Daily Archives: May 20, 2017

A Beautiful Ode to Space Exploration Made Using Only NASA Apollo Photos – PetaPixel (blog)

Posted: May 20, 2017 at 7:04 am

Motion Designer Christian Stangl and his brother, composer Wolfgang Stangl, just created one of the most beautiful odes to space exploration weve seen and they did it without ever taking a single photograph. Every photo in their tribute was pulled from NASAs Project Apollo Archive.

Stangl came up with the idea after stumbling across the archive. He was struck by how many incredible photographs the Apollo astronauts had taken.

The whole film is based on the photos which NASA released in September 2015: The Project Apollo Archive, Stangl tells PetaPixel. I was fascinated by the amount and the quality of the Pictures. They were thousands of that beautiful high-res photographies made by the famous Hasselblad-Moon camera. When I looked at the Archive, I knew immediately that I want to make a film with these photos!

And so he did. Using panoramic stitching and stop motion sequences, Christian created what is essentially an animated collage. With so many beautiful frames to choose from, the hardest part was picking what to include and, later, how to score it.

Christian described the process to us over email:

I tried to bring the photos to life using 2 different techniques:

The video portion done, Christian handed the production off to his brother Wolfgang for scoring.

It took Wolfgang 18 months to complete our short film, Christian tells us. We constantly had to change or reject scenes, adjust the music, and fine-tune on effects until we were satisfied with the story.

Check out the brothers creation at the top preferably with the lights off and headphones on cranked all the way up. The video is a true experience. And if you like what you see, visit Christians website for more.

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Scientists, Policy Makers Push for Mars Exploration – Eos – Eos

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At a recent forum, Sen. Ted Cruz also announced a Senate hearing to revisit the half-century-old Outer Space Treaty, and he warned about potential military threats to the nations satellites.

Going to Mars wont be easy, even if we sent Matt Damon, star of the 2015 film The Martian, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) quipped at a Tuesday forum about deep-space exploration held in Washington, D. C.

But the venture is worth doing, helps unify and propel space exploration going forward, and is codified in the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 (S. 442) that President Donald Trump signed into law in March, said Cruz, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness. He sponsored the legislation, which calls for a human exploration road map that includes the long-term goal of human missions near or on the surface of Mars in the 2030s.

Space exploration is NASAs central mission, and I certainly am doing everything I can to encourage as many resources as possible [and] as much of NASAs leadership to be focused on exploration.Although Cruz said that NASA space exploration should not come at the expense of the agencys Earth science missions, he said Earth science is not central to NASA. There are a host of agencies that do science research, that have a science focus. Thats not NASAs central mission, he said. Space exploration is NASAs central mission, and I certainly am doing everything I can to encourage as many resources as possible [and] as much of NASAs leadership to be focused on exploration.

The forum, sponsored by the Atlantic magazine, focused on the issues of sending astronauts to deep space, including Mars; efforts to support commercial space endeavors; the challenge of retaining American leadership in space; and bipartisan support for space exploration.

In an intensely partisan environment, Cruz said that there is bipartisan commitment to American leadership in space. There are not many issues to which there is bipartisan commitment, but thats one, and I think thats very good for those of us who care about continuing to explore space.

Its written in our hearts: We want to explore, we want to push forward. And I think NASA is probably the symbolic piece of that.That bipartisan congressional and administration support stems in part from people looking at the agency as a symbol of leadership for the country, said Robert Lightfoot, acting administrator of NASA.

Its written in our hearts: We want to explore, we want to push forward. And I think NASA is probably the symbolic piece of that, he said.

Another reason for agency support is that NASA is basically changing textbooks, he noted. The pursuit of knowledge and scientific discovery intrigues people and is different than some of the other things most people talk about in government, Lightfoot added.

The authorization act, he said, also provides a sense of constancy of support for the agency and for long-term projects such as the International Space Station and efforts to journey to Mars. NASA fared well in the fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget, signed into law on 5 May, and the agency hopes for steady support in the FY 2018 budget that the administration plans to release next week.

Getting to Mars calls for a number of intermediate steps that NASA has outlined. These include using the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit as a local proving ground to learn about things such as needed technologies and the impacts of a microgravity environment on the human body and then building infrastructure in the vicinity of the Moon to test and improve technologies.

