Pancreatic cancer: Risk factors
Early symptoms vague
The sad news of the death of Steve Jobs has brought pancreatic cancer into the headlines.
The Apple co-founder underwent surgery in 2004 for an islet cell neuroendocrine tumour,
a rare and less aggressive type of pancreatic cancer.
This - and excellent medical care - is probably why he lived so long with the disease.
Each year, more than 7,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,
and around 6,500 die of it. Of the most common cancers, it has the worst survival rate.
Just three per cent of patients live for five years or more after being diagnosed with the disease,
a figure which has remained static over the last 40 years.
UK pancreatic cancer survival figures also lag behind other European countries, as well as the US,
Canada and Australia, according to a recent report by charity Pancreatic Cancer UK.
In countries such as Canada and Australia, reported survival rates are double those of the UK.
Part of the reason is that the disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose in the early stages.
Some of the most common early symptoms - stomach pain, nausea, jaundice, weight loss,
fever - can be caused by several other conditions.
However, the Study for Survival report, based on the experiences of nearly 1,000 patients,
found that more than 50 per cent of pancreatic cancer patients experience symptoms
up to a year before being diagnosed,
with nearly a third of all patients making five or more visits to the doctor.
By the time they are diagnosed, the disease is often in its advanced stages,
which can limit treatment options.
Risk factors
Age
Pancreatic cancer is more common in older people.
Eight out of ten people who develop the disease are aged over 60.
Smoking
Smoking increases your risk of a number of lethal diseases, including pancreatic cancer.
Up to one in five pancreatic cancers may be linked to smoking cigarettes,
cigars or chewing tobacco.
Blood group
People with the blood groups A, A/B or B are more likely to develop the disease than people
with blood group O.
Medical conditions
Diabetes may be linked to an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Chronic pancreatitis has been shown to raise the risk of developing the disease.
Hereditary
Around one in ten cases of pancreatic cancer are thought to be caused by inherited genes
which predispose them to developing the disease.
People who are already at risk of a number of familial cancer syndromes linked to faulty genes are
at a greater risk of pancreatic cancer. These include breast cancer associated with the BRCA1
and BRCA2 genes, familial atypical mole melanoma, hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer,
familial adenomatous polyposis,
and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
Prevention
A healthy lifestyle can help to reduce your risk of cancer, including pancreatic cancer.
Limit saturated fat and sugar, eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day,
try to maintain a healthy weight and keep physically active.
There is some evidence to suggest that lycopene (found in tomatoes)
and vitamin C may help protect against pancreatic cancer.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
true love
TRUE LOVE
True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny!
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And conquers all fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.
Bryan L. Harvey
True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny!
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And conquers all fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.
Bryan L. Harvey
Single, but not lonely
Single, but not lonely
Sailing solo: Tanuja Chandra
Why is there such a mortal fear of being single? It’s not half as bad as it’s made out to be, declares Tanuja Chandra. Tanuja Chandra is a screenwriter and director
WHEN I was in my late twenties, my parents believed they could find a person for me to marry. And despite my advice to them to abandon this line of thought, because a ‘found’ boy, was not the path to marriage I could possibly tread, they would insist on meeting single, eligible men and their families. These meetings always ended with my parents politely excusing themselves from said company even before tea had been served. I don’t remember all the groom stories they told me, but yes, there was one in which a mother said she had no objections to a ‘career bahu’ as long as I cooked the family’s lunch before leaving for work; and there was another where the boy was going through an unusual dietary phase; he was a Phalaahari, who had consumed only fruit for the past several months; and there was yet another one, where, upon phoning the number given to my parents by a helpful relative, they found out the guy was already married; to cut a short story shorter — arranged marriage didn’t work out for me. And this, I had predicted.
Single, but not lonely
Now, the thing about love, at least the kind I understand, is this: it simply cannot be searched for, no matter how diligently the strategy and plan are chalked out. It has to happen on its own — infrequently, unpredictably and illogically. Admittedly, many have found a kind of love through some sort of arranged meeting; but I also know of several women, who have been fiercely scouring the social landscape for that elusive, wonderful man they will marry, for five, 10 years and it hasn’t yielded just results. Either the guy just stops calling after three meetings or these women find the men less than sensitive, smelly or just not exciting enough. All this only corroborates my thesis: if love has to happen, it will. Or else it won’t.
Why is there such mortal fear of being single? It’s not half as bad as it’s made out to be. The single person has many satisfying re l a t i o n - s h i p s .
One’s relationship w i t h work is nothing if not pass i o n at e, s t e a d f a s t , and intimate. Work is the one thing in life that gives you back what you give it. It’s pulsating and alive, and although filled with huge highs and lows, never does it leave you empty and undone. A project hardly ever fills you with abiding sorrow, even when it isn’t a success. You put your heart into it, and in turn, it will always remain yours.
