8 Greatest Mysteries About Pyramids - http://clapway.com/2015/10/31/8-greatest-mysteries-about-pyramids123/

And not just the Egyptian ones. The Pyramids are scattered around the Earth in various points, and the famous pyramids of Egypt and the Incan structures are probably the most famous. But as it turns out, there are a lot of things that these structures tell us that are pretty suspicious, and frankly terrifying.

There have been pyramids found in Incan and Mayan cultures, in Sudan, China, Bosnia, Indonesia and Cambodia, and here are eight bizarre mysteries that surround them.

1. The Great Pyramid Actually Has Eight Sides

In 1940, a British aviator happened upon a strange sight: the Great Pyramid of Egypt looked to be concave at the sides, making for a total of eight equal sides. After some investigation, it was revealed that this phenomenon only happens during the sunrise and sunset of the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. Why? Why can this only be seen from above? Who knows.

2. Incan, Mayan and Egyptian Symmetrical Insanity

It’s widely known that one of the main characteristics of Egyptian art, construction and culture is the persistent appearance of symmetry. Everything is exactly symmetrical on both sides, and this does not exclude the construction of pyramids. In fact, the Great Pyramid is located at the exact center of the Earth, and it points True North more accurately than any other structure ever built before or since then. What was the significance of this? What kind of energy were they trying to channel, what knowledge was behind this?

3. Pyramid Telepathy

This one’s probably been bugging you for a while. How on Earth did the Mayans, Inca, Cambodians, Chinese, Indonesian, Egyptians and Bosnian Illyrians manage to make similar structures at the same time on their respective locationsHow on Earth did the Mayans, Inca, Cambodians, Chinese, Indonesian, Egyptians and Bosnian Illyrians manage to make similar structures at the same time on their respective locations? Is there really such a thing as a Hive Mind? Are we all connected? These are the real questions.

4. Giant Tombs with No Corpses

The Egyptian Pyramids, for one, were initially built as tombs for the Pharaohs… but no mummies have been found in the ones explored, so what really was the purpose of building these things? And why are there so many with empty spaces fit to fit tombs but containing no burial items or sarcophagi?

5. Unexplored Underground Passages and Secret Rooms

Sonar and radar technology has found secret rooms and underground passages in pyramids that haven’t been explored yet. Why, world? It’s 2015 and there are questions we need answered, dang it!

6. African Looking Artifacts Found in South America

Since there are already so many similarities in architecture, could South American and Hindu ancient civilizations have interacted with Ancient Egypt? Technically, it would have been impossible to reach the Mayans, but there is a theory that Mansa Musa actually did travel through the Atlantic, and some ancient artifacts found in Mexico actually resemble the African people, which can’t be possible unless they’d seen them, and the mystery doesn’t just swing one way, because…

7. Traces of Coca Leaves and Tobacco Found in Egyptian Mummies

Coca leaves and nicotine, which were used for a variety of things in ancient South American civilizations, were actually found in Egyptian mummies, and there is no concrete way how given the fact that these two specific things can only be found in the Americas. So going back to the theory of Egyptians sailing the Atlantic, reaching South America and actually communicating about their similar beliefs, how?

8. You Knew it Was Coming. Pyramids Were Built For/By Aliens

This mystery is a far-fetched theory that is actually quite widely discussed. Chinese, Egyptian, Inca, Mayan, Illyrian, Indonesian and Cambodian ancient civilizations all believed that their God(s) came down from the sky to instruct them to build pyramids, and this instance is even seen in the western religions. But there is a fairly popular theory that it was actually extraterrestrial life that these cultures communicated with. They are, after all, considered the most intelligent people of their time, so it could be that they engaged with possibly even higher intelligence. What kind of communication did they share? Just how much did they know? It’s impossible to tell.

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We May Not Know the Answers to These Questions, But You Should Never Have Doubts About the Safety of Your Home. Clapway Trends Reviews the Blink Security System!

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8 Greatest Mysteries About Pyramids

Off-Road Car Logic - http://clapway.com/2015/10/31/off-road-car-logic/

My car is in the jungle. I feel a little guilty about that. Not because of the impact on the environment — after living in two third-world countries for one year and three months, I know that one more dead car in the jungle barely scratches the surface of global disaster. My car could have avoided its fate if I had paid attention to myself. But as is often the case, I listened to someone else’s logic and left it in Mexico with a luke-warm feeling that I would return to it in the fall.

My car was the second car that I ever bought on my own. I bought it because it was small and silver, it fit five people, and I liked it. It was good to the car; I changed the oil when I was supposed to, replaced the door when I drove out of the garage and ripped it off, got it inspected, fixed whatever needed fixing, and used it like a locker room. It was my closet for skis, skates, gym clothes, students’ papers, a package of CDs, a tire gauge, its registration, dog hair, when I had a dog, and a lot of dirt from trails that I hiked. I cleaned it once a year, the day after school ended.

I left my car in the care of a friend when I left for in Tampico, Mexico, with the understanding that he would drive it a few times a week and make sure that it did not rot. When that did not happen, he found someone who was willing to pay to have the layers of mold growing in it cleaned in exchange for being able to use the car. I returned having never seen the mold in the car and drove it back to Tampico, Mexico. Other than the rust that had been chewing its way through the wheel wells and a loud banging sound, the car drove me to Mexico like a dream. It gobbled up gas as low as 1.97 a gallon and slid through Mexican immigration for a mere 350 dollar deposit.

The car took new friends and me to beautiful places in Mexico. It helped me fall in love with a country in trouble, some of the greatest people I have ever met, and a beauty that overwhelmed me. Sometimes the car carried up to five people, and, other than their having to get out for the topes (giant speed bumps), she was a trooper.

Toward the end of the school year, I journeyed to San Padre, a small island on the edge of Texas that meets Mexico and the gulf. I desperately needed a taste of America. I also wanted to collect my 350 dollar deposit from immigration and re-register my car for the following year. I hopped in my car right after work and began my journey. Since I was following a GPS, I was lost within the first hour of the trip. But I figured that as long as I kept the ocean to my right and headed north that I would hit Texas at some point. And I did, pushing the car to 90 miles per hour just to see how fast she could go.

On the way back to Tampico, I did not get lost. I kept an average speed of 80 until suddenly all of the lights in the car came on, and although it started up again, steering was a problem, so I slowed down – no way was I going to stop in the Northern Corridor of Mexico, you can read any newspaper if you want to know why. I found a gas station after driving for five minutes with no power steering. I had to yank the steering wheel to turn, and suddenly the steering worked! So just to be sure, I poured in some steering fluid, even though it wasn’t low, and drove the remaining three hours back to Tampico.

