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POPSModern Darwinism Humanity has the question of whether to use empathy to reach out others that cannot help themselves, or to damn them as inferior and victims of the survival of the fittest.
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POPSAn End to Paralysis with Artificial Brain-to-Muscle Connectors Say the researchers: Until now, brain-computer interfaces were designed to decode the activity of neurons known to be associated with movement of specific body parts. Here, the researchers discovered that any motor cortex cell, regardless of whether it had been previously associated with wrist movement, was capable of stimulating muscle activity. This finding greatly expands the potential number of neurons that could control signals for brain-computer interfaces and also illustrates the flexibility of the motor cortex. Human implementations for the technology are at least a decade away, but this discovery could be a game-changer for dealing with paralysis. One possibility would be to connect the motor cortex with an area of the spine below an injury. Signals would be re-routed around the damaged spinal cord, and could allow the brain to regain control of the paralyzed body parts affected by the injury.
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POPSFrom Paralysis to function, how far are we? closer now Wow, very impressive progress! "the study, which appears in the journal Nature, scientists at the University of Washington in Seattle implanted ultra thin electrodes into the brains of macaques which had been trained to play a game that involved rotating their wrists to the left and right. While the monkeys played, the electrodes picked up electrical signals in their brains that made them tense different muscles. The scientists then injected the monkeys with a chemical that temporarily paralysed their arms. This time, signals from nerves in their brains were fed into a computer, cleaned up and magnified, and sent down a wire to muscles in the monkeys' wrists. When the monkeys tried to play the game again, they were unable to at first, but soon learned to control their wrist movements using the brain implant. when he found something worked, he quickly repeated it and adopted the strategy" very nice!
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POPSParalysis Through Analysis This clip is talking about a fantastic mind control product that is packed full of exciting information, you need to consciously slow yourself down or be overwhelmed with paralysis through analysis.
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POPSStem Cells without Side Effects It sounds like a breakthrough has been achieved. Not long (relative:) from now we may be growing extra organs from our own cells... life extension may be nearer...
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POPSUnited Nations Reform: Fact or Fiction? The United Nations promised international cooperation on eliminating the major threats to peace and security and the most serious impediments to the protection of human rights and human dignity. Sixty years after the UN officially came into existence, 24 October 1945, the trail is one of broken promises. While important successes have marked some of its paths, the international machine has been hijacked and manipulated to subvert the very causes it was intended to promote. A number of factors have forced UN reform to move much higher up on the global agenda than ever before: the exposure of the billion-dollar UN-run Oil-for-food scam, peacekeeper-rapists, and paralysis in the face of genocide in Sudan.However, in an environment where there is little, if any, consensus on the most critical issues of our time, the real game is one of finger-pointing. Undoubtedly, the "blame America first" will continue. http://www.eyeontheun.org/un-reform.asp
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POPSThe Coming Convergence The message is clear: the choices we make now will converge to create a near and distant future that will be almost unbelievably wonderful or unimaginably catastrophic, or both. This knowledgeable, fascinating glimpse into the future is a must read for everyone interested in technology, upcoming innovations in business, science fiction, and the future.
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POPSSarah Palin's Punch lines full of hot air and lies Quote: "That qualifies her to have her hand on the tiller of American foreign policy in the event that, God forbid, something happens to John McCain? To suggest that is frightening. Really – what if something happens to John McCain. What relevant experience does Sarah Palin have, to be able to sit across the conference table, with negotiators, with the prime ministers and presidents of this world?" the congresswoman said. "As the McCain campaign constantly reminds us, this is a dangerous world."
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POPSScientists to study synthetic telepathy “Such a system would require extensive training for anyone using it to send and receive messages,” D’Zmura says. “Initially, communication would be based on a limited set of words or phrases that are recognized by the system; it would involve more complex language and speech as the technology is developed further.”
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POPSScientists to study synthetic telepathy The brain-computer interface would use a noninvasive brain imaging technology like electroencephalography to let people communicate thoughts to each other. For example, a soldier would “think” a message to be transmitted and a computer-based speech recognition system would decode the EEG signals. The decoded thoughts, in essence translated brain waves, are transmitted using a system that points in the direction of the intended target. “Such a system would require extensive training for anyone using it to send and receive messages,” D’Zmura says. “Initially, communication would be based on a limited set of words or phrases that are recognized by the system; it would involve more complex language and speech as the technology is developed further.”
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POPSWeird natural detonations Reading about the exploding ants and frogs was interesting too...but this about calm lakes..."limnic eruption. To get one you need a few basic elements: - one, a very deep volcanic lake; - two, said lake has to be over a slow source of volcanic gas; - and three, it has to be very, very still." Eerie!