#Evolutionary Holy Grail

[xtruss]

Heliconius elevatus, arose from the genetic fusion of two other Amazonian butterfly species. Photograph By Andrew Neild

Scientists Just Found An Evolutionary Holy Grail

A New Report Traces the Extraordinary Lineage of a Common Amazonian Butterfly—and Estimates the Hybridization of Its Two Parental Species happened Around 180,000 Years Ago.

— By Zhengyang Wang | April 17, 2024

In 1837, Darwin sketched a "tree of life" in his notebook, 12 years before the publication of his Origin of Species. Since then, the tree has been a metaphor routinely used by biologists to explain how new species diverge from a common ancestor. But some scientists believe that new species can also arise from merging older lineages—as if tree branches were to fuse.

Now There Is Proof.

Today, scientists report in the journal Nature that the Amazonian butterfly species Heliconius elevatus arose from the melding of two others. By comparing the genetic blueprints of other butterfly species, researchers led by Harvard University research associate Neil Rosser, demonstrated that the H. elevatus genome is a mixture of 1 percent of the species H. melpomene and 99 percent of H. pardalinus.

"Our study shows that hybridization can drive the evolution of new species," says Rosser, the lead author of the study and National Geographic Explorer. Rosser’s team estimates that although the two parental species of H. elevatus had remained distinct for two million years, a DNA mishmash happened around 180,000 years ago when the Amazonian rainforest was a biodiversity refugium during a global ice age.

For decades, the evolutionary holy grail has been to find an animal species that came into being from two parental species combining their genomes. (If mules—the donkey-horse hybrids–could reproduce, they would qualify as a "hybrid species".) The search has remained inconclusive until now.

Both the hybrid and its two parental species are still common in the rainforests of South America (although H. elevatus, as the name suggests, is a canopy flyer). Had Darwin ventured a bit inland when the HMS Beagle docked in Lima in 1835, he would have seen them, too.

"They have discovered a situation in nature that many have postulated, but few have demonstrated. That is remarkable," says David Lohman, a professor at the City College of New York, who is not involved in this study. Lohman is part of a team that recently built the most comprehensive butterfly tree of life.

Mimicry Rings

Heliconius are the only group of butterflies that imbibe flower pollen, which they use to synthesize cyanogenic glycosides that render themselves distasteful to predators. They advertise their unpalatability with bright, high-contrast aposematic coloration that says, "don't mess with me."

"Hybrids in Heliconius really stand out, because their color patterns are so different," says James Mallet, professor of organismic and evolutionary biology in residence at Harvard University and the corresponding author of this study. He explains that related groups of Heliconius mimic the warning patterns of each other, so the gaudy costume of a single species becomes a coat of arms adorned by its nearby relatives. These "mimicry rings," as shared color patterns are called, help deter predators more effectively.

Two decades ago, Mallet realized that all the close relatives of H. elevatus wore horizontal black-orange stripes called a "tiger mimicry ring." H. elevatus, on the other hand, wore a "nailhead ray" outfit—a concentric array of orange dashes on its hindwings—that was only shared by H. melpomene, a distant relative. It was as if H. elevatus showed up at the family reunion with an outfit borrowed from a stranger. This was a smoking gun that H. elevatus was a hybrid species, but Mallet had to wait for two decades for genomic data to confirm his suspicion.

Genetic Islands

While Mallet and colleagues gathered genomic sequences of Heliconius butterflies, Rosser set up shop in Peru, propping up butterfly cages to observe H. elevatus behavior. "It was tough to build all that stuff," Rosser says. "Strong wind just blows a branch down on top of your cages and all the butterflies escape." Rosser also notes that not all predators are deterred by the warnings of mimicry rings. "Spiders eat them, and all sort of countless problems like that."

The combined effort of Mallet's genomic sequencing and Rosser's behavioral studies led to the discovery of key regions in the H. elevatus genome associated with color pattern, host plant preference, and mating preference. To Rosser and Mallet’s surprise, all of these crucial genetic snippets came from H. melpomene.

Although only 1 percent of the H. elevatus genome is derived from H. melpomene, these fragments are spread across the H. elevatus genome in 44 independent "genetic islands," and control traits crucial to species identity. "Hybrid speciation in this case is not a 50-50 mix," Mallet remarks. "This goes to the heart of what we mean by a species."

You Just Have To Look

Both Mallet and Rosser think there are many more hybrid butterfly species out there. "If people look, then they'll find it," says Rosser. "There are probably examples of this kind happening in Africa and Asia," says Akito Kawahara, professor at the University of Florida, another key contributor to the butterfly tree of life project, who is not involved in this study.

Kawahara argues that to find these hybrid species, we need to start gathering genomic data for all butterflies. He says he's not ready to redraw the butterfly tree of life until more genomic data are available. "We'll be in that position later, you know. But I think it's going to take a little while."

[metaphysicalpistolsoraclemine]

Emerald Founder Records

Abbreviation: CDT stands for Cloister Dora Teura. This refers to a section of 12 holographic disc records made of selenite quartz crystals that were created in Sirius B that contain the evolutionary history of life throughout the Universal Time Matrix and was originally sourced from the great Cosmic Hall of Records as the Maharata Teachings of the Universal Melchizedek Lineages of the Cosmic Christos.

The Founder Records are also referred to as the Emerald Covenant CDT Holographic Plates, which originally belonged to all of the human 12 Tribes and were the principal spiritual teachings that were commonly understood during the Lemurian and early Atlantian timelines. Each holographic disc was protected and administered to by an assigned Maji Grail King on the earth, who acted as the main Guardian of the planetary stargate of his tribe.

The Emerald Founder Records contained explicit knowledge about the origins, genetics and purpose of the human race, which included historical timeline accounts of Galactic history considered to be the divine birthright of all angelic humans. This data was compiled upon a master copy of 12 holographic discs and were known as the original Emerald Founder Records, which contained the basis for describing the consciousness mechanics of reality, manifestation, and the unification of all expressions with the eternal, loving, One God Source.The Emerald Founder Records included explicit ancient wisdom teachings on the unifying principles of the Cosmic Sovereign Law of One, in which humans were directly taught how to spiritually activate their lightbody through consciousness training methods, so they could achieve full liberation as a Cosmic Christos. The content held in these holographic discs was being protected by the Founder Guardians in an ancient genetic library that exists outside of time and that was being preserved on the earth’s behalf, until more of the humans on the earth could awaken to remember who they really are. This was designed as a failsafe protective mechanism put in place during the Covenant of Paliador, the Guardian hosts plan for the reclamation of Christos Mission.

Until the earth underwent the Ascension Cycle and reached the threshold in which the crystalline grid was able to hold the highest Christos frequency and the intelligent coding that was contained in these discs, the Emerald Founders assigned members of the Sirian High Council to guard and preserve the sacred wisdom in these holy records for the future benefit of the earth. Thus, those assembled in the Sirian High Council that were primarily in the Universal Christos lineages of the Emerald Order and Blue Flame Melchizedeks, were acting as the primary archivists of earth’s vast genetic library and timeline history, through the gnostic process of their own consciousness embodiment. Archivists are responsible for assembling, cataloguing, preserving and managing valuable collections of historical information. In this case, they were also responsible for mapping out the DNA code that functions as the genetic library for all creations throughout the 12 organic timelines.

This data was compiled upon a master copy of 12 holographic discs and were known as the original Emerald Founder Records, which contained the basis for describing the consciousness mechanics of reality, manifestation, and the unification of all expressions with the eternal, loving, One God Source. These discs include extremely advanced technological information about the planetary templar stargates, Ley Lines, the spiritual-science texts and schematics that are outlined in the Law of One consciousness freedom teachings that unify sacred sciences with spirituality. The Founder Records are also referred to as the Emerald Covenant CDT holographic plates, which originally belonged to all of the human 12 Tribes and were the principal spiritual teachings that were commonly understood during the Lemurian and early Atlantian timelines. Each holographic disc was protected and administered to by an assigned Maji Grail King on the earth, who acted as the main Guardian of the planetary stargate of his tribe. The Maji Grail King assigned spiritually trained members of the Essene tribes as Keepers of the Law of One knowledge, to carry this sacred wisdom through multiple timelines and to protect related information for access during a later time cycle.

entire genetic source code and blueprint architecture library for the Diamond Sun template, including the schematics of the multidimensional planetary body layers as generated from the original Emerald Founder Creators. In addition to the ancient wisdom revealed in the unifying principles of the Cosmic Sovereign Laws, the holographic discs also contain the complete book of maps and genetic keys that are necessary to gain full access into the Universal 12 Tree Grid holographic matrix from within the Grual points of the planetary stargate system. Access to Diamond Sun body templates and specific details about planetary stargate Quantum Mechanics are highly coveted by the NAA Controlling groups because they believe it is their ticket to ride on out of this Universal Time Matrix.

Approximately 22,000 YA, Thoth led a militarized event which resulted in the Essene Massacre, murdering the males and taking their sacred marriage female partners hostage for forced hybridization breeding on Nibiru. Thoth stole the CDT plate that was in their possession, and from this stolen work he wrote down the information that would later become the basis of the teachings of Hermeticism and the Emerald Tablet. Thus, in human hidden history, this is the trigger timeline event that changed the future of human evolution, in forming the controlled beliefs and Luciferian elitism around Hermeticism, esoteric Kabbalah, Mystery Schools and the Secret Societies. These secret societies were originally formed by the Luciferian Knights Templar and were ultimately designed to hide the ancient sacred knowledge of humanities true origins from the common people, in order to route them into the guardrails of superstitions, ignorance and organized religion. See Emerald Tablet and Atlantian Solar Dragon Queen Merida

Thus, the sacred knowledge included in all 12 of these holographic discs, the ascension mechanics that describe the unity principles of the Law of One, have been violently fought over by many negative intruding groups. These NAA groups competing for earth domination have repeatedly sought to either control humans as puppets for carrying out their agendas, or massacre the Maji Priest Kings and their human tribe team members. Lightworker persecution memories include being hunted down as a part of the Christos family mission and remembering lifetimes in the 12 Tribe Essene lineages that have currently incarnated during the Ascension Cycle as Indigos. The NAA seek to gain full domination of earth and beyond, through gaining unrestrained access to all of the Emerald Founder Records, Ancient Builder Technology and all related sacred knowledge that is ultimately the divine birthright of every angelic human being.

Reference: The Ascension Glossary &

[warningsine]

Researchers have discovered a major driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and several other immune disorders that affect the spine, liver and arteries, raising hopes for millions of people worldwide.

The breakthrough is particularly exciting because the newly found biological pathway can be targeted by drugs that are already used, with work under way to adapt them to patients with IBD and other conditions.

“What we have found is one of the very central pathways that goes wrong when people get inflammatory bowel disease and this has been something of a holy grail,” said Dr James Lee, the group leader of the genetic mechanisms of disease laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

Lee added: “Even for pure, fundamental immunology this is a really exciting discovery. But to show this is dysregulated in people who get disease not only gives us a better understanding of the disease, it tells us this is something we can treat.”

