Ghost Bat
This is Australia's largest microbat, which roosts during the day in caves, old mines, rocky shelters, and sometimes abandoned buildings.
The Ghost Bat is Australia's only carnivorous bat, hunting large insects, frogs, birds, lizards, and small mammals — even other bats.
It swoops down on its prey, kills it with a powerful bite, and then carries it to a specific spot to eat.
Being among hundreds of Ghost Bats in a cave is truly a magnificent experience.
Yogurt Benefits
Yogurt is one of the most widely consumed foods worldwide and is highly valued for promoting longevity. It not only enhances the flavor of foods but also provides essential nutrients to meet the body's needs. Its key advantage is that it is easily digestible and positively affects the digestive system, helping to maintain good health.
Yogurt contains very little fat and few calories — one cup has about 120 calories. Despite its low calorie count, it is rich in essential nutrients. For example, one cup made from butter-extracted milk contains 8 grams of protein, while yogurt made from pure milk contains 7 grams.
The same serving of butter-extracted milk yogurt provides:
1 milligram of iron
294 milligrams of calcium
270 milligrams of phosphorus
50 milligrams of potassium
19 milligrams of sodium
Additionally, it contains:
170 International Units of Vitamin A
1 milligram of Vitamin B
44 milligrams of thiamine
2 milligrams of riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
2 milligrams of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Yogurt has been popular for centuries. In France, it was once called the "Elixir of Life," a belief that persists today. It was even used for medical treatments.
In 1700, King Francis I of France suffered from an illness that resisted all treatments. As his condition worsened, a Greek physician treated him solely with yogurt — and the king recovered.
French bacteriologist Professor Mechnikov wrote that yogurt is the key to longevity. Regular consumption, he said, not only protects against many diseases but also extends life.
Élie Metchnikoff, who won the Nobel Prize in 1908, was the first scientist to research and confirm yogurt’s health benefits, showing it supports longevity.
The digestive system hosts beneficial bacteria (flora) essential for health. Yogurt nurtures this flora, which antibiotic medicines often destroy. Thus, many doctors recommend eating
yogurt alongside antibiotic treatments.
Amazing Achievement of Modern Science
In 2013, a Chinese factory worker named Shi Wei had his hand kept alive through a unique medical procedure.
Doctors attached his hand to his left ankle so that blood supply could temporarily continue through the blood vessels in his leg.
Although the hand felt warm, it was numb because the nerves had not been connected—only the blood vessels were joined.
Shi Wei reported that he didn’t feel much difference in his leg, although it felt slightly heavier than usual.
After one month, doctors successfully reattached the hand to his arm.
After being discharged from the hospital, Shi Wei said that he could bend his wrist to some extent, but there was no full movement in his fingers yet.
Medical experts informed him that it would take about six months for the hand’s nerves to fully recover.
Have all the stars in the sky died?
No, not all the stars visible in the sky died billions of years ago. However, there is a scientific fact: every star is at a certain distance from us, and it takes time for its light to reach us.
For example, if a star is 6 light-years away from us, the light (photons) reaching our eyes right now actually left that star 6 years ago. So, we are seeing that star as it was 6 years ago, not as it is today. If the star died today, we wouldn’t know about its death until 6 years later.
This principle applies to all celestial objects in the universe. The farther an object is from us, the older the image we see of it. When we observe a nebula or galaxy that is 1,000 light-years away, we’re actually seeing it as it looked 1,000 years ago. Observing the universe is, in a way, a journey through time.
Not just thousands, but millions of stars are being born and dying every moment. This continuous process is called Stellar Evolution.
In our own galaxy, the Milky Way, there are estimated to be over 400 billion stars — yet with the naked eye, we can only see a few thousand, and that too under special conditions.
Scientists study the age, strength or weakness, and the death of stars (such as through supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, or transformation into black holes) using advanced telescopes and space missions that analyze the light reaching us.
Behind every twinkling star in the sky lies a story of time, distance, and the cosmos.
Scientific Evidence Of The Soul?
"Through extremely precise measurements, we now know that there is not even a milligram of difference in body weight immediately after death. The narrative circulating on the internet that the body loses 21 grams after death is completely false. About 125 years ago, a doctor made this claim, but later numerous experiments have disproved it. On the internet, people enthusiastically talk about that century-old experiment, but they forget to mention that in the past 125 years, no experiment has ever validated that claim.
