The Amazing Northern Lights Show That Never Ceases to Amaze

Dancing across the clear skies, the amazing Auroa Borealis are truly a sight to behold.

Icelandic photographer Kristjan Unnar Kristjansson - also known as 'Kiddi' - has spent the last nine years capturing the kaleidoscopic light show in his native homeland.

'These are some of my very favourite Aurora Borealis photos that I have taken in recent years,' said the 31-year-old from Reykjavik in Iceland.

Lighting up the stars tonight: The Northern lights at Hvalfjorour fjord in Akranes near Reykjavik change the look of the landscape completely

The Aurora Boralis over a golf clubhouse, and in the distance, the Second World War lighthouse, in Seltjarnes. Icelandic photographer Kristjan has spent the last nine years capturing the kaleidoscopic light show

'No words can properly describe the experience. Even though I've seen them now and again throughout my life, I'm still awe-inspired and flabbergasted every time they show up.'

Also known as the northern and southern polar lights, the natural light displays are governed by sun storms and are usually observed at night.

In northern latitudes the effect is known as the Aurora Borealis, named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas.

Using highly sensitive cameras - and a lot of patience - Kristjan has gone to extraordinary lengths to capture the images.

'It is really hard capturing them, as they require bright lenses, highly photosensitive cameras, warm clothes and a whole lot of luck,' he said.

Mackerel skies? Deep inside Hvalfjorour fjord in Akranes near Reykjavik, the amazing phenomenon is a sight to behold. Photographers need warm clothes and a lot of luck, says Kristjan

'Words can't describe the experience': Photographer Kiddi Kristjan with the northern lights in the background

'Flashlights are must-haves, especially when there's no moonlight, as the night can be pitch black.
'I don't think anyone has ever captured a good aurora photo in their first try or even their second.

'I try to have people, structures, landscapes in the picture as it gives the auroras authenticity, scale and value, at least in my opinion.'

Even though Kristjan is lucky enough to sometimes see the auroras from just outside his apartment, he often takes trips out of Reykjavik in order to get the best pictures.

'Getting good photos of them on the other hand can be tricky,' he said. 'So I often take trips outside of Reykjavik with a friend or two, and we take a drive to a remote, light-pollution free location.

'In total, I would estimate that I've driven somewhere around 10, 000-15, 000 kilometres while looking for them.'

Waiting for the light: At Hvalfjorour fjord, photographers wait patiently while their digital cameras gather light, in Mosfellsaer.

For Kristjan the there is no other natural phenomenon as experiencing the Aurora Borealis first hand. 'I recommend that everybody should try to visit Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Alaska or any other northern-latitude country for this purpose alone. The northern lights are something special,' he said.

The auroras are with us all year round. In Iceland, the summers never go dark so you wouldn't be able to see them, even though they are there.

'The auroras are governed by sun storms, which have been few and small in recent years. The last peak was in 2001, and the next peak is expected between 2013 - 2015.

'I can tell they're getting stronger by looking at their colour,' says Kristjan. 'Usually they're just green/pinkish, but now we're seeing clear tones of red. I can't wait until my next aurora trip.'

Read more: dailymail.co.uk

Author: radhite  Category:

Dancing across the clear skies, the amazing Auroa Borealis are truly a sight to behold.

Icelandic photographer Kristjan Unnar Kristjansson - also known as 'Kiddi' - has spent the last nine years capturing the kaleidoscopic light show in his native homeland.

'These are some of my very favourite Aurora Borealis photos that I have taken in recent years,' said the 31-year-old from Reykjavik in Iceland.

Lighting up the stars tonight: The Northern lights at Hvalfjorour fjord in Akranes near Reykjavik change the look of the landscape completely

The Aurora Boralis over a golf clubhouse, and in the distance, the Second World War lighthouse, in Seltjarnes. Icelandic photographer Kristjan has spent the last nine years capturing the kaleidoscopic light show

'No words can properly describe the experience. Even though I've seen them now and again throughout my life, I'm still awe-inspired and flabbergasted every time they show up.'

Also known as the northern and southern polar lights, the natural light displays are governed by sun storms and are usually observed at night.

In northern latitudes the effect is known as the Aurora Borealis, named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas.

Using highly sensitive cameras - and a lot of patience - Kristjan has gone to extraordinary lengths to capture the images.

'It is really hard capturing them, as they require bright lenses, highly photosensitive cameras, warm clothes and a whole lot of luck,' he said.

