New monkey species identified in Democratic Republic of Congo
Guardian:A new species of monkey has been identified in Africa in what is only the second time such a discovery has been made on the continent in 28 years. The finding is considered significant because the identification of mammals new to science is rare.
‘Lesula,’ as the monkey is known locally, has a naked face and mane of long blond hairs. Researchers say it is a shy and quiet creature that lives on the ground and in trees in a habitat of lowland rainforests.The animal’s diet consists of mostly fruit and vegetation.
Photo: A new species of monkey, known locally as the lesula. (Hart JA, Detwiler KM, Gilbert CC/PA)
Hey little buddy. Didn’t know you existed until now but wish we had.
Custom controllers: Using a single wire placed in the soil of a potted plant — doesn’t matter whether it’s live or artificial — Disney Research has created the Botanicus Interacticus system. Through the wire, the Botanicus software can detect where/how someone is touching the plant, strokes across the plants body, or even a person’s proximity to the plant in question. The new tech is currently being displayed at the SIGGRAPH 2012 computer graphics convention in Los Angeles. Excuse us while we try to get over how weird this video is. (ht to The Verge) source
» High cost of war: The U.S. Army stored Agent Orange in Danang, also a common place for soldiers to be found when on leave, and used more than 12 million gallons over the decade-long Vietnam War. This marks the first time that the United States has attempted to clean Agent Orange from Vietnamese soil and, according to U.S. Ambassador David Shear, the two countries hope the process will be the “first steps to bury the legacies of our past.”
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“Water and stone. Flower and bone: home.”
From the terrestrial to the celestial, from the atomic to the tectonic, discovery is all about pursuing light in some way, isn’t it?
NASA has given us many gifts: Knowledge of this planet and many worlds beyond. At a time when many of their missions, and our sense of wonder and inspiration along with them, are in jeopardy … they remind us of how illuminating science can be.
Pursuit of Light is promotion for NASA, but it’s also promotion for thinking big, and embracing that “Ahhh” feeling. Full screen, HD, sound up.
Share it with someone you love, and stay curious.
Because what’s a good day without having your mind blown at least once?
Long lost rainbow toad rediscovered in its old habitat: The rainbow toad, thought to have been extinct since the 1920s, has been rediscovered. A team of scientists found three of them in a tree in Borneo, and took the first pictures of the creatures that had been “extinct” for 90 years. source
Adventures in time-lapse: Here we have some videos (credit to Mike Olbinski and Blaine Coury) of the colossal dust storms that touched down in Phoenix, Arizona on July 5th. As always, safety is crucial during extreme natural events. We’ll admit, though, it’s hard to watch this footage without feeling wonderment and stark awe towards the natural world. source
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