Science Special News

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

Traces of lost Amazon civilization found

A well-known Japanese archaeologist said Tuesday a team he is leading has found further evidence of a little-known ancient civilization in the Bolivian Amazon. Katsuyoshi Sanematsu, a professor of anthropology at Rikkyo University in Tokyo, completed an excavation in August of a massive man-made mound, or "loma," in Bolivia's northeastern Beni state.Such mounds mark settlements of the Mojos civilization, which is thought to have flourished in the Amazon region for thousands of years before the arrival of the Spanish.The excavation is the second stage of a three-year study by Japanese and Bolivian researchers called Project Mojos that began in 2005.Sanematsu, author of numerous books on ancient Central and South American cultures, said the main objective of this year's work was to gather more data on the loma, one of some 20,000 in the flood plain of the Bolivian Amazon called the Llanos de Mojos.The four-week excavation confirmed that the mound, called Loma Chocolatalito, is full of pottery and animal bones."There were over 10,000 fragments of pottery unearthed from the top 100-cm layer of just one of the units," he said, referring to a sectional cut from the loma."Also we discovered numerous animal bones, some of which had been worked and painted. All this suggests that this place was densely populated in ancient times."

Among the most interesting objects are a fish hook made of animal bone and a pottery fragment with a carved design that Sanematsu believes may be a map.The project team, which includes seven other Japanese researchers and experts, brought 39 samples back to Japan for analysis.Sanematsu said although it isn't possible to draw conclusions based on a few years of research, the results indicate an important civilization once existed in the Llanos de Mojos, but what caused it to disappear remains a mystery.

[Rasputin]

Fresh beast of Buchan sighting

Just weeks after the shredded caracase of a lamb found on the outs***ts of Cruden Bay reignited rumours that the infamous 'Beast of Buchan' was back on the prowl, the fabled black cat has been spotted again in the North-east. Mintlaw man James Maskame (34) said that he saw a black panther-like animal stroll out of the woods near to his home at The Beeches on Thursday, before running across farmland and out of sight. He claims that the animal he saw was not like a dog, domestic cat or any other animal he had ever seen before, estimating that it was at least a couple of metres in length. There have been many sightings of a black cat-like animal roaming the North-east countryside in the last few years, with this sighting adding to last month's claims by veteran Cruden Bay farmer, Jim Cantlay, that only a large, cat-like animal could have inflicted the attack on his lamb. Mr Maskame told the Buchanie last week: "I saw something large and black moving through the field near to the back of my house, and at first I thought that it might have been a rottweiler. "I went into the garden and climbed on the fence to try and get a better sight of it, but it moved out of sight and didn't come back.

"I only saw it for a couple of seconds, during which time I tried to determine exactly what it was," he added Mr Maskame, who lives with partner Nicola Thornton (27), has heard the stories about panther-like animals roaming the North-east, and says that this sighting only reinforces his belief that there is something out there prowling the countryside.

[Rasputin]

Cosmonaut to hit golf ball in space

A Russian cosmonaut is preparing to hit a golf ball during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). Flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin will knock a lightweight ball off a tee above the ISS's Russian docking port. A Canadian golf club maker is paying the Russian space agency an undisclosed sum for Tyurin's time. Nasa held up the stunt for months while safety experts checked possible flight paths to make sure the ball would not head back towards the space station. "I play ice hockey and my understanding is that it is very similar," said Mr Tyurin, who has been taking many practice swings to brush up his technique ahead of the shot, which will be carried out during a spacewalk on Wednesday. Responding to discussion over the safety, the flight engineer replied: "No question it's safe." Nasa flight director Holly Ridings added: "Of course the crew is taking this very, very seriously so they've been doing a lot of practice. "There is absolutely no re-contact issue with the space station." Federal law bars the US space agency from getting any money for its involvement. Mr Tyurin, who has been aboard the station since September, isn't expected to smack the ball, just tap it with the club.

The ball itself weighs just 4.5g (0.16 ounce) instead of the standard-issue 45g (1.6 ounce) ball. The Russian has to make the shot one-handed because his bulky spacesuit prevents him from bringing his hands together. Station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, who is accompanying Tyurin during the spacewalk, will help set up a camera to film the shot for an upcoming television commercial. Tyurin's drive is expected to be one for the record books, though not everyone agrees on how long the ball will fly. Nasa figures it will fall into Earth's atmosphere and be incinerated within three days.

