Kyle Mills, Author at The Silver Ink

Tesla Remotely Gave Irma-fleeing Drivers Extra Miles of Range

September 14, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

In Florida, drivers waited long hours in gas stations to get enough fuel to escape Hurricane Irma Friday. The state highways were also packed as authorities urged residents to flee north if they’re in the storm’s path.

Electric-car drivers faced a different type of stress as they feared that their batteries may run dry before they can make it to safety. Fortunately, Tesla Motors was able to help some of those drivers remotely by expanding their range through a software update.

The company assisted only the owners of Model X and Model S cars equipped with 60kWh or 70kWh battery packs. Those drivers had been able to purchase cheaper versions of the vehicles but with a shorter range. They always had the possibility of an update at a later date.

Tesla Car Owners Getting Free Range Bumps

However, Tesla can remotely install those updates. One spokesperson for the company said a driver had asked an upgrade from the company in a bid to flee the storm and the electric-car maker concluded that all drivers in the storm’s path should get a free range bump.

Model S and Model X owners can request the free update until Sept. 16 if they are in the hurricane’s path. After the update, they’ll have an additional 30 to 40 miles of range, which would normally cost them from $4.500 to $9,000, based on the vehicle.

Tesla’s decision was hailed even by its critics, but the company needs to focus more on creating a range that can keep electric vehicle owners safe in emergency situations like the one in Florida.

The base Model S and Model X are no longer available for purchase in the U.S., but prospective buyers can still pick a range on their liking and shell out the cash accordingly.
Image Source: Flickr

Swedish Viking Grave Hosts Remains of a Female Warrior

September 11, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Bone analysis revealed the Viking grave belonged to a woman warrior

Popular TV series showed us how Viking women were as fierce and brave as men, and now there’s more scientific evidence in support of this claim. Some time ago, archaeologists stumbled upon an important grave, which they thought it belonged to a reputable Viking warrior. In the end, it turned out the warrior was female.

The Viking grave also hosted weapons, showing the remains belonged to an esteemed warrior

During the 1880s, archaeologists found this impressive-looking grave in Birka, Sweden, and could tell it dated back to the Viking age. However, they couldn’t identify the sex of the warrior. Since then, we made huge technological advances, and a DNA analysis revealed the Viking grave belonged to a woman.

Although women were more powerful during those times, the society was still dominated by men, or at least that was what researchers used to believe. The woman found in the Viking grave was a warrior, and other archaeological evidence shows she was a respected one.

Bone analysis proved the warrior was a woman

Next to her skeleton, researchers found weapons of all kinds, and two horses. All this treasure shows she occupied a high place in society, and was an esteemed warrior. Apart from all these, there were also gaming pieces buried next to her body. This means she was skilled in terms of strategy and, most probably, was a superior officer.

Due to the armor present in the Viking grave, researchers have thought for a long period of time the remains had belonged to a man. However, bone analysis revealed the opposite. These bones exhibited traits which are typically feminine, such as narrower cheekbones or hips.

The idea that man was the main warrior and leader of society is, in fact, typical of more modern times. Back then, the role of military leader could easily belong to a woman, and there is plenty of archaeological evidence in support of this claim. A more detailed study regarding this Viking grave was published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

People Are Not Advised to Give Up Gluten If They Are Not Really Intolerant

September 4, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Going gluten-free is a bad idea if you are not really intolerant to the wheat protein

A recent study developed by a team of Australian researchers suggests gluten intolerance is often misdiagnosed. It seems that only one person in six is actually intolerant to the wheat protein, and changing their diet after this condition might have severe consequences for those people who don’t have to refrain from consuming this ingredient.

Gluten-free diets are promoted as a healthy alternative

Nowadays, many people have started adopting gluten-free diets, as it is promoted as healthier and full of benefits. However, kicking out the wheat protein from your food is not the best choice if you aren’t truly intolerant. Many people claim to experience bloating and other symptoms of celiac disease if they consume the ingredient.

Most of these symptoms are visible in people when they know something they have eaten contains gluten. If they are not aware of the ingredients of the food in question, only one percent of these people experience adverse effects. In fact, most of them don’t even receive an official diagnosis.

