Truck carrying 40K pounds of beer overturns in Vt.

Police say a truck carrying 40,000 pounds of beer overturned in Vermont and closed a highway for several hours.

The truck went off the road Monday morning on Route 78 in Swanton. It rolled over and landed in a swamp on a wildlife refuge. The crash also knocked down some power lines.

Travis Greeno, assistant chief of the Swanton Fire Department, says the truck had to be offloaded before it was pulled out of the ditch. He said it was “going to be a long day.”

The highway was closed for several hours.

The truck driver was not hurt. It is unclear why he went off the road.

No beer spilled into the swamp.

via Truck carrying 40K pounds of beer overturns in Vt. – Yahoo! News.

For some reason I found the last line funny.

Work begins on world’s deepest underground lab

Far below the Black Hills of South Dakota, crews are building the world’s deepest underground science lab at a depth equivalent to more than six Empire State buildings — a place uniquely suited to scientists’ quest for mysterious particles known as dark matter.

Scientists, politicians and other officials gathered Monday for a groundbreaking of sorts at a lab 4,850 foot below the surface of an old gold mine that was once the site of Nobel Prize-winning physics research.

The site is ideal for experiments because its location is largely shielded from cosmic rays that could interfere with efforts to prove the existence of dark matter, which is thought to make up nearly a quarter of the mass of the universe.

The deepest reaches of the mine plunge to 8,000 feet below the surface. Some early geology and hydrology experiments are already under way at 4,850 feet. Researchers also hope to build two deeper labs that are still awaiting funding from Congress.

Before the labs are built, crews must also stabilize the tunnels and install new infrastructure. The lab at 4,850 feet is not much to look at yet. A rusty orange film covers the walls, floors, ceilings and debris left behind by miners.

The first dark matter experiment will be the Large Underground Xenon detector experiment — or LUX — a project to detect weakly interacting particles that could give scientists greater insight into the Big Bang explosion believed to have formed the universe.

Shutt, along with Brown University’s Rick Gaitskell and nearly a dozen collaborators will work at the site to search for dark matter, which does not emit detectable light or radiation. But scientists say its presence can be inferred from gravitational effects on visible matter.

Scientists believe most of the dark matter in the universe contains no atoms and does not interact with ordinary matter through electromagnetic forces. They are trying to discover exactly what it is, how much exists and what effect it may have on the future of the universe.

Physicists have said that without dark matter, galaxies might never have formed. By learning more about dark matter, they hope to understand better whether the universe is expanding or contracting.

via Work begins on world’s deepest underground lab – Yahoo! News.

How to Travel at Warp Speed

Here’s the good news for all those “Star Trek” enthusiasts out there — a couple of physicists think they’ve figured out how to travel faster than the speed of light without breaking the laws of physics.

But here’s the bad news — we may have to sacrifice Jupiter to get there.

Gerald Cleaver, associate professor of physics at Baylor University, and his post-doctoral researcher, Richard Obousy, have combined some of the most elusive fields in physics, including string theory and general relativity, to concoct a scheme to move “Star Trek’s” warp speed a little closer to reality. Very little, that is.

The folks who produce the “Star Trek” flicks have never explained how the good ship Enterprise can speed through the universe faster than a beam of light. That minor achievement is necessary if humans are ever to explore the galaxy’s back yard, not to mention the distant reaches of the universe.

The only problem is Albert Einstein said it couldn’t be done.

“Objects that have mass cannot travel at the speed of light,” Cleaver said in an interview. According to Einstein’s famous equation, “as an object travels faster and faster, its mass increases,” he added. “As an object approaches the speed of light its mass becomes infinite.”

In other words, a speck of dust traveling at the speed of light would have infinite mass, and it would take an infinite amount of energy to get it moving anywhere near that fast. So that pretty well knocks humans off the passenger list on the Starship Enterprise.

