My Science School

New research suggests that blind people’s brains may be able to adapt regions usually used for sight to help solve math problems.

“Across all humans, numerical thinking is supported by similar areas in the brain,” says Shipra Kanjlia, a graduate student in Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. We are taught to solve math problems from an early age using visuals. Does this brain usage change for people who have never “seen the number of people at a party or the number of flowers in a field?”

Kanjlia asked 17 people born blind and 19 sighted people wearing blindfolds to solve math problems while monitored by MRI. When they worked out the solutions, the standard parts of the brain lit up with activity. But in the blind-since-birth participants, another region lit up: part of the visual cortex. The harder the blind volunteers thought about the algebra problems, the stronger the visual cortex shone. The same region remained dark for sighted participants, even though blindfolded. It appeared that the brains of blind participants had repurposed the unused region to assist in number processing.

Previously, researchers found that the visual cortex can be rewired to handle other sensory input, such as hearing and touch. The ability to do algebra, however, suggests that brain can adjust the visual cortex to handle more tasks.

So are people who are born blind better at math? No, but the findings indicate that the brain is very good at resource management in attending to higher functions.

 

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Researchers from Japan’s Okayama University of Science and the Mongolian Academy of Science came across a massive footprint that may have been left behind by a dinosaur in the Gobi Desert. The fossil is more than 4 feet long with imprints of a titanosaur’s claws. The long-necked herbivores stretched nearly 100 feet from tip to tail and stood almost 70 feet tall. Because of their enormous size, they walked on large stump-like legs that lacked toes, which might break under their weight. The fossil footprint was created between 70 and 90 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.

 

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Ever wonder what the computer-generated Transformer robots in the Transformer movies would look like in real life? A Turkish company has the answer with a fully functional Transformer prototype. Letvision unveiled a prototype called Letrons built from a BMW 3 Series coupe.

In a video, an operator uses a remote control to drive the Letrons vehicle before initiating its transformation. As the BMW slowly unfolds, a robot is revealed and stands tall. The robot can move its head and arms, but the walking functionality has not yet been developed.

There’s no information as yet on how much the Letrons could cost or when it will be available for purchase.

 

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The panda’s distinctive black-and-white fur makes it one of the most recognizable animals on the planet. But why does it have this unique colouring? Panda patterns serve as a combination of communication and camouflage, say biologists.

The white parts of the giant panda (ailuropoda melanoleuca) help it hide in the snow, while black arms and legs help it hide in the shadows.

It’s possible that the panda’s colouration is a result of its restricted diet. Because pandas get little nutrition and calories from eating bamboo, they can’t store enough fat to hibernate during the winter. So they must stay active year-round, wandering long distances and across different habitats – from snowy mountains to tropical forests – to find more bamboo. As the giant panda is unable to moult sufficiently rapidly to match each background, it has evolved a compromise white and black fur.

The bear’s black ears may help express aggression as a warning to predators. And its dark eye patches may help pandas recognize each other.

 

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Geologists propose that lying beneath New Zealand is a long-hidden continent called Zealandia.

A continuous expanse of continental crust covering 4.9 million sq/kms, Zealandia is bigger than the Indian subcontinent, but it would be the smallest of the world’s continents. Unlike the others, around 94 per cent of Zealandia hides beneath the ocean. Only New Zealand, New Caledonia and a few small islands are visible above the sea, Zealandia rises about 9800 feet above the surrounding ocean crust. “If it wasn’t for the ocean level, long ago we’d have recognized Zealandia for what it was – a continent,”says geologist Nick Mortimer.

Zealandia rises about 9800 feet above the surrounding ocean crust.”If it wasn’t for the ocean level, long ago we’d have recognized Zealandia for what it was – a continent.” says geologist Nick Mortimer.

Zealandia probably began as part of the south-eastern edge of the super continent Gondwana before it began breaking off around 100 million years ago. This break-up distorted Zealandia, ultimately lowering it below sea level.

