Category Archives: Evolution

Photo: Plasmodium falciparum, by Lukas.S at English Wikipedia(Original text: Lukas 05:24, 5 October 2006 (UTC)), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

On a new episode ofID the Future,Darwin Devolvesauthor and biologist Michael Behe discusses two recent technical papers that the news media billed as dramatic evidence for evolution. As Behe explains in his conversation with host Eric Anderson, a careful look at the papers themselves shows that both cases involve devolution. That is, the biological forms in question did not evolve novel structures and information; instead they threw away things to achieve a niche advantage.

Inthe first study, in the journalNature Microbiology, the researchers found that in Africa, where most rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for falciparum malaria recognize histidine-rich protein 2 antigen, the malaria parasite has repeatedly evolved a way to sometimes elude detection, giving it a selective advantage, since this sneakier form of the parasite is less likely to be treated with anti-malaria drugs and eliminated. But what gets lost in the media hype is that the trick is managed by deleting histidine-rich protein 2 (pfhrp2) and 3 (pfhrp3) genes devolution.

A similar story unfolds inaCurrent Biologyarticlefocused on the yeastS. cerevisiae. Behe says the thinking used to be that, as an earlier and simpler evolutionary form, it was no wonder this yeast had fewer introns than later, more sophisticated organisms higher up the evolutionary tree. But as Behe underscores and as this recent paper argues, it looks instead like the yeast devolved, tossing off genetic information to achieve a niche advantage while sacrificing functionality outside the niche.

But evolutions grand tree-of-life story requires constructive evolution, not more and more cases of organisms tossing parts overboard. Instead, here we have two more examples strengtheningBehes thesisthat devolution dominates the biological scene, swamping by many orders of magnitude cases of genuine, complexity-building evolutionary mutations (if any such exist), rendering the prospect of substantive constructive evolution hopeless. Download the podcast or listen to it here.

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Two Papers Support Behe and Darwin Devolves - Discovery Institute

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The Eagles left tackle took up residence at the International House of Pancakes last Sunday after a big win against New Orleans.

Jordan Mailata looks on against the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field on November 21, 2021. / Photograph by Mitchell Leff / Contributor via Getty Images

When you want to protect the family its nice to have a 6-foot-8, 380-pound bodyguard.

Thats the role Eagles emerging star left tackle Jordan Mailata played in the teams 40-29 win over New Orleans last Sunday.

The typically affable Mailata showed his nastier side when Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport started taking a few liberties with the guy Mailata is tasked with protecting: Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Mailata and Davenport even got into a bit of a scrum, something not unfamiliar to Mailata, an ex-rugby player in his native Australia.

There were no flags on the play but plenty of lingering discontent as the big man ended on top of the duel, something that led to some pushing and shoving when the two players were finally untangled.

As the winner, Mailata took a bit of a victory lap on social media, changing the location of his Instagram account to IHOP the International House of Pancakes.

Pancake blocks, of course, is what every NFL offensive lineman strives for.

I was being cheeky, thats all that was, Mailata smiled before a walkthrough practice on Wednesday.

That cheekiness quickly ended, however, when Mailata talked about the way Davenport went about his business.

The biggest thing for me was all the extra stuff (Davenport) was doing to Jalen, said Mailata. Im a big boy, I can handle myself, but I think seeing him getting pushed out of bounds and even when Jalens breaking the pockets and hes throwing the ball, hes getting hit late by No. 92.

So, for me it kind of built up. The frustration was, once I get an opportunity, Im going to do something to this dude. It just so happened that play he lined up against me, I got the right footwork, got the right leverage, and just kind of wanted to finish him into the ground.

The angst went back to the 2020 game when the Eagles topped the Saints, 24-21, in a much closer affair.

I just remember them being so dirty after plays last year, Mailata noted. For me, I wanted to set the tone early and thats why I was the way I was on Sunday because I wasnt going to let that fly again this year.

A natural leader, Hurts has sparked incredible loyalty from his teammates.

For me, its protecting my family, Mailata explained. I told you guys this last week, all these guys on the team are my family. So, for me, protecting my family is what made me do thatseeing my brother get hit, getting pushed out of bounds late, it didnt roll right with me.

