Monthly Archives: August 2017

Bitcoin’s rally seems closely tied to something you may do every day – MarketWatch

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If youve heard about the massive gains being enjoyed by bitcoin recently, then googled the digital currency to see what all the fuss is about, some of the cryptocurrencys investors may want to thank you.

Bitcoin prices show a notably high correlation with Google search trends for the word bitcoin, according to Chris Burniske, a bitcoin expert who was previously a blockchain analyst at ARK Invest.

In a series of tweets, Burniske speculated that an increasing price drives interest in bitcoin, and that interest further drives the price of $BTC, something he joked was a virtuous Satoshi cycle, in reference to Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym used by the mysterious creator, or creators, of bitcoin.

The price of a single bitcoin BTCUSD, +1.08% hit a record high of $4,483.55 on Wednesday, though it subsequently fell 4.2% to trade at $4,196.99. At current levels, it has more than quadrupled thus far this year, up more than 360%, a move that has lifted its total size to $68.7 billion, making it larger than Dow component Caterpillar Inc. CAT, -0.05%

See a chart of the biggest digital currencies in the world

Bitcoins rally has been among the strongest gains seen of any asset in 2017, although Etherbitcoins chief rival, which runs on the Ethereum networkhas soared more than 3,800%.

According to Google trends, the search term bitcoin is reaching peak popularity in August 2017, while searches for ethereum have tapered off. (Bitcoin is in blue in the following chart.)

The growth in bitcoin this year has come alongside growing interest in the overall cryptocurrencies, as well as increased regulatory interest and public debates over how it can manage at its current size. Recently, a new digital currencycalled Bitcoin Casherupted out of the original version to more rapidly process transactions in larger units, an issue related to bitcoin scability.

The gains have been so large that major Wall Street banks have started to weigh in on the nascent sector. Both Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs recently published primers on bitcoin for their clients, while one Morgan Stanley analyst called it a poster child for speculation. The investment bank had previously said that in order for bitcoin to rise furtherit had been trading around $2,750 at the timegovernment regulation would be necessary.

See also: Bitcoin is up over 400% in the past yearwhats stopping it from going mainstream?

Bitcoins evident connection to internet search interestwhen combined with its continuing move into the mainstreammay suggest that prices have nearly unlimited upside potential, something some proponents more or less agree with. John McAfee, the founder of his namesake antivirus software company, as well as a former fugitive and passionate cryptocurrency backer, recently tweeted that he would eat [his] d--k on national television if bitcoin didnt hit $500,000 within three years.

Burniske disputed that general idea, noting that three peaks in Google search trends were accompanied by three of bitcoins six price bubbles.

The virtuous Satoshi cycle can overheat though, as Google search activity divorces from its tight tango with bitcoins price, he tweeted earlier this week.

Burniske defines bitcoin bubbles as the price doubling or more in a 30-day period. That is currently the case, as it was below $2,000 per bitcoin on July 16. After every bubble theres a crash, he tweeted, with some drops exceeding 90%. However, he added that those were *very* different bitcoin markets [emphasis in original] as they had thin liquidity, fragile exchanges, and a fraction of the users and investors, something he suggested could limit downside in the event of another sharp downtrend.

Read this from June: Is bitcoin in a bubble? This metric suggests theres more room to grow

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Bitcoin's rally seems closely tied to something you may do every day - MarketWatch

Psoriasis can’t be cured, but there are ways to treat it. Here’s how. – Lexington Herald Leader

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Lexington Herald Leader
Psoriasis can't be cured, but there are ways to treat it. Here's how.
Lexington Herald Leader
Nearly 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that causes dry, scaly and painful patches of skin. This uncomfortable condition most commonly affects the joints, face and neck, torso, arms and legs, hands and feet, and ...
Psoriasis Market Company Analysis and Forecast to 2024Digital Journal

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Psoriasis can't be cured, but there are ways to treat it. Here's how. - Lexington Herald Leader

‘Brains linked to computers will kill our inner freedom’ – Zizek to RT … – RT

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Humans are losing their freedoms, self-identity and free will, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek has told RT, noting that a recent biohacking experiment by a team from the University of Washington is just another sign of the dawn of a post human era.

A team of scientists from the University of Washington successfully managed to hack into a computer using custom synthesized strands of DNA.

In their study, which is to be presented at 2017 USENIX Security Symposium Thursday, researchers said that it is potentially possible for a molecular code to take over machinery by exploiting weaknesses of gene sequencing software.

We designed and created a synthetic DNA strand that contained malicious computer code encoded in the bases of the DNA strand, researchers from the Paul G Allen school of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington said ahead of their presentation.

When this physical strand was sequenced and processed by the vulnerable program it gave remote control of the computer doing the processing. That is, we were able to remotely exploit and gain full control over a computer using adversarial synthetic DNA.

While the researchers led by Tadayoshi Kohno and Luis Ceze admit that at this point, the threat is only theoretical, Zizek noted the sinister side of this experiment.

The fact that is what possible to break into, to hack a computer through a DNA, means that our identity, determined by DNA is nothing more than just another computer formula, Zizek said.

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Our life, human life, our identity is reduced to a series of formulas. So we are effectively entering some kind of post human universe where everything, our inner most identity can be reduced to a formula.

I would not be afraid of this [particular experiment], thats not necessarily a bad thing, Zizek said, emphasizing that there are a lot of much more disturbing scientific achievements

What I'm afraid of is a possibility of a direct contact-link between our brain, what we are thinking, and a computer network, because there we lose our autonomy.

He warned that soon computers will be able to control the human mind, misleading the individual to believe they are still in control of their thoughts and reality. Under this arrangement, Zizek argues, humans will lose their autonomy and will become indistinguishable from the machines.

What is much more dangerous is... if our brains will be directly linked to computers so we will lose our inner freedom. Even in the worst of Nazism those in power could not control what you are thinking. You can have your inner thoughts... Now with a direct link between our brain and the digital network, we lose our inner freedom, the philosopher said.

In order to avoid machines potentially taking over the human identity, Zizek argues that all research into artificial intelligence has to be made public so that people can decide on the discourse of machine learning.

Make all these procedures, and what is going on, these results as public as possible. No agency which is not transpiring to the public, neither state nor a public corporation should do this outside public knowledge and public control, Zizek told RT.

Corbyns paradoxical victory over Mays politics of scaremongering gives hope Slavoj Zizek to RT

Overall, the philosopher argues that humankind has entered an era of technological domination.

Biology as science is totally integrated into a project of technological domination, manipulation and so on. And this technological use is inscribed into how biology functions today... life itself becomes just a technological process, Zizek said.

But there is still a deeper philosophic problem, which nowadays has growing practical implications, Zizek said. Is our identity fully determined by DNA? Or are we are not just biological automats? Do we have some spiritual freedom and so on?

I think if we are just our DNA. If the interaction of our DNA with environment determines us completely, then yes we should worry. But in a way, we just discovered that we never were free. We were automats [machines] also now but we did not know it. Our freedom was an illusion So are we automats which just can be controlled or is there hope for our freedom?

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'Brains linked to computers will kill our inner freedom' - Zizek to RT ... - RT

TCS World Travel selects Rockwell Collins for GX connectivity – Get Connected

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A passenger using Rockwell Collins inflight connectivity

TCS World Travel has installed Rockwell Collins CabinConnect wireless in-flight connectivity system on its custom-configured Boeing 757, operated by TAG Aviation.

