Google is changing our memory!

Google and other search engines are changing the way human memory works, according to a new study. These search engines give us every day thousands of solutions and facilitate various problems on a daily basis.  

The survey, which is the first to examine the influence of search engines on human memory, was conducted by psychologists of Columbia and Harvard Universities together with the University of Wisconsin. The results found indicate that the way with which our brain saves the various data has altered significantly because of the certainty that some of the problems and issues will be found and answered on-line.  

According to experts the Internet has now developed into a dominant form of what psychology calls "transitional memory"; memories that are out of our minds but we know where and how we can access them. Previously this was found in experts or in books in our local libraries. Today internet has taken over, showing its vivid presence in our modern daily life. 

As shown from this survey, we all demonstrate a tendency to forget the things we are sure we can find on the internet while trying to remember those that we know that we cannot find on-line. We also remember where we can find the information needed instead of remembering the actual information. Does this mean that we are getting dumber or substandard or that we rely on the internet too much, is a matter for another research. 

Ancient Egyptians discovered prosthetic medicine

The first prosthetic evidence (two technical foot toes) were constructed in ancient Egypt, according to the magazine "The Lancet".  The evidence found of the two toes, dated before the 7th century B.C. show how they were used not only to complete the physical integrity of the mummy but actually for the better walking process of the patient. 

Experiments took place in order to identify the usefulness of the prosthetic parts, which gave positive results. Evidently this part of medicine (i.e. prosthetic toes) finds its origins in Egypt before the 7th century B.C., whilst a prosthetic leg dated back to the 4th century B.C., found in a Roman tomb in Santa Maria di Capua, was until now considered the most ancient prosthetic limb. 

The healthiest fruit

Its very important we consume a substantial amount of fruit on a daily basis. They have many vitamins that we need and which contribute to our healthy diet.

The ten healthiest fruit are:

10. Kiwi

9. Watermelon

8. Strawberry 

7. Papaya

6. Orange

5. Apple

4. Banana

3. Avocado

2. Guava

1. Pineapple 

So lets not forget to eat fruit daily!

Africa: the birthplace of all languages!

A new research has abolished the belief that all languages in the world were introduced separately in different regions and epochs. Africa is now considered to be the birthplace of all languages, which are dated 150.000 years back. These are findings after a thorough research, which examined 504 languages, took place in Oxford and Oakland Universities. Language, speech, gave the opportunity to groups of people to migrate to other parts of the world, and eventually leave Africa. 

It is believed that the linguistic development is hidden within the timeless evolution of the sounds within the languages. It is also evident that the age of one language can be identified by the variety of sounds and various special phonemes within the language. That is why African languages have 100 phonemes (which is the smallest segmental unit of  sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances), whilst English, French and German have 45 phonemes each and the language in Hawaii only 13. 

However this new research will create various reactions within the linguistic community, since many support the fact that it is impossible to examine any linguistic form prior to 10.000 years back.    

The 10 most spoken languages

Many believe that English is the most spoken language in the world, however we should distinguish that there is a difference between most spoken and most widely spread language. These facts of course change rapidly, according to the languages spoken in the developing countries.

10. German (118.000.000). Spoken in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein as official language and across the world through minorities. 

9. Japanese (123.000.000). Spoke in Japan and Palau as an official language. It is spoken mainly in minorities in South Korea, USA and Australia.

8. Portuguese (200.000.000). Spoke in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Timor Leste and other countries within Central Africa.  

7. Bengali (250.000.000). Spoke in Bangladesh and India.

6. Russian (250.000.000). Spoken in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and within the countries which were part of the USSR.

5. Arabic (440.000.000) Spoke in the Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa. It is the official language in 26 countries, including Israel. 

4. English (450.000.000) Spoken in the Anglo-Saxon world and is also the most wide spread language.

3. Hindi-Urdu (490.000.000) Spoken in India and Pakistan.

2. Spanish (500.000.000) Spoken within the Hispanic world, i.e. Spain, Latin America and is the second official language in the USA.

1. Mandarin (1.025.000.000) Since China has the largest population in the world it also obtains the top place in this list. 