Not so fast, say Cleaver and Obousy, who have expanded upon a theory first proposed in 1994 by Michael Alcubierre, a Mexican physicist. Never mind warp drive, Alcubierre declared, what we really need for interstellar travel is a warp bubble. Alcubierre theorized that mass may be limited by Einstein’s calculations, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to space.

It might be possible, the Baylor researchers contend, to expand space behind a vehicle, say the Enterprise, and shrink space in front of it, thereby creating a bubble that could move through Einstein’s space-time fabric at speeds much greater than the speed of light. …

the Baylor pair theorizes that with enough energy, it might be possible to alter the 11th dimension, a key part of string theory, which maintains that there are far more than the three dimensions we common folk see on earth. …

“The initial energy required would be on a par with the total mass of Jupiter,” he said. “If you could convert Jupiter into energy,” the bubble could be launched.But it would probably require much more energy to stabilize the system and keep the bubble moving toward an infinite number of other universes, according to string theory, that are so far away their light has not reached us yet, and thus cannot be seen. …

via How to Travel at Warp Speed – ABC News.

Time Travel: Fantasy or Science?

For some, the idea of time travel is about fantasy. For others it’s science. But for Ronald Mallett, it was love — a son’s love for his father.

You might even call it his lifelong mission.

“I thought if I could build a time machine to save my father’s life and see him again,” said Mallett, whose father died when he was just 10. …

People might think he was crazy, even though he has worked his way to a job as a tenured physicist at the University of Connecticut.

But it’s not a secret anymore, because of something really crazy. He said he thinks he has come up with a way to do it.

It’s complicated, but not crazy, according to some other scientists who have studied Mallett’s idea.

//

Albert Einstein theorized that space and time are linked, and that gravity can bend time just like it bends space.

Mallett said he believes that if he can create a gravitational swirl — a whirpool — he can actually twist space and time.

“So if I’m twisting space violently enough, ultimately what will happen is that that timeline will get twisted into a loop,” Mallet said.

Think of the loop like a time tunnel. Where Mallett thinks maybe we might be able to move back and forth. He said he will use criss-crossing lasers to try to create his time tunnel.

But even if Mallet builds his time machine, and proves his theory, which would be an epic breakthrough, there is still one major limitation.

“It only works from the moment the machine turns on,” Mallet said.

That means you couldn’t go back to a time earlier than the time when the machine begins to work. So Mallett could never go back to 1955 to see his father. But still, he said, he is certain his father would be proud. – abc

Scientists Identify ‘Gangsta Gene’ in Teens

It’s not nearly as overt as a hand sign or a coloured bandana, but DNA may offer one clue as to whether someone belongs to a gang or not.

Males with a particular form of gene called MAOA are twice as likely to join a gang, compared to those with other forms, finds a new study of more than 2000 US teens. What’s more, gang members with these mutations are far more likely to use a weapon than other members.

“For the most part, people haven’t really thought of the biological or genetic underpinnings to gang membership, says Kevin Beaver, a biosocial criminologist at Florida State University in Tallahassee, who led the study.

The relatively common mutations result in reduced levels of a protein, called monoamine oxidase A, which recycles several of the chemicals that foster neuron connections.

Low MAOA activity has been linked previously to antisocial behaviour in people who experienced child abuse. While two brain regions involved in perceiving and controlling emotions are shrunken in people with no history of criminality or abuse who have the mutation.

via Scientists Identify ‘Gangsta Gene’ in Teens – ABC News.

The plant that pretends to be ill

A leaf damaged by mining moths (left) compared to one faking it (right).

A plant that pretends to be ill has been found growing in the rainforests of Ecuador.

The plants feigns sickness to stop it being attacked by insect pests known as mining moths, which would otherwise eat its healthy leaves.

It is the first known example of a plant that mimics being ill, and could also explain a common pattern seen on plant leaves known as variegation.

The discovery is published in the journal Evolutionary Ecology.

