Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Ancient human ancestors had unique diet

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

When it came to eating, an upright, 2-million-year-old African hominid had a diet unlike virtually all other known human ancestors, says a study led by the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany and involving the University of Colorado Boulder.

The study indicated that Australopithecus sediba -- a short, gangly hominid that lived in South Africa -- ate harder foods than other early hominids, targeting trees, bushes and fruits. In contrast, virtually all other ancient human ancestors tested from Africa -- including Paranthropus boisei, dubbed "Nutcracker Man" because of its massive jaws and teeth -- focused more on grasses and sedges, said CU-Boulder doctoral student Paul Sandberg, a co-author on the new study.

The A. sediba diet was analyzed using a technique that involved zapping fossilized teeth with a laser, said Sandberg. The laser frees telltale carbon from the enamel of teeth, allowing scientists to pinpoint the types of plants that were consumed and the environments in which the hominids lived. The carbon signals from the teeth are split into two groups: C3 plants like trees, shrubs and bushes preferred by A. sediba, and C4 plants like grasses and sedges consumed by many other early hominids.

The teeth from the two A. sediba individuals analyzed in the study had carbon isotope values outside the range of all 81 previously tested hominids. "The lack of any C4 evidence, and the evidence for the consumption of hard objects, are what make the inferred diet of these individuals compelling," said Sandberg.

"It is an important finding because diet is one of the fundamental aspects of an animal, one that drives its behavior and ecological niche. As environments change over time because of shifting climates, animals are generally forced to either move or to adapt to their new surroundings," said Sandberg of CU-Boulder's anthropology department.

The researchers concluded from their scientific tests that bark and other fracture-resistant foods were at least a seasonal part of the A. sediba diet. While bark and woody tissues had not been previously documented as a dietary component of any other ancient African hominids, such foods are consumed by many contemporary primates and contain both protein and soluble sugars. The diet of A. sediba may have been similar to that of today's African savanna chimpanzees, Sandberg said.

One unique aspect of the project was the analysis of microscopic, fossilized particles of plant tissue known as phytoliths trapped in ancient tooth tarter, a hardened form of dental plaque, said corresponding study author Amanda Henry of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

"The fact that these phytoliths are preserved in the teeth of 2-million-year-old hominids is remarkable and speaks to the amazing preservation at the site," said Sandberg. "The phytolith data suggest the A. sediba individuals were avoiding the grasses growing in open grasslands that were abundant in the region at the time."

A third, independent line of study -- analyzing microscopic pits and scratches on A. sediba teeth, which reveal what they were eating at the time just prior to death -- also confirmed that at least one of the hominids was eating harder foods, said Sandberg.

A paper on the subject was published online by Nature on June 27. Other paper authors included Professor Matt Sponheimer of CU-Boulder, Peter Ungar of the University of Arkansas, Benjamin Passey of Johns Hopkins University, Lloyd Rossouw of the Bloemfontein National Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Lee Berger and Marion Bamford of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and Darryl de Ruiter of Texas A&M University.

A. sediba is particularly intriguing to anthropologists. The first two individuals discovered -- a juvenile male and an adult female from the Malapa Cave site roughly 30 miles north of Johannesburg in 2008 --apparently had fallen into a hidden pit in the cave and died. With an upright posture and long arms, the curious creature appears to have characteristics of both primitive and modern hominids, including a human-like ankle, short fingers and a long thumb for possible precision gripping and a relatively complex brain compared to earlier hominids, according to researchers.

The jury is still out on exactly where these hominids land on the family tree. A. sediba may have been a descendant of A. africanus, which was spawned by A. afarensis, a hominid represented by "Lucy" who lived about 3 million years ago and is considered by many to be the matriarch of the human family.

The A. sediba remains at Malapa were dated to 2 million years by scientists, a precise number obtained by measuring the decay of isotopes of uranium into lead that occurred in a type of mineral deposit known as flowstone that capped the fossil-bearing layer.

Paleontological evidence, including pollen and phytoliths, shows that the region around Malapa likely was a mix of abundant grassland and woody vegetation about 2 million years ago, said Sandberg. The team's carbon isotope research on the ancient teeth of rodents and hooved mammals that inhabited the region at the time indicated they had a strong affinity for C4 grasses and sedges.

"What fascinates me is that these individuals are oddballs," said CU-Boulder's Sponheimer. "I had pretty much convinced myself that after 4 million years ago most of our hominid kin had diets that were different from living apes, but now I am not so sure. And while our sample is too small to be conclusive, the rate at which Malapa is spewing hominid fossils makes me reasonably certain we won't have to wait another 2 million years to augment our data set. "

###

University of Colorado at Boulder: http://www.colorado.edu/news

Thanks to University of Colorado at Boulder for this article.

