Video: Too weird to be believed - a new planet in the solar system?

Image by Lexinatrix via Flickr

From Denny: While most of us already know about this "maybe planet" what you will find interesting is its relationship to the solar system at a 45 degree angle on the illustration that certainly caught my eye. It reminds me of a lost ball in high weeds. :) BBC always does an entertaining presentation.

"Astronomers have a massive breakthrough as they discover a weird and very bright extraordinary object in the far reaches of our solar system. Is it a planet? Is it a block of ice? Whatever it is, it's bigger than Pluto. Fascinating science video from BBC Horizon show 'Bye Bye Planet Pluto.'"

CNN: Japanese fishermen brace for giant jellyfish

From Denny: OK, WOW! These kinds of stories never cease to amaze us, do they? :) I had no idea that a jellyfish could reach such gargantuan proportions.

From CNN: "Giant jellyfish descend on the Sea of Japan, causing untold devastation to coastal villages and leaving a trail of destruction and human misery behind.

Sounds like a great sci-fi flick. But it's not.

It's real and it's a nightmare for Japanese fishermen.

The massive sea creatures, called Nomura's jellyfish, can grow 6 feet in diameter and weigh more than 450 pounds. Scientists think they originate in the Yellow Sea and in Chinese waters. For the third year since 2005, ocean currents are transporting them into the Sea of Japan.

Monty Williams, a marine biologist at Alabama's Dauphin Island Sea Lab, said the jellyfish grow to an enormous size as they are transported by ocean currents. He said they stay together in packs and as they drift northward, they get caught in fishermen's nets.

The giant jellyfish are one of about 200 species of coastal jellyfish or large jellyfish that exist around the world. But Nomura's stands out because of its enormous size.

"The sheer size of them, individually, makes them fairly spectacular," Williams said.

Spectacular, perhaps, to scientists, but perilous to villagers along the Japanese coast who have seen the destructive habits of these colossal creatures in the past. They had giant-jellyfish invasions in 2005 and 2007, and because they've recently been spotted in the Sea of Japan, they're bracing for another, potentially harmful wave this summer.

The jellyfish destroy fishermen's nets, getting trapped in them, tearing holes and ruining catches.

Fishermen often use expensive mazelike nets that stretch for hundreds of kilometers. When swarms of giant jellyfish tear them, the result is devastating.

"Communities of fishermen and these fishing villages own these nets," Williams said. "When these nets get wiped out, it actually has this economic devastation for an entire community."

The good news is that previous attacks have prompted Japan to put in place a warning system for fishermen. While they still risk losing a big catch, they can, at least, save their pricey nets from the invasion of the giant jellyfish.

It's not clear why waves of Nomura's jellyfish have made it to the Sea of Japan in recent years. Some have speculated that overfishing, pollution or rising ocean temperatures may have depleted the kinds of fish that prey on Nomura's jellyfish in the polyp stage. However, no one is certain, Williams said."

From Denny: Hmmm... wonder if it's Karma backlash for killing all those wonderful whales...

For full CNN story, go here.


Jellyfish, Fish, Yellow Sea, Marine biology, Ocean current, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, School Time, Overfishing, Japan, whales

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• Giant jellyfish wash up on shores of Wales as temperatures soar (telegraph.co.uk)

A Good Science Quote

Wax museum model of Einstein in Berlin - Image by Getty Images via Daylife

From Denny: I love a good quote by a scientist with a sense of humor who doesn't take themselves too seriously. Einstein was one of those rarest of creatures!

Quote

"I sometimes ask myself how it came about that I was the one to develop the theory of relativity. The reason, I think, is that a normal adult never stops to think about space and time. My intellectual development was retarded, as a result of which I began to wonder about space and time only when I had grown up."

- Albert Einstein

Top 10 Thinking Traps Exposed - How to Foolproof Your Mind, part 2

From Denny: Here is part 2 of Luciano's article about foolproofing your mind from thinking traps!

This is an excerpt:

"In the first part of this article, we focused on five traps that hinder our ability to think clearly. Now it’s time to complete the list and expose yet another five dangerous traps to be avoided. Let’s dive right in.

"6. The Conformity Trap: Everybody Else Is Doing It

"In a series of experiments, researchers asked students in a classroom a series of very simple questions and, sure enough, most of them got the answers right. In another group, they asked the same questions but this time there were actors posing as students, purposefully pushing wrong answers. This time around, many more students provided wrong answers based on the leads from the researchers’ assistants.

