவி கண்டுபிடித்துள்ளது.

என்சலடசு வெளியேற்றிய பனிக்கட்டித் துண்டுகளை ஆராய்ந்த போது அதில் பெருமளவு உப்புத் தன்மை காணப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வாய்வு முடிவுகள் இவ்வாரம் நேச்சர் என்ற அறிவியல் இதழில் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நிலவின் மேற்பரப்புக்குக் கிட்டவாக சோடியம், மற்றும் பொட்டாசியம் ஆகியவற்றின் செறிவு ஒப்பீட்டளவில் அதிகமாகக் காணப்பட்டுள்ளதாக கசினியின் ஆய்வுகள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன. இச்செறிவு பெருங்கடல் ஒன்றில் காணப்படும் உப்புச் செறிவை ஒத்ததாக இருந்தது. வெளியேற்றப்பட்ட பனி மற்றும் நீர் ஆவி உப்பு-நீர் சேர்வையில் இருந்து வந்துள்ளதாகக் கருதப்படுகிறது. நீர் உறையும் போது, உப்பு வேறாக்கப்பட்டு, தூய நீர் கொண்ட பனிக்கட்டி எஞ்சுகிறது.

அமெரிக்காவின் அரிசோனாவின் டக்சனில் கோளியல் அறிவியல் கழகத்தைச் சேர்ந்த ஆய்வாளர் குழு இவ்வாய்வை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது. 2010 ஆம் ஆண்டில் கசினி விண்கலம் என்சலடசை அண்மித்த போது சேகரித்த பனிக்கட்டிகள் ஆய்வு செய்யப்பட்டன.

"என்சலடசு சூடான நீர் மற்றும் கனிம வேதிப் பொருட்களைக் கொண்டுள்ளது. இவை உயிர்வாழ்வதற்குத் தேவையான அடிப்படையாகும்," என நாசா அறிவியலாளர் டெனிஸ் மாட்சன் 2008 ஆம் ஆண்டில் தெரிவித்திருந்தார்.

ஞாயிறு, சூன் 26, 2011


Saturn moon may contain liquid water

A report published in the scientific journal Nature of results from the Cassini probe indicates the discovery  of the existence of liquid water on Saturn's moon Enceladus, and with it the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Analysis of ice particles once thought to be emitted by geysers from the moon revealed the presence of sodium salt in the ice. As on Earth, the most plausible explanation of the presence of salt water is the prolonged contact of liquid water with mineral bearing rocks.

The currently accepted scientific theory for how life occurs requires the presence of three elements: the existence of complex organic molecules, liquid water and a source of energy. All three appear to be present on Enceladus.

The possibility of discovering a global ocean on the moon has receded, and has been replaced by the idea of large subterranean caverns with large pools or lakes of water, created by tidal forces acting upon Enceladus, and it is from these mist filled caverns that the water evaporates into the atmosphere in a steady jet. However, until further flybys and missions can be carried out other mechanisms for the presence of salt water ice cannot yet be dismissed.


Una lluna de Saturn podria tenir aigua líquida

Un reportatge publicat a la revista científica Nature sobre els resultats de la sonda Cassini-Huygens mostra el descobriment de l'existència d'aigua líquida a la lluna de Saturn Encelade, amb la possibilitat de vida extraterrestre.

La teoria científica més acceptada actualment sobre com pot ocórrer la vida necessita la presència de tres elements: l'existència de molècules orgàniques, aigua líquida i una font d'energia. Els tres elements són presents a Encelade.


Podría haber un océano en una luna de Saturno

Un grupo de científicos de la NASA que trabaja con la sonda espacial Cassini declaró que se han detectado partículas de sal en los granos de hielo del anillo exterior de Saturno.

La presencia del hielo salado significa que la luna Encélado, que alimenta de material al anillo de Saturno con chorros de descarga, podría contener una reserva de agua líquida, posiblemente un océano, bajo su superficie.

El descubrimiento de los chorros de hielo se realizó en el 2005, y el análisis de estos reveló que contenían sal.

“Creemos que los minerales salobres en la profundiad de Encelado surgen de una base de rocas debajo de una capa líquida”, dijo Frank Postberg, uno de los científicos de la misión Cassini del Instituto Max Planck para Física Nuclear en Alemania.

Postberg es el principal autor de un artículo publicado este jueves en la revista Nature.

La misión Cassini es un proyecto cooperativo entre la NASA, la Agencia Espacial Europea y la Agencia Espacial Italiana, mientras que el analizador de partículas espaciales pertenece al Centro Aeroespacial Alemán.


Saturn's moon Titan hosts liquid lakes and rivers

The Cassini Spacecraft has taken images from July 22, 2006 that show rivers and lakes present on Saturn's moon Titan.

"At the time we first announced it, we were like, 'Well, we think these are probably lakes,’ but that was about our level of confidence. I would say at this point, we've analyzed the data to the extent that we feel very confident that they are liquid-filled lakes," said University College London and Caltech and Cassini team member, Ellen Stofan.

The rivers and lakes are likely to contain ethane or methane in a liquid form, but the liquids are said to "act like water" and are "clear" like water. Both ethane and methane are organic gases on Earth.

"Dark surfaces are smooth and most likely liquid, rock, ice or organics. More than 75 radar-dark patches or lakes were seen, ranging from 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) to more than 70 kilometers (43 miles) across. Some lakes appear partly dry, while others seem liquid-filled. Some of the partly filled lakes may never have filled fully, or may have partly evaporated at some point in the past. The dry lakes have margins or rims and a radar brightness similar to the rest of the surrounding terrain, making them appear devoid of liquid," said a statement by NASA on their website.

"It's going to behave like water. It's transparent just the way water is. So if you were standing by the shoreline, you would be able to see down to whatever pebbles or gunk that was on the bottom. As far as we know, there is only one planetary body that displays more dynamism than Titan, and its name is Earth," added Stofan.

Cassini will be performing at least 22 more flybys of Titan. The next flyby is expected to take place this month.


Il y a de nombreux lacs de méthane sur Titan

Le plus gros satellite naturel de la planète Saturne, Titan, est, selon une étude publiée dans la revue Nature, doté de lacs de méthane dans la région de son pôle nord et posséderait un cycle hydrologique actif comparable à celui de la Terre, mais dans lequel le méthane remplacerait l'eau. Cette découverte a été effectuée grâce à la mission américano-européenne Cassini-Huygens, par une équipe internationale dirigée par le Pr Ellen Stofan, du Proxemy Research de Rectortown (Virginie) et comprenant deux chercheurs français issus du laboratoire du Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS).

La présence de tels lacs depuis longtemps été soupçonnée par les astronomes, n'avait jamais été prouvée, jusqu'au survol du 22 juillet dernier (au-dessus de 70° nord), qui a révélé la présence de quelque 75 lacs de méthane (ou d'éthane) liquide, de formes irrégulières, qui atteignent parfois plusieurs dizaines de kilomètres. Il convient de noter qu'une précédente annonce avait été démentie par la revue Science qui avait précisé que ce que l'on prenait pour des lacs, du moins à l'équateur, n'étaient que des mers de sable avec des dunes de 100 mètres de hauteur.

La sonde Cassini, en orbite autour de ce satellite qui possède une atmosphère dense comparable à celle de notre planète, a fait des images radar de sa surface, qui ont permis au CNRS d'indiquer qu' « il a montré plusieurs cryo-volcans (des volcans de glace), des cratères d'impact de météorites et de vastes champs de dunes faites d'un matériau qui reste à déterminer », rajoutant que « les scientifiques savaient déjà que Titan possédait un cycle atmosphérique du méthane. Il ne leur manquait plus que la découverte de structures hydrologiques (lacs, rivières) pour confirmer qu'un cycle complet du méthane existe sur Titan, à l'image du cycle de l'eau sur Terre ». Les lacs découverts évolueraient selon les saisons, se développant pendant l'hiver, avec des précipitations de méthane, et se réduisant, ou même s'asséchant pendant l'été.


התגלו אגמים ונהרות פעילים על ירחו של שבתאי, טיטאן

בתמונות שצילמה החללית קאסיני של הירח טיטאן של כוכב-הלכת שבתאי ב-22 ביולי, 2006 התגלו אגמים ונהרות.

"כשהכרזנו על כך לראשונה, אמרנו 'ובכן, אנחנו חושבים שאלה כנראה אגמים' אבל זאת הייתה בערך רמת הביטחון שלנו. בנקודה זו אני כבר יכול להגיד, שניתחנו את המידע לעומק כזה שאנחנו יכולים להגיד בביטחון רב שאלו אגמים המלאים בנוזלים," אמר אלן סטופן, חבר בצוות קאסיני.

הנהרות והאגמים כנראה מכילים אתאן או מתאן במצב צבירה נוזלי, אך נאמר שהנוזלים שממלאים את האגמים הם "נראים כמו מים" ושהם "צלולים" כמו מים. אתאן ומתאן הם גזים אורגניים על כדור-הארץ.