It was then that I decided that my car needed a thorough check-up. Not only had the car stopped running at 80 miles per hour, the banging was louder than ever. I took her to the dealer in Tampico and was told not to drive the car under any circumstance if I valued my life. Everything was wrong with it. Hearing news like that is like hearing from a doctor that you’re sick. You try to find someone who says that you are fine or at least curable. So I found a mechanic friend-of-a-friend and asked him to fix everything that was wrong for ¼ of the price that the dealer had told me it would cost. I fixed the rust for a song, and the car was looking good. The banging sound was the piece that was trying to hold the engine in place. The only thing that I had left to fix was a headlight (about 200 dollars a pop) and something for the back wheels. I decided to wait.

The school year came to an end, and when I left my car in the school’s parking lot for safe-keeping, I had a strong feeling that I would not be returning. I had a pending job interview for a company in Malaysia, and I was tired of working in the classroom. I pushed my premonition aside, left the car under a tree and headed home.

That night before I left Tampico, I called my car-sitter friend and told him that I should just get in my car and drive home. His voice of logic convinced me that I should not. After all, I did not have another job, and it is never a good thing to not have a job, no matter if there is a glimmer of one in the future. So I boarded the plane the next morning and flew to New York City.

The day after I landed in the US, I had an on-line interview with an e-learning company in Malaysia. If I had a tape of the interview, it would be an excellent lesson on how not to interview. First of all, I knew little about the company, and I knew a lot less about the job than I thought I did. I had prepared an assigned lesson to present, and the interviewer asked me to skip the first fifteen minutes of it. He also asked me why I picked the topic for the lesson. UMMMM…you told me to? When my presentation ended, he pummeled me with questions, none of which I could answer. Feeling my hackles rising, I started to respond with a sarcastic and saucy edge — I have no idea what you are talking about… No, I do not have any questions about the company…no, I do not know ANYTHING. The interview ended before it should have. I hung up and was glad that I had listened to logic and left my car in Mexico. Two days later, I was offered the job. I had never considered working in Malaysia, but I figured why not.

So there was the problem of the car sitting under a tree in the parking lot in Tampico. Mexico. I considered leaving it there, but a more than generous friend, who was still in Tampico, offered to tow it out of Mexico and into the states for me. Who could turn down an offer like that? The day after that, I got a text.

Um… Lisa… Yes…There is a problem. Your car…Yes…is in the jungle…Yes…?

Apparently, someone had not checked the hitch too carefully after my car was loaded; one hour into his journey home, my friend watched my car fly off the trailer and crash into the jungle. The only thing someone can do in that situation is leave — especially if you are in one of the most dangerous sections of Mexico towing a car that does not belong to you out of the country, and driving an unregistered vehicle to boot.

So that’s it. My car has either been stripped to nothing, towed, then stripped, or it still sits in the jungle. If I had not listened to someone’s logic, or if I had followed my own logic, I am not sure what would have happened. Logic is a matter of perspective.

I am in Malaysia where I don’t need a car anyway.

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Use Fortified Bicycle if you like riding a bike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5WuGgCP6T0

 

Off-Road Car Logic

Kia Unveils The New Forte Koup Mud Bogger - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/kia-unveils-the-new-forte-koup-mud-bogger123/

Kia has officially announced that they plan to reveal their new Forte Koup Mud Bogger at this year’s edition of the Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA. This is most likely just for fun as various reports have stated that Kia has no intention of releasing this for purchase, but one can dream.

THE MUD BOGGER’S ACCESSORIES

This Mud Bogger certainly has some insane accessories and was seemed to be built like a Hot Wheels car! Kia has stated all of the features that their Mud Bogger will have. Kia states that this Mud Bogger will have absolutely enormous and aggressive 28-inch off road tires, wild fender flares to accommodate for all of the rubber on the car, a body and suspension that have been lifted four inches, a brush bar in the front that has been painted white, a roof that has a vinyl top so the occupants can push back, and also a hand built roll cage. It is safe to say that Kia has gone all out in making this toy.

Kia mentioned how this Mud Bogger was created to pay homage to the American South, but was created simply for SEMA and SEMA only as it does not sound like this was created to preview a new production model. However, who knows Kia could see this as a potential success and eventually make them for sale. Per various reports, it seems highly unlikely at this point and it seems like this Mud Bogger will be a one-off simply for amusement at the SEMA.

LET YOUR INNER CHILD COME OUT!

For any fans of Mud Bogger’s, this should make your inner child come out and shine. Now it is a little disappointing that this will not be for sale, but if it was many people probably could not afford it anyway. Anyone who plans on attending the SEMA should be excited to see what this beast will actually look like. Kia has also stated five other cars are planned to be unveiled at SEMA, but no other details are available on those cars at this time. Kia summed up this beast’s creation perfectly, Kia states, “the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels”. When it comes down to it even if this Mud Bogger never comes off the market the simple joy of seeing this car created will provide a worthwhile experience.

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Wake up to the smell of your new Kia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyhBhu7aq5U

Kia Unveils The New Forte Koup Mud Bogger

Finally! The Wii U Outsells...The Sega Dreamcast - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/finally-the-wii-u-outsells-the-sega-dreamcast123/

The Nintendo Wii U has finally surpassed another video game console! Nintendo has stated that they have now sold over 10.7 million copies of their Wii U which surpasses the Sega Dreamcast’s lifetime sales of 10.6 million units sold.

THE FAILURE THAT HAS BEEN THE WII U

It can be without say that passing the Sega Dreamcast in sales, which was created in the 1990’s and was a failure during its time, after 35 months of being out in the market is not an accomplishment. To say the Wii U has been a disappointment is an understatement. Let’s compare the Wii U to Nintendo’s previous console the Wii. The Wii was created in 2006 and per Nintendo’s statistics has sold over 100 million units. The Wii U has sold only 10.7 million copies, the difference is astronomical. Now the Wii has been out for six more years, but after the Wii U was released the Wii lost a lot of its mainstream popularity. This feat of passing the Sega Dremacast in sales is obviously to poke fun at the Wii U. It should be noted that the writer of this article is an enormous Nintendo fan who has loved everything they have produced. However, even huge Nintendo fans have to realize that the fact that it took the Wii U three years to surpass the sales of the failure that was the Dreamcast is simply embarrassing.

ANY HOPE FOR THE WII U?

At this point the Wii U is almost officially dead. It has been rumored by Nintendo that they are working on their newest console named the Nintendo NX. Nintendo has not gave any details on what their new system has in store, but it has also been rumored that they will unveil more information at 2016’s E3. It is sad to think that Nintendo has failed this much with their new system. Nintendo has had a difficult time these last couple of years keeping up with Sony and Microsoft. The Wii U is mainly the reason as shown by their pedestrian amount of sales in the three years it has been available. Nintendo has risen from the ashes before and they always seem to have something up their sleeve. Here is hoping Nintendo can get it together, but the Wii U does not seem like the answer at this point.