Mackerel skies? Deep inside Hvalfjorour fjord in Akranes near Reykjavik, the amazing phenomenon is a sight to behold. Photographers need warm clothes and a lot of luck, says Kristjan

'Words can't describe the experience': Photographer Kiddi Kristjan with the northern lights in the background

'Flashlights are must-haves, especially when there's no moonlight, as the night can be pitch black.
'I don't think anyone has ever captured a good aurora photo in their first try or even their second.

'I try to have people, structures, landscapes in the picture as it gives the auroras authenticity, scale and value, at least in my opinion.'

Even though Kristjan is lucky enough to sometimes see the auroras from just outside his apartment, he often takes trips out of Reykjavik in order to get the best pictures.

'Getting good photos of them on the other hand can be tricky,' he said. 'So I often take trips outside of Reykjavik with a friend or two, and we take a drive to a remote, light-pollution free location.

'In total, I would estimate that I've driven somewhere around 10, 000-15, 000 kilometres while looking for them.'

Waiting for the light: At Hvalfjorour fjord, photographers wait patiently while their digital cameras gather light, in Mosfellsaer.

For Kristjan the there is no other natural phenomenon as experiencing the Aurora Borealis first hand. 'I recommend that everybody should try to visit Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Alaska or any other northern-latitude country for this purpose alone. The northern lights are something special,' he said.

The auroras are with us all year round. In Iceland, the summers never go dark so you wouldn't be able to see them, even though they are there.

'The auroras are governed by sun storms, which have been few and small in recent years. The last peak was in 2001, and the next peak is expected between 2013 - 2015.

'I can tell they're getting stronger by looking at their colour,' says Kristjan. 'Usually they're just green/pinkish, but now we're seeing clear tones of red. I can't wait until my next aurora trip.'

Read more: dailymail.co.uk

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Bullies Grow Up To Become Disturbed Adults

Children who bully others may face more serious problems than visiting the principal’s office. Childhood bullying behaviors that persist into adulthood are believed to be the result of psychiatric disorders. A study by the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University found that adults with a lifetime history of bullying are more likely to exhibit psychological problems and substance abuse issues than non-bullying adults.

 

The study looked at survey data obtained from more than 40,000 US Citizens over the age of 18, focusing on the prevalence of psychological disorders and substance abuse among a population of racially, economically, and socially diverse people. The information was collected through face-to-face interviews by trained US Census Bureau worker who asked participants about their history of drug and alcohol dependence, psychiatric disorders, and family history of psychiatric and social disorders. The participants were also asked if they had ever tried to physically or emotionally intimidate someone in their lifetime: those who answered ‘yes’ were labeled as having a history of bullying behaviors.

Statistical analysis of the survey showed that individuals most likely to display lifetime bullying behaviors were American Indian and Asian, native U.S. citizens, western, male, had a high-school education or lower, and earned less than $35,00/year. Lifetime bullies were 3 to 5 times more likely to display antisocial behaviors than their non-bullying counterparts, such as fighting, animal cruelty, harassing and threatening behavior, and stealing. They were also more likely to display psychiatric disorders, such as depression, paranoia, conduct disorders, and substance abuse. A family history of antisocial behavior was also found to be high among lifetime bullies.

Researchers noted a few limitations of this study. First, the analysis could not conclude the causative relationship between bullying behaviors and psychological illness, meaning it is difficult to determine if antisocial disorders cause the sufferer to become a bully or vice versa. Secondly, the data was collected through self-reports that required the subjects to remember events in their childhood. In some cases, older adults may have misrepresented their adolescence due to difficulty recalling experiences from so long ago.

Research has shown the negative effect bullying can have on tormented children. Bullying has now even made its way to the internet. An international study on bullying in schools showed an association between victimization and higher self-reports of illnesses, and psychological distress.  Today’s young bullies may be tomorrow’s adults who need help.


Source: fyiliving.com

Author: radhite  Category: bullying,childhood,disturbed adult,health,psychology

Children who bully others may face more serious problems than visiting the principal’s office. Childhood bullying behaviors that persist into adulthood are believed to be the result of psychiatric disorders. A study by the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University found that adults with a lifetime history of bullying are more likely to exhibit psychological problems and substance abuse issues than non-bullying adults.

 

The study looked at survey data obtained from more than 40,000 US Citizens over the age of 18, focusing on the prevalence of psychological disorders and substance abuse among a population of racially, economically, and socially diverse people. The information was collected through face-to-face interviews by trained US Census Bureau worker who asked participants about their history of drug and alcohol dependence, psychiatric disorders, and family history of psychiatric and social disorders. The participants were also asked if they had ever tried to physically or emotionally intimidate someone in their lifetime: those who answered ‘yes’ were labeled as having a history of bullying behaviors.

