French, German and Hungarian physicists have finally confirmed the equation on mass-energy equivalence more than a century after the German-born theoretical physicist unveiled his e=mc2 formula. Led by Laurent Lellouch of France's Center for Theoretical Physics, the group of physicists used some of the world's strongest supercomputers to establish the calculations for estimating the mass of protons and neutrons, the particles at the nucleus of atoms. Proposed in his Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, Albert Einstein's e=mc2 formula shows that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa. And although the theory has only now been corroborated, that hasn't stopped it from being used frequently, perhaps most notably as the basis for building atomic weapons.
Led by Laurent Lellouch of France's Center for Theoretical Physics, the group of physicists used some of the world's strongest supercomputers to establish the calculations for estimating the mass of protons and neutrons, the particles at the nucleus of atoms.
Proposed in his Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, Albert Einstein's e=mc2 formula shows that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa. And although the theory has only now been corroborated, that hasn't stopped it from being used frequently, perhaps most notably as the basis for building atomic weapons.
E = m c^2 was checked before in hundreds of different totally different experiments, with completely different sorts of energy variations.
If these calculations, that seem to use Quantum Chromo-Dynamics on a space time grid, come out with the right mass, it does say much more about
He has met Mao Zedong, Pol Pot and Che Guevara. He defended 'Carlos the Jackal' and Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie. Jacques Vergès, 83, is probably the world's most notorious attorney. His latest client is Khieu Samphan, the former head of state of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, who is on trial for war crimes. SPIEGEL: Mr. Vergès, are you attracted to evil? Jacques Vergès: Nature is wild, unpredictable and senselessly gruesome. What distinguishes human beings from animals is the ability to speak on behalf of evil. Crime is a symbol of our freedom. SPIEGEL: That's a cynical worldview. Vergès: A realistic one. Kai Jünemann Jacques Vergès: "One of my principles is to have no principles." SPIEGEL: You have defended some of the worst mass murderers in recent history, and you have been called the "devil's advocate." Why do you feel so drawn to clients like Carlos and Klaus Barbie? Vergès: I believe that everyone, no matter what he may have done, has the right to a fair trial. The public is always quick to assign the label of "monster." But monsters do not exist, just as there is no such thing as absolute evil. My clients are human beings, people with two eyes, two hands, a gender and emotions. That's what makes them so sinister.
He has met Mao Zedong, Pol Pot and Che Guevara. He defended 'Carlos the Jackal' and Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie. Jacques Vergès, 83, is probably the world's most notorious attorney. His latest client is Khieu Samphan, the former head of state of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, who is on trial for war crimes.
SPIEGEL: Mr. Vergès, are you attracted to evil?
Jacques Vergès: Nature is wild, unpredictable and senselessly gruesome. What distinguishes human beings from animals is the ability to speak on behalf of evil. Crime is a symbol of our freedom.
SPIEGEL: That's a cynical worldview.
Vergès: A realistic one. Kai Jünemann
Jacques Vergès: "One of my principles is to have no principles."
SPIEGEL: You have defended some of the worst mass murderers in recent history, and you have been called the "devil's advocate." Why do you feel so drawn to clients like Carlos and Klaus Barbie?
Vergès: I believe that everyone, no matter what he may have done, has the right to a fair trial. The public is always quick to assign the label of "monster." But monsters do not exist, just as there is no such thing as absolute evil. My clients are human beings, people with two eyes, two hands, a gender and emotions. That's what makes them so sinister.
Almost one fifth of Amsterdam's cannabis cafés are to close because they are too near to the city's schools. Amsterdam Council plans to shut 43 out of the capital's 228 popular marijuana-selling coffee shops in support of a Dutch Government bid to protect schoolchildren from drugs. The cafés are a big tourist draw and resemble ordinary coffee bars but include a cannabis menu detailing several varieties of the drug. The city's Labour Lord Mayor Job Cohen said the businesses due to close were all within an "unacceptable" 200 metres of schools. Peter Veling, a spokesman for the Cannabis Union in the Netherlands, said the closures were unnecessary as coffee shop owners carefully monitored customer's ages, banning schoolchildren. "They know a school aged customer found on the premises would mean instant closure of the coffee shop."
Amsterdam Council plans to shut 43 out of the capital's 228 popular marijuana-selling coffee shops in support of a Dutch Government bid to protect schoolchildren from drugs.