The fully operational system was launched on August 9, 2017 when 50 guests departed for a 23-day trip across Eurasia.

Shelley Cline, TCS World Travel president, said: Our brand is about redefining luxury travel by providing highly personalised, enriching experiences for our guests from the comfort and convenience of our private jets.

We chose Rockwell Collins for cabin connectivity because we needed a dependable solution that will keep our guests connected almost anywhere in the world.

Through the new service, TCS World Travel guests can use an aircraft-provided iPad or their own devices to check email or browse the internet in flight, as well as access news, sports and weather information with a reliable connection that is similar to the quality and speed they experience when on the ground.

The TCS World Travel system includes Rockwell Collins Airshow Mobile for Browsers, a 2D moving map system that keeps pace with guests wherever they fly.

Rockwell Collins was able to customise the system to interface with our onboard lecture system, continued Cline. This allows our guests to receive a live presentation from a travel expert about an upcoming destination that is broadcast to interested guests via the provided onboard iPads.

Alexis Hickox, Head of Business Development, Cabin Solutions for Rockwell Collins, said: As a leading aircraft communications and service provider, we worked closely with TCS World Travel to understand their individual needs and requirements, and were able to outfit their aircraft with an operational system in just seven months.

Bringing together our aviation expertise with our knowledge of the Inmarsat Global Xpress (GX) network has enabled us to provide TCS World Travel with a service that is very much in line with their mission of creating unforgettable travel experiences for their guests.

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This Man Retired at 50 to Travel the World and See Eclipses – Money Magazine

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Bill Kramer, 59, is a retired business owner who runs the eclipse-chasers.com web site. He spoke to MONEY about how he got hooked on eclipses and how he budgets for trips to experience them.

I've nerded out on this stuff since I was a little kid. I was 11 in 1970 when there was an eclipse coming up the eastern seaboard. I skipped out of a swim meet in my Speedos in March to watch it. I got in a lot of trouble.

This summer will be my 17th total solar eclipse. Its easier to say where I havent been to see one: I havent been to Antartica, South America or Australia.

I'm a retired computer wonk. I got involved in computers in the late 70s, which was the time to do it. I started my own computer business in the 1980s, so I was able to create the time to see eclipses. But I couldnt go to all of them, so I had to be selective. The way I did that was sometimes, whether the eclipse interfered with my kids school schedule, or you look at geography: do I really want to go to Antartica?

I set a goal of retiring at 50 and I did. Now, I live in Jamaica. My wife and I have been there seven years. I'm bringing our friend from Jamaica with me to see this eclipse. He's a wicker weaver who's never been off the island. We sit together in the evenings with my telescope, looking at Saturn.

Theres a standard misconception that eclipse chasers are elitist, wealthy people. But heres the thing with an eclipse: you know its coming in advance. You can budget accordingly. Youre not going to one every single year. Now, if you become a recognized authority on this, you can get free trips from travel companies. But you sing for your supper. Youve got 50 people saying, You better make sure the skys clear.

Let's say there will be an eclipse in somewhere fun, like Tahiti. It's not a cheap place. Breakfast there is like $40. Maybe that vacation will cost you five figures. If your normal budget is four figures, how long will it take you to make up the difference?

This time, its an easy eclipse, since its in the U.S. We decided to see the eclipse within a days driving distance of Ohio, where we have the most family. Well be on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. We reserved the hotel over a year ago. We booked 20 rooms for friends and family. I'm back in the U.S. on the 16th, flying to Cleveland and gathering the caravan. Our two daughters will be joining us, and our grandson born in November.

Eclipse chasing is travel with a purpose. It's not just about the eclipse. While youre there, whats on your bucket list thats nearby? The next big one, in terms of duration, will fall across Egypt in August of 2027. Why dont you see the pyramids while youre at it? Theyre worth it.

The next total solar eclipse coming to the U.S. is in 2024. That will occur in April, which implies clouds in most of the U.S. But that one is coming out of Mexico, so chances are we'll go to Mexico.

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This Man Retired at 50 to Travel the World and See Eclipses - Money Magazine

Stevie Benanty Talks Travel with Cats Around the World – Catster

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Cats have a reputation for not traveling well or adjusting to change, but Stevie Benanty can prove those notions wrong. Stevie founded lifestyle website aconversation.com, which focuses on everything from travel, recipes, hotel recommendations and business advice to profiles of go-getters and all-around fun, smart people. But theres more to Stevie and her lifestyle brand than just cool travel and people. Her cats are along for the ride. Stevie and her husband are world travelers, and they couldnt imagine not traveling without their two cats, Hicks and Joralemon.

Stevie and her husband travel the world with their two cats in tow.

They are our babies! Stevie said. My husband, Dan, and I only considered places to move that had no quarantine policy for animals because we love them so much. Hicks and Joralemon got their own passports when we moved to Europe, which I think is adorable.

Stevie started Hicks and Joralemon traveling as kittens so they became accustomed to the concept from the beginning. [They] have been traveling since they were babies, she said. At the time, we were living in Washington DC and in New York City, so every few weeks wed drive or fly between the two and always took them with us. They were always good with travel they would just pass out immediately, so we were confident when we moved to Europe they do would do more than great, although I was very nervous!

For others who may want to travel with their cats or move to another country, Stevie recommends first researching what pets need. For example, Stevie will only fly with her cats if she can carry them on the plane with her. You need to do your research online to make sure you have the proper vet paperwork and shots and vaccines, she said. Luckily, we were on top of them being up to date anyway so we just made sure to go through all the paperwork with the vet in advance. Your vet is a great resource as theyve likely dealt with animals moving abroad before.

The cats, now about 3, have continued traveling their entire lives. Theyve been to Washington DC, New York, Germany and France. They even traveled to Portugal via Spain. The next stop is London. They are so happy to explore new places, Stevie said. Weve been in a few homes since weve been bouncing around abroad or in hotels with them, and they love exploring new rooms. They are very happy.

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Elisa Jordan is a Southern California freelance writer specializing in pets. She has a terrier, Gidget, and a cat, Izzy.

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Stevie Benanty Talks Travel with Cats Around the World - Catster

Tourists return to Tunisia after terror – CNN International

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In 2015, ISIS attacks in Sousse and Tunis killed 60 people. The majority of the victims were European tourists.

The attacks took a heavy toll on the country's tourism sector, which accounts for around one-sixth of GDP and provides employment for more than 200,000 people.

But after two barren years there are signs the industry is finally coming back to life.

There is growing confidence among tourism professionals that the storm has passed.

"The biggest tour operators are back," says Mohamed Ali Toumi, president of the Tunisian Federation of Travel Agencies. "All the hotels located on the seafront are full this summer."

Alternative tour operator Autre Tunisie is seeing greater demand.

"We have experienced a slight recovery in activity since the fourth quarter of 2016," says manager Hubert Henaff. "This return has been confirmed since the beginning of the year and is accelerating during this summer period."

Optimism is borne out by statistics. The latest figures from the National Office of Tunisian Tourism (ONTT) show 3.6 million visitors to July 31 this year, a 27% increase year-on-year. Visitors from Europe increased by 15% over the same period.

