This is a Wikipedia
user page. This is not an encyclopedia article or the talk page for an encyclopedia article. If you find this page on any site other than Wikipedia, you are viewing a mirror site. Be aware that the page may be outdated and that the user whom this page is about may have no personal affiliation with any site other than Wikipedia. The original page is located at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Eikenhein. |
Eikenhein
|
Thanks for visiting my user page. At this time I mostly browse Wikipedia, although I hope to make some contributions to the medical sections in the future.
Retinex Color Theory "Subjective constancy and a feature of the human color perception system which ensures that the perceived color of objects remains relatively constant under varying illumination conditions. A green apple for instance looks green to us at midday, when the main illumination is white sunlight, and also at sunset, when the main illumination is red. This helps us identify objects. The different cone cells of the eye register different ranges of wavelengths of the light reflected by every object in the scene. From this information, the visual system attempts to determine the approximate composition of the illuminating light. One application of theory is that a black and white image superimposed on a monochromatic image could create the illusion of a complete range of colors."
Candirú "The candirú parasitizes other fish. It swims into the gill cavities of other fish, erects a spine to hold itself in place, and feeds on the blood in the gills, earning it a nickname as the "vampire fish of Brazil". It is feared by the natives because it is attracted to urine, and if the bather is nude it will swim into an orifice (the vagina and even the penis—and deep into the urethra) and because of spines protruding from the fish, it is almost impossible to remove except through surgery. The fish locates its host by following a water flow to its source and thus urinating while bathing increases the chance of a candirú homing in on a human urethra. Natives have also been known to bathe facing the current, as doing so would decrease the chances of the organism lodging itself in the rectum.[citation needed] Other orifices such as the penis or vagina are covered up with the use of hands."
![]() Angelman Syndrome "Characterized by intellectual and developmental delay, speech impediment, sleep disturbance, unstable jerky gait, seizures, hand flapping movements, frequent laughter/smiling and usually a happy demeanour. Those inflicted were originally described as 'puppet children', but this description is now considered pejorative. This condition is a classic example of genetic imprinting caused by deletion or inactivation of critical genes on the maternally inherited chromosome 15. Because Angelman Syndrome is not an illness, but a genetic condition, there is no currently available cure."
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Uncanny Valley "As a robot is made more humanlike in its appearance and motion, the emotional response from a human being to the robot will become increasingly positive and empathic, until a point is reached beyond which the response quickly becomes that of strong repulsion. However, as the appearance and motion continue to become less distinguishable from a human being's, the emotional response becomes positive once more and approaches human-human empathy levels. This area of repulsive response aroused by a robot with appearance and motion between a "barely-human" and "fully human" entity is called the Uncanny Valley. The name captures the idea that a robot which is "almost human" will seem overly "strange" to a human being and thus will fail to evoke the empathetic response required for productive human-robot interaction."
![]() Neodymium magnet "A powerful magnet made of a combination of neodymium, iron, and boron (Nd2Fe14B). Used for stabilization and angular head motors in computer hard drives, neodymium magnets are also popular with hobbyists, and a small magnet can have amazing properties. Neodymium magnets should always be handled carefully. Some that are slightly larger than the size of a penny are powerful enough to lift over 10 kilograms. They are hazardous; able to interfere with pacemakers and implanted heart devices with deadly consequences. Larger neodymium magnets can severely pinch skin or fingers, or even break bones when suddenly attracted to a magnetic object. Operating a large neodymium magnet close to smaller magnetic objects (keys, pens, etc.) and larger magnetic surfaces (radiator or a car, for example) can be dangerous if the person is caught between the magnet and the magnetic object or surface.If swallowed, neodymium magnets can cause lethal conditions by joining up inside the intestine."
![]() Richard Feynman "An American physicist known for expanding the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, and particle theory. For his work on quantum electrodynamics, Feynman was a joint recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965. Feynman was a keen popularizer of physics in both his books and lectures, notably a 1959 talk on top-down nanotechnology called There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom, and The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Feynman is also known for his semi-autobiographical books Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! and What Do You Care What Other People Think?, and through books about him, such as Tuva or Bust!. He was also known as a prankster, juggler, a proud amateur painter, and a bongo player. Richard Feynman was regarded as an eccentric and a free spirit. He liked to pursue multiple seemingly independent paths, such as biology, art, percussion, Maya hieroglyphs, and lock picking."
