Bownessie Photo Explained?

Last week a family found something by the lake which casts suspicions on the existence of the beast – a large tyre cut open which when floating on water looks rather like the four-humped creature.

‘We were walking in the area where the picture was taken and suddenly saw this tyre cut open lying on the footpath. I thought, “This looks like the creature,” ’ said John Phillips, 46, who was at Windermere for the half-term break with wife Liz and their three daughters.

Mr Phillips, of Solihull, West Midlands, threw the tyre into the water and said he was stunned by the resemblance to the photo.

‘If you looked at this tyre floating from a distance, it did look a Nessie-like creature,’ he said.

‘But in the original picture there was a wave of water behind the creature, which suggested it was moving at speed. I think it was being pulled with a rope by a person or a boat. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s fun, but maybe this tyre is the Bowness Monster.’Cryptomundo » Bownessie Photo Explained?.

A glove on your hand can change your mind

… Casasanto and colleagues studied how natural right-handers think about good and bad when their right hand is handicapped, either due to brain injury or something much less extreme: wearing a ski glove. Stroke patients completed a task that reveals implicit associations between space and goodness in healthy participants. Patients who had lost the use of their left hand showed the usual right-is-good pattern. But patients who lost the use of their right hand following damage to the left-hemisphere of the brain associated good with left, like natural left-handers.

The same pattern was found in healthy university students who performed a motor fluency task while wearing a bulky glove on either their left hand (which preserved their right-handedness) or on their right hand, which turned them temporarily into left-handers. After about 12 minutes of lopsided motor experience, the right-gloved participants’ judgments on an unrelated task showed a good-is-left bias, like natural left-handers.

‘People generally think their judgments are rational, and their concepts are stable,’ says Casasanto. ‘But if wearing a glove for a few minutes can reverse people’s usual judgments about what’s good and bad, perhaps the mind is more malleable than we thought.’

via A glove on your hand can change your mind.

Study Finds Primates Age Gracefully

A new study says chimps, gorillas and other primates grow old gracefully much like humans. The findings come from the first-ever multi-species comparison of primate aging patterns reported in the March 11 issue of Science.

It was long thought that humans, who have relatively long life spans, age more slowly than other animals. But new research funded by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Environmental Biology suggests the pace of human aging may not be so unique after all.

We had good reason to think human aging was unique, said co-author Anne Bronikowski of Iowa State University. Humans, for example, live longer than many animals with some exceptions–parrots, seabirds, clams and tortoises. But humans are the longest-lived primates.

“Humans live for many more years past our reproductive prime,” Bronikowski said. “If we were like other mammals, we would start dying fairly rapidly after we reach mid-life. But we don’t.”

Bronikowski is one of 11 biologists and anthropologists whose research figured into the study.

“There’s been this argument in the scientific literature for a long time that human aging was unique, but we didn’t have data on aging in wild primates besides chimps until recently,” said another co-author Susan Alberts, a Duke University biologist.

The researchers combined data from long-term studies of seven species of wild primates: capuchin monkeys from Costa Rica, muriqui monkeys from Brazil, baboons and blue monkeys from Kenya, chimpanzees from Tanzania, gorillas from Rwanda, and sifaka lemurs from Madagascar.

The work focused on the risk of dying. When researchers compared human aging rates–measured as the rate at which mortality risk increases with age–to similar data for nearly 3,000 individual monkeys, apes, and lemurs. The human data fell neatly within the primate continuum.

“Human patterns are not strikingly different, even though wild primates experience sources of mortality from which humans may be protected,” the authors write in Science. …

via nsf.gov – National Science Foundation (NSF) News – Study Finds Primates Age Gracefully – US National Science Foundation (NSF).

New Study Reveals Aerosol Plumes Downwind of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Scientists from the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science were part of a national research team to find two plumes of oil-based pollutants downwind of the BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill. In a study published in this week’s issue of the journal Science, the research team offers new insight into the mechanism by which the crude oil traveled from the sea surface to the atmosphere.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-led research team collected data of atmosphere gas and aerosol concentrations during two flights, on June 8 and June 10, aboard a specially equipped NOAA WP-3 Orion aircraft.

“By having such a well-defined source of the evaporating oil we were able to investigate how aerosols form in the atmosphere,” said UM Rosenstiel School Professor of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry Elliot Atlas, a co-author of the paper. Atlas regularly uses similar techniques to study aerosol formation and air pollution downwind of major U.S. cities, such as Boston and Los Angeles.