"We would like to go back as soon as possible," says Can Deniz, managing director of Just Sunshine, a travel agent specializing in UK-Tunisia travel. "We are in talks to provide a daily service to Tunis from London so that we can sell packages as early as next week. There is strong demand from the public."

The Tunisian government has taken a series of steps to support the tourism industry through its crisis.

Extra security has been deployed around tourist sites, a factor cited by the British government in its decision to change travel advice.

"The Tunisians deserve credit for implementing extra security and training to make sure it is a safe destination" says Rochelle Turner, research director at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). "Tunisia is actually more peaceful than many countries we wouldn't hesitate to visit...but they have helped the recovery by addressing any weaknesses there may have been."

The WTTC has studied the impact of terror attacks on tourist destinations and found that tourism typically suffers for 13 to 21 months. But Turner believes that Tunisia may have sustained more serious damage as it experienced two high-profile attacks in quick succession, and suggests a new approach may be necessary to continue the recovery.

"One way is to lower prices," she says, as well as marketing "new experiences, and (to) new groups of people."

Tunisian tourism authorities recognize that recovery will not be a quick fix.

"The threat of terrorism always causes medium to long term damage, and Tunisia is no exception," says Mounira Derbel Ben Cherifa, UK director of the ONTT.

The industry pivoted towards domestic tourists while Europeans stayed away, says Ben Charifa, and new markets such as China.

But so far new arrivals have not provided the same value. In 2016, the numbers of tourists rose slightly but overall revenue fell.

The pattern has continued this year with revenue lagging behind visitor numbers, and is not expected to reach the 2014 total of around $1.7 billion.

Chebel is counting on returning Europeans to make up the shortfall, which would allow Tunisia to "regain our normal position lost in the last two years."

Her optimism is widely shared within the industry, but there is also recognition that the recovery is far from complete -- and vulnerable to sudden shocks.

"We are confident in the resumption of Tunisian tourism and in the return of foreign visitors," says Henaff of Autre Tunisie. "Provided that no serious fact disrupts this."

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Tourists return to Tunisia after terror - CNN International

Rockwell Collins Fits Custom 757 with Broadband Connectivity – Aviation Today

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Photo courtesy of Rockwell Collins

Rockwell Collins is set to provide cabin connectivity for TCS World Travels custom-configured Boeing 757, Rockwell Collins said. The aircraft is operated by Tag Aviation.

As a leading aircraft communications and service provider, we worked closely with TCS World Travel to understand their individual needs and requirements, and were able to outfit their aircraft with an operational system in just seven months, said Alexis Hickox, head of business development for cabin solutions at Rockwell Collins. Bringing together our aviation expertise with our knowledge of the Inmarsat Global Xpress (GX) network has enabled us to provide TCS World Travel with a service that is very much in line with their mission of creating unforgettable travel experiences for their guests.

Rockwell Collins CabinConnect in-flight connectivity system allows TCS World Travel guests to use an iPad provided by the aircraft, or their own devices, to browse the internet and check email. Users also have access to news, sports and weather information. The TCS World Travel system also includes Rockwell Collins Airshow Mobile for Browsers, which is a moving map system.

The fully operational system launched Aug. 9, Rockwell Collins said. During the launch, 50 guests departed for a 23-day trip across Eurasia. The company said its system gives the aircraft the fastest, global, broadband in-flight connectivity available.

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Rockwell Collins Fits Custom 757 with Broadband Connectivity - Aviation Today

Swinburne reaches for the sky with AU$4m astronomical supercomputer – ZDNet

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Dell EMC has announced it will be providing Melbourne's Swinburne University of Technology with a high performance supercomputer to power research into astrophysics and gravitational waves, with the university seeking to further prove the science behind Einstein's theory of general relativity.

OzSTAR, which loosely stands for the Australian supercomputer for theoretical astrological research, will be built by Dell EMC at a cost of AU$4 million and will be used by the Swinburne-led Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav).

"While Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, it took 100 years for technology to advance to the point they could be detected," said OzGrav director, professor Matthew Bailes.

"Discoveries this significant don't occur every day and we have now opened a new window on the universe. This machine will be a tremendous boost to our brand new field of science."

Speaking with ZDNet, Andrew Underwood, HPC lead at Dell EMC Australia and New Zealand, explained the supercomputer will be used to process incredibly large volumes of data coming via giant telescopes, including the $1 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA), slated the largest and most capable radio telescope ever constructed.

Touted as the world's largest science project, involving 20 countries and covering over 1 million square metres of data collection area, the SKA has its central cores of operation in South Africa and Western Australia, with its central computer alone boasting the processing power of about 100 million PCs.

Swinburne will be connecting OzSTAR to research collaborators in the country's west, with the university also involved in a number of projects to help deliver the SKA, including designing the telescope's antennas, in addition to data processing.

OzSTAR is the fifth supercomputer since Swinburne received its first back in 2001. Only the first installed at the university was delivered by Dell. Underwood said reading about the supercomputer 16 years ago inspired him to join the tech giant in its supercomputing ventures.

OzGrav, which received AU$31.1 million in September to carry out its research, is also going to be focused on education in varying levels of schooling, hoping to bring youngsters into the world of science.

"Analysing the ripples in space-time to understand the birth of the universe doesn't get much cooler than that," Underwood added.

The supercomputer will comprise new Dell EMC 14th generation PowerEdge Servers, containing Intel Skylake Xeon processors and Nvidia Tesla P100s; Dell EMC H-Series networking fabric powered by Intel's Omni-Path Architecture; and Dell EMC HPC Storage with Intel Lustre filesystem built on the PowerEdge and PowerVault Modular Disk reference architecture.

In total, OzSTAR will boast 4,140 Intel Xeon Scalable Processor cores at 2.3Ghz across 107 standard compute and 8 data crunching nodes; 230 Nvidia Tesla P100 12GB GPUs -- one per CPU socket; 272 Intel Xeon Phi cores at 1.6Ghz across 4 C6320p KNL nodes; and a high-speed, low latency network fabric to allow for moving data at over 100Gbps.

Underwood said each compute node is a building block to provide the processing, data analysis, and visualisation of the data. He said typical supercomputing environments and centres require multiple supercomputers to achieve the compute, data analysis, and visualisation power that OzSTAR holds.

"Data movement with astronomy is one of the most expensive things; when you're trying to take petabytes of data and move it across the country, there's a cost always involved with that, not just the financial cost, but the processing time," Underwood explained.

The supercomputer is expected to deliver more than 1 petaflops of performance capability -- which equates to 31 million years of calculations in a single second.

It will also have 5 petabytes of usable storage, and a single 60GB file will be able to be moved from one place to another in one second.

OzSTAR is expected to take four weeks to install and will be operational before the end of September.

Once up and running, up to 35 percent of the supercomputer's time will be spent on OzGrav research related to gravitational waves. The supercomputer will also continue to incorporate the GPU Supercomputer for Theoretical Astrophysics Research (gSTAR), operating as a national facility for the astronomy community funded under the federal National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme in cooperation with Astronomy Australia Limited.

In addition, the supercomputer will underpin the research goals of Swinburne staff and students across multiple disciplines, including molecular dynamics, nanophotonics, advanced chemistry, and atomic optics.

