Cosmological Distance Measurements

Measurements of the distance to extragalactic sources allow us to infer the major energy constituents of our Universe.

Two decades ago such measurements revealed that most of the energy in the Universe is in `dark energy’ — a discovery that has had immense implications for fundamental physics. 

Currently there is a 10% discrepancy in cosmic distances inferred with the two most accepted techniques, despite 1-2% errors claimed on both methods, with the model that is most successful at reconciling this discrepancy being an earlier era where something like dark energy was again important. 

Interpreting mild tensions can be challenging and ideally a much more precise measurement would be performed. Such a measurement could also lead to entirely new discoveries.  READ MORE...

Hubble Telescope

 

Nowhere Man

 

In the NEWS

Opening arguments begin today in a long-anticipated civil trial against the National Rifle Association, the largest gun-rights lobby in the US. The trial opens after longtime NRA leader Wayne LaPierre, a subject of the lawsuit, resigned Friday citing health reasons.


Federal aviation officials ordered the grounding of a popular model of Boeing's 737 MAX jets over the weekend, following a harrowing incident on a Friday Alaska Airlines flight during which a chunk of the plane's fuselage blew off midascent. No one was injured during the incident, though depressurization reportedly ripped a child's shirt off. See video here.


Congressional leaders reached an agreement on spending levels for the 2024 fiscal year, striking a roughly $1.7T deal ahead of looming deadlines to fund separate parts of the federal government. Leaders from both parties in the House and Senate approved the compromise, with individual appropriations bills sticking to the topline levels by separate committees.


"Oppenheimer," "Poor Things," "Succession," and "The Bear" win top prizes at 81st Golden Globe Awards; see complete list of winners (More) | "The Last of Us" wins eight awards on Night 1 of the 2023 Creative Arts Emmy Awards (More)


Cindy Morgan, actress known for roles in "Caddyshack" and "Tron," dies at 69 (More) | Actor Christian Oliver dies at 51 in plane crash along with two daughters and pilot (More) | Mário Zagallo, Brazilian soccer legend, dies at 92 (More)


Michigan takes on Washington tonight (7:30 pm ET, ESPN) in the College Football Playoff National Championship (More) | South Dakota State wins its second straight FCS national championship (More) | NFL regular season wrapped last night; see playoff picture (More)


Small scale study suggests ibogaine, a potent psychedelic found in plants, reduces PTSD in veterans who've sustained traumatic brain injuries by 80% (More)


Researchers discover fossilized bacteria capable of photosynthesis dating to 1.75 billion years old; find sheds light on the production of oxygen on the early Earth (More)


Link between cancer immunotherapy treatments and gastrointestinal side effects revealed; gut microbiome found to spur hyperactive immune T cells in the digestive tract (More)


Markets close slightly higher Friday (S&P 500 +0.2%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq +0.1%), but all three indexes end nine-week winning streak (More)


Radio and podcast giant Audacy, the second-largest radio broadcaster in the US, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy citing long-term decline in ad sales (More)


Court cancels trial between Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and billionaire Haslam family over accounting practices at the Pilot truck stop chain (More) |


SpaceX sues the National Labor Relations Board, arguing the agency is unconstitutional; follows a board complaint alleging SpaceX illegally fired eight employees (More)

SOURCE:  1440 News

Maximizing Quantum Entanglement

Entanglement is a property of quantum physics that is manifested when two or more systems interact in such a way that their quantum states cannot be described independently. 

In the terminology of quantum physics, they are said to be entangled, i.e. strongly correlated. Entanglement is of paramount importance to quantum computing. The greater the entanglement, the more optimized and efficient the quantum computer.

A study conducted by researchers affiliated with the Department of Physics at São Paulo State University's Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences (IGCE-UNESP) in Rio Claro, Brazil, tested a novel method of quantifying entanglement and the conditions for its maximization. 

Applications include optimizing the construction of a quantum computer.  READ MORE...