Statistical analysis of the survey showed that individuals most likely to display lifetime bullying behaviors were American Indian and Asian, native U.S. citizens, western, male, had a high-school education or lower, and earned less than $35,00/year. Lifetime bullies were 3 to 5 times more likely to display antisocial behaviors than their non-bullying counterparts, such as fighting, animal cruelty, harassing and threatening behavior, and stealing. They were also more likely to display psychiatric disorders, such as depression, paranoia, conduct disorders, and substance abuse. A family history of antisocial behavior was also found to be high among lifetime bullies.

Researchers noted a few limitations of this study. First, the analysis could not conclude the causative relationship between bullying behaviors and psychological illness, meaning it is difficult to determine if antisocial disorders cause the sufferer to become a bully or vice versa. Secondly, the data was collected through self-reports that required the subjects to remember events in their childhood. In some cases, older adults may have misrepresented their adolescence due to difficulty recalling experiences from so long ago.

Research has shown the negative effect bullying can have on tormented children. Bullying has now even made its way to the internet. An international study on bullying in schools showed an association between victimization and higher self-reports of illnesses, and psychological distress.  Today’s young bullies may be tomorrow’s adults who need help.


Source: fyiliving.com

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World's Oldest Human Remains Claimed in Israel

 

A handout photo made available by Tel Aviv University spokesperson office shows the Qesem Cave near Rosh Haayin, in central Israel, where human teeth were found. According to Researchers from Tel Aviv University they have uncovered finds that indicate the existence of modern man (Homo sapiens) in Israel as early as about 400,000 years ago.

Israeli archaeologists have discovered human remains dating from 400,000 years ago, challenging conventional wisdom that Homo sapiens originated in Africa, the leader of excavations in Israel said on Tuesday.

Avi Gopher, of Tel Aviv University's Institute of Archaeology, said testing of stalagmites, stalactites and other material found in a cave east of Tel Aviv indicates that eight teeth uncovered there could be the earliest traces so far of our species.

"Our cave was used for a period of about 250,000 years -- from about 400,000 years ago to about 200,000 years ago," he told AFP.

"The teeth are scattered through the layers of the cave, some in the deeper part, that is to say from 400,000 years and through all kinds of other layers that can be up to 200,000 years. The oldest are 400,000 years old", he added."

A handout photo made available by the Tel Aviv University shows human teeth found in the Qesem Cave near Rosh Haayin, in central Israel. According to researchers from Tel Aviv University they have uncovered finds that indicate the existence of modern man (Homo sapiens) in Israel as early as about 400,000 years ago.That calls into question the widely held view that Africa was the birthplace of modern man, said Gopher, who headed the dig at Qesem Cave.

"It is accepted at the moment that the earliest Homo sapiens that we know is in east Africa and is 200,000 years old, or a little less. We don't know of anywhere else where anyone claims to have an earlier Homo sapiens," he said.

Gopher said the first teeth were discovered in 2006 but he and his team waited until they had several samples, then conducted years of testing, using a variety of dating methods, before publishing their findings. Digging continues at the cave, the university said, with researchers hoping to "uncover additional finds that will enable them to confirm the findings published up to now and to enhance our understanding of the evolution of mankind, and especially the appearance of modern man."

Source: physorg.com

Author: radhite  Category: archeology,bones,feature,homo sapiens,human,israel,teeth

 

A handout photo made available by Tel Aviv University spokesperson office shows the Qesem Cave near Rosh Haayin, in central Israel, where human teeth were found. According to Researchers from Tel Aviv University they have uncovered finds that indicate the existence of modern man (Homo sapiens) in Israel as early as about 400,000 years ago.

Israeli archaeologists have discovered human remains dating from 400,000 years ago, challenging conventional wisdom that Homo sapiens originated in Africa, the leader of excavations in Israel said on Tuesday.

Avi Gopher, of Tel Aviv University's Institute of Archaeology, said testing of stalagmites, stalactites and other material found in a cave east of Tel Aviv indicates that eight teeth uncovered there could be the earliest traces so far of our species.

"Our cave was used for a period of about 250,000 years -- from about 400,000 years ago to about 200,000 years ago," he told AFP.

"The teeth are scattered through the layers of the cave, some in the deeper part, that is to say from 400,000 years and through all kinds of other layers that can be up to 200,000 years. The oldest are 400,000 years old", he added."

A handout photo made available by the Tel Aviv University shows human teeth found in the Qesem Cave near Rosh Haayin, in central Israel. According to researchers from Tel Aviv University they have uncovered finds that indicate the existence of modern man (Homo sapiens) in Israel as early as about 400,000 years ago.That calls into question the widely held view that Africa was the birthplace of modern man, said Gopher, who headed the dig at Qesem Cave.

