Sunday, December 31, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for January 1, 2018

The Wikipedia article of the day for January 1, 2018 is Joe Warbrick.
Joe Warbrick (1 January 1862 – 30 August 1903) was a Māori rugby union player. The youngest person ever to play first-class rugby in New Zealand, he was selected as a 15-year-old to play fullback for Auckland Provincial Clubs. In 1884 he made the first New Zealand representative team, and appeared in seven of their eight matches on their tour of New South Wales. Four years later he conceived of, selected, and led the privately funded New Zealand Native football team, which eventually included several New Zealand-born and foreign-born Europeans. Although the team played 107 matches, including 74 in the British Isles, Warbrick took part in only 21 matches due to injury. The tour, the first from the Southern Hemisphere to visit Britain, remains the longest in rugby's history. In 2008 Warbrick and the Natives were inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. He effectively retired from rugby after returning from the tour, except for one appearance for Auckland in 1894, and went on to work as a farmer and tourist guide in the Bay of Plenty. In 1903 he was killed along with several others by an eruption of the Waimangu Geyser.

Picture of the day for January 1, 2018


Wikipedia picture of the day on January 1, 2018: Although there are no seasons in space, this cosmic vista invokes thoughts of a frosty winter landscape. http://ift.tt/2CwFgce

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Picture of the day for December 31, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 31, 2017: Fireworks in the Sea Port of Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia http://ift.tt/2CrodIi

Wikipedia article of the day for December 31, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 31, 2017 is Birthday-number effect.
The birthday-number effect is the unconscious tendency of people to prefer the numbers in the date of their birthday over other numbers. First reported in 1997 by Japanese psychologists Shinobu Kitayama and Mayumi Karasawa, the birthday-number effect has been shown to hold across age and gender. The effect is most prominent for numbers over 12. Birth dates are unconsciously associated with the self, and most people like themselves; this has been offered as an explanation for the effect. Conversely, people who do not like themselves tend not to exhibit the effect. One lab study revealed an increase in favourable attitudes towards prices that were secretly manipulated to match the day of the month of the subjects’ birth, but a second study using birth year as price did not lead to the same result. People also have an unconscious preference for the letters in their name, and the two effects are significantly correlated. Another study found that participants with high self-esteem tended to prefer product names that included numbers from their birthday along with letters from their name.

Friday, December 29, 2017

Picture of the day for December 30, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 30, 2017: A juvenile green monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) from The Gambia. http://ift.tt/2CqDDNa

Wikipedia article of the day for December 30, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 30, 2017 is William Borah.
William Borah (1865–1940) was an outspoken Republican United States Senator from the state of Idaho. A progressive who served in the Senate from 1907 until his death, he is often considered an isolationist. He reluctantly voted for U.S. entry into World War I in 1917 and, once the war ended, fought successfully against Senate ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, which would have made the U.S. part of the League of Nations. Remaining a maverick, he often fought with the Republican presidents in office between 1921 and 1933, though Coolidge offered to make Borah his running mate in 1924. Deprived of his post as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when the Democrats took control in 1933, Borah supported some New Deal legislation, but opposed other proposals. In his final years, he felt he might be able to settle differences in Europe by meeting with Hitler; though he did not go, this has not enhanced his historical reputation. His statue, presented by the state of Idaho in 1947, stands in the National Statuary Hall Collection.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2017 is Qatna.
Qatna is an ancient city in Syria whose remains are about 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Homs near the village of al-Mishrifeh. It was an important center circa 2000–500 BC, with one of Bronze Age Syria's largest royal palaces (pictured). An intact royal tomb has provided data on the funerary habits of that period. First inhabited circa 3500 BC, it was repopulated around 2800 BC and continued to grow. Around 2000 BC, it became the capital of a regional kingdom that spread its authority over the central and southern Levant. By the 15th century BC, Qatna had lost its hegemony and was under the authority of Mitanni. It was conquered and sacked by the Hittites 1400 BC and abandoned by 1300 BC. It was re-inhabited in 1000 BC, becoming a center of the kingdoms of Palistin and Hamath until it was destroyed by the Assyrians in 720 BC, eventually disappearing in the 6th century BC. The site has been excavated since the 1920s. As a result of the Syrian Civil War, excavations stopped in 2011.

Picture of the day for December 29, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 29, 2017: Rotring S0214750 bow compass with Rapidograph 0.5 mm technical pen drawing 1.5–15 mm diameter circles http://ift.tt/2zJmB9Z

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2017 is Death of Leelah Alcorn.
Leelah Alcorn (November 15, 1997 – December 28, 2014) was an American transgender girl whose suicide attracted international attention. At age 14, she came out as transgender to her parents, and at 16, she asked to undergo transition treatment; instead, they sent her to conversion therapy. After she revealed her attraction toward males to her classmates, her parents removed her from school and revoked her access to social media. She killed herself by walking into highway traffic. In her suicide note, Alcorn blamed her parents for her loneliness and alienation, and asked people to pay more attention to discrimination and abuse faced by transgender youth. LGBT rights activists cited the incident as evidence of the problems she wrote about, and vigils were held in her memory. Petitions that called for the establishment of "Leelah's Law", a ban on conversion therapy in the U.S., received a supportive response from President Barack Obama. Within a year, her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, criminalized conversion therapy.

Picture of the day for December 28, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 28, 2017: 2 x Saab JAS-39 Gripen and 2 x Aero L-159 of the Czech Air Force, based at AFB Čáslav, inflight. http://ift.tt/2BZz8w6

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2017 is Brazilian battleship São Paulo.
São Paulo was a dreadnought battleship in the Brazilian Navy, the second of two ships in the Minas Geraes class. Launched in 1909 and commissioned a year later, São Paulo was soon involved in the Revolt of the Lash, in which crews on four Brazilian warships mutinied over poor pay and harsh punishments for even minor offenses. In 1922 the ship fired its guns in anger for the first time, attacking a fort that had been taken during the Tenente revolts. Two years later, mutineers took control of the ship and sailed to Montevideo where they obtained asylum. In the 1930s, São Paulo was passed over for modernization. When Brazil entered the Second World War, the ship sailed to the port of Recife and remained there as the port's main defense for the duration of the war. Stricken from the naval register in 1947, the dreadnought remained as a training vessel until 1951, when it was taken under tow to be scrapped in the United Kingdom. The tow lines broke during a strong gale in November when the ships were 150 nmi (280 km; 170 mi) north of the Azores, and São Paulo was lost.

