Real or Fake? The Kraken and Other Controversial Creatures

Last month a university researcher claimed to find evidence of the Triassic kraken, a murderous sea monster from millions of years ago. Then other scientists quickly dismissed the claim for lack of evidence. The kraken remains a legend, but history is full of creatures claimed to be real that turned out to be hoaxes or just genetic oddities?and, conversely, some species thought to be myth that turned out to be real. Here?s a quick rundown of how scientists have sorted real from fake. By Amir Khan

1 of 7

Kraken

The Verdict: No Evidence That it's Real

The kraken is a mythological standby, a sea monster of epic proportions believed to have lived off the coast of Norway. But while scientists have turned up plenty of strange things in the sea, they?ve found no trace of the kraken.

Nevertheless, the creature made a big splash in the news last month when Mark McMenamin, a researcher with Mt. Holyoke College, claimed to have found evidence of the kraken?s "lair," in a Nevada fossil site. After seeing the bones, he said he noticed something strange.

"My first thought was that there was something very odd about the bone arrangement," he tells PM. "Then, what are all these skeletal remains doing here together in deep water? Next, it slowly dawned on me: Oh my, something murdered these creatures, dragged them to this spot, and messed with the remains. Bingo. This is the signature of a Triassic kraken."

The news of McMenamin?s findings spread quickly, but after a few days there was a backlash by scientists who called McMenamin?s hypothesis implausible. Plus, they pointed out, the kraken announcement was merely McMenamin?s interpretation of an already discovered and well-studied site, and he provided no direct evidence to corroborate the idea (tough to do, though, since a kraken wouldn?t fossilize.)

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, so the great sea monster remains a myth.