"משטחים כהים הם חלקים וכנראה הם נוזלים, סלע, קרח או חומר ממקור אורגני. יותר מ-75 טלאים או אגמים כהי-מכ"ם נצפו, המתפרשים על שטח של בין 3 קילומטר לבין 70 קילומטר. חלק מהאגמים נראים יבשים חלקית, בעוד אחרים נראים מלאים בנוזלים. יכול להיות שחלק מהאגמים המלאים חלקית לא היו מלאים לגמרי אף פעם, או שהתאדו חלקית באיזשהי נקודה בעבר. לאגמים היבשים יש קוטר וגבול ברור ובהירות-מכ"ם דומה לשאר השטח מסביב, שגורם להם להראות חסרי-נוזלים," נכתב בהצהרה של נאס"א באתר האינטרנט של הארגון.

"זה נראה כמו מים.זה שקוף בדיוק כמו מים. כך שאם הייתם עומדים על שפת האגם, הייתם יכולים לראות את האבנים  והחלוקים בתחתית האגם. עד כמה שאנחנו יודעים, יש רק כוכב-לכת אחד שמראה יותר פעילות מהירח טיטאן, ושמו הוא כדור-הארץ," הוסיף סטופן.

קאסיני יבצע לפחות עוד 22 גיחות לטיטאן. הגיחה הבאה צפויה להתרחש החודש.

5 בינואר 2007


Saturn's rings are much older than previously thought

Recent scans on the planet Saturn by the space probe Cassini–Huygens have shown that the planet's rings are much older than previously thought. Recent data says they may be as old as the solar system itself.

The new scans have indicated that the rings are likely three to five billion years old, and will probably be around for billions of years longer. Scientists previously thought the rings to be only about 100 million years old.

"Despite what was thought after the [1970s] Voyager investigations of Saturn - that Saturn's rings might be very youthful, perhaps only as ancient as the dinosaurs - we have results that show the rings could have lasted as long as the Solar System and maybe will be around for billions of years. Recycling allows the rings to be as old as the solar system although continually changing," said researcher Professor Larry Esposito.

The determination was made when Cassini's Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) analyzed the light from the Sun reflecting off particles in the rings of all different sizes. The data had shown that there was a lot more clumpy material and as much as three times more mass than what was previously  found in the Voyager missions.

Scientists assumed that particles from an exploding comet may have caused the rings to form, but the new data says that it is unlikely to be the case, because the particles are all of different ages.

"Although the Voyager observations indicated Saturn's rings were youthful, Cassini shows even younger ages; and because we see such transient, dynamic phenomena in the rings we are able to reach the paradoxical conclusion - because the rings appear so young, they may actually be as old as the Solar System," added Esposito.

Cassini is operated jointly by NASA and the European Space Agency.


Los anillos de Saturno son mucho más antiguos que lo antes pensado

La sonda espacial Cassini-Huygens ha descubierto que los anillos del planeta Saturno son mucho más antiguos que lo antes pensado. Datos recientes revelan que los anillos podrían ser tan viejos como el Sistema Solar.

Reportes nuevos indican que los anillos probablemente tienen de tres a cinco mil millones de años y que probablemente durarán miles de millones de años más. Los científicos antes pensaban que los anillos sólo tenían 100 millones de años.

"A pesar de lo que se pensaba después de las investigaciones de Saturno hechas por las sondas espaciales Voyager —que los anillos de Saturno puedan ser muy jóvenes, quizás sólo tan antiguas como los dinosaurios— tenemos resultados que muestran que los anillos pudieron haber durado lo mismo que el Sistema Solar y puede ser que duren billones de años más. Un proceso de reciclaje permite que los anillos sean tan viejos como el Sistema Solar aunque cambien continuamente", dijo el Profesor Larry Esposito.

La determinación fue hecha cuando el Espectrógrafo de Imágenes Ultravioletas de la sonda Cassini analizó la luz del Sol que se reflejaba de las partículas en los anillos.

Los científicos asumían que las partículas de un cometa que explotó causaron que los anillos se formaran, pero datos nuevos revelan que es improbable que este sea el caso, ya que las partículas son todas de edades diferentes.

La sonda Cassini es operada por la NASA, en conjunto con la Agencia Espacial Europea.


Os anéis de Saturno são muito mais antigos do que se pensava

Estudos recentes no planeta Saturno realizados pela sonda Cassini–Huygens revelaram que os anéis do planeta são muito mais antigos do que se pensava. Estudos recentes mostram que eles podem ser até mais antigos que o próprio sistema solar.

Os estudos revelaram que eles poderiam ter de três a cinco bilhões de anos, e possivelmente foram formados bilhões de anos antes. Os cientistas pensavam que eles tivessem apenas 100 milhões de anos.

"Apesar das investigações feitas na década de 1970 pela Voyager  - que diziam que os anéis de Saturno eram jovens, talvez mais velhos que os Dinossauros - Nós temos resultados que mostram que os anéis devem ser mais velhos que o sistema solar, e talvez já existissem bilhões de anos antes. A "reciclagem" deles talvez possa ser a causa mais provável de serem mais velhos que todo o sistema solar," disse o pesquisador Larry Esposito.

A determinação da idade foi feita quando o espectro de imagens Ultra-violeta da Cassini (UVIS) analisou a luz do Sol refletindo partículas exteriores ao anel, que eram de diferentes tamanhos. A pesquisa mostrou que havia um material acumulado no anel que era três vezes maiores do que os encontrados no anel nas Missões Voyager.

Os cientistas acreditavam que a explosão de um cometa pode ter dado a forma que os anéios possuem hoje, mas as atuais pesquisas revelam que essa tese estava parcialmente errada, porque todas as partículas tinham idades diferentes.

"Apesar de as pesquisas com a Voyager revelarem que os anéis eram mais jovens, Cassini mostrou que eles eram muito mais velhos; e por causa disso nós vemos agora uma visão transitória e um dinâmica acerca da história dos anéis, e acabamos chegando a conclusões paradoxiais  - porque os anéis pareciam jovens, mas agora foi complovado que eles são mais velhos que o sistema solar," acrescentou Esposito.

A Cassini é operada conjuntamente pela NASA e pela Agência Espacial Européia.

*Alicia Chang. Saturn's Rings Older Than First Thought? — Twin Falls Times-News, 13 de dezembro de 2007

*Jonathan Amos. Saturn's rings 'may live forever' — BBC News Online, 13 de dezembro de 2007

*Saturn's Rings May be Old Timers — NASA, 12 de dezembro de 2007


Starburst across galaxy impacts Earth's ionosphere

A flash of energy from across the galaxy on December 27 was 100 times larger than any previously seen.  The x-ray burst was powerful enough to affect our ionosphere in the same way a solar flare does.

According to astronomers at the NRAO, the enormous energy burst from a remote magnetar was likely caused by an abrupt adjustment, or "starquake", in the outer layer of the magnetar, causing a "catastrophic" disruption of its magnetic field.

More energy was released in a tenth of a second than our sun has emitted since the dawning of the human race.

The magnetar, known as SGR 1806-20, is 50,000 light years away in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius.  That places it on the opposite side of our Milky Way galaxy, which is roughly a disk 100,000 light years across.

Magnetars are a rare type of neutron star with unusually strong magnetic fields.  SGR 1806-20 is only 20 kilometers in diameter, rotates once every 7.5 seconds, and has a mass comparable to our sun.

Neutron stars are stars which have exhausted their nuclear fuel and collapsed.  There are no electrons or atoms in the cores of these massive objects, just neutrons packed tightly together.

An article from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics will be published soon in Nature magazine.


Ogromny wybuch w gwiazdozbiorze Strzelca

W piątek, 18 lutego 2005, astronomowie ogłosili, że 27 grudnia udało się im zaobserwować gigantyczny kosmiczny wybuch w gwiazdozbiorze Strzelca, 50 tysięcy lat świetlnych od Ziemi.

Światło, pochodzące z rozpadu gwiazdy neutronowej, było tak mocne, że na krótki okres przyćmiło Księżyc. Zakłóciło ono także pracę nadajników radiowych na satelitach. Niestety, nie mogliśmy tego obserwować, gdyż cała wiązka światła, która dotarła do Ziemi, mieściła się w zakresie fal podczerwonych, poniżej granicy widoczności ludzkiego oka.

O niezwykłości tego wydarzenia świadczyć mogą, cytowane niemal przez wszystkie źródła, słowa Roba Fendera z Uniwersytetu w Southampton: "Takie wydarzenie zdarza się raz w życiu". Jest to największy wybuch, jaki kiedykolwiek człowiek zaobserwował. Dotychczas największą kosmiczną katastrofą był wybuch supernowej w 1054 roku, który przez wiele tygodni był widoczny nawet na dziennym niebie.

Gdyby wybuch gwiazdy neutronowej podobnej do tej w gwiazdozbiorze Strzelca miał miejsce np. w odległości 10 lat świetlnych od Ziemi, to z pewnością zniszczyłby on naszą atmosferę i doprowadziłaby do zagłady życia na naszej planecie. Energię, jaką wytworzył on w ciągu jednej dziesiątej sekundy, Słońce produkuje średnio przez 100 tysięcy lat! Na szczęście najbliższa gwiazda neutronowa znajduje się w odległości około 13 tysięcy lat świetlnych.


Scientists conclude that the universe may expand forever

A study of the amount of dark matter in the universe suggests that the universe itself may continue to expand indefinitely. Researchers say that the universe will likely then become a cold, dead cosmic wasteland.

The study was conducted by an international team of researchers led by Professor Eric Jullo at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. The researchers used data from the Hubble Space Telescope showing the way that light was distorted, known as a gravitational lens, from a large galactic cluster known as Abell 1689 to estimate the amount of dark energy to be about three quarters of the universe.

