Sunday, September 28, 2008

Tomb Bacteria Discovered

Tombs are the domain of archaeologists, not biologists. So it was strange to hear of two new bacteria discovered in the ancient, 2nd century Roman Catacombs of Saint Callistus.

Bacteria are known to grow inside of tombs, and these two new ones were found thriving in the wall patinas or coatings of the interior of the catacombs.

The new bacteria belong to the genus Kribella which was discovered only in 1999. They are named Kribella catacumbae and Kribella sancticallisti.

Researcher Clara Urzi of the University of Messina in Italy says the conditions in the catacombs have allowed the bacteria to change, and that even tiny changes in the environment can make them evolve distinctly.

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Sunday, September 21, 2008

Lost City of the Khazars May Have Been Found

Russian archaeologist Dmitry Vasilyev claims he has found, or may have found, the lost city of the ancient Khazars, a strong nation that thrived a thousand years ago near the Caspian Sea and then disappeared.

Vasilyev has been excavating the site for nine years where he has uncovered structures made of fired bricks. He believes it is Itil, the Khazar capital. By tradition and law, the Khazars, a Turkic tribe, could only use fired bricks only in the capital, which is already a big clue as to the origins of the ruins.

Between the 7th and 10th centuries, the Khazars conquered most of Southern Russia, the Caucasus regions, and Central Asia. Vasilyev found ceramics which could tell more of the culture of the people who lived there. He has yet to find inscriptions that relate to Judaism, which the Khazars adopted as a religion in the 8th or 9th centuries.

The Khazars acquired riches due to their access fo the fabled Silk Road between Europe and China.

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Monday, September 15, 2008

3-D Movie Glasses that Double for Daily Wear Proposed

3-D movie glasses are cool, as long as you wear them inside the moviehouse. Outside, you'd simply look stupid and childish. Why would you wear them in the street anyway? To use as shades?

Well, it may seem a bit farfetched, but 3-D movie glasses may soon be ordinary fare for hipsters and other fashionistas even while not watching 3-D movies. The reason is because brands like Oakley may soon be making them. According to DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, soon, all movies will be made in 3-D.

Katzenberg made this prediction in the first ever live transatlantic telecast in high-definition digital 3-D. He spoke to about a thousand delegates all wearing 3-D glasses. He says that hat DreamWorks Animation has been collaborating with eyeglass firms Luxottica and Oakley to make daily wear glasses (shades) that also function in-theater as 3-D glasses.

Katzenberg says they are about to introduce a transition lens that people can use outside as sunglasses, and as 3-D glasses when inside the movie theater. "People are going to own their own glasses. I think from a fashion standpoint and a coolness standpoint people will want to have their own glasses. I think that will be among the many changes that will come along."

Oh, these new shades won't be those with the red and blue glasses. These would be real cool ones like those worn by Tom Cruise (top). See more articles on movies in Hots Up Movies.

What are pinhole glasses and how do they fix acquired myopia in children?

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