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Saturday, July 6, 2013

Ancient predator lacked jaw strength to leverage own fangs, was 'embarrassing'

The extinct and highly unusual predator?Thylacosmilus atrox relied on brute brawn to pin its prey.

By Elizabeth Barber,?Contributor / July 1, 2013

The huge canine teeth of Thylacosmilus atrox extended almost into its braincase.

The University of New South Wales

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?Grandmother, what big teeth you have!? exclaimed Little Red Riding Hood.

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?All the better to eat you up with,? replied the wolf, which had just gobbled up the girl?s relative and strategically donned some of her accessories.

Well, not necessarily. It turns out that big teeth don't always mean a big bite, especially if the animal lacks the strong jaws to wield them.

The hulking, toothy predators that roamed the earth millions of years ago have long been figures of lore for sinking their horrible teeth into the animals unlucky enough to keep company with them. One of the animals in the sabre-tooth lineage, a South American version called Thylacosmilus atrox, had two massive teeth, each with roots stretching back to its braincase and that protruded from its mouth like angry warnings to run away, fast. The catch is, this extinct animal, a species whose closest living relatives are the Australian and American marsupials, had a bite no more powerful than that of a modern domestic cat.

Scientists have found that the worryingly toothy animal actually lacked the sheer jaw power to leverage its own teeth. Instead, the ancient mammal had to rely on its brawn to snag its food, pinning its prey with its muscled arms before administering a precise, strategic bite that depended entirely on its neck muscle force.?

?Thylacosmilus looked and behaved like nothing alive today,? said University of New South Wales?palaeontologist Stephen Wroe, the leader of the research team. ?Frankly, the jaw muscles of?Thylacosmilus?were embarrassing."

To make those findings, published in PLOS ONE, scientists built three-dimensional computer models that played out how three feared animals chased and killed their prey: Thylacosmilus, its cousin, the classic North American sabre-toothed ?tiger? (Smilodon fatalis), and the modern leopard.

The models showed that that both of the extinct species had extremely weak jaws relative to the modern leopard, with those of the odd Thylacosmilus being the weakest. That means that Smilodon fatalis, a true member of the cat family, was similarly dependent on sheer brawn, rather than wickedly punishing jaws, to kill its food.

Lest it be too much of an embarrassment to legend, where Thylacosmilus did have an advantage was in its skull, which was uniquely adapted to absorb the stress of plunging its fangs into hapless animals.

?Grandmother, what a big neck and well-adapted skull you have,? said Thylacosmilus?s prey, allegedly.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/gUDMShrSf-M/Ancient-predator-lacked-jaw-strength-to-leverage-own-fangs-was-embarrassing

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Debbie Wasserman Schultz says in South Florida, "we?ve had nine inches of sea-level rise since the 1920s"

Not long after President Barack Obama gave a speech outlining his plan for attacking climate change, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, appeared on Fox News to discuss the future of energy and the environment.

"We?ve had nine inches of sea-level rise since the 1920s," said Wasserman Schultz in the June 28 interview with Tucker Carlson. "What that means is that communities like mine in South Florida and coastal communities all across the country are facing dangerous sea-level rise, which will ultimately cause homes to be under water in just a few short years."

In this item, we won?t analyze her projections for future sea-level rises; such estimates are based on a variety of theoretical models and come with lots of uncertainty attached. However, we did wonder whether Wasserman Schultz was correct about past changes ? specifically, whether South Florida has "had nine inches of sea-level rise since the 1920s."

First, some background on sea-level rises. "Sea level" refers to the height of the ocean?s surface as measured either by a mechanical tide gauge (a method used since the 19th century) or, since the late 1990s, by satellite measurements.

The kind of changes Wasserman Schultz mentioned are not short-term changes such as high tide and low tide, but rather average sea-level measurements taken over the course of many years.

We located sea level data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a variety of locations, including Miami Beach.

Using tide gauge data from 1931 to 1981, NOAA found a change equivalent to 0.78 feet in 100 years. That?s roughly nine inches since the 1920s.

We checked with two scientists who specialize in sea-level measurements ? Gary B Griggs, director of the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California-Santa Cruz, and Gary Mitchum, a physical oceanographer at the University of South Florida ? and both agreed that the NOAA data was an appropriate source for Wasserman Schultz to rely on. Both scientists considered her claim to be accurate.

