Paranormal News Network

Astronomers build molecular cloud atlas for nearby Andromeda galaxy

Astronomers from Cardiff University, UK, have employed the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) to explore the nearby Andromeda galaxy. Results of the observational campaign, published December 27 on the pre-print server arXiv, yield important insights into the molecular cloud system of this galaxy.

Error-correction technology to turn quantum computing into real-world power

Ripples spreading across a calm lake after raindrops fall—and the way ripples from different drops overlap and travel outward—is one image that helps us picture how a quantum computer handles information.

New framework unifies space and time in quantum systems

Quantum mechanics and relativity are the two pillars of modern physics. However, for over a century, their treatment of space and time has remained fundamentally disconnected. Relativity unifies space and time into a single fabric called spacetime, describing it seamlessly. In contrast, traditional quantum theory employs different languages: quantum states (density matrix) for spatial systems and quantum channels for temporal evolution.

Researchers build plasma accelerator that boosts electron energy and brightness at the same time

Researchers from the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), have designed innovative technology that can generate both high-energy and high-brightness electron bunches in an accelerator that is a fraction of the size of current particle accelerators.

Blazar Ton 599’s complex variability investigated by long-term observations

Using the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), an international team of astronomers have performed long-term photometric observations of a luminous blazar known as Ton 599. Results of the observations, published in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal, shed more light on the optical variability of this object.

The eternal mysteries of Ohio’s amazing Serpent Mound

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/6K_kM1n8DfY?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1

At ground level, it is almost not visible. But from high above, the shape and design becomes unmistakable: Serpent Mound is indeed in the shape of snake. And yet, that’s just the beginning of the mystery which still surrounds this incredible marvel of human achievement.

Even the date of Serpent Mound’s construction has been shrouded in controversy and debate. As recently as 2013, radiocarbon dating revealed that the magnificent structure, which was constructed by Native Americans, dates back to 321 BCE, one year after the death of Aristotle in ancient Greece, Indian Country Today reports.

Screenshot 1424 — From overhead, it’s easy to see exactly why it’s called Serpent Mound (Via YouTube)

There has even been endless debate about which Native American tribe build the structure, according to Archaeology:

“In the late nineteenth century, Frederic Ward Putnam excavated two mounds near Serpent Mound, and he found artifacts and villages belonging to the Adena and the Fort Ancient cultures. Studies conducted in the 1990s dated the structure to A.D. 1120, or the Fort Ancient culture. But recently, scientists have dated charcoal pieces recovered from soil cores taken across Great Serpent Mound. The samples have yielded dates between 400 and 80 B.C., suggesting that the effigy was created by the Adena culture. The charcoal, however, was found scattered throughout the soil and may have been from old Adena fire pits that were dug up by later Fort Ancient builders.”

Screenshot 1425 — The serpent is a sacred creature in Native American lore (Via YouTube)

The serpentine shape also has important meaning, referring to the Plumed Serpent, which Ancient Origins describes as:

“A much-revered god who was believed to bring good tidings and civilization to humankind. His preeminent role in ancient times is evident from the fact that not only whole temples, but in fact whole cities were built as centers of worship for this entity. Most well-known of these may be the so-called pyramid of Kukulcan at Chichen-Itza in Mexico, which recently was included among the seven wonders of the world and is the most well-known of all Mayan pyramids.”

Serpent head at the base of El Castillo — Kukulkan at the base of the west face of the northern stairway of El Castillo, Chichen Itza by Frank Kovalchek via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Even more amazing is the fact that the Serpent Mound was constructed on the edge of a meteor crater, leading some to speculate that the location is not the least bit random or accidental:

“Between 256 to 330 million years ago, a meteor streaked through the sky — it either landed in a shallow sea or disturbed some dinosaurs, astrogeologists don’t have the exact date — and made an impact in modern-day Peebles. The site of the meteor strike lives on and is known for something equally spectacular, the Serpent Mound.”

A very rare element is found at the site of meteor crashes: Iridium. Did aliens use iridium as a source of energy? That’s what the History Channel program “Ancient Aliens” explored back in 2013, with a close look at just how expertly plotted Serpent Mound is.

Screenshot 1426 — Did aliens mine iridium from the mound for energy? (Via YouTube)

Serpent Mound may have a deeper significance, too. It might have been constructed to draw spirits to the area, History.com notes:

“Graves and burial mounds near the site suggest Serpent Mound’s builders may have constructed the structure for some kind of important burial or mortuary function, such as to guide spirits. But the mound itself doesn’t contain any graves or artifacts.

“Serpent Mound may have further had temporal significance—the head of the serpent aligns with the summer solstice sunset while the tail points to the winter solstice sunrise. As such, ancient peoples may have used the structure to mark time or seasons.”

Though we may never know the exact logic and purpose behind Serpent Mound, it remains one of mankind’s most incredible achievements and will no doubt continue to draw the interest of people across the world.