"It is accepted at the moment that the earliest Homo sapiens that we know is in east Africa and is 200,000 years old, or a little less. We don't know of anywhere else where anyone claims to have an earlier Homo sapiens," he said.

Gopher said the first teeth were discovered in 2006 but he and his team waited until they had several samples, then conducted years of testing, using a variety of dating methods, before publishing their findings. Digging continues at the cave, the university said, with researchers hoping to "uncover additional finds that will enable them to confirm the findings published up to now and to enhance our understanding of the evolution of mankind, and especially the appearance of modern man."

Source: physorg.com

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Fossil Hunters Uncover Complete 252m Year-Old Underwater World

 

This Ichthyosaur fossil was one of more than 20,000 that were recently uncovered in Luoping, China.

A spectacular haul of 20,000 fossils including plants, carnivorous fish and large reptiles, has been found in a hillside in Luoping, southwestern China

Fossil hunters have uncovered the remains of an ancient marine ecosystem that arose in the aftermath of the most devastating mass extinction in Earth's history.

The spectacular haul of 20,000 fossils from a hillside in southwestern China represents the first discovery of a complete ecosystem which bounced back after life was nearly wiped off the face of the planet 252m years ago.

The beautifully preserved remains include molluscs, sea urchins and arthropods, alongside much larger animals that occupied the top of the food chain, such as carnivorous fish and the first icthyosaurs, predatory marine reptiles that grew to four metres long.

Among the remnants are rare fragments of land life that survived the same period, including part of a conifer plant and the tooth of an archosaur reptile.

The fossils were excavated from rocks that formed when ocean sediments settled out and solidified many millions of years ago in what is now Luoping county in the Yunnan Province of China.

The Earth has witnessed several mass extinctions in its 4.5bn year history, but the event that struck at the end of the Permian was unequaled in scale. Some 96% of marine species and 70% of land vertebrates were lost in what has been called "the great dying".

What caused such global havoc is still open to debate, but Michael Benton, a paleontologist at Bristol University who led the latest research, said evidence points to prolonged and violent eruptions from the Siberian traps, a huge region of volcanic rock. In this scenario, mass eruptions triggered environmental catastrophe by belching an overwhelming quantity of gas into the atmosphere for half a million years.

"The main follow on was a flash warming of the Earth. That caused stagnation in the oceans, as normal circulation shut down. On land, the consequence of all the carbon dioxide and other gases appears to have been massive acid rain that killed the forests and stripped the landscape bare," Benton said. "This was the greatest of all mass extinctions, the time when life was most nearly completely wiped out."

What life survived became the starting point for a recovery that played out over the next ten million years. Some of these organisms, known as "disaster species" clung on through sheer hardiness, somehow coping with the harsh conditions of scarce food, wild variations in temperature and little oxygen in the oceans.

By studying the fossils, Benton and his colleagues at the Chengdu Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources and the University of Western Australia, hope to piece together how life can come back from the brink. "The recovery from mass extinction touches on current concerns about biodiversity and conservation. Why do certain species go extinct? Which species come back? How do you rebuild an ecosystem and how long does it take?" said Benton. The study appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The Luoping fossils show that many small organisms at the bottom of the food chain came back within two to three million years. Once their populations stabilised, other creatures that could feed on them recovered, including molluscs and shellfish. The familiar spiralled ammonites bounced back surprisingly fast. Only later did the larger predators reappear in the oceans.

The loss of so many species at the end of the Permian gave new creatures the chance to take their place. Before the mass extinction, the top ocean predators were primitive sharks. Some survived and recovered, but they were joined by the first predatory icthyosaurs. "Part of it is a rebuilding of the ecosystem from the grim survivors, but there are also opportunities for new groups. There were essentially no marine reptiles before the extinction, but this gave them a way in," said Benton.

Paleontologists have unearthed other fossils that give a glimpse of life coming back from the Permian extinction, but the extensive remains at Luoping are unique in having the rich biodiversity of a fully functioning ecosystem, from the lowliest plankton to carnivorous apex predators.

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Author: radhite  Category: archeology,dinosaur,feature,ichthyosaur,prehistoric,underworld

 

This Ichthyosaur fossil was one of more than 20,000 that were recently uncovered in Luoping, China.

A spectacular haul of 20,000 fossils including plants, carnivorous fish and large reptiles, has been found in a hillside in Luoping, southwestern China

Fossil hunters have uncovered the remains of an ancient marine ecosystem that arose in the aftermath of the most devastating mass extinction in Earth's history.

