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Kamis, 02 Juni 2011

New Seahorse and Coral Found in Australian Waters

Two new species have been found in Australia in the Coral Sea near the Barrier Reef. Atolls were explored by a team from the Queensland Museum and the University of Queensland. In the dark depths adjacent to the atolls a new pygmy seahorse and coral were found. They are not really new: they have always been there. The depths were surveyed with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

The seahorse, Hippocampus denise, is native to the Coral Sea of the Indo-West Pacific. It was not know to exist in Australian waters. The tiny seahorse usually lives in shallow water not at depths which sunlight does not reach. They may be going deeper to avoid damage to coral from climate change.

In regard to the new coral, Echinomorpha nishihirai, perhaps the larvae are safer in this zone. They could be acting as seeding areas to repopulate shallower zones. La Niña has damaged many of these. Many more new species are expected to be identified in the ongoing research.

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Science

Jumat, 18 Februari 2011

People Line Up to Pulverize the Left Brain

It's amazing - show something in a documentary and people want it quick smart. Sorry about the pun. People are having high voltage electricity pumped into the left side of their brain to make them more creative and it is excruciatingly painful.

The theory goes: pulverise the left brain until it no longer functions then the right side takes over and you can draw and paint better. That's just about it. And people are lining up in droves to try it.

It doesn't do a thing for your intelligence and damage to your brain has not been determined yet. Apparently, it not only improved your artistic faculties, you can do sums better as well. But it's creator Allan Snyder of the University of Sydney says it makes you child-like, hardly something you really want.

No, it's probably better if the left side of the brain controls the right side - better for society that is!

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Sabtu, 16 Oktober 2010

Memorization Is Still Useful at University

It has been said that memorizing answers is not good preparation for university. This is based on the premise that much tertiary work is research and evaluation. But what about exams? Semester examinations can contribute from 10 to 50 per cent of a subject, depending on who creates the "set up" of a course.

Lecturers set exams based upon their own knowledge. They can't help themselves. It is like an artist who paints a crowd. On close perusal of the picture you can see many instances of little artists everywhere. In other words painters tend to create images of themselves. University lecturers test students on their own knowledge - they have their own pet areas.

Students can benefit from this. They can take a recording device into lectures. Indeed, many institutions record lectures for students who miss them for unforeseen reasons. It is possible to buy devices that play back speech very fast. They have a tone control to normalize the pitch. Students can play lectures over and over again at their leisure to memorize lecturers' favorite areas of knowledge. You can virtually guarantee this will be tested for in exams.

Just about every subject has a political dimension - economics, political science, sociology, anthropology and historiography. Determine where on the political spectrum a lecturer is positioned. Write assignments that support their view. Then you will get good marks.

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Senin, 02 Agustus 2010

Memories Are Not Real

Childhood memories are figments of your imagination. If you believe that you'll believe anything. Children in the UK were asked to recall memories of things their parents said didn't happen. But how do we know if children were trying to please their parents? Most children live in a dream land anyway. So asking them to recall seeing Santa Claus is just "baiting". And asking them about flying through the air is "hypnotising" for dream recall.

If you broke your leg as child you certainly remember that, and whether the sun was out when it happened. The pain makes it stay in your mind. One thing that really remains is the care one receives from others. You remember things done with grandma because she was always kind and forgiving. Furthermore, really horrible events like being involved in a road accident and then taken to hospital remain as clear as the day they occurred.

We wouldn't have an identity without memories. We are the sum of our experiences. Taking that away from someone is condemning that person to live in the forever "now". Debate is rife about whether learning is anything of value. For example, a day after taking exams most of it is forgotten. But a university degree or any other academic test is something the individual values and society values. Whether you actually remember things taught is quite irrelevant. You have gone down that road and reached the destination. Surely, that is what life is about: having experiences, chronologically, with the past leading to the present and into the future and remembering certain milestones.

