Science and Exploration

Corkey · 02-15-2012, 03:43 PM

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog...ars-away-.html

Missing matter of the Universe found.

SoNotHer · 02-16-2012, 01:52 PM

Oh, thank all imaginable deities. Now I can sleep at night. ;-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corkey

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog...ars-away-.html

Missing matter of the Universe found.

SoNotHer · 02-22-2012, 07:32 PM

Softhearted · 03-01-2012, 09:12 PM

Communication during sex among female bonobos: effects of dominance, solicitation and audience

"Bonobo females frequently form close bonds, which give them social power over other group members. One potential mechanism to facilitate female bonding is the performance of sexual interactions. Using naturalistic observations and experiments, we found various patterns that determined female-female sexual interactions. First, while low-ranked females interacted with all females, sexual interactions between high-ranked females were rare. Second, during genital contacts, females sometimes produced ‘copulation calls’, which were significantly affected by the rank of the caller and partner, as well as the solicitation direction. Third, there was a significant effect of the alpha female as a bystander, while variables relating to physical experience had no effects. Overall, results highlight the importance of sexual interactions for bonobo female social relations. Copulation calls are an important tool during this process, suggesting that they have become ritualised, beyond their reproductive function, to serve as broader social signals in flexible and potentially strategic ways."

sources:
Clay, Z. and Zuberbühler, K. (2012). Communication during sex among female bonobos: effects of dominance, solicitation and audience. Scientific Reports, 2:291.

http://www.nature.com/srep/2012/1203...srep00291.html

SoNotHer · 03-02-2012, 09:05 AM

How can I resist the opportunity to once again post a video that includes the term "aurora mass ejections"? And now I know what other career tract I want to pursue - "astrophotographer."

Corkey · 03-13-2012, 01:13 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/ethiopias-magn...140401541.html

Magnetic strips hold clues to oceans formation.

Softhearted · 03-14-2012, 04:24 PM

"Space flight linked to eye, brain problems
CBC News

Space travel hurts eyes, brain

Astronauts who have spent prolonged periods in the zero gravity of space tend to show eye abnormalities linked to pressure around the brain, another study has confirmed.

The new study, which involved magnetic resonance imaging of the eyes and brains of 27 astronauts – a larger sample than previous studies — also found abnormalities in the pituitary gland and its connection to the brain in three cases. The gland, found at the base of the brain, secretes and stores a number of important hormones that regulate growth, metabolism and reproduction.

The findings, published online in the journal Radiology on Tuesday, may point to a "hypothetical risk factor and potential limitation to long-duration space travel," said study co-author Dr. Larry Kramer, a professor of diagnostic and interventional imaging at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, in a statement. That means they could pose a problem on future missions to places such as Mars.

An earlier study on eye problems in astronauts suggested that the issues might be caused by fluid shifting toward the head during extended periods of time in microgravity.

William J. Tarver, chief of the flight medicine clinic at NASA's Johnson Space Center, said in a statement that the U.S. space agency has "placed this problem high on its list of human risks, has initiated a comprehensive program to study its mechanisms and implications, and will continue to closely monitor the situation."

Astronauts have complained for decades about vision problems such as blurriness following trips into space. A recent NASA survey of 300 astronauts found correctible near and distance vision problems in 48 per cent of astronauts who had been on extended missions and 23 per cent of those who had been on brief missions. In some cases, they lasted for years after the astronauts returned to Earth.

Fluid shifting toward head causes problems

In the new study, the astronauts had spent an average of 108 days in space. Their eye abnormalities were similar to those seen in patients on Earth with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Patients with the condition have increased pressure around their brains for no apparent reason.

Among the astronauts in the study:
33 per cent had expansion of the space filled with cerebral spinal fluid that surrounds the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain.
22 per cent had flattening of the rear of the eyeball.
15 per cent had bulging of the optic nerve.
11 per cent had changes in the pituitary gland and its connection to the brain.

An earlier NASA-sponsored study of seven astronauts, published last November in the journal Ophthalmology, found similar abnormalities and also noted that they were similar to those experienced by patients on Earth suffering from pressure in the head. But it noted that astronauts did not experience symptoms usually associated with that problem on Earth, such as chronic headache, double vision or ringing in the ears.

The earlier study suggested that the problems might be caused by fluid shifting toward the head during extended periods of time in microgravity. This could result in abnormal flow of spinal fluid around the optic nerve, changes in blood flow in the vessels at the back of the eye, or chronic low pressure within the eye, the researchers said."

Source: www.cbc.ca
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/st...-problems.html

02-15-2012, 03:43 PM	#1
Corkey Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Human Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: Very Married Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Where I want to be Posts: 8,155 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47,491 Thanked 29,268 Times in 6,637 Posts Rep Power: 21474859	http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog...ars-away-.html Missing matter of the Universe found. __________________ "Many proposals have been made to us to adopt your laws, your religion, your manners and your customs. We would be better pleased with beholding the good effects of these doctrines in your own practices, than with hearing you talk about them". ~Old Tassel, Chief of the Tsalagi (Cherokee)

02-22-2012, 07:32 PM	#3
SoNotHer Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Professional Sandbagger and Jenga Zumba Instructor Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: In the master control room of my world domination dreams Posts: 2,811 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 6,587 Thanked 4,734 Times in 1,409 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Vertices of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon on 2/25 and 2/26

03-01-2012, 09:12 PM	#4
Softhearted Member How Do You Identify?: --- Preferred Pronoun?: ---- Relationship Status: --- Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: --- Posts: 298 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 454 Thanked 285 Times in 109 Posts Rep Power: 1556234	Interesting article from Scientific Reports Communication during sex among female bonobos: effects of dominance, solicitation and audience "Bonobo females frequently form close bonds, which give them social power over other group members. One potential mechanism to facilitate female bonding is the performance of sexual interactions. Using naturalistic observations and experiments, we found various patterns that determined female-female sexual interactions. First, while low-ranked females interacted with all females, sexual interactions between high-ranked females were rare. Second, during genital contacts, females sometimes produced ‘copulation calls’, which were significantly affected by the rank of the caller and partner, as well as the solicitation direction. Third, there was a significant effect of the alpha female as a bystander, while variables relating to physical experience had no effects. Overall, results highlight the importance of sexual interactions for bonobo female social relations. Copulation calls are an important tool during this process, suggesting that they have become ritualised, beyond their reproductive function, to serve as broader social signals in flexible and potentially strategic ways." sources: Clay, Z. and Zuberbühler, K. (2012). Communication during sex among female bonobos: effects of dominance, solicitation and audience. Scientific Reports, 2:291. http://www.nature.com/srep/2012/1203...srep00291.html

03-02-2012, 09:05 AM	#5
SoNotHer Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Professional Sandbagger and Jenga Zumba Instructor Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: In the master control room of my world domination dreams Posts: 2,811 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 6,587 Thanked 4,734 Times in 1,409 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Science Casts: Auroras Underfoot How can I resist the opportunity to once again post a video that includes the term "aurora mass ejections"? And now I know what other career tract I want to pursue - "astrophotographer."

03-13-2012, 01:13 PM	#6
Corkey Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Human Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: Very Married Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Where I want to be Posts: 8,155 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47,491 Thanked 29,268 Times in 6,637 Posts Rep Power: 21474859	http://news.yahoo.com/ethiopias-magn...140401541.html Magnetic strips hold clues to oceans formation. __________________ "Many proposals have been made to us to adopt your laws, your religion, your manners and your customs. We would be better pleased with beholding the good effects of these doctrines in your own practices, than with hearing you talk about them". ~Old Tassel, Chief of the Tsalagi (Cherokee)

03-14-2012, 04:24 PM	#7
Softhearted Member How Do You Identify?: --- Preferred Pronoun?: ---- Relationship Status: --- Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: --- Posts: 298 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 454 Thanked 285 Times in 109 Posts Rep Power: 1556234	Seems we are not quite ready for long period space travels... "Space flight linked to eye, brain problems CBC News Space travel hurts eyes, brain Astronauts who have spent prolonged periods in the zero gravity of space tend to show eye abnormalities linked to pressure around the brain, another study has confirmed. The new study, which involved magnetic resonance imaging of the eyes and brains of 27 astronauts – a larger sample than previous studies — also found abnormalities in the pituitary gland and its connection to the brain in three cases. The gland, found at the base of the brain, secretes and stores a number of important hormones that regulate growth, metabolism and reproduction. The findings, published online in the journal Radiology on Tuesday, may point to a "hypothetical risk factor and potential limitation to long-duration space travel," said study co-author Dr. Larry Kramer, a professor of diagnostic and interventional imaging at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, in a statement. That means they could pose a problem on future missions to places such as Mars. An earlier study on eye problems in astronauts suggested that the issues might be caused by fluid shifting toward the head during extended periods of time in microgravity. William J. Tarver, chief of the flight medicine clinic at NASA's Johnson Space Center, said in a statement that the U.S. space agency has "placed this problem high on its list of human risks, has initiated a comprehensive program to study its mechanisms and implications, and will continue to closely monitor the situation." Astronauts have complained for decades about vision problems such as blurriness following trips into space. A recent NASA survey of 300 astronauts found correctible near and distance vision problems in 48 per cent of astronauts who had been on extended missions and 23 per cent of those who had been on brief missions. In some cases, they lasted for years after the astronauts returned to Earth. Fluid shifting toward head causes problems In the new study, the astronauts had spent an average of 108 days in space. Their eye abnormalities were similar to those seen in patients on Earth with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Patients with the condition have increased pressure around their brains for no apparent reason. Among the astronauts in the study: 33 per cent had expansion of the space filled with cerebral spinal fluid that surrounds the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. 22 per cent had flattening of the rear of the eyeball. 15 per cent had bulging of the optic nerve. 11 per cent had changes in the pituitary gland and its connection to the brain. An earlier NASA-sponsored study of seven astronauts, published last November in the journal Ophthalmology, found similar abnormalities and also noted that they were similar to those experienced by patients on Earth suffering from pressure in the head. But it noted that astronauts did not experience symptoms usually associated with that problem on Earth, such as chronic headache, double vision or ringing in the ears. The earlier study suggested that the problems might be caused by fluid shifting toward the head during extended periods of time in microgravity. This could result in abnormal flow of spinal fluid around the optic nerve, changes in blood flow in the vessels at the back of the eye, or chronic low pressure within the eye, the researchers said." Source: www.cbc.ca http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/st...-problems.html