SOINN - An Intelligent Robot

Haikal_Baik
Remember the date, August 2nd 2011, because this is the beginning of robot domination throughout the world. Researchers with Hasegawa Group at Tokyo Institute of Technology now have created a robot, called Self-Organizing Incremental Neural Network (SOINN) that is able to learn, think and act by itself.

Apparently this robot is not given any name as the true technology that is being demonstrated was the neural technology behind it. Watch the demonstration of the robot to see what it can do.


The most awesome feature in this robot is its ability to connect with other robot throughout the world via internet to ask for things that it didn't know how to do, and within a matter of time, it can learn that new thing and perform it on the spot.

Our hope is that this robot will follow the Asimov's Law of Robotics.
  1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
  2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
  3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law
God knows what happen if this robot does not follow these laws. XD

Source: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-08-robot-ability.html
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Metamaterial

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In this universe, lots of materials exist with only certain properties, therefore limiting their potential for scientific application. The creation of new material, which does not exist in nature, is important as to explore the new possibility of advancing science towards the benefit of mankind. Such a material, called a metamaterial, usually is engineered in order to have specific properties by manipulating its structure of composition.

The research in metamaterials begin when scientists were intrigued about exploring the possibility of having a negative refractive index. In positive refractive index, the light that enters a medium from one direction with an angle of incidence will be refracted towards the opposite side with a refracted angle that can be less or more than the angle of incidence depending on the medium. However in negative refractive index, the light is refracted towards the same side from the imaginary line, the property in which makes invisibility to become reality.


Diagram showing the difference between positive refraction
index(right) with negative refraction index(left).
Metamaterial allows the impossible application such as invisibility cloak to be possible. Some applications that are rendered possible because of metamaterial can be seen below:

  1. Terahertz metamaterial - Terahertz frequency is a frequency that is higher than microwave but lower than infrared and visible light. Terahertz wave is used widely in medical imaging to detect tumor, radio astronomy spectroscopy and at some point, for security detection of chemicals, biological agents and weapons.
  2. Cloaking device - Many proof of working invisibility cloak have been shown although most of them are creating invisibility not in visible wavelength. You can read about the latest achievement in invisibility cloak here.
  3. Acoustic metamaterial - This artificially created metamaterial is important in work involving sound wave. The fabricated metamaterial is important in order to direct, order or manipulate sound waves. With acoustic metamaterial, sonic waves can now enter the negative refraction domain. 
These are just some of the vast possibility of new applications that can be made by employing the properties govern by metamaterial.

Metamaterial could be used to create high def ultrasound image.

Sort of invisible cloak created by David R Smith from Duke University

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The Health Benefits of Fasting

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The Health Benefits of Fasting