"); AddParamVideo(); }); function AddParamVideo() { var slideTypeVideo = fb._engine.variables.imageLoop[fb._engine.variables.currentImageIndex - 1].slideTypeVideo_embed_format; var videoContent = fb._engine.variables.imageLoop[fb._engine.variables.currentImageIndex - 1].slideTypeVideo_3rdparty_embed; if(slideTypeVideo == "3rd party" && videoContent && videoContent.search('')==-1) { var getQString = videoContent.split('>'); var oldString = getQString[0]; oldString=oldString+' wmode="transparent">'; $("[hfbNode='VideoFrame']").show().html(oldString); } } /* * THESE CALLBACKS ARE THE OTHER EVENTS, TO BE POSSIBLY USED FOR OTHER SITES */ function showSponsor() { //Hide - Unhide sponsor logo var slideType = fb._engine.variables.imageLoop[fb._engine.variables.currentImageIndex -1].slidetype; if($(".fb_frame_image_sponsored_author").css("display") == "block" && slideType != "Video") $(".frame_sponsor").css("display", "block"); else $(".frame_sponsor").css("display", "none"); if($(".partnerLogo").attr("class") != "partnerLogo") $(".fb_frame_side_right").css("margin-top", "30px"); } /* Hide - Unhide Most Stories in last slide */ fb.callback.viewMain(function(){ LoadDefaultMainPage(); $("#content_sec_mostpopularstories").hide(); }) fb.callback.viewFinalFrame(function(){ LoadDefaultMainPage(); $("#content_sec_mostpopularstories").show(); }); /* Init Hover Event on button top, bottom */ fb.callback.init(function(){ //Image arrow left: $(".fb_frame_image img:first") //Image arrow right: $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)") $("#fb_button_top_next").hover( function(){ $(".fb_frame_image img:first").addClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").addClass("arrowhide"); }, function(){ $(".fb_frame_image img:first").removeClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").removeClass("arrowhide"); } ); $("#fb_button_top_back").hover( function(){ $(".fb_frame_image img:first").addClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").addClass("arrowhide"); }, function(){ $(".fb_frame_image img:first").removeClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").removeClass("arrowhide"); } ); /* Hide - Unhide Tool Tip */ $("#fb_button_bot_next").hover( function(){ $(".fb_backnext_text_area").show(); $(".fb_frame_image img:first").addClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").addClass("arrowhide"); }, function(){ $(".fb_backnext_text_area").hide(); $(".fb_frame_image img:first").removeClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").removeClass("arrowhide"); } ); $("#fb_button_bot_back").hover( function(){ var currentPage = fb._engine.variables.currentImageIndex; if(currentPage != 1) $(".fb_backnext_text_area").show(); $(".fb_frame_image img:first").addClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").addClass("arrowhide"); }, function(){ $(".fb_backnext_text_area").hide(); $(".fb_frame_image img:first").removeClass("arrowhide"); $(".fb_frame_image img:eq(1)").removeClass("arrowhide"); } ); showSponsor(); }); /* Next, Back button click event */ function moveTop(){ //Get position of Ad image var position = $("#flipbookAd").position(); //Get position of next button var currentBtnNextPosition = $("#fb_button_top_next").position(); var currentBtnBackPosition = $("#fb_button_top_back").position(); if(currentBtnNextPosition.top > 680 || currentBtnBackPosition.top > 680) window.scrollTo(position.left, position.top); } fb.callback.next(function(){ LoadDefaultMainPage(); //Check if content is too long. moveTop(); }); fb.callback.back(function(){ LoadDefaultMainPage(); //Check if content is too long. moveTop(); }); /*Event For Paging Function in Thumbnails Page*/ function ShowPaging(currentSlide){ var lastSlide = fb._engine.variables.totalThumbPages; var firstSlide = 1; //Default style for paging number $("#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_container a").removeClass("highlite"); $("#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_container a").each(function(){ if(parseInt($(this).text()) == currentSlide) $(this).addClass("defaultSlide"); else $(this).removeClass("defaultSlide"); }); //Default style for button paging if(currentSlide == firstSlide) { //Load style for button on Thumbnail page $("#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_bookend_left").removeClass("off").addClass("inactive"); $("#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_bookend_right").removeClass("inactive").addClass("off"); } if(currentSlide > firstSlide && currentSlide span:first").text()); var result = (pageIndex / 12); var tempResult = result.toString(); var tempResultSplit = tempResult.split('.'); if(tempResultSplit.length > 1) pageIndex = parseInt(tempResultSplit[0]) + 1 else pageIndex = parseInt(tempResultSplit[0]); $("#currentPage").empty(); $("#currentPage").text(pageIndex.toString()); } function LoadDefaultMainPage(){ //Default style for button on main page var imgIndex = fb._engine.variables.currentImageIndex; if(imgIndex == 1) { $("#fb_button_top_back").removeClass("off").addClass("inactive"); $("#fb_button_bot_back").removeClass("off").addClass("inactive"); } else { $("#fb_button_top_back").removeClass("inactive").addClass("off"); $("#fb_button_bot_back").removeClass("inactive").addClass("off"); } showSponsor(); AddParamVideo(); } function InitEventBtnThumbsClick(){ var framePosition = 0; var lastFrame = fb._engine.variables.totalThumbPages; var firstFrame = 1; var nextFrame = 0; var previousFrame =0; $('#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_bookend_left').unbind('click'); $('#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_bookend_right').unbind('click'); $('#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_bookend_left').click(function() { framePosition = fb._engine.variables.currentThumbPage; if(framePosition > 1) { fb.click.scrollThumbPageLeft(); } }); $('#content-sec_fb_frame_viewthumb_nav_inner_bookend_right').click(function() { framePosition = fb._engine.variables.currentThumbPage; if(framePosition

Related News

Insects are often tiny enough to go unnoticed by humans as they go about dominating our planet. But not these. Check out our collection of the world's biggest cockroaches, bees and other bugs. Read More

In honor of the International Year of Biodiversity, PM takes a look at the 10 most badass beetles on the planet. They not only look cool, their nifty adaptations are inspiring products that range from autonomous vehicles to next-gen fire extinguishers. Read More

Beavers aren't the only animals that build. Check out the other master builders of the animal kingdom, like spiders that curl leaves into shelters, termites that construct colossal (air-conditioned) mounds and birds that build nests large enough for 400 individuals. Read More

They're numerous, they're noisy, and they're taking over the Southeast this summer. We talked to cicada experts to get the lowdown on these periodical invaders, including why they appear only in the eastern U.S., the quirks of cicada eye color and why this year's horde is called Brood XIX when there are only 15 recognized broods. Read More

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/real-or-fake-the-kraken-and-other-creatures-of-uncertain-status?src=rss

20/20 maps directions josephine baker pumpkin patch troy polamalu boo at the zoo when is daylight savings time 2011

Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video)

Want Honeycomb on your TV? You can take your chances with a Google TV-enabled set from Sony, or you can get the full Android experience by adding a connected tablet to your HD mix -- if Istanbul-based Ardic gets its solution out the door, at least. The Turkish company's prototype uses a 10-inch Android Honeycomb-based tablet to power a 65-inch LCD with 1080p support for basic gestures, like pinch and zoom. The display currently has two touch sensors, but a version with four sensors is on the way, which will bring multi-touch support. The tablet is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC, and includes 1GB of RAM, 16GB of flash memory, dual cameras, HDMI, USB, microSD and 3G and WiFi connectivity. A dock enables instant connectivity with the OEM TV, including HDMI for video and audio, and USB for touch input (a wireless version is in the works as well).