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Wake up to the sound of WII U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyhBhu7aq5U

Finally! The Wii U Outsells...The Sega Dreamcast

Volvo Cars Learn How to Detect and Avoid Pesky Kangaroos - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/volvo-cars-learn-how-to-detect-and-avoid-pesky-kangaroos-123/

The experts at Volvo are working on developing technology in their cars that will allow them to detect kangaroos and prevent accidents. Kangaroos certainly are not an issue in the United States, but Australia is another story as it is reported by the Australian National Roads and Motorists Association that there are around 20,000 collisions per year in Australia involving kangaroos.

HOW WILL THESE CARS MANAGE TO ACHIEVE THIS

With the way technology works today, absolutely nothing is off limits for companies around the world. Volvo must have full confidence that they can succeed in minimizing the amount of kangaroo crashes in Australia. The most important factor to achieving this revelation is studying the kangaroos behavior on the road. Volvo Cars, owned by China’s Geely, was stated as saying how a team of safety engineers from Sweden were in Australia’s capital Canberra to film the roadside behavior of kangaroos and collect data for its detection and collision-avoidance software. The company went on to say that the system detects movements through a radar sensor in the cars grille that scans the road through a high-resolution camera on the cars windscreen.

Volvo Cars safety engineer Martin Magnusson noted how the company is fully aware on just how difficult kangaroos are to avoid, but how they have confidence in this project. Magnusson specifically stated, ‘Kangaroos are very unpredictable animals and difficult to avoid, but we are confident we can refine our animal detection technology to detect them and avoid collisions on the highway.’ Volvo concluded that when a kangaroo is detected via their sensor that the brakes would engage automatically to stop the car and avoid any kangaroos.

CAN THIS ACTUALLY WORK

As mentioned previous, nothing is impossible in this day and age and with Volvo’s confidence in this project there is a good chance they will succeed and lower the kangaroo collisions each year in Australia. Now is this to say that they will eliminate all collisions involving kangaroos? Well I think it is safe to say that that is indeed impossible. There is only so much a company can do to protect their drivers from danger before it becomes up to the driver to do something. However, if Volvo can reduce around 20,000 collisions due to kangaroos each year, then this project should be considered a success. The best of luck is wished to Volvo as they work on protecting their drivers from one of the many dangers that appear on the road, kangaroos.

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Clever Travel Companion Pick Pocket Proof Shirt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1WypciWcFo

Volvo Cars Learn How to Detect and Avoid Pesky Kangaroos

Giant Chasm Cracks the Earth in Wyoming - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/giant-chasm-cracks-the-earth-in-wyoming123/

A huge crack has shown up in Wyoming territory in just a few weeks, just at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains. Hunters and onlookers immediately went to social media to reveal the expanse of what they now have started calling “the gash”, which measures an astounding 750 yards long and 50 yards wide, according to Mirror UK.

Courtesy of grindtv.com

As for an explanation, people are still trying to gather their words. The group who first posted the news on the web, SNS Outfitter & Guide Service, explains by saying that a wet spring became lubricated across a cap rock, and a spring on the both sides of the cap rock caused the bottom to deliberately ‘slide out’. Though some are still gawking at it with amazement, it’s pretty terrifying. Reactions highlight how people tend to forget that the Earth is more fragile than given credit for.

Cracks Like this Are Actually Not Uncommon

Last year there was a similar occurrence in Mexico, where not one but two cracks tore through the ground in Valencia, stretching up to 16 feet wide at its largest. There’s also the huge hole in the middle of the Russian Siberia. The crack in Mexico was reported to have been caused by the combination of a bad drought and a nearby earthquake, while the Siberian holes were caused by gas explosions from underground and rising temperatures caused by climate change.

If you needed one more sign to go greener, this is it. The Earth doesn’t seem to be responding well to the exploitation of resources and the lack of water on wet, usually fertile soil. These phenomena are just one more indication that Mother Nature doesn’t do well with mistreatment. Some people have taken to forming conspiracy theories, blaming the US Military and HAARP technology for attempting to play God and obliterate the Earth, but that’s taking it a bit too far. Truth of the matter is the Earth has to be protected as it has protected us.

So Go Greener! The Occasional Rain Dance Could Also Help

These cracks are not new, and can be formed by things as basic as tectonic movements or inner workings of the earth to rising temperatures from climate change, but it never hurts to treat the ground that raised us and the soil that feeds us with as much respect as it deserves.

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There Are No Risks for Cracks With the Nanoform. Keep Your Data Safe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xky8HjLKIZo

Giant Chasm Cracks the Earth in Wyoming

We Can Make Meat Out of Plants - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/beyond-meat-makes-meat-from-plants123/

Environmentalists, vegans and omnivores rejoice! We can make the planet a little greener and our diets a little healthier with Beyond Meat’s menu.

Beyond Meat is composed of devoted activists for the reduction of greenhouse gasses, and also passionate about healthy eating. Ethan Brown, company head, is attempting to sell a meat substitute that’s actually hard to tell apart from the real thing. There has been some media coverage on this, and a slew of reviews on YouTube, but the truth of the matter is that issues like these are not to be downplayed as one more ‘fake meat’ product on the market, but a tool for the change we may have to make eventually.

Livestock and Livestock Management Damages the Environment

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, livestock takes up 18% of the blame for all greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than all planes, cars and trains on the planet. This figure includes a series of things like: resources used to clean land for pasture, fertilizers used for crops and resources used for livestock transportation and management. Also farts, yes, livestock farts are a part of it.

So Ethan Brown proposes this: what if you could buy protein that is not meat but tastes real close, if not exactly the same? Veganism and vegetarianism is a rising trend among the younger population, and mindfulness of what’s in meat and what animals have to suffer through, and this is one meat and soy-free product that could change the way meat is seen and eaten.

By taking yellow pea powder along with other vegetable sources and separating protein from fiber, the scientists and researchers at Ethan Brown Company make it so the protein from the powder goes through a process that basically aligns it with how meat grows and changes, resulting in a product that is as loaded with protein as your average steak frites or burger. And he encourages everyone to give it a try or a hundred tries and help stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.

It Is Technically Fake Meat, But It’s Promising to Be More

Ethan Brown’s mission is to transform the ‘meat section’ at supermarkets into a ‘protein section’. Asking people to stop eating meat is a ridiculous feat, Brown only hopes to provide one more option that is just as healthy, just as filling, but way better for the environment.

We also hear their chicken is actually better than the real thing.

