Another Earth: is there life on it?
A couple days ago, we were wondering about the possible changes of our human perspective with the affirmation that, in fact, there could be other kinds of life out there. First, Osiris and an atmosphere that contains water vapour. Now, here comes Gliese 581c; another extrasolar planet where the surface temperatures, which are similar to the Earth’s, might maintain liquid water and as result, may be habitable. So far we know it is about three times the diameter of the third rock from our sun and, just like our home, it lies in the so called “Goldilocks Zone”, that relatively narrow band of space around a star that is neither too hot nor too cold for us to hope that life may have evolved there. The only way we will ever know for certain whether life exists on this new super-size Earth will be to go there (more than 20 light years from Earth), and with current space exploration technology that won’t be happening any time soon; but on the other hand technological advances arrive on a daily bases at a “light speed”.
Life in another planet. Isn’t too selfish to deny the idea in such unknown, unexplored and mysterious territories that surround us? Do you believe that it could be extraterrestrial life out there? Who knows, but in any case, let’s be prepared. Let’s expect the unexpected.
Filed Under Research
The world’s first “Women’s Town”
Imagine a town where women rule men, where women never make mistakes and men can never refuse women’s requests. This is the underlying concept for a tourist trap entitled “Women’s Town” which sounds a lot like every town I’ve ever known.
In an attempt to boost tourism, the proposed theme-park-of-sorts is to be built in the tiny Longshuihu village in China, where women traditionally rule and men traditionally obey. Sure to be real pleaser for S&M enthusiasts, Women’s Town will punish men for disobedience by making them kneel down on… an uneven board and wash dishes? This wonderfully original idea will cost China’s tourism bureau $26 million in infrastructure, roads and buildings. Foreign investors are more than welcome to help with funding.
It could be the chauvinism in me speaking, but I’ve got a feeling that “Man’s Town” would never come to fruition and that there would be an absolute outrage were it even mentioned. Welcome to Women’s World.
Filed Under History & traditions, Modern Life
I robot: researcher creates his double
Your job, school or both take most of your time, then homework, maybe a second job, then clean the house, don’t forget the family responsibilities. And if this wasn’t enough, you still have to be nice and friendly.
Ever wished you could be in two places at the same time?
Hiroshi Ishiguro, a Japanese researcher has managed it by creating Geminoid, a robot that moves and looks exactly like him. With more than 50 sensors and motors that are implanted beneath its lifelike skin, real hair, movements and an appearance to be breathing when compressed air is pumped through its body, it’s hard to believe this is just a machine.
Filed Under Modern Life, Research, Technology
How you spend 2.5 billion seconds
The average person has about two and a half billion seconds to live. So how do you spend those seconds? They say you should spend every day like it’s your last. I say spend every day like it’s all your days. Were that put into practice you’d speak 123 million words to the 1,700 friends you’ve made, whilst downing 10,351 frosty pints of beer and puffing on 77,000 cigarettes. You’d then probably stumble 15,464 miles back to your place, flick on one of the 4.8 televisions you’ll own, and in a drunken stupor eat 21 sheep and 854 tins of baked beans. At which point your body would probably do some funny things. Be wise, get to the washroom, expel 35,845 litres of gas and, sooner or later, vomit 149 litres. Go to bed, cry 121 pints of tears (most of sadness, some of happiness and certainly some of delirium) and then pass out, and dream 104,390 wonderful, sweet dreams. In the morning you’d go to the 99 funerals of friends who died from lung cancer. And repeat, of course replacing the sheep with 4.5 cows and the beans with 10,000 chocolate bars.
These life stats are taken from Nick Watts’ Human Footprint, a British TV program that visualizes how much the average person will eat, spend, love, shop, travel and waste in a lifetime.
“It was never meant to be an eco, tub-thumping piece of work” said Mr Watts. “It was there to entertain and if it made you think a little along the way about the life you are living, then so much the better.”
Filed Under Modern Life, Research
To die of a broken heart
A widow, a widower; the meaning of these feared words have a reasonable, eloquent connotation: emptiness. The experience of losing your spouse or the one that was “always going to be there”, can be devastating, agonizing and as recent studies suggests, even deadly. Bereavement has, besides an emotional response, also physical, cognitive, behavioral, social and philosophical dimensions. People who lost a partner often adopt unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking or/and poor diet, situation that can cause serious health problems, despite the fact that many of them loose all illusions, future plans, faith, hope and in some extreme cases, any living desire. The study, done with married couples and followed when one partner died, said that there was a high risk of death from any cause in the first six months after a spouse died, and a higher risk of heart disorders in the first five years. Like novels with dramatic stories would say: “If you go, I will die of a broken heart”. But, is it possible? Let’s remember a couple that seemed unable to live without one another, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash; they died within months of each other.
Filed Under Research
Coffee shops will survive the smoking ban
Many countries are banning tobacco smoking in restaurants, cafes, bars and public spaces to protect the non-smokers from the second-hand effects. These bans have provoked all kind of debates all around the world not just by the tobacco producers or the smokers themselves, but also by those who “prefer to roll their marijuana with tobacco into joints.”
In Amsterdam, soft drugs are legally banned, but, under a policy of tolerance, buyers are allowed to have certain amount of cannabis in their possession. Coffee shops are the places where this popular leaf may be purchased and consumed, being able to sell up to five grams of marijuana per person per day. Many people, especially Europeans, would rather mix the marijuana with some tobacco before smoking. So, could a smoking ban spell the end of Amsterdam’s world famous coffee shops, where smoking cannabis is one of the main attractions? Probably not.
Filed Under Diversity, Modern Life, Wondering, World Health
Why junk food is so cheap
Yummy! Corn chips, soft drinks, Twinkies, added fats, added sugars… I love junk food and everything about it. Deliciously affordable and rich in calories, it’s no wonder why my tummy, on my limited grocery budget, puffs out so adorably. But why, with all the chemical processing, preservatives, advertising and packaging does junk food cost less than freshly grown food? Basically a lot of junk food and junk food ingredients derive from carbohydrates and fats teased out of corn, soybeans and wheat. In the US these three commodity crops, along with cotton and rice, are hugely supported by the government under the farm bill, which ultimately leads to the overproduction of these commodities. The farm bill works by paying farmers with a check that grows exponentially with the amount of commodity crop bushels produced.
In comparison, fresh produce receives next to nothing from the government, which results in cheaper soft drinks(due to corn derived sugars) and more expensive fruits and vegetables. Word of advice… grow your own produce and go easy on the cookies.
Fun Fact: a dollar can buy 1,200 calories of potato chips but only 250 calories of carrots.
Filed Under Food