Scientists developed an advanced robotic hand technology

Scientists from Cornell University succeeded in making history. They have managed to develop an advanced robotic hand which has the sensitivity like a human hand.

A robotic team of Cornell University has managed to develop an advanced robotic hand technology. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1guzfb)

Yes, this robotic hand developed by a robotic team led by Robert Shepherd, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell University was filled with optical fibers that can detect how light passed through the hands changes as it moves and comes into contact with other objects. 

Unlike other robotic hand that has a sensor on the outside, this product puts the sensors inside making it more similar to the human hands. Typically, robots that sense what they touch rely on the object being able to conduct electricity, which the robot could then detect to try to learn things about what it’s touching.

The Cornell researchers said, that the technology is expected to help the disabled people with prosthetic hands to get their lives back. Due to these robotic hand has the ability to restore people’s sense of touch, or could give biologically inspired robots a more delicate and sensitive style of physical contacts.

As quoted from Recode on Monday, December 19, 2016, according to Huichan Zhao the Cornell doctoral candidate who is the lead author on the research on the soft robo-hand published in the Science Robotics journal this month said that she estimates that her team’s soft robotic hand could be made for as cheap as US. $50 (approx Rp.677 thousand). *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RECODE]

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The scientists recorded the sightings of a mysterious Ghost shark

In a rare sighting, scientists recorded the image of a scary shark with a bluish color and gray that was swimming in the waters of the northern hemisphere. "The ghost sharks" recorded was actually not a shark, but chimaera, or relatives who split from the evolutionary cousin sharks approximately 300 million years ago.

These water crature is only known to live near New Zealand and Australia. However, the marine biologists say that this video footage could show a greater range of locations than they previously realized.

Is this Hydrolagus Trolli or the pointy-nosed blue chimaera? (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gtEsm)

"Usually, people probably would not have seen them around this area, so it is a little bit lucky this discovery," said Program Director for Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Dave Ebert, as quoted from National Geographic on Monday, December 19, 2016.

Researchers did not set out to find Hydrolagus Trolli or pointy-nosed blue chimaera when they sent a remotely operated underwater vehicle to explore the waters off of California and Hawaii in 2009. Instead, the scientists involved in this project is a geologist but they studied motherlode marine biology also.

Chimaera which is also known as baronang, ratfish, ghost sharks or chimaeras were prefer cold water from the deep sea. Physically, chimaeras have a bit of their sea dinosaur-like ancestors with scary stripes along the head and body.

Footage of the divers was finally released this week by Monteray Bay Aquarium Research Institute. If the creatures featured in the video confirmed was true the pointy-nosed blue chimaera, it would be the first time for scientists to see one of them is in the northern hemisphere. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC]

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The dwarf planet Ceres turned out to be covered by ice

The dwarf planet Ceres is a rocky place that is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and is based on research done by NASA, it also contains a lot of ice on its dark surface.

The study, published in several reports in the journals Science and Nature Astronomy can lead to commercial mining on asteroids for both robotic and human expeditions to the moon.

A snapshot of Ceres' surface, with overlaid animation showing the locations of "bright spots" that reflect sunlight. Scientists have discovered that one of these bright spots contain water ice. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grVRl)

Is a NASA spacecraft named Dawn was surrounding the Ceres since March 2015, in the 14-months mission to study Vesta, the second largest object in the belt.

Based on the study, Ceres contains 10 percent water, now frozen into ice, according to a physicist named Thomas Prettyman of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, which is also one of the researchers.

Dawn, a NASA's spaceprobe in an artist illustration. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1AcjFfG)

By studying the solar system on the objects like Ceres will provide an overview of how the system is formed. When compared with Vesta is dry, then the condition of Ceres is more like Enceladus and Europa, the frozen moon of Saturn and Jupiter. So also when compared with Earth, Mercury, Venus and Mars, Prettyman said further.