Variegation is familiar to gardeners and affects many species of plant. Variegated plants have different coloured patterns on the leaf surface, produced by a variety of causes.

One of the most common is when cells in the leaf lose chlorophyll and their ability to photosynthesise, appearing white.

In theory, plants with variegated leaves should be at a disadvantage, because of this restricted ability to photosynthesise.

But a chance discovery by a team of botanists suggests this may not be true after all. Instead, some variegated plants may be mimicking illness to avoid being eaten, putting themselves at an advantage.

… To test the idea, the researchers used white correction fluid to mimic the appearance of variegation on hundreds of healthy leaves.

After three months, they then counted the number of leaves affected by the mining moth caterpillars, comparing green leaves, variegated leaves and those painted white to appear variegated.

“The results were the same,” says Liede-Schumann. “Visibly variegated leaves were significantly less frequently damaged by mining moth larvae than plain green ones.”

via BBC – Earth News – The plant that pretends to be ill.

Dinosaurs May Have Been Lighter Than Previously Thought

The largest animals ever to have walked the face of the earth may not have been as big as previously thought, reveals a paper published June 21 in the Zoological Society of London’s Journal of Zoology

Scientists have discovered that the original statistical model used to calculate dinosaur mass is flawed, suggesting dinosaurs have been oversized.

Widely cited estimates for the mass of Apatosaurus louisae, one of the largest of the dinosaurs, may be double that of its actual mass (38 tonnes vs. 18 tonnes).

“Paleontologists have for 25 years used a published statistical model to estimate body weight of giant dinosaurs and other extraordinarily large animals in extinct lineages. By re-examining data in the original reference sample, we show that the statistical model is seriously flawed and that the giant dinosaurs probably were only about half as heavy as is generally believed” says Gary Packard from Colorado State University.

The new predictions have implications for numerous theories about the biology of dinosaurs, ranging from their energy metabolism to their food requirements and to their modes of locomotion.

via Dinosaurs May Have Been Smaller Than Previously Thought.

Glass frog found in Ecuador

On its recent trip to the mountainous rain forests of Nangaritza, Ecuador, scientists from Conservation International’s Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) discovered seven new insects, a new lizard, and four more amphibians. Vice President of CI’s RAP group, Leeanne Alonso, said, “the species that we discovered on this expedition are fascinating and make clear how biologically important this area is – not only because of the wealth of plants and animals that inhabit it but also because of the service that it provides to local people, like clean water and the opportunities for income from ecotourism. It is crucial that it is protected properly.”

Along with the new species the scientists discovered, RAP also found a Nymphagus Chancas, a glass or crystal frog for the first time in Ecuador. The species have been recorded previously in northeastern Peru.

The Nymphagus Chancas is named for its translucent skin, which allows scientists to examine the frog’s internal organs. They are classified by their lack of webbing on their outer fingers, their lack of humeral spines in adult males, and their lobbed livers. Their natural habitats are subtropical or tropical montane rivers and forests.

According to Convservation International, the number of Amphibians is in a serious decline due to the global climate change, infectious diseases, and loss of habitat from deforestation and logging. CI endorses the introduction of amphibian habitats where these specie populations can live without the threat of deforestation. Conservation International also plans to use captive breeding programs to save amphibians from the threat of disease.

via Discoveryon: Glass frog found in Ecuador.

Murder victim is “Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp” witness

Police have made no arrests in the case of a 37-year-old Sumter man shot to death Wednesday.

Christopher Davis was killed shortly before 11 p.m. in an incident at his home at 5230 DuBose Siding Road. Investigators say Davis was targeted in a drug-related incident.

“We’ve had several leads, but nothing has panned out so far,” said Capt. James Turner of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Davis, a Lee County native, recently moved to Sumter County, Lee County officials said. Davis became an international celebrity at the age of 16 when he reported the first sighting of the legendary Lizard Man of Lee County.

