Discoveries News /discoveriesnews Discoveries News - Discoveries Information Tue, 04 Apr 2017 17:58:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.3 NASA reveals “supermassive” black holes are cruising through space at five million miles an hour /discoveriesnews/2017-04-04-nasa-reveals-supermassive-black-holes-are-cruising-through-space-at-five-million-miles-an-hour.html Tue, 04 Apr 2017 17:26:35 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-04-04-nasa-reveals-supermassive-black-holes-are-cruising-through-space-at-five-million-miles-an-hour.html Astronomers have detected a supermassive black hole blazing its way through space at a speed of approximately five million miles an hour. At this speed, it could cover the distance between the moon and the Earth in only three minutes (as a reference, Apollo missions take around three days to reach the moon. The fastest recorded trip was a probe which took eight hours and 35 minutes). The supermassive black hole is located in a galaxy called 3C 186 which is eight billion light-years from Earth. These findings, which was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, explain that the phenomenon was said to be caused by two black holes colliding.

Supermassive black holes are incredibly fascinating. They are giant masses of energy packed into a very small area. Think of a star ten times larger than our sun squeezed inside a space only the size of New York City. The gravitational field is so strong that not even light can escape — thus the term, black hole. Einstein’s theory of general relativity predicted the presence of these space objects long before they were actually observed. When a massive star dies, it leaves behind a remnant core which is dense. The core then “sucks in” surrounding forces, producing a black hole. Supermassive black holes are giants, weighing as much as a billion of our suns.

Black holes are present in almost every galaxy, including the Milky Way. They control the formation of stars and have the potential to manipulate the very fabric of space-time itself.

When supermassive black holes collide

This new observation raised more questions than answers. Marco Chiaberge and his colleagues who spotted the black hole were first alerted when they looked at an image taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Near the fuzzy splotch which was galaxy 3C 186 was an incredibly bright spot known as a quasar. By itself, this isn’t very peculiar. Quasars are known as the nucleus of a galaxy. They are bright because of the disk of gas that surrounds them at their center. However, in this particular case, the quasar was located 35,000 light-years from the center of its galaxy.

To verify if what he saw was correct, Chiaberge, who works at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and Johns Hopkins University, asked fellow astronomers for their observations using other instruments, including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey’s telescope in New Mexico and the Chandra space observatory. These results confirmed the Hubble findings. Images presented suggest that galaxy 3C 186 had recently merged with another galaxy causing the black holes at their centers to collide.

So what happens when two supermassive black holes collide? Well, imagine two spinning tops coming together. At one point, one black hole is given enough energy to kick off into another galaxy, never to return. This leaves distinctive trail marks — gravitational waves that bear faint arcs — that can be seen with an X-ray. This lasts for thousands of years. The afterglow is bright enough for Earth scientists to see them.

Supermassive black hole collisions are extremely rare due to several factors. Co-author of the new paper, Colin Norman of STScI and Johns Hopkins University, says that “the asymmetry depends on properties such as the mass and the relative orientation of the back holes’ [sic] rotation axes before the merger. That’s why these objects are so rare.”

It is estimated that the energy required to recoil a black hole like the one in galaxy 3C 186 is equivalent to around 100 million supernovas. That’s impressive, considering that a single supernova carries that total energy of around 10 billion suns. The fleeing black hole will escape its galaxy in about 20 million years, destined to roam alone through the universe forever.

New research estimates that as many as 100 of these collisions are happening within five billion light-years from Earth.

Sources:

Independent.co.uk

UniverseToday.com

Space.com

Science.NASA.gov

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Scientists believe they will make synthetic life within two years /discoveriesnews/2017-04-04-scientists-believe-they-will-make-synthetic-life-within-two-years.html Tue, 04 Apr 2017 17:00:11 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-04-04-scientists-believe-they-will-make-synthetic-life-within-two-years.html After successfully synthesizing artificial DNA strands from Baker’s yeast using nothing but laboratory equipment and human ingenuity, scientists working as part of the so-called Synthetic Yeast Project (SC2.0) are now ready to move onto their next endeavor: The synthesis of artificial human DNA.

Set to be released in just two years, the first artificial lifeforms that mimic the DNA found in nature and replicate it for biotechnology purposes could end up unleashing a cascade of human tampering with nature. Synthetic DNA, researchers say, can now be manufactured in the lab and swapped out with the natural DNA in living organisms, resulting in the creation of new synthetic organisms that can be programmed to do all sorts of things that they otherwise wouldn’t do naturally.

Though the team that worked on the Baker’s yeast only synthesized 30 percent of the Baker’s yeast DNA that it was working with, it won’t be long until the entire DNA set is replicated and apportioned for use. And since this DNA closely resembles that of human DNA, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the clinical potential of synthetic DNA.

