Ancient GREEK Statue Illegally Taken From Libya to the UK

ancient-GREEK-statue A UK judge ruled that a 1.5-million-GBP ancient GREEK statue was illegally transferred from a world heritage site in Libya to the ...

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Primordial sea beast resembled ancient Greek warship ...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of the earliest big predators to prowl Earth's primordial waters was a sea scorpion nearly 6 feet (1.7 meters) long whose body looked a bit ...

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Giant Sea Scorpion Found During Iowa Dig

Scientists have discovered the fossilised remains of a giant sea scorpion which lived 467 million years ago during a dig in north-east Iowa. The Pentecopterus decorahensis - named after an ancient Greek ship rowed by 50 oarsmen during the Trojan War - grew to nearly six feet. With an exoskeleton "helmet" which shielded its head, a sleek narrow body, large limbs for grasping prey and a paddle-like leg used to swim, the sea scorpion was one of the top ocean predators of its time.

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Oldest known species of sea scorpion unearthed

Source: news.sciencemag.org - Monday, August 31, 2015 Scientists have unearthed the oldest known species of a long-extinct group known as sea scorpions, a find that could mean the ancient creatures may have an even older origin than previously thought. Team members have dubbed the newly described predator Pentecopterus after the penteconter, a type of ancient Greek warship that roughly mirrors the creature’s body shape (artist’s reconstruction shown above). More than 150 fossil fragments of the animals, some of them possibly bits of molted exoskeleton, have been excavated from 467-million-year-old rocks in northeastern Iowa—rocks that are about 9 million years older than those that held fossils of the previously oldest known species . (Sea scorpions, more formally known as eurypterids, were arthropods, a group that includes insects, spiders, and crabs as well as their extinct kin such as trilobites.) Adults of the newly described predator were probably about 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) long, but some of the fossil fragments came from juveniles that may have measured between 10 and 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) in length, the researchers report online today in BMC Evolutionary Biology . Unlike all other known living or extinct arthropods, some of Pentecopterus ’ limbs dramatically changed shape as the individuals grew—which suggests that small-clawed youngsters may have probed through sediments for tiny prey whereas adults grabbed larger, more mobile victims. The antiquity of these creatu All Related | More on Scientists

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Fossils show big bug ruled the seas 460 million years ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Earth's first big predatory monster was a weird water bug as big as Tom Cruise, newly found fossils show. Almost half a billion years ago, way before the dinosaurs roamed, Earth's dominant large predator was a sea scorpion that grew to 5 feet 7 inches, with a dozen claw arms sprouting from its head and a spike tail, according to a new study. Scientists found signs of these new monsters of the prehistoric deep in Iowa, of all places. Geologists at the Iowa Geological Survey found 150 pieces of fossils about 60 feet under the Upper Iowa River, part of which had to be temporarily dammed to allow them to collect the specimens. Then scientists at Yale University determined they were a new species from about 460 million year ago, when Iowa was under an ocean Then, all the action was in the sea and it was pretty small scale, said James Lamsdell of Yale, lead author of the study published Monday in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology. "This is the first real big predator," Lamsdell said. "I wouldn't have wanted to be swimming with it. There's something about bugs. When they're a certain size, they shouldn't be allowed to get bigger." Technically, this creature — named Pentecopterus decorahensis, after an ancient Greek warship — is not a bug by science definitions, Lamsdell said. It's part of the eurypterid family, which are basically sea scorpions. Those type of creatures "are really cool," said Joe Hannibal, curator of invertebrate paleontology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Hannibal wasn't part of the study, but praised it for being well done, adding "this species is not particularly bizarre — for a eurypterid." Unlike modern land scorpions, this creature's tail didn't sting. It was used more for balance and in swimming, but half this creature's length was tail, Lamsdell said. There were larger sea scorpions half way around the world at the same time but those were more bottom feeders instead of dominant predators, he said. Lamsdell could tell by the way the many arms come out of the elongated head how this creature grabbed prey and pushed it to its mouth. "It was obviously a very aggressive animal," Lamsdell said. "It was a big angry bug." ___ Online: The study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12862-015-0443-9 ___ Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears Join the conversation about this story »

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This Greek ruin might be from long-lost culture that ...