We will, however, offer two notes of caution when thinking about sea-level rise.

One complication for making these measurements is that the land-based reference point for a tide gauge is not as fixed as it would seem to the naked eye.

In reality, the land itself may be rising or falling, masking changes in sea level.

For instance, in some places, such as Alaska or Scandinavia, the land is rising because it?s still rebounding from the retreat of heavy glaciers.

In other locations, the slow action of plate tectonics is pushing the land upwards. The effect of land rises can be strong: In places like Alaska, the rise in the land has been faster than the rise in sea level, meaning that sea level is actually dropping in relative terms.

By contrast, in Louisiana, the land is sinking due to a variety of landscape changes made by humans. With sea levels rising and the land sinking, the relative change in sea level is especially dramatic.

South Florida fits somewhere between these two extremes. But because of the variability in land rise from place to place, it?s not appropriate to assume that just because sea level has risen by nine inches in Miami Beach that it has risen by the same amount everywhere.

The second caveat is that past changes in sea level are a whole lot clearer than future changes.

In a 2011 paper, Mitchum estimated that sea level in South Florida would rise 32 inches by 2100, with a smaller possibility of a 40-inch rise. However, other estimates have varied, and Mitchum cautions against assigning too much certainty to long-term estimates of sea-level rise.

Our ruling

Wasserman Schultz said that in South Florida, "we?ve had nine inches of sea-level rise since the 1920s."

That essentially matches the data collected by the National Oceantic and Atmospheric Administration. While there is considerable uncertainty about the future course of sea-level rises, Wasserman Schultz?s estimate of the historical rise appears to be on target. We rate her statement True.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/05/3485930/debbie-wasserman-schultz-says.html

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Friday, July 5, 2013

New X & Y Pok?mon unveiled at Japan Expo

Game Freak director, Junichi Masuda has unveiled a new Pokmon, 'Honedge', which is set to feature in Pokmon X & Y for Nintendo 3DS.

"It is now known that Honedge comes into being when a departed spirit possesses a sword that once belonged to humans," the official blurb explains. "It can use the blue cloth attached to its hilt as nimbly as an arm.

"Pokmon Trainers who carelessly take this blade in hand may find the blue cloth wrapping itself around them and draining their energy!"

Honedge can apparently learn the attack Swords Dance, a Normal-type move.

"Swords Dance is a frenetic dance that uplifts the fighting spirit and sharply raises the user's Attack stat. The effect can be increased by using this move multiple times in succession, helping Trainers who deploy this move at the beginning of a battle to overwhelm one opponent after another!"

Masuda said he specifically chose the Japan Expo in Paris to unveil Honedge due to its inspiration on the world of the new game.

Speaking at the French expo, the director explained that Game Freak visited numerous locations across the country during 2011, and the information it gathered influenced the design of the new Kalos region.

Its visit to Paris provided ideas for Lumiose City, the grand metropolis featured in Pokmon X and Pokmon Y.

For the first time in the series' history, Nintendo is releasing a Pokmon game globally on the same day, with a Pokmon X & Y release date of October 12.

Source: http://rss.computerandvideogames.com/c/674/f/8606/s/2e3f9dc4/l/0L0Scomputerandvideogames0N0C4178630Cnew0Ex0Ey0Epokmon0Eunveiled0Eat0Ejapan0Eexpo0C0Dcid0FOTC0ERSS0Gattr0FCVG0ENews0ERSS/story01.htm

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iPad Mini 2 With Retina Display Costs $299?

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Source: www.ibtimes.com --- Thursday, July 04, 2013
A new rumour emerged, claiming that the upcoming IPad Mini 2 will have a tag price of $299 on its release. ...

Source: http://www.ibtimes.comhttp:0//www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/486710/20130705/ipad-mini-2-rumors-price-specs-features.htm

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Thursday, July 4, 2013

Socks Made with Carbonized Coffee Will Make Your Feet Less Stinky

Plain white socks these are not. The Atlas sock is a performance dress sock made from cotton, polyester and carbonized coffee. Carbonized coffee? Yes, it helps filter and absorb sweat and odor. Even more, the sock uses strain analysis, pressure mapping and thermal imaging to create something ridiculously comfortable.