The spectacular haul of 20,000 fossils from a hillside in southwestern China represents the first discovery of a complete ecosystem which bounced back after life was nearly wiped off the face of the planet 252m years ago.

The beautifully preserved remains include molluscs, sea urchins and arthropods, alongside much larger animals that occupied the top of the food chain, such as carnivorous fish and the first icthyosaurs, predatory marine reptiles that grew to four metres long.

Among the remnants are rare fragments of land life that survived the same period, including part of a conifer plant and the tooth of an archosaur reptile.

The fossils were excavated from rocks that formed when ocean sediments settled out and solidified many millions of years ago in what is now Luoping county in the Yunnan Province of China.

The Earth has witnessed several mass extinctions in its 4.5bn year history, but the event that struck at the end of the Permian was unequaled in scale. Some 96% of marine species and 70% of land vertebrates were lost in what has been called "the great dying".

What caused such global havoc is still open to debate, but Michael Benton, a paleontologist at Bristol University who led the latest research, said evidence points to prolonged and violent eruptions from the Siberian traps, a huge region of volcanic rock. In this scenario, mass eruptions triggered environmental catastrophe by belching an overwhelming quantity of gas into the atmosphere for half a million years.

"The main follow on was a flash warming of the Earth. That caused stagnation in the oceans, as normal circulation shut down. On land, the consequence of all the carbon dioxide and other gases appears to have been massive acid rain that killed the forests and stripped the landscape bare," Benton said. "This was the greatest of all mass extinctions, the time when life was most nearly completely wiped out."

What life survived became the starting point for a recovery that played out over the next ten million years. Some of these organisms, known as "disaster species" clung on through sheer hardiness, somehow coping with the harsh conditions of scarce food, wild variations in temperature and little oxygen in the oceans.

By studying the fossils, Benton and his colleagues at the Chengdu Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources and the University of Western Australia, hope to piece together how life can come back from the brink. "The recovery from mass extinction touches on current concerns about biodiversity and conservation. Why do certain species go extinct? Which species come back? How do you rebuild an ecosystem and how long does it take?" said Benton. The study appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The Luoping fossils show that many small organisms at the bottom of the food chain came back within two to three million years. Once their populations stabilised, other creatures that could feed on them recovered, including molluscs and shellfish. The familiar spiralled ammonites bounced back surprisingly fast. Only later did the larger predators reappear in the oceans.

The loss of so many species at the end of the Permian gave new creatures the chance to take their place. Before the mass extinction, the top ocean predators were primitive sharks. Some survived and recovered, but they were joined by the first predatory icthyosaurs. "Part of it is a rebuilding of the ecosystem from the grim survivors, but there are also opportunities for new groups. There were essentially no marine reptiles before the extinction, but this gave them a way in," said Benton.

Paleontologists have unearthed other fossils that give a glimpse of life coming back from the Permian extinction, but the extensive remains at Luoping are unique in having the rich biodiversity of a fully functioning ecosystem, from the lowliest plankton to carnivorous apex predators.

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/

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Pluto May Host an Ocean

The dwarf planet's interior could contain a vast pool of liquid 120 miles beneath the surface.

Freezing, distant Pluto seems an odd place to look for oceanfront real estate, but if a new computer model is correct, the dwarf planet harbors a sizeable pool of liquids beneath its thick icy shell.

Scientists suspect Pluto holds a rocky core spiked with radioactive materials that are slowly breaking down, releasing enough heat in the process to melt ice and keep it liquid. The temperature on Pluto's surface is about -375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Considering Pluto's size and composition, just 100 parts per billion of radioactive potassium would be enough to maintain an ocean 60 to 105 miles in depth 120 miles beneath the surface, says planetary scientist Guillaume Robuchon, with the University of California at Santa Cruz.

"These simulations suggest that Pluto likely possesses an ocean at the present day," Robuchon wrote in a synopsis of his research presented last week at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco. 

Pluto has an icy exterior, but inside, the decay of radioactive potassium may have melted an ocean of liquid.

The idea of an ocean on Pluto may not remain theoretical for long. NASA's New Horizon's space probe is more than halfway through a 10-year journey to Pluto. After traveling more than 3 billion miles, it is scheduled to fly past Pluto and its moons in July 2015.

Scientists don't know what they'll find -- no space probe has ever visited Pluto, which is about 39 times farther from the sun than Earth.

"We are going to an entirely new type of world. Everything is interesting. It's like the first mission to Mars," New Horizons lead scientist Alan Stern, with the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., told Discovery News.