If successful, the endeavor will eventually lead to the creation of new and more advanced lifeforms, such as plants, worms, and ultimately human cells. Scientists will then have the ability to transform life into artificial life on a whim, bringing about all sorts of changes to the global ecosystem that only speculation and imagination can identify at this point. (RELATED: More on the transhumanist agenda is accessible at TransHumanist.News)

“This work sets the stage for completion of designer, synthetic genomes to address unmet needs in medicine and industry,” says Jef Boeke, director of New York University’s Langone Institute for Systems Genetics where this research is taking place.

“Beyond any one application, the papers confirm that newly created systems and software can answer basic questions about the nature of genetic machinery by reprogramming chromosomes in living cells.”

Whenever man pretends to be God, disaster ensues

Besides creating new lifeforms, this effort to synthesize DNA is part of a larger effort to invent new pharmaceutical drugs for use in healthcare. The goal is to recreate the world of active substances to perform precisely how scientists want them to, without the normal restraints of nature. In the end, this will lead to more pills and more vaccines, both of which will contain more artificial additives.

By slicing, dicing, and parsing real DNA to make room for synthetic DNA, scientists will gain full access to recreating DNA chromosomes in whatever’s desired, whether that be a novel active ingredient in a new drug, or a whole new advanced life form with the ability to be something completely new and unique — and it all starts with the yeast.

“We want to build something which is more stable and more amendable for engineering,” Boeke says about the project. “We have complete control over rewriting the code of the yeast.”

Many would argue that such efforts resemble what took place at the Tower of Babel before the entire thing was destroyed. Mankind had attempted to play the role of God, and the result was complete and total disaster. Well, now the world is seeing this same type of scenario unfold with the push towards synthetic life, which could also end in disaster.

It’s already evident that synthetic food in the form of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) has been a complete and utter failure. GMOs don’t provide the same level of nutrition that natural food does, and much of it is contaminated with toxic pesticides and herbicides. Does society really want to see the same type of thing play out with other forms of life?

Sources:

Express.co.uk

WashingtonPost.com

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Compound in hot peppers found to halt growth of breast cancer cells /discoveriesnews/2017-04-03-compound-in-hot-peppers-found-to-halt-growth-of-breast-cancer-cells.html Mon, 03 Apr 2017 15:49:45 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-04-03-compound-in-hot-peppers-found-to-halt-growth-of-breast-cancer-cells.html Capsaicin, an active ingredient that gives chilies and peppers their pungent taste, was shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, a study found. To assess this, German researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and their colleagues used the SUM149PT cell culture, which serves as a model for highly aggressive forms of breast cancer such as the triple-negative type. The researchers then identified a transient receptor potential channel and named it TRPV1. The receptor, which appeared to be activated by the spicy compound, was found in tumor cells in various samples from breast cancer patients.

The researchers then used capsaicin to activate the TRPV1 receptor in cell cultures. The pungent compound was added to the cell cultures with varying time frames of several hours of days. Data showed that the treatment caused cancer cells to divide at a slower pace. The therapy was also associated with a higher number of deaths among tumor cells. The remaining cancer cells became more sluggish, which implied that the treatment was able to inhibit their ability to form metastases in the body. (RELATED: Follow more news on natural remedies for cancer at Remedies.news.)

“In this study, we aimed to identify the TRP channels in different breast cancer subtypes and to investigate the effect of TRPV1 ligand [capsaicin] on breast cancer progression. To our knowledge, no studies have yet conducted a large-scale comparative study of the TRP channels expression profiles in breast cancer cell lines. In our experiments, a significant reduction in cell proliferation after capsaicin stimulation was observed. This finding was in accordance with the results of other scientists, who demonstrated a significant decrease in the cell growth rate of MCF-7 breast cancer cells upon capsaicin stimulation,” said researcher Dr. Lea Weber.

“If we could switch on the TRPV1 receptor with specific drugs, this might constitute a new treatment approach for this type of cancer,” said researcher Dr. Habil Hanns Hatt.

The findings were published in the journal Breast Cancer – Targets and Therapy.

Previous studies tout capsaicin’s cancer-fighting properties

The results of the current study reflect those of a meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment. According to the review, capsaicin showed strong anticancer properties by targeting multiple signaling pathways and disease-related genes in various stages of tumors such as initiation, promotion, progression and metastasis. The compound was also shown to promote apoptosis – otherwise known as cell death – in cancer cells, inhibit cancer cell growth and prevent metastasis, the analysis stated. Furthermore, the compound interacts well with other anticancer treatments. This mechanism demonstrated capsaicin’s potential in cancer treatment as an add-on to other chemotherapeutic compounds, researchers wrote.