Picture of the day for December 27, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 27, 2017: Snowboarder Sergey Lapushkin at Slopestyle LG/FIS World Cup 2012, Stoneham ski resort, Quebec, Canada. http://ift.tt/2DiQobP

Monday, December 25, 2017

Picture of the day for December 26, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 26, 2017: Cablecar type Funifor Arabba Porta Vescovo in Italy http://ift.tt/2n6sWYv

Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2017 is Canadian Indian residential school system.
The Canadian Indian residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous children who were removed from their families and culture to be assimilated into Canadian culture. It was funded by the government's Department of Indian Affairs, in keeping with the Indian Act of 1876, and administered by various churches. Over more than a century about 30 percent of Indigenous children (roughly 150,000) were placed in residential schools, where at least 6,000 of them died. The schools were intentionally located far away from home communities, and parental visits were further restricted by a pass system that confined Indigenous peoples to reserves. Students often graduated unable to fit into either their home communities or Canadian society, and impacted families have suffered disproportionately from post-traumatic stress, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide. The last federally operated residential school closed in 1996. The 2015 findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that the system amounted to cultural genocide.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Picture of the day for December 25, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 25, 2017: Nativity of Christ at the winged altar of the parish- and pilgrimage church Kefermarkt, Upper Austria. Anonymous master (Master of the Kefermarkt Altarpiece), around 1497. http://ift.tt/2DHZX55

Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2017 is Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (25 December 1876  – 11 September 1948) is honoured as the founder of Pakistan, where his birthday is observed as a national holiday. He served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan's independence from Great Britain in 1947, and then as the first Governor-General of Pakistan until his death. Jinnah rose to prominence in the Indian National Congress in the first two decades of the 20th century. In these early years of his political career, he advocated Hindu–Muslim unity, helping to shape the 1916 Lucknow Pact between the Congress and the All-India Muslim League. By 1940, he had come to believe that Muslims of the Indian subcontinent should have their own state. As the first leader of Pakistan, he worked to establish the nation's government and policies, and to aid the millions of Muslim migrants who had emigrated from the new nation of India to Pakistan after independence, personally supervising the establishment of refugee camps. Several universities and public buildings in Pakistan bear Jinnah's name.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Picture of the day for December 24, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 24, 2017: Union Square, San Francisco is a public plaza. Here, it is decorated for Christmas with a skating rink and a Christmas tree. This view is from the public rooftop terrace at the flagship store of Macy's West. http://ift.tt/2pkACLt

Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2017 is The American Bible Challenge.
The American Bible Challenge (2012–2014) is a Biblical-themed American television game show created by Game Show Network. The series is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy (pictured), joined by Kirk Franklin in the second season. Each season of the series is played as a nine-episode tournament with six episodes of opening rounds, two semi-finals, and a final. Each opening round starts with three teams of three contestants answering questions about the Bible. One contestant from each team participates in the following round. The two highest-scoring teams compete in a final one-minute round, and a $20,000 prize is donated to a charity of the winning team's choice. Over the course of the season, winning teams advance to semi-final games and then to a final game with a grand prize of $100,000, for a total possible payout of $140,000 for the season winner's charity. The show became GSN's highest rated original program in the history of the network. In 2014, the show received a nomination at the 41st Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show, and Foxworthy was nominated as Outstanding Game Show Host.

Friday, December 22, 2017

Picture of the day for December 23, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 23, 2017: Sculpture “Zwei Pferde für Münster” (Stephan Huber, 2002) at the LVM building, Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, GermanyThe second horse is inside the building and in the background from this angle. http://ift.tt/2pejxT8

Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2017 is Mortimer Wheeler.
Mortimer Wheeler (1890–1976) was a British archaeologist and army officer who served as Director of the National Museum of Wales and the London Museum, headed the Archaeological Survey of India, and wrote twenty-four books on archaeology. He argued that excavation and the recording of stratigraphic context required an increasingly scientific and methodical approach, developing the "Wheeler Method". In 1934, he established the Institute of Archaeology as part of the federal University of London, becoming its Honorary Director and overseeing excavations of the Roman sites at Lydney Park and Verulamium and the Iron Age hill fort of Maiden Castle. During World War II, he rose to the rank of brigadier, serving in the North African Campaign and the Allied invasion of Italy. In India, he oversaw excavations of sites at Harappa, Arikamedu, and Brahmagiri. In later life, his popular books, cruise ship lectures, and appearances on radio and television, particularly the BBC series Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?, helped to bring archaeology to a mass audience. Appointed Honorary Secretary of the British Academy, he raised large sums of money for archaeological projects.

BUILDING A LOW-CARBON, CLIMATE RESILIENT FUTURE: SECURE, CLEAN AND EFFICIENT ENERGY

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020Pillar: Societal ChallengesPlanned Opening Date: Deadline: Tue, 4 Sep 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2017Latest information: The FAQs for this call as well as the SEAP and SECAPtemplates are now available in the 'Additional documents' section of this topic.

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European Researchers' Night

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-MSCA-NIGHT-2018Pillar: Excellent ScienceOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 14 Feb 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2017Latest information: The revised Guide for Applicants version 2.0 is now available under "Topics conditions". The modifications introduced relate to: Page 5: introduction of a reference to the guidance note on pre-events Page 6: further details related to the European Year of Cultural Heritage and direct link to the website for obtaining the label (footnote) Page 14: indication of the overall evaluation threshold (10/15 instead of 10,5/15) Page 40: addition of Annex 2 "Guidance note related to the pre-events.

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Call for proposals for action grants under 2017 Rights, Equality and Citizenship Work Programme

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: REC-AG-2017Pillar: REC Programme 2014-2020Opening Date: Deadline: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2017Latest information: A questions and answers document has been added under Topic description and documents, Additional documents.

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Science with and for Society

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-SwafS-2018-2020Pillar: Science with and for SocietyOpening Date: Deadline: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2017Latest information: A policy briefing for the 2018 topics of the H2020-SwafS-2018-2020 call (Science with and for Society) has been recorded and is accessible together with the slides under 'Topic conditions and documents', section '8. Additional documents'."

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COMPETITIVE LOW-CARBON ENERGY

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-LCE-2016-2017Pillar: Societal ChallengesOpening Date: Deadline: Tue, 5 Apr 2016 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2017Latest information: Please note that the latest information on results (Flash Call Info) of the evaluation of the topics LCE-10-2017, LCE-11-2017, LCE-12-2017, LCE-14-2017, LCE-16-2017, LCE-18-2017, LCE-19-2017, LCE-20-2017, (that closed on 07 September 2017) can be found in the "Additional Documents" section of the relevant topic.

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Inducement prize: Big Data technologies

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-BigDataPrize-2017Pillar: Industrial LeadershipOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2017Latest information: The submission session is now available for: BigDataPrize-01-2017(IPr)

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Horizon 2020 dedicated SME Instrument 2016-2017

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017Pillar: Industrial LeadershipOpening Date: Deadline: Thu, 6 Apr 2017 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017Latest information: An overview of the evaluation results (flash call info - 07-11-2017 cut-off - Phase I) is now available under the Call 'Additional documents' tab.

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Sustainable Food Security – Resilient and resource-efficient value chains

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-SFS-2016-2017Pillar: Societal ChallengesOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017Latest information: An overview of the evaluation results (Flash Call Information) is now available under the tab 'Additional documents'.

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Bio-based innovation for sustainable goods and services - Supporting the development of a European Bioeconomy

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-BB-2016-2017Pillar: Societal ChallengesOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2017Latest information: An overview of the evaluation results (Flash Call Information) is now available under the tab 'Additional documents'.

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Call for proposals to support awareness raising and information campaigns on the risks of irregular migration in selected third-countries

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: AMIF-2017-AG-INFOPillar: Legal migration and integrationOpening Date: Deadline: Thu, 5 Apr 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017Latest information: The submission session is now available for: AMIF-2017-AG-INFO(AMIF-AG)

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Rural Renaissance - Fostering innovation and business opportunities

[Source: http://ift.tt/2pffPJb] Identifier: H2020-RUR-2016-2017Pillar: Societal ChallengesOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2017Latest information: An overview of the evaluation results (Flash Call Information) is now available under the tab 'Additional documents'.

