I will from time to time post new things found and things of interest to me in the natural world. I will attempt to answer all questions to limits of my ability and reference. Nothing that advances knowledge off limits except personal attacks and things not suitable for a Travis forum. Please show basis for opinion expressed.
This is a discussion topic or guest posting submitted by a Stock Gumshoe reader. The content has not been edited or reviewed by Stock Gumshoe, and any opinions expressed are those of the author alone.
This is an example of what I intend to post here although It is already on the main thread,,,, where it may not belong.
http://news.mit.edu/2017/microbial-manufacturing-manus-bio-0203
In my view of nature this is further proof that every life form is part of a whole, using the same life. If that were not so we could not feed,,, as alien life could not be assimilated into us. In the natural course of events our bodies would feed bacteria and such to continue the cycle. we have much to learn so as not to damage ourselves in fighting against nature and thus ourselves. IMO
Weeds to save lives….
“Persistent, weedy plants tend to have a chemical advantage in their design, which may help protect them from diseases so they can more easily spread in a new environment.”
https://scienmag.com/brazilian-peppertree-packs-power-to-knock-out-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria/
Again we discover,,, Nature made it first.
Aid to understanding Hydrophobic/ hydrophilic or in the case of oils/fats lipophobic/lipophilic, each being an opposite in action.
Hydrophobic sand,,,,,,,,,
https://twitter.com/scienmag
If link does not work try thisone;
https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/3ofqm1/hydrophobic_sand/
Normal loose dry beach sand is so hydrophilic that it will
take on so much water that when shaken in a container it will compact into a layer of less depth than the water above it.
During an earthquake that may occur on seemingly solid earth so as to swallow buildings upon it. Liquifaction is the term.
another link;
v
O.K. Frank, what is this? The chemical.
ordinary sand coated with trimethylhydroxysilane
http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i12/Magic-Sand-kinetic-Sand.html
Another way to look at it: a soap molecule has one end that is hydrophobic (non-polar) and one that is hydrophilic (polar); the non-polar end is attracted to oils (grease) while the polar ends are attracted to the water. The soap allows the water to carry away the oil. Soap also allows water to go through small spaces (like the weave of fabric) by interfering with water’s surface tension (caused by its strong intermolecular forces of attraction), thereby allowing water to do its job and carry away particles lodged in the spaces. It doesn’t take much, and we use far more soap than we need. The wonders of water are many and varied, although they all stem from its structure … it should be a gas at room temp, is less dense as a solid (keeping lakes from freezing from the bottom up), etc. etc.
Simple science that creates a complex world.
jim Welcome and good point. I am amazed at the many unique qualities of water. A good case can be made that it is needed for life to exist. Heat absorption is astounding
Hi Arch1 –
Notice that you have not posted to the current biotech thread: http://www.stockgumshoe.com/2017/02/the-rest-of-the-12-biotechs-of-christmas/
Glad that you started this thread, as many prior posts on this subject seem to get lost in the traffic on the politics and region thread. Best2You ~ Ben
ben Thanks I will do so.
Evidence growing that cancer cells locate near nerves, and can follow nerve pathways.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NeuroscienceRoiGirard/posts/JCic9eQVxJX?cfem=1
Arch1 – I just bought a book about an expedition(s) into a remote rainforest in Honduras. In brief, some of those on the expedition contracted leishmaniasis (white leprosy). I’m wondering how prevalent this is in rainforests? I have not started the book in earnest but noticed there was a section relating to NIH, which I skimmed and in turn that led to my question.
jokin
Jking- When I worked in tropical panama, I was told not to sit in the buttress of any large tree, to minimize being bitten. Of course, I was bitten/stung/touched by many things, but never contracted leishmaniasis. The most interesting was temporary blindness from stinging caterpillar hairs.
Terry
Jking It is generally a tropical or subtropical parasite spread by sandflies so it does not need rainforest. There are some areas in US in the southern states where you can be infected. Very widespread though seldom in news over most of world.
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/leishmaniasis/
Nature is not the kindly thing thought by many psuedo ecologists and will kill or injure us if we act in ignorance.