The cafés are a big tourist draw and resemble ordinary coffee bars but include a cannabis menu detailing several varieties of the drug.
The city's Labour Lord Mayor Job Cohen said the businesses due to close were all within an "unacceptable" 200 metres of schools.
Peter Veling, a spokesman for the Cannabis Union in the Netherlands, said the closures were unnecessary as coffee shop owners carefully monitored customer's ages, banning schoolchildren.
"They know a school aged customer found on the premises would mean instant closure of the coffee shop."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Attitudes towards gays and lesbians in much of Europe and around the world may have made remarkable advances over the last 20 years, even if some regions of the EU are more hospitable than others. But for transgender people, discrimination, marginalisation and outright hostility remain part of daily experience. A transgender woman protests discrimination at a Paris demonstration Transsexual people are often fired from their jobs when undergoing gender reassignment procedures. They are turfed out of their apartments, refused insurance and confronted with bigotry within the health community. Gender non-conformity is still used as an excuse for harassment, violence and even murder A report on homophobia and sexual orientation discrimination in the 27-country bloc by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency published in June 2008 identified serious gaps in national legislation in regards to transgender people's rights On Thursday (20 November), transgender people around the world observed the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, held to remember the murder of Rita Hester, a transgender woman from Boston, and all other transgender people who have been killed because they do not fit into the traditional mould. Ms Hester's murder - like most anti-transgender murder cases - has yet to be solved.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Attitudes towards gays and lesbians in much of Europe and around the world may have made remarkable advances over the last 20 years, even if some regions of the EU are more hospitable than others. But for transgender people, discrimination, marginalisation and outright hostility remain part of daily experience.
A transgender woman protests discrimination at a Paris demonstration
Transsexual people are often fired from their jobs when undergoing gender reassignment procedures. They are turfed out of their apartments, refused insurance and confronted with bigotry within the health community. Gender non-conformity is still used as an excuse for harassment, violence and even murder
A report on homophobia and sexual orientation discrimination in the 27-country bloc by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency published in June 2008 identified serious gaps in national legislation in regards to transgender people's rights
On Thursday (20 November), transgender people around the world observed the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, held to remember the murder of Rita Hester, a transgender woman from Boston, and all other transgender people who have been killed because they do not fit into the traditional mould. Ms Hester's murder - like most anti-transgender murder cases - has yet to be solved.
EUOBERVER / BRUSSELS - The number of marriages in the EU has been steadily decreasing over the years, while Europeans nowadays tend to wait more before saying "yes" if compared to 15 years ago, a European Commission study showed on Friday (21 November). The age at the first marriage increased overall by 2.3 years for men and 2.6 years for women between 1990 and 2003, according to the Eurostat survey. Europeans marry less nowadays, according to the Eurostat survey While women used to marry at 24.8 years and men at 27.5 years in 1990, they did it at 27.4 years and 29.8 years in 2003. The age of women giving birth for the first time has also been progressively increasing over the years and reached 31 years in 2006 in some countries such as Ireland, Italy and Spain. In parallel, the overall number of marriages in the EU decreased by 30 percent between the years 1975 and 2005, going from 3.45 million to 2.4 million, the survey says.
EUOBERVER / BRUSSELS - The number of marriages in the EU has been steadily decreasing over the years, while Europeans nowadays tend to wait more before saying "yes" if compared to 15 years ago, a European Commission study showed on Friday (21 November).
The age at the first marriage increased overall by 2.3 years for men and 2.6 years for women between 1990 and 2003, according to the Eurostat survey.
Europeans marry less nowadays, according to the Eurostat survey
While women used to marry at 24.8 years and men at 27.5 years in 1990, they did it at 27.4 years and 29.8 years in 2003.
The age of women giving birth for the first time has also been progressively increasing over the years and reached 31 years in 2006 in some countries such as Ireland, Italy and Spain.
In parallel, the overall number of marriages in the EU decreased by 30 percent between the years 1975 and 2005, going from 3.45 million to 2.4 million, the survey says.