"Clearly if we see geysers like (Saturn's moon) Enceladus, it would be easy to determine that there is subsurface water venting up," Stern said. "It would be a huge discovery."

In addition to surface features, such as cracking in the ice or smooth lava-like flows, scientists will look at Pluto's poles for clues about the shape of its interior. For an ocean to exist, Pluto likely would need to have distinct layers of rock and ice.

"Pluto's shape should reflect its construction," planetary scientist Bil McKinnon, with Washington University in St. Louis, told Discovery News.

Other clues may come from telltale chemicals escaping from Pluto's atmosphere, the result of geyser-like eruptions spewing particles.

"It's certainly possible that a body the size of Pluto could have an ocean," McKinnon said.

Source: http://news.discovery.com

Author: radhite  Category: astronomy,discovery,feature,ocean,planets,Pluto

The dwarf planet's interior could contain a vast pool of liquid 120 miles beneath the surface.

Freezing, distant Pluto seems an odd place to look for oceanfront real estate, but if a new computer model is correct, the dwarf planet harbors a sizeable pool of liquids beneath its thick icy shell.

Scientists suspect Pluto holds a rocky core spiked with radioactive materials that are slowly breaking down, releasing enough heat in the process to melt ice and keep it liquid. The temperature on Pluto's surface is about -375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Considering Pluto's size and composition, just 100 parts per billion of radioactive potassium would be enough to maintain an ocean 60 to 105 miles in depth 120 miles beneath the surface, says planetary scientist Guillaume Robuchon, with the University of California at Santa Cruz.

"These simulations suggest that Pluto likely possesses an ocean at the present day," Robuchon wrote in a synopsis of his research presented last week at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco. 

Pluto has an icy exterior, but inside, the decay of radioactive potassium may have melted an ocean of liquid.

The idea of an ocean on Pluto may not remain theoretical for long. NASA's New Horizon's space probe is more than halfway through a 10-year journey to Pluto. After traveling more than 3 billion miles, it is scheduled to fly past Pluto and its moons in July 2015.

Scientists don't know what they'll find -- no space probe has ever visited Pluto, which is about 39 times farther from the sun than Earth.

"We are going to an entirely new type of world. Everything is interesting. It's like the first mission to Mars," New Horizons lead scientist Alan Stern, with the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., told Discovery News.

"Clearly if we see geysers like (Saturn's moon) Enceladus, it would be easy to determine that there is subsurface water venting up," Stern said. "It would be a huge discovery."

In addition to surface features, such as cracking in the ice or smooth lava-like flows, scientists will look at Pluto's poles for clues about the shape of its interior. For an ocean to exist, Pluto likely would need to have distinct layers of rock and ice.

"Pluto's shape should reflect its construction," planetary scientist Bil McKinnon, with Washington University in St. Louis, told Discovery News.

Other clues may come from telltale chemicals escaping from Pluto's atmosphere, the result of geyser-like eruptions spewing particles.

"It's certainly possible that a body the size of Pluto could have an ocean," McKinnon said.

Source: http://news.discovery.com

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Ancient Humans, Dubbed 'Denisovans', Interbred with Us

Professor Chris Stringer: "It's nothing short of sensational - we didn't know how ancient people in China related to these other humans"

Scientists say an entirely separate type of human identified from bones in Siberia co-existed and interbred with our own species.

The ancient humans have been dubbed Denisovans after the caves in Siberia where their remains were found.

There is also evidence that this group was widespread in Eurasia.

A study in Nature journal shows that Denisovans co-existed with Neanderthals and interbred with our species - perhaps around 50,000 years ago.

An international group of researchers sequenced a complete genome from one of the ancient hominins (human-like creatures), based on nuclear DNA extracted from a finger bone. 'Sensational' find

According to the researchers, this provides confirmation there were at least four distinct types of human in existence when anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) first left their African homeland.

 

 DNA from a tooth (pictured) and a finger bone show the Denisovans were a distinct group 

Along with modern humans, scientists knew about the Neanderthals and a dwarf human species found on the Indonesian island of Flores nicknamed The Hobbit. To this list, experts must now add the Denisovans.

The implications of the finding have been described by Professor Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London as "nothing short of sensational".

Scientists were able to analyse DNA from a tooth and from a finger bone excavated in the Denisova cave in southern Siberia. The individuals belonged to a genetically distinct group of humans that were distantly related to Neanderthals but even more distantly related to us.

The finding adds weight to the theory that a different kind of human could have existed in Eurasia at the same time as our species.

Researchers have had enigmatic fossil evidence to support this view but now they have some firm evidence from the genetic study carried out by Professor Svante Paabo of the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany.