Ancient ills are still among us, ready to expand.
I think we were subjected to many Disney movies and books where animals were pictured in a syrupy make believe world. I loved my first book, bought with money I had earned, titled Bambi. A year or two later there were the Mother Westwind books. My father supplied my educational drift from fantasy toward the truth about wildlife, the ethics, and moral code we have as stewards. I grew up in a world where respect was key. I was also taught the difference between conservation and preservation. Your words are true about pseudo-environmentalists, and the world has many ancient ills waiting.
Admit it. You wondered, how do you poop in space?
http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-pooping-space-challenge-winner-thatcher-cardon-2017-2/#going-to-the-bathroom-in-space-is-no-fun-even-if-you-have-access-to-a-toilet-1
I’ll admit it!
error
Scientists cook up material 200 times stronger than steel out of soybean oil
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-31/scientists-cook-up-super-strong-graphene-out-of-soybean-oil/8223686
The above article is referenced in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ZMi83oUjk
Making progress… 🙂
Glacier on the move! Shared by a friend – 🙂
“I think what is shown in this video will turn out to be one of the rarest sights we humans will ever see.”
https://www.youtube.com/embed/hC3VTgIPoGU?rel=0
OMG.. amazing…stupefying..
That is a lot of ice. Good show of natural power makes us puny.
Leaves little doubt as to how the glaciers in the three Ice Ages shaped much of North America.
Thanks Ben!
Arch – If you were down the block I would drive you nuts beating on your door. My latest investigation has to do with an abandoned and filled in mine that was pointed out to a troop of us Boy Scouts atop a hill near Manhattan, Kansas. I have talked to several friends who were in that troop with me, and one who is a geologist. This would have been in the late forties or early fifties. I haven’t found a clue as to the mine, but have found information on a number of kimberlites in the county and an adjacent county. I can’t imagine a volcano nearby, but these are volcanic “plugs” if I’m not mistaken. The question being, what the heck are they doing in Eastern Kansas? And, could there have been a mine on that hill top?
Fun stuff, jking1939! I imagine the University of Kansas may offer some clues.
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic16/pic16_1.html – Kansas Kimberlites
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/200/ – The Kimberlites of Riley County, Kansas 1970
https://thediggings.com/places/ks161485618 – Mining Deposits near Manhattan, KS
It’s too bad I can’t turn my metal detector into a diamond detector 8^(
Last Tuesday, I was at my Southwestern Prospectors and Miners Association (SPMA) meeting. Had a local Professor from Mira Costa College stop by to talk about our local (San Diego) geology. Bought his book “Surf, Sand and Stone.”
When $AKAO pays me (us) I might have some travel monies for out of state prospecting. It would be incredible to find a field of diamonds in Kansas much like that in Arkansas (Crater of Diamonds State Park). I was there once, before I knew how to pan for gold (much less diamonds). Really should go back for Round 2.
Jerry
Jerry Good and accurate info. Diamonds are really quite plentiful,,, despite the DeBeers sales pitch, although high grade gems are rarely without flaws.
See answer to jking fore more.
john Kimberlite is named after Kimberley South Africa, where a huge diamond mine is located.
Diamonds are found nearly everywhere in the world, but most are industrial grade. Link to some US mines.
http://geology.com/gemstones/united-states-diamond-production.shtml
Now if you can find a way to transform the Carbon in CO2 to diamond at low cost while growing very large crystals? ,,, remember your old Gummie friends.
Arch – Back in the fifties when the USSR was lab testing nuclear triggers,etc., they found a residue on the walls of the testing vessel that were diamonds. This led to other interesting areas, however, that said, I had a client who had traveled to Belarus to talk to a scientist there about using diamond for microprocessors, among other things. This fellow had achieved the needed dopants to take a diamond chip from an insulator to a transmitter. There’s a great deal to this story, of which I won’t bore you, but he did get it to work, and it was faster than any known microprocessor available at the time. Now, artificial diamonds are being made in several laboratories. I have to tell you Arch that I do not have a nuclear facility to do diamond manufacturing so like Jerry et al I’ll have to rely on the $AKAO, $AUPH, etc. to provide my journey to the land of milk and honey.