[Rasputin]

First ever pictures of animals in the womb

An unborn elephant, tiny but perfect in every way. A dolphin swimming in the womb, just as it will have to swim in the ocean the moment it is born. An unborn dog panting. Each one amazing and now, thanks to these remarkable pictures, they can be seen for the first time. Using an array of technology, the images reveal what until now has been a secret - exactly how animals develop in the womb. They were created by the same team who in 2004 showed how human embryos "walk in the womb". Using a combination of three-dimensional ultrasound scans, computer graphics and tiny cameras, the team were able to show the entire process from conception to birth. "These kind of images from inside animals have never been seen before," said Jeremy Dear of Pioneer Productions, who made the film. "We worked with dozens of zoos and animal sanctuaries across the world. There were a lot of different challenges - recording a dolphin is very different from an elephant, for instance. "Animals were trained to sit still near the scanners and we also inserted cameras into the womb via the elephant's rectum-But it has been worth it. It one sequence we follow an elephant developing.

When it is finally born, there is not a dry eye in the house. "The images in the film are a testament to the ingenuity and patience of the production team led by Yavar Abbas and Dr David Barlow, who worked with some of the world's leading vets to obtain these pictures." The images were created for the programme Animals In The Womb, a two-hour show to be broadcast on the National Geographic Channel in America next month and on Channel 4 and the National Geographic Channel in the UK next year. Researchers used scans to track elephant calves developing for almost two years in the womb - the longest gestation period of all mammals.

[Rasputin]

World's first creationist museum to open

The world's first Creationist museum - dedicated to the idea that the creation of the world, as told in Genesis, is factually correct - will soon open. Stephen Bates is given a sneak preview and asks: was there really a tyrannosaurus in the Bible? Just off the interstate, a couple of junctions down from Cincinnati's international airport, over the state line in rural Kentucky, the finishing touches are being put to an impressive-looking building. When it is finished and open to the public next summer, it may, quite possibly, be one of the weirdest museums in the world. The Creation Museum - motto: "Prepare to Believe!" - will be the first institution in the world whose contents, with the exception of a few turtles swimming in an artificial pond, are entirely fake. It is dedicated to the proposition that the account of the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis is completely correct, and its mission is to convince visitors through a mixture of animatronic models, tableaux and a strangely Disneyfied version of the Bible story.

Its designer, Patrick Marsh, used to work at Universal Studios in Los Angeles and then in Japan before he saw the light, opened his soul to Jesus, and was born anew. "The Bible is the only thing that gives you the full picture," he says. "Other religions don't have that, and, as for scientists, so much of what they believe is pretty fuzzy about life and its origins ... oh, this is a great place to work, I will tell you that."

[Rasputin]

Mars probe "probably unrecoverable"

The US space agency (Nasa) says the veteran Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft is probably lost and irrecoverable. The orbiter entered a "safe mode" as it struggled to control a solar panel, and engineers have not been able to contact the probe since 2 November. Nasa will use the Rover Opportunity on the surface of the Red Planet to try to speak to the 10-year-old spacecraft in the next couple of days. However, mission officials concede they are not expecting success. "While we have not exhausted everything that we could do, we believe the prospect of recovery of MGS is not looking very good at all," said *** Li, Mars exploration programme manager at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. "However, MGS has been a good friend; it's had an illustrious career, the data it has collected has taught us a lot about Mars and it will continue to teach us a lot about Mars. "We're still holding out some hope but we are fully prepared in our hearts that we may never be able to talk to the spacecraft again."

The rover will use a low-power UHF antenna to try to contact MGS in the next couple of days. If it gets a reply, it will relay that response to Earth. The problem for Nasa is that its knowledge of MGS's precise orbital position has deteriorated because tracking has not been possible. As the period of silence continues, the uncertainty will grow and make detection or communication ever more difficult.

