An amendment to an Indiana bill would allow an unelected‚ Democrat-stacked committee that works in secret to control whom Hoosiers are allowed to vote for as state attorney general. The amendment would…

Germany plans to enable underground carbon storage at offshore sites to combat climate change‚ according to the country's vice chancellor‚ Robert Habeck.The country‚ which is home to many energy-intensive…

There is perhaps no better example of our country’s two-tier justice system than the White House’s constant covering for its resident serial assailant‚ Commander Biden. According to recently obtained…

Like many of you‚ I love a good meteor shower. I have fond memories of the Leonid meteor storm back in 1999 when several hundred per hour were seen at peak. Sadly meteor storms are not that common unlike meteor showers of which‚ there are about 20 major showers per year. Wait‚ there’s another one and this time it comes from the debris left behind from Comet 46P/Wirtanen with an expected peak on December 12. Last year‚ 23 meteors were seen on that night that matched the location of the comets trail.  Comets (and some asteroids) leave a trail of debris behind them like a trail of celestial breadcrumbs. If the orbit of a comet crosses the orbit of the Earth then the particles from the debris (that are often no larger than grains of sand) collide with our atmosphere. At the immense speeds (of the order of 60 km per second‚ the particles falling through the atmosphere cause the gas to glow giving rise to the classic shooting star we see in the sky. Because the orbits of Earth and comets are relatively fixed‚ this process repeats itself every time we go through the same part of the orbit giving us the familiar annual meteor showers.  One such comet that it seems may become host to a new annual shower is Comet 46P/Wirtanen (46P). It nearly hit the headlines previously when it had been initially selected as the target for the Rosetta mission which‚ as you may recall‚ visited 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko instead.  46P is known as a short period comet taking 5.4 years to complete one orbit of the Sun. It is among the family of comets known as a Jupiter comet which has a most distant point from the Sun of between 5 and 6 astronomical units (1 AU is the average distance between the Sun and Earth). Observations have suggested it has a diameter of about 1.4km.  Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta mission (Credit – NASA) Due to the high levels of ice present in comets‚ it’s not unusual for active areas on their surface to appear as the ices sublimate into gasses or pockets of gas escape. Observations using the TRAPPIST telescope (The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope) suggest 40% of the surface is active which is higher than the usual 5-10% for Jupiter family comets. A recent study found the presence of mm sized dust particles in the comet’s coma which should be visible upon entering Earth’s atmosphere.  The orbit of 46P has a very low minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) to Earth of just 0.071AU. The MOID between two objects that orbit a common point is the distance between the closest points of their orbits. The low MOID and the mm sized particles mean there is a high liklihood it could be the source of a meteor shower. Previous observations however have revealed no positive confirmation of peaks in 2017 and 2019. During the 2017 and 2019 predictions‚ it seems the low velocity of the particles coupled with the radiant (the point of apparent origin of the shower) below the horizon suggest that visibility may have been severely limited. The radiant of this predicted shower is in the constellation Sculptor and the shower has been dubbed the Lambda Sculptorids.  The prediction for the 2023 shower‚ which predicted an encounter from a stream of debris from an outburst in 1974‚ suggested an outburst of meteors on December 12 between 12:08 and 20:06. A further outburst was predicted between 17:05 and 06:26 on December 13.  The team who presented their findings in Astronomy and Astrophysics reported meteor activity as predicted and detected 23 meteors from the new shower on the night of December 12 2023. The team are now looking at the models to see what we might expect to see this year and whether Lamba Sculptorids need to be added to our list of annual meteor showers.  Source : Observations of the new meteor shower from comet 46P/Wirtanen The post Astronomers Discover a New Meteor Shower. The Source is Comet 46P/Wirtanen appeared first on Universe Today.