Nonetheless, what can be tiring, even in this elemental relationship is that one has to continuously sell one’s wares. In the entertainment business, you need to endlessly pitch your ideas and throw yourself into full-bodied marketing to convince sceptics of your talent. That’s a considerable pressure and often debilitating to the spirit. But for those low times, there are friends! Childhood companions, girlfriends! Funny, patient, generous, friends are extended family. With them you are free to be yourself. Free to fight, free to gossip, free to embrace and free to fail. It’s so liberating, it’s as if, with all your awkwardness and ineptness, you fall back into a soft bed to allow yourself to stare at nothing. Of such fun experiences, the world is filled to the brim! There are so many places to travel to, so many different foods to be had! There are books to r e a d , movies to see, websites to be i m m e r s e d into. The occasional hairspa to be enjoyed and the great pair of Italian shoes to be bought! There are nieces and nephews to be adored, and parents to laugh with. Stories to hear and stories to tell.
Oh single world, whatever else, thou art certainly not one-dimensional!
So, single though I am, I hardly am bored, and have never felt sorry for myself. Therein lies the secret. If romance walks through the door someday, it will be welcomed. Not because I’ll be waiting, sad and lonely, ready to fling myself at Cupid’s feet, in tearful gratitude. But because, all loves are welcome. All loves are life. And not all lives have to walk down the regular road to be considered full.
Sailing solo: Tanuja Chandra
Why is there such a mortal fear of being single? It’s not half as bad as it’s made out to be, declares Tanuja Chandra. Tanuja Chandra is a screenwriter and director
WHEN I was in my late twenties, my parents believed they could find a person for me to marry. And despite my advice to them to abandon this line of thought, because a ‘found’ boy, was not the path to marriage I could possibly tread, they would insist on meeting single, eligible men and their families. These meetings always ended with my parents politely excusing themselves from said company even before tea had been served. I don’t remember all the groom stories they told me, but yes, there was one in which a mother said she had no objections to a ‘career bahu’ as long as I cooked the family’s lunch before leaving for work; and there was another where the boy was going through an unusual dietary phase; he was a Phalaahari, who had consumed only fruit for the past several months; and there was yet another one, where, upon phoning the number given to my parents by a helpful relative, they found out the guy was already married; to cut a short story shorter — arranged marriage didn’t work out for me. And this, I had predicted.
Single, but not lonely
Now, the thing about love, at least the kind I understand, is this: it simply cannot be searched for, no matter how diligently the strategy and plan are chalked out. It has to happen on its own — infrequently, unpredictably and illogically. Admittedly, many have found a kind of love through some sort of arranged meeting; but I also know of several women, who have been fiercely scouring the social landscape for that elusive, wonderful man they will marry, for five, 10 years and it hasn’t yielded just results. Either the guy just stops calling after three meetings or these women find the men less than sensitive, smelly or just not exciting enough. All this only corroborates my thesis: if love has to happen, it will. Or else it won’t.
Why is there such mortal fear of being single? It’s not half as bad as it’s made out to be. The single person has many satisfying re l a t i o n - s h i p s .
One’s relationship w i t h work is nothing if not pass i o n at e, s t e a d f a s t , and intimate. Work is the one thing in life that gives you back what you give it. It’s pulsating and alive, and although filled with huge highs and lows, never does it leave you empty and undone. A project hardly ever fills you with abiding sorrow, even when it isn’t a success. You put your heart into it, and in turn, it will always remain yours.
Nonetheless, what can be tiring, even in this elemental relationship is that one has to continuously sell one’s wares. In the entertainment business, you need to endlessly pitch your ideas and throw yourself into full-bodied marketing to convince sceptics of your talent. That’s a considerable pressure and often debilitating to the spirit. But for those low times, there are friends! Childhood companions, girlfriends! Funny, patient, generous, friends are extended family. With them you are free to be yourself. Free to fight, free to gossip, free to embrace and free to fail. It’s so liberating, it’s as if, with all your awkwardness and ineptness, you fall back into a soft bed to allow yourself to stare at nothing. Of such fun experiences, the world is filled to the brim! There are so many places to travel to, so many different foods to be had! There are books to r e a d , movies to see, websites to be i m m e r s e d into. The occasional hairspa to be enjoyed and the great pair of Italian shoes to be bought! There are nieces and nephews to be adored, and parents to laugh with. Stories to hear and stories to tell.
Oh single world, whatever else, thou art certainly not one-dimensional!
So, single though I am, I hardly am bored, and have never felt sorry for myself. Therein lies the secret. If romance walks through the door someday, it will be welcomed. Not because I’ll be waiting, sad and lonely, ready to fling myself at Cupid’s feet, in tearful gratitude. But because, all loves are welcome. All loves are life. And not all lives have to walk down the regular road to be considered full.
Ageless, timeless, limitless love!
Ageless, timeless, limitless love!
Whether you’re 80 or 18, everyone just needs to be loved! It is discovered that notions of love are expanding and how falling in love has lost its retirement age!
We’re living in a world where the age span of love is rising. From teenagers who are being told, ‘How to be a Perfect Kisser’, to middle-aged women who figure out ‘10 Ways to Please your Man in Bed’ from magazines, and old couples who are advised on ‘20 Ways to Better Loving’ – can anyone ignore love at any age? Why, even author Gabriel Garcia Marquez said, “I would prove to men how wrong they are to think that they stop falling in love as they get older, since they actually start getting older as soon as they stop falling in love.”