Last year, EMC built a private OpenStack research cloud for Swinburne University that Underwood said will be directly connected via Ethernet into the OzSTAR supercomputer to make sure the data movement is optimised.

The cloud forms part of the National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources project (NeCTAR).

The CSIRO welcomed a new supercomputer to its Canberra campus last month, with Dell EMC providing the new Bracewell system that is expected to expand CSIRO's capability in deep learning, further its artificial intelligence progress, and allow for the exploration of virtual screening for therapeutic treatments, traffic and logistics optimisation, modelling of new material structures and compositions, machine learning for image recognition, and pattern analysis.

Dell EMC was also awarded a AU$1.2 million contract for the expansion of CSIRO's Pearcey supercomputing system earlier in July.

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Swinburne reaches for the sky with AU$4m astronomical supercomputer - ZDNet

HPE and NASA sending a supercomputer to space – BetaNews

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The computers the human race currently work with aren't built for space, and can't last long in off-planet environments. Astronauts aboard the ISS need new machines every month, as the old ones get destroyed by various factors that don't exist on Earth, like solar flares, radiation, subatomic particles, and irregular cooling.

Considering that SpaceX is currently preparing for a mission to Mars, it is paramount that the astronauts that eventually head out there have durable, working machines. Now,HP has announcedit is working with NASA to create such a computer.

The HPE Apollo Spaceborne Computer is going to be lifted into space, on board the SpaceX-12 rocket. It's a "high performance commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer system." It was ruggedized to withstand the harsh environments of space but not from the hardware side --which is the usual approach --but from the software side instead.

It passed 146 safety tests and certifications before NASA cleared it for space.

"The Spaceborne Computer includes the HPE Apollo 40 class systems with a high speed HPC interconnect running an open-source Linux operating system. Though there are no hardware modifications to these components, we created a unique water-cooled enclosure for the hardware and developed purpose-built system software to address the environmental constraints and reliability requirements of supercomputing in space," HP said.

"We see the Spaceborne Computer experiment as a fitting extension to our HPE Apollo portfolio, purpose-built for supercomputing. HPE is excited to expand its relationship with NASA, pioneering HPC in space and taking one step closer to the Mission to Mars."

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Future plc Publication. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: ESA & MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

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SpaceX set to deliver ‘supercomputer’ to the International Space Station for testing – SOFREP (press release) (subscription)

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One of the largest challenges a human mission to deep space would face would be the inevitable communications delay caused by the vast distances between Mission Control on Earth, and the spacecraft carrying the crew. During the Apollo missions, in which American astronauts visited the moon, that communications delay was only around 1.3 seconds each way, meaning that youd need to wait 2.6 seconds (1.3 for your message to get there, and 1.3 for their response to come back) to get an answer to your question.

Insignificant as that delay may seem, it will eventually grow to a full 90 minutes or so for the crew of a trip to Mars, meaning the astronauts would not be able to rely on the collective expertise and computing power offered by our ground-based space infrastructure. Emergency course corrections, in three dimensions and with limited fuel, would require the ability to instantly complete complex calculations with little to no margin for error. While there are rumors of early Gemini astronauts doing just that at least once, a mission to Mars or further would require the ability to make these decisions near-instantly; something no human being may be able to do.

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Alex Hollings Alex Hollings served as an active duty Marine for six and a half years before being medically retired from service. As an athlete, Hollings has raced exotic cars, played Marine Corps football and college rugby, fought in cages, and even wrestled alligators. As a scholar, he has earned a masters degree in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as undergraduate degrees in Corporate and Organizational Communications and Business Management.

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SpaceX set to deliver 'supercomputer' to the International Space Station for testing - SOFREP (press release) (subscription)

‘Unexpected fountain of youth’ found in cardiac stem cells, researcher says – FOX31 Denver

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Cardiac stem cells derived from young hearts helped reverse the signs of aging when directly injected into the old hearts of elderly rats, astudypublished Monday in the European Heart Journal demonstrated.

The old rats appeared newly invigorated after receiving their injections. As hoped, the cardiac stem cells improved heart function yet also provided additional benefits. The rats fur fur, shaved for surgery, grew back more quickly than expected, and their chromosomal telomeres, which commonly shrink with age, lengthened.

The old rats receiving the cardiac stem cells also had increased stamina overall, exercising more than before the infusion.

Its extremely exciting, said Dr. Eduardo Marbn, primary investigator on the research and director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. Witnessing the systemic rejuvenating effects, he said, its kind of like an unexpected fountain of youth.

Weve been studying new forms of cell therapy for the heart for some 12 years now, Marbn said.

Some of this research has focused on cardiosphere-derived cells.

Theyre progenitor cells from the heart itself, Marbn said. Progenitor cells are generated from stem cells and share some, but not all, of the same properties. For instance, they can differentiate into more than one kind of cell like stem cells, but unlike stem cells, progenitor cells cannot divide and reproduce indefinitely.

From hisown previous research, Marbn discovered that cardiosphere-derived cells promote the healing of the heart after a condition known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which affects more than 50% of all heart failure patients.

Since heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is similar to aging, Marbn decided to experiment on old rats, ones that suffered from a type of heart problem thats very typical of what we find in older human beings: The hearts stiff, and it doesnt relax right, and it causes fluid to back up some, Marbn explained.

He and his team injected cardiosphere-derived cells from newborn rats into the hearts of 22-month-old rats thats elderly for a rat. Similar old rats received a placebo injection of saline solution. Then, Marbn and his team compared both groups to young rats that were 4 months old. After a month, they compared the rats again.

Even though the cells were injected into the heart, their effects were noticeable throughout the body, Marbn said

The animals could exercise further than they could before by about 20%, and one of the most striking things, especially for me (because Im kind of losing my hair) the animals regrew their fur a lot better after theyd gotten cells compared with the placebo rats, Marbn said.

The rats that received cardiosphere-derived cells also experienced improved heart function and showed longer heart cell telomeres.

The working hypothesis is that the cells secrete exosomes, tiny vesicles that contain a lot of nucleic acids, things like RNA, that can change patterns of the way the tissue responds to injury and the way genes are expressed in the tissue, Marbn said.

It is the exosomes that act on the heart and make it better as well as mediating long-distance effects on exercise capacity and hair regrowth, he explained.

Looking to the future, Marbn said hes begun to explore delivering the cardiac stem cells intravenously in a simple infusion instead of injecting them directly into the heart, which would be a complex procedure for a human patient and seeing whether the same beneficial effects occur.

Dr. Gary Gerstenblith, a professor of medicine in the cardiology division of Johns Hopkins Medicine, said the new study is very comprehensive.

Striking benefits are demonstrated not only from a cardiac perspective but across multiple organ systems, said Gerstenblith, who did not contribute to the new research. The results suggest that stem cell therapies should be studied as an additional therapeutic option in the treatment of cardiac and other diseases common in the elderly.

Todd Herron, director of the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Centers Cardiovascular Regeneration Core Laboratory, said Marbn, with his previous work with cardiac stem cells, has led the field in this area.

The novelty of this bit of work is, they started to look at more precise molecular mechanisms to explain the phenomenon theyve seen in the past, said Herron, who played no role in the new research.

One strength of the approach here is that the researchers have taken cells from the organ that they want to rejuvenate, so that makes it likely that the cells stay there in that tissue, Herron said.