Mailata has evolved from seventh-round project into a franchise left tackle in less than four years and with it, the uncertainty of trying a new sport in a foreign country has turned into a self-assured second nature for Mailata.

The confidence is there, and it should be there, All-Pro center Jason Kelce said of Mailata. I think when you go out there and have success, you should be confident. When you put the work in, you practice and create all of these habits that are going to enable you to have success, you should be confident.

The key is you cant be so confident where you dont realize you still have room to grow.

John McMullen covers the NFL and the Eagles for Sports Illustrated and JAKIB Media. Hes also the co-host of Birds 365, a daily streaming show covering the Eagles and the NFL, and the host of Extending the Play on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or follow John on Twitter: @JFMcMullen.

Subscribe to the JAKIB Media YouTube page to watch BIRDS 365 every day as well as Football 24/7.

Eagles Report is a partnership between Philly Mag and JAKIB Media Partners.

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From Affable Aussie to Nasty Bodyguard: The Evolution of Jordan Mailata - Philadelphia magazine

In the original Jurassic Park film, Ian Malcolm has a famous monologue criticizing the park and its very existence. In that speech, he says: Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didnt stop to think if they should. To the PC modder responsible for replacing some dinosaurs in Jurassic World Evolution 2 with Ice Cage characters, I offer the same Malcolm quote.

Simply titled the Ice Age Replacer mod, this project can be downloaded and installed via the Nexus Mods website. What I enjoy about the name is that someone might be looking for a mod to add ice age-era animals to the prehistoric park builder and not realize what they are actually doing is adding animated characters from the popular Ice Age film franchise.

All your favorites are here including Ray Romanos furry elephant, an angry comedian stuck in the body of a saber-toothed tiger, and of course John Leguizamo. Sadly (or luckily depending on who you ask...) the mod doesnt include audio clips from the movie. Instead, it just replaces the skins of a few different dinos in the game with Ice Age characters.

Yes, for all you Scrat fans out there, the little annoying squirrel who loves nuts and who has somehow become the face of this popular media franchise, is in this mod, too. I assume this mod is a better way to play around with Scrat than his odd PS2-like platformer released on Xbox One and PS4 a few years back.

Did you know that Scrat was involved in a legal dispute between Blue Sky Studios and a cartoonist who claimed she created the character first and Fox stole it from her? Well, now you know and you can thank NanoLancensisthe creator of the Ice Age modfor learning about that very important bit of trivia.

Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh right, a weird mod for Jurassic World Evolution 2. If you want to play with the gang from Ice Age the free mod is easily downloadable from the Nexus Mods website and can be installed in just a few steps.

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Someone Replaced The Dinos In Jurassic World Evolution 2 With Uh... Ice Age Characters - Kotaku

Southampton made life pretty easy for Liverpool at times on Saturday afternoon.

Playing three vs three in the first half against Mohamed Salah, Sadio Man and the prolific Diogo Jota might, in hindsight, have been a slight error from Saints boss Ralph Hasenhttl, but that did not stop plenty of Reds players from impressing.

Jota scored twice, Man looked sharp (his pass for the opening goal was inch-perfect), and Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold assisted in the same game for the first time in almost a year.

This was also just the third time that the midfield trio of Fabinho, Thiago Alcntara and Jordan Henderson had started a match together (the others being against Everton in last season's Merseyside derby, in which Thiago was injured, and in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace earlier this season).

While there were scares (Thiago losing the ball on the edge of his own box, under pressure from James Ward-Prowse, for instance), Liverpool were largely, as you might expect, in control of proceedings.

After all, this was the midfield trio that was supposed to take Liverpool to the next level; to give them their next evolution and mean that Gini Wijnaldum's departure at the end of last season would not be felt.

Jordan Henderson's importance to the Liverpool side is undoubted, but it is with the other two players Thiago and Fabinho where the most interesting pattern lies, with the duo really forming an excellent partnership.

Liverpool have now played 13 matches with Fabinho and Thiago starting in midfield. The Reds have won 12 of those, drawn one, and lost none. Across that period, they have scored 35 goals and conceded just five.

That record is remarkably good, with Liverpool reaping the rewards every time they are both on the field of play.