Somewhat Political

 

Global Equity and Inclusion

The average global personal income is $9,733 per year. The average global household income is $12,235 per year. The median per-capita household income is only $2,920 per year. Making over $100,000 puts you in the top 10% of global earners, while making over $1 million puts you in the top 1%.  Source:  Zippia.com

USA - Real median household income was $74,580 in 2022, a 2.3 percent decline from the 2021 estimate of $76,330.   Source: USGov.org


Europe - Average annual salaries for single employees without children were €26,136. Working couples with two children clocked in an average of €55,573 yearly. Source: Euronews
Euro dollar to US dollar - 1 Euro = $1.10

The mean average salary for all workers in the UK is £33,402 (up from £31,447 in 2021). The median average salary for full-time workers in the UK is £33,000 (Up from £31,285 in 2021). The mean average salary for full-time workers in the UK is £39,966 (Up from £38,131 in 2021).  Source:  AVTrinity.com

British  pound to US dollar - 1 pound = $1.25

China - The average private sector salary in 2022 reached RMB 49,895 (approx. US$6,945), while the average non-private sector salary reached RMB 89,941 (approx. US$12,520).  Source:  China-Briefing.com

It does not take a brain surgeon to see that the USA has, by far, the highest annual income either by individual or by family of any other country in the world.

According to the Democrats, this is global wealth discrimination and is UNFAIR to the rest of the world.  In the spirit of EQUITY and INCLUSION, the United States of American should reduce its annual salary and wages to be more in line with the rest of the world.

One way to accomplish this is to allow an unprecedented amount of illegal immigrants into the USA so that when those numbers are added, the per capita or per household income drops.

A second way to do this is to have humanoid robots replace jobs so that a majority of the US citizens are without work.  With less workers there will be less money in the economy for professional sports, attending movies or concerts which will eventually lower their wages as well.

A third way is to allow terrorists into this country so that they will commit acts of terrorism so that the wars we see in the middle east and europe will finally start taking place in the USA...

REMEMBER TO THANK THE DEMOCRATS FOR CREATING THIS SITUATION AND HAVING THE BALLS TO CORRECT IT...  THEY WANT AMERICANS TO BE NO BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD...  HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT PERTAIN TO THE BILLIONAIRES...  THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM EXPERIENCING SUCH A NEGATIVE DOWNTURN OF EVENTS.

Flying Here

 

The Code of Consciousness

Source: Ruslana Remennikova with her permission

Since the beginning of human civilization, history has shown a correlation between sound and cognitive, mental, and physical wellness.1 In most experiences, sound is part of a larger context. In terms of physics, a sound is composed of a waveform called frequency expressed in Hertz (Hz), a standard international measurement. Although frequency is used as a measurement in electromagnetic radiation, computing, and other electrical technologies, for sound, one Hz is equal to one completed cycle per second or the number of times a sound wave repeats itself in one second. Frequency is the overlap of vibration and synchronization in the fields of neuroscience, biochemistry, physics, and sonics.


When an object is in motion, its oscillating movement is a vibration. Frequency is the measure of how many times per second that motion repeats. For instance, when a harp string is plucked (e.g. the A above middle C musical note), its vibrating movement emits a frequency of 440 Hz. The musical note vibrates at a frequency of 440 Hertz or 440 regular back and forths per second.  READ MORE...

The Byrds

 

Incongruity

The USA Faces a New Challenge

 Up until a few years ago, the USA and other leading countries were able to decide the fate of the world through, wealth, economic, and military strength and there were basically two sides:  Democracy and Communism.

It was countries like:

• The USA
• Russia
• China
• Great Britain
• The European Union

that decided everything, especially after WWI and WWII and a few smaller wars like Korea and Vietnam where no victory was really achieved on either side.

While we were growing fat, dumb, and happy, a group of people in the middle east after being educated at universities in the USA formed OPEC.  As the world consumed more and more petroleum crude oil, OPEC countries became wealthier and wealthier.

While that was happening the USA was trying to force its brand of Democracy on the rest of the world, especially in the Middle East, South America, and to a lesser degree in Africa which was still living hundreds of years in the past.

RESENTMENT towards the USA grew and it because not just a hatred of the USA but of Christianity versus ISLAM.

One of the most brilliant tactics of the 21st century was the Muslims deciding the send males to countries all over the world but especially in Europe and the USA so that they would marry local women.  They would have families and spread ISLAM throughout the world.

As Christianity started to die out in the USA, Islam grew stronger and stronger among its followers.  And, as the faith of Islam grew so did its populations all over the world.

There are Muslim all over Europe and the USA and these Muslims in the USA are getting elected to Congress so that they can influence the direction of Democracy while pushing a Muslim agenda.  Former President Obama was raised MUSLIM.