Here’s more on Serpent Mound from “Ancient Aliens”

Featured Image Via YouTube Screenshot

Women in ancient Egypt and the Matriarchal society that prospered for thousands of years

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/boxCX-NKnR0?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1

Has modern society continued to advance and progress since ancient times? That’s a general idea given the concept of evolution, but is it necessarily true with humans? If we consider the state of the world, we find civilizations with mostly patriarchal control. We see the rich few control the masses while equality is still a distant goal. Prosperity is out of reach for millions. It seems evolution has not necessarily created an advanced human race, but one that is dangerously out of balance with the natural world and perhaps the spiritual one.

Looking back at ancient times, we tend to think we’ve come a long way. But have we really? In America, millions reach for a more Egalitarian society that affords equal opportunity to all, regardless of gender or race. However, in 2019, we still struggle to attain this form of civilization.

Now consider ancient Egypt and the periods of a relatively prosperous matriarchal society.

“The status of women in ancient Egyptian society was of such importance that the right to the crown itself passed through the royal women and not the men. The daughters of kings were all important.”

According to the Pyramid Code documentary (see below), the ruling Pharaohs were open to recognizing the equality of the Sacred Masculine and the Sacred Feminine. The matriarchal consciousness was associated with eternity, cycles of time, ritual, magic, altered states, and art. The patriarchal consciousness was associated with history, linear time, dogma, rationality, waking reality, and science. Both were of equal value.

See this excerpt from the Pyramid Code below:

From the First and Second Intermediate Periods (2100 BCE–1550 BCE) to the Ptolemaic Period (300 BCE–30 BCE), we see periods where women were elevated to the highest levels of society. Women were educated business owners, and there were few limits. What happened as a result? Culture thrived.

“Not only were women in ancient Egypt responsible for the nurturance and admonition of children, but they could also work at a trade, own and operate a business, inherit property, and come out well in divorce proceedings. Some women of the working class even became prosperous. They trained in medicine as well as in other highly skilled endeavors. There were female religious leaders in the priesthood, but in this instance, they were not equal to the men. In ancient Egypt, women could buy jewelry and fine linens. At times, they ruled as revered queens or pharaohs.”

During the period called the New Kingdom (c.1570-1069 BCE), the mother, wife and eldest daughter of the king could be elevated to hold power equal to the Pharoah. They could hold the politically powerful and spiritually significant title of God’s Wife of Amun. Later, unmarried women of royal birth could hold the position, and they could adopt their own successor. God’s Wives were tax-exempt and owned personal property like the priests.

WivesofAmun — Wives of Amun via YouTube

Queen Ahhotep I (c. 1570-1530 BCE) held the powerful title of God’s Wife of Amun. She was the mother of Pharaoh Ahmose I. Queen Ahhotep commanded the troops, wielding almost as much power as the king.

Then she passed on her power to her daughter, Ahmose-Nefertari. In response, the Pharoah Ahmose I gave Ahmose-Nefertari more power, equaling the power of the High Priest. This move diminished the power held by the Priests of Amun. These priests were also tax-exempt and became wealthy and powerful by performing rituals they considered necessary to enter the next life. It seems they corrupted religion, something we see too often today.

“Ahhotep apparently commanded the respect of local troops and grandees to preserve a fledgling dynastic line and she continued to function as king’s mother well into the reign of Amenhotep I” (Shaw, 218). At some point she surrendered the role of God’s Wife to her daughter, Ahmose-Nefertari, who was also Ahmose I’s wife,” said Egyptologist Betsy M. Bryan.

One woman, the granddaughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep I, Hatshepsut, became a Pharaoh herself during the 18th Dynasty in c.1478 BCE. Interestingly, she was said to rule as both king and queen. Her statues sometimes depicted her as a man with a royal beard. She was “the most powerful and successful female ruler of ancient Egypt.” After she became Pharaoh, she surrendered her title of “God’s Wife” to her daughter, Neferu-Ra.

See more about Hatshepsut below:

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3aNbNxKS6s

Later, the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Amenhotep III, and Queen Tiye would create one of the most prosperous and luxurious times in ancient history. Queen Tiye was the most influential counselor and support to the Pharaoh. Together, they were a united front considered “a high point in Egyptian history.” She and the Pharaoh disapproved of the cult of Amun, and she would help her son, Akhenaten, abolish it.

Queen Tiye was also known to communicate directly with foreign rulers, in which role she excelled. The couple ruled effective for 38 years until Amenhotep III’s death. She then became the Kings’ Mother as her son Amenhotep IV took the throne. He changed his name to Akhenaten and ushered in another era of matriarchal rule with his influential wife, Nefertiti.

According to Ancient History Encyclopedia:

“Tiye ruled with the same authority as a man and exercised her power in equal measure with the great Kings of the ancient world.”

Centuries before the reign of Cleopatra, Tiye was revered as a queen with the same authority as any man. Queen Tiye was depicted in statues of the same height as her husband, symbolizing her equal status.