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Ebu Gogo "A human-like creature (or race of creatures) which appears in the mythology of the people of the island of Flores, Indonesia, of similar form to the leprechaun or elf. These "little people" are said to be about one meter tall, covered in hair, pot-bellied and with ears that stick out. They are held to walk somewhat awkwardly and are often said to be 'murmuring' in what is assumed to be their own language. It is also said by the islanders that the Ebu Gogo can repeat what is said to them in parrot-like fashion. The discovery in 2003 on Flores of remains of a meter-tall hominid, Homo floresiensis, suggests a more literal interpretation of the Ebu Gogo stories. H. floresiensis survived at least until 12,000 years ago and probably survived longer."
![]() Mantis shrimp "Aggressive and typically solitary sea creatures that spend most of their time hiding in rock formations or burrowing intricate passageways in the sea-bed. They either wait for prey to chance upon them or, unlike most crustaceans, actually hunt, chase and kill living prey. Mantis shrimp are the only known animals with hyperspectral colour vision. Their eyes are mounted on mobile stalks and move about independently of each other, and are considered to be the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Mantis shrimp appear to be highly intelligent, are long lived and exhibit complex behaviour such as ritualised fighting. Scientists have discovered that some species use fluorescent patterns on their bodies for signaling with their own and maybe even other species, expanding their range of behavioural signals. They can learn and remember well, and are able to recognise individual neighbours with whom they frequently interact. They can recognise them by visual signs and even by individual smell. Many have developed a complex social behaviour to defend their space from rivals. They strike by rapidly unfolding and swinging their raptorial claws at the prey, and are capable of inflicting serious damage on victims significantly greater in size than themselves. They can deploy at an acceleration of 10,400 g and speeds of 23 m/s from a standing start, enough to generate cavitation bubbles. The collapse of these bubbles produce measurable forces on their prey in addition to the instantaneous forces of 1,500 N that are caused by the impact of the appendage against the striking surface, which means that the prey is hit twice by a single strike; first by the claw and then by the collapsing cavitation bubbles that immediately follows. Even if the initial strike misses the prey, the resulting shock wave can be enough to kill or stun the prey. In kept in captivity, they have been known to crack aquarium tanks.
![]() Giant isopod "They are thought to be abundant in cold, deep waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Bathynomus giganteus, the species upon which the generitype is based, is the largest known isopod and is the one most often referred to by the common name "giant isopod". Maturing to a length between 19 and 37 cm, and maximally reaching a weight of approximately 1.7 kg, giant isopods are a good example of deep-sea gigantism; most other isopods range in size from 1–5 cm. Their morphology is nonetheless familiar to most people as giant isopods closely resemble their terrestrial cousins, the woodlice: their bodies are dorso-ventrally compressed, protected by a rigid, calcareous exoskeleton composed of imbricate segments."
Ryugyong Hotel "A towering, empty concrete shell that was once intended for use as a hotel in Sojang-dong, in the Potong-gang District of Pyongyang, North Korea. The hotel's name comes from one of the historic names for Pyongyang: Ryugyong, or 'capital of willows.' Its 105 stories rise to a height of 330 m, and it boasts some 360,000 m² of floor space, making it the most prominent feature of the city’s skyline and by far the largest structure in the country. North Korean leadership envisioned the project as a channel for Western investors to step into the marketplace. A firm, the Ryugyong Hotel Investment and Management Co., was established to attract foreign investment. A representative for the North Korean government promised relaxed oversight, saying, 'The foreign investors can even operate casinos, nightclubs or Japanese lounges if they want to.' Construction started in 1987 and ceased in 1992. The basic structure is complete, but no windows, fixtures, or fittings have been installed, and it has never been certified safe for occupancy. The concrete used to build the hotel was very poor, making the structure unsafe, and it has worn down even more over the years. The North Korean government is trying to invite foreign investment of $300 million to improve and finish the hotel. In the meantime, it has removed the Ryugyong from maps and stamps."
Millau Viaduct "A large cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France. It is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343 metres — slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m shorter than the Empire State Building."
Mont Saint-Michel "Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction, until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger. The Mont Saint-Michel and its bay were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979, as they rank very high on such World Heritage Site criteria as cultural, historical, and architectural significance, as well as human-created and natural beauty."
![]() Vajont Dam "Completed in 1961 under Monte Toc 100 km north of Venice, Italy, it was one of the highest dams in the world measuring 262 meters high, 27 meters thick at the base and 3.4 meters at the top. On October 9, 1963 at approximately 10:35pm, the combination of the third drawing-down of the reservoir and heavy rains triggered an enormous landslide of about 260 million cubic meters of forest, earth, and rock, which fell into the reservoir at up to 110 km per hour (68 mph). The resulting displacement of water caused 50 million cubic meters of water to over top the dam in a 250-meter high wave. Despite this, the dam's structure was largely undamaged — the top meter or so of masonry was washed away, but the basic structure remained intact. However, the flooding caused by the landslide destroyed the villages of Longarone, Pirago, Rivalta, Villanova and Faè, killing 1,450 people. Many small villages in the territory of Erto e Casso and the village of Codissago, near Castellavazzo, were largely wrecked. Almost 2,000 people perished. Damage was also caused by the air displacement caused from the immense 'splash' in surrounding villages."