Says relationship guru, Dr Rohit Juneja, “We’re expanding our notions of love and are finding new expressions to show it; this makes us energetic and lively. The increasing divorce rate, in a way is healthy, because that shows that people don’t want to be in loveless relationships.” Finally, the pursuit of love is making us get out of our comfort zone.
Young love
Spring is in the air; There’s magic everywhere; When you’re young and in love — The Marvellettes, American band
DESIRE TO LOVE I When you’re 14, you don’t need a reason to be in love. The love gurus have marketed love in every space of a youngster’s life. At 14, for Vandana Sareen, boys are a fascinating subject. “We can’t stop talking about guys. I’m in love with a boy in my class. At my age, the pressure to fall in love is intense. I don’t know the difference between attraction and love yet. So, I’ll just experiment.”
For youngsters in the love market, it’s about experimentation and glamour. Says psychologist Anu Goel, “Love in the teens is dreamy.” There’s an openness in the post I-pill generation. Explains marriage counsellor, Dr Kamal Khurana, “It’s more fairy-tale and fantasy-like, where they think that everything is possible.”
MAINTENANCE OF LOVE I “There’s hardly any maintenance required; love comes easy, and also goes easy,” says psychologist Goel. “Women are more upfront in expressing love, which is all about deep intimacy, sexual longing and exploration fuelled by a consumer mentality,” says Radhika Chopra, a sociologist at Delhi University. When you are young, and you fall in love, it’s an illusion. For singer Hard Kaur, “Love is understanding... it’s about making pancakes at three in the morning!” Why, even Rakhi Sawant is trying to look for love on India’s national television. “I feel the need to find love and share my life with someone.”
Middle-aged love
Love gets me every time my heart changed my mind – Shania Twain, singer
DESIRE TO LOVE I Even Google doesn’t have a clear description of love for a middle-aged person! You’re supposed to be looking after your babies and making a success of your career or having great sex outside marriage! This is the most vulnerable group; ‘settled’ couples feel ‘unsettled’, and divorce isn’t uncommon, as most feel there’s still time to find love. Says relationship expert Dr Rohit Juneja, “These are people living lives in quiet desperation. They want to break free. So, they start by having affairs. Monogamy is the monopoly of one individual, which leads to monotony.”
Says author Kishwar Desai, who met Meghnad Desai when she was 47. “Love happened to me. We share everything and have a deep sense of bonding!” Dr Avdesh Sharma says, “You cannot imagine how unhappy mid-lifers are with their marriages. When they meet attractive people, the chemistry is lethal. There’s a craving for deep emotional intimacy in this group.” So, what do men and women look for in love at this age? Says Anu Chadha, 52, accessory exporter, “I’m looking for love that is serene not heady and hip-hop.” Sanjeev Khatri, VP, Queen’s International Travels, believes, “Being in love makes you vivacious. For men, it’s to be with someone who is emotionally and sexually attractive.”
MAINTENANCE OF LOVE I Growing up doesn’t cool off desire, rather, it fires it up. “Love is about intimacy, appreciation and communication. Remove your conflicts,” advises Dr Juneja. Meera Bhardwaj, a recently-married Delhi University lecturer at 42 feels, “Keeping love alive is about indulging in small romantic gestures, giving compliments and showing gratitude.”
Old love
I wanna make you smile/ Whenever you’re sad/ Carry you around/ When your arthritis is bad/ All I wanna do is/ Grow old with you – Adam Sandler, actor
DESIRE TO LOVE I Don’t just blame Viagra; the desire to find love is intense at 62 for Col Raj Khanna. He says, “I lost my wife some years ago and was looking for friendship. So, when I found love for the second time, it was more about sharing.” Dr Avdesh Sharma, psychiatrist, opines, “I’ve had men come to me, who have spouses who don’t want sex. There are a lot of mismatched couples looking for emotional fulfillment. The solution is to find newness in your daily routine.”
MAINTENANCE OF LOVE I At 77, Mehtab Singh’s definition of love is, “Loving stays young; the body grows old. Love can give you a glow even in your 70s.” Says Dr Kamal Khurana, “Many people face the empty nest syndrome, so love in this stage has to be supportive.” The need for physical intimacy is reflected in the attitude of 60-plus men in Joggers’ Park, where conversations revolve around sex! Says Dr Raj Bhrambhat, sexologist, “There’s new hope with Viagra. Men want sexual gratification even after 70. There’s no age for love and sex. It can happen anytime.”
Whether you’re 80 or 18, everyone just needs to be loved! It is discovered that notions of love are expanding and how falling in love has lost its retirement age!
We’re living in a world where the age span of love is rising. From teenagers who are being told, ‘How to be a Perfect Kisser’, to middle-aged women who figure out ‘10 Ways to Please your Man in Bed’ from magazines, and old couples who are advised on ‘20 Ways to Better Loving’ – can anyone ignore love at any age? Why, even author Gabriel Garcia Marquez said, “I would prove to men how wrong they are to think that they stop falling in love as they get older, since they actually start getting older as soon as they stop falling in love.”