Kicking out gluten from your diet without being intolerant can have serious consequences

Despite not knowing for sure if they have celiac disease or not, these people start monitoring the quantity of gluten they ingest every day, and significantly reduce it. What they are not aware of is the fact that this behavior can seriously affect them if they aren’t actually intolerant.

This happens mostly because gluten-free products do not always contain the same nutrients as their counterparts which contain the wheat protein. The lack of these substances might lead to the increase of cholesterol, blood pressure, the decrease of the tolerance to glucose, and massive weight gain.

If the health risks were not enough, researchers also revealed the price also differs. A previous study showed gluten-free food costs about 17 percent more than regular food. This can also contribute to the belief that avoiding the protein is beneficial for one’s health. However, people are not advised to do it if they don’t really have symptoms of celiac disease.

All the results of the study have been published in The Medical Journal of Australia.
Image Source: Pixabay

Caffeine Alleviates Our Sense of Taste, Making Foods Taste Less Sweet

August 28, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Caffeine affects the way in which we perceive sweetness

Have you ever found yourself craving for a sweet treat immediately after having a cup of coffee? If the answer is yes, then you should blame the popular beverage for it. Researchers have discovered how coffee temporarily affects our taste buds and sense of taste, making sweet foods seem less sweet. This also makes us crave them more, making the caffeinated drink unsuitable to consume during diets.

Caffeine affects our perceiving of sweetness

What caffeine does is to suppress the adenosine receptors, which are associated with sleepiness. This leads to people becoming more alert, but at a cost. Researchers found out how caffeine also affects our taste receptors, changing the way in which we perceive sweet foods. Eating such foods immediately after coffee will make them seem less sweet, and will make us crave them more.

Researchers developed a study in which they analyzed the influence of coffee on how people perceived sweetness. The study, found in the Journal of Food Science, looked at two different groups of people who received drinks with different caffeine levels.

Coffee also works as a placebo

The first group had to drink a decaffeinated drink with 200 milligrams of additional caffeine, to make it consistent with the typical coffee standards. On the other hand, the other group received regular decaffeinated coffee. Both beverages contained the same amount of sugar, but those who drank the caffeinated sample found it less sweet.

Then, these people had to tell how alert they felt, and to approximate how much caffeine their drinks had. All of them showed the same level of activeness, even if they hadn’t had caffeinated coffee. Also, none of them could make any difference between the drinks.

Therefore, researchers came to the conclusion that the action of drinking coffee might work as a placebo. The levels of caffeine are not important, as long as the drink has a certain flavor and taste. If you think you are drinking coffee, you are already more alert and feel less sleepy.
Image Source: Pexels

Joker-Harley Quinn Movie to Be Produced

August 27, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Jared Leto and Margot Robbie will soon return to the roles of the Joker and Harley Quinn in a movie that is currently in development at Warner Brothers. Leto and Robbie will be reprising their characters from last year’s hit, Suicide Squad.

The movie will be part of the DC expanding universe with Glenn Ficarra and John Requa currently in final negotiations to direct. Ficarra and Requa also directed the film Crazy,Stupid,Love and the NBC drama This is Us.

The Joker and Harley Quinn were the most popular villains from Suicide Squad and fans are thrilled that there will be a movie about the two.

When asked to describe the currently untitled movie, one source referred to it as a

“criminal love story.”

Another described it as

“When Harry Met Sally On Benzedrine.”

This film will follow after the Suicide squad sequel. It’s also been revealed that there will be a separate movie about the Joker which will not star Leto, that will be directed by Todd Philips, who directed “the Hangover”. Some fans have gone online to complain that we might wind up with Joker over exposure.

DC is working hard to compete against the successful movies based on the Marvel universe. Additional films are in development that have related story lines that fall outside of the established Superman and Batman stories. This summer’s hit film, “Wonder Woman” is an example. There will also be another movie, “The Batman” which will not star Ben Affleck.

The DC universe will continue its saga on November 17 with the release of Justice League, directed by Zack Snyder. The film will start Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Caville as Superman, and Ben Affleck as Batman. It will also introduce Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Ezra Miller as the Flash.

Is There a Chance You Could Have Damaged Your Eyes During the Eclipse?