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Olea Research & Innovation devlopment day - 25 January 2018, Jaén, Spain

[Source: Research & Innovation] The UNIVERSITY OF JAÉN (Spain) is located in the province of Jaén (Andalusian Region), which is the main producer of olive oil in the world. After the success of the networking event held in Brussels on 29th June 2017 (http://bit.ly/2ykNKD4) and in order to foster the joint participation of researchers, enterprises, public administrations, universities, research institutes, organizations, olive mills, etc., the University of Jaén will be hosting the so-called OLEA R&I PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DAY on 25th January 2018. This Event will count on the advice of H2020 experts and, among others, will cover the following areas of expertise of the olive sector: • (A) Biomass for the production of biofuels • (B) Biomass for the production of renewable electricity/thermal energy • (C) Earth Sciences/Ecology • (D) Genomics and Metabolonics • (E) Health • (F) ICT • (G) Marketing and Economy • (H) Robotics and Automation Registration will be open until 22nd January 2018. Welcome to OLEA!

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Message from Alliance4Life - 30 January 2018, Brussels, Belgium

[Source: Research & Innovation] We are pleased to invite you to the kick-off meeting of the strategic project of ten leading life science institutions from nine EU-13 countries. The main objective of the event is to present Alliance4Life, a bottom-up initiative aimed at closing the divide in European health research and innovation. Alliance4Life intends to become a role model for institutions in less performing regions and to serve as a hub of excellence through close collaboration with renowned European networks established in high performing countries. The initiative is supported by the Coordination Action „Alliance for Life Sciences: Closing Research and Innovation Divide in the EU“ under H2020 and coordinated by Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC).

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Research Headlines - Going big with microalgae biotechnology

[Source: Research & Innovation] Sun, seawater and sewage: microalgae can thrive on feedstock that is freely available and the resulting biomass can be used to make high-value products such as biostimulants and biopesticides. But can this be done viably on a large scale? Let us demonstrate, say EU-funded researchers building an integrated biorefinery.

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F4E’s safety assessment of the Test Blanket Systems delivered to ITER IO

[Source: F4E] The technical documentation is needed to integrate the TBSs into the larger ITER safety demonstration.

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Research Headlines - 'Sticky' solution found for lighter aircraft

[Source: Research & Innovation] Although using composite materials to make aircraft lighter reduces the environmental impact of air travel, safety regulations demand heavy mechanical fastening. Now EU-funded research has demonstrated that high-performance adhesives can comply with strict safety requirements.

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Press Centre - Turning solar and bioenergy into electricity: two new technologies will enter commercial demonstration phase thanks to EU loans

[Source: Research & Innovation] Two first-of-a-kind projects aimed at demonstrating commercially innovative ways of harnessing solar and bioenergy will be built thanks to loans totalling €45 million from the InnovFin Energy Demo Projects (EDP) facility - funded under Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme. Successful demonstration will pave the way for future commercialisation of these technologies.

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Thursday, December 21, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 22, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 22, 2017 is Blast Corps.
Blast Corps is an action video game for the Nintendo 64, released worldwide on December 22, 1997, in which the player uses vehicles to destroy buildings in the path of a runaway nuclear missile carrier. Through the game's 57 levels, the player solves puzzles by moving objects and bridging gaps with the vehicles. The game was developed at Rare by a small team of recent graduates over the course of a year. They were inspired, in part, by the puzzle elements of Donkey Kong (1994). Nintendo published and released Blast Corps to critical acclaim in March 1997 in Japan and North America, with a wider release at the year's end. The game received several editor's choice awards and Metacritic's second highest Nintendo 64 ratings of 1997, but sold below the team's expectations at one million copies. Reviewers praised the game's originality, variety, and graphics, but some critiqued its controls and repetition. Reviewers of the 2015 Rare Replay retrospective compilation noted Blast Corps as a standout title.

Picture of the day for December 22, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 22, 2017: Inside the Agra Fort, India http://ift.tt/2p8kvR1

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 21, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 21, 2017 is Musca.
Musca (Latin: fly) is a small constellation in the deep southern sky. It was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, first appearing on a 35-cm (14 in) diameter celestial globe by Plancius and Jodocus Hondius published in 1597 or 1598 in Amsterdam. The first depiction in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603. Musca remains below the horizon for most Northern Hemisphere observers. Many of the constellation's brighter stars are in the Scorpius–Centaurus Association, hot blue-white stars that appear to share a common origin and motion across the Milky Way. These include Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Zeta2 and (likely) Eta Muscae, as well as HD 100546, a blue-white Herbig Ae/Be star that is surrounded by a complex debris disk containing a large planet or brown dwarf and possible protoplanet. Two further star systems have been found to have planets. The constellation also contains two Cepheid variables visible to the naked eye. Theta Muscae is a triple star system, the brightest member of which is a Wolf–Rayet star.

Picture of the day for December 21, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 21, 2017: Aurora australis dancing over an LED illuminated igloo giving a blue tinge to the color of snow. http://ift.tt/2kS5k9f

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 20, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 20, 2017 is Guilden Morden boar.
The Guilden Morden boar is a sixth- or seventh-century Anglo-Saxon copper alloy figure of a boar that may have once served as the crest of a helmet. It was found around 1864 or 1865 in a grave in the village of Guilden Morden in Cambridgeshire. Herbert George Fordham, whose father discovered the boar, donated it to the British Museum in 1904, where it is now displayed. It is simply designed, with a prominent mane; eyes, eyebrows, nostrils and tusks are only faintly present. A pin and socket design formed by the front and hind legs suggests that the boar was mounted on another object, such as a helmet. Boar-crested helmets are a staple of Anglo-Saxon imagery, evidence of a Germanic tradition in which the boar invoked the protection of the gods. They may have been common, and in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, boar-adorned helmets are mentioned five times. The Guilden Morden boar is one of three known to have survived to the present, together with the ones on helmets from Benty Grange and Wollaston.

Picture of the day for December 20, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 20, 2017: Barbed wire of a fence, Dülmen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany http://ift.tt/2CFqIpp

Research Headlines - Lab-on-a-chip technology for food safety

[Source: Research & Innovation] Food safety tests could soon be easier and faster: EU-funded researchers are developing lab-on-a-chip technology for the rapid detection of multiple pathogens in multiple samples. Work on a portable pre-industrial prototype is under way.

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SMEs - EU to invest over &8364;114 million to help 262 small businesses bring their innovation on the market

[Source: Research & Innovation] A total of 262 small and medium-sized companies have been selected for funding under the latest round of Horizon 2020's SME Instrument. The total amount to be distributed to the companies under both Phases of the programme is €114.237 million. With this funding, companies will be able to finance their innovation activities ranging from feasibility studies to market launch.

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Monday, December 18, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 19, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 19, 2017 is Chad Harris-Crane.
Chad Harris-Crane is a fictional character on the American soap opera Passions, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2007 and on DirecTV in 2007–08. Developed by the soap's creator and head writer James E. Reilly, Chad was portrayed by Donn Swaby (1999 to 2002) and Charles Divins (2002 to 2007). The son of the evil patriarch Alistair Crane of the Crane family, Chad becomes involved in a love triangle with the sisters Whitney and Simone Russell. He is initially believed to be Whitney's half-brother, but is revealed to be her adoptive cousin. His later storylines focus on his confusion over his sexual identity; his relationship with tabloid reporter Vincent Clarkson includes a depiction of the two men having sex, the first such scene in any daytime soap opera. Chad attempts to reconcile with Whitney before being killed by Alistair. Critical response to Chad was mixed; some reviewers praised the handling of the incest storyline and the representation of LGBT characters of color on daytime television, while others criticized his relationship with Vincent as an irresponsible representation of racial and sexual identity.