The devs customized Android to support 1080p output, and it appears to work quite seamlessly, as you'll see in the embedded video. And this isn't simply another goofy demo or proof of concept -- the Turkish company is in talks with education and enterprise customers and hopes to bring this setup to production as a more power- and cost-efficient smart board alternative. The company eventually hopes to offer displays in a variety of sizes, that will all be powered by a pocketable device, such as a smartphone, but watch in wonder as the 65-inch proto we have today struts its stuff in the video after the break.

Continue reading Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video)

Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceYouTube  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/qMskr7tCChQ/

advent calendar adobe air 2005yu55 advanced search a christmas carol personhood amendment haynesworth

The Supreme Court takes on 'ObamaCare': Will it hurt the president? (The Week)

New York ? The nation's highest court will weigh the constitutionality of the president's signature achievement ? and the 2012 election could hang in the balance

It's official. On Monday, the Supreme Court announced that it will consider the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act during its current term. Arguments will likely to be held in March 2012, with a decision handed down by the end of June. The Supreme Court has reserved 5.5 hours for argument in this case ? a modern record. There are four key issues the court will weigh: (1) The constitutionality of the individual mandate that requires Americans to have health insurance; (2) Whether the rest of the law can stand if the mandate is struck down; (3) Whether the Anti-Injunction Act prevents a challenge to the mandate in the first place; and (4) Whether the law's expansion of Medicaid is constitutional.?That culmination of the legal battle over health care reform will likely be the "most dramatic constitutional confrontation in recent memory," and the case will be decided during the height of President Obama's re-election campaign.?Is the timing a boon for Obama ? or will it ruin his re-election chances?

It all depends how the court rules:?If the Supreme Court ends up supporting "ObamaCare," Obama can claim vindication for the remainder of his re-election campaign, says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. If the court strikes the law down, that's fatal for Obama's campaign. In one fell swoop, he'd lose his signature legislative achievement, and have to spend the next several months trying to explain that embarrassing loss. "And explaining is not winning."
"Breaking: SCOTUS to review 'ObamaCare,' individual mandate this term"

Well, most signs point to a win for Obama: The Obama administration is betting that a favorable ruling will vindicate the president after years of "attacks on the law's constitutionality," says Massimo Calabresi at TIME. That may be a wise bet. A D.C. Court of Appeals opinion written last week by conservative judge Laurence Silberman was a major blow to those who argued that the individual mandate was unconstitutional. And don't forget an "equally devastating opinion" by former Clarence Thomas clerk Jeffrey Sutton at the 6th Circuit Court. With such "conservative stalwarts" on Obama's side, there's good reason to believe "Obama will get a win" at a crucial moment in the presidential campaign.
"SCOTUS to hear 'ObamaCare' before election"

Regardless, this case won't swing the election: Let's assume the Supreme Court reaches its decision at the very end of June 2012, says Jonathan Bernstein at The Washington Post. That still leaves more than four months before the election ? a "very long time in politics, especially for something that won't have any immediate tangible effect on people's lives." Voters have short memories. The decision will be critically important for the future of health care in the U.S., "but not for the 2012 elections."
"The Supremes will take on health care. But will it matter in 2012?"

View this article on TheWeek.com
Get 4 Free Issues of The Week

Other stories from this topic:

Like on Facebook?-?Follow on Twitter?-?Sign-up for Daily Newsletter

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20111114/cm_theweek/221433

meteor shower 2011 meteor shower 2011 home depot center the replacements fleet week scarecrow festival scarecrow festival

NASA's New 'Blacker Than Black' Material Could Revolutionize Space Astronomy (ContributorNetwork)

NASA engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland have created a material that absorbs close to 99 percent of light across the spectrum from ultraviolet all the way to far infrared. This material will have a variety of space applications.

What is the light absorbent material?