Dark energy is a completely invisible force that is constantly acting upon the universe. Its existence is known only because of its effects on the expansion of the universe.

As the universe expands and cools, the temperature will approach absolute zero.

Jullo says that scientists can now say, for the first time, that the universe "will continue to accelerate and the universe will expand forever".


பேரண்டம் விரிவடைந்து வருவதாக அறிவியலாளர்கள் தெரிவிப்பு

பேரண்டத்தில் உள்ள கரும் பொருட்களை ஆராய்ந்த போது பேரண்டம் எப்போதுமே விரிவடைந்து கொண்டிருப்பதாக அறிவியலாளர்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றனர். எதிர்காலத்தில் அண்டம் ஒரு குளிர் நிறைந்த அண்டக் கழிவுப் பொருட்களைக் கொண்டதாக இருக்கும் எனவும் ஆய்வுகள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

கலிபோர்னியாவில் உள்ள நாசாவின் ஜெட் புரொப்பல்சன் ஆய்வுகூடத்தைச் சேர்ந்த பேரா. எரிக் ஜூலோ தலைமையிலான அறிவியலாளரக்ள் இந்த ஆய்வை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளனர். இவர்களின் ஆய்வுக் கட்டுரை ’சயன்ஸ்’ என்ற அறிவியல் இதழில் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தூர விண்மீன்களில் இருந்து வரும் ஒளி எவ்வாறு ஏபல் 1689 என்றழைக்கப்படும் விண்மீன் திரள் கொத்து (galactic cluster) ஒன்றினால் திரிவடைகிறது என்பதை ஹபிள் விண்வெளித் தொலைநோக்கி மூலம் ஆராய்ந்து அதன் மூலம் அண்டத்தில் (cosmos) உள்ள கரிய ஆற்றலின் அளவை வானியலாளர்கள் கண்டறிந்தார்கள்.

கரிய ஆற்றல் (dark energy) என்பது பேரண்டத்தை விரிவடையச் செய்ய உதவும் ஒரு புதிரான விசை ஆகும். இக்கரிய ஆற்றல் எவ்வாறு பேரண்டத்தில் பகுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது என்பதை ஆராய்ந்ததில், பேரண்டம் விரிவடைகிறது எனத் தெரிய வந்தது. இது படிப்படியாக குளிர்மையடைந்து கடைசியில் ஒரு கழிவுநிலமாக மாறலாம் என எதிர்வு கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. அப்போது அதன் வெப்பநிலை "தனித்த சுழியம்” ஆக இருக்கும்.

பேரண்டத்தின் முக்கால் வாசிப் பகுதியை இந்தக் கரிய ஆற்றல் மூடிக்கொண்டுள்ளது. ஆனால் அது கண்ணுக்குப் புலப்படுவதில்லை. அப்படி ஒன்று இருக்கிறது என்பது மட்டும் எமக்குத் தெரியும், ஏனெனில் அது பேரண்டத்தை விரிவடையச் செய்கிறது என அவர்கள் ஆய்வாளர்கள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

ஏபெல் 1689 என்பது வேர்கோ என்ற விண்மீன் தொகுதியில் உள்ள ஒரு விண்மீன் திரள் கொத்து ஆகும். இதுவே இதுவரையில் கண்டுபிடிகக்ப்பட்ட இவ்வகைக் கொத்துகளில் மிகப் பெரியதாகும். இதன் பெரும் கனம் காரணமாக இது ஒரு உருப்பெருக்கும் கண்ணாடியாகத் தொழிற்பட்டு, ஒளி அதில் பட்டு வளைகிறது.

சனி, ஆகத்து 21, 2010


Scientists crack age-old egg problem

Scientists in the UK have developed a new way to ensure boiled eggs are perfectly cooked thanks to a brand new hi-tech logo being printed on shells.

After cooking starts, people will be able to see if their egg is soft, medium or hard-boiled with the help of a thermochromic print which appears in black ink on the egg’s shell.

The eggs will be sold to consumers in the UK within the next few months. A spokeswoman for Lion Quality, the assurance scheme which came up with the idea, said: “We had a lot of inquiries from people which sparked an interest in the industry. We said OK, this is a big issue - people can’t even boil an egg.”

Gilly Beaumont, from B&H Colour Change, the company which created the logos, said: "We are still perfecting the technology, but we are very excited at the prospect of sorting a problem that has wound people up at breakfast time for decades."

The most successful way to cook an egg has baffled some of the greatest chefs in the past. In 1998, Delia Smith dedicated a whole episode of her How To Cook programme on the best way to boil an egg. And last year, a survey carried out by the magazine
Waitrose Food Limited showed five top chefs all had different techniques.


Решена проблема варки яиц

Учёные Великобритании разработали метод, с помощью которого можно следить за степенью готовности яйца, когда оно варится. Для этого на скорлупу яйца наносится специальный символ.

Во время варки можно контролировать степень готовности яйца — ещё жидкое, средней мягкости,  твёрдое. Этот контроль осуществляется по изменению окраски знака, нанесённого на яйцо. Вначале знак не видим, в процессе варки он становится чёрным.

Яйца, с нанесёнными на них невидимыми знаками, будут продаваться  через несколько месяцев.

Представитель фирмы B&H Colour Change, которая создала эту технологию, сказал: «Мы все еще совершенствуем технологию, но мы очень взволнованы перспективой устранения проблемы, которая довлела над людьми во время завтрака в течение многих десятилетий».

Новый способ варки яиц может перечеркнуть все ранее придуманные способы. В одной из поваренных книг указано пять различных способов успешной варки яиц.

1 августа 2006 года


Scientists create micro-battery using 3D printing

Scientists have successfully created a Lithium ion micro-battery the size of a grain of sand. A team of researchers from Harvard University and the University of Illinois were able to create the tiny battery using 3D printing technology.

In order to achieve this feat, the separate parts of the battery were printed layer-by-layer using materials thinner than a human hair. This resulted in two separate comb-like structures which, when interlocked, act as the anode and cathode. These were then immersed in an electrolyte solution which created a working battery.

This created a micro-battery comparable to what is commercially available in "charge and discharge rate, cycle life and energy densities." For years, scientists have been trying to develop miniature devices in a range of areas including medicine and communications. However, due to current manufacturing techniques, the batteries have often been larger than the devices they are supposed to power.

This development could pave the way for new types of miniature technologies, as well as technologies deemed not feasible due to limitations in existing battery design.


Unos científicos crean una microbatería usando impresión 3D

Unos científicos han creado con éxito una batería de ion de litio del tamaño de un grano de arena. Un equipo de investigadores de la Universidad de Harvard y la Universidad de Illinois fueron capaces de crear la minúscula batería usando la tecnología de impresión 3D.

Para lograr esta hazaña, las partes de la batería fueron impresas capa por capa, usando materiales de un grosor menor al de un cabello humano. Esto resultó en dos estructuras separadas en forma de rizo, que al ser entrelazadas actúan como el ánodo y el cátodo. Estas fueron luego sumergidas en una solución de electrolitos, con lo que se convirtieron en una batería funcional.

Esto creó una microbatería comparable a las comercialmente disponibles "en ciclos de carga y descarga, ciclo de vida y densidades energéticas". Por años, los científicos han estado intentando desarrollar dispositivos en miniatura en una variedad de áreas, incluyendo medicina y comunicaciones. Sin embargo, debido a las actuales técnicas de manufactura, las baterías han sido a menudo más grandes que los dispositivos que deben potenciar.

Este desarrollo podría dar paso a nuevos tipos de tecnologías en miniatura, así como a tecnologías consideradas incapaces de lograrse debido a las limitaciones de los diseños existentes de baterías.


Первая микро-батарейка на 3D-принтере

Учёные создали литий-ионный аккумулятор размером с песчинку. Группа исследователей из Гарвардского и Иллинойсского университетов применили для этого 3D-принтеры.
В понедельник, 17 июня 2013 года, журнал Advanced Materials опубликовал научную работу сообщающую об этом изобретении.

Составляющие аккумулятора пришлось распечатывать отдельно — послойно, с применением материалов тоньше волоса.
В результате получились два расчёсковидных объекта, которые вместе образуют анод и катод.
Их погрузили в раствор электролита и получили работающую батарейку.

Годами учёные стремились создать миниатюрные приборы для ряда сфер, в частности, медицины и связи.
Однако до сих пор аккумуляторы и батарейки по размеру нередко превышали мини-приборы, которые они питают.

Открытие может сыграть важную роль в развитии мини-технологий.
Также оно открывают новые возможности для проектов, осуществлению которых ранее препятствовал размер или вес питательных элементов.

22 июня 2013 года


Scientists discover 11 new species of life in Vietnam

At least 11 new species of life have been discovered in the rainforests of Thua Thien-Hue Province in Vietnam in a region of the forest described as the "Green Corridor." The discovery was made by researchers from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Among the new species are five orchids and at least three other species of plants, two butterflies and a snake. At least ten more species of plants are believed to be new species but are still being studied.

"You only discover so many new species in very special places, and the Green Corridor is one of them. Several large mammal species were discovered in the 1990s in the same forests, which means that these latest discoveries could be just the tip of the iceberg," said a technical adviser in Vietnam for the WWF, Chris Dickinson.