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What causes the '7 minutes of terror' in Mars Rover landing? (+video)

The NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover, a mobile robot for investigating Mars's present or past ability to sustain microbial life, is due to land on August 5, almost nine months after its launch.

By Mike Wall,?SPACE.com / June 26, 2012

This artist's concept depicts a sky crane lowering NASA's Curiosity rover onto the Martian surface.

JPL-Caltech/NASA

Enlarge

In just six weeks, NASA's next Mars rover will attempt an unprecedented landing on the Red Planet that will have mission engineers on the edge of their seats with excitement and worry.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
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'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "off"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // --> This 11-minute animation depicts key events of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, which will launch in late 2011 and land a rover, Curiosity, on Mars in August 2012.

The 1-ton Curiosity rover?? the centerpiece of NASA's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission ? is due to touch down inside the Red Planet's Gale Crater on the night of Aug. 5. But it won't be easy.

"Entry, descent and landing, also known as EDL, is referred to as the 'seven minutes of terror,'" EDL engineer Tom Rivellini, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., said in a recent JPL video.

"We've got literally seven minutes to go from the top of the atmosphere to the surface of Mars, going from 13,000 miles per hour to zero in perfect sequence, perfect choreography, perfect timing," Rivellini added. "And the computer has to do it all by itself, with no help from the ground. If any one thing doesn't work just right, it's game over."

'It looks crazy'

Curiosity's landing will likely be more anxiety-inducing than most planetary touchdowns. The robot is too big to land cushioned by airbags like previous Red Planet rovers, so researchers had to come up with an entirely new method.

They settled on a rocket-powered sky crane, which will lower Curiosity to the Martian surface on cables before flying off to crash-land on purpose a safe distance away. [Mars Rover's Sky Crane Landing (Infographic)]

"When people look at it, it looks crazy," EDL engineer Adam Steltzner, also of JPL, said in the video. "That's a very natural thing. Sometimes when we look at it, it looks crazy. It is the result of reasoned engineering thought, but it still looks crazy."

On the night of Aug. 5, the MSL spacecraft will hit the Martian atmosphere going about 13,000 mph (21,000 kph). As it barrels through the Red Planet air, MSL's heat shield will literally glow, reaching temperatures of about 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit (1,600 degrees Celsius).

The relatively thin Martian atmosphere will slow MSL down to only 1,000 mph (1,600 kph) or so, Rivellini said. So the spacecraft will also deploy a parachute, one that can withstand 65,000 pounds (29,500 kilograms) of force despite weighing just 100 pounds (45 kg) itself.

But even the parachute won't be enough.

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Is your leaf left-handed?

ScienceDaily (June 23, 2012) ? The front of a leaf is different from the back of a leaf and the tip is different from the base. However, a leaf from a tomato or an Arabidopsis plant superficially appears to be bilaterally symmetrical, or the same on the left and right sides. Don't let its appearance fool you; there is an underlying asymmetry between the left and right sides of such leaves -- it just took a while for scientists to discover it. The story begins with the mechanism by which leaves form along a stem. In broad-leafed plants, dicots, leaves form from the meristem, an actively dividing tissue at the top of the plant, so that as you look down the stem, the oldest leaves are at the bottom.

Leaves don't just become arranged by random chance either -- phyllotaxis, the arrangement of leaves or flowers along a stem, affects key plant characteristics, such as how much light can filter through to lower leaves. Leaves can form opposite each other, or in alternation, or in whorls; often leaves form in spirals where the next leaf is offset by roughly 137 degrees, known as the "golden angle," which is related to the Fibonacci sequence.

Recent research has shown that leaf initiation in the meristem is specified by locally high concentrations of the plant hormone auxin. In a study published in The Plant Cell, an international group coordinated by Neelima R. Sinha, Ph.D., of the University of California at Davis, examined how the pattern of auxin concentrations might affect the symmetry of the leaf. She explains, "As leaves are initiated within a spiral context, we might expect that they would be asymmetric and exhibit the same handedness of the spiral, like propeller blades. Yet, superficially many leaves appear symmetrical." To examine whether the spiral pattern of leaves affected symmetry, her team first modeled the anatomy of the forming leaves and the location of the highest concentrations of auxin, finding that the two were not perfectly aligned. Following up, they found that this difference caused asymmetry at both the molecular level, altering gene expression, and the anatomical level, altering leaf shape, in tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. Indeed, the authors found measurable anatomical differences between the left and right sides of both young and mature leaves, identifying a previously overlooked axis of asymmetry.