The guitar hero has followed a very unique orbit since leaving striking out on his own. Continue reading…

Futurists of the past used to imagine that breakthroughs in technology and science could create a utopian world fueled by boundless clean energy. Now‚ an artificial intelligence model from researchers at Princeton may have proven them right. Or at least‚ it’s gotten us a step closer. Fusion – the nuclear reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei combine and form new nuclei and subatomic particles – has long been the dream as an energy source: it’s non-polluting‚ safe‚ and virtually limitless‚ producing nearly four million times as much energy by mass as burning fossil fuels.Unfortunately‚ there’s a problem. Fusion is really‚ really hard to do: it requires the kinds of temperatures and pressures that are found in the hearts of stars. Since we can’t really get those exact conditions in a lab on Earth‚ the relatively few examples of human-created fusion have relied on a workaround: normal terrestrial pressure‚ and temperatures more than ten times that of the Sun’s core.At those temperatures‚ the fuel needed for the reaction can’t exist in a solid or liquid state‚ and it’s not even in there as a gas – it’s plasma. Therein lies another problem: this state of matter is so energetic and superheated that it’s easy for the fuel to “tear” – to lose stability and escape the magnetic fields keeping it within the reactor – thus putting an end to any fusion within milliseconds.It’s precisely this problem that the Princeton team claims to have solved. “Previous studies have generally focused on either suppressing or mitigating the effects of these tearing instabilities after they occur in the plasma‚” explained first author of the new paper Jaemin Seo‚ now an assistant professor of physics at Chung-Ang University in South Korea‚ in a statement. “But our approach allows us to predict and avoid those instabilities before they ever appear.”Their answer: an artificial intelligence (AI) trained on previous experiments at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego. “By learning from past experiments‚ rather than incorporating information from physics-based models‚ the AI could develop a final control policy that supported a stable‚ high-powered plasma regime in real time‚ at a real reactor‚” said research leader Egemen Kolemen‚ associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment and research physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).Like any AI model‚ it doesn’t really understand what it’s doing on a deep level – but it doesn’t need to. The team fed the program data about real-time plasma characteristics from previous experiments and set it the challenge of predicting – and‚ crucially‚ avoiding – tearing instabilities.“We don’t teach the reinforcement learning model all of the complex physics of a fusion reaction‚” explained Azarakhsh Jalalvand‚ a research scholar in Kolemen’s lab and coauthor of the paper. “We tell it what the goal is – to maintain a high-powered reaction – what to avoid – a tearing mode instability – and the knobs it can turn to achieve those outcomes. Over time‚ it learns the optimal pathway for achieving the goal of high power while avoiding the punishment of an instability.”After myriad simulations‚ which were able to be tweaked and refined by human observers‚ the team tried the AI out for real at the D-III D facility. The model proved itself capable of predicting tearing instabilities up to 300 milliseconds in advance – not much to a human‚ but plenty of time for the AI to act‚ changing parameters such as the shape of the plasma or the strength of the beams inputting power to the reaction in order to keep the plasma stable.So is unlimited clean energy just around the corner? Not quite. Plasma instability is far from the only problem with fusion – and tearing is only one type of possible plasma instability. But what the paper does show‚ the team says‚ is a pretty good proof of concept: “We have strong evidence that the controller works quite well at DIII-D‚ but we need more data to show that it can work in a number of different situations‚” Seo said. “We want to work toward something more universal.”The paper is published in the journal Nature.

The mysterious death of a group of tourists in the Urals (Dyatlov Pass incident) has become the mystery of the century for our contemporaries. However‚ there were other skiers in the USSR who died under mysterious circumstances. But information about them has not become so widespread. Orlov’s group in Transbaikalia: four dead Mikhail Orlov’s group was not a tourist group. It included two young biologists: Mikhail Orlov and Sergei Konkin; both were 25 years old‚ both graduated from the university in Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod)‚ and both were in love with the Siberian taiga. The scientists were accompanied by an employee of the Sokhondinsky Nature Reserve‚ 28-year-old Igor Bakholdin‚ and his wife‚ 27-year-old Tatyana Terekhova. The couple were local and knew the taiga well. They lived and worked at the Ingoda cordon and decided to accompany the scientists to reach the village of Kyra and celebrate the New Year with their son‚ who lived with his parents. On December 24‚ 1981‚ Igor Bakholdin radioed that the group was moving to the winter quarters of Byrkykht. This was his last message. The route was simple – 16 kilometers along a well-worn ski track. The places are beautiful: around the mountains. The temperature was also suitable. The only difficulty on the route was the mountains of Byrkykhtyn-Yang‚ which‚ like the Ural Mountain of the Dead‚ had a bad reputation. The Evenks believed that an evil spirit lived on it. A day earlier‚ the first group of scientists left along the same route with the same task – recording animal tracks – and safely reached the winter hut. Nobody was worried about Orlov’s group. The guys were young‚ athletic‚ and no one had chronic diseases. However‚ neither on December 24 nor on December 25 did Orlov’s group go to the winter quarters of Byrkykht‚ where colleagues from the first group were waiting for them. On December 27‚ the person was reported missing in Kyru; The search began on December 28. On December 29‚ rescuers discovered that on the Byrkykhtyn-Yang pass near the Arshan spring‚ Orlov’s group turned through fresh snow towards the loaches. Having walked along the ski track‚ the searchers found skis stuck in the snow‚ an unloaded gun stuck in the snow with the muzzle up‚ scattered backpacks‚ and even further – the bodies of Konkin‚ Terekhova and Bakholdin. Moreover‚ Konkin lay one and a half meters from the backpacks‚ Terekhova – one and a half meters next to him‚ and Bakholdin was found 26 meters down the slope. Konkin’s body was fully clothed. Tatyana was missing a hat and one mitten‚ and Bakholdin had his sweater pulled up over his stomach. Everyone was in the same position – on their backs‚ with their heads thrown back‚ eyes open‚ arms outstretched to the sides – a pose not typical for a freezing person. Their faces were bright red‚ like burnt skin. Matches were scattered on the chests of Terekhova and Konkin. However‚ there were no attempts to protect themselves from the cold – warm clothes remained in their backpacks. Mikhail Orlov was found only on January 3‚ 1982 – his body was seven hundred meters from his comrades. He froze to death‚ curled up and burying his face in the snow. The examination showed that of all four‚ only he drank a small dose of alcohol on the day of death‚ but this could not have influenced his behavior or death. This watch belonged to the youngest member of the group‚ Sergei Konkin. Photo © ngs.ru / Victoria Mikhailyuk Terekhova and Bakholdin’s watches stopped at 5:27 p.m.‚ Konkin’s clocks stopped an hour later‚ at 6:27 p.m.‚ and Orlov’s clocks stopped at 7:59 p.m. From the place of death of the group to the winter hut it was only two kilometers – a 10-minute ride on skis. While interviewing local residents‚ the investigator learned that they considered the place dangerous: they say that certain “phenomena” occur in the char areas – people find it difficult to breathe‚ they lose consciousness. It was never possible to determine the cause of death of three members of the group‚ as well as its circumstances. The pathologist wrote down the official word: hypothermia. The investigation considered that Orlov was the only one who fought for his life to the end. The rest simply did not have time to do anything. What killed them is still unknown. Romanov’s group in the Polar Urals: seven dead Let us recall that the main logical reason for the death of tourists under the leadership of Dyatlov was the collapse of a small avalanche – a heavy ice board‚ which injured the tourists and drove them out of the tent. A similar death awaited a group of tourists from MEIIS led by Oleg Romanov in February 1982 on the Medvezhiy stream in the Polar Urals. Seven skiers disappeared on February 6; they began searching for them on February 19‚ but were found only on July 8 after a long search. As it turned out‚ Romanov’s group deviated from the route and left the 129th kilometer from the railway station to the Ledopadny pass. Unable to overcome it‚ the tourists went down the slope a little to Bear Creek and set up two tents under the blowing