Says relationship guru, Dr Rohit Juneja, “We’re expanding our notions of love and are finding new expressions to show it; this makes us energetic and lively. The increasing divorce rate, in a way is healthy, because that shows that people don’t want to be in loveless relationships.” Finally, the pursuit of love is making us get out of our comfort zone.
Young love
Spring is in the air; There’s magic everywhere; When you’re young and in love — The Marvellettes, American band
DESIRE TO LOVE I When you’re 14, you don’t need a reason to be in love. The love gurus have marketed love in every space of a youngster’s life. At 14, for Vandana Sareen, boys are a fascinating subject. “We can’t stop talking about guys. I’m in love with a boy in my class. At my age, the pressure to fall in love is intense. I don’t know the difference between attraction and love yet. So, I’ll just experiment.”
For youngsters in the love market, it’s about experimentation and glamour. Says psychologist Anu Goel, “Love in the teens is dreamy.” There’s an openness in the post I-pill generation. Explains marriage counsellor, Dr Kamal Khurana, “It’s more fairy-tale and fantasy-like, where they think that everything is possible.”
MAINTENANCE OF LOVE I “There’s hardly any maintenance required; love comes easy, and also goes easy,” says psychologist Goel. “Women are more upfront in expressing love, which is all about deep intimacy, sexual longing and exploration fuelled by a consumer mentality,” says Radhika Chopra, a sociologist at Delhi University. When you are young, and you fall in love, it’s an illusion. For singer Hard Kaur, “Love is understanding... it’s about making pancakes at three in the morning!” Why, even Rakhi Sawant is trying to look for love on India’s national television. “I feel the need to find love and share my life with someone.”
Middle-aged love
Love gets me every time my heart changed my mind – Shania Twain, singer
DESIRE TO LOVE I Even Google doesn’t have a clear description of love for a middle-aged person! You’re supposed to be looking after your babies and making a success of your career or having great sex outside marriage! This is the most vulnerable group; ‘settled’ couples feel ‘unsettled’, and divorce isn’t uncommon, as most feel there’s still time to find love. Says relationship expert Dr Rohit Juneja, “These are people living lives in quiet desperation. They want to break free. So, they start by having affairs. Monogamy is the monopoly of one individual, which leads to monotony.”
Says author Kishwar Desai, who met Meghnad Desai when she was 47. “Love happened to me. We share everything and have a deep sense of bonding!” Dr Avdesh Sharma says, “You cannot imagine how unhappy mid-lifers are with their marriages. When they meet attractive people, the chemistry is lethal. There’s a craving for deep emotional intimacy in this group.” So, what do men and women look for in love at this age? Says Anu Chadha, 52, accessory exporter, “I’m looking for love that is serene not heady and hip-hop.” Sanjeev Khatri, VP, Queen’s International Travels, believes, “Being in love makes you vivacious. For men, it’s to be with someone who is emotionally and sexually attractive.”
MAINTENANCE OF LOVE I Growing up doesn’t cool off desire, rather, it fires it up. “Love is about intimacy, appreciation and communication. Remove your conflicts,” advises Dr Juneja. Meera Bhardwaj, a recently-married Delhi University lecturer at 42 feels, “Keeping love alive is about indulging in small romantic gestures, giving compliments and showing gratitude.”
Old love
I wanna make you smile/ Whenever you’re sad/ Carry you around/ When your arthritis is bad/ All I wanna do is/ Grow old with you – Adam Sandler, actor
DESIRE TO LOVE I Don’t just blame Viagra; the desire to find love is intense at 62 for Col Raj Khanna. He says, “I lost my wife some years ago and was looking for friendship. So, when I found love for the second time, it was more about sharing.” Dr Avdesh Sharma, psychiatrist, opines, “I’ve had men come to me, who have spouses who don’t want sex. There are a lot of mismatched couples looking for emotional fulfillment. The solution is to find newness in your daily routine.”
MAINTENANCE OF LOVE I At 77, Mehtab Singh’s definition of love is, “Loving stays young; the body grows old. Love can give you a glow even in your 70s.” Says Dr Kamal Khurana, “Many people face the empty nest syndrome, so love in this stage has to be supportive.” The need for physical intimacy is reflected in the attitude of 60-plus men in Joggers’ Park, where conversations revolve around sex! Says Dr Raj Bhrambhat, sexologist, “There’s new hope with Viagra. Men want sexual gratification even after 70. There’s no age for love and sex. It can happen anytime.”
10 UNSOLVED PROBLEMS
10 Unsolved Mysteries Of The World
Placebo Effect
The placebo effect is when a persontakes something they believe is medicine for an ailment they are suffering(which is not really a medicine), and they get better. A placebo is an inert substance, and when taken (with the advice from others that it will cure them)makes
the person get better, simply because they were expecting or believed that it would work. Something similar, called the nocebo effect, is when aperson takes fake drugs and thinks they are experiencing problems that would have been caused by the real drugs. They have been known to reduce pain as well. Why they occur is mysterious and they are only one of the many complicated things related to the body-brain connection. In fact, our own bodies hold many unsolved mysteries.