More than half a million people in the UK have inflammatory bowel disease, the two main forms of which are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, with at least 7 million affected globally. They arise when the immune system attacks the bowel, causing an array of debilitating symptoms from abdominal pain and weight loss to diarrhoea and blood in stools. While medicines such as steroids can ease the symptoms, some patients require surgery to remove part of their bowel.

Lee’s research team “stumbled” on the discovery after investigating a “gene desert”, a stretch of DNA on chromosome 21 that does not code for proteins, which has previously been linked to IBD and other autoimmune diseases. Writing in Nature, they describe how they found a section of DNA that behaves like a volume control for nearby genes. This “enhancer” was seen only in immune cells called macrophages where it boosted a gene called ETS2 and ramped up the risk of IBD.

Through gene editing experiments, the scientists showed that ETS2 is central to the inflammatory behaviour of macrophages and their ability to damage the bowel in IBD. “There’s been a search for some time for the central drivers of this pathogenic process, and this is what we’ve stumbled on,” said Lee, who is also a consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Free hospital and UCL.

The same biological pathway is thought to drive other autoimmune disorders, including ankylosing spondylitis, which causes spine and joint inflammation in about one in 1,000 people worldwide, and rarer autoimmune diseases that affect the liver and arteries.

While there are no drugs that specifically target the ETS2 gene, the scientists identified a class of anticancer drugs called MEK inhibitors that they suspected would dampen the gene’s activity. In laboratory tests, the drugs performed as expected, reducing inflammation in gut samples from patients with IBD.

Because MEK inhibitors have side-effects in other organs, the scientists have begun work to adapt the medicine so it targets only a patient’s macrophages. This is done by creating a “conjugate” where the drug molecule is attached to a synthetic antibody that binds only to the target cells. “It’s safer because it’s more targeted and you can use a lower dose,” said Lee. “We have already developed the antibody conjugate, I have it sitting in my freezer.”

Clinical trials are still needed to see whether the adapted drug reduces IBD and other autoimmune conditions, but because MEK inhibitors are already used in cancer patients, researchers hope that process could be swift and potentially completed within five years.

In further work, the scientists found that the ETS2 gene is at least half a million years old and was carried by neanderthals and other archaic humans. “It has been preserved over evolutionary history probably because it is important in early bacterial responses,” said Lee. “So you wouldn’t want to knock it out all together. You just need to turn down its activity by 50% and the effect of that may be enough.”

Ruth Wakeman at Crohn’s and Colitis UK said: “Crohn’s and colitis are complex, lifelong conditions for which there is no cure, but research like this is helping us to answer some of the big questions about what causes them. This research is a really exciting step towards the possibility of a world free from Crohn’s and colitis.”

[truebloodrandazzo]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Genesis of the Grail Kings:Story of Genetic Cloning & Ancient Bloodline of Jesus.

[evoldir]

Fwd: Postdoc: ImperialCollege_UK.EarlyVertebratePalaeontology

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Postdoc: ImperialCollege_UK.EarlyVertebratePalaeontology > Date: 24 March 2023 at 05:58:17 GMT > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > > Job Advertisement Title: Research Associate in Early Vertebrate > Palaeontology > > Salary: �43,093-50,834 > > Location: Silwood Park > > Job Summary > > We seek a vertebrate palaeontologist or evolutionary biologist to > collaborate on a NERC-funded project investigating the origin of > vertebrate fins and girdles for up to 35 months. The origin of paired > appendages is one of the 'holy grails' of vertebrate evolution but is a > persistent evolutionary mystery. This project will use high-resolution > tomography and 3D imaging to test theories about the anatomical origins > of the pectoral girdle. The project will use comparative analyses of > exceptionally preserved jawless and jawed fishes that demonstrate the > earliest stages in the evolution of paired appendages. > > The project is a NERC-funded collaboration between Dr Martin Brazeau > (Imperial College), Dr Zerina Johanson (The Natural History Museum, > UK), and Prof Matt Friedman (University of Michigan). A large body of > tomographic data has already been generated to support this project and > the candidate will form the basis for a series of detailed anatomical > investigations, comparative specimen-based analyses, and phylogenetic > studies. > > This project represents an exciting opportunity to unify disparate strands > of evidence from palaeontology, comparative anatomy, and comparative > development, and will appeal to candidates with experience in any of > these areas. The position will offer opportunities for research travel, > support for conference attendance, and international collaboration, > as well as career development. > > Duties and responsibilities > > You will be responsible for undertaking novel comparative anatomical > and palaeontological study of exceptionally preserved early vertebrate > fossils. You will be processing, visualising, and archiving these data > and preparing imagery, figures, and interpretations which will result in > collaborative development of new scientific publications and conference > presentations. You will collaborate with the PI in the operation of the > lab and will have opportunity to supervise students who are directly > supporting your research objectives. > > Essential requirements > > .       Hold a PhD (or equivalent) in vertebrate palaeontology or >        related field or a closely related discipline. > .       Prior work with computed tomography and segmentation software >        (e.g., Mimics, Avizo, VG Studio) > .       Have undertaken comparative morphological investigation > .       Have conducted prior work with collections-based material > .       Understanding of phylogenetic methods and their practical >        implementation > > Desirable skills > .       Expertise in early (Palaeozoic) vertebrates > .       Ability to use graphical software (e.g., Adobe CC) > .       Specimen illustration and/or digital modelling > > Further Information > > The post is funded by NERC. > > The contract is full-time, up to 35 months. > > Interested candidates should apply online here: Imperial website: > https://ift.tt/eLdXC9n > Jobs.ac link: > https://ift.tt/gSLQ3by > > Closing date: 20 April 2023 > > To apply, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs and search by the job reference > NAT01411. > > > "Iskakova, Laura"

[walkfromhome]

From the Guardian perspective, the origination of authentic ancient Gnosticism is sourced from the Essene, Christos Templar lineages that brought their Maji King Grail Lines through the Stargates to form the 12 Tribes. These lineages would hold one section of the genetic DNA blood record that contained the intelligent information of the Cosmic Law of One records, that sourced from the Krystal Universes, in the God Worlds. Each of the original Essene 12 Tribe lineages were seeded through the planetary stargate system, and helped to embody specific DNA coding that was to be initiated, accreted and integrated throughout the planetary grid network to gradually support spiritual ascension. This was the evolutionary plan in order to retrieve lost and fractured human soul groups, to repair and activate dormant DNA that occurred as a result of the Taran explosion, and subsequent wars with other species that resulted in the Luciferian Rebellion and Atlantian Cataclysm.

Since the Luciferian Covenant was made on the earth there has been an ongoing battle for this knowledge, in which the true ancient wisdom keepers were consistently hunted down and massacred. A major timeline trigger event began with the Celtic invasions 9,500 years ago, when the NAA and Illuminati groups attempted to create a super-race of genetic elites. This placed hijacked Ruby Sun DNA, through their propagated lines which evolved into Freemasonry, Knights Templar, Rosicrucian’s, Jesuits, and other secret societies that persist with a similar hermetic esoteric knowledge that is primarily used in the negative polarity of Service to Self. In the historical timelines, they targeted 2nd Stargate Grail lines for hijack or elimination, because this soul group is genetically connected to the Family of Michael that originate from Aldebaran. They are the natural Guardians of the Eastern direction grid network, as well as opening the access into the Golden Gate. These particular Michael-Nephilim bloodlines are the original authentic genetic lines of Ruby Sun DNA bodies on earth, that the NAA groups coveted and modified as host bodies for a variety of the invading Orion and Nordic groups.

Thothian groups took sections of the Essene Law of One knowledge and fashioned the Hermetic traditions, which were presented as non-Christian lineages of Gnosticism known as the Corpus Hermetica. Secret societies continued to form around the Hermetic tradition in Mystery Schools, which were used to hide the ancient knowledge from the common people, who were instead given opposing information in the form of religious indoctrination as a replacement. To cover up the Essene Christos Templar origins and mission, the NAA strongly influenced the revisions to sacred texts during the Council of Nicea. They further influenced other world religions to replace the authentic Gnostic information, with the intentional spreading of violent religions based on satanic blood sacrifice, holy wars and worshipping Alien False father Gods.

Later on, Aleister Crowley and subsequent satanic cults integrated some of this same knowledge, such as the Gnostic Mass information into their black magic rituals. Satanic cults focused on the same consciousness principles with an important caveat, as the first law for the Satanist is the Law of Reversal, in which blood sacrifice was required for perpetuating anti-life forces. All Laws would be inverted and their principles used in reverse, for the conjurer to extract power over others in the material world.

As a result of the genocidal agendas, the remaining Essene groups went underground and this knowledge was hidden and continued to be passed on in secret, such as to the Cathar sects. Some of those remaining records are within the contents found in the Nag Hammadi, to which the public has only been given limited access to partial information. The Nag Hammadi Library is a collection of thirteen ancient books called codices that contain over fifty texts, discovered in upper Egypt in 1945. This immensely important discovery includes a large number of primary Gnostic Gospels, texts thought to have been entirely destroyed. The discovery and translation of the Nag Hammadi library, initially completed in the 1970's, provides a major re-evaluation of defining the nature of Gnosticism in relationship to the authentic history of true Christianity.

Hermeticism stems from the Thothian distortion, and is a school of ideas and systems that focuses on the pursuit of Gnosis, the pursuit of direct knowledge and experiences that pertains to the inner revelation of spiritual mysteries. However, as with all knowledge and tools, they can be used in the negative polarity of Service to Self, or in the positive polarity of Service to Others. Whatever polarity we choose and use the Natural Laws to co-create with, will directly initiate how that content expresses from the original intention we have given it. The polarity we choose and its expression will have an internal and external effect, a correspondence made upon the results that we have created in our manifestation. If we are spiritual adepts and truth seekers on the path of the Law of One, our love will translate into pure knowledge given in alignment to serve our sovereignty and spiritual freedom, and we will organically manifest more goodness and natural order. If we are on the path of Service to Self, seeking material power, our fear will translate into ignorance which aligns with confusion and control, and we organically manifest more chaos and evil. When we are clear about the Natural Laws and we look to the globalscape, it is the clear result from the Controllers continual abuse of knowledge, the abuse of hidden technology used by human and nonhuman factions, resulting from the abuse of the Natural Laws in the negative polarity, Service to Self.

(Source)

[i-draws-dinosaurs]

are pycnofibers and feathers the same structure just diverged early on?

Short answer: Maybe, but really the question is kinda unanswerable currently

Long answer: The answer to this are built on not just one maybe, but multiple layers of maybes. To start with, in case anyone's unfamiliar, let's talk about analogous and homologous structures. In evolutionary biology, a physical feature is homologous if it is shared between two species, and the common ancestor of those two species also had that feature. A common example is that the arm of a human and the wing of a bird are homologous, because we share the same pattern of bones and our distant common ancestor had those same bones!

On the other hand, a physical feature is analogous if it has a shared function, and it may or may not share an evolutionary origin! So for example, a bat's wing and a bird's wing are both analogous (same function, powered flight) and homologous (same bone pattern shared with common ancestor). A bird's wing and a dragonfly's wing, however, are analogous, but are not homologous (they do not share an evolutionary origin).