Various animal studies have also demonstrated the compound’s efficacy in fighting cancer cells. A 2006 study in the journal Cancer Research found that the compound specifically targeted prostate cancer cells and tumors without harming healthy cells in albino rats. Researchers said capsaicin triggered cell death among cancer cell lines and related hormones. The compound was also shown to help reduce the expression of prostate-specific antigens, and prohibit dihydrotestosterone from activating the PSA, data showed. The animals also showed significant declines in prostate cancer growth and size following a four-week treatment with capsaicin. The findings were published in the journal Cancer Research. 

A study by the American Chemical Society also found that combining capsaicin with the compound 6-gingerol in ginger may help keep lung cancer at bay. Researchers examined lab mice predisposed to lung cancer and found that only 20% of the animals that received the combination treatment developed the disease at the end of the study. The results were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Sources: 

Sci-News.com

ScienceDaily.com

Mirror.co.uk

IIARJournals.com

NaturalHealth365.com

CellSignal.com

Express.co.uk

 

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Mars surface discovered to have been flooded by water … regions captured in photographs /discoveriesnews/2017-04-01-mars-surface-discovered-to-have-been-flooded-by-water-regions-captured-in-photographs.html Sat, 01 Apr 2017 16:12:22 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-04-01-mars-surface-discovered-to-have-been-flooded-by-water-regions-captured-in-photographs.html Mars may have been flooded by water in a not so distant past, according to a new study. Researchers from the Trinity College Dublin and the University of Oxford found that a patch of land in the planet’s Lucaya crater exhibited arcuate striations. Researcher Mary Bourke from the Trinity College Dublin, who previously studied a similar phenomenon in the Namib Desert in South Africa, explained that arcuate striations are geochemically formed patterns. These patterns occur when evaporating ground water interacts with salts in the sands, which then form fine sediments that may extend beneath the surface. The salts left behind by the evaporated water accumulate and harden over time and remain in place as sand dunes drift.

“Following our work in Namibia, we hypothesise that on Mars, similar arcuate striations exposed on the surface between dunes are also indications of fluctuating levels of salty groundwater, during a time when dunes were actively migrating down the valley. These findings are hugely significant. Firstly, the Martian sand dunes show evidence that water may have been active near Mars’ equator — potentially in the not-too-distant past. And secondly, this location is now a potential geological target for detecting past life forms on the Red Planet, which is important to those involved in selecting sites for future missions,” said Bourke.

The findings of the recent discovery were published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. (RELATED: Find more news about space and the planets at Space.news.)

NASA confirms water on Mars; explains where it all went

In 2015, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provided strong evidence that the red planet may have intermittent flow of liquid water. Researchers used image data from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and found signatures of hydrated minerals on slopes where darkish streaks seems to flow and cease over time. According to the researchers, the streaks seem to darken and flow down during warm season and fade during cool season. These flows, known as recurring slope lineae, have been previously associated with liquid water. The results were published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

In 2016, NASA was also able to detect the presence of water ice in the Mars’ mid-northern latitudes. Researchers used data from the MRO to examine part of Mars’ Utopia Planitia region. Data analysis revealed a deposit of water ice beneath the region’s plains. The analysis showed that the deposit’s thickness ranged between 260 feet to about 560 feet. Its composition was 50 percent to 85 percent water ice mixed with larger rocky particles and dust. According to the researchers, the water ice deposits hold as much water as the Lake Superior. “This deposit probably formed as snowfall accumulating into an ice sheet mixed with dust during a period in Mars history when the planet’s axis was more tilted than it is today,” said lead researcher Cassie Stuurman of the Institute for Geophysics at the University of Texas, Austin. Their findings were also published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

A recent study published in the journal Science offers a new insight on the red planet’s lack of water. Data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft revealed that strong solar wind and intense radiation caused about 65 percent of gas deposits in the Martian atmosphere to rise up into space. This led to an eventual lack of vital elements that depleted and dried the planet’s oceans, lakes, and rivers. According to the team, the Sun emitted stronger solar winds and more intense radiations during its earlier years, suggesting that the likelihood of atmospheric loss was much greater in the Red Planet’s history. “This discovery… teaches us about the processes that can change a planet’s habitability over time,” said MAVEN Program Scientist Elsayed Talaat.