And, Jerry, I have read many of those papers, but not all, so I want to thank you!
jokin
Arch, In 2005, a friend was hired at the C level at Gemesis near Sarasota, FL. He gave me a tour of the production area. It was impressive from the perspective of what they were able to accomplish using technology but he told me the diamond miners of the world snubbed their noses (of course) at the thought these man-made diamonds could ever be of high quality. The non-quality product was used for industrial purposes. This article is a brief summary of their fortunes.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/business/20110628/gemesis-of-lakewood-ranch-says-its-reached-its-diamond-goal
I have followed Gemesis for years. I was hoping that they would be cheaper. Not sure what you are saying about non-quality products? The naked eye cannot discern any difference. They are beautiful. I have gone to retail outlet to view.
Jerry – I think I neglected to say thanks for this comment and the links. Many thanks!
jokin
While I’m pontificating, I would also like to mention the Diavik Mine in the NWT, Canada. This also has an interesting history. I had stock in it for a few years but moved to biotech and have almost forgotten that foray into diamonds. This mine is located close to a kimberlite that is under a nearby lake…can’t remember the name but will probably do some reading this morning now that the coals have been blown into flame again.
All of you guys are the absolute GREATEST!
jokin
Like chocolate but need to cut out sugar? Cook with it as in Mexico. First Cacao use was probably in wine.
http://meljoulwan.com/2009/02/22/my-favorite-chili-recipe/
I like it with ground turkey, any game such as elk , venison or even goats. Mixed or alone,,, probably any ground meat that is lean.
Above recipe is mild, but canned Jalapenos are good to add to taste. Habaneros if you have a taste for really hot.
Beans served well with it are refried with melted cheese in separate plate and tortilla chips,,,nachos.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_chocolate
A better electrolyte gives Li ion batteries more energy and stability. New research finding’
http://www.pnnl.gov/news/release.aspx?id=4352&utm
Komodo dragons can bite a water buffalo and if saliva enters the bloodstream the buffola will soon die because of the mix of many bacteria and fungi in the dragons mouth. Thos dragons bite each other and seem to be immune and suffer no sepsis. WHY?
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21717808-komodo-dragons-could-be-source-new-generation-antibiotics-48-uses
Antimicrobial peptides may lead to new way to fight resistant to current antibotics organisms.
Researchers have demonstrated the potential to engineer brown adipose tissue, which has therapeutic promise to treat metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, from white adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). The study describes a method to produce brown fat tissue, which exists in only small amounts in adults, and is published in Tissue Engineering, Part A, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Tissue Engineering website until April 3, 2017.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170303/Study-describes-method-to-engineer-brown-adipose-tissue-from-white-fat-derived-stem-cells.aspx
Of Course IMO even if we can grow brown fat tissue, we would need to be active so it can work in burning calories.
If you are a Snakehead fish fan,,, their genome has been sequenced.
https://www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/northern-snakehead-fish-genome-sequenced?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm
These are an invasive species east of the Mississippi starting in Florida, and are death to native species where they have spread. Perhaps genome sequence will find a weakness that can be exploited to control or eradicate them in US.
Biologists propose to sequence the DNA of all life on Earth
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/02/biologists-propose-sequence-dna-all-life-earth
Shared by: https://twitter.com/DNA_oscar/status/837778360864428033
Now that’s a project. 🙂
Lithium-Ion Battery Inventor Introduces New Technology for Fast-Charging, Noncombustible Batteries https://news.utexas.edu/2017/02/28/goodenough-introduces-new-battery-technology Keeps going and going… 🙂
Alternative strategy for a safe rechargeable battery
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2017/EE/C6EE02888H#!divAbstract
Ben Thank you for the post. If this proves feasible and can be scaled up to a saleable product it should find immediate acceptance in cell phones, tablets, etc and finally make an electric car practical
Perhaps Urban trucks and buses would also be practical.
Before that can be widespread our electricity generating capacity will need major expansion.