This table sums it up in a way that I find helpful, comparing analogous structures in insects and mammals. Via Wikimedia Commons.

So, the fuzz on dinosaurs and pterosaurs are pretty evidently analogous structures. They provide the same functions: temperature regulation, probably display, possibly smoothing the body's silhouette in flight? But the key question is, are they homologous? Did the common ancestor of pterosaurs and dinosaurs also have fuzzy structures?

Now, let's get to those multiple layers of maybes, starting with the issue of whether even dinosaurs had a fluffy common ancestor. We see evidence of filamentous structures in both theropods and ornithischians. These structures maybe come from the same evolutionary origin, and if they do, then the common ancestor of all dinosaurs right at the base of the tree also had filaments. As far as I'm aware, whether or not this is likely is a fairly subjective matter, but as you can probably tell from my palaeoart I lean towards the idea that dinosaurs were ancestrally fluffy.

This little fellow, Lagerpeton, is one of the closest things to a dinosaur that isn't actually a dinosaur. If the ancestor of all dinosaurs was feathery, this guy probably was too!

If dinosaurs were ancestrally fluffy, then maybe the filaments of dinosaurs and pterosaurs come from the same evolutionary origin. If ancestral dinosaurs were fuzzy, that puts two very closely related lineages of fuzzy archosaurs very close together in time, some point in the Middle Triassic probably. If that's the case, then it makes sense that the common ancestor of these two groups was probably fuzzy.

However, you'll probably notice that this hypothetical scenario where ancestral fuzz is likely is constructed on top of the assumption that dinosaurs were ancestrally fuzzy, which is something that's still not fully proven. It's not even certain that all dinosaur fuzz is homologous, which makes pterosaurs tricky.

Even whether the earliest pterosaurs, like Peteinosaurus, had pycnofibres is currently only a matter of hypothesis!

The reality is the evidence which would most easily resolve the mystery currently does not exist. If, say, a Triassic dinosaur and Triassic pterosaur were discovered with fuzzy filaments then that would basically confirm that these two very close groups we both ancestrally fuzzy. Even better still would be some basal avemetatarsalian from the Middle Triassic with preserved fluff. That's basically like asking for the Holy Grail though, a genuine common ancestor of pterosaurs and dinosaurs.

Unfortunately, the oldest records we do have for feathered dinosaurs and pycnofibred pterosaurs stop at about the Middle Jurassic. Any older than that, and we lose the sites with immaculately fine silt grains that preserve soft tissue like feathers. That's not to say a future beautiful Middle Triassic silt bed couldn't show up, and oh boy I really hope one does eventually, but for now there's simply nothing out there to offer concrete proof.

Jeholopterus, an anurognathid pterosaur from the Middle to Late Jurassic of China, preserved with evidence of pycnofibres. Via Wikimedia Commons.

So in the absence of this proof, what do we do? I'd consider Occam's Razor a decent guiding principle here, although it's less reliable in some other areas of evolutionary biology. Occam's Razor basically states that the most reasonable explanation is one that doesn't unnecessarily multiply the entities of a problem.

To put it another way, it seems more reasonable, in an evolutionary sense, that three closely related groups (ornithischians, theropods, and pterosaurs) got their fuzziness from one fuzzy common ancestor. The alternate explanation is that two (or possibly three) very closely related groups all independently evolved remarkably similar feathery coats from being initially scaly.

Occam's Razor isn't foolproof, and there's a reason that we have the term convergent evolution, but in this case I think we should consider it a reasonable guess that the common ancestor of dinosaurs and pterosaurs had some sort of fluffy filaments, and that feathers and pycnofibres are indeed homologous.

But just to be clear, this is not the answer!! This is a best guess, a hypothesis based on available lines of evidence that disappear in the crucial stages of its evolutionary history, and the application of a logical rule of thumb to cap it off. Just because that's the side I lean towards, doesn't mean that the issue is settled or that I wouldn't change my perspective if new evidence came to light. That's the great thing about science after all!

So, I do hold to my original statement that right now, this question is not truly answerable (even though I've now spent almost 1000 words trying to answer it). We can guess and hypothesise, but for now the real answer remains out of reach.

[deep-divine]

I've been on this specific path going on five years. Decoding and trying to piece together the energetic nature of our reality with all its elements at play- all while maintaining my own shadow work and clearing, trying not to get lost within it all. Let me just say what a privilege it is to be human at this point in time. A spiritual war has waged over not just our planet, but this entire universe for far too long - which was never originally apart of this creation. Human beings - have angelic DNA. We were actually grail keepers - we have the most extensive collection of Universal DNA within..and that is not by coincidence. Coincidence doesn't exist. It's by intelligent design and its for a cause. A cause much greater than most humans understand to be possible, let alone the reason for our very existence. Society has dictated our path, our abilities, our understanding and our contribution to what we call life - long gone are the ancient texts explaining our metaphysical composition or our place in the cosmos or the purpose of existence. Information has been suppressed and distorted for centuries. This Universe is still governed by natural law - which means the truth cannot be kept from you- if the truth is what you want. I've done extensive research coming across many ancient teachings that are all very well hidden, but its all there, if you really look. We play a very important role in the evolution of our Universe. We are currently experiencing an Ascension Cycle which is a natural evolutionary cycle - which rebalances the scale. Which then confirms we are in the age of cosmic disclosure! The dark forces that currently rule our planet - honestly goes so much deeper than most people are ready to hear. But you need to know. My first subject of topic is on Trauma and soul fragmentation...and my goal is to make you aware of what happens - when any of us experience any form of trauma - and what we need to do in order to take control of our bodies, minds and souls aswell as making sure we're whole.. because we are only living our best life or operating from our highest good if we are operating from a place of wholeness. 《WHOLE is also where the word "Holy" is derived from》

Stay Tuned for my next transmission on Trauma.

[callistolivia]

Ancient Genetics, The Ascendant, and Physical Appearance

 It’s been about two years since I posted a complete list for interpreting how the ascendant plays a part in the physical appearance and I think an updated version is long overdue. 

My original post was research mostly compiled from Evangeline Adam’s book “Your Place in the Sun.” At the time, I was really only just starting to get into astrology and thought this was somewhat of a holy grail for interpreting the ascendant. I had also obtained an illustrated book by Howard M. Duff titled, “Astrological Types.” The book showcases caricatures of each of the signs. This book was great for illustrating the way the signs behaved physically as well as specific physical details, except there was one major issue with this book; all of the drawings were clearly euro-centric and 9/12 of them were male depictions. This ultimately makes the book useless to anyone who wants to study people. Having more years of experience, I now have a strengthened intuition and felt the need to explore ancient genetics and their correlation to astrology. I had already previously looked into astrological rulership over countries in this post. The information in that post was gathered from Rex E. Bills’ “The Rulership Book.” This book is a directory on astrological correspondence to just about everything. The information in that book was collected from several astrologers therefore it has some credibility. My only concern is how relevant the information is now as it was written in the 70s– biases may prevail. I personally would not recommend that book to anyone with a poor intuition. My  post on countries/places needs an update as well for I haven’t stopped to ask why those are the designated rulerships to those countries and places. I’ve become more and more interested in exploring ancient civilizations, studying their culture, religion, and politics and drawing the astrological correspondence to such. I now also feel that it is necessary to provide people with astrological correspondence to ancient genetics and backgrounds when discussing the ascendant’s influence on physical appearance because of the importance of genetics itself. The biggest argument against astrology’s influence on physical appearance IS genetics, but the thing is, they’re all tied together. I would like to note that this is only the beginning of my research. These are my findings now, and are subject to expand or change in the future (as we saw with my last post on physical appearance.)

I came up with an explanation using astrology as a tool (as one may say astrology is meant to be a tool for understanding the universe). Using the laws of astrology, evolution of modern man and genetics can be explained with rulerships and symbolism of planets, houses, signs, and their relationships between each other. 

In the chart I’ve created, I’ve labelled the Imum Coeli (IC) “Ancestor” for the reasons being that modern man came out of maternal roots both literally and symbolically. The rises and falls of man can easily be represented through the ages of time and just after the Golden Age of Leo, the world entered the Age of the Mother Goddess; a time of matriarchal society. At this time, Cancer and Lunar themes influenced society and cultures and ideas, as does the following sign in the following age and so on. I emphasis the significance of the Age of Cancer to modern man as Cancer would then represent ancestry to us in the future and its opposing sign, Capricorn would represent history to us as well. Modern man’s genetics are rooted in the sign Cancer, respectively.

(Above – Khoi-san girl and her grandmother)

The roots of modern man are said to be traced back to South Africa from the once thriving Khoi-San tribe. What is particularly interesting about this ancient rooted tribe is their culture and how it heavily focuses on retained and unchanged tradition (a very Cancerian influence). Not only that, but the retained traditions are very watery in essence; weddings are considered private ceremonies, death is treated as a very natural occurrence (very different from how its treated in Western culture nowadays), trancing and spirit world travelling are practiced, shamanship is practiced, some groups revere the moon, hunter-gatherer style of living is still put into practice, adeptness in observing behaviour patterns of animals (habitual behaviour ruled under the Moon). Another particularly interesting aspect of their religious practices is the trance dance practiced by the shamans. They describe reaching their spiritual trance having a lot to do with a “stomach potency” and if you know astrology, then you would see the significance in correlation of the stomach to the sign Cancer. Apparently the trance dance has an affect on the stomach muscles and alters posture in the people who practice it too. Among other evidence to demonstrate their watery influenced society and culture, I think it’s fair to say Khoi-san tribe is ruled under the Moon and is ruled under Cancer. This being the case, and if the Khoi-san tribe are carriers of the earliest genetics to modern man, then it makes perfect sense to associate man’s physical and cultural roots to the sign Cancer and the Moon.