A drinking vessel decorated with a bull's head is among the religious objects excavated from a site near histoorical Sparta. (Courtesy of Greek Ministry of Culture)

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Prof. Kellis Unlocks Obesity’s Secrets

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Why are some people overweight, no matter what they try, whereas for others, being slim and trim comes naturally? Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), including Greek-American Manolis Kellis, think they have found the answer. They have discovered a new genetic pathway that controls metabolism, i.e., whether excess fat is […] The post Prof. Kellis Unlocks Obesity’s Secrets appeared first on The National Herald.

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Scientists fear tsunami would devastate Greece and Italy if 'moderate' earthquake hits

Highly-populated coasts of Greece and Italy would be swamped by a tsunami if a moderate earthquake struck in the Mediterranean, scientists say.

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Quake In Med Would Cause Devastating Tsunami

Around 130 million people in Mediterranean coastal areas are at risk of a devastating tsunami, which could be triggered by even a moderate earthquake. Scientists have found that a tsunami resulting from a magnitude 7 earthquake beneath Sicily or Crete would see Italy, Greece and Libya all hit by the waves. Their computer simulation found that low-lying areas - up to five metres above sea level - would be swamped by the waves and up to 1.35 sq miles of Crete would be left completely underwater.

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The Most Interesting Thing About That Ancient Spartan Palace Isn't The Palace -- It's The Language

A new Mycenaean-era palace found near the later site of Sparta has revealed examples of the earliest known Greek writing, preserved in clay hardened by a fire.

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A year on, no answers to ancient Greek tomb mystery

A year after being hailed as one of Greece's greatest archaeological finds and a possible resting place of Alexander the Great, the largest tomb ever discovered in the country lies almost forgotten in the blazing summer sun.

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Acropolis Visitors Get Wi-Fi Access

The ancient Athenian site just got an important contemporary update to its environment. Professors, researchers and students of educational institutions around the world will now have access to the internet upon their visits to the Acropolis. The new option is available thanks to a global roaming access service for members of educational institutions called Eduroam. The Greek Research and Technology

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Sustainable development is failing but there are alternatives to capitalism

All over the world, environmental justice movements are challenging growth-oriented development and neoliberal capitalismIn the face of worsening ecological and economic crises and continuing social deprivation, the last two decades have seen two broad trends emerge among those seeking sustainability, equality and justice.First there are the green economy and sustainable development approaches that dominate the upcoming Paris climate summit and the post-2015 sustainable development goals (SDGs). To date, such measures have failed to deliver a harmonisation of economic growth, social welfare and environmental protection. Related: This endless quest for growth will see Greece self-destruct Related: The green Pope: how religion can do economics a favour Related: Small scale hydropower can provide stream of new jobs to rural regions Continue reading...

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People born in some months are more likely to develop certain diseases

