|
March 9th, 2013 | #101 |
Banned
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 4,481
|
Life has traditionally been seen as driven by energy from the sun, but deep-sea organisms have no access to sunlight, so they must depend on nutrients found in the dusty chemical deposits and hydrothermal fluids in which they live. Previously, benthic oceanographers assumed that vent organisms were dependent on marine snow, as deep-sea organisms are. This would leave them dependent on plant life and thus the sun. Some hydrothermal vent organisms do consume this "rain", but with only such a system, life forms would be very sparse. Compared to the surrounding sea floor, however, hydrothermal vent zones have a density of organisms 10,000 to 100,000 times greater.
Hydrothermal vent communities are able to sustain such vast amounts of life because vent organisms depend on chemosynthetic bacteria for food. The water from the hydrothermal vent is rich in dissolved minerals and supports a large population of chemoautotrophic bacteria. These bacteria use sulfur compounds, particularly hydrogen sulfide, a chemical highly toxic to most known organisms, to produce organic material through the process of chemosynthesis. The ecosystem so formed is reliant upon the continued existence of the hydrothermal vent field as the primary source of energy, which differs from most surface life on Earth, which is based on solar energy. However, although it is often said that these communities exist independently of the sun, some of the organisms are actually dependent upon oxygen produced by photosynthetic organisms. Others are anaerobic, as was the earliest life. A species of phototrophic bacterium has been found living near a black smoker off the coast of Mexico at a depth of 2,500 m (8,200 ft). No sunlight penetrates that far into the waters. Instead, the bacteria, part of the Chlorobiaceae family, use the faint glow from the black smoker for photosynthesis. This is the first organism discovered in nature to exclusively use a light other than sunlight for photosynthesis. |
March 11th, 2013 | #102 | |||
professional critter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: under your bed
Posts: 1,618
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
"Don't underestimate the power of 'evil.' ... The fact is, 'evil' makes women horny and men curious. Use those to further the cause." |
|||
March 12th, 2013 | #103 |
professional critter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: under your bed
Posts: 1,618
|
That chuck norris is older than rounder.
__________________
"Don't underestimate the power of 'evil.' ... The fact is, 'evil' makes women horny and men curious. Use those to further the cause." |
March 19th, 2013 | #104 |
professional critter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: under your bed
Posts: 1,618
|
That weird al was hiding a face beneath that halloween mask.
__________________
"Don't underestimate the power of 'evil.' ... The fact is, 'evil' makes women horny and men curious. Use those to further the cause." |
March 25th, 2013 | #105 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,110
|
When the Universe was very new, there were no atomic elements (like hydrogen) and no fundamental forces (like electromagnetism).
Hydrogen and helium, the most basic elements, were 'born' when the universe had cooled down enough for the fundamental forces to become distinct from each other and for atoms to be formed, which happened maybe 250 million years after the Big Bang. All other elements (everything other than hydrogen and helium) were originally created by the birth and death of stars from the gas of the early Universe, which only began 300 million years after the Big Bang at the beginning of what is called the 'stelliferous era', which we are still in. The stelliferous era will continue for 100 trillion more years. Last edited by M.N. Dalvez; March 25th, 2013 at 03:24 AM. |
April 2nd, 2013 | #106 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,424
|
Sweden was the first (not counting the UK) country to officially recognize the declared independent American republic back in the days when the new, free dawning nation of infinite possibilities was respectfully and reverently pronounced with a -ca ending, and not with the scornful and disgusted -kwa of today.
Quote:
Last edited by Solskeniskyn; April 2nd, 2013 at 08:32 AM. |
|
April 12th, 2013 | #107 |
Administrator
|
NotEvenOnce @starlilies 12 hours ago
Where do you get duck fat fries? I've never even heard of such a thing. I think you're making it up to sound cool. starlilies Accept They're just fries fried in duck fat. I first heard about the phenomenon when I traveled to Portland Maine. I had them at a restaurant with wood-grilled lobster. Delicious. I make my own duck fat potatoes when I get the thin slices of duck. (Hint sweet potato fried in duck fat is even more delicious.) NotEvenOnce a second ago Oh. Well, ok then. My horizons have been broadened. I am not entirely comfortable with this new information, but I will strive manfully to assimilate it into my world-view. Thank you! Edit |
April 21st, 2013 | #109 |
professional critter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: under your bed
Posts: 1,618
|
Odd. I thought it was 'squirreled'.
__________________
"Don't underestimate the power of 'evil.' ... The fact is, 'evil' makes women horny and men curious. Use those to further the cause." |
April 21st, 2013 | #110 |
professional critter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: under your bed
Posts: 1,618
|
what I didn't know I learned today from fun facts fox
__________________
"Don't underestimate the power of 'evil.' ... The fact is, 'evil' makes women horny and men curious. Use those to further the cause." |
May 14th, 2013 | #111 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,424
|
... In 1944 - with the war luck having turned and with Germany being pushed back towards Berlin - Sweden, still remaining neutral, but perhaps sensing the spirit of the times, decides to decriminalize... bestiality.