Queen Tiye E 25493 IMG 0327 black — Queen Tiye by Rama via Wikimedia Commons

Queen Tiy’s daughter-in-law, Nefertiti remains one of the most famous influential women in world history. Her name translates to `the beautiful one has come.’ Her fame is partly because we recognize her face from a sculpture discovered in 1912 CE. Her beauty was legendary.

During Nefertiti’s reign, she and her husband led a religious revolution against the Priests of Amun. These priests had gained great power and wealth for performing rituals at mortuary complexes, so much that they were essentially in control.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti led religious reforms that may have been as much to undercut the priest’s power in the cult of Amun as they were to convert to a monotheist religion based on the sun deity, Aten. They succeeded in wresting power away from the cult but would later be accused of heresy.

Was it heresy, or was it needed reform to restore true spirituality rather than feed a power-hungry religious cult? The title of God’s Wife of Amun also appears to have been eliminated but appeared again in the 19th Dynasty.

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_dbSjJMS_Y

During Nefertiti’s reign, she, like her husband’s mother, ruled as an equal to the Pharaoh. Today, she appears to have been even more powerful than her husband. However, she disappeared from the historical record after the death of her daughter Mekitaten in childbirth. There is a theory that she continued to rule under the male name of Smenkhkare until her step-son, Tutankhamun, was old enough to assume the throne.

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1GULSVk5dc

Later, Queen Nefertari continued the matriarchal rule of ancient Egypt with her husband, Ramesses II. Nefertari is one of the most famous figures in Egyptian history, with one of the largest tombs in the Valley of the Queens called the Temple of Abu Simbel. Nefertari appeared in equal size and stature in the sculptures of the time. She was highly educated and influential as a diplomat and at court. The Pharaoh revered women rulers so much that he also restored the temple of Hatshepsut in Deir el Bahri.

egypt 1715712 1280 — Temple of Abu Simbel via Pixabay

The last great ruler of Egypt, the famous Cleopatra VII, is world-renowned as a feared and influential intelligent woman during a time of almost exclusive male rule. She would use her power, influence, and wealth to the benefit of her children as she became romantically involved with Roman military leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. However, after her tragic death, Egypt fell to the Romans. The age of matriarchal prosperous rule was at an end.

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqJxr231W8k

For thousands of years, women held prominence and relative equality in Egypt. Was this a Golden Age, more advanced than what we see even today? You decide.

It seems clear we could learn quite a lot from ancient Egypt as mankind struggles for a better modern world.

See more in The Pyramid Code, now streaming on Netflix. Here is a clip from YouTube:

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccgzjeNZolI

Featured image: Screenshot via YouTube

Thin ice may have protected lake water on frozen Mars

Small lakes on ancient Mars may have remained liquid for decades, even with average air temperatures well below freezing.

Betelgeuse’s elusive companion star: Siwarha’s ‘wake’ detected

Using new observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories, astronomers have tracked the influence of a recently discovered companion star, Siwarha, on the gas around Betelgeuse. The research, by scientists at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), reveals a trail of dense gas swirling through Betelgeuse’s vast, extended atmosphere, shedding light on why the giant star’s brightness and atmosphere have changed in strange and unusual ways.

Active solar region observed for record 94 days

In May 2024, the strongest solar storm in twenty years raged. An international team led by ETH Zurich observed it. Their findings are now helping to improve space weather forecasts.

Hubble examines Cloud-9, first of new type of object

A team using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a new type of astronomical object—a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud that is considered a “relic” or remnant of early galaxy formation. Nicknamed “Cloud-9,” this is the first confirmed detection of such an object in the universe. The finding, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, furthers the understanding of galaxy formation, the early universe, and the nature of dark matter itself.

Worms as particle sweepers: How simple movement, not intelligence, drives environmental order

When observing small worms under a microscope, one might observe something very surprising: the worms appear to make a sweeping motion to clean their own environment. Physicists at the University of Amsterdam, Georgia Tech and Sorbonne Université/CNRS have now discovered the reason for this unexpected behavior.

Astronomers reveal hidden lives of the early universe’s ultramassive galaxies

An international team of astronomers has uncovered multiple evolutionary paths for the universe’s most massive galaxies. Observations of ultramassive galaxies, each containing more than 100 billion stars, show that less than 2 billion years after the Big Bang, some had already stopped forming stars and lost their dust, while others continued forming stars hidden behind thick dust clouds.

Metal–metal bonded molecule achieves stable spin qubit state, opening path toward quantum computing materials

Researchers at Kumamoto University, in collaboration with colleagues in South Korea and Taiwan, have discovered that a unique cobalt-based molecule with metal–metal bonds can function as a spin quantum bit (spin qubit)—a fundamental unit for future quantum computers. The findings provide a new design strategy for molecular materials used in quantum information technologies.

Ultramassive black holes and their galaxies: A matter of scale

Nearly every galaxy has a supermassive black hole in its core. Whether the black hole forms first and then the galaxy around it—or the other way around—is still a matter of some debate, but we know the evolution of both are deeply connected. We can use that relationship to study the black holes.