(Above map – from this website)

At some point, our ancestors obviously migrated to parts of Northern Africa and then some groups eventually out of Africa to escape the direct sun when albinism began to occur and the un-melaninated people could not survive in the conditions so close to the equator. From there, we see civilizations develop in all parts of the world with genetic variations and varying levels of melanin, but all traces back to their Cancer ruled roots. I believe Saturn/Capricorn’s cardinal direction marks historical moments in genetics and respectively opposes the Moon and the roots in the graph illustrated. While Saturn may represent recessiveness, we have to keep in mind that its traditional rulers were both Capricorn AND Aquarius (Aquarius now ruled by Uranus in modern astrology and that discovery itself also signifies evolution...). If we consider the recessive qualities of Saturn along with the rapid and sudden evolutionary qualities, we could see this opposition symbolizing the sudden variation in genetics; when recessive genes are activated. An example of this is the first occurrence of albinism in genetics as well as any other sudden opposites of the dominant genetics in humans. An example of the Aquarian evolutionary qualities could be how humans have become much taller in height overtime. The next component to be addressed in the chart is the other cardinal directions being occupied by Mars and Venus. Aries/Mars and Libra/Venus, as opposed to Cancer and Capricorn, symbolize a forward direction. In Stephen Arroyo’s book, Astrology, Psychology, & The Four Elements he writes, “The cardinal signs represent centrifugal radiating energy and correlate with the principle of action in definite direction. The “positive” cardinal signs, Aries and Libra, are concerned with action in the present, based upon future considerations.” So while the negative cardinal archetypes occupy what is significant in the past, we can say the positive cardinal archetypes symbolize future outcomes. It’s also important to note that Mars is in most cases considered a malefic planet whereas Venus is in most cases considered a benefic planet; it is particularly notable depending on what interchanges they make with other planets, in this case interchanges between them and either the Moon or Saturn. I’ve categorized the interchanges as ascending, descending, recessing, and prevailing labelled on the chart (figure 1).  I’ve also included the Sun in this equation for the sake of unity and as well as its symbolism being the life giving planet; its qualities being warm, moist, and light. The “prevailing” interchange (Moon-Venus) symbolises dominant, unmasked genetics that are, for the most part, benefic. The “recessive” interchange (Mars-Saturn) symbolises recessive, masked genetics that are, for the most part, malefic. The ascending and descending interchanges represent a very unique relationship that these interchanges have according to laws of astrology.

In Robert Zoller’s, The Arabic Parts in Astrology, he explains very clearly important relations planets have with each other. The figure above is the “Septenary.” It symbolises the polarization between one planet to another and then how it is reconciled by a third point. I highly recommend this book even if you have no interest in Arabic parts because it goes over core principles in astrology. If we go back to the idea that Sun is always in the equation for creation, then you will see that the Sun in the Septenary has two paths, the Moon and Saturn. When creation (the Sun) chooses the path of the Moon, it is reconciled in Mars. When creation chooses the path of Saturn, it is reconciled in Venus. So the ascending path (Moon-Mars) thus symbolises masked genetics that manifest under Mars’ positive qualities and the descending path (Saturn-Venus) then, respectively, symbolises unmasked genetics that manifest under Venus’ negative qualities because it has to compensate for cold, dryness of Saturn.

What I would like people to take from this is an astrological perspective of genetics. I created the chart (figure 1) as, and only, an explanation for modern man’s emergence and how we can categorize different genes (but not just genes– culture, society, psychology as well) within these archetypes and planets and the relationships between each other. The main issue with my original post on physical appearance was the lack of explanation for why this was associated with this archetype or this planet. There are definite reasons why, for example, Aries is associated with red hair despite it being the rarest hair colour and its occurance in people is also rare, especially if the person’s genetics are deeply rooted to their ancestors, then it’s impossible, if not next to. It is because at some point in history an unmasked gene is activated and is ruled by whichever planet or whichever archetype respectively. 

Just a side note; if any of you are particularly interested in learning more about genetics and not from an astrological perspective, I highly recommend this website. The writers have dedicated an immense amount of effort into bringing forth truth. They primarily focus on black history for the main reason being that it’s been heavily white-washed.

I feel now I can actually move into the actual ascendant descriptions having stressed the importance of genetics and roots above all. Also, with all of this emphasis on roots and ancestry, it may be worthwhile to take a look at the Imum Coeli’s condition in one’s natal chart in correlation to that. Just like in my previous post on physical appearance, I cannot stress enough how important it is to realize I am not telling you what you look like based on your sign. I’m putting this info out here to help you understand why certain features about you or someone else are the way they are as well as help you spot the rising signs in people!  I also need to stress yet again that aspects to the ascendant (especially conjunctions), planets in the first house, the condition of the chart ruler, the Sun sign, domicile planets, and stelliums can all be significant influencers to a person’s appearance. So I shouldn’t be bombarded with asks saying “I look nothing like that!” once this finally gets posted, right? This is meant to be a tool for people to understand correspondence to astrology’s physical manifestations.  Each description of the signs is the archetype in its extremes, so by all means, an individual of such and such ascending may not have all the characteristics of that sign. I will also include some notes on planetary influences in this post so you can understand how a planet will interact with the ascendant.

Without further ado, the signs,

Aries

The Aries ascendant often walks head first in a pioneer fashion and the ancient groups of Aries-influenced people were quite pioneering literally. The body usually doesn’t hold onto fat and builds muscle quite easily. Aries ascendants are prone to issues relating to the skin such as acne or eczema. The skin is usually quite textured and dry. Caucasian Aries folk may even have a very apparent ruddy complexion. When Aries manifests in its particular forms, red hair and white hair genetics manifest as well as unpigmented, large eyes. There tends to be two different types of Aries rising, the first type carries a care-free, yet curious expression. Their eyes are as luminous and big as Pisces, but lack the daze. The eyebrows are honest and unsuspecting in the first type. In both types, the eyebrows tend to be bushy which is obviously more apparent in dark haired Aries. The head shape looking at it from a profile angle is convex making the chin not very prominent (some dramatic illustrated examples below.)

Looking straight on in both types, they usually have a heart-shaped face. The second type has a keener expression; the eyebrows are more arched and lower to the eyes. The chin is slightly more distinguished than the first type. The nose on either type can be big or small, but is often pointed and is often bigger on the first type and smaller on the second. There may be a bump in the bridge. Both types are drawn to warm colours and that may be expressed through wearing lots of reds or choosing to dye their hair reds or blondes.  Some astrologers claim that people with the Aries appearance have a distinct Aries symbol apparent to their face in the way that their forehead and eyebrow bones are shaped, you will see that in the third celebrity example quite prominently. Mars (Planetary ruler of Aries and Scorpio) can be associated with freckles, so it is not uncommon to find that people with significant Mars or Aries influences have freckles, or rather, their freckles are trademark to their appearance. Aries is more associated with freckles clusters, light freckles, and birthmarks and Scorpio is more associated with beauty marks and dark moles. 

(Above – Rihanna. Listed as an Aries rising on Astrotheme so its subject to inaccuracy, but she has definite Aries features to her; heart shaped face and keen expression. Eyes are lighter in colour which is also a common Aries manifestation.)

(Above – Tyra Banks. Listed as a Cancer rising on Astrotheme, so again, its subject to inaccuracy for the exact time, but her birth day makes her a definite Aries Moon and Aries Mars; a significant amount of Aries energy to see Aries qualities in the ascending expression. Lighter eyes once again being a very Arian manifestation, but also the choice to fashion lighter hair.)

(Above – Leonard Nimoy. Aries sun and listed as a Scorpio rising on Astrotheme, so the exact time of birth is subject to inaccuracy. But this is the perfect example of face shape many astrologers describe Aries folk to have; the brow bones curving into the nose in such a way that looks like the symbol for Aries.)

(Above – Devon Aoki; exact birth time unknown, Leo Sun, Aries Moon, Mars in Scorpio) 

Taurus

The Taurus ascending takes a slow approach in their movements. Their movements are also graceful (unless the chart ruler is badly placed, then the Venusian aspects are poorly expressed). Often they have stocky bodies and broader shoulders; female Taurus tend to be curvaceous. Their build is a representation of Taurus’ ability for resistance; they can carry a lot on their shoulders either metaphorically or literally. There’s a general warmness to the presence of true Taurus risings. Their hair is often deep, warm colours with a luxuriousness to it. Their eyes are often deep and warm– the same goes for complexion. Staple Taurus risings often have clear complexions (afflicted Venus or prominent Mars aspects will contradict clear complexions) and warm undertones. Their skin has a firm essence and evokes the desire to touch! They appear unprovokable and quiet while they may not be. Facial features in general are either full or wide– full lips, wide nose bridge, wider jaw, wider glabella, etc. The face shape is quite square which is common for fixed signs and their profile is straight.

(Above – sketched interpretations of Taurus rising.)

(Above – Celebrities with Taurus rising ((no, this is not the line-up for the next Twilight movie)); George Lucas, Taurus Sun, Taurus Ascending; Mariah Carey, Aries Sun, Taurus Ascending; Taylor Lautner, Aquarius Sun, Taurus Moon, Taurus Ascending; Robert Patterson, Taurus Sun, Taurus Ascending.)

(Above – Gigi Hadid, Taurus Sun, Taurus Ascending.)

None of the celebrity examples really demonstrate the wider glabella I mentioned before, likely due to their other influences, but I’ve seen it first hand in Taurus risings. The brows are often either further apart or even alined perfect to the nose. The bridge of the nose is almost aligned with the nostrils. In the context of mass, the nose can manifest either big or small, but it does not extend outward the same way Aries risings are.

Gemini

When a person’s ascending sign is in Gemini, their movements are quick and sometimes nervous and fidgety. Gemini rising can speed up the movements of even the slower sun signs, such as Taurus. They tend to use a lot of hand/arm movements when expressing themselves. Their eyes often appear surprised or alert most of the time and their movements are also quick and dart around. There is a child-like interest or curiosity they have with their environment; there is a need to absorb everything in their immediate environment. We can see this in Gemini’s need for variety in social situations. Geminis (both rising and sun) love stories and learning– this voluntary mental activity is what really keeps them appearing youthful. 

In Howard M. Duff’s interpretation of Gemini (caricature above) he points out that Gemini risings tend to have “Gemini Bumps” which are prominent temples in the skull. Sometimes Gemini risings also have a higher, more receded hairline in this area too, making the temples more prominent. Overall, Gemini risings tend to have sharp or bony features, especially in the more masculine expressed ones. Cheekbones and jawline can be quite prominent. Gemini rising’s nose can be big or small, but is usually on the small side, especially in feminine expressed Geminis. Their nose can be long and pointed or short and snub, but the main recurrence in Gemini noses is the round tip and lack of a bump in the bridge. Their lips can be wide or thin, but are often flat and look very compressed when their mouth is closed. Their eyes are more often further apart than centered and lower than risen (or rather, they appear lower with a proceeding and longer skull). Their bony and sharp features may result in very defined eye sockets. Their skull and face can either appear somewhat long or short and small; it’s important to note the changeability mutable signs have. The short and small face variation are especially prominent in femininely expressed Geminis and are often described by people as “pixie-like” with their small chin, round face, and button nose. Gemini rising’s body shape is usually thin, lanky, and tall. Very rarely can they hold onto fat. They usually have a very active metabolism and in medical astrology terms, one might consider the prominence of Gemini/Mercury in malefic disposition having a connection to hyperthyroidism. Obviously, prominence of say, Taurus or water archetypes may generate the opposite in a person; it is very possible for a Gemini rising to also not be thin if we consider other factors, as we should.

(Above – Lauryn Hill; Exact birth time unknown; Gemini Sun, Gemini Mercury, prominent fire influences as well. She has very feminine, Gemini facial features; pixie-like face shape, compressed lips, position of the eyes... It’s also important to note her musical talent and her versatility (writing, rapping, and singing) being a very Gemini characteristic.)

(Above – Billy Idol; Gemini Ascending, Sagittarius Sun, Gemini Moon. He has Gemini facial features in his face shape and positioning of his features.)