August 23, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Your eyes might have been damaged if you watched the eclipse without protection

The sun and the moon offered a breathtaking show on August 21^st, which left many people speechless. As much as we hope this was the only effect the eclipse had on people, there are big chances many watched it improperly, and got their eyes damaged.

Looking for a few seconds at the sun without protection won’t get your eyes damaged

To make sure their eyes stood completely safe, people had to wear protective glasses while witnessing the eclipse. However, you might have caught small glimpses of the sun without the protective gear on. After this, you either didn’t feel anything or felt your eyes hurting, and you are probably wondering if you managed to get your eyes damaged.

You need about 12 hours after the incident to find out if your eyes suffered any kind of damage. However, if you looked at the sun without glasses for only a few seconds, the chances you got your eyes hurt are small. Also, if you witnessed the eclipse via a smartphone or camera display, without looking directly at the sun, you are again in no danger.

What to do if your eyes feel strange

The only chance for you to suffer permanent damage was if you completely forgot to wear any kind of protective filter. This means you either wore nothing over your eyes, or wore improper glasses. However, experts encouraged everyone to get protected, so most people probably had the suitable gear with them.

In case it somehow happened you didn’t wear protection, your vision should start getting blurry after 12 hours. In about several months, this condition might improve but, over the same period of time, it might also get permanent.

If you are experiencing such symptoms, you have to go see an optometrist immediately. In case your eyes have been seriously damaged, he will refer you to the nearest ophthalmologist, who will offer you the necessary treatment.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Marian Cleeves Diamond, Neuroscientist who Studied Einstein’s Brain, Dies Age 90

August 18, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Marian Cleeves Diamond was among the first who studied the development of the brain in certain environments

The neuroscientist who studied the brain of Albert Einstein died at age 90. Marian Cleeves Diamond was among the first who found evidence that you can boost your brain by constant intellectual stimulation and enrichment. UC Berkeley, the institution where Diamond taught integrative biology, confirmed that the professor died in her Oakland home on July 25^th.

She proved the brain can better develop in an enriched environment

In 1984, Diamond received four pieces from Einstein’s brain, and she started studying it. This is how she found out it contained more support cells than a regular brain. Also, she worked with rat brains, and managed to prove the environment can determine the brain to grow.

When rats where surrounded by a richer environment, with more companions and more toys to train their minds, the anatomy of their brains changed. If they lived in a poorer environment, their brains could no longer learn and reach the same potential.

The discovery seems simple, but it completely changed the way in which scientists looked at brain development. Also, it helped people better raise their children, as they now knew how to boost someone’s cognitive capabilities.

Diamond had to face much skepticism, but she finally succeeded

At the point when Diamond came up with these theories, some neuroscientists were skeptical, and thought the brain couldn’t change. However, she stuck to her conviction, and managed to find evidence in its support. Moreover, she had to fight the battle of being a female scientist, who didn’t live an easy life back in the day.

Diamond was born on November 11^th, 1926, in Glendale. Initially, she attended Glendale Community College, but she transferred to Berkeley, where she even earned her PhD. Then, she worked as a research assistant at Harvard, and became the first female professor of science at Cornell University. In 1960, she came back as a lecturer at Berkeley.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Surreal Even In Death: Dali Exhumed For Paternity Test

July 23, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Salvador Dali’s remains were exhumed as part of a controversial paternity test.

The art world suffered a shock in 2015. Pilar Abel Martinez, a Spanish psychic, claimed she is painter Salvador Dali’s secret daughter. Only last month, Martinez won the right to have Dali exhumed. Now, the authorities may conduct the proper DNA tests.

The Iconic Moustache is Still Intact

On Thursday, July 20th, authorities exhumed Salvador Dali’s remains from his resting place at the Dali Theater-Museum in Figueres, Spain. The Dali-Gala Foundation opposed the exhumation but there was no settlement regarding the appeal. Both parties reached a compromise to begin the exhumation outside the working hours of the museum.

On Thursday, representatives from the Foundation, the Forensic Medical Institute and the lawyers of both parties entered Dali’s resting place under the dome of the museum. Authorities secured the area so no one would intervene.