Zealandia faces a battle for continent status as there is no scientific body that formally recognizes continents. Recognizing it as a continent would help scientists piece together ancient super continents, and help in the study of how geologic forces reshape landmasses over time.

 

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A Single gram of poison from Bruno’s casque-headed frog (Aparasphenodon brunoi) is enough to kill 80 humans. The frogs deliver the toxins into the bloodstream of the predator using bony spines that grow out of their skulls which are rooted in glands that secrete the toxic mucous. The frogs live in holes on trees, closing the hole with their heads to maintain humidity inside and reduce water loss from the body. The top of their heads is similar to the barks of trees, making it difficult for a predator to see them. But in case the disguise is identified, it’s impossible for the predator to grab the frog by the head to pull it out of the hole.

Venomous animals have toxins associated with delivery mechanisms that can introduce the toxins into another animal.

Although most amphibian species produce or sequester noxious or toxic secretions in the glands of the skin to use as anti predator mechanisms, they have been considered poisonous rather than venomous because delivery mechanisms are absent.

 

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Created by the Institute ofAdvance Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) the world’s first 3D printed pedestrian bridge is 12 metres long and 1.75 metres wide, and spans a body of water in Castilla-La Mancha Park in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain. The bridge is made up of eight parts, each made of concrete powder micro-reinforced with thermoplastic polypropylene. “This is an evolutionary technique which involves depositing layers of material one sheet on another. Instead of using ink like a normal printer, we were depositing layers of material one sheet on another. Instead of using ink like a normal printer, we were depositing construction material, “said the IAAC team.

The institute stated in a press release that the parametric design allowed for the optimal distribution of the material and minimized the amount of waste by recycling the raw material during production. The design also allowed for maximum structural performance. The material is used only where it is needed, with complete freedom in terms of form, maintaining its porosity thanks to the application of generative algorithms and challenging the traditional techniques of construction.

 

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No man-made object has survived on Venus for more than 127 minutes. A Soviet spacecraft called Venera 13 lasted for 127 minutes when it arrived on the planet: it was eventually crushed by the enormous heat and pressure of the planet. Venus’ 470 degree Celsius temperature, sulphuric acid atmosphere, and overwhelming air pressure (90 times greater than our home planet’s) have left scientists with the challenge to develop technology to withstand such a harsh environment.

After a four-month journey to Venus, the spacecraft descended through the planet's atmosphere, plunging through the clouds toward the surface. Venera 13 then popped a parachute and rode it all the way down.

Venera 13 touched down safely on March 1, 1982, in the southern hemisphere of Venus, on an area that the Lunar and Planetary Institute describes as "a typical expanse of Venusians’ plains." The broad area around the landing site is known to contain lava flows and small dome volcanoes, which may indicate an active surface.

 

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The Naica mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, yields zinc, lead, and silver – and giant gypsum crystals, some reaching more than 30 feet long, that have made the Cueva de los Cristales or Cave of Crystals famous.

Recently, NASA researchers found microbes that thrive on iron, sulphur, and other chemicals, trapped in fluid pockets inside the massive crystals. Analysis suggests that the microbes may have been tucked away in these tiny time capsules for 10,000 to 50,000 years and may have been dormant for some or all of that time. But they “remained viable and were able to be regrown”. The microbes that ended up growing were genetically distant from any known living microbes.

The microbes could represent some of the toughest extremophiles on the planet – dwelling at depths 100 to 400 metres below Earth’s surface and enduring temperature of 45 degree to 65 degree Celsius. Studies like these show that some microbes are hardy creatures, willing to turn just about any habitat into a home.

 

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Indian long pepper may soon be used as a potential cancer treatment drug, according to a new study. It contains a chemical that could stop the body from producing an enzyme that is commonly found in tumors in large number, according to a study in Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Long pepper’s medicinal properties date back thousands of years. Its benefits were even cited by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician known as the father of medicine. Its cancer-fighting secret lies in a chemical called Piperlongumine (PL), which has shown activity against many cancers including prostate, breast, lung, colon, lymphoma, leukemia, primary brain tumors and gastric cancer.

