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CraigD

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Post and discuss interesting articles & videos about science and technology.

You don't need to be an expert - just interested in the wonders of modern science, technology, and the history of these fields.

Please keep it rational, and post articles from reputable sources.
Try not to editorialise headlines and keep the copy to just a paragraph with a link to the original source. When quoting excerpts from articles, I think the best method is to italicise the copy, and include a link to the source.

Have some fun with your comments and discussions... just keep the sources legitimate.

Other threads:
The Break Room has a number of other popular threads, so there is no need to post material here that is better suited to these other threads:

- Covid19-Coronavirus updates and news
- Conspiracy Thread Free For All
- The *religious* discussion thread


Please enjoy!
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Dune Lankard, on the Future of Climate-Changing-Everything

A weekly series produced by Ashoka. We ask leading changemakers what trends they're seeing, where they get their inspiration, and what's around the bend.

https://medium.com/change-maker/dun...e-of-climate-changing-everything-5081b2745ae7

Some further info in the mailout I got:

Regeneration: Fellow Nick Tilsen (Lakota) and NDN Collective have been amplifying Indigenous-led climate solutions across the week, including NDN-backed Wolakota Regenerative Buffalo Range & Wildlife Sanctuary, a new project that will convert 28k acres of tribal land (in present-day South Dakota) from cattle to buffalo, supporting prairie regeneration and a self-determined Indigenous economy. Further north in coastal Alaska, Fellow Dune Lankard (Eyak) has been witness to climate changes for decades now and invites us all to embed regenerative thinking in all we do. (You can explore hundreds of Ashoka Fellow-led or inspired solutions for a healthy planet.)
 
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Exchange/Outlook autodiscover bug exposed 100,000+ email passwords

Security researcher Amit Serper of Guardicore discovered a severe flaw in Microsoft's autodiscover—the protocol which allows automagical configuration of an email account with only the address and password required. The flaw allows attackers who purchase domains named "autodiscover"—for example autodiscover.com, or autodiscover.co.uk—to intercept the clear-text account credentials of users who are having network difficulty (or whose admins incorrectly configured DNS
).

Guardicore purchased several such domains and operated them as proof-of-concept credential traps from April 16 to August 25 of this year:

  • Autodiscover.com.br
  • Autodiscover.com.cn
  • Autodiscover.com.co
  • Autodiscover.es
  • Autodiscover.fr
  • Autodiscover.in
  • Autodiscover.it
  • Autodiscover.sg
  • Autodiscover.uk
  • Autodiscover.xyz
  • Autodiscover.online
https://arstechnica.com/information...odiscover-bug-exposed-100000-email-passwords/
 
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In a gene tied to growth, scientists see glimmers of human history
by University at Buffalo

A new study delves into the evolution and function of the human growth hormone receptor gene, and asks what forces in humanity's past may have driven changes to this vital piece of DNA.

The research shows, through multiple avenues, that a shortened version of the gene—a variant known as GHRd3—may help people survive in situations where resources are scarce or unpredictable.

Findings will be published on Sept. 24 in Science Advances.

Read on...
https://phys.org/news/2021-09-gene-tied-growth-scientists-glimmers.html
 
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Some further info in the mailout I got:

Regeneration: Fellow Nick Tilsen (Lakota) and NDN Collective have been amplifying Indigenous-led climate solutions across the week, including NDN-backed Wolakota Regenerative Buffalo Range & Wildlife Sanctuary, a new project that will convert 28k acres of tribal land (in present-day South Dakota) from cattle to buffalo, supporting prairie regeneration and a self-determined Indigenous economy. Further north in coastal Alaska, Fellow Dune Lankard (Eyak) has been witness to climate changes for decades now and invites us all to embed regenerative thinking in all we do. (You can explore hundreds of Ashoka Fellow-led or inspired solutions for a healthy planet.)

I like the concept that Dune mentions of 'Food sovereignty' being the need for communities to regain control of their food sources.
 
