Ohioans who led exploration of space reunite

In today's world there's a feeling of apathy, a sense that there is no purpose, that we are just a random co-location of atoms.

But is this a scientific position or a philosophical one? I would argue the latter, as the science tells us that the physics of the universe are highly fined-tuned to allow for the development of life, and that biological systems are very rich in information. We also learn from science that the universe had a beginning outside of time -- that there had to be something that started it all, perhaps a beginner that lit the match in such a precise way that it is beyond our ability to imagine.

When it comes to our planet we also see that it is "perfect" in many ways, so much so that astronomers describe our planet to be in the Goldilocks zone.

This description was also rendered recently during a recent reunion of early space explorers.

"The earth, Barbree said, is the “Goldilocks planet,” meaning everything is exactly right here for human life to develop."

Egypt unearths granite head of Ramses II

Some scholars believe that Ramses II was the pharoah that oppressed the Israelites as described in the Bible.

Diatom nanostructures bend light

There's little debate as to whether or not design exists in nature. There is abundance evidence that it exists, the argument surrounds the mechanism of design and whether or not it was purposeful.

From my perspective design does not come without specificity and specificity is a condition that is anything but expected. (Note that the specificity that I am referring to can be expressed in the laws of physics, and or in the way biochemical compounds interact, as much as how higher level biological concepts such as genes work together.)

In this article, you'll read about the advanced light manipulation mechanisms found in diatoms.

"Nature started to evolve complex colour and light manipulating systems during the Cambrian explosion - about 500 million years ago. Scientists have been inspired by the natural systems that are found in wide range of organisms - including peacocks, butterflies and beetles. These single-celled marine algae are found in almost all aquatic environments on Earth.

They come in all shapes and sizes - but are all encased within silica-based walls that are well known for their intricate designs."

‘Junk DNA’ not without use

Once again, the notion of junk dna takes a hit.

"In the junkyard of the human genome, Yale scientists have identified a few pieces of DNA that are more than just scrap metal. Assistant professor of genetics James Noonan and a team of other geneticists recently found a sequence of genes among what was traditionally considered to be “junk DNA” that may have contributed to unique aspects of human-limb development — such as the opposable thumb."

Robotics Team Takes Lessons from Natural World

The engineering found in the natural world is influencing human designs. This article is just one of many examples.

"A robotics team at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is tackling real world problems by studying the natural world for inspiration."

Blind ‘ants from mars’

This newly discovered species is anything but new. It's a living fossil, having remained unchanged for 120 million years.

"Since the days of the T. rex, few animals have evolved into such numbers and filled such diverse habitats as ants. Now, scientists say they have uncovered a “living fossil” among the picnic spoilers – a tiny, blind ant whose species appears to be what the team calls “the sole surviving representative” of some of the first ants, which are thought to have evolved from wasp ancestors 120 million years ago."

World’s oldest species resurfaces in Scotland

The tadpole shrimp is one of several "living fossils" -- creatures that are still living today, but have remained unchanged for millions of years.

"The Tadpole Shrimp (Triops cancriformis) is a living fossil, thought to be the oldest living creature on the planet. Resembling a small Horsehoe Crab, it has been recorded from at least 220 million years ago in the Triassic period, even before dinosaurs roamed the earth, and may be as much as 300 million years old."

Nanotechnology transport systems get a closer look

Scientists involved in the field of nanotechnology can learn much from biological systems.

"These motor proteins of the cytoskeleton accomplish nanotransport tasks by moving 'cargo' along microtubules that are about 25 nm wide but can grow up to 1,000 times as long. Nanotechnology engineers are fascinated by this transport mechanism and several efforts are underway in various labs to unravel and, researchers hope, eventually copy nature's engineering feat."

UNM researcher makes strides in avian research

There are several biology themes that conspire against the notion that evolution is a random, undirected process. Convergent evolution, as discussed in this article, is one of them. You'll see that convergent evolution is so common, that is makes parsing family trees difficult.

"It is reasonable to think that two birds with similar characteristics—webbed feet for swimming, for example—are related. Until recently, looking at such characteristics was the best tool scientists had for building the bird family tree.

But evolution's great trick is to find the same solution, over and over again, to a common problem. The bat family and the bird family, for example, both evolved wings, but separately. The fact they both have wings does not necessarily mean they inherited them from a common ancestor.

Scientists call it "convergent evolution," two creatures separately "converging" on the same solution to a common need, and for scientists it can be maddeningly confusing."