Tardigrades! The Water Bears and Moss Piglets of the Micoworld!

Hello all!

I hope your turkey day is delicious and wonderfully taste. I don't know about you all, but I can't wait to eat some potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie.

And talking about modified and not to be consumed, have you heard about this cute little critter? It's called a Tardigrade. They look like a horrifying stuffed animal. Just look at the one below, all deliciously funny, and fallen over.

http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2013/02/22/1226583/284420-tardigrade-water-bear.jpg

Of course some people don't find the Tardigrade as fluffy and exciting as the rest of us, as seen below in it's other various forms of unsettlement. Don't worry, they really aren't that big.

http://pre14.deviantart.net/5542/th/pre/f/2009/316/a/2/attack_of_the_tardigrades_by_ramul.jpg

http://redspaceblues.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/night.jpg

and this one!

http://pre10.deviantart.net/7af1/th/pre/f/2013/210/f/d/tardigrade_apocalypse_by_ramul-d6fqlct.jpg

As Monty Python would say, look at the bones! Or perhaps this is  more a Jaws theme as it destroys your boat, your livelihood, and eats your soul.

https://imageshack.com/f/jtbearpj

Now you might be asking, why am I showering you with lovely pictures of this horrifying scary microorganism? Well, it turns out this little critter that lives in extreme temperatures, has DNA that is is shockingly different then most different than itself. Wait, what? What the heck does that mean?

Well, the long and short of it is, aliens....

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/60902871.jpg

Just kidding!

It means that about 1/6 of the DNA inside the Tradigrades is not of itself, most like its from some other organism that in the past tried to hijack the organism for it's own uses, and instead was incorporated into the genetic structure instead, which meant that it must have been helpful to whatever the Tradifrades were trying to do in the first place. Maybe it was something to help them live in the extreme temperatures they do now (even outer space! You see why I pulled that aliens statement now?). Anyway, if you want to read the full scientific write up, you can on by clicking the link embedded to PNAS.

And for the last little bit, I will leave you with this lovely picture, enjoy!

http://www.independent.mk/media/images/2015-03/photo_verybig_15335.jpg

So cute! 

The Martian Movie!

I cannot express enough how much this movie was amazing! There was so much to love about it. The plot line was amazing, the characters were amazing, the computer graphics was amazing...just Amazing!

I have to say that what I truly loved the most about this movie is the diverse characterization of the actors. No one was ethnically stereotyped! Although there was the bit about the wooden crucifix for Rick Martinez. Characters were allowed to be people and not reflect how TV and movies like to characterized any non-white character. I loved it!

Woman, men, whites, asian, black, geeks, family men, attitudes, science, math, physics, super computer's, drama, action, OMG, the list goes on. IT WAS AMAZING!

I highly recommend this movie. I cannot recommend it enough. If Niel deGrasse Tyson loves the movie, you know they got it right!

Alien Planet or Device!

I love the idea of an alien planet that may be a mega machine surrounding a distant sun. This for me goes directly against the idea that has been recently put forward that stated that the majority of habitual life giving planets haven't even developed yet, and yet NASA specialists state that we should have contact with aliens in the next 10 to 20 years.

image site

I can't wait until the reports come back on what exactly has been discovered floating around KIC 8462852 star. The strange light frequencies have led some to believe that there is a structure that is currently storing and absorbing energy from the KIC star. If they are correct, why is it being stored, who or what is using the stored energy, and why is such a large structure needed to store the energy in the first place. 

Some astrophysicist's say that alien solar systems harbor about 2 habitat planets, and with the continued discovery of new planets orbiting other suns, it's little surprise that with update equipment more and more planets are being discovered. These discoveries are always helpful since the help refine current models and continue to shake up standard beliefs. 

So say that this item circling the sun is actual "man" made, what then? Is earth going to suddenly stop fighting itself and start arming against a possible alien invasion? Are we going to amp up our space programs that has continued to have been butchered over the last decade, because knowing what space junk is flying towards are planet isn't important (see Halloween asteroid). Will space exploration take on a new track?

Only the future will hold the answers, I just hope we're around long enough to find out!

Nanowrimo is just around the corner!

I don't know if any of you out there have been clued into this wonderful thing called National Novel Writing Month! It used to be only offered in November, but with all the interest drummed up for it throughout the year, there are two camps in April and July. There is also script writing, and a youth section. Just about any type of writing you can think of, they host.

This lovely program starts November 1st, some places host Night of Writing Dangerously that start on midnight on 10/31, and go till you can't write any more. They are supported by user donations, are a nonprofit, and offer great swag to purchase.

The goal is to write 1,667 words a day, to which you can track your word count through the site, and meet up with other writers in your neighborhood. You can do this through online chats, where word wars or sprints happen, or you can go to a hosted event and hang out and work on your novels together.

Now the question to ask yourself is how can you write a quality novel in 30 days? Well the goal is to just get that novel out of your. You can't edit something that hasn't been written down.

The website has also help to plan your novel, writing tips on how to craft your novel, and fun ways to connect with the authors that surround you!

I for one can't wait for November to start. I know I plan on working on the second book in my SFR series. I am so excited! This will be my fifth year doing Nano, and I'm amped up for a win! My handle is rouxl if you wanted to add me to your buddy list :)

Are you participating in this years Nanowrimo? And if so, what are you planning on working on?