But Lightfoot emphasized that the momentum is there to go to Mars. Can you imagine the first steps on Mars? Lightfoot asked. He said it could be a civilization level change event for us, just as the first steps on the Moon were. I tell my guys all the time, Youre making history. You just dont know it.

Ellen Stofan, former chief scientist for NASA, said at the forum that now is a unique moment for pushing on toward Mars. We know where we want to go, we understand the path of technologies that we need to get there, we think theres an affordable planand I think youve got broad public support.

We need leadership at the top of government and at the top of NASA, and we dont have it right now.Robert Zubrin agreed at the forum that Mars should be the destination. Mars is where the science is, Mars is where the challenge is, Mars is where the future is, said Zubrin, founder and president of the Mars Society, a Lakewood, Colo.based organization that promotes the exploration and settlement of Mars.

However, he complained that what we have right now is just drift, it is not a program, and he questioned the necessity of some intermediate steps, such as a lunar-orbiting space station, to get to Mars. Right now, NASA is not spending money to do things. It is doing things to spend money, Zubrin said. We need leadership at the top of government and at the top of NASA, and we dont have it right now.

At the forum, Cruz announced that his Senate committee will hold a hearing on 23 May to revisit the Outer Space Treaty to see how the treaty can help expand commerce and settlement in space. The treaty, which entered into force 50 years ago, provides the basic framework for international space law.

He predicted that the first trillionaire would be a person in the space exploration world who invests and makes discoveries in space that we cannot even envision.

The senator tied American efforts in space not just to the spirit of exploration and economic opportunities but also to national security and the safety of the nations satellites that GPS and other critical technologies rely on.

The development other countries are making in space weaponry to take out our communication equipment is truly chilling, he said. Some of the classified briefings would take your breath away at the potential threats we face. He called for serious investments to address that vulnerability.

Randy Showstack (@RandyShowstack), Staff Writer

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Nanotech Improves Catalytic Performance – Controlled Environments Magazine

Posted: at 7:04 am

A team of researchers including scientists from Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have discovered how to improve catalytic performance using nanotechnology. The scientists published their findings on May 18 in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

Chirranjeevi Balaji Gopal, a former postdoctoral researcher at Stanford, is the lead author on the study. Other Stanford co-authors include former postdoctoral researcher Max Garcia-Melchor, graduate students Sang Chul Lee, Yezhou Shi, Matteo Monti, and Zixuan Guan, and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Robert Sinclair. From SLAC, researchers include former staff scientist Aleksandra Vojvodic and Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and faculty scientist William C. Chueh.

This new study found that it was possible to enhance the ability of a common industrial catalyst to store oxygen a crucial function of the catalyst just by stretching or compressing the catalyst a small amount, thereby improving its overall performance (catalysts work to accelerate reactions between chemical substances). The industrial catalyst used in this study was cerium oxide, also known as ceria.

The oxygen storage capacity of ceria is critical to its effectiveness as a catalyst, Vojvodic told Stanford News. The theoretical expectation based on previous studies is that stretching ceria would increase its capacity to store oxygen, while compressing would lower its storage capacity.

However, this new study disproves the traditional predictions surrounding stretching and compressing ceria by showing that compressing the catalyst actually improves its ability to store oxygen instead of diminishing it.

Using nanotechnology, the research team applied enormous pressure 10,000 times the pressure of the Earths atmosphere to microscopic films of ceria. The researchers found that when the molecules stretched and compressed under pressure, not only did the films exhibit no physical malformations from the stress, but the oxygen-storing capacities of the films had improved.

We discovered that the strained films exhibited a fourfold increase in the oxygen storage capacity of ceria, Gopal explains. It doesnt matter if you stretch it or compress it. You get a remarkably similar increase.

These findings have wide-ranging implications for the future of industrial catalysts. Ceria is used in products ranging from self-cleaning ovens to solar water splitters to vehicle exhaust systems.

Ceria stores and releases oxygen as needed, like a sponge, Chueh says. We discovered that stretching and compressing ceria by a few percent dramatically increases its oxygen storage capacity. This finding overturns conventional wisdom about oxide materials and could lead to better catalysts.