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Selasa, 27 Juli 2010

New Treatment for Coeliac Disease

Coeliac disease is widespread. It must be very difficult living your life, strictly watching what you eat. Indeed, many are not diagnosed and go through life suffering. But now there is hope. A research team at Monash university has identified problem protein fragments that cause the disease. Soon treatments will be developed that allow sufferers to consume products that contain gluten.

The research was a combined work between the Victorian Coeliac Society and the John Radcliffe hospital in the UK. Three gluten peptide fragments were observed as being the most toxic in tests, while some 90 fragment caused some reaction in sufferers.

Nexpep Pty Ltd has already developed an immunotherapy that desensitizes people to gluten. This is possible because the three "culprits" are now known.

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Jumat, 21 Mei 2010

Gevernment Funding of Private Schools Should Be Reduced

Why should ordinary people support private schools? Taxes are taken from everyone so parents who choose to send their children to private schools should pay the full cost. Children are sent to private schools because funding is redirected to support these schools. Take the money away and let all children have an education on a level playing field.

A review of school funding is about to begin. The fat coffers of private schools need to be curtailed. One time head of the NSW Education Department says that the support of private schools is a misplaced belief in "neo-Darwin free-market forces". He goes on to say that the system panders to "an exclusive clientele identified by religion, ethnicity or some other dimension". He is correct in claiming that this gives some an "exclusive education". Income of private schools must be taken into account before money is allocated. The books should be reviewed and openly published by the Government. A school that has money coming out of its ears should certainly be penalized.

The current practise means public schools are starved of funds while many private school do it easy. Money per student in a government school is $12,639 while a student in private school receives $ 6,606. It is incorrect to say that every student being educated in a private school saves the taxpayer 6,033. Wealthy parents would continue to send their children to private schools if no funding was available. The fall in money to the non-government sector since 2003 of 0.6 percent is trivial. It needs to be so much more. Barriers also exist. Public schools have to take a student. Apply for entry to a Catholic school and admit that you are Protestant. You will not hear from that school again.

There is no doubt that the present system of gaining a tertiary education favors the wealthy. The young person from a high-income family can certainly find a place in a university somewhere in the country even if minimum entry academic achievement is not met.

Disadvantage lies in the public school sector so rationally this is where funding should go.

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Rabu, 21 April 2010

Universities Want "Automatic" Visas for Post-Graduates

Universities are suggesting that post-graduates from other countries who qualified in Australia be given Australian visas in order to secure permanent residency - all of them! Talk about setting up rules to benefit one section of society, namely, universities. Even with the new skill-based points system for immigration it is doubtful if everyone with a post-graduate degree will be accepted. If post-graduates are given visas that easily what about ordinary graduates. Surely they must have the same right.

Let's face it post-graduates in history may have something to contribute but their services are not in demand. Masters and doctorates in science and engineering could prove useful. What about MBAs? They are two-a-penny anywhere in the world.

The Government is listening. Though it appears consideration is to be given to post-graduates in certain fields. The reality is Australia doesn't train enough people to fill all university positions - teaching is an "innate"skill. This is not a great problem, however. It is common practice for universities to secure the services of people trained in other countries. It gives an "international" feel to campuses. A staff with many overseas trained people allows for differences in opinion in teaching. This is good for students. It gives them a "rounded" education.

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Kamis, 01 April 2010

Students Marry to Get More From Government

A silly decision for a little bit of money will lead to future problems. Currently Australian students receive $128.90 each per fortnight. Two students have married just to increase their payment to $377 each.

There is a problem that they have not thought out well though. The single rate is for those living at home where a roof is usually provided by parents, free of charge. Now they will have to live together and pay for a roof over their heads, not to mention buying food. With rents sky high for accommodation near any Australian colleges they will have to pay far more than the extra $64.45 each person a week.

Marrying before one gets a qualification is also a bit rash. They should have thought this out a bit before making the drastic decision. It is going to be years before they get a decent living income. They claim they were struggling below the poverty line. They will certainly be struggling now.

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