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More on dementia:

More than 41m dementia cases globally are undiagnosed – study

Experts say getting diagnosed with the disease is vital, enabling those affected to receive support and treatment, which is more effective the earlier it begins, and to take part in clinical trials.

However, research by McGill University in Montreal, Canada, shows that in some countries as many as 90% of people with dementia have not been diagnosed. The stark findings, revealed in a report published by ADI, suggest that more than 41 million cases globally remain undiagnosed.

Dementia is one of the world’s biggest health challenges. Globally, the number of people living with it is expected to exceed 130 million by 2050.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...dementia-cases-globally-are-undiagnosed-study

I imagine that most people have no idea that they are slowly developing dementia.

From the article, it appears that current testing still requires the patient to be in a clinical environment and fitted with an electrode cap.

If someone can can up with (for example) a phone app that gives a very rough diagnosis, it would certainly help alert people that they need to be properly tested.
 
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The secret of the Stradivari violin confirmed

New research co-authored by a Texas A&M University scientist has confirmed that renowned violin maker Antonio Stradivari and others treated their instruments with chemicals that produced their unique sound, and several of these chemicals have been identified for the first time.

... About 40 years ago at Texas A&M, Nagyvary was the first to prove a theory that he had spent years researching: that a primary reason for the pristine sound, beyond the fine craftsmanship, was the chemicals Stradivari and others used to treat their instruments due to a worm infestation at the time.

Read on...
https://phys.org/news/2021-08-secret-stradivari-violin.html
 
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The secret of the Stradivari violin confirmed

New research co-authored by a Texas A&M University scientist has confirmed that renowned violin maker Antonio Stradivari and others treated their instruments with chemicals that produced their unique sound, and several of these chemicals have been identified for the first time.

... About 40 years ago at Texas A&M, Nagyvary was the first to prove a theory that he had spent years researching: that a primary reason for the pristine sound, beyond the fine craftsmanship, was the chemicals Stradivari and others used to treat their instruments due to a worm infestation at the time.

Read on...
https://phys.org/news/2021-08-secret-stradivari-violin.html

Thank you Craig, sound research.

Here's a related video...

Why Can’t We Make New Stradivari Violins?

 
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Thank you Craig, sound research.

Here's a related video...

Why Can’t We Make New Stradivari Violins?


Thanks for the video :)

I had no idea about the chemical wood treatment before I came across the article today.

Being an acoustic steel-string guitar player, it's something that actually interests me greatly. I've read a lot about wood and luthier construction techniques over the years.

A number of manufacturers have recently begun artificially aging spruce guitar tops, mostly with heat and pressure - something that I always considered to be 'çheating' from a purists point of view as instruments need to be 'played in' for a number of years for the soundboard wood to really open up.

This has changed my view on the traditionalist approach to good tone woods.
 
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@CraigD This finding shocks music aficionados...

Legendary Stradivarius Loses to New Violins in Blind Tests

https://www.livescience.com/44651-new-violins-beat-stradivarius.html

YES!

It takes years to learn to appreciate the subtleties of sound - something most people (myself included) have difficulty discerning, and it really does come down to so many factors, including personal choice and experience.

You can watch similar acoustic guitar blind tests on Youtube, though it gets somewhat murky when solid-body electric guitar players swear about subtle wood and finish differences affecting tone, while playing through an amplifier:xf.rolleyes:
 
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Here's why milk comes in bags in parts of Canada

The metric system is 1 reason parts of Canada gets moo juice in bags

upload_2021-9-25_14-58-54.png


https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costoflivi...lk-comes-in-bags-in-parts-of-canada-1.5409420
 
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Are the bags recycleable, like modern plastic bottles?

I'm afraid not :xf.frown:

upload_2021-9-25_15-14-43.png


When I was a kid, milk came out of a bucket if you lived on a farm, or a glass bottle that the milkman left on your front porch.