"This “herd instinct” exists — in different degrees — in all of us. Even if we hate to admit it, other people’s actions do heavily influence ours. We fear looking dumb: failing along with many people is frequently not considered a big deal, but when we fail alone we must take all the heat ourselves. There’s always peer pressure to adopt the behaviors of the groups you’re in.

"This tendency to conform is notoriously exploited in advertising. Businesses often sell you products not based on their features, but by showing how popular they are: since others are buying it in droves, why would you not join them?

"Conformity is also one of the main reasons why once a book makes into a well-known best-sellers list, it tends to “lock in” and continue there for a long time. People like to consume what “everybody else” is consuming.
What can you do about it?

"Discount the influence of others. When analyzing information, shield yourself from other opinions — at least at first. This is the best way to decide without being subconsciously swayed by popular opinions.

"Beware “social proof”. Always raise a flag when someone tries to convince you arguing primarily on the popularity of a choice, instead of on that choice’s merit.
Be courageous. Be willing to overcome obstacles and defend your viewpoints, despite their unpopularity. Don’t be afraid pointing out that the Emperor wears no clothes."

By Luciano Passuello @ litemind

To finish this article just click on the title link to take you the litemind site! Thanks for visiting!

litemind peer pressure social proof 10 the Emperor wears no clothes kids and teens health school time emotional health and wellbeing food industry luciano passuello

Astronomy: Meteorite Grains Divulge Earth's Cosmic Roots

From Denny: A short article from the folks over at Science Daily. It seems like every few years there comes along a group of scientists telling us the Universe is either older or younger than previously thought. Who said Nature's laws are written in stone? Our maybe it's just our understanding is in a fluid state...

Pair of the grains Image via Wikipedia

Here's an excerpt:

"The interstellar stuff that became incorporated into the planets and life on Earth has younger cosmic roots than theories predict..."

"Heck and his colleagues examined 22 interstellar grains from the Murchison meteorite for their analysis. Dying sun-like stars flung the Murchison grains into space more than 4.5 billion years ago, before the birth of the solar system. Scientists know the grains formed outside the solar system because of their exotic composition."

For the rest of the article just click on the title link.

Kid Science: Static Electricity Science Project For Kids: Swinging Cereal

Image via Wikipedia

Static Electricity Science Project For Kids: Swinging Cereal:

"Did you know ordinary cereal can be used to demonstrate the properties of static electricity in an engaging science project? Kids can learn to love science if they are given the opportunity to learn about it within the context of the word around them.

Whether home on a break or just bored on the weekend, there are plenty of easy-to-do science projects kids can do at home. Fun science experiments can spur an interest in children who may or may not already be excited about science. This project demonstrates the properties of static electricity."

By Lela Davidson @ HubPages

From Denny: Great learning project for the kids and family to enjoy this weekend! Put a little science in your life! :) Just click on the title to take you to the rest of the article.

Posting Problems

From Denny: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday have been difficult times to try and post anything. Not sure why. Could be global internet traffic is highest on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Monday and Tuesday in American time zone). Could be the computer worm going around driving servers insane courtesy of hacker jerks that are probably mostly comprised of intelligence community guys from countries all over the world.

What I have managed to post has gotten scrambled from time to time. Sorry for the inconvenience. I always go back to proof read and catch the errors, usually within minutes of posting. Lightning storms in my area haven't helped that process and have been delayed. If you see something I didn't catch within a day or two, please feel free to let me know as it would be much appreciated!

Fun photo by gidibao @ flickr

Math: Comparison helps children grasp math concepts

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: This is a great follow-up article to Saturday's.
Do you want your child to become a flexible problem-solver? According to this study the most effective way to achieve that goal is to teach a child to compare various ways to solve that math problem by comparing various drawbacks or benefits. Learning to solve a problem in more than just one way as is traditionally taught causes a mind to become more flexible.

They also found out that the children in the study were also more accurate in their solutions when they practised comparison solving, even when the problem involved estimation.

For more details in the article, just click on the title link.

Math: Explaining basic concepts behind math problems improves children's learning

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Whew! Well, it's about time to do the obvious if you want kids to really learn what's going on and why! What took the educators so long to figure out kids are capable of learning concepts?

Following is an excerpt. Just click on the title link for more of this very interesting study.

"New research from Vanderbilt University has found students benefit more from being taught the concepts behind math problems rather than the exact procedures to solve the problems. The findings offer teachers new insights on how best to shape math instruction to have the greatest impact on student learning...

In math class, teachers typically demonstrate a procedure for solving a problem and then have children practice solving related problems, often with minimal explanation for why things work."

Video: Sociopath? What is it?

Definition and teaches you what to look for in self and others to understand.