Former Lee County Sheriff Liston Truesdale said there would be no Lizard Man without Davis.

“In July 1988, Chris was the first witness interviewed as seeing the Lizard Man,” Truesdale said. “And what impressed me was that he told the same story every time. And he had to tell the story over and over again to the media and others. If you’re lying, you can’t tell the same story twice.”

Everybody wanted to hear the Lizard Man story from the eyewitness, Truesdale said. Davis served as a grand marshal at a festival parade and signed T-shirts at a mall in Myrtle Beach, he said.

“At that time, he was super, nice kid,” he said. “You know, I bet he told the story more than 100 times every week for several weeks.”

Truesdale said he believes the media attention and publicity became too much for him. “He could have made a mint from this,” Truesdale said. “A lot of people don’t know that he was scheduled to go to the Oprah (Winfrey) Show, but he canceled it. I think finally he just had enough.” Davis’ death marked the fourth homicide in Sumter County jurisdiction in 2009. There have been five in the city of Sumter jurisdiction.

Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said the county saw nine homicides within his jurisdiction in 2008. Dennis, in office since 2004, said the number of homicides during his tenure has varied from two or three a year to five to seven to the nine people killed last year. Funeral services for Davis will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at the New Haven United Methodist Church in Bishopville.

If anyone has information on the shooting, call the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 436- 2700 or Crime Stoppers at (803) 436-2718. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

via Cryptozoology Online: Daily News: Police: Murder victim Lizard Man witness | via TheItem

Some bits about the original story:

Twenty years ago Dan Rather on CBS News reported that Lizard Man had attacked a car driven by a high-school student in South Carolina. The monster beat on the roof of the car and chewed on its chrome bumper. – monsterous

The first reported sighting of the creature was made by Christopher Davis, a 17 year old local, who said he encountered the creature while driving home from work at 2 AM on June 29, 1988.^[3][2] According to his account, Davis stopped on a road bordering Scape Ore Swamp in order to change a tire which had blown out. When he was finishing up he reported having heard a thumping noise from behind him and having turned around to see the creature running towards him.^[4][2]

Davis said the creature tried to grab at the car and then jumped on its roof as he tried to escape, clinging on to it as Davis swerved from side to side in an effort to throw it off. After he returned home, Davis’ side-view-mirror was found to be badly damaged, and scratch marks were found on the car’s roof–though there was no other physical evidence of his encounter.^[5][3][2]

“I looked back and saw something running across the field towards me. It was about 25 yards away and I saw red eyes glowing. I ran into the car and as I locked it, the thing grabbed the door handle. I could see him from the neck down – the three big fingers, long black nails and green rough skin. It was strong and angry. I looked in my mirror and saw a blur of green running. I could see his toes and then he jumped on the roof of my car. I thought I heard a grunt and then I could see his fingers through the front windshield, where they curled around on the roof. I sped up and swerved to shake the creature off.”

In the month that followed the Davis sighting there were several further reports of a large lizard like creature, and of unusual scratches and bite marks found on cars parked close to the swamp.^[6] Most of these are said to have occurred within a three-mile (5 km) radius of the swamps of Bishopville.^[6]

At the time, local law enforcement officials reacted to reports of the Lizard Man with a mixture of concern and skepticism, stating that a sufficient number of sightings had been made by apparently reliable people for them to believe that something tangible was being seen, but also that it was more likely to be a bear than a Lizard Man.^[7]

Two weeks after the Davis sighting the sheriff’s department made several plaster casts of what appeared to be three-toed footprints – measuring some 14 inches (360 mm) in length – but decided against sending them on to the FBI for further analysis after biologists advised them that they were unclassifiable.^[2] According to South Carolina Marine Resources Department spokesperson Johnny Evans the tracks neither matched, nor could be mistaken for, the footprints of any recorded animal. Evans also dismissed the possibility that they could have been made by some form of mutated creature.^[6]

- wikipedia