Pan spermia
How didlife on earth appear? Science suggests that life started when the planetwas favourable for habitation. Yet did microscopic organisms just pop out ofnowhere? One hypothesis is panspermia, whichsuggests that €˜seeds of life€™ exist everywhere
around the universe, andthat life on earth started when these €˜seeds€™ came here, probably by ameteor. It also suggests that these
seeds are taken to other habitableplaces in the universe. Something similar to this is exo-genesis. It suggeststhat life was brought to
earth those billions of years ago, however it doesnot say that life is also taken to other habitable places. Somepeople
believe aliens brought life to our planet, as suggested by thetheories of Erich Von Daniken. Although some are sceptical as to how
lifecould exist in space and get carried to other planets, there is substantialevidence that certain life forms, like spores and
certain types of bacteria can actually exist in space, perhaps in a dormant state.
Mass extinctions
From the death of the dinosaurs, to the disappearance of the creatures inthe Permian Era, mass extinctions are occurring even now.
Sometimes, the cause is clear. We are destroying the biosphere and the atmosphere, and scientists predict that in the next 100 years, 50% of all living species will become extinct. But sometimes, the realreason is unclear. It may have been due to competition from other species,
dramatic climate changes, or the impacts from an asteroid/meteor (the last one being quite a popular one). Yet some questions remain unanswered. Why was it that some species died out, and others survived,some to this day (famous example: the coelacanth).
During the extinction of the dinosaurs, crocodiles and turtles were around, but they survived, even to this day, while the dinosaurs, the pterosaurs, the marine reptiles and others died out. While some people believe that those species were unable to cope with the (possibly) new surroundings, others are not convinced. To this day,they are a mystery, and without a time machine, we may never know. Other popular theories include:- flood basalt events,smaller asteroid showers, global warming/cooling, sea level drops.
Zombies in Haiti
Haitan vodou, part of their religious practices, has long been considered to be evil. And the base of this suspicionis that the vodou is used to create zombies.
Not zombies as in Hollywood zombies. Not animated brain ****ing zombies. Zombies like, sub-conscious humanswho do everything they are told. Wade Davis, a Canadian ethno-biologist,uncovered a lot of info on this. Apparently, it originated in Africa, and two drugs (or poisons) are inserted into the victim€™s bloodstream.
One creates a death like trance, and one makes the victim seem like they have no brain oftheir own, thus rendering them able to do whatever they are told. 3 important facts Davis found was:- zombification is not random, it is not common, and it is used as a kind of severe punishment, most likely to those that have brokenthe sacred vodou laws.
Intuition
Ever learned something without really understanding how you know it? That€™s intuition. Sometimes called a sixth sense or gut feelings, intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without a clear source or without reasoning it. Some people claim that they get a feeling that someone is watching them, and they look around andfind that somebody is, or was, watching them. Or a police officer may look at some suspects for a crime and somehow know which one is guilty, and later discover they were right. Though some people say that these things are all coincidences, others believe that the human brain has a special ability to get knowledge around them without conscious realization. It is another mystery of the human mind.
Year 2012
What makes this year so special? The fact that the Olympics are taking place in London? No. The ancient Maya civilization,from Central America, had a special calendar that was mind-blowingly accurate. And it predicted that the end of the human life cycle was on December 21st, 2012, the winter solstice. The Mayans were also good at math and astrology(they accurately predicted an eclipse that occurred hundred of years later). So people are guessing that they were right about the end of the world thing, too. Something else that has gotten scientists curious is that there are some major astronomical things happening in2012.
Apart from the occasional eclipse and comet, the entire solar system is supposed to pass through the center of our galaxy, something that happens only once every 26,000 years. And, there€™s a risk of our planet€™s poles switching.
Sounds crazy, but scientists say this has already happened. Coincidence?I think not
Life on Extra Solar Planets
Exoplanets, short for extra-solar planets, are planets beyond the solar system. There are 277 recorded exoplanets to date.
However, there is no confirmation that there is life on any of them,or in the universe, for that matter. However, it is still a mystery.
This is different from UFOs as UFO are unidentified flying objects, meaning something unidentified that has been seen on earth.
Some likely candidates for supporting life are Gliese 581 d and HD 189733 b, the latter supposedly containing water vapour and organic matter.
There are also questions as to whether there are moons orbiting these planets. Some people believe that there may even be life in our solar system that we don€™t know of. Some moons,like Neptune€™s Triton or Saturn€™s Europa, may possible have, or had, life, and there is substantial evidence that water once flowed through Mars. Still, no one knows.
Nazca Lines
Etched into the earth on the Nazca Plains in Peru are giant symbols drawn perfectly straight. Some are hundreds of metres long. They look as if they were drawn by some giant hand two thousand years ago. And the strange thing is, they can only be seen from the air.
So how did the ancient Nazcans draw them? Researchers say they could have created hot air balloon or kites to fly and view their work.
Indeed, an experiment was carried out and it proved that the Nazcans could have made a working balloon. The symbols themselves are of animals and plants. Yet some are long strips of land without any direct meaning. A writer named Erich Von Daniken believed that these were landing strips for alien spacecraft, and that aliens could have drawn them. They may also be for contacting these aliens.Maria Reiche, an astronomer, says that these lines may be used as a calendar,or to keep track of the stars and planets. There is a monkey drawing that has a coiled tail that looks similar to the orbital lines of our solar system. There are even more obscure theories that suggest that there were giant people2,000 years ago. Yet, they are still a mystery.