Cancer

People with Cancer rising, more often than not, have larger bodies. The feminine, watery archetype naturally holds onto fat and water weight. Their body shape can be curveious or round. In some cases there are boneier Cancers, and even in the plump Cancers, their faces are still well defined; high defined cheekbones, chin, skull definition, etc. Cancer risings are not, by any means, slow in their movements. They can exert a ton of energy in their movements and are a close second in terms of strength in comparison to the other powerful water sign, Scorpio. Cancer’s face is often round; the skull is also round and sometimes bulbous. Cancer’s profile is usually straight and flat As mentioned before, they tend to have high, defined cheekbones, but do not look under-nourished as Virgo or Gemini can look sometimes; they tend to have full cheeks, and a clear complexion– a face of good health in terms of shape and texture. Their complexion is a reflection of the moon, Cancer’s ruler. Their skin is reflective, moist, and bounces/absorbs light. A Cancer’s complexion usually has quite cool undertones and Cancers lacking melanin are very pallid and sometimes sallow looking. They tend to have full, round lips and short, snub, sometimes upturned, noses. If the Lunar energy is weak in the Cancer rising’s chart and Jupiter or Saturn carries prominence, this will modify the nose to either be hooked down and bumpy or bony and defined. Cancer ascendants are usually described as having large, luminous eyes, but over time observing Cancers, this isn’t a feature that stands out to me as being Cancerian, especially as Cancers get older, their wrinkles in a sense “water-out” the eyes and make them appear small and not a facial focal point of Cancers. If there is something to be said about Cancer rising eyes, there is a sense of vulnerability in their gaze. May have defined eye sockets like Gemini.

(Above – Lisa Bonet; Scorpio sun, Taurus moon, Cancer rising. Quite a bit of Scorpio qualities to this Cancer rising, but the lunar qualities are still present.)

(Above – Liv Tyler; Cancer Sun, Cancer Rising, Saturn in the first house.)

Leo

Leos generally have a sense of regality or loveliness about them, but loveliness unlike a Taurus or Libra, for they are not always conventionally alluring, rather they exempt loveliness through their level of self-appreciation and self-expression. This is demonstrated by the way they hold themselves (some go to the extent of walking chest first) and grooming. Though stereotypical, their hair can be of prominence; lots of volume, often thick, curly, and textured. Despite a Leo’s hair being their pride, Leos can be prone to balding. Their face often has some sort of beast-like or catty quality to it, especially the more feminine expressed Leo possess cat-like resemblance with the positioning and shape of their eyes and nose. Facial proportions and sizes tend to be average and their facial profile is usually straight (if not straight, they may have an underbite profile). Their lips have a definite cupid’s bow shape, similar to Libra. Their body is usually triangular shaped; slim hips -broad shoulders ratio. In a Leo ascending’s youth, fat tends to stay off the body, but if they dabble in pleasures in excess as they get older, they may become somewhat top heavier; fat is distributed to the stomach, shoulders, and face/neck. Their skin’s complexion is often clear, but in bad health the skin can become noticeably textured and inflamed. Leo lacking melanin can become noticeably ruddy; some are naturally ruddy in complexion (some Leos are prone to rosacea), but environment and the body’s condition plays a large part.

(Above – Emmanuelle Béart; Leo Sun, Leo Ascendant)

(Above – Maria Grazia Cucinotta; Leo Sun, Leo Moon, Leo rising)

(Above – Jack Nicholson; Taurus sun, Leo Ascendant)

(Above – Socrates (artistic depiction); said to be a Taurus sun, Cancer moon, Leo rising according to this source. Appearance wise, it is extremely plausible that Socrates was a Leo rising, but I also think it’s plausible that he was a Cancer rising. He has both very Cancerian and Leoian physical traits about him if the depictions of him are accurate. In both cases, his chart ruler fits certain physical traits as well. Read Cancer’s description as well to see what I mean. I see a fascinating resemblance to Jack Nicholson who is also a Taurus sun, Leo rising.)

Virgo

Virgo ascending often has the same quick quality in terms of movement as Gemini, but it seems with intent and precision (and this makes sense for the analytic earth sign). There can also be the same sense of nervousness as Mercury ruled charts makes the body’s nerves sensitive. If very airy, their body will most likely be quite petite, but if they’re more earthy, then their body will be bulkier. Often quite tall in stature. A prominent feature of Virgo’s is their nose in relation to their eyes; often their face looks as if it’s slightly pinched at the bridge between the eyes. The brow is quite straight, unlike an Aries for example. Their nose is straight, long, and down pointing; sometimes bird-like. Their nostrils may be wide, risen, or flared looking. The eyes are most often small, or present smallness and darkness. Their face is often oval in shape, but I’ve seen plenty of Virgo risings with a rather short face, vertically speaking.  Many astrologers have pointed out the mutuableness of Virgo risings makes other placements in a chart easily overpower it’s appearance, so spotting Virgo risings with other prominent influences in their chart can be quite difficult. I’ll include a handful of celebrity portraits for a bit (and I mean literally only a bit because Virgo’s appearance really ranges) of Virgo rising’s dynamic range with other influences.

(Above – Uma Thurman; Virgo rising with a Taurus Sun, Aquarius Moon, and Mercury in Taurus.)

(Above – Augustus (artistic depiction); said to be a Virgo Rising with a Virgo Sun and Capricorn Moon)

Libra

Libra risings can easily be described as the socialite of the zodiac, although that may only be in appearance as there are also recluse Libra risings too, when other placements contradict that (such as the person’s lights). They possess a natural social quality because of Libra’s magnetic and charming energy; people are drawn to them even if they aren’t a people-person. Libra risings often look very “put together” in the way they dress and present themselves. Unlike Taurus, the other Venus ruled ascendant, Libra risings are not likely to possess stocky bodies, however can be prone to weight gain (moreso later in life than in youth). Individuals with a heavy amount of Libra influences may be prone to indulgence. Libras like pleasure, so when an individual is a true socialite Libra, they are often put into an environment where they have access to excessive amounts of alcohol, sugar, food, etc. and this would be where proneness to indulgence is rooted. However, there are Libras who are just naturally plus-sized, especially later in life (and there are natural causes to that such as a change in the body’s hormones as one ages.) Libras tend to have curvaceous body types; the lower back and buttocks especially being a shapely feature.  A Libra’s facial profile is often straight and the face itself may be flat and round similar to Cancer risings. Their nose can range in size and length, but the bridge is often straight. Nostrils may be wide or flared; looking straight-on the nostrils and nasolabial folds can be described as having a distinct definition to them.  Being ruled under the hot planet Venus, Libras tend to have a lot of warm physical characteristics. This includes having warm or olive undertones in the skin, deep, warm hair colours (either by choice or naturally), and warm eyes. Although eye colour itself can range and is strongly tied to genetics, it is more of a Libra trait to have darker eye colours, especially deep browns and black. Libras tend to have a laidback and friendly expression in the eyes. Their eyes can naturally enchant others; they can really make a person feel listened to when a Libra is focused on them. Sometimes the iris appears as if they may be wearing circle lenses or as if they were painted on, similar to a doll’s glassy eyes. Their lips can range in size, but often have a defined cupid’s bow. While plenty of non-Libra individuals may have dimples, dimples are correlated to the sign Libra. Overall, Libras tend to have softer features.

(Above - Dwayne Johnson; Taurus Sun, Capricorn Moon, Libra rising, Uranus within 5 degrees of the ascendant)

(Above – Kate Winslet; Libra sun, Libra moon, Libra rising.)

(Above – Raven Symoné; Sagittarius sun, Scorpio moon, Libra rising.)

Scorpio

Scorpios are probably the most distinct looking and easiest to spot. Scorpios tend to have stocky, broad bodies. Sometimes there are very petite manifestations too. They may be tall and the ones who aren’t tall make up their height in their powerful presence.  Just about everything about Scorpio rising’s appearance is distinct and defined. Their eyebrows are often dark, thick, and sharp. The brow bone is often low and the eyes are positioned with depth. Their eyes hold a strong, keen expression. Often the eyelids are not very defined, usually hooded. Although you don’t need to be a Scorpio to have an epicanthic fold, hooded eyes and monolids have a correlation to the sign Scorpio. Scorpio rising’s hair is usually dark or fashioned dark. Their nose makes their profile very distinct. Their nose can range in size and is often hooked and may have a bump in the bridge. The nostrils are usually flared, risen, and possess a bit of a snarl to them. Many astrologers describe their nose to be “bird-like,” but that may confuse them with Virgo risings who also have a “bird-like” nose and vice versa. I have a whole post on the differences between Virgo, Scorpio, and Pisces noses here. When Scorpio risings speak, the words come from their teeth rather than their lips. What I mean by this is if you consider the opposite, a person who really enunciates with their lips, you can get an idea of a person who enunciates with their teeth. Their skin is usually of a clear complexion, although being a water elemental, the skin leans more towards oily rather than dry and being ruled under the planet Mars, acne can be common. Their skin tends to have golden or warm undertones. I mention in the Aries section that Mars has a correlation to freckles. It is not uncommon for Scorpio risings to have distinct beauty marks or moles and other dark freckles. 

(Above – Priyanka Chopra; Scorpio Ascendant, Cancer Sun, Gemini Moon)

( Above – Björk Guðmundsdóttir; Scorpio Ascendant, Scorpio Sun, Scorpio Moon)

(Above – Leonardo DiCaprio; Libra Ascendant, Scorpio Sun, Mars and Venus in Scorpio, Pluto 5 degrees away from the Ascendant)

Sagittarius

Sagittarius’ are notoriously considered by most astrologers as “horse-looking” based on their face shape and stature/posture, but I personally regard them as more deer or doe looking (though you could argue horses and deer aren’t much different I suppose).

Their face and skull are long in profile, the forehair may be very sloped. They usually have long noses, but it will range in mass. There may be a bump in the bridge or it may just be smooth and straight. Heavy Jupiter influence will make the nose more hooked and likely to have a bump whereas heavy lunar influence can make the nose more upturned with a straight or flatter bridge. They usually have a defined or bulbous tip, which is why I think of deer when I think of Sagittarius because the snout or nose of a deer is a focal point in their appearance. Like deer, they have another major focal point which is the eyes. Sagittarius tend to have very doe-like eyes. They can be big, similar to Pisces, but lack the dazed expression Pisces usually has. Their eyes, along with the doe-like largeness, are bright, honest-looking, and alert. The brow is often risen, sometimes surprised-looking, usually give off an honest expression. Although more notable in a Sagittarius sun than ascending, Sagittarius are known for smiling and laughing a lot. They tend to have very full, bright, infectious smiles. May have prominent jowls. Sagittarius ascendants tend to be lean in their youth and gain weight in their later years. They tend to hold most of their weight in the stomach and thighs. As opposed to Leo’s body shape with broader shoulders and narrow hips, Sagittarius tend to have broader hips than shoulders. They tend to have very strong femurs. Sagittarius’ limbs are usually long; long legs, arms, fingers, etc. This can be notable in people with Sun or Moon in Sagittarius as well; Sagittarius influences often make a big impact when it’s present in the chart.

