The idea is to stimulate nuclear reactions using powerful laser beams. At a specific frequency, these beams cause a nucleus to resonate violently, triggering the nuclear reaction and effectively shaking it apart. And since almost all the photons trigger a reaction, this process can be close to 100 per cent efficient.

S o for example, Ejiri and Daté say this method transmutes iodine-127 into the medical isotope iodine -126 with an abundance of 100 per cent. And it can do it at a rate of up to 10^13 nuclei per second.

“…”This has evolutionary significance because it shows you can take broad evolutionary steps when you’re able to acquire these pieces of DNA,”…”The bacterium is getting a genetic sequence from the very host it’s infecting. That could have far reaching implications as far as how the bacteria can adapt to the host.”…” Full Slice

Time to rethink our known knowns ?

That Face the Normative Social Psychologist - Abraham Maslow (1968)

“…How good a society does human nature permit? How good a human nature does society permit? What is possible and feasible? What is not?…”

Like it or not, the questions Maslow surfaces in this paper are the ones we are dealing with when we decide to pontificate about human problems and suggest our solutions. Obviously I think it would be very wise for all of us to consider Mr. Maslow`s paper and use it as a guide to shaping our discussions. A (almost) Full Slice

[This reference is the closest I have come to finding this paper on the web. Anyone that can discover an accessable complete copy please let me know.]

Picture of the eclipse taken through clouds on December 20, 2010 with the help of my college age son Michael who watched the eclipse with me until the clouds became too thick for us to see it.

Should the intelligentsia move to the Midwest?

Wad’s pictures T*** C******.

• Wad showed pictures and talked about advanced data transfer techniques for automotive based traffic services.

Can the Japanese navigate in space?

• I dunno, can NASA open a cube sat?

Risks and consequences of localized dieoffs.

• Is it possible, given that economy appears to be floundering at best, that localized supply chain failures could occur in second and first world countries, leading to local starvation in large cities (See “Should the intelligentsia move to the midwest”);
• What would be the consequences of said localized die-offs?  Would humans become more individually valuable?
• Common consensus was preference this didn’t occur?
• Wad thought:  If there were a die off, what does that mean for reincarnation?

Lightsail probes.

Growing numbers of billionaires are pledging to donate their money to charity when they die.  Bill & Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet have already donated 10’s of billions to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

• What would happen if the BMGF endowment were to grown to 1 trillion dollars (10% of the way there already)?
• How would business driven charity change world behavior
  • “How would people react to We will give you free health care if you eat the food we tell you and don’t do behaviors we list as harmful and we’ll piss test you to be sure”?
• Could the BMGF take over small countries need significant charity?

Naval Rail Gun test fire

Flow Battery as a radical energy storage mechanism;  (3) implementations summary with graphic

“…[scientists] studied approximately 15,000 different versions of the virus—something that has never been done before. This information has allowed them to locate the specific genes of the virus that were resistant to the drugs—knowledge that could ultimately help researchers develop more effective treatments…the methods…used can be applied to other difficult-to-treat viruses such as swine flu, Ebola, influenza or even staph infections…” Full Slice

“Evidence that the toxic element arsenic can replace the essential nutrient phosphorus in biomolecules of a naturally occurring bacterium expands the scope of the search for life beyond Earth…”Arsenic is toxic mainly because its chemical behavior is so similar to that of phosphorus. As a result, organisms have a hard time telling these elements apart….” Full Slice

I am sure we can bet on more of these being found in the near future.

“…Many human diseases are caused by defects in the DNA code, and researchers are only just beginning to unravel this link.

Beyond offering the general public an opportunity to get involved in this research, the game is also useful for teaching the next generation of genetics researchers about their field. “The precise genetic cause of most diseases is not known, but thanks to Phylo gamers, this research could be significantly improved,”…” Full Slice

and the game

“…A research expedition drilled more than 4,600 feet into this formation, into rock that was very deep and very old, and found a wide range of biological activity. Microbes were degrading hydrocarbons, some appeared to be capable of oxidizing methane, and there were genes active in the process of fixing, or converting from a gas, both nitrogen and carbon…The researchers also noted that methane found on Mars could be derived from geological sources, and concluded that subsurface environments on Mars where methane is produced could support bacteria like those found in this study….” Full Slice

“…single bases inside a DNA chain can indeed be read with tunneling, without interference from neighboring bases. Each base generates a distinct electronic signal, current spikes of a particular size and frequency that serve to identify each base. Surprisingly, the technique even recognizes a small chemical change that nature sometimes uses to fine-tune the expression of genes, the so called “epigenetic” code. While an individual’s genetic code is the same in every cell, the epigenetic code is tissue and cell specific and unlike the genome itself, the epigenome can respond to environmental changes during an individual’s life….” Full Slice

“…Neurobiologists…have become the first to identify neural pathways and types of neurons in the amygdala which play a key role in the behavioral expression of fear. In two studies…they show that there are clearly defined types of neurons in the amygdala which fulfill specific functions in the processing of fear inputs and subsequent fear responses. These cell types are organized in circuits, connecting neurons and various areas within the amygdala.

In collaboration with colleagues…neurobiologists went on to show that one of the cell types produces a signaling protein known as protein kinase C delta. This has provided the researchers with a marker for cells in the amygdala which directly regulate the expression of fear….” Full Slice

“Positive psychological changes that occur during meditation training are associated with greater telomerase activity, according to researchers…The study is the first to link positive well-being to higher telomerase, an enzyme important for the long-term health of cells in the body.

The effect appears to be attributable to psychological changes that increase a person’s ability to cope with stress and maintain feelings of well-being…Telomerase is an enzyme that can rebuild and lengthen telomeres. Other studies suggest that telomerase activity may be a link between psychological stress and physical health….” Full Slice

“…Since latently HIV-infected cells are unstable and constantly release HIV virions, the activated macrophages rapidly intercept the released HIV virions to prevent reinfection resulting in exhaustion of infected cells. After less than 18 weekly administrations of 100 ng GcMAF for nonanemic patients, they exhibited low serum Nagalase activities equivalent to healthy controls, indicating eradication of HIV-infection, which was also confirmed by no infectious center formation by provirus inducing agent-treated patient PBMCs. No recurrence occurred and their healthy CD + cell counts were maintained for 7 years.” Full Slice

“…By inhibiting these inhibitors, Reaper essentially takes the brakes off the process of apoptosis, pronouncing a cell’s death sentence. Other molecules called caspases then carry that sentence out.

“Like the grim reaper, Reaper is an announcer of death, but not the executioner,”…” Full Slice

“…Using the concentrated solutions of dissolved graphene, the scientists made transparent films that were electrically conductive. Such films could be useful in making touch screens that are less expensive than those used in today’s smart phones. In addition, the researchers also produced liquid crystals.

“If you can make liquid crystals, you can spin fibers,”…”In liquid crystals, the individual sheets align themselves into domains, and having some measure of alignment allows you to flow the material through narrow openings to create fibers.”

If the method proves useful for making graphene fibers in bulk, it could drive down the cost of the ultrastrong carbon composites used in the aerospace, automotive and construction industries.” Full Slice