Seriously, this is one tech'd out piece of footwear. Most of us spend a good chunk of change on our shoes but ignore socks. That ain't right! The Atlas sock, made by Ministry of Supply, is a Kickstarter project (that's already reached its funding) that wants to make your feet feel less awful. The main attraction is its odor control. The Atlas sock literally uses carbonized coffee that is "reclaimed from coffee roasters and shops, and is processed through a pharmaceutical process to remove the coffee oils (so it won?t smell like coffee!) and is then infused into our recycled polyester yarns."

The idea is to make the odor molecules of your foot attach to the carbonized coffee. It'll work like how a Brita filter cleans out water. It sounds absolutely ridiculous but Ministry of Supply claims their Atlas sock is three times better at absorbing odor than a regular cotton sock.

If you want a new pair of socks and/or want to donate to their Kickstarter and/or want to read more about how the Atlas sock is mapped for perfect comfort, head here. [Kickstarter]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/socks-made-with-carbonized-coffee-will-make-your-feet-l-654083525

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Neighborhood residents with lowest incomes most likely to care about their communities

July 2, 2013 ? Some may assume that low-income residents of run-down, crime-ridden neighborhoods do not care about their communities. However, research from the University of Missouri suggests otherwise.

Mansoo Yu, an assistant professor of social work and public health at MU, studied levels of community care and vigilance among residents living in high-crime, low-income areas. Community care and vigilance refer to individuals' desires to improve their communities, to take pride in their neighborhoods and to monitor and report unwelcome happenings, such as crimes, near their homes.

"We hypothesized that individuals with higher incomes would have higher levels of community care and vigilance, but the opposite was true," Yu said. "Residents with lower incomes were more likely to care about their communities than their higher-earning neighbors."

Yu said he and his colleagues were somewhat surprised by the findings that lower-income residents cared more about their communities.

"One possibility is that, because these individuals had such low incomes, they were more likely to stay in the same area for a long time," Yu said. "Low-income residents might lack the resources to move to other communities, whereas their neighbors with relatively higher incomes might be more able to move to better neighborhoods with safer environments."

Yu said community workers and organizers as well as public health professionals should find ways for residents to develop pride in their neighborhoods and encourage them to take actions, such as volunteering, to improve their communities.

"Healthy local environments are related to overall well-being and good mental and physical health," Yu said. "Individuals tend to feel safer in their local communities when they have low levels of depression and high levels of self-esteem. More work is needed to improve low-income areas into healthy environments so individuals' well-beings can improve."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/mental_health/~3/P1lPYW71bzU/130702113435.htm

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Brazil protesters give Rousseff tenuous truce

FILE - In this June 22, 2013 file photo, a man wearing a mask depicting Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, holds a banner criticizing her yesterday speech during a protest in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Public approval of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's government has suffered a steep drop since protesters calling for a wide-range of reforms took to the streets all over Brazil in the past two weeks, according to Brazil's first nationwide poll released since the unrest began. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

FILE - In this June 26, 2013 file photo, demonstrators march toward the Mineirao stadium where a Confederations Cup semifinal soccer match will be played between Brazil and Uruguay in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Public approval of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's government has suffered a steep drop since protesters calling for a wide-range of reforms took to the streets all over Brazil in the past two weeks, according to Brazil's first nationwide poll released since the unrest began. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

FILE - In this June 27, 2013 file photo, a woman shouts during an anti-government protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Public approval of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's government has suffered a steep drop since protesters calling for a wide-range of reforms took to the streets all over Brazil in the past two weeks, according to Brazil's first nationwide poll released since the unrest began. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo, File)

FILE - In this June 26, 2013 file photo, protesters destroy a car from a car dealership during a demonstration in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Public approval of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's government has suffered a steep drop since protesters calling for a wide-range of reforms took to the streets all over Brazil in the past two weeks, according to Brazil's first nationwide poll released since the unrest began. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

SAO PAULO (AP) ? Cristiano Gulias took a deep drag from his mini-cigar and did the unthinkable ? he started a political discussion in a coffee shop the morning after Brazil's national soccer team won a major championship.