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Stay Healthy! Clapway Trends Reviews the Nutribullet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIAczd2xF5s

 

We Can Make Meat Out of Plants

ExxonMobil Has Compulsive Lying Disorder - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/exxonmobil-has-compulsive-lying-disorder123/

A scandal that broke out earlier this year has put ExxonMobil in a difficult position yet again, and yet again it has resorted to borderline pathological lying to worm its way out. Their latest scandal is not that new; it’s actually been covered up since 1981, and the chance of lawsuit and negative repercussions is high, though not necessarily likely.

A Brief History on ExxonMobil’s CLD

Back in July, The Guardian broke the story about ExxonMobil being perfectly aware of the affects of fossil fuels on climate change as early as 1981 and didn’t change any policies; in fact, the company covered it up until the issue became relevant a few years later. A scandal broke out immediately, one more to add to the Exxon Valdes oil spill incident, lobbying to discredit climate change, drilling in countries under dictatorship, disrespect for human rights issues and influence on American foreign policy. ExxonMobil, which is the only remaining direct descendant of the John D. Rockerfeller’s Oil Company, has been under scrutiny for years, and seemingly to no avail.

This instance is comparable to the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the tobacco industry, who brushed the negative effects of tobacco smoking under a rug and gave millions in bribes to keep officials and regulators’ mouths shut. It’s only expected that the Department of Justice do the same now.

The Democratic Presidential Candidates Call for Action

It’s no surprise that climate change has evolved from being an ecological issue to a political one. Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders sent a letter to the US Attorney General to put ExxonMobil under investigation once again to investigate the emails released in the initial report. As retaliation, ExxonMobil’s compulsive lying was triggered. The company made a statement denying all claims and calling the accusations inaccurate and extremely misleading. One can assume the same was said in response to every other accusation based on solid fact.

Hillary Clinton has done the same, endorsing a thorough investigation of the claims given that research is plausible and should be considered. This caused some more impact because ExxonMobil members and supporters have endorsed her campaign, but the candidate seems to want answers.

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This Alarm Clock Wakes You Up with A Scent of Your Choosing! ExxonMobil Would Probably Set it to Smell Like Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyhBhu7aq5U

ExxonMobil Has Compulsive Lying Disorder

Water Warming is Killing Cod on Gulf of Maine - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/water-warming-kills-gulf-of-maine-cod123/

A team of researchers have revealed that after some studying, it’s been found that rising temperatures in the waters off northeastern Maine is killing a large number of codfish.

New England’s cod stocks are at 3%-4% of what is considered a sustainable level; they’re at the very brink of collapsing. The combination of overfishing and the increasingly warming waters unseen in any other body of water on the planet has caused a steep decline of the codfish reserve of the region. A full report of the findings can be found on the Science Journal.

These Waters Are Warming Faster Than Anywhere Else in the World

The findings report a warming rate 99% faster than anywhere else on the planet in just nine years, and they hypothesize it could be in part because of the changes in position of the Gulf Stream. All of this inevitably caused a decrease in cod offspring and a higher mortality rate; most of the younger fish don’t make it to adulthood. There were several restrictions put on cod fishing in 2010, but the rising ocean warming rate has made these efforts entirely futile.

Andrew Pershing, one of the study’s authors and chief scientific officer at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, writes that despite managers reducing quotas, the cod population continued to get lower and lower. He suggests that the warming waters made the region less hospitable for the fish, and the response was too late, making it impossible for management to measure up. It’s been 45 years since the decline of cod has been in observation, and there has been no change for the region.

Cod May Be Forced to Migrate

As a result of these developments, seen by fishermen and researchers alike, the price of cod in Main has risen exponentially, and most codfish served is either Norwegian or Irish. Through the years, the Atlantic cod has seen a rise and fall in population, and this marks a very steep low that could even compel cod to migrate and re-adapt to waters it is more comfortable with.

On an entirely different note, cod reserves in Canada are seeing an unexpected rebound. The number of fish found in Canadian waters has seen an unexpected rise, as reported this week. One can only hope the same can happen for the Gulf of Maine.

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If You’re Out Fishing And Want to Keep your Phone Safe, Check out the Waterproof InteliGLASS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp1WduqGHkA

Water Warming is Killing Cod on Gulf of Maine

The Apple TV is Great and Awful - http://clapway.com/2015/10/30/the-apple-tv-is-great-and-awful/

The reviews for the new Apple TV are up, and according to most of them, its novelty is well-grounded, but it doesn’t compete as well as it was expected to.

The Great Features and Its Great Drawbacks

The new Apple TV, which is much more expensive than its main competitors, the hit-or-miss Roku 4 and the increasingly competitive Amazon Fire TV, has a slew of awesome features: it’s got the tvOS operating system that supports hundreds of apps and it casts Apple Music. It also comes with Apple’s newest accessory gadget: the Siri Remote, which, according to Wall Street Journal, does a pretty good job on taking Voice Command and has a very convenient touch pad that eliminates the need for arrow keys and buttons. But the same feature has a significant drawback: because the layout of the Apple TV interface is so strangely designed, it’s nothing short of excruciating to have to type in anything. The 26 letter alphabet is put into one line, and the design lacks a second dimension, making for less travel between letters but more lag. In addition, Siri isn’t compatible with some of the most convenient apps, such as YouTube, NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS, and according to TechNewsWorld, it’s very buggy and at times, just plain inconvenient.

Elsewhere, some reviewers were disappointed that the Siri commands only worked with a few key apps, and that its handy search capabilities aren’t available for YouTube or the broadcast channels it supports. In other words, it’s a great attempt that will measure up to some but not to others.

Apple vs. Amazon: Amazon still has the upper hand

The Apple and Amazon feud is perhaps the most lamentable aspect of all of these reviews, given the fact that with all of these nifty features and overrated updates, Amazon Video refuses to support it or make an app compatible with Apple TV.

Seeing as Amazon Video’s only competition is currently Netflix, it’s nothing short of a pity that it favors Amazon content and doesn’t spread out. A collaboration between these two monster companies would surely shatter every other, but that’s mostly wishful thinking.

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Faithful Apple Fan? This is the last iPhone Cable You’ll Ever Buy

 

The Apple TV is Great and Awful

Study Finds Vitamin D Raises Risk of Schizophrenia - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/new-study-vitamin-d-tied-to-schizophrenia123/

We get Vitamin D for a wide slew of things: sunlight, fish, soymilk, milk, even chocolate. A healthy level of Vitamin D gives us healthy bones and teeth, and it’s even been linked to help keep type 1 diabetes at bay. A new study has linked it to the incidence of multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia, and its results reveal that while vitamin D deficiency has a surprising effect on specifically schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis.

