Alcor Life Extension Advances Cryonics

 

Alcor Life Extension  is reported to have 199 people in cryonic preservation. Most of the people who decided to undergo this procedure were diagnosed with severe illnesses that do not have a cure. The idea is to keep them in cryonic preservation until biomedical science finds solutions. The process is not just a simple freezing of a human body. The body is placed in an ice bath. Then a CPR device is used to ensure proper blood circulation. Medications are also applied for the purpose of cell protection. The bodies are in reality are not frozen, but vitrified. The people are contained in liquid nitrogen.  Preventing blood clots and abnormal blood pressure are the major objectives to make the process successful. There are concerns about cryonic preservation. The bioethics make critics wonder  if some are attempting to attain immortality. The people in the facility are technically deemed legally dead. Biologically, they are not. Cryonics from this perspective seems like inducing  the ill into a coma or long slumber. The process has not shown to be effective. Then what must be considered is that the cures for cancer or ALS might never be found. That means the people preserved would just remain that way . Alcor Life Extension will not be in business forever. The restoration of consciousness and acclimating the revived could be more difficult than anticipated. Cryonic preservation as a biomedical technology would be limited. However, if it could reach a higher  of advancement  it could be applied to space travel. This could be a solution to space exploration to galaxies lightyears away. Preserving astronauts would make space travel much easier for long missions. Knowledge is limited  about the long term effects of cryonic preservation. At the moment it is not a practical solution to biomedical conditions or the challenges of space travel.   

The First Photographs of Sagittarius A

Astronomers were able to get the first images of Sagittarius A. This was made possible by Event Horizon Telescope. This project was worked on by an international team. Sagittarius A is about 26,000 light years from the Solar System. Sagittarius A is a supermassive black hole located at the Galactic Center of the Milky Way Galaxy. These images are  revealing more information about the most bizarre objects in  space. The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration involved a global network of telescopes. The technique used to obtain the image is known as very long baseline array interferometry. A combination of radio antennas was used to gain information from space. Atomic clocks and supercomputers were used to produce this image. The biggest problem getting an image is that a black hole bends light. There are accretion disks, which account for a shape being seen in darkness. What is incredible is that plasma travels around Sagittarius A at high speeds. Plasma is a super heated gas. Stars are also close to this black hole. The gravitational force is controlling star movement. Some astronomers have suggested that dark matter could also be next to Sagittarius A. With more images and observations about black holes being produced, it confirms the  the theory of relativity. Theoretical physics and mathematics were able to provide early descriptions of black holes. More is to be learned about Sagittarius A. Overtime technology will enable humankind to explore unknown objects of the universe. 

The Large Hadron Collider Is Back In Operation

 

After three years of shutdown for upgrades the Large Hadron  Collider is back in operation. This is the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator. Located in Switzerland, this technology allows physicists to explore the subatomic universe. Further experiments might reveal information about dark energy and dark matter. The Large Hadron Collider accelerates particles to the speed of light. These collisions that happen provide information about subatomic particles. The Higgs boson was verified by the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. What was once only predicted by mathematics can be confirmed by technology and experimentation. The upgrades could result in the discovery of more particles. The injectors got improvements. This part of the particle accelerator feeds beams of particles into the collider. The facility requires a large number of superconducting magnets. This helps harnessing large amounts of energy and with movement of protons for collision. The new engineering upgrades means that the name will be changed. More work is planned for 2028. Then LHC will be called High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider. The Large Hadron Collider has gone through a series of runs and upgrades. During each hiatus more improvements are made. The operation periods include Run 1 ( 2009-2013), Run 2 (2015-2018), and currently Run 3. The Large Hadron Collider is under the supervision of the European Council for Nuclear Research(CERN) . There is speculation that new experiments with the Large Hadron Collider  could discover another fundamental force. 