The only issue with Thiago so far in his Liverpool career has been that he has not been able to get onto the pitch often enough, and his rhythm has therefore been disrupted.

But he appears in a good vein of form at the moment, and dictated play as he can at his best twice this week.

Fabinho, too, has missed a fair few games over the past couple of seasons, but the Brazilian is instrumental to how Liverpool play; keeping him fit will be vital.

As ever, Liverpool's success this season will come down, at least in part, to which players they can keep injury-free.

Mohamed Salah leads the way in terms of importance, but Thiago and Fabinho are not far behind.

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Liverpool 64m duo are giving Jrgen Klopp next evolution, and proving Gini Wijnaldum point right - Liverpool.com

In Pokemon Go, most of the Pokemon found throughout the world can evolve by giving them enough Candies. Some require 50 Candies, others as much as 400, but there are a few evolutions where Candies won't do by themselves.

These Pokemon can only evolve to more powerful forms after walking with their trainers for a set distance. Make one of these creatures your in-game Buddy before setting out for a walk or run around the neighborhood and before you know it you'll have a brand new powerful Pokemon to use in battle.

The first two evolutions both involve Eevee, a special Pokemon that can evolve into one of eight forms. Only two of those forms involve walking a set distance, those being Espeon and Umbreon.

Both evolutions will require Eevee to walk with you as your Buddy for 10km total, as well as 25 Eevee Candies. However, the evolution you'll receive will also depend on the time of day; if you wish for your Eevee buddy to become Espeon, evolve it during the day, while Umbreon fans should wait until nighttime to feed Eevee the Candies.

Next up is a trio of tiny Pokemon that hatch from Pokemon Eggs, the so-called "Baby Pokemon" that debuted as pre-evolutions of existing Pokemon. Bonsly, Happiny, and Mime Jr. all evolve into their adult forms by becoming your Buddy.

The requirements for getting these Baby Pokemon to grow up are as follows:

There are only two other Pokemon that require walking in order to evolve: the batty Flying type Woobat and the fishy Feebas.

In order to evolve Woobat into Swoobat, you will need to set Woobat as your Buddy Pokemon, walk all of 1km with it as your Buddy, and then feed it 50 Woobat Candies. Once that's done, you'll have a new Swoobat to add to your collection.

The Feebas to Milotic evolution takes a lot more effort than Woobat, even if the method is the same. After making Feebas your Buddy Pokemon, you'll need to walk 20km with it in order for it to be ready to evolve. Once that's done 100 Feebas Candies will turn it into the powerful Milotic, so you'd better hope there's a lot more Feebas on the road while walking those 20km.

That's it! Use these quick tips to add all of Pokemon Go's Walking Evolutions to your Pokedex. If you're looking for more unique evolutions, check out our guide on all things Eevee in order to add all eight Eeveelutions to your roster.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

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Pokemon Go Walking Evolution Guide: How To Evolve Eevee, Bonsly, Happiny, Mime Jr, and More By Walking - GameSpot

Jurassic World Evolution 2's campaign mode bridges the gap between the movie Fallen Kingdom and its imminent follow-up Dominion. Explaining how their game fits into the broader series canon, the team at Frontier Developments spoke to Newsweek in an exclusive interview.

A five-minute prologue for Jurassic World: Dominion has just been released online by Universal Pictures. If you attended an IMAX screening of Fast & Furious 9 earlier this year, then you will have already seen it (as the clip debuted as a teaser before that film) but for everybody else, this is their first look at the upcoming prehistoric adventure.

Essentially the pre-title sequence of the movie, you can watch this sneak peek on the official Jurassic World YouTube account. It starts off unusually sedate, with a dialogue-free stretch that depicts Earth as it was 65 million years ago, when dinosaurs ruled the earth. After this journey into the past (which feels almost like a nature documentary in terms of its style), we then flash forward to the present day, where a stampeding T-Rex wreaks havoc upon a drive-in theatre.

This is the central hook of the new movie, which finally takes the action outside of the Cinco Muertes archipelago and into the mainland United States. We have had brief teases of this before (most notably in the climax of The Lost World), but Jurassic World: Dominion is all about what happens when these primeval animals intrude upon modern civilization.