Picture of the day for December 19, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 19, 2017: Sand lizard female (Lacerta agilis). Ukraine http://ift.tt/2CYNlpD

Research Headlines - Weaving a fresh narrative around technological change

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU-funded project retold the story of the mechanisation of British textile production, by placing industrialisation into a wider context. The results provide fresh insights into technological change that are still relevant today.

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Sunday, December 17, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 18, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 18, 2017 is Galaxy Science Fiction.
Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by World Editions and sold two years later to Robert Guinn, the magazine's printer. Its first editor, H. L. Gold, rapidly made Galaxy the leading science fiction magazine of its time, focusing on stories about social issues rather than technology, including Ray Bradbury's "The Fireman" (later expanded as Fahrenheit 451), Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters, and Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. Frederik Pohl, who had been doing most of the production work for some time, took over as editor officially in 1961. Until his departure in 1969, Galaxy had continued success, regularly publishing fiction by writers such as Cordwainer Smith, Jack Vance, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Silverberg. At its peak, Galaxy greatly influenced the science fiction field. Gold brought a "sophisticated intellectual subtlety" to magazine science fiction, according to Pohl. Historian David Kyle suggests that Gold's new direction led to the experimental New Wave, the defining science fiction literary movement of the 1960s.

Picture of the day for December 18, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 18, 2017: Main reredos of the Chapel of the Rosary in St Domingo church in the Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador. The catholic temple was constructed between 1540 and 1688 following the plans of architect Francisco Becerra. The baroque chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, is the most featurable in the church and was painted by priest Pedro Bedón at the beginning of the 17th century. http://ift.tt/2kGY28i

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 17, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 17, 2017 is Persoonia terminalis.
Persoonia terminalis, the Torrington geebung, is a rare shrub belonging to the family Proteaceae, and native to northern New South Wales and southern Queensland in eastern Australia. Reported as a subspecies of Persoonia nutans in 1981, it was described as a species by Lawrie Johnson and his colleague Peter Weston in 1991. Two subspecies‍—‌P. t. terminalis and P. t. recurva‍—‌are recognised; both are found on well-drained acidic soils in sclerophyll forests, and P. t. terminalis is also found on granite outcrops. Although similar in appearance, they differ in leaf length and curvature. Both have a restricted range, with P. t. terminalis found in an area of under 100 square kilometres (39 square miles). P. terminalis grows to 1.5 metres (5 feet), with an upright or spreading habit, and narrow, short leaves up to 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) in length. The yellow flowers mainly appear in December and January (Australia's temperate zone summer), and are followed by purple-striped green drupes (stone fruit). The fruit of persoonias are edible, and dispersed by wild vertebrates.

Picture of the day for December 17, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 17, 2017: Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis), Bryce Canyon, Utah (USA). http://ift.tt/2k4AFpt

Friday, December 15, 2017

Picture of the day for December 16, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 16, 2017: Zedelnig mountain (2,330 metres (7,640 ft)) and alpine pasture Jamnigalm in the Tauern Valley near Mallnitz, High Tauern National Park, Carinthia http://ift.tt/2BwCIwJ

Wikipedia article of the day for December 16, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 16, 2017 is Portman Road.
Portman Road is an association football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It has been the home ground of Ipswich Town Football Club since 1884. The stadium has also hosted many England youth international matches, and one senior England international exhibition game, against Croatia in 2003. It has staged several other sporting events, including athletics meetings and international field hockey matches. In addition, musical concerts and Christian events have been held at the ground. The stadium underwent significant redevelopments in the early 2000s, which increased the capacity from 22,600 to a current figure of 30,311, making it the largest capacity football ground in East Anglia. Each of its four stands have since been converted to all-seater (eliminating standing-room only tickets), following the recommendations of the Taylor Report. Also located at the ground are conference and banqueting facilities, the Sir Bobby Robson Suite, and Legends Bar.

EMPHASIS Summer School 2018. Emerging pests and diseases in horticultural crops: innovative solution - 2-6 July 2018, Grugliasco (TO), Italy

[Source: Research & Innovation] The overall goal of EMPHASIS is to develop and promote the take-up of practical and effective solutions to prevent and protect European crops from native and alien pest threats, improving productivity and resilience of European agriculture, in the context of climate change. The course is made up of three sections: • innovative strategies for diagnosis and management in horticultural crops • emerging pests in horticultural crops • use of LAMP technology This course aims to train young researchers on epidemiological issues related to emerging pests and pathogens, and on innovative management strategies in horticultural systems. It also aims to provide skills about the use of innovative and effective diagnostic systems.

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Research Headlines - Possible new vaccines against bacterial infections

[Source: Research & Innovation] EU-funded research has shown how skin cells can warn our immune systems of an impending bacterial attack, offering the potential for vaccines against antibiotic-resistant infections that could save lives.

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European Steel: The Wind of Change, Brussels Seminar - 31 January 2018, Brussels

[Source: Research & Innovation] After a political introduction, this Seminar will shed light on the opportunities offered by RFCS, the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, Horizon 2020 and the Innovation Fund. With the insights from industrial and research stakeholders, the first two sessions will focus on ‘Energy in future steelmaking’ and ‘Steel in the energy market applications’. The third session will explore the technological paths towards ‘Greening European steel’. These proposals will be discussed by a roundtable of European and national policy-makers that will address issues related to industrial policy, R&I and the EU multi-annual financial perspectives. A ‘Steel and Society’ action will highlight the questions of skills needed in the steel sector. The conclusions of this Seminar will feed the Industry Days of 22 and 23 February 2018. The seminar will be by invitation only. For more information, please contact Domenico.Rossetti-di-Valdalbero@ec.europa.eu, Deputy Head of Unit ‘Coal and Steel’ in DG RTD.

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Thursday, December 14, 2017

Picture of the day for December 15, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 15, 2017: Fog and frost on the Lysekil railway at Gåseberg in Lysekil Municipality, Sweden. The railway was inaugurated in 1913 and is still in use. http://ift.tt/2AGCUJX

Wikipedia article of the day for December 15, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 15, 2017 is Hawker Hurricane in Yugoslav service.
The Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft was in Yugoslav service from 1938 to 1941 and 1944 to 1951. The Royal Yugoslav Air Force obtained 24 of the British fighters commencing on 15 December 1938 from early production batches, the first foreign sale of the aircraft. Twenty additional fighter aircraft were built by Zmaj under licence in Yugoslavia. When the country was drawn into World War II by the German-led Axis invasion of April 1941, the aircraft achieved some successes against the Luftwaffe, but all the Yugoslav Hurricanes were destroyed or captured during the 11-day invasion. In mid-1944, the Yugoslav Partisans formed two Royal Air Force squadrons, Nos. 351 and 352, which both operated Hurricane fighter-bombers. No. 351 Squadron flew Hurricane Mk IICs during training and was later equipped with Hurricane Mk IVs, and No. 352 briefly flew Hurricane Mk IICs during training before re-equipping with Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vs. Both squadrons operated as part of No. 281 Wing RAF of the Balkan Air Force, conducting ground attack missions in support of the Partisans. Hurricanes remained in service with the post-war Yugoslav Air Force until the early 1950s.

Research Headlines - Creating high-value chemicals from waste

[Source: Research & Innovation] EU-funded researchers have developed new bio-processes to create high-value chemicals from the waste resulting from bio-diesel production. A true addition to the circular economy, their achievements promise a better and greener chemical industry.

