Spanish Drought Reveals Old Submerged “Spanish Stonehenge”
While Spain goes through the country’s worst drought in decades, the situation there is leaving the world baffled. The water level dropped by around 28%. However, this lead to a fascinating discovery that no one could’ve predicted or foreseen. Near the corners of the Valdecanas Reservoir in the Central Province of Caceres, Archaeologists observed a neolithic stone circle structure. The stones have been believed to have existed since 5000 BC. The stone structure is called “Spanish Stonehenge”, officially came named the “Dolmen of Guadalperal”. The Structure of The “Spanish Stonehenge” The Spanish Stonehenge is a structure of vertically arranged stones mounted on a horizontal boulder. Some suspect the structure is meant to be Tombs as human remains have been found in several such structures. To a tourist moving about, these stones might just look like just a set of haphazardly scattered stones. Another interesting fact is that this Structure was previously discovered by German Archaeologist Hugo Obermaier way back in 1926; due to floods and other causes, the structure was yet again submerged only to be reemerged now. How are the Locals seeing it? The drought-stricken Locals of the area find this as an opportunity for tourist attraction. While someone who owns a boat thinks they could use their boat to take tourists near the Dolmen, some locals also think shifting the Stone Structure into a Local Museum is the correct option. A petition has been filed on Change.org for the transfer which currently has over 40,000 signatures. The stone structure, said to have existed since 5000 BC, is deteriorating as the rock has become porous and will further have more damaged if not given the proper care and redevelopment. “It’s a surprise, it’s a rare opportunity to be able to access it,” says archaeologist Enrique Cedillo from Madrid’s Comp.
Beer for the Soul? More Like Beer for the SOLE
A pen is also a watch. A Pop Socket that is also Lip Balm. A Watch that is also a mirror. Oh? We were just listing some crazy innovations and collaborations we could’ve never considered. Behold, as the world witnesses another one of such crazy collaborations. Beer in Sneakers! Yes, that is right. The renowned Beer Company is now diving headstrong into the Fashion world. A moment for the Sneaker-Heads and Beer-Bros out there. Now we have “Heinekicks”. How Unique is it really? The Beer company collaborated with noted shoe designer, Dominic Ciambrone to design this wonder of a shoe. The sneaker’s design is as unique and bizarre as the sneaker itself- the body has splashes of Green and Red, giving a hint of the iconic colors of the Heineken Silver Bottles. Have Heinekicks shocked you with its uniqueness yet? No? The Sneakers also have a detachable Bottle Opener placed near the tongue of the sole. The fascinating feature of the shoe is the sole- which is filled with Beer. The Company used a professional surgical syringe to insert said Beer into the Sneaker. Can this be any more iconic? The aim was to create a “smooth” impression while walking as one experiences while taking a sip of the well-known Heineken Beer. Read More: BLUEVIEW Launches the World’s First Biodegradable Shoe What was the reaction? The “Heinekicks” took the world by storm. Sparking Debates and Discussions online. While some found the said sneaker “Iconic” and “A Statement” others questioned the logic behind them. With one common question, “Can we Drink it?”. The “Heinekicks” is an exclusive limited edition design; only 32 pairs will be available worldwide. So if your inner Sneaker-Head wants to have a slice of this iconic cake, keep your eyes and ears open for further announcements! “The shoe not only embodies the energy of Heineken Silver but literally carries it. I can’t say I’ve ever designed a sneaker that contains actual beer before,’’ says the Designer.