(Above – Elizabeth Taylor; Sagittarius Ascendant, Pisces Sun, Scorpio Moon)

(Above – Oprah Winfrey; Sagittarius Ascendant, Aquarius Sun, Sagittarius Moon)

(Above – Will.i.am; Sagittarius Ascendant, Pisces Sun, Aries Moon, Jupiter in Pisces)

(Above – Sinéad O'Connor [Shuhada Sadaqat]; Sagittarius Ascendant, Sagittarius Sun, Libra Moon)

Capricorn

The keyword to describing the Capricorn’s physical manifestation is structure. They often have very structured features. A Capricorn’s body can manifest in two ways, the first being in association to Capricorn earthy strength, the body is often big-boned and wide with definition in the joints (e.g. knees, elbows, etc.). The second way they tend to manifest is very petite and short in stature with small features. However, the second type still retains some level of Capricorn/Saturn’s crystallization and these people can appear to have a stillness in their expression, as if they are a marble statue. As was mentioned before, they have very structured features. They have strong facial features and prominent bone structure; a strong jaw and strong set of teeth; prominent cartilage in the nose; shapely glabella in juxtaposition to the eyes; bony skull/temples. Their eyes are often small with keen eyesight (unless otherwise afflicted in the birth chart by the Sun or Mars). Their lips are also usually small and shapely, or thin and wide. Their skin usually has neutral to cool undertones. In Evangeline Adam’s book “Your Place in the Sun,” she mentions Capricorn risings tend to have an excessive amount of hair. I’m not sure if I can agree with that observation or not, but I suppose it would explain someone like Lorde’s (Capricorn rising) hair... Capricorn/Saturn also has rulership over hair.

(Above – [Left] Hayley Williams; Capricorn Sun Conjunct Saturn. [Right] Lana Del Rey; Cancer Sun, Scorpio Ascendant with Saturn in the first house. Saturn has a strong, crystallizing influence on one’s appearance. It adds a structural component as I mentioned before.)

(Above – John Legend; Capricorn Ascendant, Capricorn Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Mars Conjunct Ascendant)

(Above – Joan Jett; Capricorn Ascendant, Virgo Sun, Aquarius Moon/Moon in the 1st House)

(Above – Sean Connery; Capricorn Ascendant, Virgo Sun, Virgo Moon, Saturn in Capricorn Conjuncting Ascendant.)

Aquarius

The Aquarius ascendant is described by most astrologers as very angular looking; square and straight features. This may be to do with its traditional ruler Saturn, and just like Capricorn, there is a lot of structure or crystallization in their physical appearance. Fixed signs in general lack a fluid appearance, with the exception of some Scorpio manifestations. Aquarius rising is similar to Taurus in that they both have a straight side profile, but Aquarius’ other facial features are likely to be sharper, such as the jawline. Aquarius have a very square jawline, noticeable from either the side profile or straight on. Other notable sharper, chiseled features of an Aquarius is their chin, cheekbones, and skull. Naturally, people who have Aquarius rising will range in height (especially if we take into consideration the traditional planetary ruler, Saturn), but tallness does have correlation to the sign Aquarius and the planet Uranus. Aside from height, they tend to hold themselves high with a very straight posture. While the body may become broad with muscle, Aquarius tend to be slim. Their eyes are usually set somewhat further apart as opposed to together. This is usually accompanied with a broad glabella. The outer corner of the eyes flick out and tilt up giving the eye a particular definition trademark to Aquarian eyes. External epicanthus (heaviness of the eyelid fold on the outer corners of the eyes) has some correlation to Aquarius too. There is nothing particular about their noses in contrast to some of the other signs which have noses that bring forth a lot of the sign’s character. Their nose may range in size, but never very big or very small. The bridge may resemble that of a Taurus nose or the bridge may be slimmer in comparison to the glabella and tip. Their lips are often small and thin. Aquarian and Uranus influences have a tendency to give people an androgynous expression; men being effeminate and female being masculine.

(Above – Matt Dillon; Aquarius Ascendant, Aquarius Sun, Taurus Moon, Saturn, Sun, and Mars in the first house)

( Above – Michael C. Hall; Aquarius Ascendant, Aquarius Sun, Taurus Moon)

( Above – Roberta Flack; Aquarius Ascendant, Aquarius Sun, Aquarius Moon)

Pisces

Pisces is another sign with a particular distinctiveness that makes them easy to sought out. They often have an overall mysterious and magnetic aura to them (not to be confused with Scorpio’s magnetic aura which is more like a looming, powerful seduction. Pisces is more hypnotic and confusing). It is accompanied by a dazed expression in their eyes, which are often big and particular. Some Pisces appear relaxed and wise whereas others appear confused or “out of it.” They tend to have thick, rounded eyebrows. There are two variations of a Pisces’ nose; the first being often large, hooked, and with a bump in the bridge. The second being small, snub, and may be round, but usually lacks definition. The first type has correlation to Jupiter. The second the Moon (and maybe Neptune? I don’t see outer planets presenting themselves physically usually. They often serve their expression through a person’s aura, an example being Pisces’ mysterious magnetic energy). Overall, a Pisces facial features are very soft and lack definition with the exception of the hooked nose which stands out when present. Everything is rounded; the chin, the jawline isn’t very defined, round cheeks, etc. Pisces tend to have a plump pout; both top and bottom lips are full. Their body is often very rounded and larger. They usually have shorter limbs (arms, legs, fingers, etc.). These individuals will naturally range in height, but there is some correlation to the extremes (very tall and very short). Some astrologers claim there are extremes in the size of a Pisces’ feet, some very small feet, others very large. Their skin tends to have cool to neutral undertones. 

(Above – Oscar Isaac; birth time unknown, Pisces Sun. I included him because he has very prominent Pisces features.)

(Above – Billie Eilish; Pisces Ascendant, Sagittarius Sun, Aquarius Moon)

(Above – Kajol; Pisces Ascendant, Leo Sun, Pisces Moon, Jupiter in Pisces/1st House)

(Above – Erykah Badu; Pisces Sun, Pisces Moon, Sagittarius Ascendant)

That summarizes all of the signs, but before I consider this post finished, I just wanted to stress again that these descriptions are not meant to be me telling you what you look like based on your Ascendant or Sun sign. I also want to stress just how limited of a selection there is in terms of examples. When searching for my examples, there were two criteria, one being that they needed to demonstrate somewhat of a clear, prominent influence of the sign mentioned, and two being the birth data’s accuracy. I am limited to using celebrity examples and unfortunately that is even more limited when not all celebrities have a reliable source for their birth time (I only pick celebrities with a A or AA rodden ratings). I am limited to celebrities who have that birth information available or were made of interest to professional astrologers who have either personal dealt with these celebrities charts or have gone out of their way to find the information themselves. There is really only so much extent I would go to collect someone’s birth time in respect to their privacy which is why I only picked what was available to the public. If I’m honest, I would opt out from using celebrity examples completely if I could because I do feel its invasive to view someone so critically, but for the sake of sharing my research I have done so. I am also nowhere near skilled enough at portrait art and human anatomy which is why I didn’t feel inclined to do an artistic depiction of every archetype. The final thing I want to stress is that this is all just my theory that I developed based on my research. Have an open mind, but take everything with a grain of salt

I’ll include additional notes below,

-The Fixed mode makes for very square or angular appearances.

-The Mutable mode makes for dynamic appearances ranging from sharp (think  triangular or diamond) to round.

-Fire makes for robustness, Air makes for leanness, Earth makes for bulkiness, and Water makes for heaviness.

-Lots of Mercury, Virgo, or Gemini influences can increase metabolism. 

-Venus and the Moon decreases metabolism.

-Jupiter increases, enlarges, expands, and grows

-Saturn decreases, minimizes, shrinks, and debilitates

[scifigeneration]

Why looking for aliens is good for society (even if there aren't any)

by Ian Crawford

Shutterstock

The search for life elsewhere in the universe is one of the most compelling aspects of modern science. Given its scientific importance, significant resources are devoted to this young science of astrobiology, ranging from rovers on Mars to telescopic observations of planets orbiting other stars.

The holy grail of all this activity would be the actual discovery of alien life, and such a discovery would likely have profound scientific and philosophical implications. But extraterrestrial life has not yet been discovered, and for all we know may not even exist. Fortunately, even if alien life is never discovered, all is not lost: simply searching for it will yield valuable benefits for society.

Why is this the case?

First, astrobiology is inherently multidisciplinary. To search for aliens requires a grasp of, at least, astronomy, biology, geology, and planetary science. Undergraduate courses in astrobiology need to cover elements of all these different disciplines, and postgraduate and postdoctoral astrobiology researchers likewise need to be familiar with most or all of them.

By forcing multiple scientific disciplines to interact, astrobiology is stimulating a partial reunification of the sciences. It is helping to move 21st-century science away from the extreme specialisation of today and back towards the more interdisciplinary outlook that prevailed in earlier times.

Earth rising above the surface of the moon, as seen from Apollo 8 in December 1968. NASA

By producing broadminded scientists, familiar with multiple aspects of the natural world, the study of astrobiology therefore enriches the whole scientific enterprise. It is from this cross-fertilization of ideas that future discoveries may be expected, and such discoveries will comprise a permanent legacy of astrobiology, even if they do not include the discovery of alien life.

It is also important to recognise that astrobiology is an incredibly open-ended endeavour. Searching for life in the universe takes us from extreme environments on Earth, to the plains and sub-surface of Mars, the icy satellites of the giant planets, and on to the all-but-infinite variety of planets orbiting other stars. And this search will continue regardless of whether life is actually discovered in any of these environments or not. The range of entirely novel environments opened to investigation will be essentially limitless, and so has the potential to be a never-ending source of scientific and intellectual stimulation.

Sand dunes near to Mars’ South Pole. NASA

The cosmic perspective

Beyond the more narrowly intellectual benefits of astrobiology are a range of wider societal benefits. These arise from the kinds of perspectives – cosmic in scale – that the study of astrobiology naturally promotes.

It is simply not possible to consider searching for life on Mars, or on a planet orbiting a distant star, without moving away from the narrow Earth-centric perspectives that dominate the social and political lives of most people most of the time. Today, the Earth is faced with global challenges that can only be met by increased international cooperation. Yet around the world, nationalistic and religious ideologies are acting to fragment humanity. At such a time, the growth of a unifying cosmic perspective is potentially of enormous importance.

In the early years of the space age, the then US ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson, said of the world: “We can never again be a squabbling band of nations before the awful majesty of outer space.” Unfortunately, this perspective is yet to sink deeply into the popular consciousness. On the other hand, the wide public interest in the search for life elsewhere means that astrobiology can act as a powerful educational vehicle for the popularisation of this perspective.

Indeed, it is only by sending spacecraft out to explore the solar system, in large part for astrobiological purposes, that we can obtain images of our own planet that show it in its true cosmic setting.