(Los Angeles, CA.) - A long-term feeding study commissioned by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, Family and Youth, and carried out by Veterinary University Vienna, confirms genetically modified (GM) corn seriously affects reproductive health in mice. Non-GMO advocates, who have warned about this infertility link along with other health risks, now seek an immediate ban of all GM foods and GM crops to protect the health of humankind and the fertility of women around the world. Feeding mice with genetically modified corn developed by the US-based Monsanto Corporation led to lower fertility and body weight, according to the study conducted by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Lead author of the study Professor Zentek said, there was a direct link between the decrease in fertility and the GM diet, and that mice fed with non-GE corn reproduced more efficiently. In the study, Austrian scientists performed several long-term feeding trials over 20 weeks with laboratory mice fed a diet containing 33% of a GM variety (NK 603 x MON 810), or a closely related non-GE variety used in many countries. Statistically significant litter size and pup weight decreases were found in the third and fourth litters in the GM-fed mice, compared to the control group. The corn is genetically modified with genes that produce a pesticidal toxin, as well as genes that allow it to survive applications of Monsanto's herbicide Roundup.
(Los Angeles, CA.) - A long-term feeding study commissioned by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, Family and Youth, and carried out by Veterinary University Vienna, confirms genetically modified (GM) corn seriously affects reproductive health in mice. Non-GMO advocates, who have warned about this infertility link along with other health risks, now seek an immediate ban of all GM foods and GM crops to protect the health of humankind and the fertility of women around the world.
Feeding mice with genetically modified corn developed by the US-based Monsanto Corporation led to lower fertility and body weight, according to the study conducted by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Lead author of the study Professor Zentek said, there was a direct link between the decrease in fertility and the GM diet, and that mice fed with non-GE corn reproduced more efficiently.
In the study, Austrian scientists performed several long-term feeding trials over 20 weeks with laboratory mice fed a diet containing 33% of a GM variety (NK 603 x MON 810), or a closely related non-GE variety used in many countries. Statistically significant litter size and pup weight decreases were found in the third and fourth litters in the GM-fed mice, compared to the control group.
The corn is genetically modified with genes that produce a pesticidal toxin, as well as genes that allow it to survive applications of Monsanto's herbicide Roundup.
The study itself is here.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2008) -- Groove-like tracks on the ocean floor made by giant deep-sea single-celled organisms could lead to new insights into the evolutionary origin of animals, says biologist Mikhail "Misha" Matz from The University of Texas at Austin. Matz and his colleagues recently discovered the grape-sized protists and their complex tracks on the ocean floor near the Bahamas. This is the first time a single-celled organism has been shown to make such animal-like traces. The finding is significant, because similar fossil grooves and furrows found from the Precambrian era, as early as 1.8 billion years ago, have always been attributed to early evolving multicellular animals. "If our giant protists were alive 600 million years ago and the track was fossilized, a paleontologist unearthing it today would without a shade of doubt attribute it to a kind of large, multicellular, bilaterally symmetrical animal," says Matz, an assistant professor of integrative biology. "We now have to rethink the fossil record." [...] With their find, Matz and his colleagues argue that fossil traces cannot be used alone as evidence that multicellular animals were evolving during the Precambrian, slowly setting the stage for the Cambrian explosion. "I personally think now that the whole Precambrian may have been exclusively the reign of protists," says Matz. "Our observations open up this possible way of interpreting the Precambrian fossil record."
ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2008) -- Groove-like tracks on the ocean floor made by giant deep-sea single-celled organisms could lead to new insights into the evolutionary origin of animals, says biologist Mikhail "Misha" Matz from The University of Texas at Austin.
Matz and his colleagues recently discovered the grape-sized protists and their complex tracks on the ocean floor near the Bahamas. This is the first time a single-celled organism has been shown to make such animal-like traces.
The finding is significant, because similar fossil grooves and furrows found from the Precambrian era, as early as 1.8 billion years ago, have always been attributed to early evolving multicellular animals.
"If our giant protists were alive 600 million years ago and the track was fossilized, a paleontologist unearthing it today would without a shade of doubt attribute it to a kind of large, multicellular, bilaterally symmetrical animal," says Matz, an assistant professor of integrative biology. "We now have to rethink the fossil record."
[...]
With their find, Matz and his colleagues argue that fossil traces cannot be used alone as evidence that multicellular animals were evolving during the Precambrian, slowly setting the stage for the Cambrian explosion.
"I personally think now that the whole Precambrian may have been exclusively the reign of protists," says Matz. "Our observations open up this possible way of interpreting the Precambrian fossil record."