It is not just the Middle East that is spreading out its global footprint but India is doing this same thing as well.

Additionally, the illegal immigration from our southern borders have brought 8-10 million illegal immigrants into this country.  This immigration has put more immigrants into the USA and quicker than was done by the Muslims or by the people of India.

It is doubtful that all these immigrants share the same values as most Americans share and as they increase their birth rates, the USA will have the same demographics and the same politics that other countries in the rest of the world share.

We have simply spread out global poverty and no one will really be able to differentiate one country from another country.

This change in the USA will influence:

• commerce
• education
• politics
• education
• professional sports
• entertainment
• economics
• heathcare
• quality of life

In The NEWS

The Food and Drug Administration, for the first time Friday, approved a two-year plan allowing Florida to import certain prescription drugs from Canada at a lower price than in the US. The approval is seen as a step toward reducing the cost of medications for American consumers and paves the way for other states to request permission to import prescription drugs from Canada.



Israeli defense minister outlines plans for Gaza after the war.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's proposals envision Gaza being run by a Palestinian body under the overall control of Israeli security and include a multinational task force taking charge of rebuilding the enclave. Relatedly, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East Friday for talks about postwar plans for Gaza, marking his fourth trip to the region since the war began. See updates on the war here.



US Supreme Court to hear Trump's Colorado ballot disqualification case.
The Supreme Court agreed to review whether former President Donald Trump is ineligible for Colorado's GOP primary ballot. Oral arguments are scheduled for Feb. 8. The high court's move comes two days after Trump appealed the Colorado Supreme Court's December ruling, which disqualified Trump from the state’s ballot under a 14th Amendment clause that bars those supporting government uprising.



NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre steps down ahead of civil corruption trial.
The 74-year-old LaPierre, who led the National Rifle Association for more than three decades, announced his resignation Friday, citing health reasons. The news comes as the gun rights group is set to begin a corruption trial in New York Monday. A lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accused the NRA's leadership of diverting millions of dollars for their personal use. LaPierre and ex-NRA President Oliver North are expected to testify in the trial.

SOURCE:  1440 News

Improving Your Life in 2024

The start of a new year is a time for making changes and resolutions to improve your health and wellbeing. We look at some of the best tips that science has to offer.  With the arrival of another new year, you might be reflecting on what you'd like to achieve and the kind of person you want to be over the next 12 months.

But while roughly a third of us plan to make resolutions or set goals for ourselves in 2024, sticking to them is quite another matter. In previous years, surveys have revealed between 17% and 45% of us abandon these attempts after just the first month. The majority of people quit their resolutions by the middle of the year, according to one study. (Although if a recent YouGov poll is to be believed, Americans were somewhat better at sticking to their resolutions last year, with only 16% of resolution-makers giving up before the end of the year.)

These failures can lead to what some psychologists describe as an annual cycle of "false hope syndrome". Instead, there's some evidence that it might be better to set goals that are more achievable. Research suggests that approach-orientated goals – those that are realistic, specific and where success can be easily measured – tend to be more successful than those that focus on abstaining or avoiding something, such as giving up smoking or drinking.  READ MORE...

Somewhat Political

 

Efficiency of Electric Cars

 

In The NEWS

Oscar Pistorius, the South African former Olympic and Paralympic runner, will be released from prison today after serving half of his over 13-year sentence for the 2013 murder of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.



“Newly energized cells may provide many more years of healthy life to people'' concludes a recent publication in top scientific journal Nature Metabolism, revealing the critical link between cellular energy and enduring health. As we age, cellular energy production naturally declines and, like a “speed limit,” restricts cellular function setting the stage for diminished health.



ESPN and NCAA sign eight-year, $920M broadcast rights agreement; deal includes rights to broadcast 40 NCAA championships over the next eight years (More)



Glynis Johns, Tony-winning and Oscar-nominated actress known for starring role in "Mary Poppins," dies at 100 (More)

The 81st Golden Globe Awards to be presented Sunday (8 pm ET, CBS); see predictions for each category (More) | Elvis Presley holographic concert to debut in London in November (More)



OpenAI to launch its online store featuring third-party GPTs next week; expected to be similar to Apple Store, with ChatGPT-based programs instead of apps (More) | Google begins phasing out the use of cookies, small autogenerated files that track user history on websites in between visits (More)