snow‚ digging holes in the snow. Here they were found — all of them at once: seven dead bodies with injuries characteristic of the Dyatlov group. The watches of the victims showed 1:10 am. Officially‚ everyone died under the snowfall. There are also many unofficial versions‚ from thermobaric weapon (vacuum bomb) tests to UFOs. Kuznetsov’s group on the Kola Peninsula: 10 dead This tragedy occurred in January 1973 in the Lovozero tundra of the Kola Peninsula. On January 25‚ a group of ten Samara skiers left the village of Ilma along a route of category II difficulty. The group was led by experienced tourist Mikhail Kuznetsov. Samara was going to go through the Elmorayok pass‚ reach Seydozero‚ climb the plateau and make a route through the mountains. The first dead were found by chance: a group of tourists‚ leaving Ilma a few days later‚ noticed a hand sticking out of the snow on the mountainside near the Chivruay pass – it was the body of the group leader‚ Kuznetsov. The bodies of four more tourists were found next to him. The search for the remaining five took 4 months. Later‚ enthusiasts reproduced what happened as best they could. Obelisk at the site of the Chivruay tragedy. Photo © Wikipedia / StudioTrailers Most likely‚ on the first day‚ the skiers crossed the Elmorajok Pass and spent the night on the river of the same name. The next day‚ the group walked 20 kilometers to the Chivruay pass and at dusk went up‚ lost their way‚ came out onto the Mannepahk plateau and stopped at the cliff of the Kitkuai River‚ where Kuznetsov divided the group‚ sending half of the skiers on reconnaissance and remaining with the other half of the group. Five scouts managed to find a way down and‚ in turn‚ also split up: two went to inform Kuznetsov‚ and three went down. Everyone died. For some reason‚ the skiers who remained with Kuznetsov did not put up a tent‚ but simply spread it out and lay on top and froze. Two returnees‚ Alexander Novoselov and Lydia Martina‚ failed to reach Kuznetsov 120 meters. They didn’t have enough strength. A storm raged on the plateau‚ wind gusts reached 50 m/sec‚ the temperature dropped to -30. The tourists who went down scattered throughout the valley and froze‚ and one of them‚ Ilya Altshuller‚ fell into the abyss. All this happened on January 27 between four and five o’clock in the morning. It seems that the mistakes of the expedition leader are obvious. But relatives of the victims are still tormented by doubts. Why did Kuznetsov lead the group to the pass in worsening weather conditions and virtually in the dark? What or who drove the skiers first up the mountain and then down it? Why didn’t Kuznetsov put up a tent? When G. Shapkin’s group found themselves in a similar situation at this place in 1965‚ it was the tent that allowed the tourists to survive. Kuznetsov could not have been unaware of this. Adding to the mystery of the story are rumors that the criminal case into the death of tourists is classified‚ as well as the fact that in 2019‚ Nizhny Novgorod resident Viktor Voroshilov was killed. He independently investigated the circumstances of the death of the group and‚ on the eve of his death‚ interviewed rescuers who participated in the search. He believed that external circumstances led to the death of tourists. The post Three groups of tourists who died in the USSR‚ as in the Dyatlov Pass incident appeared first on Anomalien.com.

s Joe Biden has the odd and at times inappropriate habit of crossing himself in public‚ political situations. Thus the self-described devout Catholic crossed himself while mentioning Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert -- then proceeded to attack her at length. On two occasions‚ Biden even crossed himself while interacting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu‚ including once while Netanyahu was making a speech to Congress. Oy vey! On the Sunday edition of MSNBC's The Weekend‚ co-anchor Michael Steele‚ the former RNC Chairman turned member of the disgraced Lincoln Project‚ made like Biden. Steele sort of half-crossed himself in a discussion of North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson‚ who is very likely to be the Republican nominee for governor in November. They ran a clip of Robinson at CPAC‚ proclaiming "The left is wrong. They are wrong on every topic‚ on every issue. They don't have a political leg to stand on. They don't have a social leg to stand on. They don't have a spiritual leg to stand on. They have nothing to stand on‚ because they do nothing right. In every state they're running‚ they're running it straight into the ground." Steele‚ who like Biden is a Catholic‚ crossed himself‚ saying:"It's Sunday morning." The implication seemed to be that‚ given that it was Sunday‚ Steele would restrain himself from condemning Robinson in as harsh terms as he would otherwise unleash. A black conservative being treated like a freak by....a former black conservative.  At the end of the show‚ Ali Velshi came on to transition to his own show‚ and expressed his delight at Steele's gesture: "I loved your -- all of your conversations today. But Michael‚ when you had Roy Cooper come on‚ and you showed the Republican who's running for governor of North Carolina‚ and then your reaction to that when you came out of that‚ about how it's Sunday‚ it's church day. I thought was‚ was precious [laughter on the panel.] "   Just wondering: Anyone ever catch Biden crossing himself at the mention of his avid support for abortion? Here's the transcript. MSNBC The Weekend 2/25/24 8:35 am ET ROY COOPER: With the way they [the Republicans] have tried to reshape this Board of Elections in North Carolina. MICHAEL STEELE: Feeding into that‚ you've got your Lieutenant Governor of the state‚ Mark Robinson‚ running for governor. He's at CPAC the last few days‚ and was on stage noting throughout a couple of minutes the‚ the incredible economic turnaround in the great State of North Carolina‚ and promoting that‚ but then he said this. MARK ROBINSON: The left is wrong. They are wrong on every topic‚ on every issue. They don't have a political leg to stand on. They don't have a social leg to stand on. They don't have a spiritual leg to stand on. They have nothing to stand on‚ because they do nothing right. In every state they're running‚ they're running it straight into the ground. STEELE: It [hesitates]‚ it turns -- SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: We gotta laugh! STEELE: The attorney general -- it's Sunday morning [crosses himself.] The [Democrat] attorney general is running in this election for governor to fill your seat.  . . .  ALI VELSHI: I loved your -- all of your conversations today. But Michael‚ when you had Roy Cooper come on‚ and you showed the Republican who's running for governor of North Carolina‚ and then your reaction to that when you came out of that‚ about how it's Sunday‚ it's church day. I thought was‚ was precious [laughter on the panel.] Guys‚ have a great weekend‚ guys.

Click to Skip Ahead Overview History Unique Facts Does the Yellow Labrador Make a Good Pet? The Labrador Retriever is consistently one of the most popular dog breeds to exist year after year. The yellow variation is just that—a coat color that makes up one of the three traditional Labrador colors. This beautiful shade can vary from a creamy white to nearly golden‚ depending on the genetic combo. If you love the yellow lab and want to know more about the breed itself‚ we thought we’d give you a little background. This family dog is a superhero among canines and has a long history. Let’s uncover more about this famous breed to deepen your appreciation for your dog—or just the breed itself. Breed Overview Height:22.5–23.5 inches Weight:55–80 pounds Lifespan:11–13 years Colors:Yellow Suitable for:Service and guide work‚ family pets‚ military training‚ hunting Temperament:Loyal‚ intelligent‚ kind‚ friendly Most commonly‚ you see Labs that have a black or chocolate coat. The black color variation is certainly the most popular‚ as most genetic combinations give way to this shade. However‚ yellow trumps all‚ as the “eee” genes can switch off the “bee” genes that make the other colors. While rarer‚ the yellow Lab is still pretty easy to come by. If you are interested in a yellow Lab specifically‚ you’re sure to find lots of puppies in your state or region. Do some homework and select the best breeder to ensure you get a quality‚ healthy puppy. The Earliest Records of Yellow Labrador in History The Labrador Retriever was developed on the island of Newfoundland‚ in Canada. These dogs stemmed from the St. John’s dog‚ which is extinct today. During the 1970s‚ only two surviving St. John’s dogs were discovered; unfortunately‚ they were both boys. The breed could never be revamped‚ but they have laid the foundation for the Labrador Retrievers you know and love today. How the Yellow Labrador Gained Popularity The Labrador Retriever gained popularity due to its high trainability and amiable character. They quickly went from hunting companions into a variety of other roles‚ including a family pet. The yellow color has always been in the breed’s genetic potential—it is not a new or developing color like‚ say‚ the controversial silver Labrador. These dogs naturally love the water‚ so it’s no wonder they helped fishermen hunt waterfowl‚ traipsing through swampy areas and jumping off boats to gather the game. But their nobility and loyalty lent an effortless transition from hunter to house pet. Formal Recognition of the Yellow Labrador Labs were not formally recognized until several years after their development. This breed started to rise in the 1830s after the St. John’s Dog was introduced from British trading ships. The Lab was first recognized in England‚ gaining the approval of the Kennel Club in 1903. Because the Lab’s impressive makeup caught the attention of American hunters‚ the United States followed suit nearly a decade later. The Lab was formally recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917‚ with yellow being one of the breed standard colors. Image Credit: Gabe‚ Pexels The Top 5 Unique Facts About the Yellow Labrador If you want to know more about this ideal canine‚ we have five top facts about the breed itself. Remember that color doesn’t influence anything about the dog itself‚ and all Labs share similar personality characteristics. 