[Rasputin]

Spy game surrounds UFO mystery

Were secure vaults breached at Los Alamos, a USAF base, and other locations?A national security issue buried in a UFO tale has been interpreted to an official under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Starstream Research investigates in a new on-line feature series titled, "Exempt from Legal Recourse."Truth is often stranger than fiction. No where is this more apparent than in the latest revelations detailed by the on-line investigative report produced by Starstream Research. I am the de facto editor and senior writer for Starstream Research, a private provider of intelligence and analysis on futuristic national and international defense, security and risk developments. I founded Starstream Research to explore areas of 'exotic' technologies that often remain outside of the bounds of conventional intelligence publications, like those produced by the esteemed "Jane's Information Group." Exploring cutting edge and 'over the edge' topics, such as the application of cold fusion research for new weapons of mass destruction technology, or the U.S. Government's twenty-year interest in using parapsychology for intelligence collection, are the norm for Starstream Research. In other words, we often explore topics which Jane's might not touch with the proverbial "ten foot pole."

Over the past few years Starstream Research has evolved from numerous contacts with scientists located around the world. They share a common vision of new and more advanced understanding of the laws of nature, and their application to practical technologies. As a result we have also bumped heads with members of the intelligence community, or their proxies in the private sector. Our latest series of stories, "Exempt from Legal Recourse," developed from sources working with the intelligence sector of the government.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

Tomb find reveals pre-Inca city

Archaeologists working in northern Peru have discovered a spectacular tomb complex about 1,000 years old. The complex contains at least 20 tombs, and dates from the pre-Inca Sican era. Among the discoveries are 12 "tumis", ceremonial knives which scientists have not been able to study in a burial site before, as well as ceramics and masks. The Sican culture flourished from approximately AD 800-1300, one of several metalworking societies which succumbed to drought and conquest. Archaeologists working on the project say the find will help them understand details of the culture. "It is a religious city, a sacred settlement, and at each excavation site is a cemetery," Izumi Shimada told Peru's El Comercio newspaper. "That tells us that Sican was a very organised society." Professor Shimada, based at the University of Southern Illinois in the US, has been excavating Sican sites for a quarter of a century.

The latest dig was performed in conjunction with the Sican National Museum. The burial site sits on Peru's northern coast, near the town of Ferrenafe. Discoveries in the tomb complex include tumis formed from an alloy of silver, copper and gold; masks, breastplates and ceramics.

[Rasputin]

The Scottish Lord with the elixir of life

Sir Simon Loccard of the Lee had an impressive family history even before he distinguished himself as one of Robert the Bruce's most loyal followers. His grandfather, Stephen Loccard, had the town of Stevenson in Ayrshire named after him and his father, also Simon, gave his name to the village of Symington.But Loccard's prolific involvement in a crusade against the Saracens in 1329 not only boosted the reputation of his family, it also provided them with a new name. In addition he returned from the fields of southern Spain with an amulet which contained mysterious healing qualities. It became known as the Lee Penny and has been an object of superstition and fascination for more than six centuries. The band of Scots who embarked on the crusade was led by Sir James Douglas. He carried the heart of Robert the Bruce in a casket, of which Loccard held the key. When Douglas was killed at the Battle of Teba in Spain, and the party returned to Scotland, Loccard's family name was changed to Lockheart, shortened to Lockhart.

The family motto includes the words Corda Serrata Pando - I open locked hearts.It was, however, Loccard's capture of a Moorish emir - one of the Saracens of Granada - that yielded what was to become the Lee Penny. The prince's mother - or wife in some versions of the story - offered the Scottish knight a large sum of money in return for his freedom. She dropped what looked like a pebble, but Loccard could tell by her haste in picking it up that it was a valuable gem and demanded it as part of the ransom.

[Rasputin]

Dark Messiah of Might & Magic

Unexplained Mysteries: Ok, so we don't usually review games, but when we were given the opportunity to get our hands on Arkane Studio's new PC first person action RPG title Dark Messiah of Might & Magic, we couldn't refuse. The game uses an enhanced version of the Source engine used in Half-Life 2, offering atmospheric and detailed visuals with a realistic physics system. In the single player mode you play the part of a wizard's disciple, Sareth, and while the storyline isn't anything particularly original it does its job and sees you through what is a refreshing and challenging adventure. The game generally involves completing a series of quests as you progress through the world, each tied in to the main storyline. Completing these objectives often involve numerous combat encounters as well as some light puzzle elements, and in combat encounters especially there are often numerous ways for you to dispose of your enemies.

