#Scientific Discovery

[beausbugbiome]

Y’all, I am SO excited about this new beetle that was just discovered!!!!

The freshly-discovered new species of longhorn beetle, Excastra albopilosa. Image credit: James Tweed

Detailed photographs of the Excastra albopilosa specimen found by James Tweed. Image credits: Lingzi Zhou, Australian National Insect Collection

[illustratus]

Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky by Benjamin West

[thecoffeeisblack]

Quick sketch based on the new paper on a juvenile Gorgosaurus specimen with the remains of 2 Citipes babies in it's stomach. It's a beautiful specimen of one of my favorite dinosaurs and an important look into the diets of young Tyrannosaurids.

[papillondusublime]

Great news for science! Recently, the world’s largest known coral was discovered in the waters around the Solomon Islands. With an estimated circumference of 183 meters, this massive coral is home to nearly a billion tiny and colorful polyps. “Big Momma”, the previous record holder that’s located in American Samoa, is three times smaller than this one. Fun fact: despite being visible from space, nobody recognized the coral until a few days ago. Local fishermen always thought that it was a giant boulder and even scientists initially mistook it for a shipwreck underwater. The world’s biggest coral so far is believed to be about 300 years old, which could serve as a priceless historical record of ocean conditions from the past few centuries. Unfortunately, due to climate change that causes the rapid heating of oceans, many corals turn white and die. As an artist who’s in love with the beauty of nature, I think that the most vital mission of this century is to protect the environment, because the world is full of surprises and wonderful things to contemplate.

[themesopelagiczone]

THEY FOUND HIM!!! THEY FOUND HIM AGAIN!!!! AFTER 87 YEARS SCIENCE HIPPIES FOUND THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED DE WINTON’S GOLDEN MOLE AGAIN IN SOUTH AFRICA!

these little legends are blind, but they use super hearing powers and vibrations to swim through sand and eat little bugs n shit. they're so cool. i'm going insane.

cnn

[andreai04]

The effect of this cannot be understood without being there. The beauty of it cannot be understood, either, and when you see beauty in desolation it changes something inside you. Desolation tries to colonize you.

There are certain kinds of deaths that one should not be expected to relive, certain kinds of connections so deep that when they are broken you feel the snap of the link inside you.

That's how the madness of the world tries to colonize you: from the outside in, forcing you to live in its reality.

That which dies shall still know life in death for all that decays is not forgotten and reanimated shall walk the world in a bliss of not-knowing ...

[ethicallyethan]

game theory

[ramblingsfromthytruly]

scientifically proven fact: about you by the 1975 is about marylily actually

[blue-the-bluest]

03/05/88: Lcheu's Genesis no.3

The curse has gone on for far too long now, bringing upon us much suffering and pain. For months, we have sent two individuals by our order, either to understand the severity of this curse or to try and break it, but so far we have yet to receive any feedback from them. I had to try hard not to fall victim to such a grotesque illness that seemed to be growing harsher with each passing day. I responded immediately, taking medications as prescribed and resting for many days, calming the monster inside me. After much research and hard work, I found out about this dark secret - the curse was created by the devil himself. But it can still break all of us if we don't take care of each other in these times, I think I am able to contain it within me for a while so that it does not affect others, but I know that I may not last forever and eventually, this dark ink will end up spilling on us all.

It's been almost a week now since the two partners went off for their investigation, and I can feel something generally unpleasant hovering in the air, like a lurking virus. The symptoms of this mysterious illness have been getting more and more dangerous - starting off from severe headaches and nausea, to worse things such as dizziness, vomiting, and even inability to breathe. Worse yet, an infected person may even become paralyzed as a result of this illness. It's a worrying situation, but I can't help that feel that this curse is somewhat related to the two partners, especially the demon. But of course, I'm not getting ahead of myself - he's also fallen ill and suffering from this condition, so I'm not going to make any premature judgment whatsoever.

I have seen firsthand the effects of the terrible illness that has been ravaging our community. The illness has 3 stages, the first being severe headaches, nausea and dizziness which can last anywhere from an hour to a whole day. I only experienced the first stage myself, but I have seen at least one person suffer through the second stage which includes vomiting blood, violent breathing, and partial paralysis. The last stage is a death sentence, and there are more and more cases of this illness appearing with no end in sight.

The only available feedback we have on the illness comes from the brave few individuals who have witnessed the second and third stages. Without such individuals providing insight into their experiences, we are left to assume the worst about what the future holds. I am sending out a plea to anyone out there who may be able to help us by providing information and advice on this horrible illness.

Our lives depend on it.

-Scientist Ortensia Cat for the general initiative Economic science and Disease department

[dark-ethereal-visions]

We should definitely thaw that out & revive it!

[photonically-unstoppable]

Porphyrion - record-breaking plasma jet streams, measuring about 23 million light years from end to end (140 times the length of our entire galaxy), ejected from a black hole in a galaxy 7.5 billion light years away. Their ejection began when the universe was half the age it is now; their discovery was announced today in an article in Nature Magazine, spotted by the Low-Frequency Array telescope network.

Universe has some incredible things in it.

Artist's illustration: E Wernquist/D Nelson/IllustrisTNG Collaboration/M Oei/Caltech/PA

[noosphe-re]

It is true that all scientific discoveries come to the scientist out of the blue. It is not his effort, but on the contrary his no-effort, allowing existence to reveal its secrets to him. This is not new. The East has known it for at least five thousand years. Lao Tzu has even given it a name: "effortless effort, action without action." He was trying to explain that whatever man has come to know is not through effort, although there is much effort involved; hence there is great misunderstanding.