The new species of life are exclusive to the rainforest in Thua Thien-Hue Province.

The new snake, which can grow to 80 centimeters long, has been given the name white-lipped keelback because of a yellow-white stripe on the top of its head and makes its home near small streams and feeds on small animals and frogs.

The new species of butterflies are one subfamily of the Satyrinae species and the other a species of the Skipper butterfly.

The orchids, all of which are considered very rare because they were found to have no leaves whatsoever on the plant, grow in "matter" that is rotting and also contain no chlorophyll. The other two new plant species are of Arum and Aspidistra.

The WWF is concerned that civilization may move closer into the rainforest, destroying the homes of these new species, but the government of Thua Thien-Hue Province says it's dedicated to making sure that they are protected, along with the rainforest.

"The area is extremely important for conservation and the province wants to protect the forests and their environmental services, as well as contribute to sustainable development," said Provincial Forest Protection Department Director for the province, Hoang Ngoc Khanh.

The species were found in the rainforest in 2005 and 2006.


Descubren once nuevas especies de plantas y animales en las selvas de Vietnam

26 de septiembre de 2007Washington, Estados Unidos —

Un grupo de científicos ha descubierto once nuevas especies de animales y plantas en una área remota del centro de Vietnam, anunció hoy el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza. Se trata de dos mariposas y una serpiente, cinco orquídeas y otras tres plantas que fueron halladas en la provincia de Thua Thien Hue.

Las selvas de esa región se han mantenido vírgenes a lo largo de miles de años y por ello ofrecen un hábitat único para muchas especies. Desde 1990 diversas especies de mamíferos han sido descubiertas en esos mismos bosques, lo que significa que esos últimos hallazgos pueden ser el principio de muchos descubrimientos.

Según expertos de Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza, todas las nuevas especies corren el peligro de extinción debido a la tala ilegal, la caza, y la extracción sin control de recursos naturales. La zona es extremadamente importante para la conservación y la provincia de Thua Thien Hue desea proteger la selva y los servicios medioambientales, y contribuir en su desarrollo.


Des scientifiques ont trouvé 11 nouvelles espèces biologiques au Viêt Nam

Au moins 11 nouvelles espèces biologiques ont été trouvées dans les forêts tropicales de la province de Thua Thien-Hue, au Viêt Nam, dans une région appelée le « Corridor vert ». La découverte revient à plusieurs chercheurs du World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Parmi les espèces découvertes, on trouve cinq orchidées et au moins trois autres espèces de plantes, deux papillons et un serpent. Au moins dix autres plantes sont susceptibles d'être encore inconnues des scientifiques, mais sont encore en train d'être étudiées.

« On ne peut découvrir de nouvelles espèces qu'en endroits très spéciaux, dont le Corridor vert. Plusieurs espèces de grands mammifères y furent découverts dans les années 1990, ce qui indique que ces nouvelles espèces ne sont peut-être que le bout de l'iceberg, » a dit un conseiller technique au Viêt Nam pour le WWF, Chris Dickinson.

Ces nouvelles espèces sont endémiques à la forêt tropicale de la province de Thua Thien-Hue.

Le nouveau serpent, qui peut attaindre jusqu'à 80 cm de long, a été baptisé « white-lipped keelback » en anglais (binomial latin : Amphiesma leucomystax) parce qu'il a une ligne blanche sur sa tête. Il préfère vivre près de petits ruisseaux et mange des petits animaux, dont des grenouilles.

Les nouveaux papillons sont de la sous-famille Satyrnae, mais il y a aussi une espèce d'Hesperidae.

Les orchidées, toutes très rares parce qu'elles n'ont aucune feuille sur la plante, poussent sur de la matière en train de pourrir et ne fabriquent pas de chlorophylle. Les deux autres plantes sont des Arum et des Aspidistra.

Le WWF craint que les humains n'entrent vivre dans la forêt tropicale, détruisant ainsi l'habitat de ces nouvelles espèces, mais le gouvernement de la province de Thua Thien-Hue dit qu'il est déterminé à s'assurer que les espèces soient protégées, avec la forêt.

« La région est extrêmement importante pour la conservation de la nature et la province veut protéger les forêts et l'environnement, ainsi que contribuer au développement viable, » a dit le directeur du département de la protection de la forêt de la province, Hoang Ngoc Khanh.

Les espèces furent trouvées dans la forêt en 2005 et 2006.


Scientists discover Earth-like planet

An international group of 73 scientists using 4 projects (PLANET led by Jean-Philippe Beaulieu and Martin Dominik, RoboNet led by Michael
Bode and Keith Horne, OGLE led by Andrzej Udalski, and MOA led by Phil Yock) from 32 institutions in 12 countries have discovered the smallest Earth-like planet yet.

The new planet is about 25,000 light years away and is close to the center of the Milky Way.

The discovery was announced in the journal Nature. The journal also states the planet was found using a method called gravitational microlensing, which detects small planets with a mass like that of Earth.

Gravitational microlensing is where a light from a distant star is bent and magnified by the gravitational field of a foreground star. The presence of a planet around the foreground star causes light from the distant star to become momentarily brighter.

However, scientists say that the cold temperatures on the planet make the chance of finding any life on it "unlikely."

"We may predict with reasonable probability that microlensing will discover planets with masses like that of Earth at a similar distance from their stars and with comparable surface temperature," said study co-author Bohdan Paczynski from Princeton University.

So far the planet only goes by OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, and takes about ten years to orbit its parent star, a red dwarf, a star that is smaller and much cooler than our own Sun.

Scientists say the new planet, which is about five and a half times the mass of Earth, could either have a rocky core and a thin atmosphere, or be a small ice/gas world like Neptune , but in either case, its "very large orbit and cooler parent star, makes it a very cold world."

The predicted surface temperature is -220° Celsius (-364° F), which means that should it have a rocky core, the planet may more closely resemble a massive version of Pluto with a surface of frozen liquids and gas. Otherwise the planet would be a liquid mass, wrapped in clouds of ice crystals and gas, much like Neptune.

"This is very exciting and important," said Professor Michael Bode from Liverpool John Moores University, a principal investigator for the RoboNet project which helped to collaborate on the research. "This is the most Earth-like planet we have discovered to date, in terms of its mass and the distance from its parent star. Most of the other planets that have been discovered are either much more massive, much hotter or both."

This is the third planet in two years that scientists have found using gravitational microlensing.

In the past, more than 150 planets outside our solar system were found using a technique known as the radial velocity method. This method observes a wobble in stars caused by the planet's gravitational effects.


Descobrixen un nou planeta en la constel·lació de Sagitari

Un grup de 73 astrònoms de 12 països ha trobat un planeta a la Constel·lació de Sagitari. El cos celeste, la denominació científica del qual és OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, és de 5 vegades la grandària de la Terra.

El planeta és d'aspecte rocós i amb una atmosfera molt fina. Es creu que la temperatura terme mitjà de la seva superfície és de -220°C, similar a la de Plutó, i triga 10 anys a completar la seva òrbita al voltant d'una estrella petitona blanca, distant 2,5 UA del planeta i 5 vegades més petita que el nostre Sol.

Els detalls del descobriment van ser publicats minuciosament a la revista britànica Nature. El procediment de recerca es va efectuar pel mètode de microlensing (detecció de llunyans planetes amb massa similar al de la Terra).

Michael Bode, de la Universitat John Moores de Liverpool, declara que "Això és molt excitant i important, ja que aquest és el planeta més semblat a la Terra que hàgim descobert fins al present en termes de la seva massa i de la distància de la seva estrella materna".

Per als experts, aquest lloc es converteix en el primer lloc en el qual podríem trobar vida extraterrestre, a pesar que la temperatura és de 200 graus sota zero. El planeta es troba a uns 25.000 anys llum, una distància impossible d'arribar a amb la nostra poc desenvolupada tecnologia espacial.


Wissenschaftler entdecken erdähnlichen Planeten

31.01.2006 – Eine internationale Gruppe von 73 Wissenschaftlern in vier Projekten (PLANET (Leiter: Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, Paris, und Martin Dominik, St. Andrews), RoboNet (Leiter: Michael Bode, Liverpool, und Keith Horne, St. Andrews), OGLE (Leiter: Andrzej Udalski, Warschau) und MOA (Leiter: Phil Yock, Auckland)) an 32 Institutionen in zwölf Ländern hat den bisher kleinsten erdähnlichen Planeten entdeckt.

Der neue Planet liegt zirka 25.000 Lichtjahre entfernt nahe dem Zentrum der Milchstraße.

Die Entdeckung wurde in der Zeitschrift „Nature“ verkündet. Das Journal berichtet auch, der Planet sei durch eine Methode, die man „Microlensing“ nennt, entdeckt worden, die kleine Planeten mit einer Masse ähnlich der Erdmasse entdeckt.

„Gravitations-Microlensing“ nennt man es, wenn das Licht eines entfernten Sterns vom Graviationsfeld eines davor liegenden Sternes abgelenkt und vergrößert wird. Das Vorhandensein eines Planeten in der Umgebung des davor liegenden Sternes sorgt dafür, dass das Licht des entfernteren Sternes für einen Augenblick heller wird.

Die Wissenschaftler behaupten jedoch, dass die niedrigen Temperaturen auf dem Planeten die Möglichkeit, irgendwelches Leben auf ihm zu finden, „unwahrscheinlich“ machten.

