We have quite a few controversies this week that span the worlds of fashion, art, sports, and law. There is also a tale of survival and Taco Bell, the discovery of an elixir of immortality, and the strange observation of a creature with a temporary anus.
10A Different Kind Of Bridge Suspension
Another doping scandal has rocked the sporting world as Norwegian player Geir Helgemo tested positive for testosterone. What’s most bizarre about this situation is that Helgemo plays bridge.The testing occurred in September at an event in Orlando. The bridge player tested positive not only for synthetic testosterone but also for a female fertility drug called clomifene.[1] As a result of this, the World Bridge Federation (WBF) suspended Helgemo until November 20 and stripped him of all the titles and points won during the 2018 World Bridge Series. Before this happened, he was ranked No. 1 in the world. The WBF said that Helgemo told an investigative panel how the drugs got in his system, although they didn’t make the explanation public. Unsurprisingly, the president of the Norwegian Bridge Federation, Kari-Anne Opsal, confirmed that the drugs were not performance-enhancing. In case you are wondering why they even test for them, then, it’s because the WBF is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and, therefore, abides by World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines.
9Armageddon’t
Photo credit: Touchstone Pictures
The 1998 disaster movie Armageddon gets plenty of criticism for the implausibility of its plot, but a new study published in the journal Icarus might have put a final nail in its coffin. Scientists have run computer simulations, and they believe that even if humans were able to blow up an asteroid heading for our planet, gravity would simply cause it to reform in space.The threat of an asteroid impact is a genuine concern. After all, it has happened before, with devastating consequences. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University put together a computer model which simulated collisions to see how the space rock breaks apart. They discovered that the fragments which would be blown away in an Armageddon-like scenario are likely to reform with the asteroid due to gravity.[2]Dr. Charles El Mir believes that the simulations show that a much more energetic force would be needed to completely shatter an asteroid than previously thought. Scientists used to contend that larger objects would be easier to break because they had more flaws. However, new research suggests that bigger asteroids also come with bigger cores, whose gravitational pull would be powerful enough to attract the fragments that get blasted away.
The 1998 disaster movie Armageddon gets plenty of criticism for the implausibility of its plot, but a new study published in the journal Icarus might have put a final nail in its coffin. Scientists have run computer simulations, and they believe that even if humans were able to blow up an asteroid heading for our planet, gravity would simply cause it to reform in space.The threat of an asteroid impact is a genuine concern. After all, it has happened before, with devastating consequences. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University put together a computer model which simulated collisions to see how the space rock breaks apart. They discovered that the fragments which would be blown away in an Armageddon-like scenario are likely to reform with the asteroid due to gravity.[2]Dr. Charles El Mir believes that the simulations show that a much more energetic force would be needed to completely shatter an asteroid than previously thought. Scientists used to contend that larger objects would be easier to break because they had more flaws. However, new research suggests that bigger asteroids also come with bigger cores, whose gravitational pull would be powerful enough to attract the fragments that get blasted away.
8A Pricy Set Of Wheels
Photo credit: BBC News
The Geneva Motor Show is currently underway in Switzerland. There are plenty of stories to excite gearheads, including the unveiling of the world’s most expensive new car.The vehicle is called La Voiture Noire (“The Black Car”) by French manufacturer Bugatti. It’s one-of-a-kind and was built to celebrate the company’s 110th anniversary. Many media outlets have reported the hypercar as being the most expensive new car in the world, overtaking the previous record-holder, the Rolls-Royce Sweptail. However, it is hard to say with certainty since the actual price for either automobile has not been revealed. Estimates for the Bugatti range between $11 and 12.5 million for the vehicle, plus another $6 million in local and luxury taxes. La Voiture Noire is a jet-black car with a carbon fiber body. It has a 16-cylinder engine which puts out 1,500 horsepower. Again, the company is keeping mum on its top speed, although the specs are thought to be similar to the Bugatti Chiron. A spokesperson said that La Voiture Noire was designed as a tribute to the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, of which only four were made in the 1930s. The buyer of La Voiture Noire is another mystery. Bugatti has simply described them as “an enthusiast of the brand.”[3] People have speculated that the exclusive owner is Ferdinand Piech. He is the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche and a former chief executive at Volkswagen.
7The Mystery Of The Transient Anus
Photo credit: Bastique
A marine biologist believes he may have discovered a certain species of comb jelly with a feature unique among animals: a transient anus.There are simple species of creatures such as jellyfish that only have one opening which they use to swallow food and to expel waste. Then, more complex animals have a through-gut with a mouth at one end and an anus at the other. It was thought that comb jellies were part of the latter, but the warty comb jelly was a strange exception. It did not appear to have an anus.However, Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, discovered that the creature does have an anus . . . sometimes. According to his observations, the opening appears only when the animal needs to defecate and disappears afterward.[4] As waste accumulates in the comb jelly’s body, the gut starts to balloon out. Eventually, it stretches out so much that it touches the epidermis. When this happens, the two fuse together and create a hole for excretion. After the process is done, there is no more trace of the opening, not even under the microscope. Tamm believes the discovery is more significant than simply finding an animal with a weird quirk. He thinks it is possible that the temporary anus is an intermediate stage in the evolution of the anatomical structure.
A marine biologist believes he may have discovered a certain species of comb jelly with a feature unique among animals: a transient anus.There are simple species of creatures such as jellyfish that only have one opening which they use to swallow food and to expel waste. Then, more complex animals have a through-gut with a mouth at one end and an anus at the other. It was thought that comb jellies were part of the latter, but the warty comb jelly was a strange exception. It did not appear to have an anus.However, Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, discovered that the creature does have an anus . . . sometimes. According to his observations, the opening appears only when the animal needs to defecate and disappears afterward.[4] As waste accumulates in the comb jelly’s body, the gut starts to balloon out. Eventually, it stretches out so much that it touches the epidermis. When this happens, the two fuse together and create a hole for excretion. After the process is done, there is no more trace of the opening, not even under the microscope. Tamm believes the discovery is more significant than simply finding an animal with a weird quirk. He thinks it is possible that the temporary anus is an intermediate stage in the evolution of the anatomical structure.
6Is Lake Erie A Person?
Voters from Toledo, Ohio, approved an unusual measure which gives Lake Erie the same rights as people. This marks the first time that a natural resource has been granted legal status in the United States.This move was done primarily to protect the Great Lake from pollution. Back in 2014, all the agricultural runoff that ends up in the lake from tributaries caused a toxic alga to bloom so much that it led to a state of emergency. About half a million people were left without drinking water, and since then, the residents of Toledo looked for new ways to protect the lake.That led to a recent referendum which passed with 61 percent of votes. The Lake Erie Bill of Rights grants the body of water legal standing. Specifically, Lake Erie can now “stand” to sue polluters. As expected, the measure has already been challenged by a group of farmers for being unconstitutional and unlawful. They argue that it is too vague to be enforceable and a violation of their rights.[5] It remains to be seen if the move will be accepted in US courts. Legal experts don’t like its chances, primarily because Lake Erie extends far beyond the jurisdiction of Toledo.
5The Elixir Of Life
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