Sources:

Sci-News.com

UPI.com

NASA.gov

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Doctors turn to a spider’s deadly venom in hopes of treating stroke victims /discoveriesnews/2017-03-31-doctors-turn-to-a-spiders-deadly-venom-in-hopes-of-treating-stroke-victims.html Fri, 31 Mar 2017 16:48:11 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-03-31-doctors-turn-to-a-spiders-deadly-venom-in-hopes-of-treating-stroke-victims.html The venom of one of the world’s deadliest spiders could potentially be used by stroke patients to protect against brain damage — although more research is needed before this becomes standard treatment. One bite from the Australian funnel web spider can kill an average-sized human in only 15 minutes. The neurotoxins act on the central nervous system and are considered to be twice as strong as cyanide. However, researchers have found that a molecule within the venom can protect neurons from degenerating, especially after a traumatic oxidative loss associated with a stroke. This was seen after administering the synthesized neurotoxin to rats.

The molecule in the venom, which scientists named Hi1a, was found by chance. Scientists in Australia were initially sequencing the DNA of toxins in the venom of the funnel web spiders. The molecule stood out because of its appearance — Hi1a had a similar structure to another brain cell-protecting chemical. Scientists were baffled by this similarity and decided to synthesize Hi1a and test it. Glenn King at the University of Queensland’s center for pain research concluded, “it proved to be even more potent.”

Strokes leading to brain damage

The American Stroke Association lists strokes as the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States. People experience a stroke when blood vessels that carry oxygen to the brain become blocked or clotted. This forces the brain to burn glucose, its fuel, differently. A process termed anaerobic glycolysis takes place. This is an emergency mechanism that releases the energy needed by the brain to function but also produces acid byproducts that can cause brain cells to die.  Depending on where the stroke occurs, patients can experience several different side-effects.

The brain is divided into two hemispheres. In simple terms, one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body. For example, a stroke occurring on the right side of the brain will affect the left side of the body. This can manifest in vision problems and memory loss along with paralysis of the left side of the body. Conversely, a stroke on the left side of the brain can result in speech and language problems and paralysis of the right side of the body. The most severe case of brain damage happens when the stroke occurs in the brain stem. This can leave patients in a “locked-in” state where they are unable to speak and can become immobilized.

How the venom protects the brain

Hi1a works by blocking ion channels found specifically in neurons that respond to the increased acidic environment in the brain. These findings were reported in the journal Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences. Administering Hi1a two hours after a stroke reduced brain damage by 80 percent. Hi1a was still effective eight hours after an episode, reducing the extent of brain damage by around 65 percent.

Authors of the study were quick to mention that more research is necessary before this can become available to the public. Researchers need to determine whether Hi1a is effective for all types of the condition. That is, if the molecule works well with blood vessels that are ruptured rather than just blocked. Researchers of the study administered Hi1a directly into the brain of lab rats but said that nasal delivery was just as effective.

If further research leads to positive results, this could become a viable treatment option for stroke patients. To date, there are no on-the-spot preventive measures for brain damage. Patients are either given clot-busting drugs or subjected to a surgical procedure called endovascular thrombectomy which takes the clot from the brain. Needless to say, either option is traumatic and is only for patients whose strokes were induced by clotting. If Hi1a is found to be safe for patients with brain bleeds (strokes caused by a hemorrhage), then the drug can be given immediately.

“The drug could be given in the ambulance to most stroke patients before hospital arrival, maximizing the number of neurons that can be saved,” said King. “This should diminish the mortality from stroke and provide much better outcomes for those that survive as more brain function will be retained.”

Discover more news about medicinal cures at CURES.news.

Sources:

TheGuardian.com

SCMP.com

PlanetDeadly.com

StrokeAssociation.org

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Mysterious magnetized waves ripple across the Earth and the Sun, influencing Earth weather /discoveriesnews/2017-03-30-mysterious-magnetized-waves-ripple-across-earth-sun-influencing-weather.html Thu, 30 Mar 2017 16:56:04 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-03-30-mysterious-magnetized-waves-ripple-across-earth-sun-influencing-weather.html A recent study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA revealed mysterious waves, otherwise known as Rossby waves, were observed on the Sun’s atmosphere, which may provide insight on a broad range of solar phenomena such as sun spot formation, solar flare eruption, and active region formations.

“The discovery of Rossby-like waves on the Sun could be important for the prediction of solar storms, the main drivers of space weather effects on Earth. Bad weather in space can hinder or damage satellite operations, and communication and navigation systems, as well as cause power-grid outages leading to tremendous socioeconomic losses. Estimates put the cost of space weather hazards at $10 billion per year,” said Ilia Roussev, program director in NSF’s Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences.

Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) define Rossby waves as large-scale planetary waves associated with jet stream trails and low- and high-pressure formations, which in turn play a significant role in local weather events on Earth. These waves develop in rotating fluids such as in the oceans and the atmosphere. The existence of Rossby-like waves should not come as a surprise because the Sun rotates, and because it is mostly made of plasma that in some ways act like a magnetized ocean, said NCAR scientist and lead author Scott McIntosh.