Osho, Innocence, Knowledge, and Wonder

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Galileo's first telescopes 🔭

Galileo's (1564-1642) early telescopes, which he constructed in the early 17th century (around 1609), marked a major advancement in observational astronomy.

These telescopes were based on the principles of existing Dutch telescopes, which had been developed by spectacle makers in the Netherlands.

These early telescopes, known as refracting telescopes, utilized a combination of lenses to gather and focus light, magnifying distant objects. Galileo further refined and improved their design.

The design of Galileo's telescopes typically consisted of a convex objective lens (the primary lens) and a concave eyepiece lens (the secondary lens).

The objective lens collected light from distant objects and converged it to a focal point, forming an image.

The eyepiece lens then magnified this image for the observer to see.

Galileo's telescopes had relatively low magnification power compared to modern telescopes, but they enabled him to make groundbreaking observations.

With these instruments, he made a series of significant discoveries, including:

Observations of the Moon

Galileo observed the rugged, mountainous surface of the Moon, challenging the prevailing belief in its perfect smoothness.

He also noticed the presence of craters and other lunar features.

Sunspots

It revealed that the Sun was not a perfect sphere and that it rotated on its axis

Discovery of Jupiter's moons

He observed four of Jupiter's largest moons, now known as the Galilean moons.

Their discovery provided evidence that not all celestial bodies orbited the Earth, challenging the geocentric model of the universe.

Phases of Venus

Galileo observed the phases of Venus, which he interpreted as evidence for the heliocentric model of the solar system proposed by Copernicus.

This observation suggested that Venus orbits the Sun and not the Earth.

Observation of Saturn

Galileo observed Saturn and its rings, although he was not able to discern the true nature of the rings due to limitations in his telescope's resolving power.

Galileo's telescopes revolutionized astronomy by providing concrete evidence that supported the Copernican heliocentric model of the solar system.

His observations and discoveries contributed to a profound shift in our understanding of the cosmos and laid the foundation for modern observational astronomy.

Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath.

He was born in the city of Pisa, then part of the Duchy of Florence.

Galileo has been called the "father of observational astronomy, modern-era classical physics, the scientific method, and modern science."

[usa-journal]

Breakthrough in Fly Brain Research Paves Way for Understanding Human Cognition

Scientists have achieved a monumental breakthrough by mapping the fly brain, revealing the position, shape, and connections of all its 130,000 cells and 50 million intricate connections. This research represents the most detailed analysis of an adult animal's brain to date and is being hailed as a "huge leap" in understanding human cognition.

The fly's brain, though tiny, supports a range of complex behaviors, including walking, hovering, and even producing mating songs. Dr. Gregory Jefferis, a leader in the research from the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, emphasizes that this mapping could illuminate the mechanisms behind thought processes in humans. He noted the lack of understanding about how brain cell networks facilitate our interactions with the world.

Despite humans having a million times more neurons than the fruit fly, the new wiring diagram, or connectome, will aid scientists in deciphering cognitive functions. Published in the journal Nature, the imagery showcases a stunningly complex structure that reveals how a small organ can perform powerful computational tasks.

Dr. Mala Murthy, co-leader of the project from Princeton University, stated that this connectome will be transformative for neuroscientists, allowing for a better understanding of healthy brain function and the potential to compare it with malfunctioning brains.

Dr. Lucia Prieto Godino from the Francis Crick Institute supports this view, highlighting that while simpler organisms like worms and maggots have had their connectomes mapped, the fly’s intricate wiring is a significant achievement. This success paves the way for mapping larger brains, potentially leading to a human connectome in the future.

The research team has successfully identified separate circuits for various functions, illustrating how movement-related circuits are positioned at the base of the brain, while those responsible for vision are located on the sides. The study not only identifies these circuits but also explains their connections, enhancing our understanding of neural processing.

Interestingly, researchers are already applying these circuit diagrams to understand why flies are so hard to catch. The wiring related to vision quickly processes incoming threats, sending signals to the fly's legs to jump away faster than conscious thought.

To create the wiring diagram, researchers used a technique involving slicing the fly brain into 7,000 incredibly thin pieces, photographing each slice, and digitally reconstructing the whole. They employed artificial intelligence to analyze neuron shapes and connections, correcting over three million errors manually.

Dr. Philipp Schlegel from the Medical Research Council highlights that this data serves as a comprehensive map of brain connectivity, akin to a detailed Google Maps for the neural networks. This combined information will facilitate countless discoveries in neuroscience in the coming years.

While a human connectome remains elusive due to the complexity of the human brain, researchers believe that advancements in technology may allow for such mapping in about three decades. The fly brain research marks a significant step toward unlocking the mysteries of human cognition and understanding our own minds better.

The study was conducted by the FlyWire Consortium, an international collaboration of scientists dedicated to advancing neuroscience.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Palaeontologist Mary Anning (1799-1847) was known around the world for her Jurassic discoveries in the fossil beds at Lyme Regis. Her findings changed scientific thinking about prehistoric life yet she was not able to join the Geological Society of London. In her lifetime, her extraordinary finds were rarely published or credited to her, and she was paid little money for them. This portrait of Mary Anne her dog Tray, by Benjamin Donne, a neighbour, is a copy of an 1842 painting.

"Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History" - Philippa Gregory

[trendynewsnow]

Discovery of the First Saber-Toothed Cat Mummy in Siberia

The Discovery of an Ice Age Wonder In the year 2020, prospectors scouring the icy landscapes of eastern Siberia in search of valuable mammoth tusks stumbled upon an intriguing sight along the Badyarikha River. Emerging from the frozen bank was a bundle of fur, captivating the diggers with its unusual appearance. Little did they know, they had uncovered something incredibly rare: the…