He believes that more extensive study, beginning with larger animals and including long-term followup, is needed before this technique could be used in humans.

We need to make sure theres no harm being done, Herron said, adding that extending the lifetime and improving quality of life amounts to a tradeoff between the potential risk and the potential good that can be done.

Capicor, the company that grows these special cells, is focused solely on therapies for muscular dystrophy and heart failure with ongoing clinical trials involving human patients, Marbn said.

Capicor hasnt announced any plans to do studies in aging, but the possibility exists.

After all, the cells have been proven completely safe in over 100 human patients, so it would be possible to fast-track them into the clinic, Marbn explained: I cant tell you that there are any plans to do that, but it could easily be done from a safety viewpoint.

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'Unexpected fountain of youth' found in cardiac stem cells, researcher says - FOX31 Denver

Medical Tourism Corporation Announces Stem Cell Therapy in Mexico With GIOSTAR – NBC Right Now

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The two entities join hands for all-inclusive stem cell treatment in Los Algodones, Tijuana, and Guadalajara. Package includes personalized therapy protocol, travel assistance, and more. GIOSTAR is a global stem cell leader with more than 4,000 people treated.

DALLAS - August 14, 2017 - (Newswire.com)

The major medical tourism facilitator has added another much-needed treatment to its comprehensive list of medical services, stem cell treatment in Mexico, as a way of helping people with degenerative, immunological, and blood-based diseases receive alternative healthcare and lead a happy, healthy life.

About GIOSTAR Mexico

Founded by a leading stem cell scientist, Dr. Anand Srivastava who is credited with setting up stem cell research programs in Sal Research Institute, UCSD, UCI and Sanford Burnham Institute, GIOSTAR is a visionary organization in the field. With its headquarters in San Diego and multiple top-notch facilities, offices and hospitals in various locations including India, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, the venture is expanding its reach and making treatment for several devastating immunological and blood- related diseases accessible for all.

GIOSTAR Mexico offers stem cell therapy in Tijuana, Guadalajara, and Los Algodones. Current treatments include Diabetes Type I and Type II, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI), among others. The therapies for Alzheimer's, Autism, Anti-Aging Treatments, Parkinson's disease, Heart and Retinal Degeneration, and many more diseases are being developed by the dedicated and skilled members of the institute.

Some prominent features of GIOSTAR are:

About Medical Tourism Corporation (MTC)

The Texas-based Medical Tourism Corporation is a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited health tourism organizer. The corporation aims to connect medical tourists from all over the world to excellent healthcare services without the underlying stress. The most daunting part of the medical tourism process is the lack of information about quality treatments in Mexico, India, and other health tourism hubs. MTC emerges as a helping hand, and assists its customers in planning every little detail of their medical trip and even offers generous post-op services and follow-up care for a safe recovery.

With the introduction of alternative therapies for taxing and draining conditions, such as stem cells for Parkinson's in Mexico, the organization is expanding its arsenal of services and treatments offered.

Medical Tourism Corporation has recently partnered with GIOSTAR with the goal of making quality healthcare come true. The two entities have collaborated to offer personalized protocols for various conditions and injuries, including stem cell therapy for spinal injuries in Mexico.

Aiming to provide exemplary stem cell treatment in Mexico, MTC provides a host of services and features that set the venture apart:

What to Expect?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates up to 23.5 million Americans suffer from autoimmune diseases. All that is standing between these patients and life-altering medical treatments is a border away.

This timely collaboration between GIOSTAR and MTC is an important step forward in bridging the gap between demand and supply of effective alternative treatments for people suffering from the aforementioned ailments when conventional therapies fail to treat. More information on stem cell therapy in Mexico is available on the official website of Medical Tourism Corporation.

Related Links Stem Cell Treatment for Diabetes Type 1 and 2 in Mexico Stem Cell Treatment for Arthritis in Mexico

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Medical Tourism Corporation Announces Stem Cell Therapy in Mexico With GIOSTAR - NBC Right Now

08.15.17 – Okayafrica

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Red Robyn. Photography by Cole Ndelu.

Seemingly in spite of the prevalent attitude of the current Durban music upstart community to follow the sonic lead of bankable hits like Sketchy Bongos Back to the Beach, or jumping on the bandwagon of the now-proven gqom-wave, a group of artists and industry players of the city are forging ahead with a new movement.

The new sound stays true to its heart and revels in a new-found popularised love of new forms in jazz, drawing lessons from the best doing it now and in the past.

Although the collaborative nature of this group has been written about before, Red Robynwhos premiering the lead single off her upcoming debut album here todaycredits it directly with whatever success shes found up til now, I dont think Id even be making music if it wasnt for other artists reaching out for collaboration. As an artist, I grew so much just working with like a bunch of different people, so now I have a really strong network of people that have like certain skills that like we all know each other, you know.

Left Wing, the new single debuted below, is a product of her makeshift studio that is set up in my little dungeon of a bedroom. She lives with her father, a longtime gospel-focused musician who originally played some of the bass lines on a previous version of the track, and describes her upbringing in the church as very strict and very Christian.

This song, however, deals with a spirituality somewhat evolved from her church-going childhood years. Sometimes I get like really depressed. I do battle with my mind, I live inside my mind, and I get really depressed and dont wanna leave the house and get very anxious and Ill go through various periods of not wanting to leave and then all of a sudden, something that Ive always wantedlike the Red Bull Studio timehappens to me and Im like Oh my gosh, I didnt realise that this was in the pipeline all along So I guess its like talking to this spirit as a person, saying I can see you. You do things. We dont always see you, like, on the left side, you know, working, but somehow all your dreams fall into place while youre sitting in the dark room all depressed.

Featured on synth is Jaedon Daniel, Red Robyns best-friend-turned-partner-turned-colleague, who previously collaborated with her on the Red Bull Studio-released People Talk, and standalone collaborative single WAVES, which also featured Durban rapper Otarel, producer MISSU and studio-master/musician Sckin. This motley crew of left-field-leaning jazz/pop/hip hop/electronica-heads exist in a burgeoning Durban sub-scene that seems emboldened by the renewed attention on the citys music. They also seem focused on leveraging that attention into developing more experimental modes of the now-better-known electro-pop/soul sounds hitting the mainstream national airwaves, and sitting alongside the underground-darling-gone-global gqom-wave.

Robyn says that its very cool that its about your individual identity, not really a group like the Wolf Pack, where theres a specific sound coming out of a specific group. Its not like that, its everyone sort of doing their own thing, but theres this support structure. That support structure often extends to material resources, like the studio that Sckin has set up in his home where The Sun Xa Experiment has just recorded a new body of work, Daniel is always very gracious in like, allowing a space to work, if he believes in something, so hes very cool like that.

On the motley-ness of the crew, with regard to the variance of the sound, I think its just a bunch of weirdos that dont fit in anywhere else that found each other, and like hallelujah, were all weird, lets make something cool out of it. Thats what it feels like, cause everyone is so different and unique, like you cant compare two sounds, like MISSU or like what Daniel [Sckin] does or what Jaedon [Daniel] does Even the mixtape that her and Jaedon Daniel released through Red Bull Studios had that kind of massive variance, explains Robyn, its varied because were the kinds of people who dont listen to one genre of music, we listen to everything at once, so we wantedspecifically with this mixtape, which might not be our sound for the rest of our liveswe wanted it to be like our first exploration of sound and to explore everything that we know and love about music and try and like, have our own voice project all of those things.

Having come from gospel roots and studied drama and music at UKZN, music really is in Red Robyns bones, whose first memory of writing a song was a worship tune on the back of her moms diary, in church. On her upcoming, as-yet-untitled debut albumdue Oct 2017(ish)she has written exactly 12 songs, which each speak to one of the 12 different versions of herself, which she believes everyone has inside them, turned off and on for different situations. Having written and arranged all the songs, she hopes the upcoming recording process will produce a richly harmonic and very ethereal collage.

In speaking to her own purpose and the purpose of artforms like music in general, she invokes the idea of the Indigo Child, sharing, I think on a broader scale artists in specific, their job is to hold the consciousness of society, and sort of like reflect it back, so that people who may not realise, start to see whats actually happening in the world. Shes careful to not break her humility. I cant say that I am an indigo child, but I do think in this specific time in history, the world, like the soul of the world needs a lot of love, so thats attached to my music in that sense.

She speaks to the work of Kate Bush, an artist she recently became obsessed with. I think a lot of people go into the music industry with an idea of being a celebrity, or a popstar, and there are certain things that you have to do to be a celebrity or a popstar and then you lose the honesty in the music, because it becomes about sales and selling a certain idea about yourself, so I think what makes her music fresh, and what makes any artists music fresh is keeping honesty in each song.

This awareness of musical honesty and commitment to love shines through Red Robyns work. This track and the album that it comes off is sure to solidify the channeling of her myriad influences and the expression of her musical obsessions, to reflect the world back at us. I think, the job is to just reflect whats happening and to just push positivity and love forward.

More and more, you start to meet people who are very loving, very kind, and its not by accident. I think its on purpose. You can see it wherever you go.

The regular gigs shes been playing with her 6-piece solo act and with the Blvck Crystals across Durbans not-so-shabby daytime/early evening live music scene, paired with the resurgence of young people from UKZN playing their own modes of jazz at late night spots like the iconic Jazzy Rainbow, and the commitment to accessible alt-pop experimentation in her music paint an exciting picture for this young artists future.

I guess at the moment Im just sort of letting the opportunities lead me to where I must focus my attention right now.

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08.15.17 - Okayafrica

This Is the Dangerous Condition You Can Get from Spin Class – Brit + Co

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With a cult-like following among city dwellers and a rep forbringing you both spiritual enlightenment and the best butt of your life, its easy to understand why so many people are jumping on a spin bike, enthusiastic to finally experience those intoxicating endorphins for themselves. But with such a high-intensity workout comes a higher chance of doing something wrongand either hindering yourself from itsfull benefits or seriously hurting yourself. In fact, both spin class and CrossFit (two seriously intense and majorly trendy workouts) have been linked to Rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo for short), a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when your muscles break down and release toxins into your bloodstream. While its not super common, its still important to understand, especially if youre considering taking a spin class for the first time. So before you start making the most of that ClassPass membership, be sure to read on for Dr. Jacqueline DuBoses explanation of rhabdo, what you can do to prevent it, and what signs to look for if you think you might have it. As always, if you have an immediate medical concern, please seek professional help immediately!

Brit + Co: What is Rhabdo?

Jacqueline DuBose: Whenever muscle cells are destroyed, various proteins are released into the bloodstream and cleared from the body through the kidneys, and to a lesser extent the liver. Rhabdomyolysis occurs when large amounts of muscle cells are destroyed simultaneously, and theproteins that are released overwhelm the kidneys.

B+C: How does a person get it?

JDB: This usually occurs in skeletal muscle injuries, such as crush injuries in an automobile accident, or large, deep burns from a fire. Certain medications can also cause rhabdomyolysis. Less frequently, we see it resulting from intense, prolonged exercise. The typical case of rhabdo in this circumstance used to be an untrained military recruit; however, we are seeing it more in the general population.While its still considered rare, the recent surge in popularity of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has certainly contributed to the rise in ER visits for rhabdomyolysis.

B+C: How can you prevent it?

JDB:Of the documented cases resulting from spinning, the vast majority occurred after the first class. Newbies should start slow, and gradually increase the intensity and duration of exercise over several weeks. Consider limiting the first spin to 15 minutes, then see how you feel over the next two days. Drinking water before, during, and after the session will help keep the kidneys working properly. Adequate rest between vigorous exercise sessions is also critical for muscle recovery. Just to be on the safe side, do not use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen after a vigorous workout, as these put additional stress on the kidneys.

B+C: What are the telltale signs and symptoms?

JDB: Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis vary from person to person. For many, the first sign may come during exercise, with a feeling of tightness and fatigue. Muscle pain is usually progressive over the next 12-48 hours, much worse than the typical muscle soreness of a good workout. The quadriceps (thigh muscles) are especially prone to swelling, and it may become difficult to bend the knees or walk. In many cases, urine may turn dark or tea-colored, as the kidneys attempt to clear the proteins.

B+C: What can happen to someone who has it?

JDB: Rhabdomyolysiscan belife-threatening. If you think you have it, itsimperative to seek medical attention early to avoid kidney and muscle complications, or even death. In most cases, rhabdomyolysis can be successfully treated in the hospital with a few days of intravenous fluids and rest, followed by more oral hydration and rest at home. Delaying care can result in kidney damage requiring dialysis, or permanent muscle damage from compartment syndrome, a condition in which the swelling is so extreme, the muscle tissue starts to die.

B+C: Should we be worried?

JDB: A common-sense approach is key to preventing rhabdomyolysis. Fear of developing rhabdo should not deter you from starting an exercise program, but you should be aware of the risks!

How do you make sure youre working out properly? Tweet us @BritandCo and let us know what you do to stay safe at spin!

(Photo via Getty)

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This Is the Dangerous Condition You Can Get from Spin Class - Brit + Co

Rethinking remnants from the ‘Summer of Love’ – SFGate (blog)

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Its been half a century since San Francisco hosted the so-called Summer of Love, a months-long confab of mostly young people inspired by the mantra of turn on, tune in, drop out. The time was ripe, it seemed, for this eclectic group of music loving, war opposing flower children to band together in a joint affirmation of peace, love, and spiritual enlightenment.

Harmony and understanding / Sympathy and trust abounding, sang the tie-dye clad cast of the psychedelic rock musical Hair, whose co-authors had spent the early part of that same year in San Francisco. No more falsehoods or derisions / Golden living dreams of visions / Mystic crystal revelation / And the minds true liberation / Aquarius, Aquarius.

However, as pleasant and as promising as this all sounds, the lingering notion that casual sex and hallucinogenic drugs two of the musicals and that summers prominent themes might somehow play a role in someone achieving true enlightenment deserves further scrutiny.

Why now?

Apparently the last 50 years have done little to diminish the appeal of what were once considered pretty far out ideas. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA or Ecstasy once banned by the FDA after they were embraced and often abused by those intent on using them for pleasure are now being touted as a great way to connect with your inner self, albeit under medically supervised conditions. As for casual sex, what used to be thought of as a largely recreational or, occasionally, procreational activity is being pitched as a vehicle for couples to experience a sense of spiritual connection.

One cant help but wonder, then, based on what weve seen over the last 50 years, the degree to which such potentially self-indulgent avenues to acquiring spiritual wisdom have proven to be either lasting or genuine.