It's an intriguing premise for any dino fan and the prologue gives us a tantalizing first glimpse at what's in store. Or rather, it would do, were it not for the fact that Jurassic World Evolution 2 already came out a couple of weeks ago.

The park management sim's campaign mode is effectively a prequel to Dominion, sandwiched between the events of the newer film and the Battle at Big Rock short that came out in 2019.

As such, anybody who has already played through the title will immediately recognize certain elements in the Dominion prologue. Many of the animals you see (including the intimidating Giganotosaurus) have already made their debut in Evolution 2, and the game offers you a good look at what the exciting new world will feel like.

Speaking about how this came to be, the game's director Rich Newbold said: "Around the time we finished the "Return to Jurassic Park" DLC [for the first game] the team felt we had a great opportunity [to] tell some interesting narratives in the shape of a sequel.

"Jurassic World is such an iconic universe, and one that the team were keen to explore in more depth [...] Being able to pick up where Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom left off gave us huge creative licence to create our own original narrative, which also precedes the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion. It was incredibly exciting to be able to create a story of our own set within Jurassic's canon. Universal are such supportive partners and helped us to craft a narrative that feels like a true extension of the franchise.

"Our story is set immediately after the Earth-shattering events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. We wanted to explore how finding dinosaurs out in the wild could present entirely new challenges to players. They'll work to lead the efforts of the DFW (Department of Fish and Wildlife) to control, conserve, and contain wild dinosaurs now rampaging across the USA."

Jurassic World Evolution 2 has a "Chaos Theory" mode that lets you play out hypothetical What If style scenarios, that reimagine key events from the movies.

They're fun little twists on the established lore with ideas like "what if InGen successfully opened up the San Diego park in The Lost World?" but they're obviously not part of the official canon. They're just alternate universe scenarios for you to explore.

Elaborating upon this side of the game, Newbold said: "When designing Chaos Theory mode, we wanted to offer a re-imagined take on pivotal scenes from the Jurassic World and Jurassic Park franchises, letting players experience key moments of their favourite films.

"We watched each film and brainstormed ways in which we could take a moment and turn it into a "what if" [scenario], asking ourselves the questions of what the player could be responsible for."

While Chaos Theory is very much its own thing, the Jurassic World Evolution 2 story mode is firmly integrated with the series canon. In fact, it provides a lot of set-up for where Dominion will ultimately end up.

If you have dipped into the campaign at all, then you will know that it concerns Owen Grady and Claire Dearing (Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard's characters respectively) trying to establish animal sanctuaries around the United States. These protected zones, overseen by the DFW, will help care for all the dinos that escaped from the Lockwood mansion at the end of Fallen Kingdom.

Along the way you will have to deal with threats of internal sabotage, poachers, and dinosaurs clashing with their modern surroundings (there is a neat little reference to Jurassic Park 3, when one of your exhibits swallows a mobile phone).

Speaking about how this sets the stage for Dominion, Newbold said: "A great Jurassic game has to respect the universe [...] We're always working closely with the team at Universal Studios to make sure that the game stays true to the Jurassic franchise. [The Studio] has such a clear vision for where they want to take things and we work closely with them to make sure our game and our story fits into their canon."

The filmmakers are clearly pleased with the results of all this effort, as Jurassic World: Dominion's director, Colin Trevorrow, has publicly endorsed the game.

With Jurassic World Evolution 2 having Universal's seal of approval, Frontier have had access to a lot of branding and resources.

They've got the authentic sound effects library, the iconic theme music and even some of the A-list cast reprising their roles from the movies. Specifically, they've been able to utilize the likes of Bryce Dallas Howard and Jeff Goldblum for voice-over work (and, in the case of the latter, for all of their promotional materials as well).

Talking about what it was like to work with Goldblum in particular, Newbold said: "Jeff knows these characters so well and it's so collaborative working with him to bring his character to life. Being in the VO sessions with him is a lot of fun.

"He'll add his own mannerisms and offer up some brilliant yet subtle tweaks. It all comes from his experience playing Dr. Ian Malcolm in a number of Jurassic movies over the years. It's always a fantastic experience to work with Jeff, and the rest of our wonderfully talented cast."

For more Jurassic World Evolution 2 content, check out our comprehensive list of every dino featured in the game, as well as our guide on how to get your scientist employees to chill out.