The Earth photographed from the surface of Mars by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, March 2004. NASA/JPL/Cornell/Texas A&M

In addition, astrobiology provides an important evolutionary perspective on human affairs. It demands a sense of deep, or big, history. Because of this, many undergraduate astrobiology courses begin with an overview of the history of the universe. This begins with the Big Bang and moves successively through the origin of the chemical elements, the evolution of stars, galaxies, and planetary systems, the origin of life, and evolutionary history from the first cells to complex animals such as ourselves. Deep history like this helps us locate human affairs in the vastness of time, and therefore complements the cosmic perspective provided by space exploration.

Political implications

Alexander von Humboldt, 1843.

There is a well-known aphorism, widely attributed to the Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, to the effect that “the most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have not viewed the world”. Humboldt was presumably thinking about the mind-broadening potential of international travel. But familiarity with the cosmic and evolutionary perspectives provided by astrobiology, powerfully reinforced by actual views of the Earth from space, can surely also act to broaden minds in such a way as to make the world less fragmented and dangerous.

I think there is an important political implication inherent in this perspective: as an intelligent technological species, that now dominates the only known inhabited planet in the universe, humanity has a responsibility to develop international social and political institutions appropriate to managing the situation in which we find ourselves.

In concluding his monumental Outline of History in 1925, HG Wells famously observed: “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” Such an observation appears especially germane to the geopolitical situation today, where apparently irrational decisions, often made by governments (and indeed by entire populations) seemingly ignorant of broader perspectives, may indeed lead our planet to catastrophe.

About The Author:

Ian Crawford is a Visiting Research Associate in Astronomy at UCL

This article has been republished from our content partners over at The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

[mostlysignssomeportents]

#1yrago Voice assistants suck (empirically)

New research from legendary usability researchers The Nielsen (previously) Norman (previously) Group finds that voice assistants are basically a hot mess that people only use because they are marginally better than nothing.

The research report is more anthropological/ethnographic, rather than statistical, and considers a small number of voice assistant users to investigate their experiences with systems like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.

They find that voice assistants are used primarily because it's impossible to use a device while your hands are busy (e.g. in the kitchen), or when you're busy driving, and secondarily because mobile keyboards are even worse.

Nielsen Norman researchers Raluca Budiu and Page Laubheimer start by pointing out that voice assistants are trying for the holy grail of usability: "an interface that requires zero interaction cost." Alas, the services fall far short of this.

They point out that the systems struggle to transcribe speech of non-native speakers, give inaccurate responses that are too long or too short and that interrupt their users, that they sometimes vocalize sensitive personal information inappropriately, and that they don't tie in well to other systems around them.

The history of "AI" is littered with systems that were supposed to "just work," without requiring you to learn arcane commands, but which required their users to master all kinds of arcana and constrain their interactions in many ways -- and that voice assistants are no better than these extinct evolutionary dead ends.

https://boingboing.net/2018/07/24/sirius-cybernetics-corp.html

[alexsmitposts]

BC: Why Are We Being Lied to? BC stands for NEO’s Banned Classic. This article was originally published by our journal on 30.12.13 For some reason, this article is missing from Google search results. Since this article remains pretty relevant to those geopolitical events that are taking place on the geopolitical stage today, we deem it possible to present it to our readers once again. Should it go missing again, you may be confident that you will see it republished by NEO once more, should it still remain relevant by that time. Over the past few years, there has been a general breakdown in how reality is perceived. In fact, the term “reality” itself is under assault, everything from issues of controlled news, false flag terrorism, challenges to basic physical laws and even issues of “disclosure,” the tantalizing idea that a complex interstellar world exists. A very real part of what has happened is a calculated attack on traditions and institutions through psychological warfare, a subset of “game theory warfare,” itself a subset of “chaos theory.” Thus, we doubt or believe based on a flow of controlled information and orchestrated events. However, controlling information has proven risky business. Toward that end, what had always been a “lunatic fringe” of biblical prophecy, jingoism or agenda driven “revisionism” has now been supplanted with a virtual ocean of inanity that has crept into the public domain. When traced to its roots, too often one finds powerful organizations. During the last few days, Washington think tanks have released “rumors” citing president Obama as a Kenyan born homosexual, “Bathhouse Barry,” of radical Muslim roots who attempted to gain control of America’s nuclear arsenal in order to destroy Israel. These stories and dozens like them all trace down to sources close to the leadership of the “opposition party,” the bizarre confederation of right wing extremists, the Israel lobby and those aspects of the financial industry that can only be termed “organized crime.” Sadly, up to 30% of the American public believes, not just these missives but things far stranger. Among that 30% is the majority of the leadership of America’s armed forces, security services and police, groups that have descended the evolutionary ladder at a frightening pace. As American “humorist”, Jim W. Dean, so often says, “You just can make these things up.” What the public is left with is uncertainty, in some ways preferable to blind ignorance. Though the original intent, voice in television shows such as “X Files,” in the oft-repeated theme, “Believe No One,” is to destroy public confidence in institutions, this hasn’t worked out as planned. Perhaps that’s why they call it “chaos theory.” Long ago, science developed its own methods, “epistemology,” for discerning what is “likely.” Scientific modeling or experimental method have long sense become unreliable indicators as they are dependent on the “subjectivity” of observation and the vagaries of statistical analysis, the science of making 2 plus two equal three. The real basis of analysis since the latter half of the 20th century has been the philosophy that sneaks into films. In America, some organized crime groups that had “lost their roots” reinvented themselves based on the “Godfather” films of Francis Ford Coppola. One film, “The Usual Suspects,” has a line that has served me well. “The biggest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince people he didn’t exist.” Toward that end, the modern “mainstream media seems, when their “work product” is analyzed using methodologies developed for intelligence analysis, appears to be “tasked” in three ways: Covering the tracks of very real secret societies and conspiraciesProtecting a history that is almost entirely falseSpewing a continual narrative both unquestioned and unsupportableIn the process, we have created an incubator for the rise of mediocrity. President George W. Bush has evidenced this more than any individual in recent years. A simple trip to “YouTube” will give evidence of this. His glaring ignorance and endless lapses of decorum were far from simply anecdotal. Yes, he really thought “Africa” was a country. Is it true he couldn’t find Africa on a map? I have privately been assured that though this was the case when he took office in 2001, after visiting Africa he became aware. I would only know this as author of his briefing materials on his last visit. Touching on the issue of redress, the restoration of reality or “truth” has become a process well beyond “encyclopedic.” Approaching this task, television shows in the US, be they “The Secret History of World War II” or Oliver Stone’s “Untold History of the United States,” not only fall short of the task but exist more to close doors than open them. Such efforts, and they are many, perhaps endless, are “gatekeeper functions.” The question people enjoy and ask most often is this; “Is there a secret world out there.” The answer is “yes.” What then qualifies a source as genuine and how does one discern real information from the endless “blind alleys” that have been created to channel modern day adventurers and explorers into areas of harmless or perhaps “not so harmless” confusion? Our tools are observation, reason and analysis. Beyond that, we are faced with the traditional issues of faith, what do we believe, what do we trust? More and more intuition itself has to serve, where such a thing still exists. Toward that end, we can begin a walk down several paths in such areas a “what can be told” or “what can be reasonably surmised.” At the pinnacle, one is faced with unpleasant revelations, that the world is ruled by secret societies, all of which are rooted in beliefs that can be termed “supernatural” or “extraterrestrial.” What can be told is that these organizations are both centuries old “societies” and quasi-governmental organizations whose efforts periodically surface and, in doing so, give evidence of a reality that in startling ways resembles popular science fiction. What can be told is that this coincidental similarity is no an accident. What is safest is approaching what we know and can prove in the mundane world and how it diverges from popular mythology. For Americans, the Kennedy assassination was paramount, at least prior to 9/11. As the 50th anniversary of that even passed recently, many were disturbed at the media’s attempts to restore public confidence in the Warren Report. The popular film, JFK ended such beliefs forever. Even prior to its release, the “Oswald and the Magic Bullet” theory was an obvious sham. Yet, millions of Americans were sickened when the media again tried to “put the toothpaste back in the tube.” This is the official finding of the US government, issued in 1976 by the House Select Committee on Assassinations: Scientific acoustical evidence establishes a high probability that two gunmen fired at President John F. Kennedy. Other scientific evidence does not preclude the possibility of two gunmen firing at the President. Scientific evidence negates some specific conspiracy allegations.The committee believes, on the basis of the evidence available to it, that President John F. Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. The committee is unable to identify the other gunman or the extent of the conspiracyFunny thing, nobody mentioned any of this, the public finding of the US government, when selling the “lone gunman” story to a new generation. Similarly, 9/11 has the exact same problem. The 9/11 Commission Report was rescinded by a majority of members who then asked for members of the Bush administration to be prosecuted for both perjury and withholding evidence. This is public record. Since that time, not only has hard evidence discovered a domestic conspiracy working in concert with foreign intelligence agencies at the heart of 9/11 but finding a reputable scientist that supports the conclusions of the original 9/11 Commission report is almost impossible. There is undeniable hard proof that the 7/7 attacks in Britain were also “false flag” attacks. There is undeniable hard proof that the invasion of not just Iraq but Afghanistan was planned long before 9/11, not just those nations but five others as well as stated by General Wesley Clark and confirmed by Gwyneth Todd and many others. Of recent terror attacks and mass killings, the following are known to be “false flag attacks,” orchestrated by intelligence agencies. By “known,” I mean exactly that, no doubt whatsoever. The DC sniper attacks and subsequent anthrax poisonings, the Breveik killings in Norway, Sandy Hook, the “Gabby Giffords” shootings, the Fort Hood shootings and the Boston Marathon bombings There are no “theories” involved, there is a mass of evidence and clear proof that the story given the public in each of these cases in outlandish and unreasonable. Were one to examine recent events involving Syria, the close alignment of Al Qaeda with groups within US intelligence and their Saudi and Israeli counterparts should “deconstruct” the entirety of the basis for America’s “War on Terror.” Why hasn’t it? Why does the media continue to claim that, though the Taliban ended almost all opium production in Afghanistan, the record heroin production, now over 90% of world supplies now produced there, is being flown around the world by that same organization that doesn’t possess a single aircraft? Can one see a coincidental relationship between heroin trafficking and production and CIA involvement in Afghanistan? Is there historical evidence that this is not the first time? Can we say “Golden Triangle” and “Cali Cartel?” There are areas more important to human development that simple proof that criminal elements have manipulated world events that have probably brought about the deaths of several million people. Let’s take a short look at science. To Einstein, the “holy grail” was solving unified field theory. Simply put, perhaps overly so, the relationship between gravity and magnetism and waves and particles never fit within his ideas of general relativity. Recent revelations that particles travel at above the speed of light, the result of super-collider experiments, has, in actuality, totally disproven Einstein’s original theories. There is a problem when dealing with science. As for history or “news,” it can generally be invented. In science, there are communities that share information, affirm publishings and follow events very carefully. Thus, when areas of research “go dark,” and capabilities are spoken of or even exhibited that are beyond accepted scientific advances, we are challenging something more serious than “public opinion.” Yet, exactly this has happened. Again, we enter an areas of “what can be told.” To those who work in engineering, certain scientific advances, particularly the jump from the development of the transistor to the development of the first integrated circuit is believed to be “non-linear.” This means, technologies that have no history of development have entered our daily lives. You can see where this goes, an area no one wants to travel. Remember “cold fusion?” Remember that it was a “fraud?” We were told that the first experiments were not able to be duplicated that that this “free energy” technology was a dead end? Ever hear of LENR? This stands for Low Energy Nuclear Reactions. The term actually means “cold fusion.” Billions are spent each year, by governments and private corporations, in the development of cold fusion projects. Units exist that could power automobiles, aircraft, even cities. A quick Google search will list the companies involved, the factories and laboratories, the investment opportunities and yet why is none of this reported? Would oil be worthless? Would conventional nuclear power, even wind and solar power, be worthless? Why are we being lied to, “in plain sight” as it were? The answer isn’t simple but there is an answer of sorts. The excuse given originates from the writings of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, who in 1798, espoused that “progress” would bring about limitless population growth that would end in disaster. So, we hide technologies. We have had the ability for decades to defeat gravity using technologies developed in Germany in the 1930s, rumored to have been given to them by extraterrestrials. The US built its first anti-gravity “ship” in 1953. I have seen it. It is old and ugly but works, sort of. Nanotechnologies developed in labs “impossibly” at “0 g” have produced semiconductors capable of creating fields that allow vehicle performance typically attributed to UFOs. One of the more common but less spoken of areas is weather modification. Energy weapons developed in “dark projects” are being used to modify weather in some areas of the world, particularly the oil rich states of the Persian Gulf. This is more “hidden in plain sight” use of non-existent technology. We have only touched on a few areas, they are endless. What we can prove is that events are not what they seem, science is not what it seems, this is clear. What is also clear is that anything we are told is suspect and not by accident. Mistrust in everything is engineered into our very being as a method of control, absolute control. Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War that has worked on veterans and POW issues for decades and consulted with governments challenged by security issues. He’s a senior editor and chairman of the board of Veterans Today, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”

