tag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:/trending?page=13Journal of Brief Ideas: Ideas from the last week2015-08-26T09:12:19Ztag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/2072015-08-26T09:12:19Z2015-09-29T19:55:30ZGeoTag-X: crowdsourced photo analysis for humanitarian criseshttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.29582Photos taken in disaster situations and other humanitarian crises by different people on the ground can potentially be a powerful resource for the response teams. Unfortunately, the manpower needed to process the incredible number of photos coming out of these situations makes this duty impossible for a single organization. Therefore we are turning to the crowd to help us rapidly extract meaningful, relevant and structured data from these photos.
This is why we launched the [GeoTag-X platform](http://geotagx.org), which gathers a series of pilot projects covering different disaster related events, asking volunteers to answer some short and strictly structured questions about photos related to each event.
Our final aim is to have an open source platform, with a set of tools, projects, and methodology that can be taken by anyone working in a humanitarian crisis and quickly and easily adapted to their needs and redeployed.
GeoTag-X relies almost entirely on volunteers. By actively pursuing an open science methodology GeoTag-X can be flexible and adapt quickly and easily to users’ needs, and volunteers benefit and learn from the process. GeoTag-X code, tools, and methodology is open and accessible via the platform, [GitHub](https://github.com/geotagx), and events.
[Template for creating GeoTag-X projects](https://github.com/geotagx/geotagx-project-template)
Cervigni, Eleanortag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1952015-08-01T03:17:31Z2022-03-27T13:18:22ZYoung scientists need collaborationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22313As today’s science is a team effort, it is essential to promote the collaboration skills for young scientists in their early careers ([McNutt, 2015](https://www.sciencemag.org/content/349/6245/217.summary)). In China, the China-educated young scientists (*tubie* in Chinese, or ‘land turtles’), meet more challenges than foreign-educated intellectuals (*haigui* in Chinese, or ‘sea turtles’) when hunting a job or other achievements ([Fan, 2008](http://www.amazon.com/China-Move-Migration-Household-Routledge/dp/0415759749)). The major reason is that universities in China prefer to recruit young scientists with overseas background. *Tubie* thus have fewer choices, even they have equivalent academic records as *haigui*.
A reasonable solution of *tubie*’s dilemma is to enhance collaboration with leading experts by ‘bring in’ and ‘going out’ strategies ([People’s Daily Online, 2015](http://lianghui.people.com.cn/2015npc/n/2015/0308/c393680-26656533.html)). Domestic labs should foster the collaboration with field leaders for young scientists’ benefit (i.e. [The Thousand Talents Plan](http://www.1000plan.org/en/)). In the meantime, young scientists should be encouraged to apply scholarships (e.g. [China Scholarship Council](http://en.csc.edu.cn)) for their overseas study and research, the way to be a *haigui*.
Si, Xingfengtag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1932015-07-19T06:50:51Z2023-12-29T11:26:09ZConsidering Amazonian microbial diversityhttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20735Diverse ecological communities of Amazonia play a crucial role in the maintenance of the biosphere. However, little is known about the microbial ecology of Amazonia. During an analysis of litter from an Amazonian wetland we discovered a new species of testate (‘shell-forming’) amoeba (TA) we have named Arcella peruviana ([Reczuga et al., 2015]( http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0932473915000036)). Probably many more new species of microbe remain undiscovered in Amazonia. TA occupy top positions in the microbial food web and have a wide range of feeding preferences including bacteria, algae, fungi and other protozoa. Owing to this connection with abundance and community structure in the lower trophic levels, TA are highly important in terms of soil nutrient and carbon cycling. It has recently been discovered that deforestation leads to net loss of diversity of soil bacteria, which may also inhibit the recovery of tropical forest ([Rodrigues et al., 2012](http://www.pnas.org/content/110/3/988)). This would impact the higher microbial trophic levels – including TA. Soil microbes represent the largest component of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems and are important in terms of ecosystem functioning. Microbial biodiversity should not be ignored when considering the impacts of human activities and climate change in Amazonia. Swindles, Graemetag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1882015-07-07T18:54:50Z2015-08-14T15:48:18ZExo-planets around Red Dwarf Stars: Reasons to look for Co-orbiting Same-Size Planetshttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19643Same-size planets that orbit one-another around a common centre of mass would answer a lot of problems associated with Red-Dwarf stars, such as: tidal locking (because same size planets would tidally lock to each-other, thus blocking tidal locking of either one to the star); requirement of geo-thermal heating from gravity (because orbiting a common centre of mass translates to at least 2 frequencies of gravitational change, tidal effects on one another, and on each by the star); differentiation of Neptune-like detections from rocky (because the different densities should be analytically available in the case of co-orbiting same-size planets); etc
While it is reasonable to expect instances of this system to be very rare, that has to be balanced by the plausible distinctiveness of the signature such systems may leave in terms of gravitational 'wobble' on the star and/or the scope for simulation modelling. In the case of the former, wobbles on the star could feasibly have several cycles for each one orbit of the co-orbiting system. It could even be possible that some instances of apparently high orbital frequencies of 'hot-jupiter' gas giants around other stars, may be smaller mass co-orbiting planets at greater distance. in the case of simulation modelling, a rich diversity of possibilities may be revealed, in that systems of this kind would plausibly only need to enter the habitable-zone once per cycle for each of the two planets.
