thepresdent:

God of Hosts - Viktor Vasnetsov

thepoliticalnotebook:

ftalphaville:

@ThatGreekTweet

For some great coverage of Eurozone shenanigans, follow the Financial Times’ Alphaville finance and markets blog on Tumblr!

historical-nonfiction:

“Bog bodies” which can be found in bogs in western Europe, are one of the great mysteries of history. Scientists can tell you exactly how they were created, the temperatures and moisture content and time it takes. But no one has yet explained why they happened. Some are definitely lost travelers, but many are clearly deliberately placed. One even had the rope used to hang it still around his neck.

wordsthatididntsay:

fuckyeahmolecularbiology:

A human heart cell beating.

What up auto rhythmic cells?

ucsdhealthsciences:

Findings suggest possibility of boosting their health benefit 

For the first time, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have peered inside a living mouse cell and mapped the processes that power the celebrated health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. More profoundly, they say their findings suggest it may be possible to manipulate these processes to short-circuit inflammation before it begins, or at least help to resolve inflammation before it becomes detrimental.
 
The work is published in the May 14, 2012 online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The therapeutic benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in certain fish oils, have long been known, dating back to at least the 1950s, when cod liver oil was found to be effective in treating ailments like eczema and arthritis.  In the 1980s, scientists reported that Eskimos eating a fish-rich diet enjoyed better coronary health than counterparts consuming mainland foods.

“There have been tons of epidemiological studies linking health benefits to omega-3 oils, but not a lot of deep science,” said Edward A. Dennis, PhD, distinguished professor of pharmacology, chemistry and biochemistry. “This is the first comprehensive study of what fish oils actually do inside a cell.”

The scientists fed mouse macrophages – a kind of white blood cell – three different kinds of fatty acid: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA). EPA and DHA are major polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, essential to a broad range of cellular and bodily functions, and the primary ingredient in commercial fish oil dietary supplements. AA is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid prevalent in the human diet.

More here

cartoonpolitics:

references a story recently in the news, the supposedly ‘controversial’ Time Magazine breastfeeding cover,  to make a completely different point about politics. Unfortunately for the USA, though, it’s not just the GOP but the Dems as well who rely on the flow of corporate bribes ‘campaign donations’ ..

matthen:

Visualising extinctions over the past million 531 years.  The size of the circle shows how the biodiversity of the earth differs from the long-term trend.  The resulting fluctuations seem to repeat every 62 million years or so, with 5 main extinction events in total.  The most recent was of course the end of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago.  Does this mean the Earth is due another?! [This follows the analysis of an interesting nature article]  [more] [code]

anticapitalist:

In 1976 U.S. President Gerald Ford issued Executive Order 11905, Section 5(g), which states “No employee of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.” President Reagan followed up to make the ban clearer in Executive Order 12333. Section 2.11…

atheistme:

horcrvx:

If you’re serious about saving the world, consider eating less meat and fewer dairy products, which require far more resources than plant crops. A 2010 United Nations report called for a shift towards a vegan diet, saying Western tastes were unsustainable.

word

I could never be a true vegetarian/vegan, because my digestive system suucks, and eating lots of most veggies tears me apart.

However, I’m on board.

I think even if we cut back so that we were only eating animal products a couple times a week, rather than a couple times a day that would help a lot.

suicideblonde:

Profile of a Young Fiancée by Leonardo Da Vinci