Megalithic structures
A megalithic structure is some thing big made of rock. It could be a statue, or just some rocks strewn around in a pattern. The truly mysterious thing about the ancients is, how were they able to create such enormous things? They did not have the technology needed to efficiently make them. Stonehenge is a good example. A bigger one is the Great Pyramid in Giza, or the pyramids themselves. Sometimes, even their purpose is unclear (Stonehenge), while other times, the structures in question are mysterious and seemingly supernatural (the pyramids). A megalith (I know, sounds like something from Di-Gata Defenders), a giant rock, is used most of the time, especially in the case of Stonehenge and the Carnac stones. Still,there are a few megalithic structures that are not mysterious (like Great Zimbabwe), but mostly it seems impossible that the ancients made these things themselves. Now, many would like to think aliens helped them. Yet even scientists say queerer things.They suggest that there may have been a lost ancient civilization that was extremely advanced, and they may have given later civilizations the knowledge to build such things. Yet there is no substantial evidence of either. Other examples: Easter Island Heads, Pyramid of the Sun (in Mesoamerica), other pyramids in central and south America, Colossus of Rhodes.
Creation of the Universe
The universe is vast and unknown. It holds many mysteries. And possibly the biggest mystery is how the universe was created.
Scientists have suggested that there was a massive explosion billions of years ago called The Big Bang. That theory is now generally accepted, and scientists are looking for trails of energy left behind from the colossal explosion that created a trillion stars. Yet there is no absolute proof. But the creation of the universe is something too big to happen so simply.
Religious folks will say God/Allah/Vishnu created the universe. But scientists will say that there was a Big Bang, and that there is energy from the bang moving through the universe, and they are trying to locate the epicentre. So, the debate continues. Religion vs. Science is probably the biggest conflict in the world. But what is religion? There are so many different types.
And the difference between the Christian religion and Greek mythology? No one believes in Greek mythology anymore. But what is science? And math? Things created by man. So before saying that man created God and science proves it, people should realize man created science as well.And maybe, the universe is just something made up in our minds.
Placebo Effect
The placebo effect is when a persontakes something they believe is medicine for an ailment they are suffering(which is not really a medicine), and they get better. A placebo is an inert substance, and when taken (with the advice from others that it will cure them)makes
the person get better, simply because they were expecting or believed that it would work. Something similar, called the nocebo effect, is when aperson takes fake drugs and thinks they are experiencing problems that would have been caused by the real drugs. They have been known to reduce pain as well. Why they occur is mysterious and they are only one of the many complicated things related to the body-brain connection. In fact, our own bodies hold many unsolved mysteries.
Pan spermia
How didlife on earth appear? Science suggests that life started when the planetwas favourable for habitation. Yet did microscopic organisms just pop out ofnowhere? One hypothesis is panspermia, whichsuggests that €˜seeds of life€™ exist everywhere
around the universe, andthat life on earth started when these €˜seeds€™ came here, probably by ameteor. It also suggests that these
seeds are taken to other habitableplaces in the universe. Something similar to this is exo-genesis. It suggeststhat life was brought to
earth those billions of years ago, however it doesnot say that life is also taken to other habitable places. Somepeople
believe aliens brought life to our planet, as suggested by thetheories of Erich Von Daniken. Although some are sceptical as to how
lifecould exist in space and get carried to other planets, there is substantialevidence that certain life forms, like spores and
certain types of bacteria can actually exist in space, perhaps in a dormant state.
Mass extinctions
From the death of the dinosaurs, to the disappearance of the creatures inthe Permian Era, mass extinctions are occurring even now.
Sometimes, the cause is clear. We are destroying the biosphere and the atmosphere, and scientists predict that in the next 100 years, 50% of all living species will become extinct. But sometimes, the realreason is unclear. It may have been due to competition from other species,
dramatic climate changes, or the impacts from an asteroid/meteor (the last one being quite a popular one). Yet some questions remain unanswered. Why was it that some species died out, and others survived,some to this day (famous example: the coelacanth).
During the extinction of the dinosaurs, crocodiles and turtles were around, but they survived, even to this day, while the dinosaurs, the pterosaurs, the marine reptiles and others died out. While some people believe that those species were unable to cope with the (possibly) new surroundings, others are not convinced. To this day,they are a mystery, and without a time machine, we may never know. Other popular theories include:- flood basalt events,smaller asteroid showers, global warming/cooling, sea level drops.
Zombies in Haiti
Haitan vodou, part of their religious practices, has long been considered to be evil. And the base of this suspicionis that the vodou is used to create zombies.
Not zombies as in Hollywood zombies. Not animated brain ****ing zombies. Zombies like, sub-conscious humanswho do everything they are told. Wade Davis, a Canadian ethno-biologist,uncovered a lot of info on this. Apparently, it originated in Africa, and two drugs (or poisons) are inserted into the victim€™s bloodstream.
One creates a death like trance, and one makes the victim seem like they have no brain oftheir own, thus rendering them able to do whatever they are told. 3 important facts Davis found was:- zombification is not random, it is not common, and it is used as a kind of severe punishment, most likely to those that have brokenthe sacred vodou laws.