Crazy as it sounds, people born in some months are more likely to experience certain illnesses. The idea that the position of the Earth in relation to the stars when you were born has any relationship to your health seems absurd — after all, the scientific consensus is clear that astrology is nothing more than pseudoscience. Yet physicians, going back 2,500 years to Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, have observed some connection between the seasons and health. "For knowing the changes of the seasons ... how each of them takes place, he [the clinician] will be able to know beforehand what sort of a year is going to ensue," the ancient Greek healer wrote. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association confirms a relationship between the month you are born in and your susceptibility to disease, though they don't link it to the position of the stars. Instead, the researchers attribute the changes in disease risk to the presence of certain risk factors during some seasons (like an abundance of dust mites and other allergens in certain months). They also think that seasonal variations in vitamin D (which people are more likely to be deficient in during winter) have effects that show up throughout a person's life if they suffer those deficiencies when they are born. "The risk is not that great that you should worry about when your baby is going to be born or when you might have been born," says Nicholas Tatonetti, the principal investigator who explains the work in a YouTube video. "There's lots of other variables that account for disease incidence." Still, the researchers looked at a huge amount of data and turned up some interesting associations. The study The data scientists behind the study analyzed 1.75 million electronic medical records for people treated at Columbia University Medical Center between 1985 and 2013, and found 55 diseases with seasonal links (out of 1,688 diseases they looked at), including asthma, ADHD, reproductive issues, cardiovascular illnesses, and neurological problems. Being born in some months had a stronger overall effect than others: Being born in September, October, or November was associated with a higher disease risk, while people born in February, March, April, May and July were less likely to develop illnesses. Being born in May, June, August, January, and December didn't provide an "overall advantage or disadvantage," according to the study. Other researchers have investigated this question. In 1983, we found that the likelihood someone would have asthma was strongly connected to birth month, for example. But this new big data approach turned up connections to diseases that no one had ever found before — and ruled out some possible connections that had been suspected in the past. Drilling down The researchers broke down the connections between diseases and certain months more specifically too. In the charts below, the striped bars show an increased disease risk, while the solid bars represent a decrease in disease risk. As you can see, people born in October are more likely to develop respiratory illnesses but less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. Because researchers think that environmental factors like sunlight (because of vitamin D) are responsible for most of the variation in risk, these risk profiles would look different in places with different environmental conditions. Conditions related to vitamin D, for example, might have a mostly reversed profile below the Equator. These particular charts are probably fairly specific to New York, though the researchers say this work should help them identify environmental factors that increase or decrease disease risk everywhere. Tatonetti, one of the researchers, explains the study in more detail in the video below.  SEE ALSO: The history of medicine will seem blunt and random compared with what's coming next Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Should we kill off one of the most dangerous creatures in the world?

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Samantha Cristoforetti Sets New Records For Longest Stint In Space

Step aside, Sunita Williams. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti has set a new record for the longest uninterrupted stint in space by a woman--as well as the longest such stint by any ESA astronaut. Cristoforetti, 38, who is scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station on June 11, has been in space since Nov. 23, 2014. When she comes home, she will have spent 200 consecutive days in space. (You can watch the return live here beginning at 9 a.m. EDT.) Williams, a 49-year-old NASA astronaut, previously held the record for the longest uninterrupted stint in space by a woman. She spent 195 days aboard the ISS in 2007. The first Italian woman in space, Cristoforetti originally had been scheduled to return to Earth a month earlier. Her stay aboard the ISS was extended after a Russian cargo spacecraft failed to reach the station. "Looks like it's not time to get my spacesuit ready yet...what a present!" she tweeted after the delay was announced. During her time in space, Cristoforetti has conducted research on weightlessness and sampled the first espresso in space, among other duties. But she's found the time to maintain a high profile on Twitter as @astrosamantha, and is known for posting some pretty spectacular photos. Scroll down to see some of her best. Yesterday @AstroTerry, @AntonAstrey and I spent some quality time in the #Soyuz getting ready for landing! #Futura42 pic.twitter.com/8hw1kZLdMB— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) June 9, 2015 A sinister cloud far on the horizon. #HelloEarth pic.twitter.com/iMj19OjcHL— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) June 4, 2015 Good night from #space. Buona notte dallo spazio. pic.twitter.com/CYxuysrFcK— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) June 4, 2015 Hallo #Torino! That's where many modules of the Space Station were built! #Italy pic.twitter.com/yG4XXtmApT— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) June 1, 2015 Written by Milan school children in their 1st language: #DareToFly! No matter where you're from & where life took U. pic.twitter.com/rWMlvCdNS3— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 31, 2015 A moving night view of #Europe. From #Greece up the Balkans and the Adriatic. Where do you think is that lightning? pic.twitter.com/I9Ez68ZUI9— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 31, 2015 No real nights these days, Sun always close to the horizon. Still, I can see some moon glint on the Adriatic! #taly pic.twitter.com/vozBdmPVPW— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 30, 2015 Good night from #space. Buona notte dallo spazio. pic.twitter.com/GjZFAMc9N9— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 27, 2015 Good night from #space. Buona notte dallo spazio. pic.twitter.com/ZAnEQCQr0F— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 24, 2015 Now #Dragon is at release position. Houston just gave @StationCDRKelly GO for release. Release window opens in 4 min. pic.twitter.com/eaiDROWyUc— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 21, 2015 Hello Bangkok! And a wonderful evening to you all in #Thailand. pic.twitter.com/ig3EI0LsSD— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 19, 2015 Hello #Venice! Ciao Venezia! #Italy #HelloEarth pic.twitter.com/6yHn2A8R9J— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 11, 2015 -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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New study claims to find genetic link between creativity and mental illness