In science, there is no concept of the soul. The idea of the soul is related to belief systems."
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by impaired regulation of blood glucose levels. This condition stems from genetic predispositions and environmental influences that disrupt insulin synthesis, its cellular action, or both.
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Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Diabetes develops when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin—a hormone critical for glucose regulation—or when the body becomes resistant to insulin’s effects. Blood glucose, a primary energy source for cells, requires insulin to facilitate its transport from the bloodstream into tissues. Insulin is produced by pancreatic beta cells, and its dysfunction leads to dysregulated glucose metabolism.
Primary Classifications of Diabetes Mellitus
1. Type 1 Diabetes
- An autoimmune disorder in which the immune system erroneously targets and destroys insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells.
- Management mandates lifelong insulin replacement via injections or pumps, coupled with consistent blood glucose monitoring.
- Without insulin, severe complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (a life-threatening accumulation of ketones in the blood) may arise. Although diet and exercise aid in stabilization, they cannot halt disease progression.
2. Type 2 Diabetes
- Defined by insulin resistance, where cells exhibit a diminished response to insulin, often paired with progressive beta-cell dysfunction.
- Early stages may involve compensatory hyperinsulinemia (excess insulin production). Interventions such as dietary modifications, physical activity, and medications to enhance insulin sensitivity are foundational to management.
- Over time, pancreatic insulin secretion may decline, necessitating advanced therapies, including insulin supplementation.
Related Metabolic Disorders
Diabetes Insipidus: A rare disorder unrelated to glucose metabolism, caused by inadequate antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion or renal resistance to ADH. Symptoms include excessive dilute urination and unrelenting thirst.
Gestational Diabetes: Occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal shifts that impair insulin function. Affecting 2–5% of pregnancies, it typically resolves postpartum but substantially elevates maternal susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes (20–35% lifetime risk).
Key Considerations
While “diabetes” often denotes diabetes mellitus, the pathological distinction from diabetes insipidus is critical. Diabetes mellitus remains a global health burden, with Type 2 comprising over 90% of cases. Proactive management strategies are vital to mitigating complications such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and renal failure.
Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence
Diabetes diagnosed during childhood or adolescence is most commonly Type 1. In allopathic medicine, insulin therapy remains the most effective and essential treatment, a cornerstone supported by extensive medical research. Alternative treatments cannot fully manage Type 1 diabetes, making insulin injections the most reliable and evidence-based option. Administration should always occur under the guidance of a diabetes specialist. Over time, patients learn to understand insulin’s effects on their bodies and, with proper management, can lead healthy, active lives.
Insulin: The Hormone That Regulates Blood Sugar
Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is released into the bloodstream to regulate blood glucose levels. It enables the body to process blood sugar efficiently. A deficiency in insulin leads to diabetes mellitus, characterized by dangerously elevated blood glucose levels that, over time, damage multiple organs.
Structurally, insulin is initially synthesized as a single polypeptide chain of 110 amino acids. Through enzymatic processing, it splits into two chains: Chain A (21 amino acids) and Chain B (30 amino acids), linked by two disulfide bonds. Chain A contains an additional internal disulfide bond.
Modern insulin is produced using genetically modified *Escherichia coli* bacteria, which pose no harm to humans. Its chemical formula is **C₂₅₇H₃₈₃N₆₅O₇₇S₆**, with a molecular weight of 5808. Each 100 units of insulin typically contains 15 micrograms of zinc.
Insulin was first administered to humans in Canada in 1922. Before 1978, it was derived from pigs (differing from human insulin by one amino acid) or cows (differing by three amino acids). In 1978, scientists developed genetically engineered insulin by inserting human genes into *E. coli*.
Types of Insulin
Four primary types of insulin are used clinically. Most patients combine two types, either manually or via pre-mixed formulations:
1. Rapid-Acting Insulin
- Begins working within 15 minutes of injection, ideal for pre-meal administration.
- Peaks in 30 minutes to 3 hours and remains effective for up to 5 hours.
- Must be paired with long-acting insulin for 24-hour coverage.
- Risk of hypoglycemia if taken without food.
2. Short-Acting Insulin (Regular/R)
- Administered 30–60 minutes before meals.
- Onset in 30–60 minutes, peaks in 2–5 hours, and lasts up to 8 hours.