The concentration of hydrogen on Ceres (right) and Vespa (left). Blue areas are where hydrogen content is higher, while red areas have lower levels of hydrogen. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grVFj)

Scientists were still debating whether Ceres has a salty sea, which creates a perception will grow dwarf planet outside the solar system that might be able to accommodate life, said the deputy leader of Dawn mission, Carol Raymond of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"By finding a place rich in water in the past, we can find clues to the likely life of the early solar system," Raymond said through a written statement.

The informations collected by Dawn shown, that Ceres using the water to form minerals. Then the scientists combining the mineral data with computer models to study the interior.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | POPULAR MECHANICS | SPACE]

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The new X-ray technology is capable to detect the hidden gold on the rocks

A new X-ray technology can provide information in "real-time" on the content of gold in rocks that can help revolutionize the assay industry by by saving time, costs and reduce toxic waste. The inventor of this new gold detection technology named PhotonAssay X-ray is Dr. James Tickner of CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) said that the new method using high-strength X-rays to bombard the rock samples and activate the gold atoms in it.

Gold nugget. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grNtc)

A detector is used to capture "the signs of the unique" to exude the level of concentration of gold atoms and other elements to determine the feasibility of a gold mining area.

Tickner said the new method will provide information in "real-time" to the mining operator, something they never had in the past.

"Existing analysis methods can take a day or more to return a result, which can be a real problem if miners needs informations right now to manage their operations," Tickner said in a statement on Thursday.

"Our patented PhotonAssay will be a game changer, capable of delivering accurate results in just a few minutes without generating the toxic waste products which have been problematic in other assay systems," Tickner added.

(L-R): Mr Anthony McLellan, Chairman of Chrysos, and Dr. James Tickner, CSIRO’s lead inventor of the PhotonAssay X-ray gold detection technology. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grNtc)

Tickner said the invention would prove useful in a field, especially in Australia, which is in decline. By quickly analyzing soils and rocks, miners can determine whether or not it is pursuing, while the technology can also be used to determine the presence of other, lower quality ores as well.

"We have to focus on improving the accuracy, sensitivity and simplicity of the technology to make it useful for low-grade Australian mining operations. By providing reliable and fast information to the clients, we increasing their potential to maximize their profits and increase productivity, even on the lower quality ores," Tickner said further.

This technology will be sold through Chrysos Corporation, of which the CSIRO will have a stake of 34 percent. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CSIRO | XINHUA]

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Beans and peas to be more filling than meat

A recent study in the journal Food & Nutrition showed the protein in beans and peas is more satisfying than the protein contained in beef and pork. In one study were 43 young men consumed three different foods, each containing beans, peas or meat.

Scientists said that beans and peas increase fullness more than meat. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gnVN1)

"Bean-based protein-rich foods contain more fiber than beef, which may contribute to increase the feeling of fullness," said lead researcher Professor Anne Raben of University of Copenhagen's Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports.

In addition, when the participants consumed beans and peas, as they receive intake 12 calories lower at the next meal. Other findings that are not less interesting from the research are beans and peas tasted much more tasty and satisfying than meat.

"People can eat rich fiber foods, with a little protein, and achieve the sensation of fullness. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to obtain definitive evidence especially based on beans and peas as both can contribute to weight loss," said Raben as reported of eurekalert.org. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | EUREKALERT]

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One of the tsunami triggers in Indonesia was sitting under the Banda Sea

A gaping trench in the sea floor in the Banda Sea in eastern Indonesia. The rips in the earth's crust was stretched down about 7.2 kilometers and with broad reaches 60 thousand square kilometers, or about the size of the region of Tasmania in Australia.

Geologists have found the largest exposed fault on the Earth laying under the Banda Sea. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1glhLP)

The geologists have recently discovered that the fault called Banda Detachment was one of the biggest faults on the Earth, that through the Ring of Fire or the area in the Pacific Ocean where the large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occured.

