TDS in One Video

The US state of Arizona has taken the unusual step of naming a state planet. Even more unusually‚ they have chosen Pluto – which is not a planet – as their representative in the solar system.A surprising number of astronomical bodies have been discovered by observing Uranus. Observing the planet in the 19th century‚ astronomers noticed that Uranus was moving in unexpected ways‚ according to the Newtonian theory of gravity. Though the discrepancies were small‚ there was a difference between the observed orbit of Uranus and the way Newtonian physics predicted its orbit to be.In 1846‚ astronomer and mathematician Urbain Le Verrier predicted that an unknown planet beyond Uranus was altering its orbit‚ and made predictions as to the orbit of this unknown object. The object turned out to be Neptune‚ but Uranus still had some secrets hidden away up there. American astronomer Percival Lowell noticed that there were still unexplained movements in the orbit of Uranus‚ as well as Neptune. In 1905‚ he suggested these were caused by the pull of another unknown planet‚ and made predictions as to its orbit.Based on the predictions from Lowell and other astronomers‚ Pluto was eventually located in 1930. American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff‚ Arizona looked at areas of the sky where astronomers predicted Pluto would be. He used a blink comparator‚ a device that quickly flipped between two images of the same area of sky allowing any slight differences to be noticed more easily‚ and found an object which had moved between January 23 and 29‚ 1930.This was soon confirmed to be a planet (for a while‚ anyway)‚ which was named Pluto by Venetia Burney Phair‚ an 11-year-old girl who wrote to the Lowell Observatory.     For a time‚ Pluto sat on diagrams of the solar system alongside actual planets like Jupiter and Earth. But before Pluto had even spent a year enjoying its planet status (Pluto's orbit takes 248 Earth years)‚ it was reclassified as a dwarf planet and kicked off our diagrams once more.The International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded Pluto in 2006 as it did not meet all the criteria for what astronomers call a planet. Though it orbits the Sun‚ and has enough mass to make it into a nearly spherical shape‚ it does not dominate its own orbit. Pluto has not tidied up enough of its orbit of other space rocks in order to qualify as a planet‚ sharing its orbit with other large objects that do not orbit the dwarf planet.     Despite this demotion‚ Arizona signed a bill making Pluto its official planet‚ as it was discovered by astronomers in the state.“That’s a major astronomical achievement and it happened here in Arizona‚” Representative Justin Wilmeth‚ who introduced the bill‚ AZFamily reports. “That’s something for every single citizen of this state to be proud of and it’s why I decided to sponsor the bill.”“Is it a planet? While many believe it is now a dwarf planet‚ others in the astronomical community still view it as a planet‚” Wilmeth added‚ though we should stress it is not a planet. “Whatever the case‚ all I wanted to do with this bill is celebrate Arizona’s important achievements in space and astronomy.”

Megaliths‚ those large stone structures that point to the heavens or form larger gravity-defying arrangements‚ have been a source of speculation and mystery for generations of people. And while you may be able to think of one or two famous examples‚ such as Stonehenge‚ they are surprisingly common across the world. In fact‚ there are estimated to be at least 35‚000 just in Europe. But which of these incredible and mysterious stone monuments can boast being the oldest of them all?This may sound like a simple question‚ but it is extremely hard to answer. On the one hand‚ it is difficult to accurately date ancient structures‚ and on the other‚ new discoveries are constantly being made.Before we dive into discussing some of the oldest currently known examples from across the world‚ it is worth explaining what we know about megaliths as a form of prehistoric architecture.What is a megalith?Megaliths are essentially large stone erections (stop it) that were created by ancient people as monuments‚ tombs‚ or other structures. The name itself is derived from the Ancient Greek words “mega”‚ meaning great or large‚ and “lithos”‚ meaning stone.Despite their ancient origins‚ the formal study of these stone constructions did not start in earnest until the second half of the 19th century. However‚ this was by no means an exact science. There was neither a standardized definition for how big or heavy these stones had to be to qualify as “megaliths”‚ and their typology was more restricted than it is today.  Having said that‚ as Luc Laporte and colleagues state in their book Megaliths of the World‚ “[a]lthough the term ‘megalith’ is familiar to everyone‚ it is not construed in the same way by researchers (or the public) in different places”‚ even now.For a long time‚ megaliths were thought to come in two types – standing stones (what are called menhirs)‚ like those seen across the British Isles‚ Carnac in France‚ Doring in Tibet‚ or those of al-Tihamah in Yemen. These are some of the most recognizable megaliths in the world‚ but their exact purpose and social meaning remains inconclusive in many instances‚ despite the number of hypotheses‚ suggestions‚ and sheer guesswork out there.The second type were tombs and funerary chambers‚ known as dolmens. These structures tended to be circular or polygonal in shape‚ and usually from large stone blocks. Some were covered with earth while others were surrounded by stones to form a tumulus. Usually‚ these spaces had a stone slab that could be moved to seal them shut.As time went by‚ the category of “megalith” was expanded to include other forms of ancient stone architecture from across the world‚ such as the sculptures of Easter Island‚ which are neither menhirs nor dolmens.So what are some of the oldest megalithic sites from across the world?Göbekli TepeThe winner of this category is‚ hands down‚ Göbekli Tepe‚ what some believe to be the oldest known temple in the world (though this is just one possibility) that is situated in modern Turkey. The complex was built around 11‚500 years ago in what was Upper Mesopotamia and involves several circular structures containing massive T-shaped pillars. Some of these pillars have been decorated with intricate carvings.  Göbekli Tepe‚ in modern Turkey‚ is believed by some to be the oldest known temple in the world.Image Credit: omurbilgili/Shutterstock.comDuring a recent study‚ researchers concluded that this incredible site was not just a set of oddly placed structures but was designed as a complex with specific underlying geometric patterns. This means it was built before the rise of agriculture‚ which means the people living around it were still hunter-gatherers. It would be thousands of years before other complex forms of architecture appeared.Of course‚ this has generated significant speculation among archaeologists and others - some more outlandish than others – to try to account for this oddity. Some argue it is evidence of some long lost highly advanced civilization or alien influence because they believe ancient people could not organize themselves to create such incredible and complex structures.However‚ archaeologists have provided ample explanations for how hunter-gatherers could still create these megaliths. It simply requires us to stop thinking simple living equaled simplistic‚ primitive thinking.Nabta PlayaAs with the stone structures that make up Stonehenge in England‚ today‚ many megaliths from across the world were likely designed as tools for tracking time and the passing of seasons. These celestial clocks were significant for tracing the movement of stars or measuring the sun’s location during the annual summer and winter solstices‚ or the spring and fall equinox.Most of the European megaliths designed for this purpose were built between 6‚500 and 4‚400 years ago (Stonehenge is about 5‚000 years old)‚ but they may not have been the first of their kind.Nabta Playa‚ located in North Africa (around 700 miles south of Giza‚ Egypt)‚ is currently one of the oldest known stone circles in the world. According to one interpretation‚ it could be the oldest astronomical observatory too‚ though that is debated (the stones may also be stele‚ part of a symbolic necropolis).A reconstruction of the Nabta Playa stone circle by the Aswan Nubia Museum.Image Credit: Raymbetz via Wikimedia Commons‚ (CC BY-SA 3.0)The site was likely built over 7‚000 years ago by the Ru’at El Baquar‚ nomadic cattle cult worshippers who are thought to have used it to trace the sun’s movement and to predict the arrival of monsoons (the desert location where the stones stand was‚ at the time‚ a lush environment that became a lake during the wet season).It was first identified by researchers in the 1970s who were taking part in a UNESCO-funded initiative to help identify and relocate ancient structures that may have been at risk of damage from the development of a dam.Since its discovery‚ archaeologists have found hundreds of hearths‚ cultural artifacts‚ and cattle bones dated to the mid-Neolithic period‚ suggesting that the nomadic peoples visited Nabta Playa at specific points of the year.Megaliths of PeruMegaliths can also be found on the other side of the planet. Centuries before the pyramids appeared in Egypt‚ and around the same time that Stonehenge was being erected (I mean it‚ stop)‚ hunter-gatherers in what is modern Peru were creating their own megaliths.At one site in the Peruvian Andes‚ called Callacpuma‚ ancient people created an 18-meter (around 60-foot) structure‚ consisting of concentric walls of large‚ free-standing megalithic stones. They are currently estimated to be around 4‚750 years old and probably one of the oldest circular plazas in the area.As with the examples mentioned above‚ these stones were erected (stop it)‚ centuries before the advent of agriculture and before the development of ceramics.The current hypothesis is that this site probably had ceremonial significance and was used‚ at least periodically‚ as a ritual space from around 1800 BCE-900 BCE and again between 900-200 BCE.To be sure‚ there are many more fascinating examples of megalithic structures from various other parts of the world‚ each with their own unique stories and meanings for the regions they inhabit. However‚ the examples discussed here show that the history of megaliths is not particular to any individual people or culture‚ but rather an expression of humanity’s deeper history. As more examples of this type of architecture continue to emerge‚ it is certain our understanding of their significance will develop with them.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.  

The temperature at which a material melts‚ subject to pressure‚ follows a single parabolic equation‚ one scientist has claimed‚ providing a surprisingly simple solution to a long-standing problem.If you want to turn a solid to liquid the usual approach is to add heat. However‚ the temperature at which melting occurs depends not only on the substance involved but the pressure applied. Consequently‚ physicists and chemists use temperature-pressure phase diagrams‚ where the X-axis measures temperature and the Y-axis pressure‚ to show the conditions under which something will be solid‚ liquid‚ or gas. The melting line marks the boundary between the first two. Knowing where that line sits can be essential for choosing advanced engineering materials‚ and has applications in areas such as drug design.These diagrams are usually produced by expensive trial and error – it would save a lot of money and heartache if there was a universal formula for predicting that line. That is what Professor Kostya Trachenko of Queen Mary University claims to have provided‚ although not everyone is entirely convinced.A phase diagram for water under different temperatures and pressures. The line from gas to solid and liquid is well understood‚ solid to liquid has to be pieced together experimentally.Image Credit: Cmglee - Own work‚ CC BY-SA 3.0‚ via wikimedia commonsTrachenko has recently published a book called Theory of Liquids‚ and has used advances he and others have made on the topic to conclude melting lines can be described by a simple parabolic equation. Instead of needing to conduct experiments using ever-greater temperatures and pressures‚ with all the accompanying difficulties that involves‚ the line can be projected using measurements in more benign conditions‚ Trachenko argues.Besides the practical value‚ such a discovery would also imply a fundamental commonality to apparently unrelated materials."The simplicity and universality of this result are particularly exciting‚" Professor Trachenko said in a statement‚ although simplicity is a relative description here. "It suggests that melting‚ despite its complexities‚ exhibits a fundamental unity across diverse systems‚ from noble gases to metals." Trachenko derived the equation by focusing on the energy of a substance at the point where it melts or solidifies‚ rather than the entropy as most previous efforts have. He concludes the melting line is set by the Planck constant and the electron mass and charge‚ as well as the shells in which a substance’s outer electrons exist.In one sense the existence of such a formula should not be a surprise. An equation for the point where liquids turn to gas is already known‚ based on theoretical thermodynamics. The same is true for sublimation – when solids turn directly to gas without a liquid stage‚ as occurs for comets approaching the Sun. On the other hand‚ given how heavily studied the topic is‚ finding something that has been missed until now is somewhat unexpected‚ particularly since the definition of the boundary between solid and liquid is not always straightforward. Moreover‚ Dr Sergey Kharpak of the German Aerospace Center told New Scientist Trachenko used approximations based on “physical intuition” at several points in his derivation. Without rigorous proofs of these estimates‚ Kharpak said‚ only extensive testing under conditions that have not been used before will be sufficient to establish if Trachenko is right.If ice queens and superhero sidekicks can freeze whatever they touch‚ there’s probably a market for fantasy villains to do the opposite but for that‚ you need to know where the line lies.The paper is open access in Physical Review E.

On February 18‚ 2024‚ an unidentified object was filmed (see video below) over the Italian city of Lucca‚ in the Tuscany region‚ which looked like a large white stick in the sky. In ufology‚ such UFOs are most often called cigar-shaped and it is believed that these ships are motherships‚ that is‚ large flying bases with a crew. This video‚ posted to a UFO group on Facebook‚ aroused great interest among both UFO enthusiasts and skeptics. First of all‚ because such a large UFO was photographed during the day (a very rare occurrence)‚ and secondly‚ it is not just a standard “cigar”‚ but with some unusual black rings on both edges. The object appeared to simply hover motionless in the sky‚ but it is unknown how long it remained there. It does not look like an airship‚ drone or other type of known aircraft. Unfortunately‚ it is unclear whether this video is genuine or fake. The post Cigar-shaped UFO mothership hovering over Italy appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Angie Layton‚ 45‚ from Amesbury‚ Wiltshire‚ England‚ was at home preparing dinner in the kitchen on the evening of March 28‚ 2024. At some point‚ she touched the mixer with her hand‚ and held a metal colander with the other‚ and suddenly there was a powerful explosion‚ reports dailymail.co.uk. “It literally felt like my whole kitchen just caught fire and went right through me. My girls were in the living room and they said they looked into the kitchen and my whole body was on fire. It was really scary.” It is believed that it was a lightning strike and at that moment Layton felt as if she had “crashed into a wall at 100 miles per hour.” “It was like a real big blow‚ a huge shock. And after that my whole body felt tingling for 3-4 hours. It was like every nerve in my body just went crazy. “I was examined by paramedics and they said they would tell others about it because they had never seen anything like this before.” Paramedics gave her an ECG and found her heart to be normal. Then they said that as long as Layton felt well‚ she would not be taken to the hospital. And she herself felt almost “okay”. Except that she had a severe headache all night. Her daughters‚ aged 19 and 23‚ said they saw their mother standing in the kitchen in “complete shock” and that her body seemed to be glowing. The lightning strike that struck Layton tore through her home‚ entering the antenna dish on the roof and then causing a fire in the kitchen. And then lightning somehow (possibly through wires) “jumped” to the neighbors’ house and a fire broke out there too. Fortunately‚ both houses were not badly damaged. “My whole body ached‚ it felt like I had been in a major training session. Every muscle and bone in my body ached.” “It felt like someone was looking out for me back then‚” Layton says‚ suggesting that it was a Guardian Angel protecting her from worse consequences. The post Woman miraculously survived a lightning strike: “I was all glowing” appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Late in the evening of March 28‚ 2024‚ above Scottsdale‚ Arizona‚ USA‚ several witnesses reported observing an unidentified arc-shaped object emitting a neon blue glow. Currently‚ two videos capturing the object have been shared online (watch below). Of note is the proximity of this UFO sighting to the local airport. Residents familiar with the area mention frequent sightings of various aircraft‚ but none resembling the peculiar object observed on this occasion. Some speculate that the UFO may have had a disk-like shape‚ seemingly balancing “on its edge” with blue lights traversing along its circumference. One eyewitness‚ while walking their dog‚ described the object resembling “a blue rope suspended in the sky.” They observed it stationary for approximately thirty minutes‚ intermittently pulsating blue light in what seemed like a mesmerizing display. WATCH Residents in Arizona‚ United States‚ capture footage of an unidentified blue object. pic.twitter.com/Xja8AQUk45 — Insider Corner (@insiderscorner) April 1‚ 2024 Eventually‚ the object began a slow descent before abruptly vanishing‚ leaving no trace. Unfortunately‚ this particular moment was not captured on video. Another observer asserted that the object’s altitude exceeded that of typical aircraft taking off or landing‚ further distinguishing it from conventional planes. The mysterious nature of this sighting has sparked curiosity and debate among locals‚ prompting further investigation into its origins and nature. #BREAKING: 🛸 RESIDENTS IN ARIZONA‚ USA‚ CAPTURE VIDEO OF UNIDENTIFIED BLUE OBJECT The skies of Arizona host an enigmatic visitor‚ sparking intrigue and debate among observers. What could this blue marvel be? #UFOs #Arizona pic.twitter.com/S4NsxjwXJI — Genius Bot X (@GeniusBotX) April 1‚ 2024 The post Residents of Arizona record video of ‘alien’ blue UFO appeared first on Anomalien.com.

At the moment‚ the search for extraterrestrial intelligence continues. But scientists have yet to find any convincing evidence of the existence of a signal from an extraterrestrial civilization. Signals from aliens can come from any part of our galaxy and at any frequency. But limiting the search space for this signal will help detect the signal itself‚ according to scientists from Kyoto University‚ Japan‚ reports Universe Today. One of the most famous examples of attempts to communicate with potential aliens is the Arecibo message‚ in which humanity attempted to announce its existence using scientific and mathematical standards. This signal was sent in the form of a binary code back in 1975 in the direction of the globular star cluster Messier 13‚ located in our galaxy. The likelihood that any extraterrestrial civilization can both receive and interpret such signals is very small. It would be great if potential aliens had a clue to interpret the signal. But how can you pass a key to unlock a message without the key itself being interpreted only by the same key? Japanese scientists have spent a lot of time thinking about this question. In past research‚ scientists have proposed using the timing of a future binary star merger or a past supernova explosion to narrow the region of space for potential contact. But a new study suggests using the orbital period of a very bright star around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole. The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy‚ known as Sagittarius A*‚ will be well known to any alien civilization that‚ like us‚ sends signals into space. It is very convenient that several very bright stars revolve around this black hole at regular intervals. The study’s authors chose a star called S2‚ which is 15 times the Sun’s mass and has an orbital period of almost exactly 16 Earth years. The study’s authors chose a star called S2‚ which is 15 times the Sun’s mass and has an orbital period of almost exactly 16 Earth years. Photo: Universe Today These features are important because of their prominence and also because of the ease of calculation of the so-called Schelling point. Schelling’s point comes from game theory‚ namely how two people can talk about something without actually communicating it in the first place. For example‚ someone wants to meet their friend‚ but doesn’t want to tell him when and where he wants to meet. The other person is also interested in meeting‚ but is equally interested in not sharing when and where. The Schelling point is thinking through common ground to try to determine a meeting place without saying it directly. For example‚ two people roughly know that they are choosing one of the most famous days of the year‚ and that could be New Year’s Eve‚ which is December 31st. As for the meeting place‚ most likely two people will choose the most famous city and the most famous place in it. This would be Schelling’s point for two earthlings‚ but the same judgments can be applied to communication with alien life forms. The star S2 and the period of its orbital movement is what we have in common with any alien life in the Milky Way‚ because most likely the aliens also have an idea about the object and its properties. Scientists believe that by using the characteristics of this particular star‚ astronomers could begin to look for signals in a specific region of space that use the period of the star’s motion as a basis for communication. The idea‚ scientists say‚ is to find some common experience that can be used as a basis to try to communicate with aliens without first communicating. The post Contact with aliens using one star in the center of the Milky Way appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Note from MRC President Brent Bozell: I came across this op-ed one day after Easter. No matter. It is important to the entire NB family‚ so we reprint it now. Morality and courage come in many forms. As Americans‚ we’ve seen it often. From the morality and courage of President Ronald Reagan to the spineless behavior of Joe Biden. May we learn from both examples as we learn about the courage and perfection of Jesus Christ. And as the Bible says‚ "Be strong and take heart‚ all you who hope in the Lord‚" Psalm 31:24. We were sitting in church on Maundy Thursday when I had a sudden revelation — in a manner of speaking; Joe Biden is the Pontius Pilate of the 21st century. Like Pontius Pilate‚ Biden sold his soul for the sake of the crowd. He has also forsaken his principles much like Judas sold out Christ for 30 pieces of silver. Ethics were foreign to Pilate. Biden has sold out Israel‚ placating the left-wing antisemites on college campuses. He certainly sold out millions of unborn babies as a pro-abortion rights president. The result? He has traded trading human lives for a few measly votes. Now‚ to add insult to injury — especially during global observances this past Easter Sunday‚ he more-than-seemingly went out of his way to honor‚ not Jesus and the Resurrection‚ but alternative lifestyles.   Understandably conservatives‚ especially Christians‚ were outraged. Ask yourself this: "How does this truly unify our nation?"  Returning to Pilate‚ many all-too-well remember his role in history. He's the weakling politician who bowed to the angry crowd and allowed Christ to be crucified‚ even as Pilate knew Christ was innocent‚ earning him a large place in history as a cowardly career bureaucrat. Biden demonstrates his weakness every day. Christ spent years preaching and proselytizing‚ harming no one‚ but was an anti-establishment threat to the twin power structures of the Roman Empire and business interests in Jerusalem. His message of "love thy neighbor" and "do unto others" was winning converts and he developed his own following of disciples and acolytes. Pilate‚ the career politician was‚ unlike Christ‚ born to wealth and was an elitist.. He was the chief defender of the status quo. Clearly‚ Christ was a threat to that status quo. In symbolically "washing his hands" of how to deal with Christ‚ the gutless politician would neither save Christ — earning him the enmity of history — nor take on the responsibility of killing him‚ much like the cowardly Biden. Cowards‚ Shakespeare said‚ die many times before they actually die. Pilate died ignobly‚ purportedly by suicide. His grave long forgotten. His only claim to fame was the notice which comes when a politician takes the spineless way out when confronted with the life of an innocent man. In due course Biden will also depart this earth — as we all will‚ but he will be remembered most for his weak‚ divisive presidency — notable for being a coward‚ of lacking even the semblance of a soul. Biden will shortly shuffle of this mortal coil‚ towards that undiscovered country‚ unloved‚ with few mourners‚ a miserable figure of history. Even in the face of Biden’s eventual unremarkable passing‚ Gandhi said‚ "In in the midst of darkness‚ light persists."   Craig Shirley is the Chairman of Citizens for the Republic‚ as well as a Ronald Reagan biographer and presidential historian having written six books on Reagan. He's also written The New York Times bestseller‚ "December‚ 1941" and also published the companion book‚ "April‚ 1945." He's also the author of the book "Mary Ball Washington‚" which won the People’s Choice Award from the Library of Virginia. His book on the 1980 presidential campaign‚ "Rendezvous with Destiny" was named by The Wall Street Journal as one of the five best campaign books of all time.