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European Battery Cell R&I Workshop - 11-12 January 2018, Albert Borschette Congress Center (CCAB) - Rue Froissart 36, 1040 Brussels

[Source: Research & Innovation] The European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, is pleased to announce the "European Battery Cell R&I Workshop", that will be held in Brussels on Thursday 11th and Friday 12th January 2018. In the context of "EU Batteries Alliance", an extra budget of € 100 million has become available to finance new topics on batteries to be included in the Horizon 2020 Work Programme for 2019 and 2020.This workshop is a great opportunity to set short and medium term priorities by discussing the possible topics descriptions for next generation batteries research. On January 11th in the afternoon, plenary speakers will grasp the state of the art in battery cell R&I and further identify the progresses and challenges in battery cell R&I. On January 12th, in-depth discussions will shed light in the possible topics and provide implications for short-to-medium term strategy on battery cell R&I. Please refer to the discussion paper for the outline of the discussions. Gathering wide range of stakeholders including research organisations, cell manufacturers, material suppliers, OEMs, battery pack/module suppliers and national organisations, this workshop provides an invaluable opportunity to discover latest developments and shape the future of European battery cell R&I.We look forward to welcoming you in Brussels.

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Picture of the day for December 14, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 14, 2017: First sunbeams sweep over a winter landscape. Path between Put van Nederhorst and Langweerderwielen. Location, Langweerderwielen (Langwarder Wielen) and surroundings, De Fryske Marren, Friesland, Netherlands. http://ift.tt/2yoGdiO

Wikipedia article of the day for December 14, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 14, 2017 is Morihei Ueshiba.
Morihei Ueshiba (December 14, 1883 – April 26, 1969) was the founder of the Japanese martial art of aikido. The son of a landowner from Tanabe, he studied martial arts in his youth, and served in the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War. In 1907 he moved to Hokkaidō as the head of a pioneer settlement and studied with Takeda Sōkaku, the founder of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. In 1919 Ueshiba joined the Ōmoto-kyō movement, a Shinto sect, in Ayabe, and opened his first dojo. He accompanied the head of the group, Onisaburo Deguchi, on an expedition to Mongolia in 1924, where they were captured by Chinese troops and returned to Japan. Moving to Tokyo in 1926, he set up the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. He taught at this dojo and others around Japan, including several military academies. After World War II he retired to Iwama, and continued training at a dojo he had set up there. He continued to promote aikido throughout Japan and abroad until the 1960s. Many of his students became noted martial artists in their own right, and aikido is now practiced around the world.

REWARD Final event - 18 April 2018, Vienna, Austria

[Source: Research & Innovation] The REWARD Project is almost completed and we are happy to announce a final stakeholder event together with the dieper project in order to show final REWARD results as well as first (dieper) results. The dieper project is almost midway. We would like to share the REWARD innovations, the results we have achieved in both projects, and our vision for the future of diesel engines at the Transport Research Arena 2018 which will be held from 16-19 April 2018 in Vienna, Austria. The REWARD Project The goal of REWARD is to develop advanced diesel engines that are able to respond to the demands of the future. The REWARD consortium is taking on the challenge of developing diesel powertrains and aftertreatment technologies for the next generation of cleaner passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. As the fuel economy of Diesel engines is substantially higher than for gasoline engines, REWARD plays into this enormous improvement potential to stimulate the development and use of Diesel engines in all vehicle classes.

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Swiss Science Briefing: Towards a European Open Science Cloud - 30 January 2018, Brussels, Belgium

[Source: Research & Innovation] How to harness the power of open data? Getting inspiration from the work of the Swiss Data Science Center. The Briefing, jointly organised by the Mission of Switzerland to the EU and SwissCore, will start with a presentation of Edouard Bugnion, Vice-President of the EPFL and Academic Co-Director of the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC). He will elaborate on the work of the SDSC, its main challenges and opportunities to secure a ‘truly open global science’. Christophe Rossel, Vice-President of the European Physical Society and member of the Open Science Policy Platform and Jean-Claude Burgelman, Head of Unit ‘Open Data Policy and Science Cloud, Directorate-General Research and Innovation, European Commission, will then join a panel discussion where they will share their insights on the development of the European Open Science Cloud. After the briefing, the participants are welcome to enjoy a networking reception.

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Research Headlines - EU teen suicide prevention programme goes global

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU-funded project created an interactive suicide prevention programme to promote mental health in teenagers. Following considerable success in a wide-ranging trial involving thousands of students, it is now being used worldwide to save lives.

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JT-60SA cryostat vessel body manufacturing completed and on its way to Japan

[Source: F4E] Following the full completion of the manufacturing, the JT-60SA cryostat vessel body’s 12 large sectors are currently making their way from

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Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Picture of the day for December 13, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 13, 2017: Two Soviet MiG-29 aircraft en route to an air show in British Columbia, Canada, are intercepted by F-15 Eagle aircraft of the 21st Tactical Fighter Wing. The Soviet MiG-29s are, for the first time, traveling to the Abbotsford International Airshow in Abbotsford, BC, Canada, to participate in the August 1989 airshow. The USAF F-15 Eagle interceptors actively guarding North American and United States of America's airspace are with the 21st Tactical Fighter Wing, headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB), Alaska, USA. http://ift.tt/2AfJJhb

Wikipedia article of the day for December 13, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 13, 2017 is Nights: Journey of Dreams.
Nights: Journey of Dreams is an action video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Wii. The sequel to the 1996 Sega Saturn title Nights into Dreams, it was first released in Japan, on 13 December 2007, followed by North America, Australia and Europe. The story follows two children, Will and Helen, who enter a dream world called Nightopia. When their nightmares come to life, they enlist the flying character Nights to help them stop the evil ruler Wizeman from escaping into the real world. The main objective of the game is to fly through rings while gathering keys to access new levels. The game's setting was designed to resemble England, especially parts of London. Development of Journey of Dreams began shortly after the release of Shadow the Hedgehog in 2005, and was headed by Sonic Team veteran Takashi Iizuka. The game received mixed reviews; critics praised its colourful visuals, boss battles and special effects, but most cited its poor control schemes, aesthetics and general gameplay as major flaws.

Success Stories - Smart designs and controls for a smoother, safer drive

[Source: Research & Innovation] Clever chassis designs and dynamic controls that adapt to the terrain are the way forward for safer, greener, better-performing vehicles. But these innovations are complex and costly to develop. Inspired by intelligent systems integration, an EU-backed project is helping to take this emerging technology mainstream.

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Research Headlines - Extracting and recycling vital metals to tackle supply risk

[Source: Research & Innovation] Essential for manufacturing high-tech products, rare earth metals are in short supply. EU-funded research is investigating how to extract rare earth magnets from electric vehicle motors and recycle them, in a move that could also create jobs in Europe's materials sector.

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European Innovation Council - Turning sunlight to sustainable fuel: Commission launches EIC Horizon Prize for Artificial Photosynthesis

[Source: Research & Innovation] The European Commission has launched the second of six European Innovation Council (EIC) Horizon Prizes, on Artificial Photosynthesis, run under Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation programme.