Source: Stanford University

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Nanotech Security Corp. Announces Closing of $13.3 Million Bought Deal Financing – Marketwired (press release)

Posted: at 7:04 am

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - May 18, 2017) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE US

Nanotech Security Corp. (TSX VENTURE: NTS) (OTCQX: NTSFF) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced bought deal private placement with a syndicate of underwriters led by Haywood Securities Inc., and including Echelon Wealth Partners Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp. and GMP Securities L.P. (collectively the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Company issued 11,586,870 common shares (the "Shares") of the Company at a price of $1.15 per Share for gross proceeds of $13,324,900.50 (the "Offering"). The Offering included the Underwriters exercising their over-allotment option for an additional 1,152,087 common shares.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to simplify and improve Nanotech's capital structure by immediately redeeming the $4.2 million of convertible debentures that bear an interest rate of 12% per annum and are convertible at $1.25, to increase production capacity, strengthen the balance sheet and general corporate initiatives.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements about the proposed financing. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "predicts", "potential", "targeted" "plans", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation; statements about opportunities that could accelerate the growth of the Company and use of proceeds are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by risk factors contained in our public filings at http://www.sedar.com and there can be no assurance that actual results or developments that we currently anticipate, including completion of the financing, will be realized. Nanotech disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

This news release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities described in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of such laws.

About Nanotech Security

Nanotech Security Corp. has been a leading innovator in the design and production of advanced banknote and commercial branding authentication products. Nanotech's KolourOptik and Plasmogram products are nanotechnology based optical imaging product platforms originally inspired by the unique optical properties of the iridescent wings of the Blue Morpho butterfly. Our nano-optical products produce intense, high definition optically-variable images and colour-shift optical thin films. Activated by a simple tilt or rotation, with higher resolutions than the best LED-displays, they are ideal for authentication of currency, passports, and identification cards in addition to distinguishing branded goods from counterfeits.

Additional information about Nanotech can be found at the Company's website http://www.nanosecurity.ca, the Canadian disclosure filings website http://www.sedar.com or the OTCMarkets disclosure filings website http://www.otcmarkets.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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North Korea war: Trump sends USS Ronald Reagan for WW3 drill – Daily Star

Posted: at 7:04 am

A SECOND US aircraft carrier has arrived on Kim Jong-uns doorstep.

The USS Ronald Reagan has joined the USS Carl Vinson in the western Pacific, the US Navy has confirmed.

The two flattops both carrying squadrons of strike fighters and attack helicopters and accompanied by an escort of warships are expected to carry out war drills with South Korea.

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The manoeuvres are seen as a thinly veiled warning to North Korea which has continued to develop long-range missiles capable of carrying out a nuclear strike on mainland America.

The deployment of two aircraft carriers to the same region at the same time is highly unusual.

The USS Carl Vinson has been despatched to Korean waters as a show of strength against Kim Jong-un. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has seen active duty in both Gulf wars

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The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is under the command of Captain Douglas C Verissimo

USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan are in the Western Pacific

The Ronald Reagan and its Carrier Air Wing Five featuring fighter jets and early warning aircraft began its spring patrol earlier this week, according to the Pacific Fleet.

They are focused on "flight deck and carrier qualifications.

The Carl Vinson and Carrier Strike Group 1 which is made up of guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain and guided-missile destroyers USS Michael Murphy and USS Wayne E Meyer have been operating in waters near Korea since late last month.

The Ronald Reagan which is based in nearby Japan was earmarked to replace the Carl Vinson.

But the Carl Vinsons mission has been extended through until the end of next month after North Korea tested what is believed to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile last weekend.

REUTERS

The Hermit Kingdom claims the test means it can now deliver a warhead to the US mainland.

A Pacific Fleet spokesman said: USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan are in the Western Pacific, but they are not in close proximity to each other.

Since 2008, photographer Eric Lafforgue ventured to North Korea six times. Thanks to digital memory cards, he was able to save photos that was forbidden to take inside the segregated state

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Taking pictures in the DMZ is easy, but if you come too close to the soldiers, they stop you

Earlier in the day, a South Korean government source said the two may hold joint drills with South Korea's Navy in the East Sea between Korean and Japan early next month.