It consists of tiny carbon nanotubes implanted on the surface of material such as silicon, silicon nitride, titanium, and stainless steel. The carbon nanotubes are 10,000 times thinner than a human hair and stand at a 90 degree angle on the material they coat, sort of like strands on a shag carpet.

How does the light absorbing process work?

When light hits the coated material, it is trapped between the tiny walls of the carbon nanotubes, thus being trapped and thus reflected back. A material thus coated will absorb 99.5 percent of light in the ultraviolet and visible ranges and 98 percent of light in the infrared and far infrared range. The material thus coated has 50 times more absorbing qualities than any other material. Such material thus coated would appear extremely black to the naked eye.

Why is this important to NASA?

One of the problems in space-based astronomy, such as conducted by the Hubble space telescope, is that reflective, ambient light tends to interfere with the light being captured onto the telescope's mirror. The less reflective light there is to contend with, the sharper the images can be acquired from distant, dim objects, such as planets circling other stars. The material would thus be a boon for future space astronomy, such as planned for the James Webb Space Telescope.

The material also has a cooling effect, as it radiates heat, which is also something of great importance in the hostile environment of space. Instruments can thus be kept cooler and thus more sensitive to distant, dim light sources.

The material is far more efficient than black paint or epoxy, now commonly used for coating spacecraft to suppress reflective light. The material is also very light weight, which is always a consideration for space craft that has to be launched from the Earth's surface.

What are some Earth bound applications for the material?

Depending, of course, on how cheaply the material can be manufactured, the coating could be used for building materials in hot climates to radiate heat, making the buildings more energy efficient. The light absorbing properties might make military vehicles stealthier at night, though the heat reflective properties could also make them more detectable on thermo-imaging equipment.

Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker. He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times and The Weekly Standard.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111113/us_ac/10429065_nasas_new_blacker_than_black_material_could_revolutionize_space_astronomy

alcs alcs miguel cabrera pay it forward pay it forward haunted houses favicon.ico

Analysis says $79 Kindle costs $84 to make (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? A recent analysis from IHS iSuppli determined that Amazon's $79 Kindle e-reader, which is the online retailer's cheapest Kindle thus far, costs $84.25 to make.

In the report, iSuppli said the total cost of materials for the Kindle is $78.59, including $30.50 for the e-reader's 6-inch E-ink display. The market researcher estimates manufacturing costs run $5.66 per device.

IHS iSuppli notes that these costs don't include any of Amazon.com Inc.'s development costs for the Kindle, or costs related to things such as shipping and distribution of the device.

Even if Amazon pays more to build the $79 Kindle than it sells it for, the company has several other ways to bring in money from the device. This Kindle model includes ads that show up as screensavers and at the bottom of the device's home screen. And Amazon sees all the devices in the Kindle family ? and the free Kindle apps it offers for mobile devices and computers ? as a way to spur more sales of its digital e-books, music, games and apps.

Amazon has repeatedly lowered the price of the Kindle and added more devices to the Kindle lineup since it began selling the first one in late 2007 for $399. The $79 version, which the Seattle-based company started selling in late September, eschews the keyboard found on earlier Kindle models. Amazon will begin shipping touch-screen Kindles ($99 to $189) and its first tablet computer, the Kindle Fire ($199), later this month. Amazon still offers a Kindle that includes a physical keyboard, too.

Amazon has not said how many Kindles it has sold.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111111/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_isuppli_kindle

tim hightower tim hightower waldorf school waldorf school new orleans saints world series game 4 world series game 4

George Clooney talks sex, politics and fame

George Clooney is the kind of movie star who can seem too perfect to be real, but in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, on stands and available through Rolling Stone All Access on Nov. 11, the actor and director reveals that he's actually a pretty ordinary guy despite his looks, success, charm and fame. Well, sorta.

In an interview with contributing editor Erik Hedegaard, Clooney is candid about sex, his struggle to keep control of his temper and his passion for politics.

"My name is George and the world is in trouble," he says. "I can name you 40 hot spots in the world right now, and not just physically violent hot spots, but financially violent hot spots as well."