Dr. Sinha summarizes: "Our results show that asymmetry is indeed very much present in the leaves around us and that the spiral, within which they are initiated, influences their development from the earliest stages. Quite literally, the handedness of the spiral in plants transmits its asymmetry to leaves. By studying these asymmetries, we can begin to understand the mechanisms by which plants produce such a staggering array of leaf shapes in such regular arrangements."

This work was funded through a National Science Foundation grant (IOS-0820854) andSystemsX.chPlantGrowthRTD.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society of Plant Biologists.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. D. H. Chitwood, L. R. Headland, A. Ranjan, C. C. Martinez, S. A. Braybrook, D. P. Koenig, C. Kuhlemeier, R. S. Smith, N. R. Sinha. Leaf Asymmetry as a Developmental Constraint Imposed by Auxin-Dependent Phyllotactic Patterning. The Plant Cell, 2012; DOI: 10.1105/tpc.112.098798

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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Wednesday, June 6, 2012

When aliens attack, will we put up a fair fight?

9 hrs.

As summer blockbuster season revs up, one thing is clear: The aliens are coming to get us. Can we, as the movies promise, band together in time to defend ourselves and planet Earth?

Enter the?Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

IEEE raised the question in a Q&A with Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer with the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., who spends his time hunting for aliens and helping Hollywood depict them on the big screen. He doubts we?ll survive any attack.

?Whoever takes the trouble to come visit us is probably a more aggressive personality. And if they have the technology to come here, the idea that we can take them on is like Napoleon taking on (the) U.S. Air Force,? he told IEEE. ?We?re not going to be able to defend ourselves very well.?

That doesn?t mean humans won?t try to put up a good fight, however. Foreign Policy has a cheeky look at the weaponry under development at the Pentagon and the world?s largest weapons manufacturers ?to make the battle for Earth a fair fight.?

Highlights from the list, which is well-worth a perusal, include:

Whether any of this weaponry will be sufficient to save us from attack is questionable, according to my colleague Alan Boyle, who writes msnbc.com?s Cosmic Log. An alien-generated electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, he noted, would likely render most of our weapons useless.

Our best hope may be the Pentagon?s secretive robotic space plane, the X-37B, which can theoretically be hooked up to so-called ?rods from God? kinetic weapons. ?How fearsome would the Predator look with a depleted-uranium spear from space sticking out of its back?" noted Boyle.

--Via IEEE and Foreign Policy?

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Best cream for acne scars - Health and Fitness

best cream for acne scarsTry to keep in mind that over- enthusiastic scrubbing of facial skin can make your skin problems much worse. 15. Create a paste of turmeric best cream for acne scars powder in mint juice. Even though the product? s website quotes a success rate of 85%, it is in sharp contrast to only 42% visitors recommending it in a famous acne forum. Ice pick scars come soft and hard, rid as well as shallow and deep. Take one serving of plain oatmeal and cook it in the same manner as if you were eating it. This scars flare upmayresultsindeeperscars. Acne may go away by just doing one thing but do not expect that forever. Research suggests? but doesn? t prove? that a diet having a decreased glycemic index could possibly lessen the probability of acne breakouts. The condition involves the changes in amount of secretion of oils from the sebaceous glands, which are connected to hair scars follicles in the skin pore. Ideally, you should listen to your dermatologist and follow instructions. Topical Treatments Externally applied creams are also proven successful for acne treatment. If you get this done and live healthily, I am sure you are able to cure your acne in no time at all. Have a breakfast of papaya or banana to help cleanse your insides and get rid of acne. Keep Your Linens Clean to Prevent Acne. Tomato best cream for acne scars and Strawberry Mask Clean one tomato and two strawberries. Since one of the major links is that between acne and hormones, new medical cream breakthroughs focus on adjusting hormone levels. So let? s debunk some of the common acne myths in this article. If you enjoy the sun, be sure to use adequate protection to prevent painful sunburn and the potential for can you get rid of acne scars skin cancer later in life. The dermatologist would then prescribe for a stronger and more effective acne solution. In low dosages, birth control pills prevent new outbreaks and can reduces the number and severity of breakouts. At the same time, rub your affected acne area with aloe pieces is better. The ? zit doctor? helped a little, but I got loaded up on antibiotics to get that support. In fact, it can be a major contributor to unattractive scars. The pores of your skin is about 10 microns in size, most acne treatments contain BPO which is 30 microns in size ? 40. Teasing could be psychologically damaging. Shaving with a shaving cream is usually encouraged as it prevents the pores on the skin from clogging preventing acne formation. Rosewood ? This sweet- smelling essential oil not only helps you relax, it is also an effective acne cure. you Such a small bump, so much at stake. Acne affects about 85% of all people today sometime from the age of 12- 24. 7. Hormones cause the oil glands to produce more oil and if the acne pores are blocked, this creates get best the perfect environment for bacteria to flourish, thereby causing acne. And to make sure they do not get use of to the extra strength Proactiv as they did with the regular Proactiv formula, I began using Murad Acne Complex Kit as well. What causes acne during pregnancy? A major malfunction in the digestive system is often a cause of cystic acne and hence cleansing the digestive system helps to get rid of the acne. Yes, sulfur is an effective acne treatment and if you? re looking for natural remedies for acne to use while you? re pregnant, Sulfur acne treatment is your perfect choice.