Call it a post-protest phenomenon, the rapid politicization of a nation whose people have finally "awakened," as millions of Brazilians chanted during hundreds of protests over the past two weeks.

Political observers in Brazil say that President Dilma Rousseff, following a perplexing week of silence after massive protests broke out on June 17, now better understands the powerful political wave that has swept Brazil and is responding to it. Her actions have helped temporarily take the fire out of the movement.

"Now is the time for the people to sit and bargain with our leaders," Gulias, 84, who strongly supports the protests, said at a Sao Paulo coffee shop as another regular nodded his head in agreement. "We're fighting for the fulfillment of a million broken promises politicians have given us. We've demanded that our voices be heard."

Despite a poll showing a plunge in her popularity, some argue Rousseff has started to rebound by showing Gulias and other citizens that she wants them to be heard within a political system virtually all Brazilians complain has long since stopped listening to them.

On Tuesday, the president will deliver to congress her recommendations on what items should be included in a national plebiscite on political reform.

That's helped end the massive size of the protests, though they are still seen each day in a smaller and scattered fashion. On Tuesday, truckers protesting against highway tolls blocked roads in eight states, crippling traffic in some areas.

Also helping Rousseff is the end of the high-profile Confederations Cup soccer tournament this past weekend, which Brazil won, and the beginning of the South American nation's winter school vacation. The tournament angered citizens upset with the billions of dollars spent on stadiums while they endure underfunded schools and hospitals, and the protests were originally organized by university students.

"She took her time, but since first responding Dilma is giving answers and putting forward proposals that address protesters' concerns," said Helena Singer, a sociologist and professor at the University of Sao Paulo. "Her strong backing of political reform was bold. She's made proposals on health care and education that were on the demonstrators' agenda. The worst thing she did was to delay, but she's responding to the protesters now."

In addition to pushing congress to approve a plebiscite giving Brazilians the chance to vote on what sort of political reform they want to see, Rousseff also says she wants oil royalties used to fund education, announced $23 billion in new spending on urban transportation, and she said she'll import thousands of foreign doctors to work in underserved, poor areas.

She has ordered her Cabinet to focus on and devise solutions for five priority areas: fiscal responsibility and controlling inflation, political reform, health care, public transport and education.

All those moves helped calm the waters. While not offering immediate solutions to the problem of Brazil's poor public services, they at least gave protesters the sense that she was listening to them and starting to work on their demands.

The biggest danger facing Rousseff and the tenuous truce protesters seem to have given her is an area where her government has garnered the most criticism: its economic policy, which many say gives the state too big of a role, scaring away international investors in the short term and ultimately hobbling the nation's ability to economically evolve and become more competitive.

"None of Dilma's proposals address the underlying problem that the economic policy of her government seems lost, it's not effective," said Alexandre Barros, with the Early Warning political risk group in Brasilia. "The economy isn't growing and prices are rising. People can no longer consume as much as they want, creating anger and fear in the middle class."

A new poll from the respected Datafolha published Sunday in the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper backs that up. It shows that 38 percent of Brazilians think their spending power is on the decline, up from 25 percent a year ago. It also showed 44 percent think unemployment will rise, 13 percentage points higher than a year back.

The same poll found that 30 percent of respondents rated Rousseff's government as "great/good," a sharp fall from the 57 percent who gave it that rating three weeks ago before the demonstrations began.

Datafolha interviewed 4,717 people on June 27 and 28. The poll had a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

The U.S.-based political risk consulting firm Eurasia Group said in a Monday research note that the poll numbers mark "the end of a cycle of politics in which incumbents held absurdly high approval ratings, but it doesn't mean Rousseff is politically dead."

For now, Brazilians largely seem to be working to digest the upheaval seen and anger vented on the streets during the protests. They appear willing to give Rousseff the chance to respond, though the patience will not be long-lived.

"I don't think there is any consensus among the people of what all of this yet means," said Marcia Shimabukoro, a 22-year-old university student in Sao Paulo. "Before, we all felt alone and unable to provoke change. Now, we've shown we can become a powerful mass that must be heard. It's a cultural shift for my generation."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-07-02-LT-Brazil-Protests/id-64e9470c321a4d409df169fa4524cb38

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