Replacing Damaged Cartilages, 60% Water Based Cartilages are Sturdier
With great achievements and milestones, one achieves by the time they are approaching 30, comes great risks of wear-and-tear arthritis. As per statistics, one in six adults globally will face wear and tear of cartilage referred to as osteoarthritis. There are endless measures to cure this, on a temporary or extended basis- common pain relievers, ointments, bodily remedies, or overall knee replacement surgical procedures. There is good news for those who desire to avoid crucial, tiring surgeries to replace the whole knee joint. Researchers from Duke University have created a Gel-based Cartilage that seemingly is more potent and sturdier than Natural Cartilage. When compared to a Natural Cartilage The Hydrogel utilized in these implants is a product of Water-absorbing Polymers. These polymers are extra resistant to force, shock and agitation in comparison to natural cartilages. Cartilages form a thin layer between bones to prevent internal friction, which later results in wear and tear. Hydrogel is connected to a titanium base that is later placed in the spot of the formerly damaged cartilage. Tests have proven Hydrogel to be more firm than your natural cartilage. While a Natural Cartilage can bear up to 2.5 times a person’s body weight, The Hydrogel disc can bear up to a weight of a 100lbs kettlebell without tearing or losing its shape. The clinical industry is familiar with the concept of Hydrogel in the form of Contact Lenses and disposable diapers. Read More: Moderna Starts Phase1 Clinical Trial of First-ever HIV Vaccine in Africa Materials used to bring it to life The Researchers at Duke University used sheets of cellulose fibers infused with a polymer referred to as Polyvinyl Alcohol to form a gel. At the same time as the Cellulose Fibers play their position as the collagen fibers present in natural cartilage, the Polyvinyl Alcohol brings it back to its original shape once faced with any kind of push, pull or jerk. The material, being quite robust and sturdy, is 60% water and has a jelly-like texture. In one of the tests, the Hydrogel-based Cartilage was exposed to 100,000 cycles of consistent pulling. The material ended up exceeding the initial expectations and stayed put after repetitive motion. When will it be available? Transferring this groundbreaking creation from the labs into the real world would take a minimum of another 3 years, says material scientists Ben Wiley and Ken Gall. After lab tests and trials, the product will be available commercially. Eventually, a more effective and durable option for people with knee pain will be added to the list in the form of Hydrogel Cartilages.
Saudi Arabia Prince Unveils $500B Neom Mega City Project
NEOM, in the next years, will be synonymous with a new future. The new metropolis being developed in Saudi Arabia, known as NEOM, was originally presented by Prince Mohammed in 2017. It is Saudi Arabia’s showpiece of commercial and tourism development on the Red Sea coast, as well as a crucial initiative in the 2030 Vision to diversify the economy. Who is funding NEOM city? Saudi Arabia will put aside 300 billion riyals ($80 billion) for an investment fund linked to the crown prince’s flagship megaproject, Neom, and wants to list the project on the Saudi stock exchange as early as 2024. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told reporters in Jeddah that the Neom Investment Fund may grow to 400 billion riyals. It will make investments in firms that agree to operate in Neom, a new zone planned for Saudi Arabia’s northwest portion. The first phase of the project, which will last until 2030, will cost 1.2 trillion riyals, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) covering around half of that, he added. Officials plan to collect a further 600 billion riyals from other sovereign wealth funds in the region, individual investors in Saudi Arabia and overseas, and an initial public offering of Neom on the Saudi stock exchange, a concept initially raised by the prince in 2017. Key takeaways on the futuristic city, Neom • With a $500 billion budget, the Saudi Crown Prince is promoting Neom as a metropolis that would restructure Saudi Arabia’s economy and serve as a testbed for technologies that will revolutionize daily life. • The future megacity is said to be 33 times the size of New York, with a square area of 26,500 km stretching along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea shoreline and the Aqaba Gulf. Neom is a combination of the Greek term Neo with the Arabic word for “future.” • The Crown Prince’s vision is putting a burden on the city planners. The crown prince has given them the authority to build ten palaces, each larger than a football field. The blueprint for the project was analyzed by the publication, and it revealed that the residences may sell for up to $400 million apiece. • There are several fascinating elements that set the city distinct from anything else developed up to this point. According to Bloomberg, the Neom “style catalog” includes flying elevators, an urban spaceport, and buildings like a double helix, spread wings of a falcon, and a flower in bloom. • It will be a 106-mile-long compact urban strip with no highways, automobiles, or pollution. The crown prince describes it as a “civilizational revolution” that will eventually house one million people “from all over the world” NEOM’s most important landmarks The Line – A city divided by two glass walls OXAGON is a 170 km long floating structure with a 7 km span. TROJAN – The greatest work-from-home and leisure location in the world, surrounded by mountains and lakes With cities housing nearly 56% of the world’s population, urban sustainability and public welfare have become an increasing priority for governments throughout the world. Saudi Arabia is experimenting boldly to meet these difficulties. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman revealed plans for The Line on Monday, one of many mega-projects included in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform and economic diversification plan. The design would clarify the internal structure of the multi-level city and overcome the challenges of typical horizontal flat cities, resulting in a balance between urban expansion and environmental protection. The line design depicts how metropolitan populations may look in the future without highways, vehicles, or pollutants.