![]() Clearwater Lakes "Lac à l'Eau Claire are a pair of circular lakes on the Canadian Shield in Quebec near Hudson Bay.The lakes fill circular depressions that are interpreted as paired impact craters. The eastern and western craters are 26 km and 36 km in diameter, each crater has the same age, 290 ± 20 million years are believed to have formed simultaneously. The impactors may have been gravitationally bound as a binary asteroid. This suggestion was first made by Thomas William Hamilton in a letter to Sky & Telescope magazine in support the then-controversial theory that asteroids may possess moons."
![]() Exoplanet "An exoplanet is a planet beyond the Solar System. As of May 2007, the count of known exoplanets stands at 241. The vast majority have been detected through various indirect methods rather than actual imaging. Most of them are giant planets likely to resemble Jupiter more than Earth. Most known exoplanets orbit stars roughly similar to our own Sun, that is, main-sequence stars of spectral categories F, G, or K. One reason is simply that planet search programs have tended to concentrate on such stars. But even after taking this into account, statistical analysis suggests that lower-mass stars (red dwarfs, of spectral category M) are either less likely to have planets or have planets that are themselves of lower mass and hence harder to detect. Recent observations by the Spitzer Space Telescope indicate that stars of spectral category O, which are much hotter than our Sun, produce a photo-evaporation effect that inhibits planetary formation. A subset of exoplanets are interstellar planetary masses, objects which have equivalent mass to planets and are not gravitationally bound to any star, and move through space as independent objects. Several astronomers claim to have detected such objects, but those detections remain unconfirmed. Some astronomers refer to these objects as 'planets', usually because they believe such objects were planets that were ejected from orbiting a star. However, others believe that the definition of 'planet' should depend on current observable state, and not origin. Additionally, these objects may form on their own through gas cloud collapse like stars; in which case they would never have been planets."
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This is a Wikipedia
user page. This is not an encyclopedia article or the talk page for an encyclopedia article. If you find this page on any site other than Wikipedia, you are viewing a mirror site. Be aware that the page may be outdated and that the user whom this page is about may have no personal affiliation with any site other than Wikipedia. The original page is located at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Eikenhein. |
Eikenhein
|
Thanks for visiting my user page. At this time I mostly browse Wikipedia, although I hope to make some contributions to the medical sections in the future.
Retinex Color Theory "Subjective constancy and a feature of the human color perception system which ensures that the perceived color of objects remains relatively constant under varying illumination conditions. A green apple for instance looks green to us at midday, when the main illumination is white sunlight, and also at sunset, when the main illumination is red. This helps us identify objects. The different cone cells of the eye register different ranges of wavelengths of the light reflected by every object in the scene. From this information, the visual system attempts to determine the approximate composition of the illuminating light. One application of theory is that a black and white image superimposed on a monochromatic image could create the illusion of a complete range of colors."
Candirú "The candirú parasitizes other fish. It swims into the gill cavities of other fish, erects a spine to hold itself in place, and feeds on the blood in the gills, earning it a nickname as the "vampire fish of Brazil". It is feared by the natives because it is attracted to urine, and if the bather is nude it will swim into an orifice (the vagina and even the penis—and deep into the urethra) and because of spines protruding from the fish, it is almost impossible to remove except through surgery. The fish locates its host by following a water flow to its source and thus urinating while bathing increases the chance of a candirú homing in on a human urethra. Natives have also been known to bathe facing the current, as doing so would decrease the chances of the organism lodging itself in the rectum.[citation needed] Other orifices such as the penis or vagina are covered up with the use of hands."
![]() Angelman Syndrome "Characterized by intellectual and developmental delay, speech impediment, sleep disturbance, unstable jerky gait, seizures, hand flapping movements, frequent laughter/smiling and usually a happy demeanour. Those inflicted were originally described as 'puppet children', but this description is now considered pejorative. This condition is a classic example of genetic imprinting caused by deletion or inactivation of critical genes on the maternally inherited chromosome 15. Because Angelman Syndrome is not an illness, but a genetic condition, there is no currently available cure."