Mammoths will return in four years

The hairy mammoth, which has been extinct the past couple of millennia, will probably return into existence in four years, due to a new cloning method. Previous attempts, by scientists in the '90s, to extract the core of the cells found on the skin and muscle tissues found in Siberia failed because of the cold weather which affected them. 

However a new method found in 2008 by Doctor Teruhiko Wakayama from the Centre of  Developmental Biology in Riken, achieved to clone a mouse from cells extracted from another mouse, that had been frozen for 16 years. Since a solution has been found, Akira Iritani from the University of Kyoto, is trying to resurrect the mammoth after thousands of years since its extinction. All needed is a good and usable sample of mammoth cell in order to commence the cloning process. A female African elephant will be used as a surrogate mother. The percentage for animal cloning has been, until now, very low. Now it is around 30%. 

Nevertheless if this does realise and the scientists achieve their goals it will create certain moral and ethical problems. Where will this stop? What else will man try to bring back to life? These and many more questions will need answering. 

Fasting is good for your health

Fasting has the capability of reducing the possibility of suffering from coronary heart disease. Science is now verifying what many religions have already said since antiquity, that fasting (periodically) is good not only for the spirit but also for the body. (By fasting here I mean the absence of meat and dairy products, although it can be interpreted in different ways.) 

I remember my Biologist teacher, Mrs. Mpali, who stated that fasting two times a week is good for our diet and our bodies. This has been verified now by Science but has been a millennium old practice of Christianity, which has a spiritual but also a historical symbolism and origin, i.e. Wednesdays because that is the day Jesus Christ was caught by the soldiers and Friday due to the fact that it was the day he died on the Cross. 

Although here I refer to a weekly fasting tradition of Christianity, fasting is a tradition and a custom practised by all religions, in order to challenge and teach the faithful. Fasting is another factor which unites religion and science and emphasises how customs practised by religion are verified by the scientific community. 

Our planet will not be able to sustain the population in 2100

The global population is expected to exceed the staggering number of 14 billion people by 2100, which our planet will not be able to maintain. It is believed that about 2050 the world's population will be around 9 billion people. The UN is concerned that the population numbers will be uncontrollable, leading to the eventual 14 billion which is expected, due to the absence of regulatory laws concerning the issue of population numbers. 

In any case an increase of the world's population to 9 or 14 billion, or 7 billion expected by the end of the year, will bring an enormous  pressure on the natural resources of the planet, which will be phenomenal and unique. 

Body Building and infertility

Growing numbers of men are becoming infertile because they take anabolic steroids in order to obtain a muscular body. 

Body Building except from its ability to transform people into 'monsters' it has many defects, infertility being one of them. Doctors claim that men who regularly go to the gym should avoid taking steroids to bulk up. 

Some men who stop taking steroids never regain their reproductive capacity and for others it takes years for normal sperm production to resume.  

How many calories do we burn just by using our brains

Generally our brain burns 20% of the total energy needed on a daily basis in order to function normally. This means that it requires 400-500 calories a day, which varies according to how hard-working someone is. When we are awake we use a major part of our brain in order to function, use our muscles and our senses.

Experiments have shown that this is also relative to ones IQ. According to how clever someone is he burns more calories. This is because a clever person has to use his brain more and harder to solve a difficult problem. 

At least now when I am going to be reading I will have in mind that I'm burning calories...!

Too much TV is bad for the heart

Too much TV is bad for the heart according to British scientists. This cannot be reduced even if someone exercises. Staying in front of the television for more than four hours increases heart problems by 125%. Also it increases by 48% other illnesses. These are mainly caused due to stressful and frightening scenes shown on TV. These illnesses and shocks could eventually kill someone. 

So lets try and reduce the hours we spend in front of the TV and maybe read a book or go for a walk...

Electric Vehicle

General Motors has presented, at the last CES Exhibition in Las Vegas, the new EN-V (Electric-Networked Vehicle), a two seater electric vehicle. It is small, economical and environmentally friendly. It also has many other new and unique technologies. It has the capability to turn 360 degrees around its self, it has sensors which are able to identify obstacles on the street and stops when it detects pedestrians in the middle of the road or if it determines that the vehicle will collide with an obstacle or another vehicle.

