The new species of round pupils rock gecko of Lampung

The discovery of a new species of rock gecko with round pupils occurred in Lampung. Awal Riyanto, a reptile expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia/LIPI) discovered a new species of rock gecko named 'Cnemaspis Rajabasa,' its name according to the name of the mountain where the gecko was found.

The rock gecko with round pupils were active at night. Awal's research based, along with several other researchers such as Thasun Amarasinghe, a herpetology expert from the University of Indonesia, Michael Harvey of Broward College, and Eric Smith of the University of Texas, it is known that the gecko lives in the granite rocks.

The new species of round pupils rock gecko of Lampung named Cnemaspis Rajabasa. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ENQJmt)

The characteristics that distinguish Cnemaspis Rajabasa of another species in Cnemaspis family, such as adult body size reached 58.7 millimeters, labial scales above 13 or 14, under the labial scales 11 or 12, tricarinate shaped belly scales, have holes or pores precloacal, backs with jinjot tubercular randomly scattered, tubercular surrounds the tail, the tail scales at the bottom of the rough (keeled) and ranks in the middle without enlarged scales on each side have two lumps on postcloacal tubercular and the tail has a striped pattern of dark-light.

Awal says, very little of Cnemaspis species found in Indonesia. Most geckos of the genus are found in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as small islands around Malaysia Peninsular. "Therefore, the findings Cnemaspis Rajabasa is very important and meaningful," said Awal as told to CNN Indonesia.

Awal said further, the findings increase knowledge about the distribution of Cnemaspis to the west and south. In addition, still need to be investigated whether this gecko also reach northern Sumatra or even cross over to the island of Java.

The Cnemaspis Rajabasa specimen itself actually been collected since June 1996. Recently, the results are published in the journal Herpetologica. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CNN INDONESIA]

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Peeking the Nissan's latest crossover concept

Crossover vehicles in the global automotive market was becoming a trend. Nearly all car manufacturers have models. Now, the latest information coming from the Nissan brand manufacturers which began leaking their new crossover concept teaser image in the cyberspace.

Nissan crossover concept teaser image. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1FuNsmJ)

In the Nissan official statement, as written by Worldcarfans on Tuesday, 8 September 2015, Nissan's latest crossover concept will be exhibited the first time in one of the prestigious auto shows in Europe, the Frankfurt Motor Show, which will take place later this month. The future car of Nissan is predicted as the Juke's next generation.

 

In the teaser image that was leaked, looks model has a distinctive design with a front view of Nissan. The main lamp is made slightly tapered or similar like a boomerang and is equipped with LED daytime running light.

Not much information was disclosed by Nissan. The Japanese car manufacturer promised to reveal in detail at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. But, essentially, Nissan wanted to provide an experience that is more attractive to consumers through this new crossover.

In the segment of crossover or sport utility vehicle (SUV) itself, Nissan already has Juke, Qashqai and X-Trail. And the sales numbers in Europe has reached 2.5 million units by the year 2015. It wasn't bad numbers. Is the emergence of this new model will make Nissan's sales figures increased rather than vice versa? Only time can prove it. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WORLDCARFANS]

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The first 3D printing ribs implanted to human's chest

An Australian government research agency, CSIRO, in collaboration with the 3D printing technology company, Anatomics designed a titanium ribs to help cancer patients. The thing that makes it unique was for the first time a titanium ribs printed using a sophisticated 3D printing process, then implanted to human's chest cavity.

This image shows the front of 3-D printed titanium sternum and ribs. The sternum (the central piece) and the rib cages emanating from it, have been designed using precise scans to perfectly fit in the patient’s chest after he had sections removed. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ijw9Ay)

Quoting from the official news of CSIRO on Friday, September 11, 2015, explained that a 54-year-old Spanish man with cancer in the chest cavity and the ribs, known as the chest wall sarcoma-- must remove his sternum and a portion of his rib cage and replace it with an implant.

The composition of the ribs in the chest cavity has a complex geometric shape, so that the implant and a traditional flat plate mounted become loose over time. The surgical team, Dr José Aranda, Dr Marcelo Jimene and Dr Gonzalo Varela from Salamanca University Hospital, knew the surgery would be difficult due to the complicated geometries involved in the chest cavity to filed a 3D printed ribs implant.