Sometimes weird but symbolic (some would claim coincidental) small things likes these just illuminate the scene like a flash of lightning and for a moment captures its true nature. 'The good war', supposedly fought to 'make the world safe for democracy', was "won" by the bear, the hawk and the pig with lies, deceit and viciousness, that eventually ended up fucking and consuming all three. The defeated wolf that instead had to head out into the cold, into the night, into the wilderness, alone, however, still remains lean and dignified out there, and may yet return one day, again hungry, again strong, and again ready. Last edited by Solskeniskyn; May 14th, 2013 at 11:44 PM. |
May 21st, 2013 | #112 |
Banned
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 4,481
|
All circulating "Ike" dollars were made of copper-nickel and not silver, despite many myths and urban legends to the contrary. These coins have either no mint mark or a D above the date, and show a copper-colored edge.
40% silver versions were made during the years 1971-76. They all carry an S mint mark and were only sold in special packaging for purchase by collectors, not for circulation. None of the Eisenhower dollar coins regardless of date or mintmark struck for general circulation have more than face value or have any silver in them. Only proof and uncirculated collectors coins sold from the Mint contain silver and that's only 40%. |
May 21st, 2013 | #113 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 8,105
|
Joseph Weydemeyer- friend of Karl Marx ,Union Military Commandant
Quote:
Marx to Joseph Weydemeyer In New York http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx...s/52_03_05.htm |
|
June 9th, 2013 | #114 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Earth
Posts: 3,699
|
I have not had a problem with restricted unknown harassing phone call's, but if you have that problem, this might solve it.
http://www.trapcall.com/signup/now
__________________
Isn't it strange that we talk least about the things we think about most? We cannot allow the natural passions and prejudices of other peoples to lead our country to destruction. -Charles A. Lindbergh http://www.fff.org/freedom/0495c.asp |
June 9th, 2013 | #115 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 511
|
I regard monotheism as the greatest disaster ever to befall the human race. I see no good in Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Any religion based on a single...frenzied and virulent god, is not as useful to the human race as, say, Confucianism, which is not a religion but an ethical and educational system that has worked pretty well for twenty-five hundred years.
|
June 11th, 2013 | #116 |
Banned
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 4,481
|
A derecho (/dəˈreɪtʃoʊ/, də-ray-choh, from Spanish: derecho [deˈɾetʃo], "straight") is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms. Generally, derechos are convection-induced and take on a bow echo form of squall line, forming in an area of wind divergence in the upper levels of the troposphere, within a region of low-level warm air advection and rich low-level moisture. They travel quickly in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to an outflow boundary (gust front), except that the wind is sustained and increases in strength behind the front, generally exceeding hurricane-force. A warm-weather phenomenon, derechos occur mostly in summer, especially during June and July in the Northern Hemisphere, within areas of moderately strong instability and moderately strong vertical wind shear. They may occur at any time of the year and occur as frequently at night as during the daylight hours.
Unlike other thunderstorms, which typically can be heard in the distance when approaching, a derecho seems to strike suddenly. Within minutes, extremely high winds can arise, strong enough to knock over highway signs and topple large trees. These winds are accompanied by spraying rain and frequent lightning from all directions. It is dangerous to drive under these conditions, especially at night, because of blowing debris and obstructed roadways. A derecho moves through quickly, but can do much damage in a short time. |
June 11th, 2013 | #117 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Filthydelphia
Posts: 10,095
|
Two words that can easily be confused are derecho and derecha. Both words are distant cousins of the English words "right" and "direct," and that is the source of the confusion: Depending on the context and usage, these words can carry meanings such as "right" (the opposite of left), "right" (entitlement), "straight," "upright" and "directly."
|
June 14th, 2013 | #118 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 8,105
|
Giraffes, because of their poorly developed voices, communicate with each other mainly by switching their tails.
"Blind as a bat" is a meaningless phrase. Contrary to popular belief, most bats can see perfectly well in bright light. It is untrue that that the ostrich hides its head in the sand when confronted by danger. It kicks viciously when cornered or wounded. |
July 3rd, 2013 | #120 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,110
|
more on that evolutionary misfit, the platypus
"A draft version of the platypus genome sequence was published in Nature on 8 May 2008, revealing both reptilian and mammalian elements, as well as two genes found previously only in birds, amphibians, and fish. More than 80% of the platypus' genes are common to the other mammals whose genomes have been sequenced."
For comparison, all people are 99.5% genetically similar. A lot of variation comes from that 0.5% genetic dissimilarity, right? Chimps are roughly 96-98% genetically similar to humans, cats 90%, and cows 80%. Fruit flies are roughly 60% genetically similar to people. So, it would seem all the forms of life that have been sequenced, even very dissimilar ones, have a genetic basis, and all the variation we see in life forms comes from variation (over unthinkably long periods of time, obviously) in a minority of the percentage of that total genetic structure. As far as the platypus goes, it seems it's even more of a freak than anyone ever thought it was before. Last edited by M.N. Dalvez; July 3rd, 2013 at 09:11 PM. |
Share |
Thread | |
Display Modes | |
|