- Combined with long-acting insulin for sustained control.
3. Intermediate-Acting Insulin (NPH/N)
- Slow onset (1.5–4 hours) with prolonged effects.
- Peaks at 4–12 hours and lasts up to 24 hours.
- Typically injected twice daily.
4. Long-Acting Insulin (e.g., Lantus)
- Begins working within 1 hour and provides steady coverage for 24 hours.
- Usually administered once daily.
Note: Insulin cannot be taken orally due to degradation in the digestive tract. In 2006, Pfizer introduced inhalable insulin, but it was discontinued within a year due to high costs and limited demand.
Insulin Absorption Dynamics
Insulin functions in its monomeric form, but the body stores it as an inactive hexamer (six-molecule complex). Synthetic insulins are engineered to resist hexamer formation, allowing faster action.
Post-meal blood glucose spikes necessitate rapid-acting insulin. Typically, half the daily dose is fast-acting (split across meals), and the other half is long-acting (divided into two 12-hour doses). Adjustments depend on lifestyle, activity, and diet.
Most insulins can be mixed (e.g., 70% Regular and 30% NPH), but glargine (Lantus) cannot be combined with others due to its acidic pH (4.0) compared to regular insulin’s neutral pH (7.0–7.8).
Insulin Dosage Guidelines
Most patients require **0.7–1 unit/kg/day**. For example, a 70 kg individual may need 50–70 units daily. Treatment begins with half the estimated dose, adjusted gradually based on glucose monitoring.
Insulin resistance may necessitate higher doses to maintain target glucose levels.
Insulin and Adjunctive Therapies
Post-1990, oral medications like rosiglitazone, lobeglitazone, and pioglitazone were introduced to enhance insulin sensitivity. However, these drugs correlate with an elevated risk of heart failure, particularly when combined with insulin.
Metformin is often paired with insulin to mitigate therapy-associated weight gain.
How is a new medicine tested?
It is legally prohibited to test any new medicine directly on humans because the possible side effects of the medicine can be life-threatening. Therefore, new medicines are first tested on cells in the laboratory. If the medicine meets experts’ expectations in these experiments, it is then tested on animals. Only if these tests yield good results is the medicine allowed to be tested on humans.
If a medicine is to be tested on animals, ideal animals are those that are mammals—meaning their bodily systems closely resemble the human body (all mammals fulfill this condition). It should be easy to keep these animals in laboratories. The animals should be small, so that large laboratories are not required. Within a few years of research, multiple generations of the animals can be studied for the possible effects of the medicine (i.e., the animal should be able to reproduce soon after birth). It should be easy to make genetic changes in the animal. They should be easy to handle (such as administering the medicine or taking tissue samples), and the cost of obtaining, feeding, and maintaining them should be low.
All these conditions are fulfilled by mice. Among all mammals, mice are the easiest to keep in laboratories. They reproduce quickly, can be kept in small cages, are very easy to handle, and the cost of keeping them is very low. That’s why the infrastructure to supply mice to scientific laboratories exists in every developed country—companies exist whose job is to provide scientists with mice according to their specifications. Scientists can even order mice with the exact genetic mutations they require.
Sab Diego Earthquake
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit Southern California on Monday morning, with its epicenter near Julian. The quake struck at 10:08 a.m. PT, following a 3.3 magnitude foreshock on Sunday around 4 p.m.
Science tells us that earthquakes are tremors felt on the Earth's surface due to underground physical changes. There are two types of earthquakes. The first type is those that come from the eruption of volcanoes, and the second type is those that come due to the movement of layers made of underground rocks. These layers are called tectonic plates.
The earthquake's key details include:
- A depth of approximately 13 kilometers below the surface
- Association with the Elsinore fault line
- Widespread tremors felt from San Diego to Los Angeles
In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed, and the state is assessing damage and determining emergency needs with local authorities. The USGS reports moderate shaking near the epicenter and weak to light shaking experienced by over 25 million people.
According to Dr. Lucile Jones, a Caltech seismologist, each earthquake carries a 5% chance of being followed by a stronger tremor, making it impossible to predict potential larger events.
How do earthquakes occur?
Earthquakes are a result of the dynamic movement of the Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into several large plates. These plates float on the semi-liquid asthenosphere, driven by convection currents generated by radioactive elements in the Earth's core.