With the help of a pulley, the authorities managed to remove the casket lid that weighs one ton. Coroners then collected the necessary samples including hair, teeth, and nails. The Foundation confirmed the authorities conducted the intervention with great attention so as to not disturb the rest of Dali’s remains. In addition, the secretary general of the Foundation declared that it was “exciting” seeing how well preserved Dali’s corpse was. His iconic mustache has still remained in the classic “ten-past-ten position”.

The Dali Foundation Disapproves of the Intervention

The representatives from the Gala-Dali Foundation were content with how authorities conducted the investigation. However, they still disapprove of the act. The Foundation maintains the fact that Martinez does not have the evidence to support her claim. Martinez has a notarized statement from a woman who claims that she was a friend of Abel’s mother and that the mother confessed Abel’s father was Salvador Dali. The Foundation added:

Before agreeing to such an invasive act as the exhumation of Salvador Dalí in a museum, the claimant Pilar Abel Martínez—as proposed by the Foundation and the Spanish State—should have been required to carry out a DNA test to compare her DNA with that of her legal father (deceased) or her brother, to thereby obtain all available evidence that she is not their daughter or sister.

Coroners will announce the results obtained after having Dali exhumed in early September, this year.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

Amazon Launches Its Own Messaging App, Anytime

July 17, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Amazon will soon join the ranks of companies with their own messaging apps

Amazon might soon join the line of tech giants with their own messaging apps. The retail company, which has already expanded well beyond this field, has already started asking customers on what they look for in a messaging app. Reports suggest this app might be almost ready, and it will be called Anytime.

Anytime grants you access to plenty of activities

Several reports have already found out more about Anytime, and say it looks promising. The service has plenty of features which might speak to all users, and the more optimistic ones say it will be worthy of competing with any existent social platform.

The main purpose of Anytime will be messaging, which you can fulfill either via text messages or via calls, in both voice and video formats. However, Anytime won’t be only about messaging. You will also be able to share photos with your friends by @-mentioning them, and even apply filters and effects to them.

Reports also say Anytime will allow users to engage in group activities, so they can play games, listen to music together, or even order food. This sounds great, and it seems to be a clever combination of many other social apps, making up a successful recipe to win the public.

A secure way to connect with your friends

Amazon didn’t forget about the main issue of privacy, so it promises that all chats and activities will remain private. Also, you don’t need to introduce your phone number, email address or anything personal to use Anytime. This leaves only one option available to create an account, and it probably means synchronizing the app with other social media services.

Amazon hasn’t revealed a launch date for the app yet. However, we can tell it will come both in mobile and web version. Also, all mobile users should benefit from it. This sounds like a great opportunity to chat with your friends and engage in other useful activities at the same time.
Image Source: Flickr

Fire Ants Organize Themselves into Complex Structures to Escape Floods

July 12, 2017 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Fire ants are capable of building complex organized structures to escape being flooded

There are quite a lot of animal species with strong social characteristics which are able to undertake difficult tasks without a leader to coordinate them. Most of these species can build complex animal architecture, surprising people with their exact precision and organized structure. From all these animals, fire ants have already reached a superior level of building skills.

Fire ants build structure to survive floods

These ants originate in Pantanal, West Brazil, an area which is periodically flooded. Fire ants needed to find a survival mechanism to cope with the flooding, so they developed several skills which bound them together as a community. First of all, they could keep themselves afloat until all water went away by sticking together and creating some sort of ant-raft.

The second and more complex mechanism consists of building towers. These help them reach higher places away from water, and are also the basis of their underground tunnels. Researchers took an interest in this tower-building technique, which made the subject of a new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

What is the secret of the ant tower?

They thought that, after discovering the ants’ building secret, they would be able to use the same technology for man-made buildings. Nature-inspired design is always a great solution to erect structures to last throughout time.

To see how fire ants put up their towers, researchers injected them with radioactive substances, and then performed X-ray scans on them while they were building complex structures. They saw how these towers were constantly moving, namely they sank and, then, the ants formed them again.

Researchers also wondered what rules fire ants followed to build these towers, and discovered there aren’t any. They are probably moving atop each other and occupy the first free place they find, until the structure is formed. Also, they can predict how high a structure can be, and move accordingly.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons