Science Tidbits 3

[Lupine]

Some really old cave art has been found on Sulawesi. This of course is sparking debate of just when humans starting doing art like this. The notion of some kind of neurological evolution taking place in Europe some 30,000 years ago is now defunct- and I never liked the idea in the first place. Researchers are now thinking that it probably dates back to Africa. Personally I think artwork probably predates modern humans and frankly I think there's more than enough evidence of it (it's been shown that Neandertals mixed pigments). I'm just waiting for some kind of artwork to be discovered that pre-dates moderns.

[Gary]

Navy tests out new way of making clothes: welding

[Lupine]

^Interesting and not the 'welding' I was expecting from the title. Seams are so ubiquitous that it will be a little jarring to see clothes without them.
And someday in the future clothes will likely have simulated seams just for style.

[RJDiogenes]

Navy tests out new way of making clothes: welding

Ah, now I know why you've taken up welding. This kind of reminds me of that scene in "The Paradise Syndrome" where Miramanee can't figure out how to get Kirk out of his shirt, and has to rip it off.

Some really old cave art has been found on Sulawesi. This of course is sparking debate of just when humans starting doing art like this. The notion of some kind of neurological evolution taking place in Europe some 30,000 years ago is now defunct- and I never liked the idea in the first place. Researchers are now thinking that it probably dates back to Africa. Personally I think artwork probably predates modern humans and frankly I think there's more than enough evidence of it (it's been shown that Neandertals mixed pigments). I'm just waiting for some kind of artwork to be discovered that pre-dates moderns.

Undoubtedly, the neurological equipment to create art existed before outward migrations from Africa-- since we know that tool making and such occurred, and art is the other side of the intellectual coin from science. The problem is that we can only discover what survives, and very special conditions have to exist to preserve a work of art for 40,000 years. I'm sure there were many amazing things created outside of caves that are long gone and we will never know.

[Lupine]

^There's another mention of art in this article about Neanderthals. Apparently this year evidence was found that they were producing rock art as well. And the article itself is pretty interesting, though it leaves out the odd phenomena that occurred with the advent of the Eve Theory.
In the late 60s and 70s, when many considered it plausible that Neanderthals contributed some ancestry to modern humans, they were often depicted as having language (though rudimentary) and culture. Aul's Clan of the Cave Bear was based off this view. However when the Eve Theory and early genetic tests seemed to indicate that Neanderthals might not have been closely related to us, the view on them changed radically. Researchers were seriously suggesting at times that Neanderthals didn't have language, or culture, or the ability for abstract thought. or even had less planning capabilities than chimps or even dogs.
Now further tests have shown that Neanderthals did contribute to the modern genome (including my 3.4%- I have to brag ) and the views have changed accordingly. I find it interesting that the moment that Neanderthals stopped being "us" it was automatically assumed that they were massively inferior, but when they became "us" again all those abilities were given back. I think it says a lot about our perception of the world.

[RJDiogenes]

Yeah, some of those old passages from scholarly texts are pretty insulting. Of course, the conclusions they reached were understandable. But the scientific process works. As more evidence comes to light, views change. There's always going to be a certain amount of perception that's influenced by political thinking-- the view of supremely intelligent humans who succeeded in a Darwinian contest was supplanted by a view of supremely evil humans who committed deliberate genocide-- but the process always moves things along. I'm sure the current view is highly Romanticized, but I like it. We should always emphasize how we relate to other life, not how we contrast with it.

[RJDiogenes]

I downloaded the MEanderthal app, but it doesn't work. It seems to have last been updated in 2010, so it's probably not compatible with IOS updates. It's also got a lot of bad reviews....

[Lupine]

^Pity. I would like to have seen that. I fear I wouldn't look too different though.

[RJDiogenes]

Well, you are 3.4% Neandertal.

[Lupine]

^ Touche.

[RJDiogenes]

[RJDiogenes]

My Exoplanet app notified me of a new planet discovery-- well, technically, a new solar system, since there's two. But one of them is comfortably inside the Goldilocks Zone. TYC-1422-614-1 c is about ten times as massive as Jupiter and has a beautifully circular orbit just inside the orbit of Mars-- the Goldilocks Zone extends from just outside the orbit of Earth to the asteroid belt (this star is about 15% more massive than the sun). The app lists the distance from Earth as 476 light years, plus or minus 590 light years. So, theoretically, it could be in beautiful downtown Burbank.

[Lupine]

I think I saw it in my backyard.

[RJDiogenes]

Quite a margin for error there.

[Lupine]

And we've landed on a comet!