Lovely time. At that time, milk also tasted substantially different. Taste difference per region, soil type and per variety; the comparison with wine is obvious. Did you know that there is a milk sommelier? Bas de Groot from Rotterdam. He is not yet well known in the Netherlands, but in South Korea he is the face of a large milk brand. His head is everywhere on billboards and screens. He recently shot a commercial for local milk in California :xf.grin:

 
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I'm afraid not :xf.frown:

Show attachment 200324



Lovely time. At that time, milk also tasted substantially different. Taste difference per region, soil type and per variety; the comparison with wine is obvious. Did you know that there is a mik sommelier? Bas de Groot from Rotterdam. He is not yet well known in the Netherlands, but in South Korea he is the face of a large milk brand. His head is everywhere on billboards and screens. He recently shot a commercial for local milk in California :xf.grin:


He raised a very interesting point about the smell being part of the flavour. Most people today get milk from a cold fridge so the aroma would be less strong.

I've always wondered how farmers milk almonds and soy, and just came across this wonderful little expose doco:

 
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In a First, Scientists Track 1 Million Neurons Near-Simultaneously in a Mouse Brain

mouse-neurons_1024.gif


Researchers have managed to keep tabs on 1 million different neurons in the brains of mice at one time – taking scientists an impressive step closer towards one day being able to track the very-complex activity of human brains.

The key is an innovation that's being called 'light beads microscopy'. It improves on current two-photon microscopy, using lasers to trigger introduced fluorescence in living cells. As the cells are lit up, scientists can see how they're moving and interacting.

With light beads microscopy, scientists can get the speed, scale, and resolution required to map a mouse brain in detail as its neural activity changes. The near-simultaneous tracking can last for as long as the light beads are able to stay illuminated.

Read on:
https://www.sciencealert.com/scient...million-different-neurons-across-mouse-brains
 
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Hand Making a Guitar

Greenfield Guitars


 
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Readers reply: if the Earth were flat, how would our lives be different?

5344.jpg


A few of my favourite replies:
  • Terry Pratchett would have been the winner of a Nobel prize for physics.
  • There wouldn’t be much left on a flat Earth after the cats had flicked everything off it.
  • There would be no time zones, as the sun would rise and set at the same time across the entire face of the world.
  • Christopher Columbus would never have returned. Nor would Leif Erikson.
  • We would have to deal with the unbearable smugness of the flat Earthers being right.
Read the article:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...th-were-flat-how-would-our-lives-be-different


Legal disclaimer:
Being an Australian, I should also disclose that I am apparently a paid actor, living in South America.
 
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Geomagnetic Storm Watch Now Upgraded to G2 Level Storm; Northern Lights Heading South

On Thursday, a sunspot, known as AR2871, experienced two explosive eruptions, each producing a significant M-class solar flare. Solar flares are classified according to their strength, on a B-C-M-X scale. B flares are the smallest while X are the largest. Similar to the Richter scale used to help quantify earthquakes, each letter represents a ten-fold increase in energy output. Within each letter class, there is also a finer scale that usually extends from 1-9. Within the powerful X class of flares, the number could exceed 9 to reflect a massive flare event.

While there are fears that a future blast from the sun will disrupt electricity, communication, and internet lines for weeks, this event does not seem to have that type of potential with it. However, some impacts, including an electrified display of the Northern Lights at northern latitudes, are expected.

Read the article:
https://weatherboy.com/geomagnetic-...g2-level-storm-northern-lights-heading-south/
 
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Geomagnetic Storm Watch Now Upgraded to G2 Level Storm; Northern Lights Heading South

On Thursday, a sunspot, known as AR2871, experienced two explosive eruptions, each producing a significant M-class solar flare. Solar flares are classified according to their strength, on a B-C-M-X scale. B flares are the smallest while X are the largest. Similar to the Richter scale used to help quantify earthquakes, each letter represents a ten-fold increase in energy output. Within each letter class, there is also a finer scale that usually extends from 1-9. Within the powerful X class of flares, the number could exceed 9 to reflect a massive flare event.