The allies are in consultations on the exact schedule, the source said on the condition of anonymity, adding: "The Reagan is likely to enter the East Sea around the end of this month."

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While tourists are free to visit the secretive state as part of strictly controlled tour groups, they are told to never take photos of soldiers by their handlers. These images taken by photographer Eric Lafforgue show the truth behind North Korean military service: a life of hard physical labour with the perks of visits to the nation's capital

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Many soldiers are used as a labor force to compensate for the ineffective North Korean economy, so the army is not only about military organization.

South Korea's military officials said the reclusive North apparently stands ready to conduct another nuclear test.

They are concerned as well that it will test-fire a long-range rocket in the near future.

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Russia WW3: Putin troops deployed to EU border sparking fears of … – Daily Star

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RUSSIA has rushed thousands of troops to its border with Europe as fears of a possible invasion mount.

Vladimir Putin moved more warships and fighter jets to bolster his already massive army in the baltics.

The Russian military also announced the fleet will have additional guided missile craft, fighters and support vessels by the end of the year.

NATO forces are on red alert as members are anxious over planned Russian war games in September following missile deployment in the region.

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Vladimir Putin has put on an awesome display of military might with tanks and nuclear missiles rolling through downtown Moscow as World War Three tensions are at fever pitch around the world. The annual parade marks the victory over the Nazis in World War Two

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A Russian Yars RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile system rides through Red Square

The swift military buildup of the Baltic Fleet is a natural response

Defence analyst Alexander Khrolenko told the Sputnik news agency NATO can "only dream" of dominating the Baltic.

"The swift military buildup of the Baltic Fleet is a natural response on Russia's part to NATO's aggressive ambitions in the region, increased war-gaming, Baltic air policing, anti-Russian sentiments and spy fever," he said.

He added that NATO war games "simulate a hybrid war with Russia, of course".

Last week Pentagon chief Jim Matti hit back at Russian aggression saying the United States and NATO are prepared to deploy any capabilities necessary to help improve air defence systems in the Baltic region.

Russia is preparing for massive military exercises in its western military region in September, and has deployed a missile system in neighbouring Kaliningrad.

Putin has an arsenal of state-of-the-art weaponry at his fingertips. Could this be the hardware that wages WW3?

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The T-90 tank: equipped with a 125mm smoothbore cannon and remote controlled anti-aircraft gun

"We will deploy whatever capability is necessary here," Mattis said when asked about regional air defences.

"Any buildup of Russian combat power in an area where they know, and we all know, they are not threatened by anything that we are doing is simply destabilising."

Pro-Moscow analyst Khrolenko said Russia's Baltic Fleet currently consists of three diesel submarines, a destroyer, six patrol ships, six fast attack guided missile craft, six anti-submarine warfare corvettes, 12 missile boats, six amphibious assault ships, as well as six coastal minesweepers and nine inshore minesweepers.

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Asia is KEY to diffusing North Korea tensions as WW3 threats build after missile launch – Express.co.uk

Posted: at 7:04 am

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In recent months, the rising tensions between the US and North Korea have aroused anxiety throughout the Asia-Pacific.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has a long history of diplomatic relations with the hermit state - with Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia all having embassies in the country.

Last month, Pyongyang appealed to the bloc for support in a letter which claimed North Korea was on the brink of war.

In the letter to the ASEAN Secretary General, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-Ho indicated his expectations that ASEAN which attaches great importance to the regional peace and stability will make an issue of the US-South Korean joint military exercises at ASEAN conferences.

NORTH KOREA VS USA LATEST - LIVE UPDATES

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And he added ASEAN should take a fair position and play an active role in safeguarding the peace and safety of Korean Peninsula.

But just a week later, US Secretary of State Rex Tllerson warned ASEAN members to minimise relations with the hermit state.

Then in April, ASEAN expressed grave concern as it urged North Korea to comply with UN Security Council resolutions on its nuclear programme.

Now one expert believes the ASEAN bloc could hold the key to peace - and urged the association to act as a facilitator between the warring nations.