„Wir können mit einer angemessenen Wahrscheinlichkeit vorhersagen, dass Microlensing Planeten mit erdähnlichen Massen und einer ähnlichen Entfernung von ihren Sternen und vergleichbarere Oberflächentemperatur entdecken wird“, sagte der Koautor der Studie, Bohdan Paczynski, von der Universität Princeton.

Bislang heißt der Planet nur OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb. Er benötigt ungefähr zehn Jahre, um seinen Mutterstern, einen roten Zwerg, zu umkreisen. Der Stern ist unserer Sonne ähnlich, außer dass er kleiner ist und eine sehr viel geringere Temperatur hat.

Wissenschaftler sagen, dass der neue Planet, der ungefähr die fünfeinhalbfache Masse der Erde besitzt, entweder einen steinernen Kern und eine dünne Atmosphäre haben oder eine kleine Eis-Gas-Welt wie der Neptun sein könne. Aber in beiden Fällen „machen ihn seine sehr große Umlaufbahn und sein kälterer Mutterstern zu einer sehr kalten Welt“.

Die vorhergesagte Oberflächentemperatur beträgt minus 220 Grad Celsius – das sind minus 364 Grad Fahrenheit –, was bedeutet, dass der Planet einen steinernen Kern haben sollte. Der Planet könnte eher einer massiven Version des Plutos ähneln mit einer Oberfläche aus gefrorenen Flüssigkeiten und Gas. Sonst wäre der Planet eine flüssige Masse, die in Wolken aus Eiskristallen und Gas gehüllt wäre – so ähnlich wie der Neptun.

„Dies ist sehr spannend und wichtig“, sagte Professor Michael Bode von der John-Moore-Universität in Liverpool, ein Hauptuntersucher für das RoboNet-Projekt, das dabei half, bei der Forschung zusammenzuarbeiten. „Dies ist der erdähnlichste Planet, den wir bisher gefunden haben, was seine Masse und seine Entfernung zum Mutterstern angeht. Die meisten anderen Planeten, die entdeckt wurden, waren entweder schwerer oder heißer (oder beides).“

Dieses ist der dritte Planet innerhalb von zwei Jahren, den Wissenschaftler durch Nutzung des Gravitations-Microlensing gefunden haben.

In der Vergangenheit wurden mehr als 150 Planeten außerhalb unseres Sonnensystems durch eine Technik, die man „Radialgeschwindigkeitsmethode“ nennt, gefunden. Diese Methode bemerkt ein Flattern in Sternen, das durch die Gravitationsauswirkungen des Planeten verursacht wird.


Descubren un nuevo planeta en la constelación de Sagitario

Un grupo de 73 astrónomos de 12 países ha hallado un planeta en la Constelación de Sagitario. El cuerpo celeste, cuya denominación científica es OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, es de 5 veces el tamaño de la Tierra.

El planeta es de aspecto rocoso y con una atmósfera muy fina. Se cree que la temperatura promedio de su superficie es de -220°C, similar a la de Plutón, y tarda 10 años en completar su órbita alrededor de una estrella enana blanca, distante 2,5 UA del planeta y 5 veces más pequeña que nuestro Sol.

Los detalles del descubrimiento fueron publicados minuciosamente en la revista británica Nature. El procedimiento de búsqueda se efectuó por el método de microlensing (detección de lejanos planetas con masa similar al de la Tierra).

Michael Bode, de la Universidad John Moores de Liverpool, declara que "Esto es muy excitante e importante, puesto que este es el planeta más parecido a la Tierra que hayamos descubierto hasta el presente en términos de su masa y de la distancia de su estrella materna".

Para los expertos, ese lugar se convierte en el primer sitio en el que podríamos encontrar vida extraterrestre, a pesar de que la temperatura es de 200 grados bajo cero. El planeta se halla a unos 25.000 años luz, una distancia imposible de alcanzar con nuestra poco desarrollada tecnología espacial.


Découverte de la première exoplanète tellurique

La revue britannique Nature a publié aujourd'hui un article signé par 73 scientifiques de 12 États, sous la direction de Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, du CNRS, faisant état de la découverte d'une planète, comparable à la Terre, dans un autre système solaire. Elle a été baptisée OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb et son étoile OGLE-2005-BLG-390L.

Il y 10 ans était découverte la première exoplanète, une géante gazeuse, mais la présente découverte est une planète tellurique, c'est-à-dire composée de roches. Bien qu'il s'agisse de la 172e exoplanète découverte, il s'agit de la première de cette nature. Elle est située à 22 000 années-lumières de la Terre.

Les informations rassemblées permettent d'en savoir plus sur cette planète : elle gravite autour d'une étoile très âgée, et l'est donc sans doute elle-même. Sa température doit être très basse (environ -223 °C) à cause de la grande distance qui la sépare de l'étoile en question (2,6 UA, c'est à dire 2,6 fois la distance Terre-Soleil). Il est toutefois possible qu'elle ait connu de l'eau liquide, à cause de sa forte radioactivité interne. Elle aurait un diamètre d'environ une fois et demie supérieur à celui de la Terre, pour une masse cinq fois supérieure. Le corps céleste dont elle se rapproche le plus serait Europe, une des lunes de Jupiter.

La découverte n'est évidemment pas due à l'observation directe mais à l'utilisation d'une technique appelée micro-lentille gravitationnelle, reposant sur l'utilisation de la gravité des étoiles pour infléchir les ondes lumineuses, suivant la théorie de la relativité. En alignant plusieurs étoiles, on peut mesurer des différences entre le signal attendu et celui effectivement mesuré quand une planète passe dans le champ, et ces anomalies permettent de déduire la présence d'une planète.

Dans ce but, le réseau PLANET, constitué de cinq téléscopes situés dans l'hémisphère sud, a été mis en place en 2002. Ce réseau mesure la lumière de 20 millions d'étoiles chaque nuit. Les données concernant la découverte de cette planète ont été collectées en juillet 2005. Après la détection de la lentille gravitationnelle, l'Observatoire européen austral de La Silla, au Chili l'a observée, relayé par l'observatoire de Perth, en Australie et de trois autres télescopes, pour une durée totale de dix heures.


Astronomia: scoperto il primo pianeta simile alla Terra

La rivista britannica Nature ha pubblicato oggi un articolo firmato da 73 scienziati di 12 stati diversi, sotto la direzione di Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, del CNRS, il centro nazionale per la ricerca francese, che parla della scoperta di un pianeta, comparabile alla Terra, in un altro sistema solare. Il pianeta è stato battezzato OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, dato che è il secondo della stella OGLE-2005-BLG-390L.

Son passati 10 anni dalla scoperta del primo pianeta all'esterno del nostro sistema solare, un gigante gassoso, ma questo è un pianeta terrestre, cioè composto da rocce. Benché si tratti della 172esima scoperta di un pianeta extra-solare, è la prima di questa natura. Il pianeta si trova a circa 22.000 anni luce dalla Terra, verso il centro della Via Lattea.

Secondo le informazioni raccolte, il pianeta orbita attorno ad una stella molto vecchia. La sua temperatura deve essere molto bassa, circa -223°C, a causa della grande distanza che la separa dalla stella in questione, 2,6 UA, cioè 2,6 volte la distanza Terra-Sole.

È tuttavia possibile che sia presente dell'acqua allo stato liquido, a causa della forte radioattività interna. Il diametro stimato è circa una volta e mezzo quello della Terra, avente una massa cinque
volte superiore. Il corpo celeste al quale si avvicina più è Europa, una delle lune di Giove.

La scoperta non è ovviamente dovuta all'osservazione diretta, bensì all'utilizzo di una tecnica chiamata micro-lente gravitazionale, che sfrutta il fatto che la gravità delle stelle piega i raggi luminosi, secondo teoria della relatività. Allineando molte stelle, si possono misurare le differenze tra la posizione attesa e quella effettivamente misurata quando un pianeta passa nel campo, permettendo di dedurne la presenza.

La Probing Lensing Anomalies Network (PLANET), costituita da 5 telescopi situati nell'emisfero australe, è stata realizzata nel 2002 proprio a questo scopo. Questa rete di telescopi misura la luce di 20 milioni di stelle ogni notte. I dati riguardanti la scoperta di questo pianeta sono stati raccolti nel luglio del 2005. Dopo l'individuazione della lente gravitazionale, l'Osservatorio Europeo Australe della Silla, in Cile, l'ha osservato per 10 ore consecutive anche attraverso i dati trasmessi da altri 3 telescopi dell'osservatorio di Perth, in Australia.


Scientists discover new kind of shark in northwest Atlantic

A new species of hammerhead shark has been found in the northwest Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina.

According to scientists, the species, classified as genus Sphyrna, looks much like the scalloped hammerhead, but is "genetically distinct" from the scalloped hammerhead. University of South Carolina Biology Professor Joe Quattro, who discovered the shark, describes it as "cryptic"; it is described as a rare find. This is the ninth such species of the hammerhead shark to be discovered. Scientists have named the species a 'cryptic species' because no formal name has been selected for the shark.

According to Dr. Quattro, "if South Carolina's waters are the primary nursery grounds for the cryptic species and females gather here to reproduce, these areas should be conservation priorities." Scientists say the shark only breeds off the S. Carolina coast and that it is at a risk for extinction. "Management plans are needed to ensure that these sharks are not adversely impacted so that we can learn more," added Dr. Quattro.