It's obviously possible and likely this idea is already in play. Apologies in that case. Hibbs, Christag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1592015-05-01T10:08:28Z2015-05-14T21:28:20ZSulfur-Bearing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Interstellar Environmentshttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17292Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely studied in an astrophysical context. Studies have also been performed on nitrogen-bearing PAH species ([Hudgins+2005](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005ApJ...632..316H)) and unsuccessful searches have been performed for interstellar nitrogen-bearing PAHs ([Ali-Haïmoud+2015](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015MNRAS.447..315A)). Laboratory irradiation of ices containing aromatic hydrocarbons has recently been found to produce oxygen and nitrogen heterocycles ([Materese+2015](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...800..116M)), though previous astronomical searches for such heterocycles have proven unsuccessful ([Charnley+2005](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005AdSpR..36..137C); [Dezafra+1972](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1972ApL....10....1D); [Kutner+1980](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1980ApJ...242..541K)).
However, astrochemical studies on interstellar sulfur are quite neglected. Sulfur heterocycles have received little astrochemical attention, despite having been detected inside meteorites ([Krishnamurthy+1992](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/001670379290015B); [Sephton+2002](http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/363/1837/2729)). Thiophenes are expected to be stable at interstellar medium (ISM) temperatures ([Guillemin+2010](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010cosp...38.3235G)). Observed sulfur depletion does not follow the same pattern as other elements in dust grains ([White+2011](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011AAS...21812923W)), and small sulfur compounds like H₂CS are detected in outflows where they are expected to form into more complex species ([Minh+2011](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011ApJ...737L..25M)).
Given that sulfur and carbon have similar electronegativities and both have extensive chemistries, it is logical to consider heterocyclic sulfur-bearing PAH molecules in astrochemical studies, both experimentally and observationally. Vibrational wavelengths are expected to fall in the 6-9 µm region and at longer wavelengths, where it is well known that many observed emission bands are still poorly understood, with several unidentified or tentatively assigned lines remaining.Hammonds, Marktag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1582015-04-30T17:49:49Z2015-06-20T09:20:01ZWhat’s black and white and eating stuff all over? Hypotheses for the evolution of killer whale coloration and similar coloration patterns in prey specieshttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17281The greatest diversity of killer whale forms–or possible (sub)species – is in the Antarctic. One reason may be because killer whales originated in, or near, the Antarctic, which would also explain their large size - an example of Bergmann’s rule [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergmann%27s_rule], i.e. species that evolve in higher latitudes are larger.
If killer whales did evolve in the Southern Ocean, penguins would have been an abundant prey source. There was a great diversity of penguin species when toothed whales arose [http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/9/6/20130748]. The distinctive black and white coloration of killer whales could have been aggressive mimicry [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggressive_mimicry], allowing them to approach penguins - Gerlache killer whales (small type B) appear feed preferentially on penguins today [https://swfsc.noaa.gov/uploadedFiles/2010_Pitman%20and%20Durban_Polar%20Biology_Penguin%20predation.pdf]. Killer whales may then have diversified to fill other niches and eat other prey beyond the Southern Ocean. Many species of porpoises/ delphinids upon which killer whales prey also share their predators’ black and white coloration. This may again be mimicry, but defensive mimicry [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimicry] – prey species resembling their chief predator gain a few precious seconds of confusion when they approach. These hypotheses might explain the ubiquitous and convergent black and white coloration in the cetacean prey of killer whales, and their unusual black and white color pattern.
