Lifeboat Foundation

The end of fillings could be on the horizon after scientists found a way to successfully grow back tooth enamel. Although many laboratories have attempted to recreate the outer protective layer of teeth, the complex structure of overlapping microscopic rods has proved elusive.

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body but it cannot repair itself when damaged, leaving people exposed to cavities and eventually needing fillings or a tooth extraction.

The famous Fibonacci sequence has captivated mathematicians, artists, designers, and scientists for centuries. Also known as the Golden Ratio, its ubiquity and astounding functionality in nature suggests its importance as a fundamental characteristic of the Universe. Science amazing science cool stuff science weird science cool nature science cool stuff.

We’ve talked about the Fibonacci series and the Golden ratio before, but it’s worth a quick review. The Fibonacci sequence starts like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 and so on forever. Each number is the sum of the two numbers that precede it. It’s a simple pattern, but it appears to be a kind of built-in numbering system to the cosmos. Here are 15 astounding examples of phi in nature. Science amazing science cool stuff science weird science cool nature science cool stuff.

Anyone who has ever stood on the Prime Meridian line at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich in London holding a compass will know that True North and Magnetic North do not align.

Earth’s wandering magnetism means that the magnetic North Pole is constantly shifting, sending metal compass needles darting away from the geographical North Pole — a problem that requires hikers to make continual adjustments when navigating by map.

But next month, for the first time 360 years, True North and Magnetic North will line up.

Before him gods, And before them Gaia Created.

Before him gods.
And before them Gaia
Created

This Earth is a garden
Of life and dying
Of being and becoming
And ending

Continue reading “I’ve watched what God, and” »

Hacking the iPhone has long been considered a rarified endeavor, undertaken by sophisticated nation-states against only their most high-value targets. But a discovery by a group of Google researchers has turned that notion on its head: For two years, someone has been exploiting a rich collection of iPhone vulnerabilities with anything but restraint or careful targeting. And they’ve indiscriminately hacked thousands of iPhones just by getting them to visit a website.

Researchers at EPFL’s Blue Brain Project, a Swiss brain research Initiative, have combined two high profile, large-scale datasets to produce something completely new—a first draft model of the rules guiding neuron-to-neuron connectivity of a whole mouse neocortex. They generated statistical instances of the micro-connectome of 10 million neurons, a model spanning five orders of magnitude and containing 88 billion synaptic connections. A basis for the world’s largest-scale simulations of detailed neural circuits.

Identifying the connections across all neurons in every region of the neocortex

The structure of synaptic connections between neurons shapes their activity and function. Measuring a comprehensive snapshot of this so-called connectome has so far only been accomplished within tiny volumes, smaller than the head of a pin. For larger volumes, the long-range connectivity, formed by bundles of extremely thin but long fibers, has only been studied for small numbers of individual neurons, which is far from a complete picture. Alternatively, it has been studied at the macro-scale, a ‘zoomed-out’ view of average features that does not provide single-cell resolution.

We asked three centenarians what their most valuable life lessons were, and also their regrets.

The conversations that followed were remarkable. They talked about the importance of family, people, relationships and love. Their view on life, as an elderly citizen with a lot of experience is truly an inspiration and motivation. Enjoy the video!

Continue reading “Life Lessons From 100-Year-Olds” »

Death in the modern age brings new challenges — namely, our digital lives are poised to outlive us. In this video, University of California professor BJ Miller describes the best practices to have in place for the accounts that you leave behind.

There’s been a lot of traffic coming and going around the International Space Station. 🚀 This week, an uncrewed Soyuz spacecraft successfully docked to our orbiting laboratory on its second attempt and a SpaceX cargo craft departed with approximately 3,300 pounds of science. Watch the latest episode of #SpaceToGround for more: