Behold, the tiny arms of a new species of abelisaurid dinosaur, Koleken inakayali. Retrieved from La Colonia Formation in Patagonia, it dates back 70 million years and has an impressively miniature set of arms. Think T. rex’s were mini? You ain’t seen nothing yet.The new tiny-armed species looks similar to the iconic “meat bull” Carnotaurus, made famous from Jurassic World and that love scene in Prehistoric Planet. Koleken is different, however, both in having unique skull features and a small size, and lacking the frontal horns seen on Carnotaurus.Where it stands up to the meat bull is in its ridiculously tiny arms, a common trait among the abelisaurids. Carnotaurus was an efficient predator that’s thought to have used its bizarre tiny arms and specially adapted shoulder girdle to twirl flashes of blue when trying to impress a mate, but we don't yet know what Koleken used theirs for.The partial Koleken skeleton retrieved from La Colonia Formation included several skull bones, almost all of its back bones, a complete hip, some tail bones, and two almost-complete legs. It’s not a bad haul considering that scientists recently described what might have been one of the largest animal ever to live from just a bit of jaw. The new species name is derived from the language of the Tehuelche people of Central Patagonia, with Inakayal being the name of one of the last Tehuelche leaders. It lived around 70 million years ago, putting it in the same timeline as the miniature titanosaur Titanomachya gimenezi that was announced last month.The discoveries were unearthed as part of a project looking into the end of the “age of dinosaurs” in Patagonia, which is funded by the National Geographic Society. The project is focusing on the last 15 million years of the Cretaceous Period, a period of geological time that’s historically been better studied in northern locales.The partial Koleken inakayali skeleton retrieved in Patagonia.Image credit: © Gabriel LioAlready, the project is providing insights into the landscape of dinosaurs in Patagonia during the Late Cretaceous Epoch, and this discovery adds to the argument that La Colonia Formation is of global significance as a dinosaur-bearing rock.“This finding sheds light on the diversity of abelisaurid theropods in Patagonia right before the mass extinction event,” said Explorer Diego Pol in a statement emailed to IFLScience. “Our study also analyzes the evolution of abelisaurids and their relatives through time, and identifies pulses of accelerated rates of skull evolution in the Early Cretaceous. It expands what we know about abelisaurids living in this area during the Cretaceous Period and shows that they were more diverse than previously understood.”The study is published in the journal Cladistics.

The Vatican has always been an institution shrouded in mystery. Recently, it has made headlines by deciding to issue new guidelines on aliens and how it will deal with potential encounters in the future. This sudden move has raised many questions about why the Vatican is choosing to address this topic now and what hidden meaning it might have for our understanding of extraterrestrial life and supernatural phenomena. Historical Context and Recent Developments Historically, the Vatican has maintained a cautious stance on the topic of extraterrestrial life. The last time the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued norms for evaluating alleged apparitions and reports of supernatural events was in February 1978. At the time, the prefect, Cardinal Franjo Seper, said the norms were necessary given how news of alleged apparitions spreads rapidly thanks to the mass media. However, in recent years, there have been notable shifts in this approach. For instance, in 2008, Father José Gabriel Funes, the director of the Vatican Observatory, openly stated that the belief in extraterrestrial life does not contradict the Catholic faith. This was a significant departure from traditional views and suggested a more open-minded approach within the Church. The Vatican Observatory is headquartered in Italy at Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope has a summer villa. But it also operates a telescope at the Mount Graham International Observatory at the University of Arizona. The AFP asked Funes about NASA’s recent announcement, which he said was “great news.” “It is probable there was life and perhaps a form of intelligent life,” Funes said. But, he cautioned: “I don’t think we’ll ever meet a Mr. Spock.” Funes has said for years that there’s no conflict between the possibility of alien life — even intelligent life — and the teachings of the Catholic Church. “Just as there is a multiplicity of creatures on Earth, there can be other beings, even intelligent, created by God,” Funes said in 2008. “This is not in contrast with our faith because we can’t put limits on God’s creative freedom.” “To say it as St. Francis [of Assisi], if we consider some earthly creatures as ‘brother’ and ‘sister,’ why couldn’t we also talk