Indian Man Built own Private Plane, Traveling Europe with Family
The epidemic was surely a tiring period for many, but some took advantage of it by picking up new DIY hobbies and challenges. Take, for example, Ashok Aliseril Thamarakshan, a Kerala native living in the United Kingdom who took advantage of the opportunity to realize his ambition of having a private jet by actually building one! When dream gives you wings Everyone enjoys traveling, right? But have you considered building your own private plane at home to fulfill your dreams? During the coronavirus curfew, the world was busy preparing Dalgona coffee and streaming movies or series, while Ashok Aliseril Thamarakshan was hard at work creating an aircraft. He is the son of MLA A V Thamarakshan, who came to the United Kingdom in 2006 to pursue his master’s degree after graduating from Palakkad Engineering College with a BTech. During the 2020 lockdown caused by the coronavirus, Thamarakshan made the decision to construct a private aircraft. Thamarakshan built a four-seater airplane for his family’s vacation after spending over Rs 1.8 crore, 18 months, and around 1,500 hours. Not just a backyard engineer Ashok, who now works for Ford, stated that after obtaining his pilot’s license, he used to charter modest two-seater aircraft for vacations. However, as he looked at his family, he realized he wanted his private plane. On this plane, he’s flown all around the world. Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic are among the countries represented. He’s also traveled with his friends. He said that the girls had only flown a few times previously, but never with their father as a pilot. As their first family vacation, the family booked a flight to Newquay.
OneWeb and Eutelsat Merge to Compete in Satellite Space Race
Two leading competitors in the European satellite industry are merging in a $3.4 billion all-share deal, posing a challenge to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The two firms claim they would connect low-Earth orbit satellites that provide faster connections with less lag and geostationary satellites that have greater capacity and cover more areas, with OneWeb continuing to operate as its own brand under Eutelsat. Prior Standing against the Rivals Eutelsat, headquartered in France, provides television and internet services via 36 geostationary satellites orbiting near the Earth’s equator. OneWeb, which launched its initial internet-broadcasting satellites in early 2019, now contains around 428 satellites in orbit out of the 648 planned for its constellation and has so far established arrangements centered on serving as a supplier for governments and other corporations such as AT&T. The Project Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet enterprise, owned by Amazon, has reserved 83 launch flights over a five-year period to deploy its projected constellation of 3,236 satellites, although none have been carried out as of yet. SpaceX Starlink, on the other hand, has already launched hundreds of satellites, has over 250,000 users, and is already delivering high-speed internet access in dozens of countries with different service options. Finally, Eutelsat and OneWeb highlight the complementary nature of their separate offerings as the great potential here: Eutelsat’s GEO satellites, which are at higher altitudes and hence have a larger latency, are better suited for things like weather predictions and TV broadcasts. Furthermore, OneWeb’s network of lower-altitude satellites is better suited for essential communications requiring low-latency data transfers. The firms say that by combining their efforts, they would be better positioned to target a larger range of use cases in both the B2B and B2C arenas. Key Takeaways from the merger In a joint statement, Eutelsat and OneWeb claimed the proposed merger would combine resources (Eutelsat has a fleet of 36 geostationary satellites and OneWeb has a network of 648 Low Earth Orbit satellites) to establish a “leading global player” in space-based communication. The agreement, which values privately owned UK satellite operator OneWeb at $3.4 billion, will see OneWeb owners swap their shares for new ones issued by Eutelsat, resulting in a 50% holding in the newly merged business. The newly merged organization will be “uniquely positioned to capture” the fast-growing global connectivity market, according to Eutelsat and OneWeb, and may yield €1.5 billion ($1.53 billion) in cost efficiencies and higher revenue. According to the announcement, the organization will maintain its principal listing in Paris and will pursue a listing on the London Stock Exchange. Major shareholders of both companies— The United Kingdom government, corporations controlled by the French and Chinese governments, and Indian telecommunications mogul Sunil Bharti Mittal have all expressed support for the merger and will be represented equally on the entity’s 15-member board. The proposed chairman of the merged firm, Eutelsat chairman Dominique D’Hinnin, said the merger is a “game changer” for the sector and will speed the commercialization of OneWeb’s fleet.