The management sim is available now on Xbox, PlayStation and PC.

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How 'Jurassic World Evolution 2' Bridges the Gap Between 'Fallen Kingdom' and 'Dominion' - Newsweek

We have no idea if Blue Oval head honchos are up for some involuntary humor or not. But they may have just addressed the biggest issue with recent introductions the much-delayed first deliveries. It is still late autumn 2021, and they just officially presented the all-new Ford Ranger, scheduled for release in 2023.

But no one is going to harass them with questions regarding its availability because the company itself does not even know if customers will get it as a 2022 model year. Rather, with order books opening late next year in Europe, its safe to assume that it will be offered as the 2023 Ranger. After all, the promised customer deliveries in early 2023 can always be postponed, Bronco style.

Though, on the other hand, Fords new Ranger has more design traits in common with the 2022 Maverick rather than its equally-delayed fourteenth-generation 2021 F-150 bigger sibling. Lets not be hazardous with our predictions, and hopefully, we will be positively surprised... sometime early 2023. That is when Blue Oval assembly facilities in Thailand and South Africa are going to build new Rangers at full steam.

Before that happens, we need to get to know this all-new development a little better and decide if we are dealing with evolution or revolution. With Fords Ranger being a top-selling pickup truck across so many different markets, it is a complicated answer. The company promises this is the mid-size truck people will want to own and experience. That is an uphill battle when dealing with more than 180 markets around the world.

The evolutionary part of the Ranger has to do with the exterior design and its upgraded chassis. Not much has changed from the T6 days, but upcoming new owners will not mind that because of the cool high-tech features and modern details. There is a front, Maverick-like C-style signature, complete with first-ever matrix LED headlights.

Underneath the body, there is a slightly longer and wider chassis with an additional 50 mm (almost two inches) for both the wheelbase and track widths. And round the back, the taillights mirror the innovative design with their easy-to-recognize signature. But wait, there is more as we get to powertrains.

Although thoroughly proven, no one is going to be surprised by the single and Bi-Turbo 2.0-liter inline-four diesel options. No technical specifications have been advanced, but most likely we arent looking at big changes. On the other hand, the new Ranger does feature an important addition an equally proven 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel. Again, there is no data about its capabilities, just yet.

After promises of improved ride and handling (which cant be tested just yet), as well as talk of a flurry of customer-oriented features (from a 360-degree camera to wireless software updates), it all finally boils down to Fords new cockpit arrangement. That is Rangers revolutionary part, to be frank.

Inside, Blue Oval engineers apparently spared no expenses and dropped large 10.1-inch or 12-inch touchscreens to bode well alongside the companys SYNC 4 infotainment system. Theres also a digital instrument cluster, as well as SYNC or app access to control the trucks new exterior zone lighting system which should make it a breeze to work or play around it in the dark.

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Is the 2023 Ford Ranger Global Pickup Truck Powerhouse Evolution or Revolution? - autoevolution

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Outside Interactive, Inc., the worlds leading creator of active lifestyle content, services, events, and experiences, today announced the next evolution of Outside+, the ultimate membership for active and healthy lifestyle enthusiasts that combines all of the Outside brands into a single bundle offering. Outside+ has continually added member benefits in the past year, all without increasing the membership price, but today announces the largest enhancements and value adds to date.

Outside+ members have a wide range of adventure and activity interests. In an effort to help customers better understand the benefits that are more meaningful to the activities they love, Outside has updated Outside+ membership bundles. Outside has launched new membership bundles, ranging from The Adventure Bundle, which groups together the most relevant benefits, such as ski trips, gear discounts, and action-packed documentaries; to the Nutrition & Wellness Bundle, highlighting recipes, meal plans, and yoga courses; and the Cycling Bundle for enthusiastic riders, gaining access to VeloNews and Peloton Magazine. While all Outside+ members receive access to the same benefits, the new membership bundles make it easier for members to navigate to their preferred perks.

Our audience is made up of the worlds most active hikers, skiers, cyclists, climbers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, all who have unique interests and pursuits, said Outside CEO, Robin Thurston. Improving the Outside+ user experience was a natural next step. We already provide members with best-in-class content, experiences, utilities, community, and commerce now, were making this experience even more personalized. Our goal is to provide endless inspiration and resources to fuel users pursuit of epic and everyday adventures.