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Monday, December 11, 2017

Picture of the day for December 12, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 12, 2017: Malachite kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) on Lake Baringo, Kenya. To celebrate Jamhuri Day which marks Kenya's establishment as a republic on 12 December 1964. http://ift.tt/2z2jb4Y

Wikipedia article of the day for December 12, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 12, 2017 is William Beach Thomas.
William Beach Thomas (1868–1957) was a British author and journalist who worked as a war correspondent and wrote about nature and country life. After a short-lived career as a schoolmaster, he began to write articles for newspapers and periodicals, as well as books. During the early part of the First World War he defied military authorities by reporting news stories from the Western Front for his employer, the Daily Mail. He was briefly imprisoned before being granted official accreditation as a war correspondent. His book With the British on the Somme (1917) portrayed the English soldier in a very favourable light. Both France and Britain rewarded him with knighthoods after the war, but Beach Thomas regretted some of his wartime output. His primary interest as an adult was in rural matters. He was an advocate for the creation of national parks in England and Wales, and mourned the decline of traditional village society. He wrote extensively, particularly for The Observer newspaper and The Spectator, a conservative magazine. His book The English Landscape (1938) includes selections from his contributions to Country Life magazine.

Europe delivers to ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility the most powerful beam source to date

[Source: F4E] Commissioning and operation at SPIDER will start in early 2018 opening a new chapter for the heating systems of the biggest fusion device.

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Research Headlines - 'Future world' scenarios to paint a clearer climate change picture

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU-funded project's 'future world' scenarios are informing the development of innovative tools and measures to help vulnerable communities plan for, and adapt to, the effects of global warming - such as increased flooding, wild fires and extreme weather.

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Sunday, December 10, 2017

Picture of the day for December 11, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 11, 2017: Night view of Berlin Hauptbahnhof (English: Berlin Central Station), main railway station in Berlin, Germany. The station came into full operation in May 2006 and is located on the site of the historic Lehrter Bahnhof, which was opened in 1871 as the terminus of the railway linking Berlin with Lehrte (location near Hanover), which later became Germany's most important east-west main line. In 1987, it was extensively renovated to commemorate Berlin's 750th anniversary, and again in 2006 to its current appearance. http://ift.tt/2AJquO8

Wikipedia article of the day for December 11, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 11, 2017 is Nigel (bishop of Ely).
Nigel (c. 1100 – 1169) was Treasurer of England under King Henry I, before being appointed to the see, or bishopric, of Ely in 1133. Nigel owed his advancement to his uncle, Roger of Salisbury, a bishop and government minister. Following the accession of Henry I's successor, King Stephen, Nigel remained as treasurer only briefly. He rebelled and deserted to Stephen's rival Matilda, and never regained high office under Stephen. On the king's death, Nigel was returned to the treasurership by the new king, Henry II. In Nigel's second tenure as treasurer, he returned the administration to the practices of Henry I. He withdrew from much of his public work after around 1164, following an attack of paralysis. He was succeeded as treasurer by his son, Richard fitzNeal, whom he had trained in the operations of the Exchequer, or Treasury of England. Most historians have felt that Nigel's administrative abilities were excellent; he is considered to have been more talented as an administrator than as a religious figure.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 10, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 10, 2017 is Convention of 1833.
The Convention of 1833, a political gathering of settlers in Mexican Texas, was one in a series of unsuccessful attempts at political negotiation that eventually led to the Texas Revolution. It followed the Convention of 1832, whose resolutions had not been addressed by the Mexican government. Delegates met in San Felipe de Austin to draft a series of petitions, with the volatile William H. Wharton presiding. Although the convention's agenda largely mirrored that of the Convention of 1832, delegates also agreed to pursue independent statehood for the province, which was at the time part of the state of Coahuila y Tejas. Under the guidance of Sam Houston, former governor of the US state of Tennessee, a committee drafted a state constitution to submit to the Mexican Congress. Stephen F. Austin (pictured) journeyed to Mexico City to present the petitions to the government. Frustrated with the lack of progress, in October Austin wrote a letter encouraging Texans to form their own state government. This letter was forwarded to the Mexican government, and Austin was imprisoned in early 1834.

Picture of the day for December 10, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 10, 2017: X-ray crystallography is a tool used for identifying the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal. The movement of the machine during 80 second scan can give different view on how relatively slow scientific measurements can look frozen in time by shutter speed of 90 seconds. http://ift.tt/1QP2nSH

Friday, December 8, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 9, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 9, 2017 is Air Mata Iboe.
Air Mata Iboe ('"A Mother's Tears") is a 1941 film from the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) directed and written by Njoo Cheong Seng. Starring Fifi Young, Rd Ismail, Ali Sarosa, and Ali Joego, it follows a mother who raises her children lovingly but is ultimately betrayed by her wealthy eldest sons, who refuse to take her in when she falls on hard times. Unwilling to burden her destitute daughter, she depends on the kindness of strangers. The black-and-white film, billed as a musical extravaganza, features a soundtrack by R. Koesbini, and an eponymous title song written by Njoo. Eleven keroncong songs (a folk style with Portuguese influences) were written by music director R. Koesbini, who also appeared in the film. The last production completed by Fred Young's Majestic Film Company, Air Mata Iboe was released in December 1941, shortly before the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. This film, now possibly lost, received positive reviews. Young retook her role in a remake produced under the same title in 1957.

Picture of the day for December 9, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 9, 2017: Orthetrum luzonicum, Tricolored Marsh Hawk, is a medium sized dragonfly with blue, yellow and brown markings. This is a juvenile male. http://ift.tt/2kGwSBV

Research Headlines - The industry behind a quieter life

[Source: Research & Innovation] Tackling noise and vibration at the source is critical for a wide range of health reasons. With that in mind, EU-funded researchers have developed new tools to help design and build quieter and safer machinery for transport and industry.

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Thursday, December 7, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 8, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 8, 2017 is Ian Johnson (cricketer).
Ian Johnson (8 December 1917 – 9 October 1998) was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. He was on Don Bradman's Invincibles team, which went undefeated on their tour of England in 1948. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of 22.92 runs per dismissal. He captained the Australian team in 17 Tests, winning seven and losing five, including two consecutive losses in the Ashes series against England. Urbane, well-spoken and popular with his opponents and the public, he was seen by his teammates as a disciplinarian, and his natural optimism was often seen as naive. After retirement, Johnson worked for a time as a sports commentator, and covered the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. In 1957 he was appointed Secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club, remaining in the role for 26 years. In 1982 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to cricket.

Picture of the day for December 8, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 8, 2017: Großhadern is a Munich U-Bahn station on the U6, opened in 1993. http://ift.tt/2jrDX5P

Life Sciences Baltics 2018 - 26-27 September 2018, Vilnius, Lithuania

[Source: Research & Innovation] Life Sciences Baltics 2018 is the only international forum in the Baltics for world-class biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical devices experts from all around the world. It provides a unique opportunity to explore the new horizons of partnerships, exchange ideas and seek progress through networking. Discover enormous potential and passion in the field of life sciences in Lithuania and the Baltics – the gateway to emerging markets.

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Measuring and Modelling Cell Migration - 22-23 February 2018, Vienna, Austria

[Source: Research & Innovation] The symposium intends to bring together researchers from the fields of medicine, biology, biophysics, computer science, and mathematics who share an interest in cell migration. I t is based on the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network InCeM (incem.rwth-aachen.de/). The meeting will provide the opportunity for early stage researchers and advanced scientists from academia and industry, as well as internationally acclaimed leaders to engage in interdisciplinary discussions and personal exchange. While all participants are encouraged to present their data, we are pleased to welcome renowned experts as keynote speakers as well.