It is also equipped with a wireless connection which connects with other EN-Vs, giving the ability to other drivers to be informed of any traffic congestion, or whatever else happens on the road. It reaches 40 mph, which is not much but it is adequate for any city. It charges with a simple plug and it can last for 40 kilometres. 

Closing the radiator will help with your diet

Scientists from City University of London found that having the radiator on  all day long helps increase obesity. The warmth of our house does not allow us to burn any calories, something that would happen if the heating was off and our body had to burn calories to maintain its temperature.

The Scientists found that people living and working all day long in front of the computer, in an office, together with the fact that they do not exercise often contributes towards obesity, which is a common phenomenon in the first world countries. In order to preserve a healthy and stable diet we, in the first world, should preserve a temperature level that would preserve our current weight...this is important because the phenomenon of global warming is increasing the world temperature which means that we have to minimize the temperature within closed areas, whether it is at home or at work, to maintain the current balance.

Maybe by wearing more clothes, drinking more hot drinks and using the radiator less we will all be successful towards finding a solution to the modern problem of global warming.

A Russian "Noah's Ark"

Russian architect Alexander Remizov who has designed "The Ark" believes it could be adapted for all kinds of environments and put to a number of different uses. It will be constructed mainly from timber, steel and high strength ETFE plastic.

The biblical name given to this project was specially chosen by the architect due to the fact that it could save mankind if a catastrophe was going to take place. The creators of this project are planning to construct such buildings even in Antarctica and big cities, for example Moscow, where they will be used as ordinary houses. This shows how this project will not only be used to save mankind, but will also be used as houses, hotels and probably as touristic attractions.

The scientists decided to design "The Ark" as a project of the house which could be built in any place on Earth, even in the most uninhabited. This house can even be built on a water platform.

A wind power generator will run through the centre of the building which would provide power while the outer surface would be covered with transparent solar panels.

The dome shape of the building will assist the wind generators to create a good climate.

In case "The Ark" is built in a desert, where the heat will be intolerable, then the building will have special devices that will redirect it to special energy containers for its further use.

Recycling is also an issue. But the designers have found a solution. All the garbage will be divided into several parts. The first part will be used as the fertilizers. The second one will be processed and the last part will be destroyed inside the special stoves at the output of which essential hydrogen and oxygen are produced. It will be even possible to live inside the Noah's Ark without coming outdoors where one can walk in the winter gardens. Also television and Internet will be provided.

Although this project is still on the drawing board, Remizov believes "The Ark" could be used for many purposes from apartments to offices and hotels. This will also have different sizes which will cater for people between 50 and 10.000 people.

Kit Kat is right...Have a break!

A research held by the University of Queensland in Australia found out, after studying 4.700 workers, that it is bad for the workers' health to work non stop for many hours without a break. So Kit Kat is right...Have a break! To protect your health just have many breaks, although difficult in a tense environment where everyone is working, still small intermissions help your health.   

The researchers have stated that even if one does some exercise whilst sitting down it does not invalidate the negative effects it has. A worker should stretch and walk about every now and then to maintain his/her health, even if this is for a minute or two.

The Cloud Project

Although we are not yet fully integrated into the Olympic spirit, maybe its time we understand and learn what we will see in less than two years here in London. One project, which seems quite futuristic, is the Cloud Project. A group from MIT has tried to find ways to increase tourist attractions in London, especially during the games in 2012.  

The Digital Cloud would float over London, which will be made from towers 120m high, producing a series of interconnected plastic bubbles that would display images and data. This will be placed in the Olympic Park, making it a major attraction not only for the Games but also for London in the long run.



The London Olympics will try and achieve its goal of being the greenest Game in its history, which could also be achieved by introducing this Cloud Project. 

Maybe this project will provoke the sceptics and the conspiracy theorists. All I can say is that maybe Big Brother in the UK will have from now on a fancier look...