The Unlikely Buddha

Through genetic studies, we know that people of European descent have about 2% Neanderthal DNA, while people of African descent have about 1%. People of Asian descent have an intermediate amount of Neanderthal DNA, around 1.5%.   There have been a number of studies that have looked for differences between people with Neanderthal DNA and those without. Some studies have found small but significant differences in physical traits, such as skin color, hair texture, and body mass index. One of the most well-known studies on the effects of Neanderthal DNA was published in the journal Nature in 2014. This study found that people with Neanderthal DNA were more likely to have pale skin and red hair. The study also found that people with Neanderthal DNA were less likely to develop autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. There is some evidence to suggest that people with Neanderthal DNA may have some small but significant differences in physical traits, medic...

  By measuring inflated helium nuclei, physicists have challenged our best understanding of the force that binds protons and neutrons. Illustration of three balloons with spirals and glowing orbs surrounding them to symbolize helium A new measurement of the strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons together, confirms previous hints of an uncomfortable truth: We still don’t have a solid theoretical grasp of even the simplest nuclear systems. To test the strong nuclear force, physicists turned to the helium-4 nucleus, which has two protons and two neutrons. When helium nuclei are excited, they grow like an inflating balloon until one of the protons pops off. Surprisingly, in a recent experiment, helium nuclei didn’t swell according to plan: They ballooned more than expected before they burst. A measurement describing that expansion, called the form factor, is twice as large as theoretical predictions. “The theory should work,” said Sonia Bacca, a theoretical physicist at...

  Campus Galli is a Carolingian monastic community under construction in Meßkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany . The construction project includes plans to build a medieval monastery according to the early ninth-century Plan of Saint Gall using techniques from that era. The long-term financing of the project is to come from revenue generated from the site's operation as a tourist attraction. The construction site has been open for visitors since June 2013. The construction of a wooden church was started in 2014, and the main structure was completed in 2015. Construction continues on the interior and details of the exterior. The Carolingian monastery town is located in a wooded area approximately four kilometers north of the small town of Meßkirch in southern Germany. The buildings follow the designs in the Plan of Saint Gall , the only surviving major architectural drawing from the Middle Ages, and uses as much as possible the materials and methods contemporary to the time of Cha...

  Scientists from the Keck School of Medicine at USC have published the first detailed description of the interplay between two cell types that allow lizards to regenerate their tails. Their study, "Single-cell analysis of lizard blastema fibroblasts reveals phagocyte-dependent activation of Hedgehog-responsive chondrogenesis," which was funded by the NIH and appears in Nature Communications, focused on lizards' unusual ability to rebuild cartilage, which replaces bone as the main structural tissue in regenerated tails after tail loss. The discovery might eventually offer insights for researchers studying how to rebuild cartilage damaged by osteoarthritis in humans, a degenerative and debilitating disease that affects about 32.5 million adults in the U.S., according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis. The study's lead author, Thomas Lozito, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and stem cell biology and reg...

What is even more amazing is that Milton wrote Paradise Lost while he was completely blind. Milton began to lose his sight in his early 40s, and by the time he was 45, he was completely blind. This was a devastating blow to Milton, who had always been a voracious reader and writer. However, he refused to let his blindness stop him from pursuing his literary ambitions. Milton dictated Paradise Lost to a series of amanuenses, or assistants who took down his words as he spoke them. He also used a technique called "pricking," in which he would make indentations in the paper with a stylus, and then his amanuenses would fill in the words. The writing of Paradise Lost was a long and arduous process, taking Milton seven years to complete. However, the result was a work of staggering beauty and power. Paradise Lost tells the story of the Fall of Man, and it is a meditation on the nature of good and evil, free will and determinism, and the relationship between God and humanity. Milton...

The Grand Canyon National Monument designation protects  the water resources in the area from potential contamination from uranium mining. This is a major concern for the tribes in the area, as they rely on the water for drinking, irrigation, and religious purposes.  QUESTION Is there any direct evidence that current uranium mining around the Grand Canyon has polluted the water of that area. Not what 'could' happen, but what 'has"' happened up to now. ANSWER There is no direct evidence that current uranium mining around the Grand Canyon has polluted the water of that area. However, there is some indirect evidence that suggests that it is a potential problem. For example, a study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that uranium concentrations in groundwater near the Orphan Mine, which is located just outside Grand Canyon National Park, were above the EPA's drinking water standard. The study also found that the uranium concentrations were highest at springs downs...

Mark Zuckerberg: Elon, it's good to see you again. Elon Musk: Likewise, Mark. It's been a while. Mark Zuckerberg: I know, it has. We've been pretty busy, both of us. Elon Musk: That's for sure. I'm still trying to figure out how to get to Mars, and you're still trying to figure out how to keep people from hating you. Mark Zuckerberg: (laughs) That's one way of putting it. Elon Musk: So, how are we doing, Mark? Are we still competing with each other? Mark Zuckerberg: We are, but it's a friendly competition. We both want to make the world a better place, and we both think social media can play a big role in that. Elon Musk: I agree. Social media has the potential to connect people and share ideas in ways that were never before possible. But it also has the potential to be used for harm. Mark Zuckerberg: That's why it's so important that we use social media responsibly. We need to make sure that it's a force for good, not for evil. Elon Musk: I ...