Since the initial membership launch, Outside has consistently added new benefits to Outside+, all without increasing the membership price, including:

Currently valued at more than $500+, an Outside+ membership is $99/year. U.S. residents may choose two print subscriptions from these 11 titles: Backpacker, Beta MTB, Clean Eating, Climbing, Outside, SKI, Trail Runner, Triathlete, VeloNews, Peloton, or Yoga Journal. Join now or learn more at outsideonline.com/outsideplus.

* For complete details, see Program Terms. U.S. mailing addresses only; inventory quantities limited

About Outside Interactive, Inc.

Outside is the premier destination for active lifestyle enthusiasts and home to leading brands in the endurance sports, outdoor, and healthy living spaces. Each month, Outside reaches 80 million of the most active consumers in the world across its 40+ media, digital, and technology platforms, creating an experience for both longtime adventurers and those just getting started. Outside believes life is best spent outdoors, experiencing healthy, connected, and fulfilling lives. Outsides membership offering, Outside+, bundles best-in-class storytelling, meal plans, gear reviews, online courses, discounted event access, magazines, and more. Learn more at OutsideInc.com.

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Outside Interactive, Inc. Launches the Next Evolution of Outside+ Membership - Business Wire

Star formation the conversion of gas into stars is arguably the most important process in the universe. Yet there are regions of space that are so tempestuous, so inhospitable that star formation can be completely halted in the galaxies that reside there.

Astronomers have spent the last 50 years asking: Why is star formation linked to the region of space in which a galaxy lives? And how is it stopped?

A new research project, the Virgo Environment Traced in Carbon Monoxide (VERTICO) Survey, tries to answer these questions using the worlds most advanced ground-based telescope. The goal is to reveal the influence of so-called galaxy environments on molecular gas, the raw fuel for star formation, in detail.

VERTICO is focused on a particularly extreme region of space called the Virgo Cluster, named for its location in the Virgo constellation in the night sky. This cluster contains thousands of galaxies bound together by gravity into one vast superstructure. Galaxy clusters such as this one are the ideal place to observe the effects of environment on star formation.

To understand just how extreme the Virgo Cluster is, it is helpful to place it in the context of our own galactic neighbourhood. The Milky Way resides in a rather benign group of approximately 80 galaxies that is spread out over five million light-years. In contrast, the Virgo Cluster is more than 1,000 times the mass of the Milky Way, and contains thousands of galaxies in a region of space that is only about three times the size of the Milky Ways group.

Such a large amount of mass in such a small volume causes extraordinary gravitational forces, which in turn accelerate galaxies to speeds of millions of kilometres per hour and superheat the plasma that permeates the cluster to millions of degrees Celsius. It is these violent conditions that give rise to a class of physical phenomena so powerful they can stop hundreds or even thousands of galaxies from forming stars.

VERTICO is a Canadian-led collaboration of international astronomers that used the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in the Chilean Andes to provide some of the most detailed images ever taken of the star-forming gas in Virgo Cluster galaxies.

With these state-of-the-art data, we are able to identify the physical processes that are affecting how galaxies form their stars by observing their influence on 51 galaxies within the Virgo Cluster.

When we studied the beautiful images captured, we found that, in the Virgo Cluster, external physical processes are capable of reaching far into galaxies to perturb their molecular gas, affecting how stars are born and the galaxy evolves.

Over the next few years, our team will continue to mine this rich resource for insights into how stars form and galaxies grow in extreme environments such as the Virgo Cluster.

A valid question to ask of any scientist is, why does this matter?

From an academic perspective, one of the most satisfying things about astronomy is that simple questions can lead us straight to the frontiers of human understanding. Basic questions such as Why do stars form? and How do galaxies grow? sit right at the heart of the VERTICO collaborations research and will provide the foundation on which the next generation of astronomy will be built.

Astronomy research is a great Canadian, global and human success story. The VERTICO collaboration consists of almost 40 researchers from nine countries, each with their own culture and language. This team has come together to conduct cutting-edge work using the worlds most advanced telescope that has been built in Chile using North American, European, Asian and South American technology and expertise.