This fault, the Banda Detachment, represents a rip in the ocean floor exposed over 60,000 square kilometres.. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1glhQt)

According to the US. Geological Survey (USGS) about 90 percent of earthquakes and 81 percent of the greatest earthquakes on Earth occur along the Ring of Fire. Even with 75 percent of volcanic eruptions.

As we all knew, the Pacific Ring of Fire stretches from New Zealand, passed through the top of the Australian continent, some parts of Indonesia, Japan, and then to the West Coast region of the United States before ending up at the bottom of South America.

A number of recent earthquake events has proved the vulnerability of the Ring of Fire. On November 22, 2016, there's an earthquake with 6.9 on the Richter scale rocked Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, then followed by a little tsunami. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 5:03 pm, an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale was shook partially Aceh. More than 100 people died from it.

The Ring of Fire or the area in the Pacific Ocean where the large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occured. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1glhQt)

And, the world has not yet forgotten an undersea earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale triggered a giant tsunami that hit a number of beaches in the Indian Ocean, including Aceh which killed more than 200 thousand people in 2004.

However, the most catastrophic earthquakes that occur along the Ring of Fire was happened on Sunday, May 22, 1960. At that time, an earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale shook Chile.

According to a senior lecturer of the Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney, Behzad Fetahi, that there's the limits of tectonic plates meet in the Ring of Fire. "They are engaged with each other and push each other, it is one of the most active area," he said, as quoted by News.com.au on Thursday, December 15, 2016.

A research on Banda Detachment conducted by a team of geologists from the Australian National University and Royal Holloway University of London. The team studied a map of the seabed in the Banda Sea in the Pacific Ocean before extrapolating with field activities in formulating their hypothesis.

The scientists have for the first time seen and documented the Banda Detachment fault in eastern Indonesia - and worked out how it formed. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1glhQt)

The faults in the Banda Sea is predicted to cause the earthquake and tsunami that is estimated to be catastrophic (not only because it is located in the Ring of Fire). Earthquakes that occur around the deep ravine that could make it shifted (slip), triggering more violent tremor on the surrounding islands.

An abrupt shift on the abyss that can release energy in the form of waves, and causing an earthquake more powerful. Over the decades, it has emerged a variety of questions about how the deep trench formed in the Banda Sea.

"The trench has been known to exist for 90 years, but until now no one could explain why was so deep," said Jonathan Pownall, lead researcher of the Australian National University.

The researchers identified that the deep trench in Banda Detachment was created by the subduction of the past (when a tectonic plate moves beneath another plate, is forced down, pushed through the crust into the mantle).

Dr. Pownall hope these findings will help the various parties to assess the potential danger of tsunami and earthquakes in the future.

"In the extreme tsunami risk areas, knowledge about the great fault such as Banda Detachment (has risk of causing a massive earthquake during a shift) is fundamental to be able to predict the tectonic disaster," he said.

The Australian National University report associated with these deep trench also said that there is no evidence that the recent quake occurred around Banda Detachment. However, the researchers can not yet confirm it. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ANU | DAILYMAIL]

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Monkeys are actually able to speak, but...

It is a fairly surprising news; monkeys may have more sophisticated vocal ability than we had expected all along. Allegedly, their vocal tract anatomy is theoretically capable of producing five basic vowel sounds which become the basis for human language. The voices that can be used to form sentences that can be understood.

Monkey's vocal tract anatomy is theoretically able to produce five basic vowel sounds which become the basis for human language. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gjMnH)

These findings add to the set of the available evidence, namely that some monkeys and apes can mimic or produce roughly votes required to communicate like they are speaking. As quoted from NewScientist on Wednesday, December 14, 2016, Asif Ghazanfar of Princeton University said, "No one can say now that there is a vocal anatomy problem in the talks of monkeys."

"They have a vocal anatomy, that are ready to speak, but their brain was the one who was not ready for it. We need to find out why the human brain (not the monkey brain) which is then able to produce the languages."