“The discovery of magnetised Rossby waves on the Sun offers the tantalising possibility that we can predict space weather much further in advance. Just like predicting weather on earth the global perspective on the sun is absolutely critical. Without that there is just too much guess work involved,” said McIntosh.

The findings of the innovative study were published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

How Earth-like waves were seen on the Sun’s surface

Researchers have previously identified the presence of Rossby waves on Earth by evaluating different satellite angles in space. Scientists had previously inferred that the Sun could host Rossby-like waves,  but detecting planetary waves on the Sun’s surface proved more difficult as experts were only able to study the Sun using the viewpoint from Earth’s direction. However, researchers successfully examined the Sun’s surface using data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory and NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission, which included two spacecraft that orbited the Sun. This trio of satellites collected data and images of the Sun’s surface between 2011 to 2014.

The research team used the data gathered to identify and monitor coronal bright points — small bright features scattered on the Sun’s surface — and subsequently track motions within the deeper parts of the Sun’s atmosphere. The scientists also used data from the Hovmöller diagrams, a diagnostic tool designed to emphasize the role of waves on the Earth’s atmosphere. An analysis of the combined data revealed that cohesive bands of magnetized activity propagated slowly across the solar surface. This mechanism was the same as Rossby waves found on earth, researchers said.

The results may have implications in the study of various solar phenomena such as the development of sunspots, their lifetimes, and the origin of the Sun’s 11-year solar cycle, researchers said. The findings may also shed light on the existence of coronal mass ejections, researchers added. McIntosh stresses the results can help the scientific community better predict the Sun’s behavior.

Still, it is important  to gain a better understanding of the waves and their patterns in order to advance science’s current predictive capacities. Doing this would require another 360-degree view of the Sun, said McIntosh. “To connect the local scale with the global scale, we need to expand our view. We need a constellation of spacecraft that circle the Sun and monitor the evolution of its global magnetic field,” McIntosh added.

Read more news about space weather and the sun at Space.news.

Sources:

ScienceDaily.com

Wired.co.uk

UPI.com

 

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This often forgotten berry has some amazing health benefits /discoveriesnews/2017-03-29-this-often-forgotten-berry-has-some-amazing-health-benefits.html Thu, 30 Mar 2017 04:25:40 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-03-30-this-often-forgotten-berry-has-some-amazing-health-benefits.html Blackberries are the often forgotten child of the berry family. Popular media has given its siblings, the strawberry, blueberry, and red raspberry, proper attention. But nutritionists say that Rubus fruticosus — the blackberry’s scientific name — should be given more notice.  Blackberries are one of the highest scoring foods in the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). This is a test that determines a food’s antioxidant capacity. Blackberries score an impressive ORAC score of 5,905 compared to strawberries (4,302), blueberries (4,669), and red raspberries (5,065).

The blacker the berry, the sweeter the fruit

Several studies hail blackberries as an excellent anticarcinogenic. The polyphenols which are abundant in blackberries prevent cell mutation. Along with its antioxidant properties, blackberries block cancer cells from developing along tissues. Those at risk of lung cancer are particularly advised to up their intake of blackberries. Anthocyanin — a type of polyphenol — was studied to have been an effective preventive measure against the growth of cancerous lung tumors.

Blackberries contain high levels of vitamin K. These soluble compounds have been linked with effective cancer prevention. Vitamin K1 and K2 are noted to have superior anti-tumor action. The nutrient affects tumor development by modifying their receptor molecules. Simply taking a serving of blackberries fills a third of your daily requirement for vitamin K.

The anti-coagulating properties of vitamin K make blackberries an ideal natural therapy for women who suffer painful bouts of PMS. Vitamin K can regulate hormone production, effectively reducing pain caused by cramps. It can also aid women who suffer from excessive bleeding.

Other benefits of vitamin K? Blackberries are good for people with cardiovascular problems. The vitamin K stops arteries from hardening by preventing plaque build-up. Eating a good amount of blackberries can reduce blood pressure and lessen the chance of a heart attack.

Studies conclude that blackberries are also an excellent superfood for brain health. Antioxidants help improve memory. A consistent diet of blackberries dramatically improves cognition and attention. A notable nutrient for brain health is manganese. Neural connections and processes rely on manganese to function properly. Research proves that a deficiency in manganese can lead to epilepsy. The polyphenols in blackberries also guard against neuron degeneration.

“Berry” good at fighting inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural defense against disease, however, our typical American diet makes us more prone to driving our bodily processes to extreme levels and increasing our risk of cellular inflammation. At a cellular level, oxidative stress can result in mutation. Nutritionists constantly encourage their clients to pay close attention to what they eat because there is a direct connection between what we place inside our body and how it responds to environmental stress.