Other highlights from the story:

  • Clooney reveals that that while he lost his virginity at the age of 16 ("young, very young, too young"), he had his first orgasm when he was much younger. "I believe it was while climbing a rope when I was six or seven years old," he says. "I mean, nothing came out, but all the other elements were there. I remember getting to the top of the rope, hanging off the rope, and going, "Oh, my God, this feels great!"
  • Despite his debonair appearance, Clooney's sense of humor can get a bit sophomoric. For example, the word "Johnson" always makes him laugh. "Always. 'He showed her his Johnson and she left.' You can actually say that in mixed company or on late-night TV." He's also pretty fond of farts, especially when hanging out with his pals. "We think it's one of the funniest things in the history of mankind. Even the idea of a fart makes me laugh. Saying the word 'fart' makes me laugh. I have iFart on my phone. I have remote whoopee cushions. Farts. To me, there's nothing funnier."
  • He's perfectly fine with his current lady, former pro wrestler Stacy Keibler, tweeting about "smiling all day long." "She can do whatever she wants," he says. "I rarely tell anybody what they should be doing with their life."
  • He may be one of the biggest celebrities in the world now, but Clooney grew up in the shadow of his father, a local TV newsman in Ohio and Kentucky. "You have to remember that in the microcosm of Cincinnati, Ohio, through northern Kentucky, my father was a big, big star. So that made my sister and me really visible. Everybody knew us, talked about us. If I scored 15 points in a basketball game, the paper would say 'Nick Clooney's son scored 15 points.'" The fame was especially difficult for Clooney as he was struggling with the onset of Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis. "It was very awkward, being watched like that, everybody looking at us, and then all of a sudden your face goes flat? My dad would always say, 'It's going to go away, you'll be fine, you can handle it." But it was a tricky thing. So, you develop a better personality and learn how to make jokes about it."

Read more: Quotes from Clooney's Rolling Stone cover story and exclusive shots from the photo shoot

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45226192/ns/today-entertainment/

cole hamels cole hamels curtis painter apple news conference apple news conference apple news apple iphone

George Clooney talks sex, politics and fame

George Clooney is the kind of movie star who can seem too perfect to be real, but in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, on stands and available through Rolling Stone All Access on Nov. 11, the actor and director reveals that he's actually a pretty ordinary guy despite his looks, success, charm and fame. Well, sorta.

In an interview with contributing editor Erik Hedegaard, Clooney is candid about sex, his struggle to keep control of his temper and his passion for politics.

"My name is George and the world is in trouble," he says. "I can name you 40 hot spots in the world right now, and not just physically violent hot spots, but financially violent hot spots as well."

Other highlights from the story:

  • Clooney reveals that that while he lost his virginity at the age of 16 ("young, very young, too young"), he had his first orgasm when he was much younger. "I believe it was while climbing a rope when I was six or seven years old," he says. "I mean, nothing came out, but all the other elements were there. I remember getting to the top of the rope, hanging off the rope, and going, "Oh, my God, this feels great!"
  • Despite his debonair appearance, Clooney's sense of humor can get a bit sophomoric. For example, the word "Johnson" always makes him laugh. "Always. 'He showed her his Johnson and she left.' You can actually say that in mixed company or on late-night TV." He's also pretty fond of farts, especially when hanging out with his pals. "We think it's one of the funniest things in the history of mankind. Even the idea of a fart makes me laugh. Saying the word 'fart' makes me laugh. I have iFart on my phone. I have remote whoopee cushions. Farts. To me, there's nothing funnier."
  • He's perfectly fine with his current lady, former pro wrestler Stacy Keibler, tweeting about "smiling all day long." "She can do whatever she wants," he says. "I rarely tell anybody what they should be doing with their life."
  • He may be one of the biggest celebrities in the world now, but Clooney grew up in the shadow of his father, a local TV newsman in Ohio and Kentucky. "You have to remember that in the microcosm of Cincinnati, Ohio, through northern Kentucky, my father was a big, big star. So that made my sister and me really visible. Everybody knew us, talked about us. If I scored 15 points in a basketball game, the paper would say 'Nick Clooney's son scored 15 points.'" The fame was especially difficult for Clooney as he was struggling with the onset of Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis. "It was very awkward, being watched like that, everybody looking at us, and then all of a sudden your face goes flat? My dad would always say, 'It's going to go away, you'll be fine, you can handle it." But it was a tricky thing. So, you develop a better personality and learn how to make jokes about it."

Read more: Quotes from Clooney's Rolling Stone cover story and exclusive shots from the photo shoot

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45226192/ns/today-entertainment/

cole hamels cole hamels curtis painter apple news conference apple news conference apple news apple iphone