Intuition
Ever learned something without really understanding how you know it? That€™s intuition. Sometimes called a sixth sense or gut feelings, intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without a clear source or without reasoning it. Some people claim that they get a feeling that someone is watching them, and they look around andfind that somebody is, or was, watching them. Or a police officer may look at some suspects for a crime and somehow know which one is guilty, and later discover they were right. Though some people say that these things are all coincidences, others believe that the human brain has a special ability to get knowledge around them without conscious realization. It is another mystery of the human mind.
Year 2012
What makes this year so special? The fact that the Olympics are taking place in London? No. The ancient Maya civilization,from Central America, had a special calendar that was mind-blowingly accurate. And it predicted that the end of the human life cycle was on December 21st, 2012, the winter solstice. The Mayans were also good at math and astrology(they accurately predicted an eclipse that occurred hundred of years later). So people are guessing that they were right about the end of the world thing, too. Something else that has gotten scientists curious is that there are some major astronomical things happening in2012.
Apart from the occasional eclipse and comet, the entire solar system is supposed to pass through the center of our galaxy, something that happens only once every 26,000 years. And, there€™s a risk of our planet€™s poles switching.
Sounds crazy, but scientists say this has already happened. Coincidence?I think not
Life on Extra Solar Planets
Exoplanets, short for extra-solar planets, are planets beyond the solar system. There are 277 recorded exoplanets to date.
However, there is no confirmation that there is life on any of them,or in the universe, for that matter. However, it is still a mystery.
This is different from UFOs as UFO are unidentified flying objects, meaning something unidentified that has been seen on earth.
Some likely candidates for supporting life are Gliese 581 d and HD 189733 b, the latter supposedly containing water vapour and organic matter.
There are also questions as to whether there are moons orbiting these planets. Some people believe that there may even be life in our solar system that we don€™t know of. Some moons,like Neptune€™s Triton or Saturn€™s Europa, may possible have, or had, life, and there is substantial evidence that water once flowed through Mars. Still, no one knows.
Nazca Lines
Etched into the earth on the Nazca Plains in Peru are giant symbols drawn perfectly straight. Some are hundreds of metres long. They look as if they were drawn by some giant hand two thousand years ago. And the strange thing is, they can only be seen from the air.
So how did the ancient Nazcans draw them? Researchers say they could have created hot air balloon or kites to fly and view their work.
Indeed, an experiment was carried out and it proved that the Nazcans could have made a working balloon. The symbols themselves are of animals and plants. Yet some are long strips of land without any direct meaning. A writer named Erich Von Daniken believed that these were landing strips for alien spacecraft, and that aliens could have drawn them. They may also be for contacting these aliens.Maria Reiche, an astronomer, says that these lines may be used as a calendar,or to keep track of the stars and planets. There is a monkey drawing that has a coiled tail that looks similar to the orbital lines of our solar system. There are even more obscure theories that suggest that there were giant people2,000 years ago. Yet, they are still a mystery.
Megalithic structures
A megalithic structure is some thing big made of rock. It could be a statue, or just some rocks strewn around in a pattern. The truly mysterious thing about the ancients is, how were they able to create such enormous things? They did not have the technology needed to efficiently make them. Stonehenge is a good example. A bigger one is the Great Pyramid in Giza, or the pyramids themselves. Sometimes, even their purpose is unclear (Stonehenge), while other times, the structures in question are mysterious and seemingly supernatural (the pyramids). A megalith (I know, sounds like something from Di-Gata Defenders), a giant rock, is used most of the time, especially in the case of Stonehenge and the Carnac stones. Still,there are a few megalithic structures that are not mysterious (like Great Zimbabwe), but mostly it seems impossible that the ancients made these things themselves. Now, many would like to think aliens helped them. Yet even scientists say queerer things.They suggest that there may have been a lost ancient civilization that was extremely advanced, and they may have given later civilizations the knowledge to build such things. Yet there is no substantial evidence of either. Other examples: Easter Island Heads, Pyramid of the Sun (in Mesoamerica), other pyramids in central and south America, Colossus of Rhodes.
Creation of the Universe
The universe is vast and unknown. It holds many mysteries. And possibly the biggest mystery is how the universe was created.
Scientists have suggested that there was a massive explosion billions of years ago called The Big Bang. That theory is now generally accepted, and scientists are looking for trails of energy left behind from the colossal explosion that created a trillion stars. Yet there is no absolute proof. But the creation of the universe is something too big to happen so simply.
Religious folks will say God/Allah/Vishnu created the universe. But scientists will say that there was a Big Bang, and that there is energy from the bang moving through the universe, and they are trying to locate the epicentre. So, the debate continues. Religion vs. Science is probably the biggest conflict in the world. But what is religion? There are so many different types.
And the difference between the Christian religion and Greek mythology? No one believes in Greek mythology anymore. But what is science? And math? Things created by man. So before saying that man created God and science proves it, people should realize man created science as well.And maybe, the universe is just something made up in our minds.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
London: Love at first sight? Only if you have got 8.2 secs’ appeal, say researchers.