Blackberries, when eaten regularly, protects the body from chronic inflammation. To wit: One study found that people who eat blackberries as a part of their balanced diet are 88 percent less likely to develop stomach ulcers. Blackberries also reduce damage caused by free radicals. We all know that processed foods increase the number of free radicals in the body. When we carry too many of these cells, we become more prone to disease and premature aging.

The fruit also shows impressive antibacterial characteristics. Dentists found that blackberries reduce the number of oral infections due to their ability to target only infected cells and leaving other, healthy cells untouched.

Take note that hand-picked, wild berries contain the highest number of antioxidants. Fruits that are flash-frozen and sold at your store are still good for you, but are less nutrient-dense. When choosing your blackberries, look for ones that are firm and shiny. We recommend buying these between August and September to get the freshest produce.

Sources:

Superfoodly.com

BerryHealth.edu

OrganicFacts.net

NaturalHealth365.com

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Scientists have discovered a way to destroy cancer tumors using nothing but sound waves /discoveriesnews/2017-03-29-scientists-have-discovered-a-way-to-destroy-cancer-tumors-using-nothing-but-sound-waves.html Thu, 30 Mar 2017 04:13:37 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-03-30-scientists-have-discovered-a-way-to-destroy-cancer-tumors-using-nothing-but-sound-waves.html A recent breakthrough in high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy (HIFU) technology has proven its use as an effective cancer treatment. A multi-institutional research team from China developed a semi-enclosed, spherical cavity transducer that can produce a focused, standing-wave field with a subwavelength-scale focal region and extremely high ultrasound intensity. The spherical cavity transducer appeared to generate tighter focal regions and greater pressure amplitude compared with the traditional concave spherical transducer. Researchers said the level of intensity generated by the new transducer design may lead to significant improvements in HIFU therapy. The findings were published in the Journal of Applied Physics.

HIFU is a non-invasive, targeted treatment that makes use of sound waves to eradicate cancer cells. HIFU uses an ultrasonic transducer to convert electrical signals into sound waves, then concentrates ultrasound into a small focal region to raise the temperature to more than 65 decrees Celsius, thereby killing cancer cells in the process without inducing damage to surrounding tissues. The technique works in the same manner as focusing sunlight through a lens, which helps eliminate the disease-causing cells.

HIFU can be used as an alternative to traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and surgery.

Sound waves prove to be viable cancer treatment in various studies

High-intensity focused ultrasound therapy proved to be a highly-effective cancer treatment in various studies and clinical trials.

For instance, researchers at the University College Hospital in London examined 625 men with prostate cancer and found that 93 percent of patients who underwent HIFU alone remained cancer-free at five years following the treatment, without requiring surgery or radiotherapy. Data also showed that only one to two percent of patients who had HIFU treatment suffered long-term urinary incontinence, compared with 10 to 20 percent of patients who had surgery. In addition, only 15 percent of patients in the HIFU group developed erectile dysfunction compared with 30 to 60 percent of surgical patients.

“The results of this study are impressive and have the potential to transform prostate cancer treatment for many men in the future. It is extremely exciting technology and these results show that in men diagnosed early by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing, this targeted therapy could be as effective as surgery to remove the whole prostate gland or radiotherapy and cause far fewer side effects,” said study co-author Tim Dudderidge.

The findings were presented at an annual meeting of the European Association of Urology in Munich, Germany.

A British clinical trial funded by the Medical Research Council has also found that 95 percent of patients who underwent HIFU therapy for prostate cancer remained cancer-free at 12 months after the treatment. The researchers also found that none of the respondents suffered urinary incontinence during the follow-up period.

Another sound wave innovation to watch out for

Researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada have developed a new technique that uses focused sound waves to activate minute particles known as nanodroplets. According to the researchers, the new technique was as accurate as using needles in biopsy.

“With a little bit of ultrasound energy, nanodroplets phase-change into microbubbles. That’s important because ultrasound can really oscillate these microbubbles. The microbubbles absorb of the ultrasound energy and then act like boxing gloves to punch the tumor cells and knock little vesicles off. That led us to detect some genes that were indicative of the aggressiveness of the tumour. That’s potentially very powerful. You can get a genetic characterization of the tumour, but do it relatively non-invasively,” said engineering professor Roger Zemp.

The findings were published in the journal Cancer Research. 

Find more news on medical discoveries at Discoveries.news.