AFP/Getty Images

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An unidentified rocket, reported to be a Hwasong-type missile similar to the one used in a May 14, 2017 test launch, at a military parade in Pyongyang

Lonny Carlile, associate professor at the University of Hawaiis Asian Studies Program, said: North Korea has always said that they want to engage in direct negotiations with the United States and feel included in the international community.

With ASEANs track record in various dialogues, maybe thats an alternative.

Southeast Asian countries - particularly Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia - have close ties to North Korea, and provide an economic and security lifeline for the state.

However, not everyone shares Mr Carliles optimism.

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Denny Roy, a research fellow at Hawaii-based research institute East-West Center, said: This is a Northeast Asia problem...

I dont know what ASEAN can do to make talks more likely but (it) can help to enforce sanctions."

David Han, research analyst, said: If ASEAN intends to show its relevance regarding the North Korean threat, it should be realistic about its own ability in offering viable solutions to the crisis, and avoid pandering to either China or the US.

While ASEAN could do more by signalling to North Korea during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meetings to back down from Pyongyangs provocative behaviour, beyond this there is not much that ASEAN could do to pressure North Korea to change its course.

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The Deep Mind in the Cave: Awakening Consciousness in the Spirit of AI – The Sociable

Posted: at 7:02 am

Painting in caves thousands of years before the first civilization, human beings entered altered states that brought forth an awakening in our consciousness.

Archaeologists and anthropologist agree thatcave paintings at ancient sites like Lascaux, Chauvet, and El Castillowere inspired by visions from shamans in altered states of consciousness. These images of part-human, part-animal therianthropes, along with motifs of criss-crosses, dotted patterns, and impalement,mimic the same archetypes later reported by test subjectswhile on LSD.

Erect Birdman, a therianthrope from Lascaux Cave

The shift from the alert, problem-solving consciousness that kept our early ancestors alive from predators and the elements to the abstract state of mind signified our evolution into thoughts of the divine.

Artificial Intelligence, if itcan ever become truly conscience and not just a soulless, computational device, must take true hallucination into account if it ever wants to experience reality the way humans do. Our own evolution of consciousness, both spiritually and historically, is replete with tales of visions, dreams, and the supernatural.

Read More:AI and Spirituality: Toward the recreation of the mythical, soulless Golem

In his pursuit of getting to the bottom of the shamanistic approach to cave painting and altered states of consciousness, independent researcher and best-selling author Graham Hancock detailed in his book Supernatural: Meetings With the Ancient Teachers of Mankind, how he would not take an ivory tower, arm-chaired approach, but rather personally dive head-first into the psychedelic realm to uncover the truth.

Encounters with supernatural beings are documented in the oldest representational art that has so far been found anywhere in the world art depicting therianthropes and dating back more than 30,000 years. The discovery that shamans in surviving hunter-gatherer cultures routinely experience encounters with virtually identical beings when they enter trance, and that I could and did encounter such beings myself under the influence of the same hallucinogens that the shamans use, convinced me that there was a real mystery to explore here.

What researchers like Hancock, anthropologist Jeremy Narby, and the late psychonaut Terence McKenna tell us, is that our genetic makeup functions as a vessel for receiving altered states of consciousness. Under altered states of consciousness, we can encounter entities from other realms that can bring to us valuable information, both on a personal and global level.

Read More:UW research into DNA storage backs up ancient shamanic knowledge

So, what does this have to do with Artificial Intelligence?

If the goal is to make machines as human as possible, there must be an element of the supernatural a Divine Spark if you will. For McKenna, Hancock, and Narby, that divine spark whichbrought forth an expanded consciousness in humanity was the discovery of altered states of consciousness, whether it be through plant or fungal entheogens, rhythmic dance, drumming, starvation, or purposeful intoxication through insect bites.

Read More:Terence McKennas cyberdelic evolution of consciousness as it relates to AI

In his book Beyond Zero and One: Machines, Psychedelics, and Consciousness, scientist and engineer Andrew Smart raises the question how smart can machines get without being conscious? He believes that the issue of consciousness invariably raises the issue of LSD and hallucinations.

Smart also stated that human perception and consciousness often hide the true complexity of the world. The author illustrates the difference between how cameras in intelligent machines do not see things the same way humans do.

Heres an example. Before reading further, watch this video whilekeeping a silent count of the number of passes made by the people in white shirts.