New study finds genetic variant associated with male bisexuality also linked to higher rates of self-described risk-taking, fathering more children; findings may suggest the evolutionary advantage of the variant (More)




Alzheimer's drug combined with targeted ultrasound found to be about 30% more effective in attacking brain plaques (More)




US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow +0.0%, Nasdaq -0.6%); Nasdaq falls for fifth consecutive trading session, its longest losing streak since October 2022 (More) | Peloton shares up 14% after company announces new fitness hub partnership with TikTok (More)




Walgreens beats earnings and revenue expectations; shares close down 5% after drugstore chain nearly halves quarterly dividend payout (More) | Ford reports 7.1% increase in US new vehicle sales in 2023, its best US sales year since 2020 (More) | French grocery giant Carrefour drops PepsiCo products over price hikes (More)




US weekly jobless claims drop to 202,000; figure from last week is lowest level since October (More) | December US private payrolls rose for fourth consecutive month (More)




US airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, kills commander of Iran-backed militia group, comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East (More) | Islamic State claims responsibility​​​​​ for Wednesday's cemetery bombings in Iran that killed at least 84 people (More) | See previous write-up (More)




Former President Donald Trump's properties and hotels reportedly received at least $7.8M in foreign payments (including $5.7M from China) during his presidency, per new report from House Oversight Committee Democrats (More) | See the report (More)




Weekend storm expected to bring significant snow to the US East Coast, with areas stretching from central Appalachia to the upper Northeast to see between 6 and 12 inches (More)

SOURCE:  1440 News

Survival of the Fittest

 Our WORLD is filled with more people that want war than there are people who want peace.

Why is this.

Years ago, Charles Darwin made the claim that evolution was predicated upon the concept of "survival of the fittest."  By definition, this lays the foundation for WAR not PEACE.

We can see this clearly in our elementary schools where older or bigger students bully the younger or smaller students.  In some cases the teachers try to stop this but in other cases they let it play out because they know it is a normal part of growing up.  It forms for the foundation for mental and physical toughness.

I high school and college we see this play out in sports where the stronger bigger team most always wins both in female and male sports.  Trans athletes who could not win against other biological males and now winning against biological females.  

Over time, trans females will replace most of the biological females in female sports because survival of the fittest results in them always winning.

There is no reason for us to debate this because it is happening whether we like it or not.

In the early years of the United States, Americans showed Native Americans that they were stronger and better able to survive.  The results of WWI and WWII showed the world what countries were in a better position to survive.

Again survival of the fittest.

Russia invades Ukraine because they perceive themselves to be stronger but they encountered such intense resistance that they are now questioning their own ability to conquer.  But, it is not that Ukraine is stronger, it is because other countries came to the aid of Ukraine to help them survive.

SO...  survival of the fittest has changed and is no longer based upon one person against one person or one country against one country but a coalition of countries against a coalition of other countries.  All of whom are trying to have power and control over the weaker coalition.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST will never die...  we will always, in some way, want to have power and control over someone else, so that we survive and they do not.

What we fail to see is the potential superior intelligence of those over whom we have power and control...  and, it is just a matter of time before that superior intelligence  defeats the FITTEST...

Mother Panda

 

Self-Control and Will Power

A scientific squabble over how to define self-control draws from an unlikely source: A story from Greek mythology.

Sailing home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, Odysseus longed to hear the Sirens’ legendary song. But he knew that was a very bad idea. The Sirens, the goddess Circe had warned, lured passing sailors to their island to kill them. 

So Circe helped Odysseus form a plan. As his boat approached the Sirens’ island, Odysseus handed crew members balls of wax to plug their ears, and he ordered the men to tie him firmly to the boat’s mast. He told the crew to tie him tighter if he begged and pleaded to heed the Sirens’ call. His plan in place, Odysseus was able to both hear the Sirens and live to tell the tale.

The science is clear. Proverbially tying oneself to the mast — or crafting strategies in advance to thwart temptation — is the optimal way to meet one’s goals. But not all agree that such preemptive strategies constitute self-control.

Social psychologists say Odysseus utilized exemplary self-control. That’s because they tend to distinguish between strategic self-control — that is, the Odysseus approach — and willpower. Willpower would be akin to Odysseus resisting the Sirens’ call in the moment without rope and muscular crewmen.  READ MORE...