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Tour d'Europe, Sofia - 29 January 2018, Bulgaria

[Source: Research & Innovation] In autumn 2017 and winter 2018, the RISE (Research, Innovation, Science Experts) group of advisors to Commissioner for Research, Science & Innovation, Carlos Moedas, are touring European capitals to meet with independent experts and think tanks in the field of research and innovation.The Tour d’Europe takes place in the context of President Juncker' initiative of a wide and open reflection on the future direction of the European project.The RISE Tour d’Europe will focus on the field of research and innovation and its role in wider European policy. This involves a dialogue between the RISE group and independent think tanks, not directly connected to national administrations. The participants will be policy advisers, economists, academics, and intellectuals.The RISE group will use the tour to present the findings of their report “Europe’s future: Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World”. The national hosts will put forward the main economic and policy perspectives of their country.A final report on Opening R&I for EU’s future will be presented after the end of the tour in mid-2018.

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Tour d'Europe, Turin - 25 January 2018, Italy

[Source: Research & Innovation] In autumn 2017 and winter 2018, the RISE (Research, Innovation, Science Experts) group of advisors to Commissioner for Research, Science & Innovation, Carlos Moedas, are touring European capitals to meet with independent experts and think tanks in the field of research and innovation.The Tour d’Europe takes place in the context of President Juncker' initiative of a wide and open reflection on the future direction of the European project.The RISE Tour d’Europe will focus on the field of research and innovation and its role in wider European policy. This involves a dialogue between the RISE group and independent think tanks, not directly connected to national administrations. The participants will be policy advisers, economists, academics, and intellectuals.The RISE group will use the tour to present the findings of their report “Europe’s future: Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World”. The national hosts will put forward the main economic and policy perspectives of their country.A final report on Opening R&I for EU’s future will be presented after the end of the tour in mid-2018. The Turin event is hosted by the Compagnia di San Paolo.

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1st HBP Curriculum workshop series - Cognitive systems for non-specialists - 13-15 March 2018, Munich, Germany

[Source: Research & Innovation] Cognitive systems are devices that are designed to mimic cognitive skills of higher developed biological organisms at varying levels of complexity and performance. Models of these skills can be either abstract functional descriptions from the vast field of cognitive science or detailed simulations of brain circuits from neuroscience. Novel hardware designs and the steadily increasing availability of cheap computing resources have recently yielded remarkable results especially with the latter models. The goal of this course is to provide a definitive introduction to the theory of cognitive systems. Drawing from advances in brain research, the topic is approached from a computational-neuroscientific perspective rather than an abstract-psychological one, bridging the gap between the physical structure of the brain and the logical organization of its cognitive capabilities. Special focus is put on the role of robotics as a means to ground cognitive function in bodies that physically interact within different types of environments.

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Tour d'Europe, Vienna - 15 January 2018, Austria

[Source: Research & Innovation] In autumn 2017 and winter 2018, the RISE (Research, Innovation, Science Experts) group of advisors to Commissioner for Research, Science & Innovation, Carlos Moedas, are touring European capitals to meet with independent experts and think tanks in the field of research and innovation.The Tour d’Europe takes place in the context of President Juncker' initiative of a wide and open reflection on the future direction of the European project.The RISE Tour d’Europe will focus on the field of research and innovation and its role in wider European policy. This involves a dialogue between the RISE group and independent think tanks, not directly connected to national administrations. The participants will be policy advisers, economists, academics, and intellectuals.The RISE group will use the tour to present the findings of their report “Europe’s future: Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World”. The national hosts will put forward the main economic and policy perspectives of their country.A final report on Opening R&I for EU’s future will be presented after the end of the tour in mid-2018. The Vienna event is co-hosted by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Austrian Institute of Technology.

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Research Headlines - Green manufacturing for the pharmaceutical industry

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU and industry-funded project has developed environmentally friendly chemistry processes for drug manufacturing. As well as being better for the planet, the new processes will also enable the industry to cut costs and could lead to cheaper medicines for patients.

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Research Headlines - Stimulating the development of new antibiotics

[Source: Research & Innovation] Many advances of modern medicine rely heavily on antibiotics - which can, however, lose their effectiveness over time as bacteria adapt. New types of these precious drugs are urgently needed. EU and industry-funded researchers are looking into ways to foster the required innovation.

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Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Picture of the day for December 7, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 7, 2017: HMS Belfast (C35) ship on the River Thames and Tower Bridge in London before sunrise http://ift.tt/2iurjSJ

Wikipedia article of the day for December 7, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 7, 2017 is Habits (Stay High).
"Habits (Stay High)" is a song recorded by Swedish singer Tove Lo, self-released as a single in March 2013, and re-released on 6 December 2013 by Universal Music. It appeared on her debut extended play, Truth Serum, and was the lead single from her debut studio album, Queen of the Clouds. Written by Lo and its producers, Ludvig Söderberg and Jakob Jerlström, it is an electropop song featuring a minimal and upbeat electronic instrumentation. The lyrics describe the singer's attempts to forget her previous boyfriend through substance abuse, drinking and other hedonistic practices. The song was well received by most critics, who commended its lyrics and production. It sold over 2.6 million copies in the United States and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest position on that chart by a Swedish artist since "The Sign" by Ace of Base (1994). The track topped the charts in Poland and Romania, and peaked within the top ten in many countries. The single was named Song of the Year at the 2015 Grammis Awards in Sweden.

Research Headlines - Pioneering citizen manifesto for secure, clean energy

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU-funded research team has studied the impacts of economics, social cohesion, technology as well as geopolitical and environmental issues on secure and sustainable energy supplies in Europe. They developed a pioneering citizen manifesto for energy governance and the transition to reliable, renewable sources.

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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Wikipedia article of the day for December 6, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 6, 2017 is Halifax Explosion.
The Halifax Explosion was a maritime disaster in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the morning of 6 December 1917. SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship laden with high explosives bound for Bordeaux, France, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, north-west of the upper Halifax Harbour. When a fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, around 2,000 people were killed by the blast, debris, fires and collapsed buildings, and an estimated 9,000 others were injured. Nearly all structures within an 800-metre (half-mile) radius, including the entire community of Richmond, were obliterated. A pressure wave snapped trees, bent iron rails, demolished buildings, grounded vessels, and scattered fragments of Mont-Blanc for kilometres. A tsunami created by the blast wiped out the community of Mi'kmaq First Nations people who had lived in the Tufts Cove area for generations. The blast was the largest man-made explosion prior to the development of nuclear weapons, releasing the equivalent energy of roughly 2.9 kilotons of TNT (12,000 GJ). There are several memorials to the victims of the explosion in the North End of Halifax.

Picture of the day for December 6, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 6, 2017: Panoramic view of Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg, Russia. http://ift.tt/2BEf51r

Information Event: MSCA Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) 2018, London - 9 January 2018, London, United Kingdom

[Source: Research & Innovation] The UK Research Office (UKRO), in its capacity as UK National Contact Point for the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), is holding an information event in London, UK for UK organisations interested in applying to the 2018 MSCA Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Action (RISE) call, which opened on 22 November 2017 and has a deadline of 21 March 2018.

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Webinar - Implementing a pathway approach for climate change adaptation at the local level - 11 December 2017, Brussels, Belgium

[Source: Research & Innovation] Planning for adaptation and selecting the right measures to implement while coping with a wide range of uncertainties is a challenge for many Covenant of Mayors signatories. The goal of this webinar is to tackle this issue. Has your city already defined or is in the process of defining and assessing options for adaptation measures? At the same time, you are not sure which ones to implement and in which order? And you would like to find out which options to choose for which (uncertain) future climate scenario? Then this webinar is for you. The session will focus on assessing adaptation options and familiarise you in particular with the so-called adaptation pathway approach. This approach helps to prioritise adaptation options and assemble them in pathways: Information gathered during the phase of the risk and vulnerability assessment is used to evaluate the effectiveness of different adaptation options and considered together with the timing to assemble pathways of responses that will tackle previously defined climatic thresholds. Sounds complex? You will be guided through the session by experts from research institutes, who will explain how you can make use of their research findings in your local authority.