The data revealed that two plumes of hydrocarbons were released into the atmosphere by the surface oil and from the smoke associated with the burning of oil during cleanup efforts. The first was a narrower three-kilometer (1.8-mile) wide hydrocarbon plume downwind of the spill site. The researchers suggest that this was the result of “direct evaporation of fresh oil on the sea surface.”

The second, a larger 40-kilometer (24-mile)-wide plume, contained higher concentrations of organic aerosols and was “formed from vapors released from the oil and the condensation of their atmospheric oxidation products onto existing particles,” according to the study’s authors. The wider oil vapor-based plume contributed to the formation of secondary organic aerosols, which are the result of oil vapor reacting in the atmosphere.

The researchers observed that methane and other light hydrocarbons dissolved in the water column, while other, less volatile components of crude oil, made their way to the surface and into the atmosphere. …

via New Study Reveals Aerosol Plumes Downwind of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill | The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami.

How man ‘lost his penile spines’

Scientists believe men once had small spines on their genitalia such as those found in chimpanzees, cats and mice.  … They compared the human genome with those of the chimpanzee and macaque, and came up with 510 stretches of DNA that have been conserved in our primate relatives but deleted in humans.

Nearly all these DNA regions appear to play a regulatory role in the function of nearby genes.

The researchers then focused on two deletions, linking one to penile spines and another to the growth of specific areas of the brain.

They then tested the effects of the deleted sequences in human skin and neural tissue, and found further evidence to support their claims.

“We’re trying to find the molecular basis of being human,” said Professor David Kingsley of Stanford University, one of the authors of the study.

“That’s a really ambitious goal; but we live at this unique time where we have the complete genome sequence of ourselves and our closest relatives, so you can systematically go through and find all the ways that we differ from other organisms.”

… Penile spines are barb-like structures found in many mammals. Their role remains under debate, and they may play different roles in different species.

They may increase stimulation for the male during mating. They might also play a part in inducing female ovulation in a small number of species, but there is evidence that they can cause damage to the female too.

Then there is the suggestion that they might have evolved to remove “mating plugs” – material that some male species deposit in the female genital tract to block other males’ attempts to fertilise the same female.

“It’s been proposed these structures can help remove the copulatory plugs left by other males; so in some mammals with multi-male mating systems, there’s quite a little arms race going on for fertilisation,” said Professor Kingsley.

The researchers believe the loss of these spines in humans may be related to changes in human courtship.

The loss of spines, they say, would result in less sensitivity and longer copulation, and may be associated with stronger pair-bonding in humans and greater paternal care for human offspring. …

via BBC News – How man ‘lost his penile spines’.

And then, with his larger brain, man invented chastity belts and French ticklers.

Microsoft Kinect ‘fastest-selling device on record’

Microsoft has sold more than 10 million Kinect sensor systems since launch on 4 November, and – according to Guinness World Records – is the fastest-selling consumer electronics device on record.

The sales figures outstrip those of both Apple’s iPhone and iPad when launched, Guinness said.

Kinect is an infrared camera add-on for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games console that allows it to track body movements.

The success of Kinect has also helped to drive games sales, Microsoft said.

More than 10 million games have been sold worldwide to date, it added.

Gaz Davies, editor of Guinness World Records 2011 Gamer’s Edition, said: “We can confirm that no other consumer electronics device sold faster within a 60-day time span, an incredible achievement considering the strength of the sector.”

Guinness World Records said that Microsoft sold eight million devices between 4 November last year and 3 January at an average rate of 133,333 a day.

Despite the strong sales of Kinect, in January Microsoft reported profits of $6.63bn (£4.1bn) for the last three months of 2010, down from $6.66bn a year earlier.

via BBC News – Microsoft Kinect ‘fastest-selling device on record’.

Marvin Kent Hockabout’s Ashes Stolen From His Funeral in California

The wife and son of a man whose cremated remains were stolen from a California church are appealing to the thief to return the ashes, but they are trying to be philosophical about the loss.

Marvin Kent Hockabout, 74, of Alameda, died Jan. 21 after an extended illness. The funeral was scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.

His wife of 44 years, Eleonore Hockabout, and other family members and friends were gathering for the service at Christ Episcopal Church in Alameda when they realized a backpack containing his ashes had disappeared.