"A species of early human living in Europe evolved," according to Professor Paabo.

"There was a western form that was the Neanderthal and an eastern form, the Denisovans."

The study shows that Denisovans interbred with the ancestors of the present day people of the Melanesian region north and north-east of Australia. Melanesian DNA comprises between 4% and 6% Denisovan DNA.

David Reich from the Harvard Medical School, who worked with Svante Paabo on the study, says that the fact that Denisovan genes ended up so far south suggests they were widespread across Eurasia: "These populations must have been spread across thousands and thousands of miles," he told BBC News.

One mystery is why the Denisovan genes are unique in modern Melanesians and are not found in other Eurasian groups that have so far been sampled. 'Fleeting encounter'

Professor Stringer believes it is because there may have been only a fleeting encounter as modern humans migrated through South-East Asia and then on to Melanesia.

 

The remains were excavated at a cave site in southern Siberia

"It could be just 50 Denisovans interbreeding with a thousand modern humans. That would be enough to produce this 5% of those archaic genes being transferred," he said.

"So the impact is there but the number of interbreeding events might have been quite small and quite rare."

No one knows when or how these humans disappeared but, according to Professor Paabo, it is very likely something to do with modern people because all the "archaic" humans, like Denisovans and Neanderthals disappeared sometime after Homo sapiens sapiens appeared on the scene.

"It is fascinating to see direct evidence that these archaic species did exist (alongside us) and it's only for the last few tens of thousands of years that is unique in our history that we are alone on this planet and we have no close relatives with us anymore," he said.

The study follows a paper published earlier this year by Professor Paabo and colleagues that showed there 

was interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals as theyemerged from Africa 60,000 years ago. 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Author: radhite  Category: ancient,bones,do you know,feature,human,modification DNA,research,species

Professor Chris Stringer: "It's nothing short of sensational - we didn't know how ancient people in China related to these other humans"

Scientists say an entirely separate type of human identified from bones in Siberia co-existed and interbred with our own species.

The ancient humans have been dubbed Denisovans after the caves in Siberia where their remains were found.

There is also evidence that this group was widespread in Eurasia.

A study in Nature journal shows that Denisovans co-existed with Neanderthals and interbred with our species - perhaps around 50,000 years ago.

An international group of researchers sequenced a complete genome from one of the ancient hominins (human-like creatures), based on nuclear DNA extracted from a finger bone. 'Sensational' find

According to the researchers, this provides confirmation there were at least four distinct types of human in existence when anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) first left their African homeland.

 

 DNA from a tooth (pictured) and a finger bone show the Denisovans were a distinct group 

Along with modern humans, scientists knew about the Neanderthals and a dwarf human species found on the Indonesian island of Flores nicknamed The Hobbit. To this list, experts must now add the Denisovans.

The implications of the finding have been described by Professor Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London as "nothing short of sensational".

Scientists were able to analyse DNA from a tooth and from a finger bone excavated in the Denisova cave in southern Siberia. The individuals belonged to a genetically distinct group of humans that were distantly related to Neanderthals but even more distantly related to us.

The finding adds weight to the theory that a different kind of human could have existed in Eurasia at the same time as our species.

Researchers have had enigmatic fossil evidence to support this view but now they have some firm evidence from the genetic study carried out by Professor Svante Paabo of the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany.

"A species of early human living in Europe evolved," according to Professor Paabo.

"There was a western form that was the Neanderthal and an eastern form, the Denisovans."

The study shows that Denisovans interbred with the ancestors of the present day people of the Melanesian region north and north-east of Australia. Melanesian DNA comprises between 4% and 6% Denisovan DNA.

David Reich from the Harvard Medical School, who worked with Svante Paabo on the study, says that the fact that Denisovan genes ended up so far south suggests they were widespread across Eurasia: "These populations must have been spread across thousands and thousands of miles," he told BBC News.

One mystery is why the Denisovan genes are unique in modern Melanesians and are not found in other Eurasian groups that have so far been sampled. 'Fleeting encounter'

Professor Stringer believes it is because there may have been only a fleeting encounter as modern humans migrated through South-East Asia and then on to Melanesia.

 

The remains were excavated at a cave site in southern Siberia

"It could be just 50 Denisovans interbreeding with a thousand modern humans. That would be enough to produce this 5% of those archaic genes being transferred," he said.

"So the impact is there but the number of interbreeding events might have been quite small and quite rare."

No one knows when or how these humans disappeared but, according to Professor Paabo, it is very likely something to do with modern people because all the "archaic" humans, like Denisovans and Neanderthals disappeared sometime after Homo sapiens sapiens appeared on the scene.