Several previous experiments to find out if the monkey has a vocal device needed to speak depends on the plaster mold of the vocal tract type of macaque monkeys.

Monkey's vocal tract anatomy is theoretically able to produce five basic vowel sounds which become the basis for human language. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gjMnH)

Now, Ghazanfar and his colleagues used movies and still images of X-rays of the vocal tract of male long-tailed macaque named Emiliano. With the help of barium-based contrast agents, the scientists created the whole visual profile of Emiliano vocal tract when the monkey was issued various types of sounds and calls.

Through the imaging of the channel when the monkeys were eating and swallowing food, scientists can measure the limits of Emiliano's vocal tract stretching. Of the 99 basic configuration of the channel as their observations, the researchers calculated the sound and frequency of which could theoretically can be produced by the monkeys, then compare it with the sounds produced by the humans vocal tract.

By doing this, they managed to reconstruct the sound if Emiliano say a sentence, such as "Will you marry me?" Here comes a greeting from Emiliano the monkey appropriate computer simulations based on its vocal tract scan:

They also showed that Emiliano has anatomical ability to form five basic sounds that underlie human language. When they project the sound simulation to 10 human volunteers in a row, the volunteers correctly identify the sound simulation, within up to 90-98 percent. Thus, there is a suspicion that if the monkeys were able to make a sound that humans can be recognize it. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NEW SCIENTIST]

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Mutations make Killifish becoming a super fish

The mutations process make killifish can live in waters full of poison. Scientists reveal that the fish was 8,000 times more resistant to toxins than ordinary fish. This fascinating fact was revealed in a publication in the journal Science on Friday, December 9, 2016.

To reveal the fact, Andrew Whitehead of the University of California, Davis, has collected more than 4,000 Atlantic Killifish that live on the east coast of the United States. These waters are known to contain dioxins, polychloronated biphenyls (PCB), and heavy metals 8,000 times higher than the other waters in general.

Scientists discover mutated Killifish that have become 8,000 times more resistant to toxic waste. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ghFg1)

Then, Whitehead perform genetic analysis. And, strangeness is revealed. Killifish genes mutate so that a molecular pathway that serves to damage cells deliver signals that exposure to toxins deactivated.

Not only resistant to the toxin, the animals commonly used as ornamental fish also help cleanse toxins from the environment by accumulating in its body. Whitehead said furthermore, that the presence of animals are able to survive in the toxic environment is not always good news.

"Unfortunately, most of the species we preserve may not be able to adapt to the rapid changes because they do not have a genetic variation that allows it to evolve quickly," said Whitehead.

As quoted from Science Alert on Friday, December 8, 2016, Whitehead said that the great genetic variation that allows a species can survive well in line with the process of mutation. Killifish might survive, but not necessarily with the predators. Thus, the survival of killifish just not good news for the environment.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCE ALERT]

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Is the Earth's rotation slows down?

The team of researchers from the University of Durham, England, doing research on the various events of the eclipse and other space events in the 27th century. This study reveals new information about the Earth's rotation slows down from time to time.

Earth's surface of the outer space. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gcFok)

Therefore, one-day duration of 24 hours has possibility to change. Although there is likely to rise, but in addition to requiring a very long time in order to really have an effect for life. That's expressed by the leader of the study, Leslie Morrison, the Earth rotation slows down was very long process.

In a period of 2,700 years, the slowing of the Earth's rotation about two milliseconds. Therefore, it takes 6.7 million years to slow down for a minute. To make one day amounts 25 hours, it took 200 years.

As quoted of Sky News on Wednesday, December 7, 2016, the data obtained from the study of eclipses facts and events space since 720 BC to 2015. The data obtained break the Morrison's thought previously which was estimates slowing the Earth's rotation is greater than the data. Previously expected to take 5.2 million years to add one minute rotation.

"The data disclosed previously only the estimation, because the geophysical forces that made the Earth rotates does not move in a constant state," said Morrison.

The Earth's rotation is also influenced by several factors from within the Earth. Polar surface changes, electromagnetic activity of the Earth's core and the surface of the sea water into some of the factors that affect the Earth's rotation. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SKY NEWS]

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Harvest Gold from Coal?

As already known, that chemists have tried to change ordinary metals into gold for centuries but never succeeded. And now, a group of scientists were claimed to have found a way to make an extract of precious metals from coal.

Alchemists have tried to turn ordinary materials into gold for centuries - but now scientists have found a way to extract the precious metal from coal. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gXqGL)

Yes, a group of Russian scientists who were working in a laboratory in the remote Amur River region near the Chinese border. They claimed to have found the way to be able to produce one gram of gold from one ton of coal. The group has spent 15 years struggling to analyze the coal reserves available. They are trying to develop a process to filter the coal until produce a bright yellow metal.

So far, the scientists are still in the testing phase. However, they believed the process of mass production will be made no sooner than next year. Each ton of coal would be extracted. It is estimated, it will result in the extraction of gold worth 1,500 Russian rubles, or £18.50 (approx Rp.315,729).

How to?

According to Oleg Ageev of the Amur Scientific Center, "The filtering process done by channeling the smoke of burning coal through a large cleaning system."

Russian scientists can extract one gram of gold from a ton of coal. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gXqGL)

He said further, "First the contaminants, including hazardous ones, washed with water and the gold is captured by filters. Then, auriferous concentrate is removed and the material is sent for refinement."

The Russian scientists group are claiming also will get the funds half a million rubles, or £6,235 (approx Rp.105 million) to install the industrial gold-extracting filter. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MIRROR]

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This 'Doors to Hell' continues to burn for over 40 years

A natural gas crater in Derweze, Turkmenistan continues issued fire since 1971. Due to its creepy appearance , then the crater dubbed as the 'Doors to Hell'. The Soviet Union engineers who was first discovered the area in 1971. Initially, they thought have found oil wells. But while digging, the ground suddenly collapsed, creating a crater with a diameter of 69 meters and a depth of 30 meters!

The Door to Hell, a burning natural gas field in Derweze, Turkmenistan. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gW7bm)

Then these massive crater began releasing methane, a natural gas which is highly flammable. Fearing the nearby towns will be affected by these poison gasses, the engineers then burned the methane gas. They thought by burned the gas will turn off the remains in it.

At first they thought the fire that burns the methane gas will be extinguished within a few weeks, but they are wrong. The fire continues raging for over four decades!

The first person who entered 'Doors to Hell'

A Canadian explorer George Kourounis became the first person in the world, the courage to go into the fiery crater known as the 'Door to Hell'. So called because the crater is located in Turkmenistan that the temperature can reach 1,000 degrees Celsius.

As quoted of the Daily Mail on Sunday, May 10, 2015, using a heat-resistant clothes resemble astronauts made of aluminum, Kourounis get down to a depth of 100 feet and walk around in it. Inside the crater he collected rock samples that later revealed there was bacteria.

Explorer George Kourounis rappels down into the massive crater, which has burned for more than 40 years. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gW5vj)

Crater with tremendous heat that has an official name the Darvaza Crater is kept burning and never extinguished for more than 40 years. This crater remains lit until now because a drilling accident by Soviet engineers so that they were forced to burn off excess gas that comes out of the crater.

Kourounis feel challenged to 'conquer' cauldron of hell after hearing the Government of Turkmenistan plans to extinguish it. He was in a crater about 15 minutes before being pulled back to the surface.

"I feel in a place where humans have not been there before. As a walk on an alien planet," said Kourounis. To withstand extremely high temperatures inside the crater, he wore clothing that can reflect the heat, breathing apparatus and wearing a custom Kevlar vest.

This crater is located in a rural area in Turkmenistan (one of the largest natural gas resources in the world) - about 260 km from the capital Ashgabat.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILY MAIL | WIKIPEDIA]

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