Related Post Best cream for acne scars

Ice cubes This simple solution won? t eliminate your acne of course nor it will help get rid of it for a shorter period Make- up can clogPores can lead to more acne. Wearing tight clothing can acne irritate the skin and, often, sometimes even worse. On the Like treatment Vitamin C, green tea is a great antioxidant. Certain proteins combined with copper peptides provide enzymes that give body energy to the Scars caused by increased tissue formation are called keloids or hypertrophic scars. Finding the right doctor Before you decide on laser acne treatment, it You can also cleanse your colon through bowel cleansing and intestine cleansing. 2. Grind nutmeg ( acne jaiphal) with unboiled milk and apply on

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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Handy Shoppers' Tool - Online Product Reviews

The internet is currently the hub of all useful and up-to-date information. Indeed, a lot of people spend time on the internet either working, dating, surfing, or shopping. The latter is far more prevalent due to the convenience and the ability to make great deals with affordable items. Indeed, you can make your purchase with just a click of the mouse, thus saving you on car fuel from having to drive to and from your house. Online shops are built for user-friendly navigation and it is a great time saver since you no longer have to wait in queue just to get your items paid. However, there are also a lot of downsides to buying items online such as the lack of opportunity to test or examine the product for you. Hence, online product reviews sites came in to provide assistance to online shoppers and increase the level of satisfaction when buying.

There are two useful tools available for the online shopper to make more effective online purchases: price comparison sites and online product reviews. Since the internet boomed in the late 90's, there was an expansion of several businesses online such that they provide a centralized area for reaching their worldwide market. This has enabled consumers to conveniently enjoy online shopping and you can enjoy great deals. But for this purpose, focus must be given on the benefit of using online product reviews when buying.

You can find useful product reviews from trusted review sites that offer specialized information on certain niches. As with price comparison sites, online product reviews are intended mainly for educating the consumer about the best choice available to them. With a wide range of options and the accessibility of these products, it can be quite easy for one to be tempted to buying items they readily see. But the real question is, was it worth spending your money for? Online product reviews sites aim to avoid that question being answered with a "no".

One must therefore begin the ability to enjoy its benefits by conducting a research on sites that offer reliable and honest reviews. You can access interactive pages that are highly comprehensible to make it easier to get the information one needs. The beauty about these product reviews is that they offer more than just price listings but an extensive amount of information to ensure that all aspects of the product are examined. Indeed, the aim here is to lay out the information - positive or negative - about a product's features and functionality, with the objective of weighing whether the positive outnumber the negative.

As much as you'd like to invest on finding accurate reviews that provide significant information about a product you intend to buy, you must also provide that same amount of priority in finding these reliable sites. There are literally thousands of online product reviews sites on the internet, such that it is easy to fall victim to fake reviews. With these handy tools available, online shopping has gotten much easier without having to worry about the quality of the product you purchased upon arriving at your doorstep.

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Friday, June 1, 2012

Site updates

June 1, 2012 (9:36 a.m.) - We're investigating malware report that's causing Google to block forums.androidcentral.com. The blog is currently unaffected.

  • Update (10:24 a.m.) - We've identified the issue and have ordered a Sentinel strike.
  • Update (11:25 a.m.) - Google decided to treat one of our ad partner's javascript code as suspicious. The code has been removed and we have requested Google to rescan the site. We have no reports of the ad partner actually serving malware.


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Video: Mauled in May

As the markets begin their final trading hour in May, John Paci, Morgan Stanley co-head of cash trading, offers insight on Morgan Stanley's portfolio rebalancing.

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