Thailand Gives Land Ownership To Entice Affluent International Investors
Thailand is well-known for its beautiful beaches, wonderful weather, and gorgeous landscape. However, it is also a sanctuary for expatriates, who are lured there by inexpensive property prices, low cost of living, friendly people, and, of course, wonderful food. Thailand has long been a favorite ex-pat destination for investment, retirement, and the establishment of small enterprises, although foreign land ownership was restricted. However, Thailand will soon enable foreigners to fully own property for residential purposes, according to a government official, to strengthen Thailand’s real estate market and so to boost its economy by attracting a million additional high-spending inhabitants from abroad. What is the state of Thailand’s real estate market? The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant influence on Thailand’s economy, particularly in the tourism sector. This has also had an impact on the property sector, with home values remaining stable or dropping. Property demand has also declined, as has development activity. Looking ahead, the Thai housing market is expected to rebound, albeit this is dependent on the country’s economic development and if new Covid outbreaks occur. Can foreigners invest in Thailand’s real estate market? Thailand would enable foreigners to fully own property for residential use, according to a government official, in an effort to strengthen the country’s economy by recruiting a million additional high-spending residents from outside. Foreign nationals will be able to own up to 1 rai (0.16 hectares) from September, subject to cabinet permission if they invest 40 million baht (US$1.09 million) in Thai property, stocks, or money over three years, according to a government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. The government wants to recruit more qualified employees and retirees; therefore, the plan includes certain tax breaks as well as a 10-year visa. Is it safe to invest in Thailand real estate? It’s natural to be concerned when purchasing property in a foreign nation where the rules and procedures differ from what you’re used to. There’s also the issue of Thailand’s housing market not being as well-regulated as in other nations. However, if you do your research and take common precautions, you should have no trouble purchasing property in Thailand. Hiring a respected and independent real estate lawyer3 is one of the most crucial things you should do. Because the real estate business in the nation is unregulated, an expert lawyer will be required to navigate the intricate purchase procedure. This covers all documentation, due diligence inspections, and legal obligations.
New York Asks WHO To Re-name ‘Stigmatising’ Monkeypox
After a meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on July 23, the World Health Organization declared the multi-nation monkeypox pandemic a worldwide public health concern (EC). The pandemic soon expanded to at least 75 nations, with over 16,000 cases documented. New York City requested World Health Organization (WHO) change the name of the monkeypox virus in order to prevent stigmatizing sufferers who would then delay seeking medical attention. “We have a growing concern about the potentially devastating and stigmatizing effects that the messaging surrounding the ‘monkeypox’ virus can have on… already vulnerable communities,” New York City public health commissioner Ashwin Vasan wrote to WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a letter. Monkeypox- a worldwide health concern • For many years, the monkeypox virus posed a menace in Africa. • According to Reuters, African experts criticized the WHO in June as its committee debated whether to designate viral zoonosis as a public health concern for the first time. • The WHO recorded over 1,400 monkeypox cases in Africa alone as of June 1, with at least 72 deaths. • Within two months, the illness had infected over 16,000 people in at least 75 nations. How is monkeypox spread? Animals transmit zoonotic illnesses to people, but the person-to-person transmission of monkeypox has resulted in an upsurge in cases. Dr. Gandhi noted that monkeypox is often seen in animals in West and Central African nations and can trigger epidemics in those areas. Although monkeypox is mostly spread by males having intercourse with other men, it can also be transferred by other means, such as contacting a surface or object that has been touched by an infected man. “Person-to-person transmission is ongoing and is likely underestimated,” Dr. Tedros said in his opening remarks. “The proportion of women affected in Nigeria is significantly higher than elsewhere, and it is critical to better understand how the disease is spreading there.” Why the name is a matter of concern? The WHO’s decision to designate monkeypox as a global health emergency will change how public health officials have managed the outbreak so far. Vasan referred to the “painful and racist history of terminology like (monkeypox) for communities of color.” He emphasized that, contrary to popular belief, monkeypox did not originate in primates, and he recalled the negative effects of misinformation during the early days of the HIV epidemic, as well as the racism faced by Asian communities, which was exacerbated by former President Donald Trump’s designation of Covid-19 as the “China virus.” “Continuing to use the term ‘monkeypox’ to describe the current outbreak may reignite these traumatic feelings of racism and stigma — particularly for Black people and other people of color, as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ communities — and it is possible that they will avoid engaging in vital health care services as a result,” Vasan added.