This Study Finds Interesting Evidence about Vitamin D’s Link to MS and Schizophrenia

Did your doctors ever say that if you get a lot of sunlight exposure, you’d get tons of good sunlight and it would decrease the chance of getting multiple sclerosis? Actually, Vitamin D has been linked to a couple neuropsychiatric disorders, like schizophrenia, autism and Alzheimer’s. It’s been clear with most of them, but not as much with schizophrenia. A new study attempts to analyze the real effects of vitamin D deficiency on the incidence of schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis.

The main focus of the study was to explore if a variation of a gene associated with vitamin D deficiency had any effect in chronic psychosis and if it played any roles in multiple sclerosis by testing it on chronic psychosis patients. The results of the study were quite disparate: one of the results showed that increased vitamin D levels can increase the risk of multiple sclerosis while at the same time decrease the risk of schizophrenia.

What Does This Mean?

The study isn’t conclusive enough to draw any definite conclusions, but this can only mean one thing: nothing in excess or surplus is good for the human body. So to all of that vitamin D loaded orange juice, milk, those fish oil supplements, and the soymilk in your coffee: just keep it simple. You might end up having to deal with multiple sclerosis. Some will argue that you’ll at least not go crazy.

Jokes aside, being healthy and not health-obsessed goes a long way. Spend ten minutes under the sun but cover up well and wear sunblock if you have to, and talk to your doctor about your vitamin levels, because it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Stay Healthy! Clapway Trends Reviews the Nutribullet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIAczd2xF5s

Study Finds Vitamin D Raises Risk of Schizophrenia

Bright Lights Mean Better Sex Drive - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/bright-lights-mean-better-sex-drive123/

Bright light has been considered a sex signal in the animal kingdom, and it seems we are no different. New research published in the Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics suggests that bright light therapy can improve sex drive and could even treat sexual disorders in humans.

This Wouldn’t Be The First Study

Studies have been made where it was found that glow worms that had the brightest tail were the most attractive to males and were more likely to lay more eggs, and this must have awakened curiosity to see if the same could be said for humans, because studies analyzing light therapy and its effect on sexuality have been going on for a long time.

A few years ago, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences sponsored a study that took 22 women with longer menstrual cycles, and used bright light therapy to test if it affected the ovulation process or any sex hormones. After a testing period, the results showed that menstrual cycles were relatively normalized and that sex hormone production was boosted.

This new study takes it to the next level, by examining if bright light therapy has any effect on people with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, sexual arousal disorder, and orgasmic disorder. They were between ages of 39-60. Two testing groups were formed: one that would receive real bright light therapy, or placebo light therapy.

The results found that 60% of of the group that received real bright light therapy no longer met their criteria of the sexual disorders and even had improved sexual satisfaction, while 100% of the placebo group still met the criteria for sexual disorder.

So Bright Light Treatment Makes Sex Better

The results of this study reveal that there is a significant improvement in sexual satisfaction in three out of five of the people in the study, so this could actually be used to treat people with sexual dysfunction disorders, even those linked to psychiatric illnesses, and obviously could give a boost to people with lower sex drives. It may not make you better at sex, but it could certainly make sex better.

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Bright Lights Mean Better Sex Drive

Uber Surge Pricing: Less Riders and Less Drivers - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/uber-surge-pricing-less-riders-and-less-drivers123/

For people who use Uber regularly of have need for it, the app is pretty much a lifesaver. It takes you where you want directly from wherever you are, and as opposed to the danger of a smelly car or an uncomfortable ride, all you have to worry about with Uber is whether or not the driver has gum and water.

One thing that bugs regular Uber users, and usually Friday or Saturday night crowds, is Uber’s surge pricing, where it’s fares can go up to 13x the base estimated fare. A team at Northeastern University proposes an argument that because customers are less inclined to order cabs during those times, there are actually less drivers on the road. So technically, surge pricing causes both supply and demand to drop.

The Study Declares: Surge Pricing is a Tool to Maximize Profit, but It Doesn’t Entice Drivers

The team created 43 Uber accounts and operated them between San Francisco and Manhattan. Their research resulted in the conclusion that drivers actually leave areas where surge pricing is active because people are less inclined to order rides. A representative of the team commented that surge kills demand, so drivers actually get away from it.

According to Gizmodo, Uber has a contrary assessment. A representative added that there is much more data that should be analyzed than what is available to the public, and that since the results come from such limited research, it is not accurate.

As a tip to current Uber users, the researchers also fished out a few ways that surge pricing can be avoided. If a rider changes their location, sometimes by even as much as 100 feet, the minimum fare changes, and by waiting as little as five minutes, fares may return to normal. They conclude that the Uber business model is designed to maximize profit but doesn’t really give good results.

The market between Manhattan and San Francisco are obviously vastly different, and this too was observed in the study. Prices surge in Manhattan about 14% of the time, while San Francisco surges 57% of the time. There is naturally a significant difference in demand between these two cities. The availability of public transportation, time and convenience are varying factors, but the study concludes that in terms of surge pricing, the company is way in over its head.

Despite the Findings, Uber is Still the Most Reliable Cab Service

Uber is different from most online services. There is a first party controlling the service, Uber itself, a secondary party that carries out the service, the drivers, and a third party that receives the service. There isn’t much information that is shared among all three parties; phone numbers are available only to the company and the Uber car’s phone so as to protect client privacy, and drivers have little to no access to what happens after they have dropped off a rider and leave to pick up another one: all of that information remains with the company.

This model seems safest, and it is why Uber and its competitors have become prominent and popular services for people in need of a sober driver or any kind of trip while incapacitated.  Despite this study, Uber will remain a special and convenient tool in every city where it is available, especially for people who don’t drive, are unable to, or don’t have a car in the city they’re currently in.

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Uber Surge Pricing: Less Riders and Less Drivers

Exact Sciences May Not Help Madison, WI - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/exact-sciences-may-not-help-madison-wi-123/

Paul Soglin, Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, just extended the deadline for Exact Sciences to respond to the question of the company’s stock drop and its effect on the Madison city downtown building project.

The mayor’s office had just entered into final talks with Exact Sciences, maker of Cologuard, an at-home DNA-based colon cancer screening test, to remodel an area of downtown Madison. It would provide more than $46 million in public funds to help the company relocate to a different area. This may not after all be possible, since Exact Science’s stocks dropped dramatically, and the company has had nothing to say about the initial proposal.

Exact Science’s Stock Drop and its Effect on the James Doyle Square Project

In early October, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation to Exact Sciences’ Cologuard, saying they should be used as an alternative to regular screening tests instead of a recommended one. After investors found out about this, stocks dropped to $8.11 from $18.53.

Mayor Soglin made an inquiry about the effect of the stock drop by this Wednesday through a letter, asking whether they plan to appeal to the recommendation, if it’s still planning to relocate its HQ, and whether the number of people to be hired has changed. The Mayor’s office has received no response.

Soglin announced that Wednesday, the company asked that the deadline be extended to Monday, and the request was approved. He decided to give the company more time to explain how his proposal will be affected by the stock drop. There’s no telling if the future could bring a lawsuit.

The Drop’s Effect on the Proposal Isn’t Known, But Closer Evaluation Could Be Helpful

The proposal, estimated at $200 million would provide about 400 jobs. It calls for purchase of the 250,000 sq ft HQ for Exact Sciences and 107,000 sq ft of expansion space, 1,250 parking spaces, a bicycle center, some commercial space as well as space for a 216-room hotel.

There was no further explanation attached to the statement, and it can be assumed that this is due to perhaps respect. Releasing this kind of information to the public, especially before the results Exact Sciences’ third quarter Earnings are announced, could cause the company further losses.

Questions about the project have come in all directions, and it is currently under strict evaluation due to these developments. This provides an opportunity, as officials declared, for the entire project to come under scrutiny and be improved. This has all been a matter of bad, or perhaps, good timing.

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Exact Sciences May Not Help Madison, WI

Google Play Games Adds Video Recording Feature - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/google-play-games-adds-video-recording-feature/

The Official Android blog just announced of the launch of a new feature on the Google Play Games app: users are now able to record and share their gameplay from mobile games. It’s all a matter of pressing a record button, choosing to capture your success or failure in 720p or 480p and go.

Courtesy of Google

Users even have the ability to use their phone’s front camera and microphone to add video of the gamer to add comedic relief, reactions or commentary, and it can all be quickly edited and uploaded to YouTube.

The Details

This feature is available for the US and UK only for now, but in the coming days, Android said that it would be available to other countries and lightly hinted that this could cause a showdown with Google’s current competitor in this field, Twitch. A classy move, really.

https://youtu.be/XPXZHRPCfOA

According to TechCrunch, his new feature could be an attempt to help Google weigh in on the rising amount of video-game related content on YouTube, which prompted the company launched it’s own platform solely for gaming content, YouTube Gaming. Google Play Games is just making it easier for those who want to add into this content, which gets a great amount of hits, almost at par with movie stars and musicians.

Going Up Against Twitch

Twitch, currently owned by Amazon, is gamers’ go to for video game streams, gaming competitions and a place to discover new games ahead of release. YouTube remains a homebase for video content, but it’s currently trying to categorize this content as to engage more public given their new sections gaming, kid’s videos and content aimed at creators. Google’s announcement also declares that the company will soon launch an software development kit for developers so they may be able to rebuild gameplay recording efficiency from their own apps and games.

Courtesy of Google

And now a hopefully healthy competition begins! Video games have been on the rise as of late, spreading to wider audiences and garnering as much attention as other pop culture outlets, and this is not just limited to console games, but also in mobile games.

Courtesy of Google

They’ve become diversified and cause for much debate, either on whether they’re too violent or helpful in decreasing stress and anxiety and could actually improve mental health. The fact of the matter is, video games are relevant, as relevant as any content streamed on the Internet and buzzing through the people, and Google, it seems, is just making it’s best attempt to adapt and engage one more market.

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Google Play Games Adds Video Recording Feature

Brain Damage Can Be Fully Reversed - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/brain-damage-can-be-fully-reversed123/

A new study from Nature journal reveals that astrocyte cells can be reprogrammed into neurons. Though the process of transdifferentiation and using a precise sequence of molecules, the human brain could be repaired completely.

Transdifferentiation is the process through which scientists convert one type of cell into another. This naturally depends on a carefully crafted recipe of molecules, and this study furthers the hope that doctors may one day be able to repair tissue, organs, and even the brain damage.

The human body keeps the cells that it is born with throughout their entire life. There are two small areas of the body that produce a minute amount of new cells: the hippocampus, responsible for memory, orientation and navigation, and the olfactory bulb, where scents are recorded as memory. Being able to reprogram cells as neurons gives the ability to give the human body potential that it may not have had before. Where one body has stopped making cells, these studies propose the possibility of science making them for the body.

Of course, it’s all a matter getting the right recipe down to the very last detail, and many teams of researchers and scientists have braved the adventure to find it. A team from Stanford University,  was able to find a string of proteins that changed human cells into working neurons in 2010. The same team was able make working neurons for mice, by mixing three proteins they called “BAM factors” the year before, and once it was proved possible for mice, they immediately moved for human neurons. The only drawback they faced was that they couldn’t carry electric signals like actual neurons could.

So the team then added a fourth protein, and it converted the cells into neurons that carried electric currents and made functional synapses. On top of that, they could blend into existing networks with existing neurons with no problem.

A History of Transdifferentiation into Human Neurons

The breakthrough studies began in 2007 with a study that turned mice skin cells into something resembling stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells. In 2008, the Wenig Lab used that protein recipe to conduct a similar study, except instead of stoping at making induced pluripotent stem cells, he turned them into neurons and transplanted them back into the mice to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. A few months later, a team of scientists made neurons from reprogrammed human cells that he had taken from an 82-year old ALS patient, and another team treated Parkinson’s disease in a mouse by reprogramming its skin cells, making them into neurons and planting them back into the mouse’s brain, resulting in a significant improvement in the rodent’s condition.

But as it happens, there are always risks with such an invasive approach. These reprogrammed cells are different from the original cell after all. These cells, as proved by another study, can be rejected by their subjects. This is not uncommon in the world of science and biology, since transplants and surgeries have risk factors for rejection, so it is possible that this danger, too, can be minimized.

The New Study is a Game Changer

A team from Lund University developed a way to transform astrocytes, a kind of brain cell, into neurons from inside the brain of a rat. The study, led by Malin Parmar, reveals that it is, after all, possible to directly reprogram resident cells into neurons within the brain, no need for a culture dish. This shows that reprogramming brain cells may not require transplants or surgery.

The study took human skin cells called fibroblasts and inserted three reprogramming genes in them: the “BAM factors”, the same used by the 2010 Stanford research team. They were put into mouse brains, and once the genes were activated, the fibroblasts started synthesizing neurons. The team then did the same with cells that were already in the rodent’s head, taking astrocytes, a brain cell that provides nutrients to neurons, provide the chemical balance of the fluid around them and aid in damage repair. By putting the BAM factors directly into the astrocytes, they converted the cells into neurons.

The Impact and This Discovery’s Future

This alternative is cheaper and faster than any other study conducted yet, and their results showed that the new neurons did not grow to form cancers, which means it minimizes risks of the formation of tumors. Sacrificing a small number of astrocytes should also be no problem, since the human brain has a large supply of them.