1. Labs are made for the water. The Labrador Retriever is a natural in the water. Coming from Newfoundland‚ these dogs often spent time with fishermen and hunters‚ which required them to acclimate to the water. This trait runs deep in their bloodline‚ making them an excellent dog for swimming adventures—they even come equipped with webbed feet. If you have a Lab‚ you know how they can’t wait to run into sprinklers or take a dip in the family pool. Water games and swimming can be two mentally stimulating and physically demanding exercises that your Lab will love. 2. Color doesn’t define character. Labs come in three main colors: yellow‚ chocolate‚ and black. Despite there being three distinct looks‚ there is no variation in personality based on color alone. However‚ people might be less aware of two different groups of Labs. One group is the English Labrador and the other is the American Labrador. The American Labradors tend to be a little slenderer and more energetic. The English Labradors tend to be more relaxed with a stockier build. Image Credit: Rosa Jay‚ Shutterstock 3. Labs have a long list of talents. Labs have a broad selection of skills. You can train them to do pretty much anything. It’s no wonder these dogs consistently remain among the three most popular dog breeds yearly. Because of their trainability and temperament‚ they make fabulous service and emotional support animals. They are also commonly used for police work or search and rescue—even in the water. For traditional purposes‚ they still make exquisite hunters‚ too. 4. Labs are high energy. Labs are extremely high-energy dogs that require an adequate amount of physical activity. They will thrive on outdoor games‚ so always ensure you have access to the outside daily. They greatly benefit from daily walks‚ dog park visits‚ and long trips‚ but they need a fenced-in backyard to prevent them from wandering. On an average day‚ your yellow Lab would need approximately 90 minutes of exercise. Because of their high activity level and willingness to learn‚ they make great candidates for all levels of obedience training. 5. They make great sporting dogs. Labrador Retrievers were built for agility and physical exertion. These dogs will quickly impress you with your ability to follow commands and instinctually do what the breed was meant to do. They typically play sports like diving‚ agility‚ flyball‚ and flying disc. Most prefer to have their dog as a companion‚ but if you’re interested in advanced training‚ check out how to go about the process near you. Image Credit: Mitchell Orr‚ Unsplash Does the Yellow Labrador Make a Good Pet? Labrador Retrievers in general typically make fantastic companion animals regardless of their color. They are incredibly connected with their family members and tend not to choose a favorite. They get along with all home members and can even do very well with cats when they are raised together. That is not to say that caution isn’t recommended when you have one of these dogs if you have smaller or vulnerable pets. These dogs are bred to be hunting experts‚ and most of them have at least a moderate prey drive. Labs might not always be the best candidate if you have poultry or other small farm animals. They might also take a snap at a hamster‚ guinea pig‚ or other small house pets‚ so make sure you are separating the two correctly. Labs get along extremely well with other dogs and prefer having another canine companion. These dogs are energetic and playful‚ creating perfect activity equality for children. Not only can Labs get along well with every member of the household‚ but they also do great outside of the home. If you need a service companion or workforce dog‚ this incredibly intelligent canine can meet your expectations. Labs are often skilled at advanced training of some kind due to their high trainability and work ethic. Conclusion Yellow is simply a coat color variation of the Labrador Retriever. It makes no difference as far as the breed goes. It is one of three accepted colors‚ the other two being chocolate and black. The yellow Labrador Retriever is certainly a beautiful dog and‚ luckily‚ pretty standard. So‚ if you’re interested in bringing this breed home‚ check local rescues and shelters for yellow Lab dogs of all ages. Or‚ if you feel like starting from square one‚ search for a licensed‚ reputable breeder with a history of successful litters. Steer clear of puppy mills and backyard breeders to avoid potential issues. Sources https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/8-facts-about-labrador-retrievers/ https://www.labradortraininghq.com/labrador-breed-information/labrador-retriever-history/   Featured Image Credit: sanjagrujic‚ Shutterstock The post Yellow Labrador Retriever: Facts‚ Origin &; History (with Pictures) appeared first on Pet Keen.

Monday Morning Meme Madness