So far, there are only 454 other named and classified species of shark in the wild. Two other scientists, Dr. Jim Grady at the University of New Orleans and Dr. Trey Driggers with the National Marine Fisheries Service, are also among the biologists to help with the discovery.


Une nouvelle espèce de requin a été découverte

Une nouvelle espèce de requin-marteau a été trouvée dans le nord-ouest de l'Océan Atlantique face aux côtes de Caroline du Sud.

Selon les scientifiques, l'espèce, classée comme genre Sphyrna, ressemble assez au requin-marteau, mais en diffère "génétiquement. Le professeur Joe Quattro de l'Université de biologie de Caroline du Sud qui a découvert cette espèce le décrit comme "cryptique"; il s'agît là d'une découverte rare. C'est la neuvième espèce de requin-marteau que l'on connaît. Pour l'instant, les chercheurs nomment cette espèce espèce cryptique car elle ne possède pas encore de nom spécifique.

On connaît 454 espèces de requin à travers le monde. Deux autres scientifiques, le Docteur Jim Grady de l'Université de la Nouvelle Orléans et le Dr. Trey Driggers de l'Institut marin National Américain, étudient cette espèce pour mieux la comprendre et la connaître .


Scientists discover seagrass off Australia is world's largest plant

Scientists at the University of Western Australia published a study Wednesday suggesting that a seagrass off the coast of Western Australia is the world's largest plant. The Posidonia australis is thought to have begun to clone itself 4,500 years ago, and covers about 200 square kilometres (77 square miles). It is located in Shark Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Western Australia. Shark Bay was submerged relatively recently, within the past 8,500 years.

The scientists discovered the plant was a single organism after taking 18,000 separate genetic markers to examine the seagrass to find samples to use in restoration projects. However, they discovered the same plant had cloned itself many times instead. Dr Martin Breed, an ecologist at Flinders University, said “We thought 'what the hell is going on here?'... We were completely stumped." Jane Edgeloe, one of the co-authors of the research, said the DNA of the samples was compared and it was discovered from this that the seagrass meadow was a single plant.

The plant is around three times the size of Manhattan, and measures at least 180 kilometres (112 miles) in length. As well as being the world's largest known plant, it is the world's largest known clone. The seagrass greatly surpasses the 43-hectare stand of quaking Aspen trees in Utah, United States, previously thought to be the world's largest plant. The seagrass grows a maximum of 35 centimetres per year, with its large size helping scientists calculate its age.

Dr. Elizabeth Sinclair, another co-author of the study, said the plant's survival was helped by it holding onto all the chromosomes from both its parents. This gave it genetic diversity, which is unusual among plants that produce asexually. The plant does not sexually reproduce; however, subtle variations in its DNA may help explain its longevity.

Associate Professor Kathryn McMahon, of Edith Cowan University, was not involved in the study but is an expert on seagrass. She said seagrass tends to live for between 2,000 and 100,000 years, meaning the plant's age of about 4,500 years fits into the normal age range of seagrass. McMahon also said she was confident in the method used by the researchers, and that the finding it was a single plant was "amazing".

Despite the plant's vast size, in the past ten years, almost a tenth of it has been destroyed by cyclones and rising ocean temperatures, which NBC News noted had been attributed to climate change. The bay has relatively high salinity and its temperatures vary from as cold as 15 °C (59 °F) to as hot as 30 °C (86 °F).


Cientistas descobrem que erva marinha da Austrália é a maior planta do mundo

Cientistas da Universidade da Austrália Ocidental publicaram um estudo na quarta-feira sugerindo que uma erva marinha na costa da Austrália Ocidental é a maior planta do mundo. Acredita-se que a Posidonia australis começou a se clonar há 4.500 anos e cobre cerca de 200 quilômetros quadrados (77 milhas quadradas). Ela está localizado na Baía Shark, um Patrimônio Mundial da UNESCO na Austrália Ocidental. A Baía Shark foi submersa há relativamente pouco tempo, nos últimos 8.500 anos.

Os cientistas descobriram que a planta era um único organismo depois de coletar 18.000 materiais genéticos separados para examinar as ervas marinhas. No entanto, eles descobriram que a mesma planta havia se clonado muitas vezes. Martin Breed, ecologista da Flinders University, disse: “Nós pensamos 'o que diabos está acontecendo aqui?'… Estávamos completamente perplexos”. Jane Edgeloe, uma das coautoras da pesquisa, disse que o DNA das amostras foram comparadas e descobriu-se a partir disso que era uma única planta.

Ela tem cerca de três vezes o tamanho de Manhattan e mede pelo menos 180 quilômetros (112 milhas) de comprimento. Além de ser a maior planta conhecida do mundo, é o maior clone conhecido do mundo. A erva marinha supera em muito a área de 43 hectares de árvores de Aspen em Utah, Estados Unidos, anteriormente considerada a maior planta do mundo. A erva marinha cresce no máximo 35 centímetros por ano, com seu grande tamanho ajudando os cientistas a calcular sua idade.

A Dra. Elizabeth Sinclair, outra coautora do estudo, disse que a sobrevivência da planta foi ajudada por ela manter todos os cromossomos de ambos os pais. Isso lhe deu diversidade genética, o que é incomum entre as plantas que produzem assexuadamente. A planta não se reproduz sexualmente; no entanto, variações sutis em seu DNA podem ajudar a explicar sua longevidade.

A professora Kathryn McMahon, da Edith Cowan University, não esteve envolvida no estudo, mas é especialista em ervas marinhas. Ela disse que as ervas marinhas tendem a viver entre 2.000 e 100.000 anos, o que significa que a idade da planta de cerca de 4.500 anos se encaixa na faixa etária normal das ervas marinhas. McMahon também disse que estava confiante no método usado pelos pesquisadores e que a descoberta de que era uma única planta foi “incrível”.

Apesar do grande tamanho, nos últimos dez anos quase um décimo dela foi destruída por ciclones e aumento da temperatura do oceano. A baía tem uma salinidade relativamente alta e suas temperaturas variam de tão frio quanto 15° C (59° F) a tão quente quanto 30° C (86° F).


Scientists discover soft tissue in dinosaur bones

Scientists have uncovered soft bone tissue of a Tyrannosaurus Rex known as MOR 1125, found in a sandstone formation in Montana.

MOR 1125 was 18 years old when it died, 65 million years ago. Similar tissue of a dinosaur has never been found before, as all remains found until now were fosilized. The tissue still contains microscopic structures resembling bloodvessels and cells. The comparison between the structures found in the T-rex and a modern day Ostrich shows a remarkable similarity. The results have been duplicated with an 80-million-year-old hadrosaur and two other tyrannosaurs. The discovery was reported in today's issue of Science.

Results similar to the popular film "Jurassic park" are unlikely, as the recovery of DNA from the tissue is improbable. The results remain astounding, however, and tests with antibodies that react to collagen shows the tissue may still contain proteins. “Ultimately if we could establish chemical composition, we would have insights into all kinds of things: diet, sexual maturity, whether the specimen is the male or female.”, paleontologist Hans-Dieter Sues said.

Richard A. Hengst of Purdue University said the finding "opens the door for research into the protein structure of ancient organisms, if nothing else. While we think that nature is conservative in how things are built, this gives scientists an opportunity to observe this at the chemical and cellular level."

Matthew Carrano, curator of dinosaurs at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, said the discovery was "pretty exciting stuff." "You are actually getting into the small-scale biology of the animal, which is something we rarely get the opportunity to look at."


Tkanka miękka w kościach dinozaura - czy czeka nas "Jurassic Park"?

Naukowcy z Montany odnaleźli fragmenty tkanek miękkich w kościach Tyrannosaurus rex, znanego teraz jako MOR 1125.

MOR 1125 miał 18 lat, gdy zmarł 65 milionów lat temu. Wiemy o tym dzięki siateczce naczyń krwionośnych, którą znaleziono w jednej z kości udowych tego zwierzęcia. Jak się dowiedzieliśmy, naczynia krwionośne T-Rexa bardzo przypominają naczynia krwionośne strusia.

Jak uspokoił nas paleontolog Hans-Dieter Sues, nie musimy się martwić, że scenariusz z Jurassic Park wydarzy się naprawdę. Powiedział jednak, że możemy poznać wiele ciekawych rzeczy na temat dinozaurów: dietę tego zwierzęcia, dojrzałość seksualną, płeć. Richard A. Hengst z Uniwersytetu Purdue powiedział, że to znalezisko otwiera nam drzwi do badania tych organizmów na poziomie protein, jeżeli nic więcej.


Cientistas descobrem tecido mole em osso de dinossauro

Cientistas descobriram um tecido mole do osso de um Tiranossauro rex conhecido como  MOR 1125, achado numa formação arenosa em Montana, Estados Unidos da América.

MOR 1125 tinha 18 anos de idade quando morreu,  há 65 milhões de anos. Tecido semelhante como esse em um dinossauro nunca tinha sido achado antes. Todos os ossos encontrados até agora eram fossilizados.  O tecido ainda contém estruturas microscópicas assemelhando-se a capilares e células.  A comparação entre as estruturas achadas no Tiranossauro rex e num avestruz moderno  mostra uma semelhança notável.  Os resultados foram duplicados com um hadrossauro de 80 milhões de anos e outros dois tiranossauros.  A descoberta foi informada na  edição de 26 de março da revista Science.

A possibilidade de se fazer uma clonagem como no filme Jurassic Park é difícil tendo em vista que é pouco provável a recuperação de algum material genético intacto  do tecido. De qualquer forma a descoberta é ainda surpreendente. Testes com anticorpos que reagem com colágeno evidenciam que o tecido pode conter proteínas.

“Se  por  acaso conseguíssemos estabelecer  a composição química, poderíamos obter pistas sobre uma variedade de  coisas: a dieta, a maturidade sexual, se o espécime é o macho ou a fêmea.”, disse o paleontólogo Hans-Dieter Sues.

Richard A. Hengst da Universidade Purdue disse que a descoberta "abre a porta para a pesquisa da estrutura proteíca de organismos antigos, pelo menos. Enquanto acharmos que a natureza é conservadora a respeito de como as coisas são estruturadas, isto dá para  os  cientistas uma oportunidade de observá-las ao nível químico e celular."


Scientists say the moon is slowly shrinking

New research identifies cracks over the moon's crust that may have been created by the cooling and shrinking of it over the past billion or so years.

Scientists have discovered landforms littered across the moon's surface called lobate scarps that have apparently resulted from the moon's shrinking very slowly. These scarps were found all over the moon and appear to be minimally weathered, indicating that the geologic events that created them were fairly recent. This theory contradicts the claim that the moon is completely devoid of geologic activity.

Over the past billion years, about a quarter of the moon's 4.5 billion-year lifespan, it has shrunk about 200 meters (700 feet) in diameter. The scarps that are thought to have resulted from the contraction scenario were first identified near the lunar equator by cameras aboard the Apollo moon missions of the early 1970's.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently photographed similar landforms in other locations on the moon, further supporting the theory that Earth's closest neighbor in space may in fact be shrinking.

The concept, however, is not a recent one. Scientists know that the moon's core was once very hot, causing it to expand. As the core cools, the moon naturally begins to contract.


달 표면의 균열, 달이 식어 쭈그러들면서 생성된 것으로 밝혀져

달 표면을 뒤덮고 있는 균열들이 지난 수십억 년 동안 달이 식으면서 쭈그러들어 만들어진 것이라는 새 연구 결과가 나왔다.

과학자들은 달의 표면의 난잡한 단층 사면이 달이 매우 서서히 수축하면서 만들어졌다는 것을 발견했다. 달의 모든 곳에서 발견되는 이 급경사 지형은 풍화된 정도가 매우 작기에, 이것들이 만들어진 지질학적 사건이 꽤 최근에 발생했다는 것을 알 수 있다. 이 이론은 달이 지질학적으로 죽어 있다는 주장과 모순된다.

달의 45억년 일생의 약 4분의 1에 해당하는 지난 수 십억 년 동안, 달의 지름은 약 200 미터(700 피트)가량 줄어들었다. 달이 수축함으로써 만들어졌다고 생각되는 사면은 1970년대 초기에 아폴로 미션의 우주선들의 카메라가 달의 적도에서 발견했다.

NASA의 달 정찰 궤도선은 최근 달의 다른 지역에서도 비슷한 지형들을 촬영했으며, 이로 인해 지구에서 가장 가까운 천체가 쭈그러들고 있다는 이론에 힘이 실렸다.

하지만, 이런 개념이 최근에 생겨난 것은 아니다. 과학자들은 한때 달의 핵이 매우 뜨거웠다는 것을 알고 있다. 이 핵이 식음으로 인해 달은 자연스럽게 쭈그러들기 시작한 것이다.


Scientists sequence small genome of a pest: spider mite

A team of 55 researchers led by University of Western Ontario biologist Miodrag Grbic has sequenced the genome of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae, a pest that costs over USD 1 billion to control annually. Their results were published in the journal Nature yesterday.  The genome is the smallest arthropod genome sequenced so far.

The study was funded by the US Depeartment of Energy Joint Genome Institute programme, Genome Canada, and the European Union.

The pest is resistant to major plant toxins, and it takes a spider mite from two to four years to become resistant to new pesticides. University of Utah assistant professor of biology Richard M. Clark, a study co-author, said, "One key thing that makes spider mites unique is they can eat many, many different plant species... These mites are ... a major cause of people's house plants turning yellow and getting sick. They also are a major problem for agricultural nurseries and greenhouses, and for field crops. ... [the spider mite] has been found to rapidly develop resistance to multiple types of pesticides, often within a couple of years after a pesticide is introduced."

The study found the mite's genome includes a variety of genes responsible for digestion and toxin degradation, possibly including some genes from bacteria and fungi. Because these bacterial/fungal genes are peculiar to spider mites, they appear to be a rare example of lateral gene transfer — gene transfer between distant species.

The study also found 17 web-production genes. The spider mite's webs provide weather- and predator-protection and are somewhat stronger than webs of other species.


Byl sekvenován genom svilušky chmelové

Týmu pětapadesáti vědců vedenému Miodragem Grbićem z University of Western Ontario se podařilo sekvenovat genom svilušky chmelové. Zpráva o jejich výzkumu byla ve středu 23. listopadu publikována časopisem Nature. Jedná se o doposud nejmenšího členovce se sekvenovaným genem.

Sviluška chmelová je významný hospodářský škůdce, na jehož potlačování je každoročně vynakládána více než miliarda dolarů. Je obecně velmi odolná vůči pesticidům, odolnost na nové pesticidy si vybuduje za dva až čtyři roky. Navíc není příliš vybíravá, živí se velkým množstvím hospodářských rostlin a představuje tak nebezpečí pro úrodu mnoha plodin.

Genom svilušky obsahuje podle výzkumů i směsici genů odpovědných za trávení a rozkládání jedů, přičemž je možné, že některé z nich pochází z bakterií a hub. Tyto geny totiž nejsou známy z druhů svilušce blízkých, je tedy pravděpodobně, že se jedná o vzácný případ horizontálního přenosu genetické informace. Kromě toho také výzkum pomůže objasnit zvláštnosti sítí, které sviluška tvoří a které jsou pevnější než typické pavoučí sítě.

Výzkum byl financován mezinárodně, přispívalo ministerstvo energetiky Spojených států amerických, kanadský institut i Evropská unie.

Tato zpráva byla založena zčásti nebo zcela překladem zprávy Scientists sequence small genome of a pest: spider mite na anglických Wikizprávách.


Weitesjappers sequentiëre klein genoom van 'ne plaog: spènnemiet

Veurblaad - Lètste verangeringe, Willekäörige pazjena, Veur pagina's in, Alle artikele - De Kaffee, Zandjbak, Hölp, Spellingshölp - Nuujseuverzich


Security flaws in Mozilla Firefox internet browser fixed

The Mozilla Foundation have released version 1.0.4 of their popular Firefox browser, which fixes the two major problems discovered earlier this week.

The new version fixes no less than six security flaws, including the two 'extremely critical' flaws. Other fixes include one which prevents another method of running code without permission on a user's computer.


Arreglados los problemas de seguridad de Firefox

12 de mayo de 2005Mountain View, California, Estados Unidos — Mozilla Foundation lanzó este jueves la versión 1.0.4 de su navegador de internet Mozilla Firefox, que había presentado dos fallas de seguridad a comienzos de esta semana.

Además de estos dos fallos, la nueva versión arregla otras cuatro fallas generales, incluyendo una que previene el ataque, utilizando otro método de entrega de código sin permiso del usuario en su ordenador.

Para la mañana del jueves, la versión 1.0.4 de Firefox se encontraba disponible -en el sitio oficial- en inglés, danés, francés, alemán, griego, húngaro, italiano, coreano, noruego, polaco, portugués brasileño y turco, para los sistemas operativos Windows, Mac OS X y Linux. El viernes 13 fueron publicadas en el sitio oficial de Mozilla las traducciones al español (latinoamericano y europeo), vasco, catalán, chino tradicional, checo, holandés, finlandés, japonés, portugués europeo, rumano, ruso y esloveno.


Corrigidas as falhas de segurança do navegador Firefox

A Fundação Mozilla liberou recentemente a versão 1.0.4  (http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/all) do seu popular navegador Firefox, com correções para os dois maiores problemas descobertos recentemente.

A nova versão corrige mais de seis falhas de segurança, incluindo as duas extremamente críticas.
Entre as correções está a que previne que outra pessoa execute um código numa máquina,  sem permissão do usuário.


SETI Institute set to re-open

The SETI Institute, shut down since mid-April due to budget cuts, has announced that it will reopen in mid-September due to a recent influx of funds from several donors.

Over 2,500 donors, including actress Jodie Foster who popularized SETI ("Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence") in the movie Contact, provided $220,000 to keep the Institute's telescopes functioning.

"We are absolutely thrilled that thousands of people from all over the world stepped forward to declare their support for SETI science just when help was needed the most," said SETI through a press release.

As they continue to search for long-term funding, the Institute plans to use the money to study several Kepler planets, which were discovered by NASA scientists in early February. These planets are thought to be within a certain distance from their corresponding stars to be capable of supporting liquid water and thus potential life.


SETI volverá a buscar vida extraterrestre

El proyecto SETI (en inglés Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) volverá a funcionar a partir de finales de septiembre hasta finales de año, según los responsables del programa quienes recibieron millonarios aportes para que el programa pudiera seguir buscando por vida fuera de la Tierra.