“One minute you’re ready to start a memorial service,” said son Sean Hockabout, 43, of Elkins Park, Pa., “and the next minute rector’s saying, ‘Where is he?’”The backpack, which also contained Hockabout’s diplomatic passport, a relic of his work as a State Department courier, was on a table in front of the church’s altar, along with a portrait of him.

Eleonore Hockabout says she put the remains in the green, microfiber Rick Steves backpack her husband had gotten as a thank-you gift for donating to radio station KQED because she knew how much he liked it. She added that he had wanted to travel, though Parkinson’s and dementia had kept him grounded for several years.

“He loved the backpack,” Eleonore said. “That’s why I chose it for him to make his last journey in, with his passport too.”

via Marvin Kent Hockabout’s Ashes Stolen From His Funeral in California.

I know the economy is bad, but that backpack is haunted and you should return it quickly.

Artist Michael Kalish Creates Portrait of Muhammad Ali Using Punching Bags

This artist’s tribute to Muhammad Ali floats like a butterfly and swings like a … punching bag.

Using about 1,300 speed bags, five miles of stainless steel cables and two miles of aluminum tubing, artist Michael Kalish has strung up a massive homage to boxing’s biggest legend.

The installation — titled “reALIze” — uses punching bags to form a 23-foot-tall portrait of the famed fighter’s face.

From nearly every angle, the giant work looks like a mess of poles, wires and hanging speed bags.

But from one perspective, it all comes together to form Ali’s face.

via Artist Michael Kalish Creates Portrait of Muhammad Ali Using Punching Bags.

Alligator Found Guarding Southern California Pot Farm

When police raided a pot farm in this Southern California desert community, they found an unusual watchdog — a 4-foot alligator named Wally.The 55-pound American alligator was found lounging Monday night in a black cement mixing tub located in the back area of a house where 2,285 plants were growing, police said. One man was arrested, and Wally was taken to an animal sanctuary, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.The marijuana was valued at $1.5 million. [The alligator] … was turned over to the California Department of Fish and Game, which found a good foster home — Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary, which rescues captive-bred animals such as big cats, reptiles and birds. It is illegal to own alligators in California. …

via Alligator Found Guarding Southern California Pot Farm.

Microsoft to launch Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft will be formally launching the next version of its Internet Explorer browser, IE9, at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSWi) on Monday–an interesting place to launch, given that the Austin, Texas, geek fest is packed full of the hordes who have long since ditched Internet Explorer for the decidedly hipper pastures of Firefox, Safari, or Chrome.

The new browser, which had its first and only release candidate land in users’ hands in early February, will fully launch to the public at 9 Pacific time that night. In a blog post, Internet Explorer senior director Ryan Gavin described the browser as offering up “a more beautiful web.”

On its release day, Microsoft is having a press briefing where Gavin said there are still “a few surprises left.” Later that night, Microsoft will be throwing a party in Austin in celebration of the new browser, with hipster-friendly rock act Yeasayer headlining the event.

Among the new features in IE9 is a refreshed look with the browser taking up less space than previous versions of IE, as well as a way to pin sites to the Windows task bar. Sites can then program their pages to act more like desktop applications with things like notifications, and the Windows 7 Jump List feature, which can hop users to specific parts of a Web page.

IE9 also brings performance improvements, including faster start times and a new JavaScript engine called Chakra that Microsoft has proven to be faster at the WebKit SunSpider benchmark test than competitors like Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and Safari. On the security side, IE9 also adds support for “do not track” through lists that users can subscribe to, as well as a way to filter ActiveX content from pages.

The new browser continues to be offered only to users of Windows Vista and Windows 7, leaving users of XP–which is the most popular OS at 45.3 percent of Windows users (according to W3schools)– with IE8. …

via Microsoft to launch Internet Explorer 9 at SXSWi | The Social – CNET News.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes … If Microsoft was just arbitrarily choosing to lock out XP users for no real reason, I’d be the first to object. But this isn’t the case here. Microsoft wants to add hardware acceleration to the browser, and to do that it has chosen to use Direct2D APIs, something that isn’t available on XP. Many of you have expressed that this is a mistake that Microsoft will regret.

But like I said in my original post (and many of you ignored), just because you’re using XP, and can’t use IE9, that doesn’t mean that you can’t make use of a modern browser – Firefox, Chrome and Opera all continue to support XP … for now … that too will eventually change.

XP is waning, and those sticking with it will find themselves increasingly marginalized over the coming months. …

via ZDnet