While Dark Messiah seems similar at first to The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion in terms of first person melee combat, you'll soon find that the combat system in Dark Messiah is far more varied and challenging. A variety of moves and combat tactics are available throughout, from kicking enemies into fires and spiked walls, to slicing a rope to unleash a torrent of barrels from a platform above, to straight out sword fighting with a variety of foes ranging from human guards to spiders, and many far larger things. In addition to melee combat, an RPG style skills system is also available. Players gain skill points as they progress, which can be spent on a number of skill trees, combat, magic and miscellaneous. Unlike many RPG titles, you are not restricted to just one skill focus; you can opt to place points in any of the skills available. Playing as a stealthy sword wielding battle mage for example is a lot more interesting than sticking to just one of the skill paths available and using say melee weapons exclusively.

Dark Messiah is a solid title, there is a lengthy single player campaign that will last you 12-15 hours easily, as well as a multiplayer mode which offers some unique elements and will keep you entertained for a long time. The melee combat in particular in the game is well implemented and is a very welcome change from the almost exclusive use of guns in most first person titles. The use of special moves and different attacks is also a welcome change from the button-bashing melee of Oblivion. Fans of first person shooters should find this game fun and challenging, and although not strictly an RPG, fans of the genre should also find enough here to keep them entertained. Recommended.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

Up to 75% of us believe in the paranormal

An international online survey of paranormal experiences has met with an overwhelming response, say Australian researchers. The survey, on phenomena that cannot be explained using the current laws of science, is by researchers at Monash University Some 2,000 people have made contact via the internet since the survey began six weeks ago, says Dr Beverley Jane, who is supervising Breen's research.She says 96% of respondents claim to have had at least one brush with the paranormal,The exercise seeks to gauge the frequency, effect and age of onset of unexplained phenomena such as premonitions, out-of-body and near-death episodes, telepathy and apparitions. Results to date showed 70% of respondents believe an unexplained event changed their lives, mostly in a positive way. Some 70% also claim to have seen, heard or been touched by animal or person that wasn't there, 80% report having had a premonition, and almost 50% recalled a previous life. in Melbourne."The paranormal is covered by the media everyday. It is also in the public domain via chatrooms and websites and email lists," says Rosemary Breen, who will use the survey results as part of a Masters degree.

"I wanted to tap into this and give a scholarly voice to these experiences."A recent Gallup poll revealed that 75% of Americans hold at least one paranormal belief, and a UK newspaper poll showed that 60% of Britons accept the existence of the paranormal, say the researchers.But little is known about contemporary spontaneous experiences, and official surveys are rare, they say.Breen says the survey is not about beliefs or whether parapsychological phenomena exist, rather it is about what people have experienced and the impact it has had on their lives.And she says she is not aware of any equivalent study in the world.

[Rasputin]

Earth hit by 'mass extinction'

About 95 per cent of the Earth's marine species and 70 per cent of its land species were wiped out during a "mass extinction" about 250 million years ago, according to Australian and US researchers. The phenomenon fundamentally changed which species survived in the world's oceans. And the experts at James Cook University in Townsville and The Field Museum in Chicago warned that modern human-induced changes to the ecosystem could have a similar impact. The experts told in the latest edition of the journal, Science, how they came across the culling of species while examining figures on the numbers of marine life forms in communities over the past 540 million years.Simple species that did not move or search for food were largely wiped out, they concluded. More complex life forms such as crabs and snails that went looking for food took over.The biological devastation occurred at the end of the Permian age about 250 million years ago, when the Earth was believed to have had only one continent, surrounded by a single ocean.

The US and Australian researchers did not go into the cause of what they called a "mass extinction" but, using a new paleobiology database, they gave what they say are the most exhaustive details ever assembled of the impact. So-called "ecologically simple" species such as stationary shells and other forms that filtered food out of the water were replaced by "complex communities", mobile species such as crabs and clams."We think these are the first analyses of this type at this large scale," said Peter Wagner, associate curator of fossil invertebrates at The Field Museum and lead author of the study, who worked with Matthew Kosnik of James Cook University."They show that the end-Permian mass extinction permanently altered not just taxonomic diversity but also the prevailing marine ecosystem structure," Mr Wagner said.