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Uncanny Valley "As a robot is made more humanlike in its appearance and motion, the emotional response from a human being to the robot will become increasingly positive and empathic, until a point is reached beyond which the response quickly becomes that of strong repulsion. However, as the appearance and motion continue to become less distinguishable from a human being's, the emotional response becomes positive once more and approaches human-human empathy levels. This area of repulsive response aroused by a robot with appearance and motion between a "barely-human" and "fully human" entity is called the Uncanny Valley. The name captures the idea that a robot which is "almost human" will seem overly "strange" to a human being and thus will fail to evoke the empathetic response required for productive human-robot interaction."
![]() Neodymium magnet "A powerful magnet made of a combination of neodymium, iron, and boron (Nd2Fe14B). Used for stabilization and angular head motors in computer hard drives, neodymium magnets are also popular with hobbyists, and a small magnet can have amazing properties. Neodymium magnets should always be handled carefully. Some that are slightly larger than the size of a penny are powerful enough to lift over 10 kilograms. They are hazardous; able to interfere with pacemakers and implanted heart devices with deadly consequences. Larger neodymium magnets can severely pinch skin or fingers, or even break bones when suddenly attracted to a magnetic object. Operating a large neodymium magnet close to smaller magnetic objects (keys, pens, etc.) and larger magnetic surfaces (radiator or a car, for example) can be dangerous if the person is caught between the magnet and the magnetic object or surface.If swallowed, neodymium magnets can cause lethal conditions by joining up inside the intestine."
![]() Richard Feynman "An American physicist known for expanding the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, and particle theory. For his work on quantum electrodynamics, Feynman was a joint recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965. Feynman was a keen popularizer of physics in both his books and lectures, notably a 1959 talk on top-down nanotechnology called There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom, and The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Feynman is also known for his semi-autobiographical books Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! and What Do You Care What Other People Think?, and through books about him, such as Tuva or Bust!. He was also known as a prankster, juggler, a proud amateur painter, and a bongo player. Richard Feynman was regarded as an eccentric and a free spirit. He liked to pursue multiple seemingly independent paths, such as biology, art, percussion, Maya hieroglyphs, and lock picking."
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Ebu Gogo "A human-like creature (or race of creatures) which appears in the mythology of the people of the island of Flores, Indonesia, of similar form to the leprechaun or elf. These "little people" are said to be about one meter tall, covered in hair, pot-bellied and with ears that stick out. They are held to walk somewhat awkwardly and are often said to be 'murmuring' in what is assumed to be their own language. It is also said by the islanders that the Ebu Gogo can repeat what is said to them in parrot-like fashion. The discovery in 2003 on Flores of remains of a meter-tall hominid, Homo floresiensis, suggests a more literal interpretation of the Ebu Gogo stories. H. floresiensis survived at least until 12,000 years ago and probably survived longer."
![]() Mantis shrimp "Aggressive and typically solitary sea creatures that spend most of their time hiding in rock formations or burrowing intricate passageways in the sea-bed. They either wait for prey to chance upon them or, unlike most crustaceans, actually hunt, chase and kill living prey. Mantis shrimp are the only known animals with hyperspectral colour vision. Their eyes are mounted on mobile stalks and move about independently of each other, and are considered to be the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Mantis shrimp appear to be highly intelligent, are long lived and exhibit complex behaviour such as ritualised fighting. Scientists have discovered that some species use fluorescent patterns on their bodies for signaling with their own and maybe even other species, expanding their range of behavioural signals. They can learn and remember well, and are able to recognise individual neighbours with whom they frequently interact. They can recognise them by visual signs and even by individual smell. Many have developed a complex social behaviour to defend their space from rivals. They strike by rapidly unfolding and swinging their raptorial claws at the prey, and are capable of inflicting serious damage on victims significantly greater in size than themselves. They can deploy at an acceleration of 10,400 g and speeds of 23 m/s from a standing start, enough to generate cavitation bubbles. The collapse of these bubbles produce measurable forces on their prey in addition to the instantaneous forces of 1,500 N that are caused by the impact of the appendage against the striking surface, which means that the prey is hit twice by a single strike; first by the claw and then by the collapsing cavitation bubbles that immediately follows. Even if the initial strike misses the prey, the resulting shock wave can be enough to kill or stun the prey. In kept in captivity, they have been known to crack aquarium tanks.
![]() Giant isopod "They are thought to be abundant in cold, deep waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Bathynomus giganteus, the species upon which the generitype is based, is the largest known isopod and is the one most often referred to by the common name "giant isopod". Maturing to a length between 19 and 37 cm, and maximally reaching a weight of approximately 1.7 kg, giant isopods are a good example of deep-sea gigantism; most other isopods range in size from 1–5 cm. Their morphology is nonetheless familiar to most people as giant isopods closely resemble their terrestrial cousins, the woodlice: their bodies are dorso-ventrally compressed, protected by a rigid, calcareous exoskeleton composed of imbricate segments."