[metaphysicalpistolsoraclemine]

The Decending Metatronic Fibonacci Timewave Spiral vs. The Eternal Life Creation Kryst Code Timewave Spiral and The Bi-furcation of Time .

11.8.2023

This is the Alpha-Omega moment when the evolutionary time cycle from the Dark Aeon is announced as complete, through the Universal records written in the constellations appearing in the Starry Night Dark Firmament, with the collective consciousness journey of the painful dark night finally accomplished and enslavement of humanity finally ended within the macrocosmic scale of the war over timelines. The crack of light of the new dawn will begin to flood into the outerscape from within the center of the Universal Shadows deepest pain and darkness, and from that ray of light the original spiritual identity comes forth to awaken and remember, and thus is resurrected, ascended and in some cases, transfigured to be made an eternal Starhuman. It is the time when the highest heavens finally descend to meet with the Earth, and that which was unseen to us is finally able to be seen. But make no mistake, there must be a clearing....many will drop Avatar during these tumultuous times. Fear not the exiting of a fallen system.

As we stand in the middle of the incredibly chaotic forces of criminal insanity foreshadowing the near collapse of western civilization as we know it, hidden in the silver lining, is to know that these are the early days of the Risen Holy Grail.

[daminsconthan1970-blog]

Ladies (and men, actually) we don't deserve to be treated like garbage. We should ask ourselves if our relationships are making us better or worse. Whether they're fulfilling us or not. Srs I think you can not care about a specific person but still think the comments directed at them are gross in a wider context. People making fun of Laura's accent and education are going to be judgmental and elitist towards southern/rural people in general, and clearly have no understanding of the class and race connotations of calling someone uneducated. It's like how months ago some people were saying they don't care if Jeff deals with homophobia (not that they would now because suddenly he's a deity lmao). The federal problem is the same as it always has been. It not specifically illegal to own a gun while also being a marijuana user, but it is illegal to BUY a gun 김제출장마사지 at a dealer or other business that requires an NICS background check, because the form asks you under penalty of perjury if you use marijuana. If you say yes, you fail the background check. I remember seeing the vlog of behind the scenes of this video and I was really excited to see the final video. I thought it was gonna be a lookbook or something to do with travel? It was filmed at an airport. But when I watched it, it felt kinda boring. But thing is we, the actors, do not only consist of our GIs. Our GI is an intelligence causally isolated and shackled in advisory capacity (unsurprisingly for killing methods and tactics) to an animal an evolutionary older construct only concerned with climbing the rank hierarchy and spreading its genes. This is why in 9 cases out of 10 you will be wrong about the predicted results. There's no doubt that sharks are one of the most feared creatures on Earth. But they are also one of the most sophisticated and enduring. The oldest shark fossils date from more than 300 million years ago, before the age of the dinosaurs. But in reality after that whole spiel about how he has done much worse things than her, she goes and cheats with her ex on his new girlfriend (while never intending to get back together). I think that honestly as shirty a thing as anything bojack has done. I mean what if that stupid pug commits suicide because of it? How much ownership does Diane have for causing it?. I also don make it too hard to maintain the habit. I struggle a lot with executive dysfunction and I can make things impossible to do if I put too many obstacles in the way. For example, many some nights I have a hard time getting to bed because I stayed up too late and walking up the stairs to my bedroom is more work than hitting refresh on the browser. Tarte x Aspyn Ovard: I can always depend on this thing for making a quick and easy everyday look. I 김제출장마사지 heard some complaints that it was boring and the colors look muddy, but that's not my experience at all! I can do a subtle look or a dramatic one. I'm not huge on the blush or highlighter in the palette though, which is a shame because the tarte blush formula is my holy grail. Backyard PondsWhether you decide to build a garden pond yourself or hire a professional, the following video is packed with ideas and inspiration. Notice various aspects such as what kind of rocks were used, how the area is planted with foliage. Whether your pond is small or large many ideas in this video can be incorporated in your project.

[pieratt]

Assigning Meaning to the Houses From an Evolutionary Perspective To understand the clockwise meaning of each house, it is helpful first to divide the wheel of houses into quadrants, and then consider the movement of the Sun through each quadrant as a metaphor. Astrologically, the Sun represents the "I" or protagonist of the individuation process, which essentially proceeds along a continuum from a limited, egocentric awareness of self at the lower end of the spectrum toward the more fully-realized Self that Jung postulated as the holy grail of psychological development, at the higher end. Jung himself was no stranger to this metaphor, although he probably did not fully appreciate the astrological ramifications of his understanding. He did, say, however, that "Our life is like the course of the sun. In the morning, it gains continually in strength until it reaches the zenith of high noon. Then comes the enantiodromia: the steady forward movement no longer denotes an increase, but a decrease in strength.... In the (morning), it is enough to clear away all the obstacles that hinder expansion and ascent; in the (afternoon), we must nurture everything that assists the descent." Though Jung was referring to the distinction between youth and the second half of life, his statement also refers to the distinction between a Sun that is rising in the eastern hemisphere of the birthchart, and setting in the western hemisphere. The other obvious piece of astro-logic from which our metaphor can be derived is the distinction between day and night. When the Sun is above the horizon, it illuminates a process which is visible, manifest and played out upon an external stage; when the Sun is below the horizon, it enters a realm in which the process is invisible, unmanifest, and experienced internally. Putting these two metaphoric statements together creates a symbolic framework in which to understand the meaning of each quadrant from an evolutionary perspective.

(via The Clockwise Interpretation of Houses - Astropoetics)

[ahiesfr]

‘The Case Against Reality’ and The Hard Problem of Consciousness’ by Professor Donald D. Hoffman

In ‘The Case Against Reality’ and The Hard Problem of Consciousness’ the cognitive scientist Donald D. Hoffman addresses two long-standing philosophical issues: the metaphysical issues concerning the first cause or principle of reality ('What is the nature of reality?'), and the epistemological issue concerning the nature, limits, and purposes of human knowledge ('How do we know reality?').

At the beginning of the podcast, Professor Hoffman recalls two well-known scientific theses: (a) the fundamental nature of reality is space and time (naturalism), and (b) consciousness can be explained by resorting to mechanical systems – more precisely, to the neural system (physicalism). The latter thesis is one of the current scientific approaches to the ‘Hard Problem of Consciousness’, i.e., the problem of determining what grounds phenomenal consciousness (‘what it is like for me’). He then goes on to address the epistemological relation between consciousness and reality. Here Professor Hoffman rejects the main thesis of Darwin’s natural selection theory. He does so by resorting to the concept of payoff function — a function used by mathematicians to model human behaviour. In a nutshell, he says that there is no homomorphism between our perceptive systems and the world out there. Evolutionary theorists, therefore, have wrongly overestimated sensory perception by considering it as able to grasp reality in its entirety. In fact, Professor Hoffman continues, perception gives us access only to that which can best guide our adaptive skills. This is the “Fitness-Beats-Truth” (FBT) thesis: “our perceptual systems have evolved to provide a species-specific interface to guide adaptive behaviour, and not to provide a veridical representation of objective reality” (As Prakash et al. 2020).

Let me now turn to the above-mentioned scientific approach to the ‘hard problem’. According to Professor Hoffman, that approach is reductionist and should be rejected. First, in opposition to (a) naturalism, he recalls how the space-time model advocated by the classical (Einsteinian) physics can no longer be considered as the fundamental structure of reality. Second, he argues against (b) physicalism by advocating for a non-physicalist understanding of the nature of consciousness. His reasoning goes as follows: if space and time are no longer the holy grail of physics, then also neurons ought not to be thought as the building blocks of consciousness. Indeed, neurons are nothing more than little spatial elements placed in time.

Learning motivation and outcome

I chose this topic because I am interested in interdisciplinary approaches to issues concerning the perception of reality. In particular, I was keen to see how Professor Hoffman’s combination of philosophy and cognitive science contributes to a better understanding of consciousness.

What I find particularly appealing about Professor Hoffman’s research is the dialectic he creates between space-time and consciousness. With the overcoming of naturalism, the traditional understanding of space-time as containing, among other things, consciousness is, for Professor Hoffman, to be replaced by a new model: it is not consciousness that is in space and time, but rather space and time that are inside consciousness – in the form of data structure. Now, if this is the case, then consciousness itself is to be considered as the most fundamental reality, the real archē. Notwithstanding the potential solipsistic implications of such an approach, I believe that Professor Hoffman’s research can provide important scientific insights to researchers working not only in the cognitive science field, but also in non- (strictly speaking) scientific disciplines dealing with the nature of consciousness, for example, phenomenology.

Donald D. Hoffman’s Profile

Donald D. Hoffman is Full Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of California, Irvine, where he holds joint appointments in three departments: the Department of Philosophy, the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, and the School of Computer Science. His research interests span Vision, Cognitive Science, Consciousness, and Evolution of Perception. He was awarded the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution of the American Psychological Association, the Rustum Roy Award of the Chopra Foundation, and the Troland Research Award of the US National Academy of Sciences. Professor Hoffman has published extensively on issues concerning perception, evolution, and consciousness. Among his publications, ought to be mentioned The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes (published by W. W. Norton & Company in 2019), which was shortlisted for the Physics World’s 2019 Book of the Year.