Results imply creative people are 25% more likely to carry genes that raise risk of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. But others argue the evidence is flimsyThe ancient Greeks were first to make the point. Shakespeare raised the prospect too. But Lord Byron was, perhaps, the most direct of them all: “We of the craft are all crazy,” he told the Countess of Blessington, casting a wary eye over his fellow poets.The notion of the tortured artist is a stubborn meme. Creativity, it states, is fuelled by the demons that artists wrestle in their darkest hours. The idea is fanciful to many scientists. But a new study claims the link may be well-founded after all, and written into the twisted molecules of our DNA. Continue reading...

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New Study Suggests Theory Of Early Humans In Naxos

The “Stélida Naxos Archaeological Project (SNAP)”, directed by Dr. Tristan Carter of McMaster University, under the auspices of the Canadian Institute in Greece, suggests that early humans could have existed in Stelida, Naxos as long as 260,000 years ago. Specifically, during the excavation, researchers revealed a series of objects of archaeological interest that verify the existence of Neanderthals, an extinct species of human in the genus Homo in Stelida, a tourist area on the north-west coast of Naxos. The majority of findings were carved stones while a quantity of emery was discovered. Until recently, the archaeologists believed that the human activity on Cyclades started approximately in the 5th millennium B.C, but this five-year program, approved by the Central Archaeological Council, brings to light finds that will change the prehistoric data on the islands. During the process, scientific technics are used in an effort to date the site in order to clarify when the early humans migrated to Europe through the Aegean basin and if this migration was realized through the sea. In addition, the relations of the early humans, the Neanderthals and the Homo Sapiens, will be examined.

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Eleni Antoniadou Wants To Change Medicine Forever -- And She's Only 27