Call me old-fashioned, but judging from my own experience, Id say the best way to achieve real and enduring enlightenment is through prayer, that deeply humble, indescribably peaceful bonding with God, divine Mind, that results without the aid (or potential interference) of any intermediary physical, chemical, or otherwise. Heres my instruction, writes St. Paul (Gal. 5:15 ESV), walk in the Spirit, and let the Spirit bring order to your life. If you do, you will never give in to your selfish cravings.

Granted, there are as many definitions of prayer as there are people in the world. But most would probably agree that prayer is something that not only has the capacity to inspire and enable us to do good to others, but also to better understand the all-knowing, always present source of such goodness.

True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection, writes Mary Baker Eddy. Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us.

What I like most about such a path to enlightenment is that its not the least bit self-indulgent. On the contrary, it can be a catalyst for engaging with others completely unselfishly, for mutual rather than merely personal benefit. Even better, its something that Ive found time and again, in and of itself, leads to mental and physical healing.

But it goes further than that.

Over and above whatever mental or physical regeneration I might experience, prayer continues to provide me with that kind of moral and spiritual grounding that, at least to my sense, can only be achieved through consistent communion with the Divine. It may not be as alluring as either drugs or sex (and thats a good thing), but nothing can compare to the immediate and completely satisfying impact it can have on our ability to connect with our inherently spiritual selves.

Regardless of whether the proverbial Age of Aquarius has come or gone, the desire to discover the decidedly and exclusively divine source of good in our lives remains forever.

Eric Nelson writes about the connection between consciousness and health from his perspective as a practitioner of Christian Science. He also serves as the spokesperson for Christian Science in Northern California. Connect with him on About.Me/NorCalCS.

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Rethinking remnants from the 'Summer of Love' - SFGate (blog)

International Space Station astronauts to view the solar eclipse 3 times – AccuWeather.com

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While millions of Americans gather across the country to catch a glimpse of Monday's total solar eclipse, the astronauts aboard the International Space Station will view the event from a much different vantage point.

The ISS crew members are predicted to view both a partial eclipse and the moon's shadow cast on the North American continent as they make three tracks around the planet 400 km above Earth's surface, according to NASA.

"Observing a total solar eclipse from manned spacecraft is difficult though not impossible," NASA reported.

NASA said the different rates of speed and intersecting paths are the main challenge to viewing an eclipse from space.

At minimum, ISS spends less than 15 seconds traversing the 100-km-wide lunar shadow even when the paths align in space and time, according to NASA. However, Earths horizon extends nearly 2,300 km from the ISS, allowing astronauts to see the lunar shadow if they are close enough during the event.

NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) was in position to view the umbral (ground) shadow cast by the moon as it moved between Earth and the sun during a solar eclipse on March 29, 2006. This astronaut image captures the umbral shadow across southern Turkey, northern Cyprus and the Mediterranean Sea. (Photo/NASA)

The total eclipse will begin on the Oregon coast at 17:15 UT (10:15 a.m. PDT) and will end along the South Carolina coast at 18:49 UT (2:49 p.m. EDT).

As the space station makes its first pass during the eclipse, the crew members will be able to view a partial solar eclipse with approximately 37 percent of the sun covered up, NASA reports.

However, at this point in time, the ISS will not be able to see the umbra, or the darkest part of the moon's shadow on the Earth's surface. The space station will pass over the western United States and southeastern Canada in the first pass. The total portion of the eclipse will not have started yet for the Earth.

As the station makes its second pass through the moon's shadow, the partial eclipse will be visible to the astronauts with 44 percent of the sun covered.

"ISS will witness the moons umbra moving from southwestern Kentucky to northern Tennessee during a portion of this pass," NASA reports.

RELATED: Solar eclipse viewing conditions: Clouds could spoil views in Oregon, Southeast Total eclipse towns stock toilet paper, add cell towers ahead of unprecedented crowds 5 solar eclipse viewing parties you can't miss

"The moons umbra is visible on the Earth from ISSs viewpoint while ISS traverses from southern Canada just north of the Montana-Canada border to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence."

At its closest approach, the space station will be making its way south of the Hudson Bay, far removed from the moon's umbra, which will be passing over southwestern Kentucky nearly 1,700 km away.

However, despite the distance, crew members aboard the ISS should still be able to view the shadow near the horizon.

The third pass for the ISS will bring another view of a partial solar eclipse with 85 percent coverage just minutes before orbital sunset. At this point, the darkest part of the lunar shadow will no longer be visible to crew as the umbra will have lifted from the Earth's surface as it makes its transit.

"Because of atmospheric friction and other ISS activities, the orbits undergo small changes from week to week," NASA reports.

The most precise timing will be available on NASA's ISS observations website.

Click on the banner above to visit AccuWeather's center for the Great American Eclipse.

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International Space Station astronauts to view the solar eclipse 3 times - AccuWeather.com

Boy Scouts Launch Science Project To International Space Station – CBS Chicago

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August 15, 2017 10:46 AM By Bernie Tafoya

CHICAGO (CBS) A Boy Scout troop from the northwest suburbs got a chance to see their dreams and more lift-off into space on Monday.

Andrew Frank, 16, and several other scouts from Troop 209 in Palatine were at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and other members of their troop were at a watch-party in Arlington Heights, as a Space X Falcon 9 rocket took off, carrying the scouts science experiment to the International Space Station.

We were all counting down with the clock as it launched off. It was really a big sense of excitement with the whole team, Frank said minutes after the rocket headed into orbit. Everyone kind of cheered and threw their arms up in the air when it actually launched. It was really cool.

Adult project lead Norm McFarland said the experiment was designed to see whether an organism in this case, E. coli mutates at a different rate in low gravity.

We think there could be implications here for either tissue growth or maybe something in cancer research, McFarland said.

Frank and his team of about a dozen scouts put in more than 5,000 hours of work on the experiment before launching it into space.

When we get our data back, were going to have to go through all the pictures, all the data. Were going to have to analyze it, and put together our report, he said.

McFarland said it will take at least three months to analyze all the data once the 24-day experiment on the station has been completed. He said the experiment will result in 6,200 pictures, each containing 70 pieces of biological information.

Frank said he and his fellow scouts likely have checked off a number of requirements for several merit badges by working on the experiment.

McFarland said the project began two years ago, with leaders suggesting the idea of trying to get an experiment in space. He said 84 suggested experiments were whittled down to two that were merged into the experiment that is now up in space.

Im a lifelong Chicagoan and could never see myself living anywhere else (except maybe Hawaii!). I was born on the North Side in 1958 but have lived all but the first three months of my life on the South Side. That said, thank (or is that curse?)...

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Boy Scouts Launch Science Project To International Space Station - CBS Chicago

Tacoma review: A slow-burning space station mystery – Stuff.co.nz

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LEE HENAGHAN

Last updated20:32, August 15 2017

What caused the six crew members of an orbital space station to abandon ship? Tacoma is a deep space detective game.

Exploring an abandoned space station after a disaster left the crew fighting for their lives sounds like the perfect set-up for a thrill-a-minute action game or nail-biting survival horror. Tacoma couldn't be further removed from that end of the gaming spectrum.