Jonathan The Tortoise Is The Oldest Living Land Animal

 

According to zoologists Jonathan the tortoise is one of the oldest land animals. Born in 1832 this tortoise has seen three centuries . This would make him a total of 190 years old. Some have suspected that  Jonathan could be over 200 years old. The problem is that there is no record of his exact date of birth. His species has longevity, but it is not fully  understood how it was attained. There must have been some form of adaptation, which enabled tortoises to live so long. Genetics might also explain this phenomenon. It could be a trait of natural selection. Jonathan's diet consists of cabbage, carrots, apples, cucumber, and various fruits. His activities consist of eating, sleeping, and mating. The reason this animal generates interest is due to Jonathan's life span. It is possible he could live for another century  or more. This feat has gotten Jonathan recognition in the Guinness  Book of World Records. Not only is he the oldest land animal, but remains the oldest tortoise. Jonathan's scientific name is Aldabrachelys Gigantea Hololissa. The giant Seychelles tortoise resides in St Helena. 

Dr. Mae Jemison on The Importance of Space Exploration (2014)

 

Dr. Mae Jemison explains the importance of space exploration. The need to explore space can be a benefit to humanity. It can be a unifying force in a divided world. A new space race should not be an extension of world power competition. It should be an activity of collaboration among nations. Dr. Jemison explains humanity has bee connected to space  for most of its history. Ancient civilizations used the stars to make calendars and when to plant crops. The stars helped sailors navigate the seas.  Today satellites are essential for GPS. There exists a possibility in which human beings will colonize other planets and star systems. This will take a significant amount of time, effort, and innovations in technology. Dr. Mae Jemison wants to see humankind have that capability in a century. The 100 Year Starship project seeks to make this happen. Dr. Jemison wants space exploration to be a project in which all can be a part of. Space exploration she believes be enriching for the Earth. 

Lasting Machine Schematic (1883)

 

The lasting machine was an invention created  by Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852-1889) . This machine  brought major changes to the production of shoes. Matzeliger had his lasting machine patented in 1883. The image above is the original schematic. Jan Matzeliger was born in Suriname and later emigrated to the United States. At an early age he demonstrated talent for mechanics. His interest grew leading him to make inventions of his own. One problem in the 19th century was the production of shoes. Shoes were at a time made by hand. To replicate the same size a mold had to be from either stone or wood. That was known as a last. The last would be the basis for the shoe size and shape. The biggest challenge was joining the soles to the upper shoe. The machine that Jan Matzeliger created was able to solve the problem of slow shoe production. Now a shoe producer could produce more in a day and not be concerned about errors in the molding of the shoes. Matzeliger did most of his engineering work in Lynn, Massachusetts. He moved there in 1877  with an interest in the town's growing shoe industry. Starting off as an apprentice, Cordwainers are shoemakers that produce them from leather. Matzeliger noted that the lasting process was not as efficient as it could be. Using his skills that he gained as a mechanic, began building a machine to aid in production. Prior to coming to America Jan Matzeliger worked as a mechanic on a Dutch East Indies merchant ship. The lasting machine that he made reduced the cost of footwear. This enabled more shoes to be produced. A total of  700 pairs of shoes could be made in a day. Jan Matzeliger lasting machine became a major success. The Consolidated Lasting Machine Company was formed in 1889 with Matzeliger having a large portion of the stock. Unfortunately, he did not live to enjoy his success contracting tuberculosis. Jan Matzeliger continues to be remembered as one of the important black inventors. Without the lasting machine modern shoe production would not have been possible.    

The Rise of Carbon Capture Plants

 

Carbon emissions have become a growing concern for safety of the environment. The exacerbation of the green house effect can cause an increase of the Earth's temperature. The challenge of climate change requires innovative solutions. What is developing is the rise of carbon capture plants. Iceland activated one of the world's biggest carbon capture plants on September 8,  2021. The Orca carbon capture plant takes CO2 and seals it underground. This becomes counted as a negative emission. The problem is that more of these plants would have to be constructed to make a significant change. Every nation  would need one to collectively bring down CO2 emissions. Only 15 direct air capture plants are in operation . The technology is new, so there needs to be more examination of its effectiveness. The Orca plant uses a combination of fans and filters to capture carbon dioxide. The CO2 is mixed with water. When pushed underground it will become rock.  A question does remain of the long term effects of this. Consultations with petrologists and geologists should be done before embarking on larger projects. From a perspective of ecology, carbon capture plants could be beneficial. A combination of planting more trees, investment in renewable energy, and creation of new technology can reduce extreme climate change. Carbon capture plants will become a priority in the coming decades.