Scientific projects such as VERTICO drive an exchange of people, ideas and funding between organizations and across borders that is of critical importance to the social, economic and academic fabric of our society.

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Why it's location, location, location, even when it comes to galaxy evolution - The Conversation CA

If there was any evidence needed that France could be international hockeys big story of this decade, somewhat like Belgium did in the decade that went by, it came on a breezy Wednesday night in Bhubaneswar. Never mind that it came at Indias cost.

In December 2011, a youthful Belgium team defeated India for the first time, a result that announced their arrival on the world stage. Frances stunning 5-4 win over India in the opening match of their Pool B encounter of the Junior World Cup might not seem like a similar watershed moment right now. But it points to the European sides constant improvement, to the point that they will no longer be considered minnows going forward.

Frances upswing started at the same venue at the 2018 World Cup, where a ragtag bunch of players reached the quarterfinals. Timothee Clement, the youngest player of that team, was one of their heroes back then. Clement, the oldest player on this side, was their hero on Wednesday as well. The 21-year-old put up a heroic performance, scoring a hat-trick and making crucial clearances, including an unbelievable goal-line save, to lead his side to this famous win.

But more than the result, it was the way France went about it that was more impressive. And Graham Reid had seen it coming.

France, he had gathered from the limited footage that was available, played like a European team held the ball, moved quickly and attacked from the right. The India coach could not have been more accurate in reading his opponents game plan. Yet, the team couldnt stop them from executing it.

To be fair to Reid, hes only been with this side for a month or so. Indias junior team had been coached by BJ Kariappa for the last couple of years after Jude Felix left. Then, as they did just before the 2016 Junior World Cup where Roelant Oltmans was given the charge of a team that was coached by Harendra Singh, Reid was asked to take over the team this time, with Kariappa as his assistant.

Reid had been understanding enough to not tinker a lot although he admitted before the tournament that he didnt really know a lot about the players, or the way they played. In truth, very few knew.

Limited playing time

Before Wednesday, Indias junior team hadnt had a competitive international match for almost two years. And for the last year or so, they had virtually become a simulation machine for the Tokyo-bound team. To help prepare the seniors, who too were starved of competitive matches, for the Olympics, the under-21s were made to play like Indias opponents Germany one day, Belgium the other and so on.

Reid didnt believe the simulation affected their playing style they were still trying to play their own game, he said. But juniors lacked co-ordination and made many uncharacteristic errors. Perhaps, they were just rusty because of the lack of match practice.

There were mis-traps galore and the long balls were not controlled. Unlike the senior team, where a player holds the ball for three to five seconds at best before passing, the colts embarked on long, at times aimless, runs that spoiled the teams structure.

France were shrewd to take advantage of Indias mistakes. But they didnt rely only on that. From the very first minute, France took matters into their own hands, launching wave after wave of attacks and being breathtakingly strong on the ball moving it quickly to the right, slicing open Indias defence and raiding the goal. They were quick off the blocks in each quarter and made that count their goals coming moments after restart each time.

This win puts them in pole position to top the group and get a favourable draw for the quarterfinals.

For India, theres still enough time to turn this around. Despite the loss, it wasnt all doom-and-gloom. There were a few bright spots.

Not all gloomy

Penalty corner specialist Sanjay showed why he is tipped to take the spot vacated by Rupinderpal Singh in the senior side. He generated plenty of pace in his drag-flicks and was able to find corners, making it tough for the goalkeeper to get near the ball. His hat-trick (15, 57, 58) kept India alive in the match until the last minute.

The performance of the forward line, too, will encourage Reid. Araijeet Singh Hundal, Sudeep Chirmako and Maninder Singh opened up the French defence quite easily, and repeatedly. Hundal was impressive in particular with his long strides and probing runs but India lacked the sharpness. A couple of shots hit the post and one went across, which left the team ruing.

And lest it be forgotten that even at the Tokyo Olympics, India scripted a turnaround after losing 7-1 to Australia early in their campaign. If anything, the defeat to France complicates Indias title defence. At the same time, it asserts Frances status as world hockeys next big thing.

Continued here:

Hockeys French evolution begins - The Indian Express