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All Present

"Yeah, they're all here."

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Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan

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Storm Damage Will Affect Australia's Economy

The future does not look good for Australia. People fail to grasp the fact that as climate change "bites" the economy will suffer. Erratic weather patterns will affect food production. There will be shortages and prices will rise.

Insurance will become unaffordable as claims get bigger and disasters happen more often. Just one incident on November 27 caused a half a billion dollars of damage in Brisbane. At present, crises seem to be occurring more often. We are told this isn't yet the case, but they are getting stronger. Hotter more humid conditions are causing this.

Water will surely lead to some damage. Strong winds will be the greatest danger. Only strong storms hitting populated areas are reported, yet they happen all over the country. There is a concentration on the Eastern Seaboard, however. Another increasing problem is hail. More of it means a higher number cars will be written off.

Storms are predicted to double by the end of the century. Of course, we will not be here then. Our children though will have to cope with whatever the weather is at that time. The frequency of storms is just an estimate. Stronger storm are a certainty.

✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴

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Horse Tired

Tired Out

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Funny Animal Photos by Ty Buchanan

Old Photos Located in Scotland

A cache of old photographs has been put on display in Scotland. It is not known who took them, but the person must have been an ardent world traveller. There are pictures taken in Bolivia, Argentina, India and New Zealand. The images are of very high quality.

The collection had been stored at the Roslin Institute for many years. This is where Dolly the Sheep was born. Photos of animals were probably taken during research at the institute. It is possible the "culprits" were James Cossar Ewart (who did travel widely) and Robert Wallace who were professors there from 1882. The rest of the photographs are a mystery.

The animal pictures are interesting enough, though the images of people in other countries are illuminating. In one, a leper is carried by two boys with a hanging container for alms. The boys use a carrying pole to distance themselves from the leper. Another picture shows a child with a lamb.

The most significant scene shows a Maori Girl in full dress of the day standing on a canoe. Two cliffs rise from a river's edge vertically upward. Dense vegetation can be seen in the background. Subjects are generally posing in the shots. However, this does not denigrate the images in any way.

✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴

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Animal Lost

"Where am I?"

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Funny Animal Photos by Ty Buchanan

Platypus Ancestor Found

When a platypus specimen was first viewed in England it was a sensation, Many people including scientists said that it was a fake: it was a combination of parts from other animals. However, it did exist in the Australian niche where it evolved.

I should be noted that this was in an era when the English were still struggling with Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest. The majority of the population still believed that God created Man. The Garden of Eden was foremost in their minds.

Today, the platypus' existence is accepted without question. There has not been a lot of fossil evidence about how it came to be. Recently, this gap has been filled by a fossil of an ancient duck-billed marine reptile. Like most fossils which illuminate family trees it was found in China.

Eohupehsuchus brevicollis lived 248 million years ago. Only two other examples of this creature have been brought to light, both in other parts of China. Like the platypus it was small for its time. It lived in an inland sea.

While its body proportions were different from the platypus, clear parallels can be seen: a broad body, no teeth and paddle arms for swimming. Eohupehsuchus brevicollis had a very short neck like the platypus. The fossil is an excellent specimen for research being nearly complete. It has evidence of being attacked, though it did survive this and lived for some time afterwards. The animal was a survivor of the mass extinction of the Permian era 252 million years ago.

✴ Evolution by Ty Buchanan ✴

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Thrown Out by the Missus

"When did your missus throw you out?"

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Funny Animal Photos

Physics Not for Females - Women Say!

More women are moving into academia every year. This is the overall picture. Some areas are still sparsely populated by women. Physics is such a sector of learning. Name a woman physicist - any woman! Few recognise that maths is easier for men, but this is true. There is something about the male hormone that creates this state. Just like women are better at using words.

Notably female physics students at the University of Melbourne have admitted that most women do not have the capacity to master physics. There will always be a few exceptions. However, the reality is that generally, women find study in this specialty difficult. Many female students who try physics ultimately end up in chemistry. They do feel more comfortable there.

The survey of first year females showed more than 50 per cent had a negative outlook of their chances of succeeding. This makes one wonder why they are in the course. However, some were studying physics as a requirement of other degrees. Oddly, some said they enjoyed studying physics.

As a positive, fourteen students were studying advanced physics at the University of Melbourne and were ambitious to achieve their goal. They are definitely thin on the ground with all the males. Another issue is that women do not see physics as a career path. You cannot get work in finance or banking with a physics degree, for example. Research and teaching are just about the only sectors for employment.

High school is where all this begins. A good start in maths in essential. Giving students the choice to do only standard maths must be changed. All student need to do some higher maths, particularly in this computer age. It is human nature to choose an easier option. There is something wrong with the Australian education system: women dominate Italian advanced maths departments.

✴ Education by Ty Buchanan ✴

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You Cannot See Me

"You can't see me."

Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan

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Newly Identified Stem Cell Raises Hopes for Treatment

There seems to be a scientific breakthrough every minute. You go onto the Internet and a new claim appears. Some of course is recycled old news. However, new discoveries are made all the time. Despite spending cutbacks in some countries, science seems to be leaping ahead.

You would think that just about everything is known about the body. Nevertheless, a new stem has been found. A four continent research enterprise called Project Grandiose has identified the new cell which has been put into the "F-class": the cell has a fuzzy body when viewed on a microscope.

It is hoped that the cell can be used in the treatment of injuries and illnesses. The days of using stem cells from afterbirth material are long gone. Adult cells can now be modified for treating various health problems, but this is early research. The only successful treatment to date is for macular degeneration.

Targeting modified stem cells is the main problem. They are like tumours and in the wrong place they can cause damage. The new cell indicates that it could treat diabetes. Producing them on a large scale is the next big issue for the third class of pluripotent cells yet discovered.

✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴

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What is That Kitten

"What in the world is that?"

Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan

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Australians Love Smart Phones but Still Use PCs

A survey on Australians has brought to light some very interesting results. While we are addicted to mobile phones the PC is not dead. Given a clear choice of having either a smart phone or PC, 61 per cent said they would prefer a mobile phone. This leaves a significant 39 per cent still choosing their PCs. The market for PCs is stable. With PCs lasting a long time and manufacturers selling new systems with old chip versions there is still profit in the long term.

Obviously, people would like to have their smart phones and computers. Significantly, 70 per cent of respondents said they would still choose their cars over smart phones. Car addiction is still paramount. In a choice between phones, desktops and tablets, 50 per cent said they preferred their smart phones while 34 per cent chose their computers. Tablets got 16 per cent.

Australians do take their mobile phones everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Going to bed with a mobile is common as is taking it to the loo. People would have their smart phones on board when leaving the house on any trip. The figure of 34 per cent of users having the mobile as their main phone is really not that high. Note that a broadband connection needs a landline and most Australians still leave their household phone connected.

To do shopping, the majority said the mobile was not good on the Internet. The PC was more efficient and faster. A whopping nine out of ten said they had purchased goods on a PC. The tablet was also quite handy with seven out of ten buying online.

Despite companies pushing personalization of ads, a third of those surveyed said that did not like personal ads on their mobile. This is a dream option as ads provide the funding for the Internet generally. Like with free apps the ads are a nuisance but necessary.

Technology by Ty Buchanan

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