Did you see the gorilla?

This was aHarvard experiment dubbedthe Invisible Gorilla, and the studyconcluded that half the people who watched the above video did not notice the gorilla, despite its nine second presence on-screen.

The gorilla was physically there and captured on camera, so it should be detected by us, right? What the camera sees in plain sight, the human mind may not, and that is one example of the conscious differences between human beings and computers.

The gorilla was a blind spot created in the brain that did not allow the human to perceive it, and this blind spot can also be construed as a hallucination. For what is a hallucination if not a mind-construction that allows you to see things that you normally would not, or not see things that you normally would?

Commenting on the influence of psychedelics in the tech community, of which Steve Jobs was a big proponent, Smart asks, What if Silicon Valley got back to its psychedelic roots? Only this time, instead of company founders and spiritually inclined engineers dropping acid, Silicon Valley would try to figure out how to give LSD to conscious machines.

Read More:Terence McKennas cyberdelic predictions for Virtual Reality 25 years on

Smartconcludes in his book, I do not believe it would be crazy to begin to try to design computers with the purpose of giving them psychedelic experiences. Along the way, we might finally crack the mystery of human and machine consciousness and in the process save the human race.

Unlike Elon Musks latest endeavor to create AI-human cyborgs, Smart isnt sure if this is the right path for humanity.

However, an AI-human hybrid does get a lot more interesting if you consider a neural-laced human brain infused with AI nanobots that is tripping on acid, psilocybin mushrooms, DMT, or some other psychedelic. Digital entheogens, anyone?

Read More:AI human cyborgs are next on Elon Musks agenda with the launch of Neuralink

Artist Katt McKennas rendition of the ancient bee-faced mushroom shaman of Tassili Niger, Algeria.

What connections couldbe made ifhuman consciousness, fused with AI, could have a psychedelic experience? What brave new horizons could be forged? What doors of perception could be opened?

It wasnt until humans began having hallucinationsin the caves of our prehistoric past that we developed a sense of the divine, which later led to spirituality and religion, and a higher consciousness.

Perhaps the deep mind in the cave will emerge once machines (or hybrids) are able to have full-blown psychedelic experiences.

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Skullcap Herb: Synergistic Powerhouse & Possible Nootropic … – MilTech

Posted: at 7:01 am

Skullcap is a minty perennial herb which has tiny purple flowers and offers many health benefits. The Skullcap herbhas shown powerful antioxidant effects, helps calm nerves, treats fever, and has a synergistic effect that helps other herbs and supplements be better absorbed. The benefits of Skullcap are many, and the list of Skullcap side effects is small. Learning more about this potent herb may benefit you greatly in your battle to restore natural balance.

Overall this curious little perennial packs quite a punch for such a beautiful unassuming figure. Skullcap is typically taken either as an herbal extraction tincture or in capsule form.There are two types of Skullcap often confused for one another;Scutellaria baicalensisor Chinese Skullcap, and Scutellaria lateriflorawhich is American Skullcap. American Skullcap is somewhat infamously regarded as the Mad Dog herb, and was used extensively in pre-industrialized America to treat rabies in both human and animals.

Besides being just an herb useful in the treatment and management of several health conditions throughout human history, a deeper story can be told by understanding what natural compounds can be found in Skullcap. American Skullcap is the form most-commonly used among herbalists and those seeking the health benefits of Skullcap, though the Chinese Skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora, has very unique properties capable of affecting the power of many compounds. One study found that Chinese skullcap, in 50% reduction, contained approximately 1mg/g of gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is known to exhibit many health benefits such as stimulating growth hormone, helping concentration, and in lowering anxiety 1.

Research has shown that Chinese Skullcap is also rich in a compound called Baicalein, which has been shown to inhibit a protein involved in strengthening the blood brain barrier 23. This protein, named P-glycoprotein (P-gp) helps control the overall integrity of cellular membranes which, when inhibited, can allow compounds to pass the blood brain barrier much more efficiently. Basically what this means is that Skullcap can be taken in conjunction with other compounds and make them be much more effective by helping them to cross the blood brain barrier. This synergistic ability of Skullcap to enhance the effects of other compounds makes it an ideal companion for many Nootropics and herbal remedies. While many herbal compounds are renowned for offering healthy benefits, paying close attention to the deeper details of their makeup can afford a great advantage if you are seeking to address specific concerns.