Ryugyong Hotel "A towering, empty concrete shell that was once intended for use as a hotel in Sojang-dong, in the Potong-gang District of Pyongyang, North Korea. The hotel's name comes from one of the historic names for Pyongyang: Ryugyong, or 'capital of willows.' Its 105 stories rise to a height of 330 m, and it boasts some 360,000 m² of floor space, making it the most prominent feature of the city’s skyline and by far the largest structure in the country. North Korean leadership envisioned the project as a channel for Western investors to step into the marketplace. A firm, the Ryugyong Hotel Investment and Management Co., was established to attract foreign investment. A representative for the North Korean government promised relaxed oversight, saying, 'The foreign investors can even operate casinos, nightclubs or Japanese lounges if they want to.' Construction started in 1987 and ceased in 1992. The basic structure is complete, but no windows, fixtures, or fittings have been installed, and it has never been certified safe for occupancy. The concrete used to build the hotel was very poor, making the structure unsafe, and it has worn down even more over the years. The North Korean government is trying to invite foreign investment of $300 million to improve and finish the hotel. In the meantime, it has removed the Ryugyong from maps and stamps."
Millau Viaduct "A large cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France. It is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343 metres — slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m shorter than the Empire State Building."
Mont Saint-Michel "Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction, until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger. The Mont Saint-Michel and its bay were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979, as they rank very high on such World Heritage Site criteria as cultural, historical, and architectural significance, as well as human-created and natural beauty."
![]() Vajont Dam "Completed in 1961 under Monte Toc 100 km north of Venice, Italy, it was one of the highest dams in the world measuring 262 meters high, 27 meters thick at the base and 3.4 meters at the top. On October 9, 1963 at approximately 10:35pm, the combination of the third drawing-down of the reservoir and heavy rains triggered an enormous landslide of about 260 million cubic meters of forest, earth, and rock, which fell into the reservoir at up to 110 km per hour (68 mph). The resulting displacement of water caused 50 million cubic meters of water to over top the dam in a 250-meter high wave. Despite this, the dam's structure was largely undamaged — the top meter or so of masonry was washed away, but the basic structure remained intact. However, the flooding caused by the landslide destroyed the villages of Longarone, Pirago, Rivalta, Villanova and Faè, killing 1,450 people. Many small villages in the territory of Erto e Casso and the village of Codissago, near Castellavazzo, were largely wrecked. Almost 2,000 people perished. Damage was also caused by the air displacement caused from the immense 'splash' in surrounding villages."
![]() Clearwater Lakes "Lac à l'Eau Claire are a pair of circular lakes on the Canadian Shield in Quebec near Hudson Bay.The lakes fill circular depressions that are interpreted as paired impact craters. The eastern and western craters are 26 km and 36 km in diameter, each crater has the same age, 290 ± 20 million years are believed to have formed simultaneously. The impactors may have been gravitationally bound as a binary asteroid. This suggestion was first made by Thomas William Hamilton in a letter to Sky & Telescope magazine in support the then-controversial theory that asteroids may possess moons."
![]() Exoplanet "An exoplanet is a planet beyond the Solar System. As of May 2007, the count of known exoplanets stands at 241. The vast majority have been detected through various indirect methods rather than actual imaging. Most of them are giant planets likely to resemble Jupiter more than Earth. Most known exoplanets orbit stars roughly similar to our own Sun, that is, main-sequence stars of spectral categories F, G, or K. One reason is simply that planet search programs have tended to concentrate on such stars. But even after taking this into account, statistical analysis suggests that lower-mass stars (red dwarfs, of spectral category M) are either less likely to have planets or have planets that are themselves of lower mass and hence harder to detect. Recent observations by the Spitzer Space Telescope indicate that stars of spectral category O, which are much hotter than our Sun, produce a photo-evaporation effect that inhibits planetary formation. A subset of exoplanets are interstellar planetary masses, objects which have equivalent mass to planets and are not gravitationally bound to any star, and move through space as independent objects. Several astronomers claim to have detected such objects, but those detections remain unconfirmed. Some astronomers refer to these objects as 'planets', usually because they believe such objects were planets that were ejected from orbiting a star. However, others believe that the definition of 'planet' should depend on current observable state, and not origin. Additionally, these objects may form on their own through gas cloud collapse like stars; in which case they would never have been planets."
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