Parsons, Edward Christien Michaeltag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1512015-04-22T17:01:40Z2019-01-08T18:14:18ZUsing remote sensing data in ecological niche models to forecast species' extinction riskshttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17123Traditionally, Ecological Niche Models (ENMs) are calculated with variables from long temporal data series, representing averaged weather conditions, and probably hiding current trends originated from the current environment. Satellite imagery can provide an instantaneous picture of the environment, identifying natural and human-induced changes, which in turn will be reflected in ENMs calculated only with remote sensing data (RS-ENMs). Human-induced changes (e.g. habitat degradation and fragmentation) will be associated with low values of habitat suitability, and thus to a low species' presence probability. Species living in places with larger environmental changes (e.g. urban areas) may be prone to higher extinction risks. Other variables like surface temperature will be associated to species' vulnerability to extreme weather periods. Considering climate change events, species adapted to cold habitats will present higher extinction risks with temperature increments, and species of hotter habitats, lower risks. Therefore, comparison by Gap Analysis of RS-ENMs of successive dates will identify potential expansions and contractions in species' ranges. Species with accumulated ranges' contractions will be more threatened. RS-ENMs will map quantitatively the spatial distribution of potential extinction risks to monitor how species respond to human-mediated environmental changes and to develop dynamic forecasts for future changes.Sillero, Neftalitag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1462015-04-13T12:02:23Z2015-04-17T19:09:18ZSalivary progesterone as indicator of deliveryhttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16794During pregnancy salivary progesterone levels increase, reach a steady-state and then decrease sharply two day before delivery. Monitoring of salivary progesterone from about two weeks before the expected date of delivery will give information about the real date. Development of a biosensor based on a specific antibody and a signalling entity, optionally in a PDA-format, may be used to timely inform midwife or obstetrician. The only action the pregnant woman has to perform is the collection of a small amount of saliva each day and put it on the sensor device. A further option is to include a sensoring part for salivary estriol, a hormone recognized as an indicator of fetal wellbeing. Use of such a biosensor, optionally as over-the-counter apparatus, may greatly improve the health of mother and child, e.g. in preterm delivery or threatened births, such as in the HELLP syndrome.Meulenberg, Elinetag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1442015-04-11T17:32:49Z2015-04-13T17:57:09ZString notation for capturing the entire experimental processes of chemistryhttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16763A string notation which is inspired by [SMILES](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ci00057a005) notation in chemistry can be devised for capturing entire chemistry experimental and methodological sequences and processes. Laboratory experimental procedures are often described as flowcharts, which are (directed) graphs. There will be small symbols and character sequences which will refer specifically to sampling, instrumentation, modes, and levels, as well as ways of referencing chemical glassware types. Chemical substances can be referred to by any current string format. This kind of notation will be most useful in the context of everyday laboratory work: The scientist will only be using a small group of symbols at a time and these symbols can be used in filenames and experimental metadata to be stored on a computer easily associated with the files created in the course of an experiment. Using the string notation should also dramatically decrease the amount of writing and will be easily searchable. The structure of this notation scheme is starkly different than structured vocabularies (i.e. ontologies): Most of the symbols act as pictograms rather than letters, being easy to learn, transcending language and time boundaries, allowing context. The option to include as much information as the scientist desires is a necessary feature. Extendable to other sciences.MacLennan, Matthewtag:beta.briefideas.org,2005:Idea/1402015-04-05T16:35:41Z2015-04-10T19:22:24ZNaturalness of Atheism and Unnaturalnes of Religionhttp://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16628The standard model of Cognitive Science of Religion (CSR) explains religion as some kind of natural phenomenon. Religious ideas and beliefs are considered as natural not only in the sense of their foundation on cognitive processes and mechanisms, but also as obvious, intuitive, and in some sense inevitable. What is more CSR suggests that religious ideas and beliefs are more natural and evident than atheism. In consequence atheism is considered as unnatural cultural phenomenon which requires special conditions, first of all high development of education and science, in the modern times associated with the Enlightenment. However, biological and evolutionary approaches show that the human being is a species which focuses on natural, sensual information and behaviors which are strategic for survival. Therefore, how can we connect natural selection with religious beliefs which are counter-intuitive and unnatural? Here I would like to show that naturalness of religion hypothesis is not compatible with biological long-orientation perspective. Religion was useful tool after agricultural revolution – however, not for transmission of good moral behavioral patterns. Its main aim was consolidation and strengthening in-group trust and internal network for the purpose of inter-group conflicts and aggression at the level of large groups. szocik, konrad