El proyecto, iniciado hace más de 20 años, busca vida extraterrestre usando una red de radiotelescopios, y usando tiempo muerto de los computadores, busca descifrar señales de origen artificial que existen a lo largo del universo. Hasta el momento, la única señal que se ha captado por algún radiotelescopio es denominada como Wow!, la que aún no ha sido entendida por los científicos.

Con las donaciones de millonarios y diversos institutos, los responsables del proyecto han asegurado el funcionamiento del proyecto hasta diciembre de este año, y solicitan más donaciones cercanas a los 2,5 millones de dólares para funcionar el 2012.


Džodi Foster želi dokaz o vanzemaljskom životu

17. август 2011.Лос Анђелес-  (Beta-AFP) - Holivudska glumica Džodi Foster novčano je pomogla kalifornijskom institutu koji istražuje vanzemaljski život (SETI).

Glumica je jedna od 2.500 osobe koje su se odazvale na apel instituta pogođenog smanjenjem budžeta, zbog čega od aprila nisu radila njegova 42 teleskopa. SETI je od 2.557 donatora dobio 223.000 dolara.

Džodi Foster je u filmu „Kontakt“ iz 1997. igrala astronautkinju koja pokušava da ostvari kontakt sa vanzemaljcima. Zahvaljujući novčanoj pomoći, institut SETI će nastaviti rad idućeg meseca.


Seven caves found on Mars: NASA

New images from Mars, taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft and the Mars Global Surveyor have shown what appears to be at least seven entrances to large caves on the slope of Arsia Mons, a Martian volcano. Scientists believe the caves are very large and they believe that they lead to the subsurface of Mars.

All of the cave entrances, which were named "The Seven Sisters", are at least 100 to 250 meters (328 to 820 feet) in diameter.  Infrared images show that the temperature variations from night and day show that they are likely caves.  "They are cooler than the surrounding surface in the day and warmer at night. Their thermal behavior is not as steady as large caves on Earth that often maintain a fairly constant temperature, but it is consistent with these being deep holes in the ground," said Glen Cushing of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Team and of Northern Arizona University located in Flagstaff, Arizona.

While some scientists say that "somewhere on Mars, caves might provide a protected niche for past or current life, or shelter for humans in the future" (Tim Titus of the U.S. Geological Survey), others disagree as to this possibility, since most of the caves "...are at such extreme altitude, they are poor candidates either for use as human habitation or for having microbial life. Even if life has ever existed on Mars, it may not have migrated to this height," added Cushing.

The caves are believed to have been formed as underground stresses around the volcano caused spreading and faults that opened spaces beneath the surface. Some of the holes are in line with strings of bowl-shaped pits where surface material has apparently collapsed to fill the gap created by a linear fault.

NASA plans to use the Odyssey to find more possible caves at lower altitudes in the future.


Encuentran siete cavernas en Marte

La sonda espacial de la NASA Mars Odyssey reveló nuevas imágenes de Marte en las cuales se pueden observar al menos siete entradas a grandes cavernas ubicadas en la ladera del volcán Arsia Mons. Los científicos creen que las cuevas son muy grandes y dan acceso al subsuelo marciano.

Todas las entradas a estas cavernas, las cuales han sido llamadas "Las siete hermanas", tienen por lo menos de 100 a 250 metros de diámetro. Las fotografías infrarrojas muestran la apariencia de grandes cavernas por las variaciones de temperatura entre la noche y el día. "Son más frías que la superficie que las rodea durante el día y más frescas durante la noche. Su ambiente térmico no es estable como en las grandes cavernas terrestres las cuales pueden mantener una temperatura constante, estos datos son consistentes con la tesis de que son hoyos muy profundos", afirmó Glen Cushing del equipo de astrogeólogos de la Inspección Geológica de los Estados Unidos (USGS) de la Universidad de Arizona.

Mientras que algunos científicos afirman que "alguna vez estas cavernas podrán ser utilizadas como refugio de vida o incluso para los humanos en el futuro" (Tim Titus de la Inspección Geológica), otros están en desacuerdo con la posibilidad y han afirmado que "debido a su altura es difícil que puedan ser usadas como refugios para humanos (en el futuro) o que hayan albergado vida microbiológica" de acuerdo a lo afirmado por Cushing.

Se cree que la formación de las cavernas se produjo por un empuje subterráneo alrededor del volcán, causado por fallas y espacios abiertos sobre la superficie.

La NASA planea utilizar el Surveyor y el Odyssey para encontrar en el futuro más posibles cavernas a alturas menores.


At 2:01:56 p.m EDT Monday, Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off above Florida on its two day journey to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to make repairs.

During the 11 day repair mission to the HST, astronauts will perform five spacewalks, installing two new instruments and repairing two others.  The two new instruments are the US$126 million Wide Field Camera 3 and the $81 million Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.  The crew has set out to repair the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, Advanced Camera for Surveys which are malfunctioning. The mission will also see the installation of a new Science Instrument Command and Data Handling Unit to replace the existing one.

"On Servicing Mission 4, we're going to give Hubble another extreme makeover. This makeover will be the best one yet because we will outfit Hubble with the most powerful and advanced imaging and spectrographic instruments available and we will extend Hubble's operating lifetime for five additional years,"  said Program Manager Preston Burch.

Scott D. Altman is the mission commander of the fifth and final mission to service the HST. This will be his fourth space flight, and his second one to service the telescope. John Grunsfeld, Michael Massimino, two of the crews space walkers has also been to HST previously.  Andrew Feustel and Michael Good are the other two spacewalkers.  Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and flight engineer Megan McArthur complete the crew's complement.

Space shuttle Endeavour is on standby due to an increased probability of an impact with space debris compared to previous missions. "There are very small odds we would, in fact, have a problem on ascent for which the remedy would be a launch on need shuttle, a rescue shuttle. But against the very small probability that it could occur, we will carry that rescue option in the manifest. ... The safety of our crew conducting this mission will be as much as we can possibly do," explained former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin.


Spaceshuttle Atlantis gelanceerd

CAPE CANAVERAL – Om 20.01 CET is vanaf het Kennedy Space Center in Florida de spaceshuttle Atlantis met zeven bemanningsleden aan boord gelanceerd. Atlantis is nu onderweg naar de ruimtetelescoop Hubble.

Doel van de missie is het uitvoeren van algemene onderhoudswerkzaamheden op de ruimtetelescoop, zoals het vervangen van camera's, batterijen en gyroscopen. In de elf daagse missie zijn daarvoor vijf ruimtewandelingen gepland. Daarna moet de Hubble het tot 2014 kunnen uithouden. Wat er na 2014 met de Hubble gebeurt, laat de ruimtevaartorganisatie NASA in het midden. Het plan is dat er tegen die tijd een nieuwe ruimtetelescoop, de James Webb, in een baan rond de aarde zal zweven.


Simon's Rock College tests Alan Turing theories with 'Imitation Game' experiment

On Saturday April 16, students at Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and Dr. Richard Wallace of the A.L.I.C.E. AI Foundation for their first time tested Alan Turing's thought-experiment. The Imitation Game, based on the original Turing model for testing the ability of humans to recognize artificial intelligence (AI), was carried out with nearly eighty human and AI participants.

The 'Original Imitation Game' is described in Turing's 1950 paper. A popularized version now dubbed the "Turing Test" involves a judge knowingly interviewing a software program and a human person during a computer chat, and then trying to discern which is which.  The Turing Test has been conducted many times as Artificial Intelligence programs developed.  However, no study was ever published following the guidelines of the original thought-experiment itself.

The Imitation Game involved playing a "gender guessing game", wherein two human subjects, a male and a female, communicate via computer chat to the judge.  Both the male and the female would try to convince the judge that s/he is female.  Turing's original question was, if a gender guessing game were done with two humans, and then with an AI replacing the male, would the judge be more accurate in guessing who the real female was?

Three students at Simon's Rock — Cameo Wood, Melissa Leventhal, and Allyson Sgro — wrote a grant to support the experiment, and shepherded the proposal through the Human Research Review Committee under the oversight of Professor Anne O'Dwyer. The experiment was funded by the departments of Natural Science and the department of Social Science at the college.

The experiment utilized a program called A.L.I.C.E., which is designed to hold one end of an interactive conversation.  The program was provided by the ALICE Artificial Intelligence Foundation.  Dr. Richard Wallace was on hand during the experiment to troubleshoot the AI robot, later gave a lecture about on The Anatomy of A.L.I.C.E. and blogged the event.

Six human subjects from Simon's Rock composed the human players in the game; the judges were recruited from various non-technical internet communities. Roughly eighty individuals participated in the experiment, which required the organizers to maintain strict secrecy about the experiment until it was concluded.  All subjects who participated in the experiment were required to be over 18, not affiliated with the college, and were not allowed any foreknowledge of the use of AI in the experiment.  Roughly 70 interviews were conducted over a three hour period last Saturday, via AOL's Instant Messenger, a messaging tool that allows individuals to write to one another online.

The research team at Simon's Rock has started to analyze the data they acquired during the experiment and will be writing a paper for publication in the coming months.  Inquiries regarding the experiment may be directed to researcher@theguessinggame.net.


Le Jeu de l'Imitation