Eratosthenes and Auto Collisions: Science At Work

Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician who lived in Egypt in the 3rd Century BC. He observed that in Syene, on the longest day of the year, columns cast no shadows when the sun was directly overhead. However, at the same time, the columns in Alexandria cast a significant shadow. This simple observation led Eratosthenes to conclude that the only way for both columns to cast shadows of differing lengths at the same time was if the surface of the earth was curved. A few simple geometric calculations later, he had calculated the circumference of the planet.   

Ancient Cities: Chichen Itza

Of the three Mayan cities we were to visit over the next two weeks, Chichen Itza was the most desirable. For us the iconic temple was a figurehead for Mayan civilisation. Based in Mexico’s Yucatan province, the UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the more popular ancient ruins, with over a million people visiting the thousand-year old city every year.

However, despite our high-expectations, standing in-front of El Castillo at Chichen Itza had us surprisingly unfulfilled. A few feet away was part of an ancient major city, a famous landmark of the Mayan empire and an overrated tourist attraction.

Populatii de stele in Calea Lactee

In prezent, se crede ca exista doua sau trei populatii de stele in Calea Lactee. Discul subtire si nimbul stelar corespund populatiilor I si II ale lui Baade. Existenta unei populatii de disc gros se afla inca in dezbatere (care ar putea corespunde cu discurile groase observate in unele galaxii de disc). Discul subtire al Caii Lactee a sustinut formarea continua de stele noi. In consecinta, discul subtire contine stele cu o gama larga de varste, iar acesta ar putea fi impartit intr-o serie de subpopulatii de varste diferite. Populatia din bratele spirale este cea mai tanara din disc – aceasta pare sa urmareasca modelul spirala al Caii Lactee. Aceasta populatie este concentrata foarte aproape de planul de disc. Obiectele reprezentative includ nori HI si moleculari, regiuni HII, protostele, stele de tipurile O si B, supergigante si clasicele Cefeide. Metalicitatea acestei populatii este ceva mai ridicata decat cea a soarelui nostru.

Google Earth locates 'lost' Egyptian pyramid

LONDON: Google Earth satellite imagery survey may have revealed two possible pyramid complexes in Egypt.

Satellite archaeology researcher Angela Micol of Maiden, NC said that the complexes were located about 90 miles apart, and contained unusual grouping of mounds with intriguing features and orientations.

One site located in Upper Egypt, just 12 miles from the city of Abu Sidhum along the Nile, features four mounds each with a larger, triangular-shaped plateau.

Ce a fost inainte de Big Bang? Exista universuri paralele?

Huge Everett III, in 1954, afirma ca exista universuri paralele ca al nostru, toate fiind legate de el. In toate aceste universuri lucrurile se petrec diferit de al nostru. De exemplu, intr-unul oamenii au disparut deja, in altul razboaiele au finaluri diferite, specii disparute in universul nostru au evoluat diferit in alte universuri. Dar toate ,vedem, sunt legate, doar evenimentele se petrec diferit.

UCLA scientist discovers plate tectonics on Mars

For years, many scientists had thought that plate tectonics existed nowhere in our solar system but on Earth. Now, a UCLA scientist has discovered that the geological phenomenon, which involves the movement of huge crustal plates beneath a planet's surface, also exists on Mars.

"Mars is at a primitive stage of plate tectonics. It gives us a glimpse of how the early Earth may have looked and may help us understand how plate tectonics began on Earth," said An Yin, a UCLA professor of Earth and space sciences and the sole author of the new research.

Startups and the Singularity: Which Boston Innovators Are Believers?

Hollywood has Scientology. The tech world has the Singularity. I’m not conflating their beliefs or intellectual frameworks. I’m not calling them cults. I’m just saying, either you believe it or you don’t.

As it would happen, I was sitting around a table at a local startup shooting the breeze about what’s on entrepreneurs’ minds these days. The guys from Boundless, an ed-tech company that just opened its site to the masses this week, said there have been numerous lunchtime debates about something called the Singularity. My first reaction was that these guys have been working way too hard.

Zapotec Digs in Mexico Show Clues to Rise and Fall

When it comes to pre-Columbian civilizations, the Aztec and Maya—known for their spectacular pyramids and temples, hieroglyphic writing systems, and elaborate, violent rituals—often overshadow the Zapotec, their less familiar counterparts centered in southern Mexico.

But the Zapotec also played a vital role in ancient Mesoamerica, and archaeologists are seeking new clues to the rise and fall of their culture and civilization, which flourished and declined in the Valley of Oaxaca at roughly the same time as the ancient Maya.

Plutarh - Viețile paralele

Bunicul lui Antoniu a fost oratorul Antoniu, partizan al lui Sylla, pe care l-a ucis Marius. Tatăl sau, Antoniu, numit şi Cretanul , n-a fost om de frunte întreburile politice nici un nume faimos; a fost om de ispravă, însă, cinstit si tare filotim.cum se poate vedea din întâmplarea următoare: n-avea cine ştie ce bogăţii şi de aceea nevasta-l silea să fie mai strâns la mână. 

Veni odată un prieten şi-i ceru împrumut o sumă. El bani n-avea, dar îi porunci unui rob din casa să pună apă într-un pahar de argint şi să i-l aducă, îi aduse robul apa şi dânsul îşi săpuni barba ca şi cum ar fi vrut să se radă.îi făcu drum apoirobului din odaie după altă treabă şi-i dădu paharul prietenului zicându-i să facă ce-o vrea cu el. Văzu însă că se face multă zarvă în casă pentru paharul acela şică nevasta sa, mânioasă, e gata să pună la cazne robii, îi mărturisi fapta si-o rugă să-lierte.

‘Sacred’ Pre-Columbian Tree Discovered Near Tenochtitlan

Mexican archaeologists discovered a pre-Columbian grave containing human skeletal remains along with relics of a “sacred tree” near the archaeological site of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan in the historical downtown area of Mexico City, the Mexican National Anthropology and History Institute, or INAH, said.

Found in the burial ground dating back more than 500 years were the complete skeleton of a woman and over a thousand human bones of children, young people and adults.