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Let’s shape our FOODure - 19 December 2017, Brussels, Belgium

[Source: Research & Innovation] In line with the current policy initiatives, where the development of food authenticity and safety systems is among the priorities of FOOD 2030 and helps to support some targets of the SDGs 2, 3 and 12, the proposed workshop, as final open event of the PRO-METROFOOD project, is an opportunity to discuss how the metrological tools could effectively strengthen the agrofood sector and the role of METROFOOD-RI in designing and implementing future scenarios of food traceability in Europe.

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Research Headlines - Improving quality of urban life for Europe's elderly

[Source: Research & Innovation] The EU-funded GRAGE project is taking an innovative approach to creating harmonious, sustainable and inclusive citizenship for the elderly in Europe's urban areas. Bringing together researchers from diverse fields, the project is also addressing the global challenges of urbanisation, demographic change and environmental distress.

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Research Headlines - New tool to help urban planners prepare for climate change

[Source: Research & Innovation] Climate change-related rising sea level, urban floods and heat waves will cause destruction and take lives in cities. The extent of these impacts will depend on how well and how quickly urban planners implement adaptation measures. The EU-funded RAMSES project has developed methodologies and a handbook to help urban planners estimate damage and adaptation costs, and transform cities.

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Monday, December 4, 2017

Picture of the day for December 5, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 5, 2017: View of a path and the Miscanti lake, altiplano of the Antofagasta Region, northern Chile. The brackish water lake, located in Los Flamencos National Reserve, is separated from Miñiques Lake by a lava flow from an eruption of Miñiques volcano. http://ift.tt/2jfsrdN

Wikipedia article of the day for December 5, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 5, 2017 is Yellowhammer.
The yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is a Eurasian bird in the bunting family that has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Falkland Islands. The male has a bright yellow head, streaked brown back, chestnut rump and yellow underparts. Other plumages are duller versions of the same pattern. The yellowhammer is common in open areas with some scrubs or trees, and forms small flocks in winter. The song is very similar to that of its closest relative, the pine bunting, with which it interbreeds. Two or three times a year, the female lays 3–5 eggs patterned with a mesh of fine dark lines in a cup nest. The bird's diet is mainly seeds, supplemented by invertebrates in the breeding season. The nest may be raided by rodents or by birds in the crow family, and the adults are hunted by birds of prey. Changes to agricultural practices have led to population declines in western Europe, but the species has a huge range and is not threatened. This conspicuous yellow bird has inspired poems by Robbie Burns and John Clare, and its song has influenced works by Beethoven and Messiaen.

Research Headlines - Making cities more sustainable with better wastewater management

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU-funded project developed new knowledge and techniques to improve how cities manage their wastewater and make Europe more resilient to climate change.

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Success Stories - Finding better and quicker ways to tackle TB

[Source: Research & Innovation] Tuberculosis is a silent killer. According to the World Health Organisation more than 10 million people were diagnosed with the disease in 2016. The previous year, some 1,8 million people died from it making TB one of the top ten main causes of death globally.

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Press Centre - Higher than global average: European companies jack up investment into research and development

[Source: Research & Innovation] European Union firms have significantly increased their investments in research and development (R&D), rising above the world's average growth rate. While the world's top 2500 companies in terms of investment into R&D increased this investment by 5.8% over 2016, companies with headquarters in the EU did so by 7%, with growth driven mainly by the ICT, health and automotive sectors.

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Sunday, December 3, 2017

Picture of the day for December 4, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 4, 2017: "Umschreibung" is an art installation by Olafur Eliasson in Munich. Here the spiral stairs are seen from below at night. http://ift.tt/2iIgVL3

Wikipedia article of the day for December 4, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 4, 2017 is Typhoon Omar.
Typhoon Omar of 1992 was the strongest and most destructive typhoon to strike Guam since Typhoon Pamela in 1976. It formed on August 23 from the monsoon trough across the western Pacific Ocean, and made landfall on Guam five days later with winds of 195 km/h (120 mph). The storm caused damage there costing US$457 million, and one death. Strong gusts up to 248 km/h (154 mph) left nearly the entire island without power, disrupting the water system for several days and preventing the island-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center from issuing advisories for 11 days. The storm damaged or destroyed 2,158 houses, leaving 3,000 people homeless. The next day Omar became a super typhoon with sustained winds of 240 km/h (150 mph). Passing well north of the Philippines, it killed 11 people. It weakened significantly before striking eastern Taiwan on September 4; scattered flooding caused three deaths, along with damage worth $65 million, mostly to agriculture. The storm proceeded into eastern China the next day and dissipated on September 9.

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Picture of the day for December 3, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 3, 2017: Phacelia tanacetifolia in Kirchspiel, Dülmen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany http://ift.tt/2AqNhOz

Wikipedia article of the day for December 3, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 3, 2017 is American Arts Commemorative Series medallions.
The American Arts Commemorative Series medallions are gold bullion pieces that were produced by the United States Mint from 1980 to 1984. They were sold to compete with the South African Krugerrand and other bullion coins. The series was proposed by North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms after the US Department of the Treasury began selling portions of the national stockpile of gold. At the suggestion of Iowa Representative Jim Leach, the medallions depict Americans notable for their achievements in the arts. President Jimmy Carter signed the authorization into law in November 1978, despite objections from Treasury officials. The medallions were initially sold through mail order; purchasers were required to obtain the day's price by telephone before ordering. Later, the Mint sold them through telemarketing. Mintage ceased after the ten designs approved by Congress were produced. All were struck at the West Point Bullion Depository. The series sold poorly; critics blamed the complicated process by which they were first marketed, and the fact that they were medallions rather than coins.

Friday, December 1, 2017

Picture of the day for December 2, 2017


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 2, 2017: Wire-tailed swallow, Hirundo smithii, feeding the offspring. http://ift.tt/2i8cRzG

Wikipedia article of the day for December 2, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 2, 2017 is Chicago Pile-1.
Chicago Pile-1 was the world's first artificial nuclear reactor. Its construction was part of the Manhattan Project, the Allied effort to create atomic bombs during World War II. It was built by the project's Metallurgical Laboratory at the University of Chicago, under the west viewing stands of the original Stagg Field. The first human-made self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was initiated there on 2 December 1942, supervised by Enrico Fermi, who described the apparatus as "a crude pile of black bricks and wooden timbers". It contained 45,000 graphite blocks weighing 400 short tons (360 t) used as neutron moderators, and was fueled by 6 short tons (5.4 t) of uranium metal and 50 short tons (45 t) of uranium oxide. In the pile, some of the free neutrons produced by the natural decay of uranium were absorbed by other uranium atoms, causing nuclear fission of those atoms, and the release of additional free neutrons. Unlike most subsequent nuclear reactors, it had no radiation shielding or cooling system as it only operated at very low power – about one-half watt. The site is now a National Historic Landmark.

Research Headlines - Developing a fast, local test for deadly Ebola

[Source: Research & Innovation] Rapid diagnosis is vital for controlling outbreaks of the deadly Ebola virus. Currently this can only be done in complex laboratories and samples from infected patients are dangerous to handle and transport. Faced with this challenge, an EU and industry-funded project is developing fast, local tests to spot infection quickly and safely, helping to contain its spread and saving lives in the process.

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