It's a seriously slow burner that makes Fullbright's previous "walking simulator" hit Gone Home feel like a Bayonetta boss battle.This is a game that you take at your own pace, soaking it in as youanalysetiny details.

There's no intense combat, no terrifying enemies or world to save. If you prefer your games to be a little more dynamic and exciting, then Tacoma probably won't be your cup of tea.

If, however, you're a fan of gripping narratives, fascinating characters and brilliantly delivered dialoguethen this is well worth checking out. I found it difficult to put down and enjoyed pretty much every minute of it

Captured conversations between the station's crew members are replayed by the Tacoma AI, allowing you to piece together the events that led up to the mysterious disaster.

Playing as security contractor Amy Ferrier, you arrive on the lunar orbital space station Tacoma in the wake of a orbital debris collision which destroyed the facilities communication mast and wiped out most of its oxygen supply.

The six-person crew that manned the station are nowhere to be found. It's your job to move from section to section, downloading data from the ship's AI system in an attempt to piece together what went wrong, and work out where the hell everybody went..

The good news is that the AI recorded everyinteraction between the crewmates during the year leading up to the accident. The bad news is that much of that data appears to have been corrupted or destroyed.

Most of the Tacoma station is covered by the installation's artificial gravity system, but travelling between each section is done in zero-g, allowing you to get your float on.

This means that you although you can access snippets of conversations, played out in real time by augmented reality figures that move around the Tacoma station. there are gaping holes in the narrative which you need to fill by fleshing out the characters' back-stories and exploring their abandoned home.

Effectively, you experience Tacoma as a series of theatrical plays, as you move from room to room, recovering the data and watching the 2-10 minute conversations with the crew unfold. Sometimes, characters will move around the facility as they're talking, requiring you to follow individuals around before rewinding and going back to see what everyone else was saying while you were away.

Full credit must go to the writing team and voice acting cast. The story is perfectly paced and delivered in fine style. The AR models have no facial features so the drama is conveyed entirely via dialogue and body language.

Exploring the various rooms and living quarters will uncover more clues and vital details about the station's inhabitants.

Despite the sci-fi setting, Tacoma is essentially a story about relationships. Not just between the crew members but between their friends and family on Earth and thecorporate overlords running the show.

You're also able to download data from character;s AR desktops (although much of this is also corrupted) giving you an insight into their lives via email chains, internet browsing history and image files.

Perhaps the creepiest part of the game though , is how you'reactively encouraged to go snooping through the crew's private living quarters looking for clues and items of interest.

Food wrappers, postcards, cups, coins and mementos. Every item you see on board the Tacoma can be picked up and pored over.

There's a certain voyeuristic thrill about searching through drawers, lockers and bedside tables and although some of the details you uncover arefascinating, it's hard not to feel like it's all a massive invasion of privacy.

It's also interesting how much of the junk and random items of interest have absolutely no bearing on the story whatsoever, but picking them up and analysing them somehow adds even more depth and realism to the experience. In most games, everything is there for a reason and it's rare to see a pixel wasted on something that doesn't serve an obvious purpose.

In Tacoma, scribbled notes, postcards, crumpled space-food wrappers, even a casually discardedsex toy in one couple's bedroom, have no real reason to be there, other than to make the abandoned space station feel like a real place, where real people lived, laughed and loved for a year prior to your arrival.

Tacoma isn't a particularly long game. Depending on how distracted you get and how deep you delve into the facility's nooks and crannies, you'll probably get through it in a few hours. You probably won't be too keen to replay it againeither - it's not a branching narrative game where your choices have a bearing on the ending or how events unfold.

It will almost certainly stay with you though, it's an innovative and interesting experience in interactive storytelling that you won't forget in a hurry.

Tacoma Developers: Fullbright Publishers: Microsoft Studios Formats: Xbox One, PC Price: $19(RRP) Score 8.5/10

-Stuff

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SpaceX launches most powerful computer ever sent to space station – KPRC Houston

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NEW YORK - A SpaceX rocket is ready to deliver one of the most high-tech payloads ever to the International Space Station.

When the Falcon 9 rocket blasts off on Monday, one of the items on board will be a supercomputer built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, dubbed the "Spaceborne Computer." If it works, it could be the most powerful commercial, off-the-shelf computer ever to operate in space.

Astronauts aboard the space station already have a bunch of devices you'd find at your local electronics store -- including HP laptops.

But a supercomputer is something different. It's a much more powerful piece of hardware that can crunch massive amounts of data and send the results to other computers in just moments.

According to Mark Fernandez, the HPE engineer who is heading up this new experiment, the space-bound supercomputer will have the ability to make one trillion calculations in a single second -- about 30 to 100 times more powerful than your average desktop computer.

Julie Robinson, the chief scientist for NASA's space station program, said if this supercomputer can function in the harsh conditions of space -- it'll be very exciting news for companies down here on earth.

Robinson points out that a huge point of interest for the private sector is taking high-quality satellite images of earth in order to track things like crop growth or oil exploration.

"What's happening is -- just as your TV now has so much more resolution -- the same thing is happening with [satellite imagery]," she said.

But the high-definition images require 200 to 300 times more data, which can clog up the communication pipeline between earth and space. That's where a supercomputer on board the space station would become hugely valuable, Robinson told CNNMoney.

"If you can process the data on board [the space station], you then only need to send down a subset of the data that's actually needed," she said.

Space-bound computers have been slow to reach such powerful data processing capabilities. A lot of the hardware on board the space station now has undergone significant retrofitting via a process called "hardening" -- which means it's been beefed up with extra protection to keep it safe in the rough conditions of space.

"By the time it goes through the hardening process, and then the tests needed to ensure it's ready to fly, the computers are many generations old," HPE's Fernandez said.

HPE's supercomputer, however, is just like one you'd buy on earth. Fernandez said the only thing different about the one flying to space is some special software that should be able to detect when the computer is exposed to something dangerous -- like high radiation levels -- and make small adjustments to keep it safe.

Will the avant-garde software be enough to ensure the supercomputer will survive in space?

Not everyone is so sure. "Some think it'll never power up or be fried within the first few minutes," Fernandez said.

We'll find out soon enough.

Fernandez said he expects to receive word the device has been plugged in and booted up sometime on September 4.

"I told them to let me know as soon as that happens -- anytime, day or night," Fernandez said with a laugh. "If it powers up, that's going to be my first relief. I will be very excited then."

Fernandez and his team will then run about 2-and-a-half hours of tests to determine if the computer is fully functional. That, he said, will be the next major victory.

Then, the plan is for scientists here on earth to keep running tests with the supercomputer for a full year to see how it fares on the space station.

If the supercomputer is still operational at the end of one year -- Fernandez said it'll pave the way for NASA to send up even more powerful computers.

And one day, a similar computer could be used by astronauts traveling to Mars.

HPE's Fernandez and NASA's Robinson both said having the ability to process large amounts of data on board a Mars mission would be a huge advantage.

That's because there could be long minutes of lag time in communicating with Mars-bound astronauts, and communications could even be cut off for days at a time.

"Such a long communication lag would make any on-the-ground exploration challenging and potentially dangerous if astronauts are not able to solve certain problems themselves," HPE explained.

"By sending a supercomputer to space, HPE is taking the first step in that direction," the company said.

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SpaceX launches most powerful computer ever sent to space station - KPRC Houston