The plates interact in various ways, including:
1. Converging: plates move towards each other
2. Diverging: plates move apart
3. Transforming: plates slide past each other
Additionally, human activities like large-scale oil and gas extraction can cause minor tremors due to lithostatic pressure imbalance.
The frequency and intensity of earthquakes are higher near plate boundaries. Countries like Pakistan, Japan, and others in Asia, North and South America are more prone to earthquakes due to their location. While earthquakes can occur elsewhere, their frequency and intensity decrease with distance from plate boundaries.
A seismological map illustrates global earthquake patterns, highlighting areas of high seismic activity. This activity is consistent with the plate movements and interactions described.
How does a heart attack happen due to tension (stress)?
Having a heart attack due to depression, distress, or an emergency is not a simple matter, nor are these conditions the primary cause of a heart attack.
So here's what actually happens: every living organ or tissue needs a continuous blood supply to stay alive, as it provides oxygen and nutrients.
The tissues of the heart also require this blood supply, which they receive through the coronary arteries. However, due to conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, these blood vessels (including those supplying the heart) can develop a type of internal injury. Cholesterol then starts to accumulate in these injured areas, forming bulges known as plaques, which narrow the arteries and reduce blood flow.
Now, what happens during a heart attack? Typically, due to some reason (often high blood pressure), these plaques rupture — meaning the internal injury in the artery tears open. Blood platelets rush to this site and form a clot. This clot significantly blocks the blood flow in that artery. If this clot is in a coronary artery, it blocks the blood supply to the heart tissues, causing the heart cells to die — which is the beginning of a heart attack.
So, what role does tension or stress play in all of this? During a stressful or emergency situation, the brain releases certain hormones to help the body cope with the situation. These hormones increase blood pressure and heart rate to prepare the body for action. As a result, the heart comes under more strain.
If a person is healthy, this usually isn't a problem. But if someone already has narrowed or damaged arteries (as described above), the rise in blood pressure and rapid heartbeat can trigger plaque rupture and clot formation, leading to a heart attack.
In summary, stress or tension is not a direct cause of heart attacks but can worsen an already dangerous condition and trigger a heart attack in someone with pre-existing heart issues.
International Day of Human Space Flight
A memorable leap toward the exploration of the universe!
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Every year on April 12, the International Day of Human Space Flight is celebrated, reminding us of one of the most significant moments in human history. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin's first human flight into Earth's orbit marked a giant step in humanity’s journey to explore the cosmos.
Gagarin’s historic journey took place aboard the Vostok-3KA spacecraft during the Vostok-1 mission, which was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan—then part of the Soviet Union. His single orbit around the Earth lasted approximately 108 minutes, with the spacecraft reaching an altitude of around 327 kilometers (203 miles).
Re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere was a delicate and challenging phase. The Vostok capsule was designed for ballistic re-entry, meaning it re-entered the atmosphere at a steep angle and high speed. The most fascinating part is that Gagarin ejected from the capsule at an altitude of around 7 kilometers and safely landed back on Earth by parachute.
The International Day of Human Space Flight serves as a reminder of our collective achievements in space and inspires future generations to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and exploration. It is a celebration of the dawn of the space age and our ongoing quest to understand the universe.
The mysterious universe and human consciousness
The cosmos, an endless ocean of mystery, has fascinated humans for centuries. Like an ancient text, its secrets unfold with each new discovery. Even the greatest minds in astronomy are left awestruck. The universe is a complex puzzle of time, space, and consciousness, inspiring both wonder and terror.
The night sky has always sparked questions: Who are we? Where did we come from? Why do we exist? Our understanding has evolved from ancient superstitions to groundbreaking insights, yet many questions remain unanswered:
- What preceded the Big Bang?
- Did time and space begin then, or is there more beyond our understanding?
- What happened to the missing antimatter?
- Why do neutrinos pass through us unseen?
In the quantum world, logic falters, and science meets philosophy. Dark matter and dark energy, making up most of our universe, remain enigmatic. Poets reflect the universe's mystery: “Who leaves no footprint?” and “I am lost in the world's mirror.”
The universe's enigma is its beauty. Each discovery raises new questions. Its most profound mystery is our consciousness – how did life emerge from atoms? We are the universe's way of knowing itself.
