Science

Using a load device interconnected (CCD), astronomers can now observe the sky was wider and deeper than ever.

What is a CCD? Is an integrated circuit containing a number of linked or coupled capacitors. This allows for low internal control, a particular capacitor can transfer its load to one or more other capacitors that are with him. This system, so this may seem hard to find, is more common than it seems. In fact, photography and digital video make use of this technology to record the image and burn it in memory. Of the more available the CCD photocells greater detail and ability to take the camera resolution in question.

This technology has been used to 'upgrade' the Burrell Schmidt telescope of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. Allowed to have a clear view of the "valley" of stars that make orphan near of galaxies that are scattered Virgo (over 13,000).

The design and installation of the new system was led by Paul Harding. The CCD (which is obviously bigger and better definition used in our digital cameras) will allow astronomers to determine the age of those stars and discover the secrets of his origin.

This 'valley' is formed when galaxies collide with others in the large group of galaxies. During these collisions, stars 'fall' of galaxies to which they belong and are scattered throughout the set due to gravitational forces.

The first reason to improve the telescope with this technology can determine the color of the stars, because usually the younger stars are bluer. "If we can determine the color of the stars, we can determine their age," says Paul Harding. If they want to build their own telescope with CCDs, saving about $ 100,000, which has cost about the invention of Paul Harding.

Source: eurekalert.com

On May 22 marks the International Day of Biodiversity. But ... What is biodiversity? Biodiversity means variety in life, biodiversity. It refers to the variety of life that exist in our world, both animal and vegetable. Biodiversity is the result of billions of years of evolution.

The biodiversity is essential for life on Earth , And hence for human life. It is not only vital to the stability of global ecosystems, is vital to us. For those who think only of themselves, and as much in humans and in animal any more. Should be clear that biodiversity is responsible for most of our food, and most of the things that surround us in our home and any area in which we move.

The problem, as we saw in The Green Blog is that biodiversity is declining in a dramatic way because of human action. Species diversity is waning, primarily for the use being made by the man of the soil and climate change.

In 1972, 22 May, were enacted or sustainability sustainability criteria in the International Convention on Biological Diversity Nairobi. There he first recognized the need to reconcile conservation of biodiversity in order to have a stable world. Later that date was chosen by General Assembly of UN as "International Day for Biodiversity".

Let there be no cutting down forests and the loss of acres and acres of wilderness just for this new fashion for biofuels that is doing so much damage to the world in so few years.

Image: Flickr

Australian CSIRO and NASA are in negotiations to develop new exploration technologies for use on the Moon and Mars.

These techniques would be an advance of those used in the Australian mining industry. Dr. Brent McInnes, CSIRO honcho speaks well in PCWorld: "My work with NASA is to investigate whether an instrument called Alphacron, used by CSIRO, could be adapted to calculate the amount of years of minerals on Mars," which need not be of great difficulty because the currently used Alphacron to date iron oxide in Western Australia, the same iron oxide found on Mars.

However, the priority remains to find out when liquid water was present on Mars. "The same minerals that can be found in Australia can be found on Mars." The possibility of dating the minerals found in Australia allow us to know when liquid water could be present on Mars and that both would lead us to find out when he could have life near the planet's surface.

Moreover, on Mars could be even easier to analyze minerals in Australia since scientists have to separate them before measuring them. The (in this case great) erosion from a billion years ago Mars suffering has caused the iron oxide can be found in small amounts isolated. "We just have to look at these pieces individually," says Brent McInnis.

It is hoped that tests work, NASA will consider these experiments to include in your next mission (scheduled for 2010). The mission now includes a hydrogen detector (provided by Russia) to locate water, a meteorological package provided by Spain, and a spectrometer provided by Canada.

NASA has also invited Australia, along with twelve other nations, to participate in the return to the moon by 2020 and establish a station in 2025.

Source: PCWorld Via: Slashdot

EDITED: Thank Anxova by the errata.

During the government of the Incas, had surgeons who could remove small portions of the skull of his patients to treat head injuries, and did very well, according to a recent study published in The American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

This surgical procedure called trepanation, and used to be practiced in adult males, often to treat wounds sustained in combat, according to researchers.

The Incas were a warlike civilization that went from one conquest to another, and often suffered from internal wars. As combat injuries were most frequent.

Today it takes a very similar procedure to relieve pressure caused by fluid buildup following a severe head trauma.

In a tomb discovered in Cuzco, the Inca capital, they found remains of the year 1000, which had evidence that surgical techniques were standardized and perfected over time. Many of the oldest skulls showed no evidence of bone healed after surgery, suggesting that the procedure was fatal. But by the 1400s it is believed that the operation survival approached 90% of cases. Even with low levels of infection.

Valerie Andrushko, director of the study, University Southern Connecticut State, said the new findings show that Inca surgeons had developed a detailed knowledge of cranial anatomy. "These people were skilled surgeons," said Andrushko.

The study authors noted that Incan surgeons avoided areas where cutting would have been dangerous because it could cause injuries to the brain, bleeding or infection.

Obviously in those days did not have the benefits of anesthesia today, nor antibiotics, but managed with medicinal plants such as coca and snuff. "These, along with maize beer, may have somewhat eased the pain," said Verushka. Other plants could be used as antiseptics or reduce infections.

The technique used to trephine the brain, was not a drill, but with a scraping technique. "The skull was scraped slowly, resulting in a round hole surrounded by a larger area of scraped bone," he told Verushka to National Geographic. As you can imagine this would be very painful, but has found a skull that had seven of these operations, and survived them all.

Image: Flickr