However, there is still much work to be done and many decisions to be made before this goes into medicine. For one, not all cells that are modified become neurons, and if the genes end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, it could cause cancer.  There is also no guarantee that these new neurons will fully integrate into the human brain and make it so the brain remains healthy, which is what the study hopes to follow-up now. It’s all a matter of researching, testing and more researching and more testing to discover what lies in the future of science and medicine.

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Brain Damage Can Be Fully Reversed

Nintendo"s Miitomo Release Delayed to 2016 - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/nintendos-miitomo-release-delayed-to-2016123/

Nintendo, who promised to release its first game designed specifically for smartphones by the end of 2015, has unveiled Miitomo, the first of five installments attached to the promise. However, the launch won’t be until March 2016, which decreased the enthusiasm of investors and fanatics alike.

This year has been full of headlines where Nintendo announces that their new and most acclaimed games would be getting new installments, attached to other announcements where the company announced that they’ve been delayed, and Miitomo is no different, it seems. No specific reason was given for the delay.

The Details on Miitomo

The game revolves around Mii avatars, which the company uses widely across all of its platforms. According to Eurogamer, it’s a mixture of a 3DS game, Tomodachi Life and a messaging service. The game is set to be free with in-app purchases, which include an array of extra spoils such as clothing or classic Nintendo avatars. Users can create a Mii or, presumably, import their own.

Courtesy of Nintendonews.com

Miis look similarly to how they’re seen on the 3DS and the Wii U. One of the adjustments that come as a novelty is that the Miis seem to be wearing proper clothes, which leads to further belief that in-app purchases will center around that. It will be available for both Android and iOS.

Miitomo Featrures ‘Friendly Communication Starters’

As for the game itself, Miitomo is, as the name implies, about friends. Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima explains that instead of users proactively messaging friends, however, Miitomo has a unique characteristic: he calls it ‘friendly communication starters‘. Your Mii will start a conversation with you, asking about interests, likes and dislikes, and the information it receives will be shared with Mii friends and highlighted for them to see. This feature has an advantage for people who aren’t too keen on sending messages, and it allows them to participate differently.

Courtesy of Nintendonews.com

Another unique feature, Kimishima adds, is that you could find out unexpected facts about your friends through Miitomo. Your Mii will be able to smartly catch on to topics that you don’t discuss but are more than willing to talk about if asked. The point of Miitomo is to express that friendly relationships can be deepened through communication, even one as different as the one Miitomo brings, and also helps begin a network of people with which, through shared interests and hobbies, users can play games and collaborate with.

Nintendo expects to release five more smartphone games by the end of March 2017, but it’s yet to be seen if they’ll stick to that date.

The Delay Causes A 10% Drop in Stocks

Nintendo, which has been faithful to releasing games only for its consoles, made a surprising move in wanting to make one available for smartphones. This can be in an attempt to compete with Sony and Microsoft, both of which have solid smartphone games available.

According to CNET, Nintendo suffered up to $1 million in losses in 2014, but he company saw a rise in operating profit, coming up to $74.6 million in the first half of 2015. These increases were not up to par with forecasts for the company, and investors seem to not be too enthusiastic about the Miitomo delay, given as Nintendo’s stocks dropped 10% immediately after it was announced.

Faithful Nintendo supporters will remain faithful; the company has a way of delivering its promises even if they’re late, so hype among fans is still there. It’s a new world for Nintendo and their games, and success, though hazy for now, seems to be at least in their peripherals.

Check Out the Musio, Almost Like A Robot Mii!

Nintendo"s Miitomo Release Delayed to 2016

Bentley Recalls Over 27,000 Cars - http://clapway.com/2015/10/29/bentley-recalls-27000-cars123/

Bentley Motors, Volkswagen’s prestigious luxury brand automobile, has issued a recall for over 27,000 for a potentially faulty battery connection. This is certainly news that Bentley owners did not want to hear, although it is better to fix all issues before something dastardly happens.

This isn’t Bentley nor Volkswagen’s first recall, but still, Bentley is a highly respected car make, popularized in the media and among the public as a vehicle that represents luxury and success. Volkswagen, which has received generally favorable reviews in the past years for reliability, has once again reported a recall for certain Bentley models.

The Details of the Recall

A Bentley spokesman reported that the models affected have a faulty battery connection, and the specific model to be recalled are all Continental GT/GTC/Flying Spur and new Flying Spur cars that were built between February 2011 and June 2014. All other Bentley models are not affected by this and will not be recalled.

The Bentley representative also went on to explain that these models may have a bolted connection for a battery joint that is loose and that they plan to replace the components with a new connection system for all affected vehicles and the spokesman stated that this will take approximately two hours per car. This, as declared by Bentley, was a voluntary recall and was not decided based on other companies recalling their vehicles.

Bentley’s Future

Bentley is certainly not the first brand to be recalled for a potentially fatal inconvenience. Just this week GM actually had to recall over 1 million cars for leaking oil that had caused fires and could be a major hazard to customers. Bentley has given quick response to the issues reported, as should be done of any automobile company, and all customers can expect is a safer future for Bentley cars and a good repair rate for the cars called back into the dealerships. Of course, the question of whether or not something like this will happen again is always in the midst. Will this affect customers’ loyalty? Will customers still want to buy a Bentley in the future after hearing about this?

These are questions that are out of the companies control at this point and can only be answered by the people who ever plan to purchase a Bentley car. Cars, too, can only be improved through trial and error as technology keeps evolving and new, better features are implemented into cars. These don’t always turn out to be the best, and as a result it is only natural that the company recalls the cars, to ensure that they perfect their existing manufacture methods, and to ascertain that issues like this will not happen in the future. The future for these automobiles should still be bright as long as the customers decide to give Bentleys another chance after this recall.

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Get a 6 feet iPhone charger for your Bentley

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Bentley Recalls Over 27,000 Cars

New Tesla Model X Isn"t All It"s Cracked Up to Be - http://clapway.com/2015/10/28/new-tesla-model-x-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/

Tesla is the leading company in making electric vehicles, and it seems as time goes along, the vehicles are starting to show issues that other companies seem to be wanting to take advantage of, but Tesla itself seems to completely look over.

The new Tesla Model S has had much hype attached to its release, what with charismatic CEO Elon Musk making every announcement about it seem like it would be the greatest car Nikola Tesla has ever made, but new data shows that the car has many problems to face, and things may only go downhill from there.

Consumer Reports recently revealed the results of their annual service, which rates car customer satisfaction and reliability. Tesla received a “worse-than-average” rating in reliability, and the announcement caused a 10% drop in the company’s stocks almost instantly.

Tesla Isn’t Perfect, and Neither is the Model X

Tesla is good at making headlines and hyping people up, but these announcements turn out less than surprising results. The only recent announcement that did get appropriate hype was the unveiling of its Model X, but otherwise, it has been quite disappointing.