Eleni Antoniadou, 27, is an extraordinary young scientist who hopes to change the face of medicine. Named one of Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 in health care this year, Antoniadou is the co-founder of the startup Transplants Without Donors, which aims to jumpstart the use of lab-generated organs in clinical transplants. In 2011, she directly contributed to research that enabled the world’s first successful completely artificial organ transplant, helping to craft an artificial trachea for a 36-year-old late-stage cancer patient. Her burgeoning research career has seen remarkable success at every stage: While continuing her graduate work in regenerative medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she was selected to participate in courses at the NASA Academy, where she remains a visiting researcher. In 2013, Antoniadou was named Woman of the Year at the 2013 British FDM Everywoman in Technology Awards, and in 2014 was a laureate of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Award for her work in bioengineering. Despite the well-earned honors she has received -- and her role at NASA -- Antoniadou expresses a remarkably earthbound and focused vision for the future. HuffPost Greece sat down with the pioneering scientist to talk about her work, her passion and her vision for the next decade. What is it you most hope to personally achieve in the next 10 years? In the next 10 years, I hope to contribute to the development of artificial organs as an alternative therapy for transplants. At the same time, I hope to contribute to the sensitizing of society to the acceptance of innovative technologies in clinical practice, and the eradication of stereotypes that stem from a lack of knowledge. And personally, the possibility of having or adopting a child would be a daring and exciting undertaking! What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in the past year? My experiences on humanitarian missions in developing countries, where I met victims of the organ black market in their ruthless battle for survival, have made me completely re-evaluate what a challenge is, on a personal level. However, it is also extremely difficult for me to be a passive observer to the hardships of my dear friends in Greece, which is going through a humanitarian crisis. Who has been the biggest role model in your adult life? I avoid making people out to be role models in life because that perspective may garner unrealistic expectations. However, I am always inspired by people who live with kindness, generosity and humility, who honestly recognize their weaknesses but have the courage to envision the world with a potential of infinite choices for all. I think the creation of role models is an endless battle, one which we alone are exclusively called on to fight. What is a story you wish the media would do a better job of covering? I believe we need examples of inventiveness, helping others and inspiring others. Because coverage of scientific discoveries in the media are so limited, innovations in science and space exploration become conflated with grand, abstract theories and space-time quandaries. We need to enrich this perception by publicizing the practical applications of scientific discoveries in daily life. For example, how many people know that artificial limbs, devices for ventricular assistance for heart transplants, light transmitting diodes for the therapy of cancer, enriched baby food and water filters are all technologies that were developed as part of space program experimentation? Which living person do you most admire? I especially admire the strength and soul of people who have, with courage and determination, overcome important difficulties without altering their character. Some distinctive cases for me are Katie Piper, who was attacked with acid in 2008, and, more recently, the parents of a newborn infant who was unfortunately born brain-dead in Hammersmith Hospital in London and who found the wherewithal to donate their child's organs, saving two child patients (the first infant organ donation, in January 2015). What advice would you give a young person trying to decide what to do with their life? To armor themselves with knowledge, to have faith in themselves and adaptability, and to pursue being in an environment that pushes them to evolve. What are you most thankful for? I am extremely grateful for my health and the love which I have received from my family, but mostly to people unknown to me, whose generosity has galvanized my faith in a better future. Where do you get your news from? Apart from The Huffington Post (I am part of their microcosm of bloggers, after all!), I try to filter the barrage of information that comes from sources and social media. I suffer from information overload! What is the cause or issue that you are most interested in seeing solved over the next 10 years? I would be happy if, through technological innovations, we could ensure access to pharmaceutical and medical care and knowledge to all people around the Earth. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? I open the window, take a deep breath and look at the sky. What do you do to de-stress, recharge and stay balanced? Depending on the circumstances, I walk by the sea, I fall in the arms of the people I love, I listen to beautiful melodies and I read beloved books. Finish this sentence: In the year 2025, we will… ? …have equal rights and obligations among all people without stereotypes and prejudices; we will have managed to fix genetic anomalies in infants through stem cell transplants before they are even born; we will have founded clinical centers to transplant artificial organs of partial complexity and we will have sent a manned space mission further than the International Space Station. What current trend do you think we'll look back on in ten years in disbelief? I believe 2025 will mark a transitional period for the complete or partial adoption of innovative technologies where it will be considered absurd for driving to be allowed in overpopulated city centers. The weight of domestic work will be placed on robotic assistants which will execute them with exactitude and swiftness, improving quality of life. It will be unthinkable to not have a medical file for every citizen that comes with preventative checks for possible predisposition factors. The adoption of the applications of regenerative medicine, bio-nanotechnology and the capability to store stem cells in statutory bio-banks will mark the realization of individualized therapies designed specifically for each patient, thus negating the need for generalized clinical practices that are only partially effective. How many hours of sleep do you get each night? How important has sleep been in your life? Of course sleep is especially important; it is the source of our energy and food for our imagination! Because I have studied the circadian rhythm and its effect on our health and the cycle of sleep-wake of astronauts, I try to adhere to scientific directives! I usually go to sleep at 1 a.m. and wake up and 7 a.m. What do you value the most? What I value the most is the kindness that stems from those who have a great supply of love for, and the will to help, others; for those who sacrifice their self-interest to help a stranger, and can embrace any version of man. This piece was originally published on HuffPost Greece and was translated into English. It was adapted for an American audience. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Lesbos: The Sex Tourism Capital of Ancient Greece

Even though Lesbos has been linked with the idea of female homosexuality for many years, it appears that in ancient Greece it was a place visited ...

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Greek Scientists Develop Cancer Drug

patras-lab Greek scientists from the University of Patras are making a significant effort to help in the battle against cancer by developing an innovative ...

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