"It is fascinating to see direct evidence that these archaic species did exist (alongside us) and it's only for the last few tens of thousands of years that is unique in our history that we are alone on this planet and we have no close relatives with us anymore," he said.

The study follows a paper published earlier this year by Professor Paabo and colleagues that showed there 

was interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals as theyemerged from Africa 60,000 years ago. 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/

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Wow, Singing Mouse Made With Genetic Modification

Japanese scientists said Tuesday they had produced a mouse that tweets like a bird in a genetically engineered "evolution" which they hope will shed light on the origins of human language.

A team of researchers at the University of Osaka created the animal in their "Evolved Mouse Project," in which they use genetically modified mice that are prone to miscopying DNA and thus to mutations.

"Mutations are the driving force of evolution. We have cross-bred the genetically modified mice for generations to see what would happen," lead researcher Arikuni Uchimura said.

"We checked the newly born mice one by one... One day we found a mouse that was singing like a bird," he said, noting that the "singing mouse" was born by chance but that the trait will be passed on to future generations.

"I was surprised because I had been expecting mice that are different in physical shape," he said by telephone, adding that in fact the project had also produced "a mouse with short limbs and a tail like a dachshund."

The laboratory, directed by professor Takeshi Yagi at the Osaka University's Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences in western Japan, now has more than 100 "singing mice" for further research.

The team hopes they will provide clues on how human language evolved, just as researchers in other countries study songbirds such as finches to help them understand the origins of human language.

Scientists have found that birds use different sound elements, put them together into chunks like words in human languages and then make strings of them to sing "songs," that are subject to certain linguistic rules.

"Mice are better than birds to study because they are mammals and much closer to humans in their brain structures and other biological aspects," Uchimura said.

"We are watching how a mouse that emits new sounds would affect ordinary mice in the same group... in other words if it has social connotations," he said, adding that ordinary mice squeak mainly under stress.

Considering that mutant mice tweet louder when put in different environments or when males are put together with females, Uchimura said their chirps "may be some sort of expressions of their emotions or bodily conditions."

The team has found that ordinary mice that grew up with singing mice emitted fewer ultrasounds than others, which could indicate that communication methods can spread in the same group like a dialect.

Uchimura dreams of further "evolution" of mice through genetic engineering.

"I know it's a long shot and people would say it's 'too absurd'... but I'm doing this with hopes of making a Mickey Mouse some day," he said.

Source :

news.discovery.com

Author: radhite  Category: feature,genetic,modification DNA,mouse,science,singing

Japanese scientists said Tuesday they had produced a mouse that tweets like a bird in a genetically engineered "evolution" which they hope will shed light on the origins of human language.

A team of researchers at the University of Osaka created the animal in their "Evolved Mouse Project," in which they use genetically modified mice that are prone to miscopying DNA and thus to mutations.

"Mutations are the driving force of evolution. We have cross-bred the genetically modified mice for generations to see what would happen," lead researcher Arikuni Uchimura said.

"We checked the newly born mice one by one... One day we found a mouse that was singing like a bird," he said, noting that the "singing mouse" was born by chance but that the trait will be passed on to future generations.

"I was surprised because I had been expecting mice that are different in physical shape," he said by telephone, adding that in fact the project had also produced "a mouse with short limbs and a tail like a dachshund."

The laboratory, directed by professor Takeshi Yagi at the Osaka University's Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences in western Japan, now has more than 100 "singing mice" for further research.

The team hopes they will provide clues on how human language evolved, just as researchers in other countries study songbirds such as finches to help them understand the origins of human language.

Scientists have found that birds use different sound elements, put them together into chunks like words in human languages and then make strings of them to sing "songs," that are subject to certain linguistic rules.

"Mice are better than birds to study because they are mammals and much closer to humans in their brain structures and other biological aspects," Uchimura said.

"We are watching how a mouse that emits new sounds would affect ordinary mice in the same group... in other words if it has social connotations," he said, adding that ordinary mice squeak mainly under stress.

Considering that mutant mice tweet louder when put in different environments or when males are put together with females, Uchimura said their chirps "may be some sort of expressions of their emotions or bodily conditions."

The team has found that ordinary mice that grew up with singing mice emitted fewer ultrasounds than others, which could indicate that communication methods can spread in the same group like a dialect.

Uchimura dreams of further "evolution" of mice through genetic engineering.

"I know it's a long shot and people would say it's 'too absurd'... but I'm doing this with hopes of making a Mickey Mouse some day," he said.

Source :

news.discovery.com

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