While there are fears that a future blast from the sun will disrupt electricity, communication, and internet lines for weeks, this event does not seem to have that type of potential with it. However, some impacts, including an electrified display of the Northern Lights at northern latitudes, are expected.

Read the article:
https://weatherboy.com/geomagnetic-...g2-level-storm-northern-lights-heading-south/

Official Sources Warn a Geomagnetic Storm Is Imminent, So Get Ready For Auroras

27 SEPTEMBER 2021

If you live at a high latitude, it's time to break out the camera. Space weather agencies are predicting a solar storm for Monday 27 September: moderate, with a chance of aurora.

At high latitudes, the predicted G2 storm may cause power grid fluctuations; satellite orientation may be affected, with increased drag at low-Earth orbit; and high-frequency radio propagation may fade.

But we may be in for a treat, too: "Aurora may be seen as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state," the NOAA wrote in its alert.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-solar-storm-is-coming-and-we-might-be-in-for-aurorae
 
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Ancient City’s Destruction by Exploding Space Rock May Have Inspired Biblical Story of Sodom

Around 1650 B.C.E., the Bronze Age city of Tall el-Hammam was wiped out by a blast 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb used at Hiroshima.

The destruction of Tall el-Hammam, a Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley, by an exploding comet or meteor may have inspired the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah, a new study suggests. (“[N]otoriously sinful cities,” Sodom and Gomorrah’s devastation by sulfur and fire is recorded in the Book of Genesis, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.)

At the time of the disaster, around 1650 B.C.E., Tall el-Hammam was the largest of three major cities in the valley. It likely acted as the region’s political center, reports Ariella Marsden for the Jerusalem Post. Combined, the three metropolises boasted a population of around 50,000.

Read on:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smar...e-inspired-biblical-story-of-sodom-180978734/
 
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A Landmark Autism Intervention Study Has Shown Dramatically Reduced Diagnosis Rates

We know that for autism, the causes and changes to the brain are happening long before birth. But in a groundbreaking new study, an intervention in infants showing early signs of autism has been able to reduce clinical diagnosis by two-thirds.

"These findings are the first evidence that a pre-emptive intervention during infancy could lead to such a significant improvement in children's social development that they then fell below the threshold for a clinical diagnosis of autism," says one of the study authors, University of Manchester child psychiatry researcher Jonathan Green.

Read the article:
https://www.sciencealert.com/landma...bies-reduces-clinical-diagnosis-by-two-thirds
 
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Official Sources Warn a Geomagnetic Storm Is Imminent, So Get Ready For Auroras

27 SEPTEMBER 2021

If you live at a high latitude, it's time to break out the camera. Space weather agencies are predicting a solar storm for Monday 27 September: moderate, with a chance of aurora.

At high latitudes, the predicted G2 storm may cause power grid fluctuations; satellite orientation may be affected, with increased drag at low-Earth orbit; and high-frequency radio propagation may fade.

I've been working off-grid so thinking of the possibility of an EMP, not a sub-orbital nuclear blast, but a high intensity solar flare. I've been considering how best to harden the system, but likely will just keep backup components in a faraday box vs Sol-Ark for example. I've also been looking into different old school communications (ie. tube type sw radio), though the ionosphere gets seriously garbled during peak intensity.

...but I'll definitely take my camera outside tonight :xf.wink:
 
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This Insane New Image of The Moon's Tycho Crater Is So Detailed It Barely Looks Real

kp_TR037B_No0019_three_pass_09_sub32000_coaf_img_rs_4_cv-1-1-1280x1142.jpg


A new telescope system has managed to capture the highest resolution image of the Moon ever taken from Earth using radar technology.

The feat took years of work, and the result is spectacularly detailed. The focal point is Tycho Crater, one of the most prominent impressions on the Moon. And even though it was taken from hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, the picture makes you feel as though you are flying right over the surface of Earth's only natural satellite.

Read the full article:
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-e...-the-moon-s-tycho-crater-was-taken-from-earth
 
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