of an ‘extraterrestrial brother’? He would also belong to creation,” he said. One of the primary reasons the Vatican might be addressing the issue now is the growing credibility of UFO reports. Governments around the world, including the United States, have begun to declassify documents related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). The Pentagon’s establishment of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) and the subsequent release of videos showing unexplained aerial encounters have added a layer of legitimacy to the discussion. The Vatican, aware of these developments, may feel compelled to provide guidance to its followers on how to interpret these events within a theological framework. Vatican Scientific and Technological Advancements Advances in technology and space exploration have brought humanity closer to potentially discovering extraterrestrial life. Missions to Mars, the study of exoplanets, and the search for microbial life in our solar system are increasingly pointing to the possibility that we are not alone. The Vatican, which has its own observatory and engages in scientific research, is likely aware of these advancements and the likelihood of significant discoveries in the near future. Pope Francis seems to be quite interested in the topic of aliens. In comments that he made near the end of 2023, Pope Francis seemed to suggest that aliens could actually be baptized… He said: “That was unthinkable. If, for example, tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us, here… Martians, right? Green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them…And one says, ‘But I want to be baptized!’ What would happen?” He didn’t answer his own question, but added: “It was never the ministry of the closed door, never.” The Vatican’s new guidelines could be seen as a way to prepare the faithful for potential future encounters with extraterrestrial beings. From a theological perspective, the discovery of alien life would raise profound questions about creation, salvation, and the uniqueness of human beings. By addressing these issues proactively, the Vatican aims to provide a coherent framework that integrates these potential discoveries with Catholic doctrine. In addition to UFOs and aliens, the Vatican’s guidelines reportedly also address apparitions and supernatural phenomena. The Church has a long history of investigating and sometimes validating such events. By issuing guidelines, the Vatican seeks to standardize its approach to these occurrences, ensuring that any claims are thoroughly vetted and understood within a religious context. This move might also be a response to the increasing interest in paranormal phenomena and the need to provide a clear stance on these matters. Nave of St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome Do They Know Something We Don’t? Speculation is rife that the Vatican might have access to information that is not publicly available. Throughout history, the Vatican has been a repository of vast amounts of knowledge, including secret archives that are not accessible to the general public. It is conceivable that the Church might be privy to information regarding extraterrestrial life or supernatural occurrences that it deems necessary to prepare the faithful for. The producer of a new documentary entitled “God Versus Aliens” seems to believe that the Vatican wants to prepare us for the day when humanity finally makes contact with such beings… The documentary is to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and reveal the Vatican’s secrets about UFOs. The award-winning filmmaker Mark Christopher Lee says that the Vatican publishing new guidance on apparitions means that full disclosure about the UFO phenomenon is getting closer. He said: “The Vatican has been studying UFOs for decades and even has its own Cardinal appointed to deal with first contact. From my research I believe that this new guidance on apparitions is proof that they know that UFOs are more than just physical crafts from other worlds and that they have a paranormal side to them.” However, it’s also important to consider that this move could be a strategic response to the changing landscape of public opinion and scientific discovery. By taking a proactive stance, the Vatican ensures it remains relevant and authoritative on matters that captivate and concern its followers. Whether motivated by new information or a strategic response to ongoing developments, the Vatican is positioning itself to provide guidance on some of the most intriguing and potentially transformative issues of our time. The post Why Is the Vatican Addressing UFOs, Aliens, and Apparitions Now? appeared first on Anomalien.com.

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An astonishing 51% of Americans are on long-term medications for chronic health issues. That number is on the rise, up four percent from just a few short years ago. The post Chronic Health Issues in a Post-Disaster World appeared first on Survivopedia.

OpenAI has decided to remove one of the voices previously used by ChatGPT, according to Tech Crunch. Some users discovered that one of the five voices used sounded suspiciously similar to actor Scarlett Johansson's voice.A video made its way around social media last week, with users finding one of the voices to be similar to Johansson's actual voice. Some even ridiculed the voice for being too flirtatious, and others compared it with a voice that might manifest in a male fantasy.The report noted that Johansson had hired a legal team to investigate the origins of OpenAI's "Sky" voice and how it was developed.'To protect their privacy, we cannot share the names of our voice talents.'In a statement on Monday, Johansson said she was approached by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in September about voicing an audio feature for ChatGPT. However, she said she decided not to participate in Altman's project "after much consideration and for personal reasons." — (@) “He told me that he felt that by my voicing the system, I could bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives and help consumers to feel comfortable with the seismic shift concerning humans and AI,” Johansson said.The company released a statement on Sunday, writing: Voice Mode is one of the most beloved features in ChatGPT. Each of the five distinct voices you hear has been carefully selected through an extensive process spanning five months involving professional voice actors, talent agencies, casting directors, and industry advisors. We’re sharing more on how the voices were chosen.In September of 2023, we introduced voice capabilities to give users another way to interact with ChatGPT. Since then, we are encouraged by the way users have responded to the feature and the individual voices. Each of the voices—Breeze, Cove, Ember, Juniper and Sky—are sampled from voice actors we partnered with to create them.The voice under scrutiny is the "Sky" voice. In the statement, OpenAI appeared to insist that "AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity's distinctive voice—Sky's voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice." — (@) However, the company said they could not release the name of the actress they used for privacy reasons.Some people compared the "Sky" voice to the AI voice featured in the 2013 film "Her," which was performed by Johansson. And while the company has not said the "Sky" voice belongs to Johansson, Altman posted to X last week with a simple word: "her."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The liberal media has once again launched a concerted campaign to besmirch the name of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and cast doubt on his impartiality in the forthcoming Jan. 6 cases. So far, this campaign — which has given fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas a respite from the media's usual attacks — has been as brazenly partisan as it has been toothless. Having failed last week to land a decisive blow against the 74-year-old justice, critics scrutinized Alito's investment decisions Monday, seizing upon one in particular. While leftists believe they have found something "suspicious," it appears they have instead discovered a sound investment decision that might resonate with everyday Americans. An American flag the left can care about Last week, Obama hagiographer Jodi Kantor of the New York Times concern-mongered about a "'Stop the Steal' Symbol" allegedly displayed at Justice Alito's house after the 2020 election. By "'Stop the Steal' Symbol," Kantor apparently meant an American flag suspended upside down, which historically has signified distress in instances of threats to life or property. According to the report, the offending symbol was briefly flown by Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Alito, "in response to a neighbor's use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs." 'The flag was a clear violation of ethics rules ... and could sow doubt about Justice Alito's impartiality in cases related to the election and Capitol riot.' Alito told the host of "Fox News Sunday," Shannon Bream, that a neighbor had a "F*** Trump" sign within 50 feet of where children await the school bus. When the justice's wife expressed concern about the sign, the neighbor allegedly "engaged in vulgar language, 'including the c-word.'" — (@) Citing so-called "experts," Kantor suggested that "the flag was a clear violation of ethics rules ... and could sow doubt about Justice Alito's impartiality in cases related to the election and Capitol riot." Despite Alito telling the Times he had nothing to do with the flying of the flag and relaying his wife's rationale, Kantor leaned on a nameless neighbor's politicized interpretation and the insights of antagonistic "experts" to suggest that the justice's involvement in Jan. 6 cases may impact confidence in the court. Democrats immediately seized upon the story, effectively confirming its ultimate purpose. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said, "Justice Alito should recuse himself immediately from cases related to the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection, including the question of the former President's immunity in U.S. v. Donald Trump, which the Supreme Court is currently considering." Apparently following the same template, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement, "Samuel Alito should apologize immediately for disrespecting the American flag and sympathizing with right-wing violent insurrectionists. He must recuse himself from cases involving the 2020 election and former President Donald Trump." The Times followed up its flag piece on Friday, this time with former Marshall Project activist Abbie VanSickle aiding Kantor in the hit. Extra to building on the suggestion that Alito should recuse himself, the Times slammed Justice Thomas for not recusing himself from the Jan. 6 cases. Just divestment While Slate and other leftist blogs worked diligently over the weekend to transform the interpretation by one of Justice Alito's neighbors into a bench-clearing scandal, they did not appear to be any closer to prompting Alito to budge. On Monday, Law Dork did its part to keep the campaign alive, publishing a blog post entitled, "Justice Alito sold Bud Light stock amidst anti-trans boycott effort." CNBC and other mainstream outfits similarly carried the story, recycling the insight that Justice Alito allegedly ditched shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev after months of Americans boycotting Bud Light over its collaboration with a transvestic activist. The Daily Beast, like the New Republic, flagged the sale as "suspicious." Citing a periodic transaction report in the Federal Judicial Financial Disclosure Reports database, Law Dork indicated Alito "sold at least some of his stock in Anheuser-Busch and bought stock in Molson Coors on Monday, August 14, 2023." Justice Alito allegedly sold between $1,000 and $15,000 of AB InBev stock shortly after the company announced a 10% quarterly drop in sales in the U.S. and a sell-off of beer brands and after a sustained boycott of Bud Light over its celebration of Dylan Mulvaney's "365 Days of Girlhood." The greater surprise might be that Alito held on as long as he did. After all, in previous months, Bud Light had ceased to be America's best-selling beer and even fell out of the top 10 ranking; analysts at global asset management firm Bernstein warned that Anheuser-Busch InBev should expect a "permanent 15% haircut"; and companies linked to Anheuser-Busch began to close down. Despite the innocuity of this revelation, CNBC framed it thusly: "The transactions have bred fresh accusations that Alito, one of the high court's six conservatives, is engaging in or aligning with partisan politics, despite a recently adopted code of conduct that directs the justices to 'refrain from political activity.'" Again, activists framed as experts were summoned to support the campaign. Gabe Roth, executive director of leftist activist outfit Fix the Court, told CNBC, "This sale, given the timing and much like an upside-down flag, can be construed as a political statement." "If the sale was in response to the Bud Light controversy last year, he might have an appearance-of-bias problem when it comes to future court cases related to trans rights," added Roth. Democrats and their allies in the media have long attempted to neutralize Alito in the high court. Weeks ahead of Alito dumping Anheuser-Busch InBev stock, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee sent Chief Justice John Roberts a letter demanding that Alito recuse himself from Moore v. United States, a tax case on the Supreme Court's docket for the upcoming term. Alito responded, "Recusal is a personal decision for each Justice, and when there is no sound reason for a Justice to recuse, the Justice has a duty to sit." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

"Real Time" host Bill Maher blasted President Joe Biden's racism-stoking speech to graduates of traditionally black school Morehouse College over the weekend as "not helpful" and inaccurate. Biden spent part of his commencement address at the Atlanta school calling out what he sees as a racist America: "It’s natural to wonder if democracy you hear about actually works for you. What is democracy if black men are being killed in the street? What is democracy if a trail of broken promises still leave black communities behind? What is democracy if you have to be 10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot? And most of all, what does it mean, as we’ve heard before, to be a black man who loves his country even if it doesn’t love him back in equal measure?" 'We're not living in the year where you have to be "10 times better" to succeed if you're a person of color. And in some instances, it's an advantage.' During his appearance Monday on Fox News' "Gutfeld!" Maher wasn't buying it. "First of all, it's anachronistic. I mean, that speech would've made sense some years ago. I think we should acknowledge that racism still persists, and we should always be making ... remedies for it," Maher began. "But we're not in the past." He added, "I always keep saying, let's live in the year we're living in. We're not living in the year where you have to be ‘10 times better’ to succeed if you're a person of color. And in some instances, it's an advantage. In some places, it's not an advantage, but we're not living in that world that he's talking about. And I don't think that helps anybody." 'Old and ancient' Maher also noted during the episode that Biden looks "old and ancient" while former President Donald Trump "does not," even though they're "almost the same age." Biden is 81; Trump is 77. — (@) National Public Radio covered Biden's commencement speech and noted that "polling shows potentially lower support for his reelection efforts among black voters and young voters." Biden also spent time during his address railing away at Trump, who likely will face him in November's election. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Jankowicz testified that her making claims on heated public issues had ‘nothing to do with the board’s activities.’

Closing statements are scheduled to take place next Tuesday.

Even the Bears Don't Know WTF This Is: Women Pay Thousands for 'Ritual Rage Retreats'