Here’s how the 3D printed sternum and rib cage fit inside the patient’s body. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ijw9Ay)

According to Andrew Batty, CEO of Anatomics, who offers a solution with the use of 3D printing in metal. He said, "We want a 3D printing to the titanium implant because of the design, which is quite complicated. After consideration, Anatomics request assistance to the CSIRO's 3D printing facility, Lab 22 in Melbourne, Australia."

Lab 22 will print the artificial rib layer by layer using a 3D printer metals. The printing machines worth more than $1.3 million made by Arcam using the electron spray for mold making.

Alex Kingsbury from CSIRO's manufacturing team said, "The printer works by directing an electron beam at a bed of titanium powder in order to melt it. This process is then repeated, building the product up layer-by-layer until you have a complete implant.

Once complete, the breastbone (sternum) and ribs sent to Spain and implanted into the patient's chest cavity. Finally, surgery was successfully performed by physicians and patients reportedly discharged from the hospital 12 days later. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CSIRO NEWS | EUREKALERT!]
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The oldest and most distant galaxies in the Universe revealed

The astrophysicists at the California Institute of Technology discovered the oldest and farthest galaxies in the universe. The galaxy is 13.2 billion years old, which was born just 600 million years after the Big Bang.

The discovery of the oldest galaxies originated from the step of Adi Zitrin and Richard Ellis who investigating data from the Hubble and Spitzer spacecraft mission earlier this year. They reveal a candidate galaxy.

The discovery of the galaxy candidates were then confirmed by the Multi-Object Spectrometer for the Infrared Exploration (MOSFIRE), the instrument in the Keck Observatory, Hawaii.

Confirmation of the spectrometer analysis that is needed to reveal the redshift, the scale is often used to indicate the distance and the age of the galaxy. Each galaxy in the universe emit the light. The further away, the light waves change when observed with the spectrometer, which is becoming increasingly red. That is called redshift.

Researchers from the California Institute of Technology believe that the discovery of the EGS8p7 galaxy, which is considered to be the oldest and most distant galaxy found, could potentially alter the established timeline of the reionization of the universe that many scientists follow. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ObNLtU)

After confirming, Zitrin and Ellis believes that the galaxies are believed existed. They named the new galaxy as 'EGS8p7'. And finally the discovery was published in the Astrophysical Journal.

EGS8p7 galaxy has a redshift value of 8.68, higher than the previous oldest galaxies record holder who has a redshift value of 7.73. 

"The surprise of this discovery is that we managed to detect the Lyman-alpha line of the galaxy with a redshift of 8.68, indicating when the universe was filled with clouds of hydrogen," said Ellis. Lyman-alpha line is simply the footsteps of star formation in a galaxy. The existence and activities of galaxies can be detected from it.

Detection of traces of it is special because when you see the process of physical and chemical changes that occur in the universe, the trail was supposed to have been damaged or lost.

Soon after forming, the universe consists of charged particles. After about 380,000 years, the universe began to cool and rich hydrogen cloud.

EGS8p7 formed when the universe is rich in hydrogen clouds. "We suspect that most of the radiation (from EGS8p7) is absorbed by clouds of hydrogen. In fact, we still detect it now," said Zitrin.

According to `Sirio Belli, a student who involved in the research said that the anomalies that may occur because of EGS8p7 so bright. "The galaxy we observed, EGS8p7 is very bright and may have many unusual hot stars," he said as quoted from Gizmodo on Sunday, September 6, 2015. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | GIZMODO]

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Honda MotoGP-powered sports car

As we known before, Honda has a great project to reincarnates a sportcar mounted with a RC213V-S MotoGP bike engine. And this is the release of photos that are now busy talking by the world's automotive enthusiasts.

Honda 2&4 Project is presented as a compact open-wheeled racer with MotoGP engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1iBw3E0)

The following pictures is the Honda's first step to introduced their '2&4' Project is presented as a compact open-wheeled racer and prepared to show off in the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show on next September 15, 2015. Although its engine basic is RC213V-S, Honda had revamp in total to adjust the proportion of the engine with the car's frame.

The following unique concept is also part of a competition themed 'inspire creativity' organized by Honda that followed by 80 more Honda designers. But the blueprint for the '2&4' Project is taken from the Honda Motorcycle design studio in Asaka before got a final touch the designer of Honda's Wako, Japan.

Right side view of Honda 2&4 Project compact open-wheeled racer. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1iBw3E0)

The great strength of Honda's RC213V V4-S 2 & 8 concept is claimed capable of spewing power reaches up to 215 hp at 13,000 rpm with peak torque of 'over' 118 Nm delivered at 10,500 rpm through its V-4 four-stroke engine matched to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. This sporscar has vehicle empty weight of 405 kg.

Rear side view of Honda 2&4 Project compact open-wheeled racer. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1iBw3E0)

Its red and white pattern inspired by a memorable cars that ever made history as the first F1 car of Honda with GP engine in 1964 ago, ie the RA271 F1. Honda has yet to offer any specific performance numbers, although it has promised a full rundown at the coming Frankfurt motor show. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARADVICE]

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A new kind of ancient human discovered

The team of scientists funded by the National Geographic claims to find new human species in Rising Star cave, located 50 kilometers from Johannesburg, South Africa.

The claim was based on the findings of fossils in the deepest part of the cave called Dinaledi, a wide space that can only be reached by the high caving skills. To achieve this space, someone must pass through the Superman Crawl hole with a width of only 25 centimeters and Dragon Back whose width is only 20 centimeters.

Scientists claim a new species of ancient human discovered and named 'Homo naledi'. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1M0Jqr8)

The team of scientists named the new human species as 'Homo naledi'. This discovery was published in two papers in the journal eLife. 

The Homo naledi fossils finding location. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1M0Jqr8)

Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Witwatersrand, who led the study, said the new human species similar to Homo erectus that existed 1.5 million years ago. Homo naledi is a small-headed, long-legged and skinny with male has a height of about 152 centimeters. Based on the analysis of approximately 1,500 pieces of fossils thought to belong to 15 individuals, Berger revealed that Homo naledi is a blend of modern and ancient humans.

Lee Bergen’s daughter Megan and underground exploration team member Rick Hunter navigate the narrow chutes leading to the Dinaledi chambere. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1M0Jqr8)

Homo naledi's brain is small, as small as a gorilla and has a simple teeth. And their chest characteristics similar to the ape, but the hands are modern, capable of supporting the tool making activities. Their legs were upright support upright walking activities, but their hand bend, like the hands of a monkey who likes hanging of a tree. Berger saw, the Homo naledi able to shed light on human evolution. Possibly, 3 million years ago, the maximum time prediction of Homo naledi lived, while an intelligent man already there.

The comparison of brain size between Homo sapiens and Homo naledi. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1M0Jqr8)

If this kind of early humans, such as the coelacanth (ancient fish), which survive through time and just turned tens of thousands of years, or hundreds of thousands of years, it means that as long as we have a complex species which inhabit Africa, which might be able to make tools," Berger said as quoted by The Guardian on Thursday, September 9, 2015.

The team lays out fossils of Homo naledi at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Evolutionary Studies Institute. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1M0Jqr8)

John Hawks, another researchers who involved in the research, revealed that although the new species has the characteristics of modern humans, they are perhaps the most ancient species of the genus Homo.

"This may indicate that the history of human evolution different from what we imagine," he said. Meanwhile, Paul Dirks, another scientists who involved, saying that the fossil bones will be studied before making a carbon dating to reveal the age of the ancient human. He said carbon dating could potentially damage the material.

The claims of discovery of a new kind of human has sparked debate among scientists. Without carbon dating, other scientists assess the findings of this new man can not be justified.

William Jungers, an anthropologist at Stony Brooks School of Medicine in New York, said, "If the new man was older than 2 million years, maybe he is an early version of Homo erectus in South Africa, which is already known. If it is new, it may This modern humans who experience isolation. "

Christoph Zollikofer, an anthropologist from the University of Zurich, said bone characteristic which is used to justify the invention of a new kind of man sometimes can not be the basis.

"The unique characteristics that could potentially be used to define a new species to be studied further because they may simply reflect individual variations, or variations in population levels," said Zollikofer.

The paleoanthropologists at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that it is the Homo erectus species. Naledi human controversy not just the novelty of its kind, but also the way to the deepest space in cave that must be taken through a very difficult track.

Berger had a radical explanation. He said, "We, after eliminating all possible, have come to a conclusion that Homo Naledi that utilize this space for rituals that aim to make themselves dead."

Meanwhile, other scientists argue him. Chris Stringer, head of the Department of the Origins of Man in the Natural History Museum in London, said, "If we talk about the purpose exile, we talk about being the creatures  with a size of gorilla brain that goes into the cave deep, dark, and put the body through narrow lanes to reach to the cave room. It is (too) complex behavior for what we think of as primitive human species." *** [EKA  FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE GUARDIAN]

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