Sources: 

AlphaGalileo.org

DailyMail.co.uk

Express.co.uk

ScienceDaily.com

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Future geniuses may be suffocated by too much “structured” knowledge in education and science, warn scientists /discoveriesnews/2017-03-29-future-geniuses-may-be-suffocated-by-too-much-structured-knowledge-in-education-and-science-warn-scientists.html Thu, 30 Mar 2017 01:41:37 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-03-30-future-geniuses-may-be-suffocated-by-too-much-structured-knowledge-in-education-and-science-warn-scientists.html Can too much structure kill creativity? According to researchers at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, the answer is yes. In a series of experiments, authors of the study found that an organized structure of activities can place limitations on creativity and inhibit innovation among adults. It has long been believed that structure and organization add clarity and efficiency, but Yeun Joon Kim, co-author of the study, warns: “A hierarchically organized information structure may also have a dark side.” The paper, entitled “Ideas rise from chaos: Information structure and creativity,” was published in the January edition of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

Structured thinking leads to a static brain

To better process information, we tend to group data into bite-sized manageable pieces, which prevents us from becoming overwhelmed. We have extended this into all aspects of our lives. The emphasis on organized structures has made managerial strategies entirely focused on efficiency. However, this “flat” way of thinking reprograms the brain to be inflexible. Kim and his co-author Chen-Bo Zhong conclude that society has become too focused on order, effectively cutting off our natural predilection towards cognitive flexibility. (RELATED: Read more news about the mysteries of the mind at MIND.news.)

The researchers ran a series of three experiments to test their theory. The first two experiments had participants make as many sentences as they could from a group of nouns. In one experiment, the participants were given the nouns in neatly organized categories. In the second, the nouns were not organized in any particular way. In the final experiment, participants were tasked to make an alien out of a box of organized or unorganized bricks. Participants in the organized category were not allowed to dump the bricks onto the table, while those in the unorganized group could do as they pleased with the blocks.

Results show that those who fell under the organized group tended to follow preconceived patterns. They were typically faster than the unorganized group but showed no variation in their wording style or how they built the alien. Authors classified this type of thinking as a “hierarchically organized information structure” which organizes data based on what is known. This type of structure builds patterns based on familiarity, area of expertise, or discipline. The other form of thinking, flat information structure, sees information without any form of category and therefore has no hindrance to how it can be used.

Put simply: Practice makes perfect — but then we plateau and are no longer able to give new ideas.

The importance of creativity

So why is this important to learn? Science proves that the brain is constantly adapting to situations. Neural connections are strengthened or destroyed based on what it receives every day. So, the brain of a firefighter for example would be much different from the brain of a lab technician. Our brains take in the necessary information and categorizes it to give us the best chance for survival. Learning creativity — or rather, encouraging cognitive flexibility — keeps the brain elastic and pliable. This proves essential during disaster preparedness or experiencing new things.

A Harvard Business Review paper argues that we place too much stock on the term “creativity.” The ideas that we judge as “creative” are often based on how novel they are rather than their usefulness. In terms of business, rewards are given to the most innovative without thinking of its implementation. Ted Levitt, who wrote the 2002 article says, “A powerful new idea can kick around unused in a company for years, not because its merits are not recognized but because nobody has assumed the responsibility for converting it from words into action. What is often lacking is not creativity in the idea-creating sense but innovation in the action-producing sense, i.e., putting ideas to work.”

With the latest study, Kim and Zhong define creativity not as the propensity to generate ideas but how quickly participants were able to shift ideas and thought patterns. This may be a better — and perhaps more accurate — way of defining creativity and its importance in the workplace.

Sources:

ScienceDaily.com

HBR.org

FPSPI.org

CNN.com

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Health Ranger awarded U.S. patent for breakthrough anti-radiation formula that eliminates Cesium-137 from your body /discoveriesnews/2017-03-28-health-ranger-awarded-u-s-patent-for-breakthrough-anti-radiation-formula-that-eliminates-cesium-137-from-your-body.html Tue, 28 Mar 2017 17:28:07 +0000 http://162.244.66.231/discoveriesnews/2017-03-28-health-ranger-awarded-u-s-patent-for-breakthrough-anti-radiation-formula-that-eliminates-cesium-137-from-your-body.html In yet another science breakthrough for humanity, the U.S. patent office has just awarded patent # US 9526751 B2 for a unique formula called “Cesium Eliminator” which eliminates radioactive cesium isotopes from the human digestive tract where contaminated food and water may have been ingested.

I developed this lifesaving invention, which is also described at CesiumEliminator.com, to save lives in the aftermath of a nuclear accident, nuclear terrorism or nuclear war.

The formula is based on a unique combination of zeolites and dehydrated seaweeds which my laboratory (CWClabs.com) has confirmed to be extremely effective at binding with and eliminating cesium-137 from the human digestive tract.