1. Brain Exercises:
Set aside some time daily for mental activities such as:
Puzzles
Chess
Memory games
2. Name Recall Techniques:
When you hear someone’s name, repeat it right away: for example his name is John , you ask in your mind to his face “Your name is John, right?”
Link the name with something memorable: Practice associating the name with the person’s appearance.
3. Healthy Lifestyle:
Balanced diet (especially Omega-3, almonds, walnuts)
Regular physical activity (like daily walking)
Adequate sleep (at least 6–8 hours)
4. Social Interaction:
Increase your interactions with people
Join gatherings and conversations
Repeating someone’s name often helps in remembering it
5. Use Writing as a Tool:
Write down names you want to remember
Review them once a day
6. Treatment for Cognitive Weakness:
If the issue worsens quickly or affects daily life, consult a neurologist or brain specialist. It could be due to a B12 deficiency or other causes.
Is The Dire Wolf Back From The Dead?
Colossal Biosciences Claims It Has “Resurrected” the Dire Wolf—Scientists Aren’t Buying It
In a headline-grabbing—and fiercely debated—announcement on Monday, biotech company Colossal Biosciences declared it had “resurrected” the dire wolf, a massive predator that once roamed North America before disappearing around 10,000 years ago. “For the first time in human history,” the $10 billion company proclaimed on its website, “Colossal has successfully restored a once-eradicated species through the science of de-extinction.”
But the bold claim was quickly met with skepticism. “Colossal Biosciences did not revive dire wolves,” wrote University of Maine paleoecologist Jacquelyn Gill in a series of posts on Bluesky. “To see this work carried out with such a casual disregard not only for truth, but for life itself, is genuinely abhorrent to me.”
Colossal’s mission centers on reviving extinct “charismatic megafauna,” including the woolly mammoth, dodo, Tasmanian tiger—and now, the dire wolf. But scientists say what the company unveiled isn’t a true dire wolf, and may not qualify as authentic de-extinction.
For the launch, Colossal granted exclusive access to Time and The New Yorker, revealing three wolf pups named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi. With snow-white fur and imposing builds, the pups resemble the dire wolves of Game of Thrones fame—an association further cemented by a reported collaboration with author George R. R. Martin, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
To create the pups, scientists edited the genome of gray wolves, introducing select traits thought to resemble the extinct dire wolf. Embryos were then implanted into surrogate dog mothers. “It’s not a dire wolf,” wrote science journalist Carl Zimmer. “It’s a gray wolf clone with 20 dire wolf gene edits—and a few dire wolf traits.”
Critics argue the edits only address a fraction of the genetic distinctions between dire and gray wolves, focusing largely on appearance. The approach mirrors Colossal’s earlier project to create a “woolly mouse”—a rodent engineered to mimic a mammoth’s coat. Pontus Skoglund, a geneticist at the Francis Crick Institute, remarked: “Would a chimpanzee with 20 gene edits be human?” He estimated the pups are, at best, “1/100,000th dire wolf.”
Further complicating matters, a 2021 study published in Nature concluded that dire wolves aren’t actually wolves. Genetic evidence suggests they belonged to a distinct North American canine lineage that diverged from gray wolves over five million years ago. Study co-author Angela Perri told Science that dire wolves were likely more akin to African jackals and may have looked “like a giant, reddish coyote.”
However, Colossal’s latest research appears to challenge that. Chief science officer Beth Shapiro—who also co-authored the 2021 study—told New Scientist that her team sequenced a full dire wolf genome from newly recovered ancient DNA. She claims their data show dire wolves shared 99.5% of their DNA with gray wolves and even interbred with their ancestors around 2.6 million years ago. She also noted genetic markers for light-colored fur. Still, none of these findings have been published in a peer-reviewed journal or preprint.
Amid the controversy, questions about the purpose and ethics of the project persist. The pups are reportedly being raised in a secret, 800-hectare facility somewhere in the U.S. While Colossal insists dire wolves once played a key ecological role, critics point out that the ecosystems they once thrived in—and their prey—are long gone.
Some conservationists warn such efforts risk diverting resources from preserving today’s endangered species. “If I had a choice,” University of Otago geneticist Nic Rawlence told the New Zealand Science Media Centre, “I’d want companies like Colossal to develop de-extinction technology—but use it to conserve what we have left.”
Nemo There is a place on Earth where human presence is nearly impossible — so remote, so isolated, that the closest people are actually in ...
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