The evolution track of the Ankylosaurus tail

One of the most impressive weapons that appeared during the Cretaceous Period dinosaur arms race is a big mace head belonging to some group members plant eaters.

Results of a new study published in the Journal of Anatomy this week showing the steps of evolution of the features typical of heavily armed dinosaur Ankylosaurus and cousin, mace even ferocious Tyrannosaurus rex could give reason for concern.

The researchers studied the fossils of a group called Ankylosaurus, including nightstick or mace early primitive species without the tail and the latter with the tail fully developed.

Gobisaurus (top) compared with Ziapelta, an ankylosaur with a fully developed tail club, as seen in an undated illustration courtesy of Victoria Arbour. (Picture from: http://reut.rs/1i502UU)

Ankylosaurus tail evolution mace start much earlier than previously thought, according to research findings, and the mace was changed in two steps over tens of millions of years.

First, the vertebrae in the back of the tail is changed so that the tail becomes rigid. Then the bones are formed in the skin as body armor, called osteoderm, becomes very large at the end of the tail and completely enveloped the tail end to form a mace that can be swung to the enemy.

Ankylosaurus lived at a time when the largest land predators in Earth's history such as T. rex roamed, ripping other dinosaurs with powerful jaws and sharp teeth.

In the arms race, few plant-eaters to develop weapons of defense.

"The tail mace clearly an effective weapon and could break an ankle predator," paleontologist Victoria Arbour from North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences who led the study.

"But the animals were alive today, guns are also often used against their own species - like horn sheep and rusa-- so maybe Ankylosaurus do the same thing."

Ankylosaurus dinosaur is a wide body with four legs covered plates and spurs hard. The oldest known Ankylosaurus lived about 160 million years ago during the Jurassic Period, Arbour said.

The first tail mace seen already fully formed about 75 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period.

Ankylosaurus with a length of approximately six meters is the biggest and the last Ankylosaurus, live at the end of the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago.

Ankylosaurus from China is very important to understand the origin of the tail mace, including Gobisaurus, from the period around 92 million years ago, and Liaoningosaurus, from about 122 million years ago, explains Arbour as reported by Reuters news agency. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | REUTERS]

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Sentinel made for an important people who likes off-road activities

The cars for the number one person in a country or Very Very Important People (VVIP) of course has to be safe. In fact, the level of security must be really serious. As offered Range Rover, which is fit for a president or an important people who likes an offroad activities.

Land Rover's SVO division has has created a luxurious armoured Range Rover Sentinel. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ObWkVJ)

Range Rover Sentinel is a special edition car designed by Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division. Its development base taken from the Range Rover Autobiography, and immediately got the qualification of VR8 security level, meaning safe for ballistic and blast.

Right side view of Range Rover Sentinel. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1L0rQVD)

The entire body is covered with six layers of steel, while all the windows rely on multi-laminated bulletproof units, and armored panels deliver protection that could withstand grenade blasts and shrapnel.

Protection features infographic of Range Rover Sentinel. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1UDYDAy)

Range Rover Sentinel is also equipped with anti-tamper exhaust and self-sealing fuel tanks to prevent sabotage, as well as relying on the Run Flat tires in anticipation of the tire hit. Even at the rear seats, there is the Emergency Escape System.

Interestingly, the car that rely on a 3.0-liter V6 supercharged petrol engine which is paired with an ZF 8-speed automatic transmission system. That engine could powered up to 335 hp and from the outside looks such as a regular Range Rover.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORAUTHORITY]

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How big the heart of Blue whales?

In a PBS/BBC video describes the unusual findings. In the show, look how big the size of the heart, approximately 1.5 m x 1.2 m x 1.2 m. This is not really surprising, because the so-called blue whale is the largest living mammal on this planet.

A blue whale heart has been examined by scientists in a new documentary series. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1Qzr6qH)

In a video statement was written comparison of the blue whale with a Argentinosaurus - the biggest dinosaur of the Mesozoic period that weighs approximately 99 tons. That mentioned the average weight of a blue whale.

A blue whale heart has been examined by scientists in a new documentary series. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1Qzr6qH)

In the show, Jacqueline Miller of the Royal Ontario Museum to start with shows the size of the heart of a variety of animals, ranging from home-based rat heart, heart turkey bird, and then the heart of a blue whale.

Experts from the Royal Ontario Museum to get the heart of a blue whale carcass which is then dissected through the lungs towards the left. One expert explained in the video, that pool of blood in whale carcasses that reach as high as his waist. Not only that, it takes four people to push the heart to get out from the inside of the carcass.

Well, look how big the animal heart in the following video.

The whales heart measuring 1.5 m x 1.2 m x 1.2 m was weighing up to 180 kilograms, and the blood pumping up to 220 liters in each beat. In the past, there is a suspicion that the size of a blue whale heart of such a magnitude, one can swim across the aortic. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD]

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Turns the Blue bastard is a new species of reef fish

Long been a debate among Australian fishermen, the type of fish called 'blue bastard' was believed to be a new species. A scientist from the Queensland Museum, Jeff Johnson, disclose it in his publication in the journal Zootaxa in July 2015.

Johnson identifies the fish by looking at a television programs and photos taken by a fisherman named Weipa last month. Identification can be done through photographs because Weipa clear shots so that the analysis could be done.