I’m publicly announcing, right now, that I will donate manufacturing and licensing rights for this invention to any state or national government, anywhere in the world, that wishes to use this technology to protect its citizens from nuclear fallout from any cause. I have also stockpiled 10,000 kg of raw materials for this formula in a warehouse in Texas, and I plan to manufacture and donate this product for free to any victims of nuclear incidents that might take place in the continental United States or in the State of Texas.

Lifesaving invention could help save millions of lives following a nuclear disaster, act of terrorism or act of war

As described on CesiumEliminator.com:

Cesium-137 is radioactive isotope produced from nuclear catastrophes like Chernobyl and Fukushima. It’s also a deadly radioisotope created in the aftermath of nuclear bombs.

Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years and it mimics potassium in soils and plants. It contaminates soils for 200 – 300 years, making the land unusable for agriculture. Cesium-137 contamination is the reason why no one lives near Chernobyl to this very day.

Once you eat cesium-137, you are irradiating your body from the inside out.

This invention eliminates over 95% of cesium-137 from the digestive tract

As the laboratory results chart shows below, this invention eliminates over 95% of cesium elements from the digestive tract, making it extremely effective at protecting the body from absorbing radioactive cesium.

Why is this important? When people drink radioactive water or eat radioactive food, Cesium Eliminator can capture up to 95% of the radioactive cesium elements in food and water before it gets absorbed into the blood stream and gets deposited in soft tissues throughout the body:

 

 

Exposure to Cesium-137 causes cancer from high-energy gamma radiation

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control:

Exposure to Cs-137 can increase the risk for cancer because of exposure to high-energy gamma radiation. Internal exposure to Cs-137, through ingestion or inhalation, allows the radioactive material to be distributed in the soft tissues, especially muscle tissue, exposing these tissues to the beta particles and gamma radiation and increasing cancer risk.

Even the New York Times, which is often reluctant to report any legitimate scientific truth on topics like vaccine ingredients, acknowledges the harm caused by radioactive cesium-137:

Over the long term, the big threat to human health is cesium-137, which has a half-life of 30 years. The radiation from cesium-137 can throw cellular machinery out of order, including the chromosomes, leading to an increased risk of cancer.

Iodine does not block radioactive cesium

Many people are purchasing iodine products such as potassium iodide or nascent iodine as a defense against radiation. But few people know the truth about iodine: It does NOT block radioactive cesium.

Iodine protects primarily just one organ: your thyroid. And it protects your thyroid from just one radioactive isotope: Iodine-131, which has a half-life of around 7 days.

Iodine does nothing to protect you from radioactive cesium. Iodine, in fact, has no ability whatsoever to block, capture or bind with cesium isotopes. (Iodine binds well with calcium and potassium, however.)

Unfortunately, the over-marketing of iodine for radiation protection has misled many people into thinking they are “bulletproof” against radiation if they take iodine. This is blatantly false.

The best protection comes from covering all routes of exposure to ionizing radiation: air, food, water and direct exposure to radioactive sources (such as fuel rods).

Accordingly, all those preparing against nuclear catastrophe should protect themselves from all radioactive isotopes, including iodine-131 and cesium-137.

Cesium Eliminator is NOT currently for sale to the public, but we can manufacture it in quantity for state and national governments

Importantly, Cesium Eliminator, the dietary supplement formula based on my U.S. patent, is not currently for sale to the public. Because the primary ingredient of the formula — Zeolites — always contains high levels of aluminum, we are withholding direct sales to the public. This is because we do not want people taking the product as a “vitamin” or a routine supplement. It isn’t a vitamin at all. It’s an emergency use dietary elimination technology that binds with and helps your body eliminate radioactive elements, and it’s only appropriate to be consumed in a dire emergency involving the release of radioactive elements.

(In a pinch, for anyone who wants to take advantage of this discovery in a real emergency, you can simply consume zeolites, knowing that you’ll also be consuming large quantities of aluminum at the same time. But in the race of aluminum vs. cesium-137, it’s far more important to eliminate the cesium.)

We are, however, available to manufacture the product in bulk for emergency response authorities, local governments, state governments and national governments, including those outside the United States.

Our manufacturing facility is located in Texas and is certified organic, state certified for food handling safety, and operates in full compliance with ISO, FDA and USDA requirements. (We are FDA GMP compliant as well.) This product can be manufactured as either a powder or a capsule. Our laboratory facility is ISO-17025 accredited, which is the highest analytical laboratory accreditation status available, with international recognition.

Interested parties may contact us via the Natural News feedback form or the CWClabs.com contact page.

Remember, too, that as part of my humanitarian science mission to protect lives, I am offering to freely donate manufacturing rights of this patented supplement to governments in the United States and around the world. Contact me to initiate technical discussions if you represent a government organization that might benefit from this patented, scientifically validated technology.

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