Skin Repigmentation In Vitiligo Patients Can Now Be Treated At Home
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently authorized the first at-home treatment for skin repigmentation for vitiligo patients. Based on data from two identical Phase 3 clinical trials revealed that 30% of patients using the cream regained at least 50% of skin repigmentation on their body and roughly 20% of patients regained at least 50% of repigmentation on their face after 24 weeks, the FDA announced the approval of Incyte’s ruxolitinib cream on July 18. Background Before the approval of ruxolitinib, whose brand name is Opzelura, Jim Lee, vice president of Incyte’s head inflammation and autoimmune department, stated that the only treatment options available to people with vitiligo were light therapy carried out in a doctor’s office. They may now apply the cream at home. Disease or circumstance The most prevalent kind of vitiligo is nonsegmental vitiligo. Depigmentation, or loss of pigment, occurs in regions of the skin as a result of the disorder. Depigmentation may appear on the hands, arms, face, neck, scalp, and places that frequently come into contact with objects or are rubbed, such as the lips and genitals. It is thought that vitiligo is an autoimmune condition. The immune system seems to be attacking the skin’s pigment cells (melanocytes) in vitiligo patients. Numerous people who have vitiligo also have at least one additional autoimmune condition. Effectiveness Opzelura has been proven to be safe and effective in two clinical studies (NCT04052425 and NCT04057573). In both studies, nonsegmental vitiligo patients were randomized to receive Opzelura or a placebo twice daily for 24 weeks, with an additional 28 weeks of Opzelura therapy for all participants. Compared to 10% of placebo patients, 30% of Opzelura patients achieved at least a 75% improvement in the face Vitiligo Area Scoring Index after the 24-week treatment period. Information on Safety The most frequent side effects of Opzelura are acne, itching, and fever at the application site, as well as the common cold, headache, and urinary tract infection. Opzelura shouldn’t be used alongside therapeutic biologics, other JAK inhibitors, or strong immunosuppressants such as azathioprine or cyclosporine. Patients using JAK inhibitor therapy for inflammatory disorders are at an increased risk of serious infections, death, cancer, significant adverse cardiovascular events, and thrombosis.
3 Indian Gems Contributed to NASA’s James Webb Telescope Development
There is a huge team of scientists behind the success of the legendary James Webb Telescope launch and there were three Indian minds also involved in this biggest achievement. So here are the stories of their journey of playing integral and crucial roles in projecting Hubble’s friend, James Webb Space Telescope. Kalyani Sukhatme Kalyani Sukhatme was the project administrator for this Mid-Infrared Instrument or MIRI, one of the four science instruments on the James Webb Telescope. She works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. Kalyani is the daughter of two mathematics professors, was born in Mumbai, India, and she has curiosities in engineering and physics which led her to a Bachelor of Technology in engineering physics from the Indian Institute of Technology at Mumbai in 1993. She was awarded the Institute Silver Medal for standing first in her class on her graduation. She finished her master’s in physics in 1995 from the University of California, Irvine UCI. She achieved a doctorate in physics from UCI in 1997 with a thesis in low-temperature experimental physics. Kalyani has been at JPL full-time, starting as a postdoctoral fellow in 1998. In graduate school at UCI, she earned the Regents’ Fellowship. At JPL she has gained five team rewards from 2004 to 2009, one individual outstanding accomplishment award in 2005, and one NASA group achievement award in 2006. She is the recipient of the European Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope award for significant achievement in 2012. Kalyani’s investigation concentrates on low-temperature transport properties on grounds and Josephson junction behavior in superfluid Helium. She has joined in the technology development of infrared detectors and their operation for spaceflight missions. At JPL, she served as the examination head for the SPIRE instrument on the mission, which launched in May 2009. She oversaw the MIRI Focal Plane Module or FPM advancement, providing the flight and spare units in September 2009. Hashima Hasan Hashima Hasan was The Deputy Program Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope and was born in Lucknow. She is the NASA Program Scientist for NuSTAR, the Keck Observatory, and ADCAR (Astrophysics Data Curation and Archival Research). In a NASA video, she talked about how her interest in space evolved. “I grew up in India, and first got fascinated with space when my grandmother took us all to the backyard to see Sputnik. I was five at that time. I was excited and wanted to become a scientist.” Hasan graduated from Aligarh Muslim University and studied at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. After that, She had a brief stint at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). She obtained a doctorate from the University of Oxford in theoretical nuclear physics. Hasan was the Optical Telescope Assembly Scientist at Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, till 1994, after that she united with NASA. Kartik Sheth According to NASA’s website, for 7 years Kartik Sheth has been working as a program scientist in both the Astrophysics and Earth Science Divisions. Kartik’s duty encompasses supervising space journeys, along with analysis and development programs. He also works in the fulfillment of the United Nations endurable development goals. He was the Assistant Director for Research Infrastructures and Science Equity in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President in the White House. He assisted as the Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Sheth established a non-profit called Empowered Earth Alliance and the goal of this alliance is to entrust regional authorities with scientific and business knowledge so they can operate independently towards sustainability. He earned the NASA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award for his work overseeing the Anti-Racism Action association, and the other work at the agency in 2022. So this was the journey of Indian scientists who are involved in the making of NASA’s James Webb telescope.