A new study has found that the time needed for a man to fall in love at first sight is 8.2 seconds — in fact, the longer a man’s gaze rests on a woman when they meet for the first time, the more interested he is.
And, if it lasts just four seconds, he may not be all that impressed. But if can break the 8.2 second barrier, he could already be in love, it has found.
However, the same is not true for women. They let their eyes linger on men for the same length of time whether they find them attractive or not, leading British newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
According to the researchers, men use eye contact to seek out fit and fertile mates but women are more wary of attracting unwanted attention because of the risks of unwanted pregnancy and single parenthood.
In their study, the researchers used hidden cameras to secretly track the eye movements of 115 students as they spoke to actors and actresses. They were then asked to rate their conversation partner’s attractiveness. The men looked into the eyes of actresses they considered beautiful for an average of 8.2 seconds, but that dropped to 4.5 seconds when gazing at those they rated less attractive, the study found.
The female students, however, were looking at the actors for the same length of time, found the study published in the latest edition of the Archives of Sexual Behaviour journal.
In an unrelated study, researchers have found that romantic love can last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier relationships.
“Many believe that romantic love is the same as passionate love,” said lead researcher Bianca Acevedo, of University of California, Santa Barbara. “It isn’t. Romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, minus the obsessive component,” Acevedo added.
Researchers reviewed 25 studies with 6,070 individuals in shortand long-term relationships to find out whether romantic love is associated with more satisfaction.
The researchers found that those who reported greater romantic love were more satisfied in both the short- and long-term relationships. AGENCIES
A new study has found that the time needed for a man to fall in love at first sight is 8.2 seconds — in fact, the longer a man’s gaze rests on a woman when they meet for the first time, the more interested he is.
And, if it lasts just four seconds, he may not be all that impressed. But if can break the 8.2 second barrier, he could already be in love, it has found.
However, the same is not true for women. They let their eyes linger on men for the same length of time whether they find them attractive or not, leading British newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
According to the researchers, men use eye contact to seek out fit and fertile mates but women are more wary of attracting unwanted attention because of the risks of unwanted pregnancy and single parenthood.
In their study, the researchers used hidden cameras to secretly track the eye movements of 115 students as they spoke to actors and actresses. They were then asked to rate their conversation partner’s attractiveness. The men looked into the eyes of actresses they considered beautiful for an average of 8.2 seconds, but that dropped to 4.5 seconds when gazing at those they rated less attractive, the study found.
The female students, however, were looking at the actors for the same length of time, found the study published in the latest edition of the Archives of Sexual Behaviour journal.
In an unrelated study, researchers have found that romantic love can last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier relationships.
“Many believe that romantic love is the same as passionate love,” said lead researcher Bianca Acevedo, of University of California, Santa Barbara. “It isn’t. Romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, minus the obsessive component,” Acevedo added.
Researchers reviewed 25 studies with 6,070 individuals in shortand long-term relationships to find out whether romantic love is associated with more satisfaction.
The researchers found that those who reported greater romantic love were more satisfied in both the short- and long-term relationships. AGENCIES
DID I MARRY THE MR. RIGHT
During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, " How do I know if I married the right person ?"
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, " It Depends. Is that your husband?"
In all seriousness, she answered " How do you know?"
Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's Weighing on your mind.
Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with Your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked Their idiosyncrasies.
Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a Completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, " I was swept of my feet." Think about the Imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing There; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TOYOU.
Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.
But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the Natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls Become a bother ( if they come at all), touch is not always welcome ( when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.
The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you Think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, " Did I marry The right person?" And asyou and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of The love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else.
This is when marriages break down. People blame their spouse for their Unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.
Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is The most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.
But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.
I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You Could.
And TEMPORARILY you'dfeel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):
THE KEY TO SUCCEEDINGIN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSONYOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't" find " LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the _expression " the labor of love."
Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it Takes WISDOM. You have to know WHATTO DO to make your marriage work.
Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific Things you can do ( with or without your spouse ) to succeed with your marriage.
Just as there are physical laws of the universe ( such as gravity),
There are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise Program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your Relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable. .. You can " make " love.
Love in marriage isindeed a " decision"... Not just a feeling.
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, " It Depends. Is that your husband?"
In all seriousness, she answered " How do you know?"
Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's Weighing on your mind.
Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with Your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked Their idiosyncrasies.
Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a Completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, " I was swept of my feet." Think about the Imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing There; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TOYOU.
Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.
But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the Natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls Become a bother ( if they come at all), touch is not always welcome ( when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.
The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you Think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, " Did I marry The right person?" And asyou and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of The love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else.
This is when marriages break down. People blame their spouse for their Unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.
Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is The most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.
But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.
I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You Could.
And TEMPORARILY you'dfeel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):
THE KEY TO SUCCEEDINGIN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSONYOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't" find " LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the _expression " the labor of love."
Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it Takes WISDOM. You have to know WHATTO DO to make your marriage work.
Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific Things you can do ( with or without your spouse ) to succeed with your marriage.
Just as there are physical laws of the universe ( such as gravity),
There are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise Program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your Relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable. .. You can " make " love.
Love in marriage isindeed a " decision"... Not just a feeling.
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