The blue bastard’s 12 dorsal spines make it utterly different from a sweetlips species it had previously been confused with. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1NYxQjv)

Johnson named the fish was 'Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus', meaning 'blue bastard,' just like the fishermen call. "Caruleo means blue and nothus means bastard. It was the name given to fishermen for a long time and I thought, why should I change it? It was the perfect name for the fish," Johnson said as quoted by The Guardian on Tuesday, September 8, 2015.

A juvenile blue bastard fish. Its name comes from fishing folklore – it turns blue as a adult and it’s a bastard to catch. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1NYxQjv)

According to Johnson, the 'blue bastard' fish is different from other types because 12 of its dorsal spines. The reef fish are yellow-black when the baby, but turns blue when mature. "Blue bastard" is also known for its aggressiveness, sometimes encountered were "fighting" with their males fellow.

In addition to morphology, Johnson and his colleagues, Worthington Wilmer, also doing the DNA analysis to identify the type. By comparing with the fish compatriots from Africa, Japan, and the Middle East, Johnson revealed that the 'blue bastard' was unique.

So, what kind of the flavor of 'blue bastard' fish when we eat it? Johnson claimed to have never felt it. He also did not ask it to the fishermen. However, he suspected the fish taste was mediocre. The fish findings as a shock to scientists at the Queensland Museum in the span of the last 1.5 years have uncovered more 120 new species. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE GUARDIAN]

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Here's the name of Lamborghini's new car

Lamborghini's latest car will be launched at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, and rumored to be named 'Centenario LP 770-4,' not HyperVeloce as reported previously.

Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1IVus0Y)

The name was chosen as the marks of the 100th birthday of  Ferrucio Lamborghini, the company's founder, who was born on April 28, 1916, according to a French website report as quoted of CarScoops on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.

As the name implies, the Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 will be powered by 770PS powerful engine (759 hp), similiar as the power spew of a 6.5-liter V12 engine of Aventador SV and regular Aventador models.

Thanks to the updated engine and four-wheel control system, Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 can cover 0-100 km per hour in 2.7 seconds with a top speed of over 350 km per hour.

Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SuperVeloce Roadster. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1E2rbBr)

Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 will be a limited production of 20 units which will make the production of Aventador SV (600 units) and Aventador SV Roadster (500 units) looks too much.

This car will not only rare but also expensive with a price of more than US. $1.12 million. The Centenario LP 770-4 mentioned will begin production in April 2016 or in accordance with the 100th anniversary of Ferruccio Lamborghini. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSCOOPS]

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Is the mammoth cloning can be done in the near future?

Taking place in Sakha (the northern part of Russia) a group of scientists have set up a laboratory which aims to realize the mammoths cloning. The laboratory was opened in March, and is a joint project between the Russian and Korean scientists will strive to realize the mammoth cloning, clearly Lena Grigoryeva, a senior researcher of the laboratory.

Its launch has been planned since three years ago, the agreement between the North Eastern Federal University in Russia and Sooam Biotech Research Foundation in South Korea. This laboratory has focused to study the tissue layers of ancient animals along with their genome. "We plan to learn not only the cells of ancient animals, but also their DNA," said Semyon Grigoryev, director of the Museum of mammoth in Russia.

Colombian mammoth fossil in the Page Museum, Los Angeles, California. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1M7dVyv)

Although the science is still lagging decades of the true cloning, the discovery of which was found in the study may be used at this time, said Grigoryeva. "Today there are animals that are in danger of extinction, and this study contributes to the scientific development (which also can help reverse the situation)," added Grigoryeva.

All items required have been obtained prior to the economic crisis and scientists have united around the facility in 2012. The current economic difficult situation does not hamper them. "Of course we want to get more funding, but because we have just started to operate, we do not need so much now," said Grigoryeva.

Currently they have had 2,000 samples of ancient animals were frozen, making them have the largest collection in Russia. Some of them are older than 10,000 years, as Malolyakhovsky mammoth discovered in 2013, which was estimated to be more than 28,000 years. Most of the samples found in Sakha, in the permafrost regions that have a layer of frozen ground, which makes the relics of these animals preserved. One of the discoveries in the area are mammoth discovered in 2013 by the meat was still red.

Unfortunately, bureaucracy is often slow the process of scientific discovery. "Sometimes the possibility to process the samples in Russia almost nothing, so we have to send it to our colleagues abroad. To do that, we have to take care of a lot of files and dealing with many government institutions."

"We can only send the mammoth (to the Koreaan scientists) after half a year preparing for delivery. While waiting for the preparation, the sample was only lying and rot." said Grigoryeva further. Another difficulty facing by them is to find a whole string of DNA that are usually only found the pieces. They are trying to re-unite the pieces into an intact form.

Grigoryeva sure that the cloned mammoth will survive in northern Russia because the weather is quite cold in there. However, although science has made rapid development in this region and according to her, they will not be able to be cloned the mammoth in the near future. "I think this goal can not be achieved in my lifetime," she added.

Cloning a mammoth might just be a dream for the future because some extinct animals have been successfully cloned. In the 1990s, a cloned sheep named Dolly was born and became the first success in this field. Rats, goats, pigs, and cows have also been entered into is a list of successful cloning experiments. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ]

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