Both Chinese and American Skullcap varieties have been known for centuries to offer health benefits when taken in proper doses. Skullcap has been administered typically throughout Traditional Chinese Medicine practices and by other herbal practitioners as a tea, tincture, and whole-plant type herbin capsule form more recently. One of the most notable benefits that Skullcap has been found to offer is the potential to treat cancer. Scutellaria Lateriflora, the American Skullcap, was investigated as a potential herbal treatment of a particularly nasty type of cancer, Fibrosarcoma. Researchers found that Skullcap was able to significantly suppress the tumor cells, and that further investigation on Skullcaps ability to be used an effective natural cancer treatment was much needed 4.

Skullcap is also an effective natural anxiety treatment for many, and offers powerful anxiolytic(anxiety-reducing) effects. One study found that overall group positivity and mood was improved with researchers gave everyone American Skullcap 5. This study did note that there may be some statistical variance for individual results, but overall felt confident in the assessment that American Skullcap has the potential to positively affect mood and lower anxiety. Another broad assessment of all available studies on herbal medicines for the treatment of anxiety and depression also found that American Skullcap is effective as a natural anti-anxiety treatment 6. Many people regard Skullcaps ability to help calm nerves as an ideal herb for use in helping to promote better sleep patterns.

Herbal compounds are generally regarded as safe, and often exhibit mild side effects in only a rare number of cases. These compounds are presented in similar forms to how they are found naturally, and are often accompanied by their man co-enzyme factors which help absorption and effectiveness. Typical side effects of Skullcap are confusion, muscle twitching, and irregular heartbeat. As an added caution, Chinese skullcap is generally regarded as being ill-advised for those with stomach and spleen issues, as well as women that are pregnant or breast feeding. Another caution that is recommended would be to keep in mind that Baicalein may affect the potency of other supplements or medications that you are taking, and you should consult a licensed health care provider to help better understand the best decision for you.

Skullcap is commonly found as a synergistic ingredient in many herbal teas. It is most commonly found in sleepy time teas, and blends meant to help promote calming and relaxation. The best skullcap supplements on the market, in our experience, have been those offered in tincture form. This is a liquid suspension of a concentrated dose of the most active bio-alkaloids in Skullcap. These tinctures exist in one of two formsalcohol based or vegetable glycerine based. Were fans of the alcohol-based versions but many seeking to avoid alcohol altogether prefer the glycerin suspensions. Our favorite brands are Herb Pharm and Gaia Herbs, which both offer very high quality herbal tinctures in our experience.

Skullcap is a powerful natural herb that has been used as a powerhouse remedy to heal all sorts of ailments. Its been used throughout Traditional Chinese Medicine practices for centuries, and has a history in America as far back as the days of the Wild West. Its been used to treat a variety of health conditionsas benign as headaches and as severe as rabies. Skullcap offers a unique ability to help the blood brain barrier become more-easily crossed, therefore acting as a synergistic companion to many other compounds. Its most active alkaloid,Baicalin, can be found in high concentration in herbal tinctures offered by brands such as Herb Pharm and Gaia Herbs. This powerful compound is considered as a Nootropic by many when used to amplify the effects of other such compounds, though its use is very broadly-suited.

Skullcap is a powerful natural herb rich in bioavailable alkaloids known to offer many health benefits. Its been used throughout human history as a kind of cure-all, and has even been used to treat rabies. Its available from certain brands in tincture form, and also in many herbal teas.

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Skullcap Herb: Synergistic Powerhouse & Possible Nootropic ... - MilTech

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Trance DJ Paul van Dyk rebounds from injury, retains passion to make music – Calgary Herald

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Calgary Herald
Trance DJ Paul van Dyk rebounds from injury, retains passion to make music
Calgary Herald
When Paul van Dyk takes the stage at the Marquee Beer Market and Stage on Saturday, no one will be as grateful as him. While performing at a festival in the Netherlands in February of last year, the veteran trance DJ fell through a gap in the stage ...

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Trance DJ Paul van Dyk rebounds from injury, retains passion to make music - Calgary Herald

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