Will Carroll





There has been much contention in the scientific field about whether or not fasting is beneficial to one's health. Fasting is an integral part of many of the major religions including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Many are dubious as to whether the physiological effects are as beneficial as the spiritual promoted by these religions. There is a significant community of alternative healers who believe that fasting can do wonders for the human body. This paper will look at the arguments presented by these healers in an attempt to raise awareness of the possible physiological benefits that may result from fasting.
Fasting technically commences within the first twelve to twenty-four hours of the fast. A fast does not chemically begin until the carbohydrate stores in the body begin to be used as an energy source. The fast will continue as long as fat and carbohydrate stores are used for energy, as opposed to protein stores. Once protein stores begin to be depleted for energy (resulting in loss of muscle mass) a person is technically starving. (1)
The benefits of fasting must be preceded by a look at the body's progression when deprived of food. Due to the lack of incoming energy, the body must turn to its own resources, a function called autolysis. (2) Autolysis is the breaking down of fat stores in the body in order to produce energy. The liver is in charge of converting the fats into a chemical called a ketone body, "the metabolic substances acetoacetic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid" (3), and then distributing these bodies throughout the body via the blood stream. "When this fat utilization occurs, free fatty acids are released into the blood stream and are used by the liver for energy." (3) The less one eats, the more the body turns to these stored fats and creates these ketone bodies, the accumulation of which is referred to as ketosis. (4)
Detoxification is the foremost argument presented by advocates of fasting. "Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph glands, and skin." (5). This process is precipitated by fasting because when food is no longer entering the body, the body turns to fat reserves for energy. "Human fat is valued at 3,500 calories per pound," a number that would lead one to believe that surviving on one pound of fat every day would provide a body with enough energy to function normally. (2) These fat reserves were created when excess glucose and carbohydrates were not used for energy or growth, not excreted, and therefore converted into fat. When the fat reserves are used for energy during a fast, it releases the chemicals from the fatty acids into the system which are then eliminated through the aforementioned organs. Chemicals not found in food but absorbed from one's environment, such as DDT, are also stored in fat reserves that may be released during a fast. One fasting advocate tested his own urine, feces and sweat during an extended fast and found traces of DDT in each. (5)
A second prescribed benefit of fasting is the healing process that begins in the body during a fast. During a fast energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use and towards the metabolism and immune system. (6) The healing process during a fast is precipitated by the body's search for energy sources. Abnormal growths within the body, tumors and the like, do not have the full support of the body's supplies and therefore are more susceptible to autolysis. Furthermore, "production of protein for replacement of damaged cells (protein synthesis) occurs more efficiently because fewer 'mistakes' are made by the DNA/RNA genetic controls which govern this process." A higher efficiency in protein synthesis results in healthier cells, tissues and organs. (7) This is one reason that animals stop eating when they are wounded, and why humans lose hunger during influenza. Hunger has been proven absent in illnesses such as gastritis, tonsillitis and colds. (2) Therefore, when one is fasting, the person is consciously diverting energy from the digestive system to the immune system.
In addition, there is a reduction in core body temperature. This is a direct result of the slower metabolic rate and general bodily functions. Following a drop in blood sugar level and using the reserves of glucose found in liver glycogen, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced in order to conserve as much energy within the body as can be provided. (2) Growth hormones are also released during a fast, due to the greater efficiency in hormone production. (7)
Finally, the most scientifically proven advantage to fasting is the feeling of rejuvenation and extended life expectancy. Part of this phenomenon is caused by a number of the benefits mentioned above. A slower metabolic rate, more efficient protein production, an improved immune system, and the increased production of hormones contributes to this long-term benefit of fasting. In addition to the Human Growth Hormone that is released more frequently during a fast, an anti-aging hormone is also produced more efficiently. (7) "The only reliable way to extend the lifespan of a mammal is under-nutrition without malnutrition." (5) A study was performed on earthworms that demonstrated the extension of life due to fasting. The experiment was performed in the 1930s by isolating one worm and putting it on a cycle of fasting and feeding. The isolated worm outlasted its relatives by 19 generations, while still maintaining its youthful physiological traits. The worm was able to survive on its own tissue for months. Once the size of the worm began to decrease, the scientists would resume feeding it at which point it showed great vigor and energy. "The life-span extension of these worms was the equivalent of keeping a man alive for 600 to 700 years." (8)
In conclusion, it seems that there are many reasons to consider fasting as a benefit to one's health. The body rids itself of the toxins that have built up in our fat stores throughout the years. The body heals itself, repairs all the damaged organs during a fast. And finally there is good evidence to show that regulated fasting contributes to longer life. However, many doctors warn against fasting for extended periods of time without supervision. There are still many doctors today who deny all of these points and claim that fasting is detrimental to one's health and have evidence to back their statements. The idea of depriving a body of what society has come to view as so essential to our survival in order to heal continues to be a topic of controversy.

References

8)"The health Benefits of Fasting"

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Heaven's Declaration

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Here's a collection of amazing astronomical pictures that might blow your mind away. Notice the shape that these events made. They may look like animal, people, things, depending on how you view it. Anyway, enjoy!

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Apple Vs Orange

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Who says orange is better? Enjoy this graphic performance about apples and oranges. 


Source: Here.
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Leonardo Da Vinci 7 Creative Principles

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As we all know, Leonardo Da Vinci was a great man living in 16th century. He's not only a painter, but also a scientist, architect, musician, inventor, anatomist, geologist, writer and many more. Micheal J Gelb, a renowned speaker stated that there are several creative levels that Da Vinci did that allows him to become one of the greatest man on the earth. The seven creative levels are:-

  1. Curiosita - The sense of wonder and curiosity must be high in ourselves. 
  2. Dimostrazione - Testing your knowledge based on life experience, tenacity and willing to learn.
  3. Sensazione - Heightened your senses continuously.
  4. Sfumato - Your readiness to receive new knowledge and opinion even if it contradicts with yours.
  5. Arte/Scienza - Expand your thought and interest trough art (imagination) and science (logic).
  6. Corporalita - Creating excellence using body conditioning eg: able to write using both hands.
  7. Connesione - Be open and appreciate all the things around us. 