Nick Jaynes writes in a report about the new model of the Tesla that the price, for starters, is steep. The Model X is set to hit the market for $132,000-$142,000, which means the targeted market is vastly different. While other Tesla models have been more accessible and targets customers new to the electric vehicle, the Model X aims for a more select crowd. The Model X, two years behind schedule, is forecast to be bought by current Model S owners by Elon Musk himself, which gives the project a surprisingly dark sense of publicity.

The Model X, as revealed at the unveiling event, runs on the same platform as the Model S and features the same powertrain. One of the differences is that the car was delayed from its 2013 debut and had more money invested than originally planned.

The Flashy Features that Delayed the Project

The Model X comes with Falcon Wing doors, which were developed by the company by manipulating ultrasonic sensors that can see through metal. The doors also required a restructure of the roof of the car to maintain crash safety. It looks like this was done just for aesthetics and not for functionality, apparently in Tesla’s attempt to compete as a luxury car.

The car also comes with a panoramic windshield, reaching well past the front passenger’s necessary line of sight. It is the biggest glass ever fitted to a production car, and required, according to Musk, a series of layered, gradient-tint glass to be possible. GM has been working on these kinds of windshields for 50 years, but it proved unreliable and unsafe. Tesla Chief Technical Officer Jeffery Straubel, Jayne writes, says it was made to enhance visibility. There’s also the tidbit about the Tesla coming with a feature called Bioweapon Defense Mode, which, in an apocalyptic situation, could keep passengers safe.

The Model X Won’t Be Available Until 2016

The Model X won’t get delivered until the summer of 2016, and in the meantime, Tesla has already made some more flashy announcements, including one for a Tesla Model 3, set to go on the market for $35,000, but there is a long way to go if Tesla hopes to re-engage working class customers.

Currently, the company seems to be focusing on marketing less than reliable cars to the wealthy, and it could potentially mean the end for the company as a whole or a serious downgrade.

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New Tesla Model X Isn"t All It"s Cracked Up to Be

We Can Make Pet Dinosaurs - http://clapway.com/2015/10/28/we-can-make-pet-dinosaurs123/

Just like scientists were able to engineer glow in the dark bunnies, rats and cows, we can genetically engineer a chicken to revert to it’s dinosaur ancestor features. That would mean we could one day have pet dinosaurs.

Dr. Jack Horner’s Plan to Create a Pet Dinosaur

Dr. Jack Horner, paleontologist and curator at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana, is conducting a project to retro-engineer chicken genes and turn on the genes of its dinosaur ancestors so it could grow a snout, clawed arms, and a tail. Dr. Horner, who was the inspiration for the character of Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park, is widely known for discovering parental are in dinosaurs, and his latest endeavor lies with transgenesis and genetic modification to bring back a pocket sized mutation of the great beasts of the Jurassic.

Dinosaurs have been extinct for over 65 million years, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t around anymore. Birds, technically, are all direct descendants of dinosaurs, as are whales, cockroaches, crocodiles, sharks, bees; even green sea turtles and horseshoe crabs. They somehow survived what other magnanimous dinosaurs could not, and Dr. Horner’s project could tell us why exactly that happened, and it proves that the idea that those genes, dormant within all these animals, could be switched on and brought back.

Genetically Modifying Chickens Could Give Us Tiny T-Rexes

Dr. Horner’s plot is to take chicken embryos and, through genetic modification, turn on the genes that their ancestors possessed, like the formation of the snout, teeth tail and clawed hands. The reason why he wants to use chickens specifically is because birds are the animal group that shares the most characteristics with dinosaurs, features such as three-toed feet, hollow bones, hard shell eggs and feathers. His theory is that birds are technically a kind of dinosaur, given the plethora of characteristics they have in common, so it would be easily feasible to make a chicken dinosaur and possibly carry around as a pet.

Courtesy of The Good Stuff

Chickens, actually have been observed to present their dinosaur-like genes under controlled experiments. A team of scientists out of Yale and Harvard University were able to successfully grow a chicken embryo with a dinosaur-looking snout by turning off the group of genes that help form the beak. Other embryos have also been observed to have a mutation that developed alligator-like teeth. Sadly, none of these embryos survived to hatch.

Dormant Genes Could Be Brought Back, and Absent Ones Implemented

Genes go into dormancy when natural selection finds no further need in them, and they are occasionally lost in certain species. In the case of the chicken, Dr. Horner states, they’ve lost the gene that develops enamel of the teeth. Random mutation, seeing as chicken no longer developed teeth, made it so the unnecessary enamel gene disappeared completely. But Dr. Horner is not discouraged by this, since scientists today are also experimenting with the technology that would allow that gene to be brought back into the mix: transgenic engineering.

Transgenesis is the process through which, by inserting new genes into an organism’s gene, an organism gains the ability to display new characteristics that are not part of its original genetic make up. It sounds like something far-fetched, but the scientific community has already seen successful experiments. One was famously conducted by the University of Hawaii and Istanbul University teams, where the team took the gene that makes the jellyfish glow under black light and put it into the genome of other animals. This resulted in glow in the dark rabbits, cows, goat, mice and pigs.

Dr. Horner’s hope is that genetic manipulation could one day lead to genetic design, and scientists could actually cook up new animals, or ones that currently only exist in fiction, and bring them to life. A pink, glow in the dark unicorn could be possible, or the dodo bird, a pet dinosaur; we could even see things the likes of which we’ve only seen in books by Dr. Seuss and in Tim Burton’s filmography.

Let’s Be Real: It’s Technically Possible, But is it Right?

The idea of pet dinosaurs is surely one that can be indulged, but there are always debates that come with proposals as wild as this one. Would the dinosaurs Dr. Horner wants to create be able to survive our hectic, man-driven world? Dr. Horner asserts: well, it’s still a chicken. His pursuit is not one to bring back the voracious, predatory instinct in chickens, just the features of its ancestors. Is this a reckless, unethical project? This is a little more debatable. Humans are currently at the top of the food chain; everything around us is controlled by us, and what has managed to remain out of our control, we consider pests. While that is a valid point, there is always the lesson that Jurassic Park has delivered four times so far: some things are meant to remain extinct. There is a reason why genetically engineering any kind of prehistoric animal can only end in disaster, and surely human greed can take us to the point where we may not be able to reverse it.

As for Dr. Horner, these concerns seem to have no base. He has no intention of bringing back the predators or making anything remotely close to its size. He says he’d just like the chicken dinosaur to be the new chihuahua.

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Let out the Paleontologist in You and Jot Down Your Notes on the Moleskine Voyageur Traveller’s Notebook!

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We Can Make Pet Dinosaurs