Using x-ray crystallography, researchers were able to create molecular structures that show how the chemical is transformed after being ingested. PL converts to , an active drug that silences a gene called GSTPI. The GSTPI gene produces a detoxification enzyme that is often overly abundant in tumors.

 

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Marne biologists working on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Okeanos Explorer spotted this beautiful deep-sea jellyfish at Utu Seamount in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Looking like a flying saucer with tentacles, rhopalonematid trachymedusa is primarily found in the deep ocean, and is identifiable by its umbrella-like appearance. The translucent creature’s reproductive organs can be seen in bright yellow, and its digestive system appears in red. The creature’s two unique set of tentacles – one facing up and one facing down – likely help it to catch prey.

 

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A new spider species discovered by three Mumbai researchers in the Kans forest area of Karnataka has been named after a popular wizard in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series.

Eriovixia gryffindori, ,measuring barely 7 mm in length, has been named after the wizard Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, mainly because it resembles the magical sorting hat worn by the wizard. The spider’s shape allowed it to resemble a dried leaf and protect itself from predators.

 

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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently launched an unmanned cargo ship bound for the International Space Station (ISS). Along for the ride was the vessel Kounotori 6, which is embedded with a 2300-foot electrodynamic tether (EDT) meant to swat space junk out of orbit.

“To preserve the outer space environment for future generations, it is necessary to remove existing large pieces of space debris,” according to JAXA.

Uses fishnet plaiting technology developed by local fishnet manufacturer Nitto Seimo, the length of the cord is currently about 2,300 feet, but eventually must extend to between 16,400 and 32,800 feet long, “to show down the targeted space junk.”

The idea is that one end of the cord will be attached to debris; the electricity generated by the tether as it swings through Earth’s magnetic field is expected to have a slowing effect on the space junk, which should pull it into a lower and lower orbit. Eventually, the debris will enter Earth’s atmosphere, burning up long before it crashes on land or into the sea.

 

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An underwater robot has captured a rare glimpse beneath the Antarctic sea ice, revealing a colourful world filled with coconut-shaped sponges, dandelion-like worms, pink algae and spidery starfish.

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) recorded footage on a camera attached to a Remotely Operated Vehicle sent down through a small hole drilled in the ice.

“When you think of the Antarctic coastal marine environment, iconic species such as penguins, seals and whales usually steal the show,” says AAD biologist Gleen Johnstone. “This footage reveals a habitat that is productive, colourful dynamic and full of a wide variety of biodiversity, including sponge, sea cucumbers and sea stars.”

These species live in water that is -1.5 degree Celsius year round and covered in nearly 5 feet of sea ice for ten months of the year.

“Occasionally an iceberg may move around and wipe out an unlucky community, but mostly the sea ice provides protection from the storms that rage above, making it a relatively stable environment in which biodiversity can flourish,” he added.

 

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Snakebots, modular robots that look like snakes, developed at Carnegie Mellon University, can twist in many directions and move – slithering, swimming – like their namesake animal.

Built by roboticist Howie Choset, a typical snake robot consist of metal containers linked together, each with a motor and electronic parts inside.

The robots have another special feature: they can manoeuvre into tight spaces, a feat that could help save lives. For example, robotic snakes could help find people trapped in collapsed buildings after earthquakes. With a camera-equipped snakebot, rescue workers could search for people in the rubble from a safe distance.

Snakebots also show promise in surgeries, acting as surgical tools that could be navigated through a small incision, moving around corners and behind organs. This could minimize physical trauma, speed up a patient’s recovery and leave minimal scarring. A company called Medrobotics in Boston is now adapting the technology for surgeries.

Choset is exploring the possibility of sending snakebots into archaeological sites that are too small or dangerous to enter. A robot equipped with a camera could show scientists what is inside and perhaps even retrieve artefacts.

 

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