By using these 7 principles, Da Vinci was able to open a path that was beyond human limitation. He also proved that with talent, people can only go this far. But with the tenacity to learn new things, willing to embrace new knowledge and always wanted to know more can help us in achieving what we couldn't before. That is why God gives us both left and right brain so that we will become the perfect being in the whole universe.



Example of Da Vinci's drawing.
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Male Vs Female

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As we all know, nowadays male and female have come to a point where they have to fight in order to secure their position in the society. The fight, whether it's for job placement or academic performance, is thought to be the standard measurement in order to know which species is better. 


Biologically, there are 3 ways in order to differentiate between male and female. First is physical structure. Simple explanation for this is woman is someone who has breast, big hips and high pitch voice. Next thing to look is their reproductive and skeletal system. I don't think you'll need much elaboration on this. The problem with these two ways is with the technology advancement, it is possible for a male to alter the physical structure and the reproductive system so that it resembles the female. Hence, the last thing to look is their brain structure that will significantly affect how they think. 


Before we go further into the brain structure, we have to understand that the reason for these differences. And according to many expert in theology and philosophy, they believe that God made male and female in order to complement each other. Eric Fromm, refers this as dichotomy existence. The duality of things such as male and female, day and night, black and white, good and bad are interpreted with brief from many points of view and so far, the universally expected answer is that is just God's way of doing thing. 


Boys - Make sure you know how female brain works!!


Enough jibber-jabber about dichotomy existence. There are 4 differences that we can use in order to differentiate between male and female based on brain structure. Corpus callosum, hypothalamus, lower parietal lobe and the nerve fibers in hippocampus and parietal lobe. These 4 differences are what cause female to behave much more different than male. This includes the behavior, speaking pattern, ability to visualize and solving complex problems. 


Sandra Witelson in her research involving nine male brains and five female brains said that generally, the female brain size is smaller than male. She also stated that the corpus callosum - the bridge that connects the left and right hemisphere - is bigger in female as compared in male. In 1994, Simon LeVay defended this fact when he also found out that corpus callosum really is bigger in female. Apart from that, the anterior commissure - the white matter connecting the two hemispheres - is also bigger in female brain as compared in male. 


In order to understand the effect of these structure in human, we have to understand the role that the structures played. Corpus callosum is the bridge that connect the two hemispheres. This allows the information transfer to be faster from left to right or vice versa. Hippocampus is mostly related with memory and navigation. Hypothalamus regulates and controls involuntary movement such as body temperature, hunger, thirst, and many more. The parietal lobe plays an important role in integrating sensory information with processing. It also involves in navigation process and visualizing image. 


Girls - Make sure you know how male brain works!!


Now, let's see the effect of these structures in how we think. When we tell a story, which side is better? A female will tell a story with much more feeling and emotion. Their choice of words are far better than male when telling a story. This is the result of big corpus callosum. It allows the left brain to integrate with right brain with efficiency that is not present in male.

The medial preoptic nucleus, that involves in sexual behavior is about 2.5 to 3 times bigger in male, hence explaining why they always chase for sex. In female, the parietal lobe and hippocampus will degenerate faster as they grow older. This is why as female ages, they'll tend to forget where did they put their keys and phones. As for male, when they ages, the temporal lobe and frontal lobe will be first to decline. These parts of brain are responsible for feeling and thinking which is also the reason why young male behave so much different with old male. 




Other effects that we can see that occur because of the differences in brain structure are: 

  1. Smooth driver is always male.
  2. Nagging is always done by female.
  3. Male reads map far better than female.
  4. There are more male in jail rather than female.
  5. Female kids will choose "Barbie" and male kids will choose cars or guns.
  6. Female is a better student but male is a better leader
These are just for majority of the cases. Which means, not all female or male are like the one i stated above. And the differences only cause the way of thinking to be different, not the academic performance. Note that environmental factors must also be included to things that can affect our way of thinking. 
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