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Atlantis: Lost City No Longer?

What is Atlantis?

The lost city of Atlantis is an issue that historians have debated for many years. Mentions of its existence can be traced as far back as the time of the philosopher Plato and his text Timaeus. According to his writings, Atlantis was a ringed city (or possibly, continent), well known for its bravery, that was destroyed and buried by a tsunami. In today’s world, most people pass Atlantis off as just another myth…

…But Maybe They’re Wrong

Professor Richard Freund of the University of Hartford and his research team have recently made a discovery that may alter the picture dramatically. Last night’s National Geographic show presented their latest findings. Utilizing radar technology, digital imaging and mapping as well as satellites, the team located the traces of a sunken city off the coast of Northern Spain. The credibility of the discovery is strengthened by the unearthing of several “memorial cities,” believed to be built by Atlantis survivors following the destruction of their home.

While the findings leave room for much speculation, the researchers’ discovery is certainly fascinating. Perhaps further studies will uncover more information and add some color to the history of Northern Spain.

Natalie Portman Renaissance Woman

For most people winning an Oscar for best actress by the age of 29 might be considered an amazing achievement and the culmination of a life’s work and dedication to a calling. However, for someone like Natalie Portman, who is incredibly talented in so many ways, receiving her well-deserved Oscar is just one more note of recognition in a life full of such kudos.

For instance, when Ms. Portman was still a teenager in Syosset High School in Long Island, New York in the 1990s, she was a serious contender for one of the nation’s most prestigious awards for scientific achievement for aspiring young scientists: the Intel Science Talent Search. In the 69-year old history of this coveted award the winners and runners-up have gone on to win seven Nobel prizes; two Field Medals (the mathematics equivalent of the Nobel); six National Medals in science and technology; and a long list of MacArthur Foundation “genius” grants. What they never had before, however, until Natalie Portman came along, was an Academy Award winner among them.

What is even more remarkable is that while she was preparing her scientific study of a new way to convert waste into useful forms of energy in an environmentally friendly way, she was maintaining her straight A’s in school and performing in a large number of serious films directed by some of Hollywood’s most illustrious celebrities. She is probably most well known for her role as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequels, which sent her acting career into moon orbit.

What is less well known however is that after she did her thing as Amidala, she attended Harvard University to study “the evolution of the mind” in the department of neuroscience there.

“I’ve taught at Harvard, Dartmouth and Vassar, and I’ve had the privilege of teaching a lot of very bright kids,” said Abigail A. Baird, who was one of Ms. Portman’s mentors at Harvard. “There are very few who are as inherently bright as Natalie is, who have as much intellectual horsepower, who work as hard as she did. She didn’t take a single thing for granted.”

Earthquake Near Mt. St. Helens Causes Concern

On Monday morning a 4.3 on the Richter scale earthquake hit in the area not far from the notorious volcano Mount Saint Helens. The medium-sized earthquake was followed by 30 common, but worrying, smaller aftershocks. According to USGS Seismologist Seth Moran the center of the quake was at the Johnston Ridge Observatory and registered on seismic devices as far away as Mt. Rainier and Timberline Lodge.

Moran also said that the quake itself lasted about 3-5 seconds while shaking from the quake took three minutes to subside. The location is precisely six miles north-northwest of the volcano and about 3 miles below ground. Although many felt the quake there were no reports of damage. This moderate earthquake is the largest in what the USGS is calling a ‘swarm’ of quakes; a series of earthquakes ranging in size from 1.3 to 2.6 which occurred in the last week of January.

Stranger Saves Life of Leukemia Patient with Gift of Bone Marrow

In 2008 Jim Munroe, 31, began feeling ill. After suffering from headaches and excruciating pain in his leg and a wrong diagnosis of a blood clot, he was finally diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia.

"The bone in my leg was swelling because of the amount of white blood cells being produced in my marrow," Munroe said. "The doctor said if it went on, the bone would break on its own."

Doctors told Munroe his only chance was a bone marrow transplant.

"I needed to have my immune system completely replaced," Munroe said. "I needed to have it re-booted, essentially, and I needed to have someone else's healthy white blood cells to replace my own."

Out of 7 million potential donors in the national bone marrow registry, one perfect match was found for Munroe.

The perfect match was a 19 year old woman who had signed up to be a donor at a Warped tour concert. She had been inspired by one of her favorite musicians who was able to survive his leukemia by receiving a bone marrow transplant from his sister.

After the blood for the transplant had been extracted by needle, the woman had a tattoo placed on the spot where the needle entered, to remember the place where part of her own body had been removed to save someone else.

Although it took Munroe a long time to recover from the ordeal, now, a year later, he is doing well and has found out the identity of the woman whose bone marrow saved his life.

"I sent her an e-mail and said, 'Look, you saved my life,'" Munroe said. "'You saved my wife from being a widow. You saved my children from being fatherless. You are a hero of ours.'"

Interesting Spider Web Facts

Spider webs are constructions built by spiders. The webs are made of silk which the spiders produce through spinnerets. The silk is made of proteins, and is both stronger and more flexible than steel of the same weight. Many medical research centers study the microstructure of this silk, as it has the potential to be used in protective gear like bulletproof vests, and even artificial tendons.

Though the term “spider web” generally implies that the web is in use, while “cobweb” suggests that it’s been abandoned, the two in fact mean the same thing. The term cobweb comes from the Old English word “coppe,” meaning spider.

In ancient European medicine, cobwebs were used on wounds to discourage infection, promote healing and reduce bleeding.

Cobweb paintings are an old art form that originated in the 16^th century in the Alps. Today, fewer than one hundred of these paintings can be found, most of which are kept in private collections and are not open to the public.

Scientists About to Reach Ice Bound Lake Vostok For First Time in 15 Million Years

In a race to beat the fast approaching end of the short Antarctic summer, Russian scientists are painstakingly digging to breach into the icebound Lake Vostok for the first time in 15 million years.

Alexei Turkeyev is the head of the Russian polar mission to Vostok Station in Antarctica. He explained to reporters via a satellite hook-up that they are only about 5 meters from reaching the lake, which is located about 12,000 feet under the polar ice cap.

Hopes are high that scientists will discover new forms of life under the ice and be able to learn something about how life first evolved during the times before the last ice age. The researchers are also hoping that what they find in the extreme conditions in the Lake can help us understand more about life on other planets where conditions are equally extreme.

The last flight out of Antarctic is on February 6, just ahead of the onset of the severe polar winter. “It's minus 40 (Celsius/Fahrenheit) outside,” said Turkeyev. “But whatever, we're working. We're feeling good. There's only 5 meters left until we get to the lake so it'll all be very soon.”