Keywords: Science

Science

The flight from the ocean

Несколько сотен дельфинов выбросились на берег в Новой Зеландии

Reading time 6 minutes

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What happened?

In Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, on the coast of Golden Bay on the night of 10 February were found 416 black dolphins – grindu. The exact number reported by the Department of conservation of New Zealand. The New Zealand Herald reports that during high tide was able to save only one-fourth of the total. However, the rescued dolphins are in no hurry to swim away from the shore – they remain in the Bay. Experts fear that with the low tide they can come back.

What are the reasons?

The causes of the accident are still unknown – the blood samples only were taken. But since this case is not the first in the entire history of observations, then there are several versions. Mass emissions resemble acts of suicide. Thus dolphins can make an escape from predators in the hope that the land will necessarily be people who can help them.

It is not excluded that at the hearing of dolphins affected by military sonar. According to a study by the Hawaii Institute of marine biology (2009), Dolphin under the action of sonar may lose hearing for 40 minutes, why loses orientation in space. According to Dr. Aran Mooney, a new theory will help to explain some of the earlier cases. For example, in March 2000 on the coast of the Bahamas beached whale 16 after testing American sonars for 16 hours. There is another hypothesis that the strange behavior of dolphins is nothing like the instinctive support of a comrade. In some form the shores sounds of the surf can be exactly similar to the call for help.

Where?

Marine animals are often dumped on land in Tasmania and Australia. New Zealand is also located in this region. The explanation for this regional specificity is not yet found. Such emissions occur ashore in Japan, South and North America.

Previous incidents

5 years ago on the beach of Cape cod in Massachusetts, was found on 30 of the dolphins, only 11 of whom survived and returned to the familiar surroundings. But when rescue professionals encounter difficulties. Katie Moore, Manager for marine mammal IFAWreported that the dolphins, whom have managed to return to the ocean, have made repeated attempts to return to shore to their dead relatives.

Dolphin
Biologist New England Aquarium Eric Payne examines a Dolphin is picked up on the coast of the beach Scusset beach, Cape cod.

 

And in September of 2016 received wide publicity in mass ejection horseshoe crabs in Japan. For the previous year killed about 490 species of these ancient arthropods. The latest incident was 20 years ago. Research fellow, Kyushu University, Hiroko Kioka believes that the problem lies in the shortage of oxygen in the water.

“the Rise in sea level caused by global warming, the shortage of places for laying their eggs and lack of power could lead to the death of horseshoe crabs”.

horseshoe crabs
the horseshoe crabs are considered to be among the oldest inhabitants of the Earth. Their distinguishing feature – a blue blood with great interest being studied by scientists around the world.
What do the experts say?

TV presenter and scientist-zoologist Nikolai Drozdov in comments RT:

Nikolay Drozdov“It is always associated with pollution. People harm the environment, in particular marine, so this response of the animals is obvious. You just need to be more careful about nature, and then we can avoid such terrible consequences.”

In continuation of the topic

As reported TASS on Sunday, February 12, some of the dolphins-whales were able to swim away from the Cape, Farwell during a night tide. However, they continue to be in shallow water. Herb Christophers, a representative of the environmental Agency of New Zealand reported that on the shore were 17 live mammals, which is all kinds of help to return to his native habitat.

Russian Academy of Sciences has recognized homeopathy pseudoscience

«Магические» лекарства исчезнут из аптек и из программ медицинских вузов

Reading time 7 minutes

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What happened?

The Commission to combat pseudoscience and falsification of scientific research of the RAS Presidium made a statement that homeopathy has no scientific basis, and homeopathic remedies useless to human health. The Commission noted the harm of homeopathy, because instead of treating the traditional methods people buy diluted drugs, which can lead to complications of the disease or death. In his Memorandum, the authors give some advice to the Ministry of health and the Federal Antimonopoly service (FAS) regarding homeopathy and homeopathic remedies. In particular, experts from the Commission of the RAS insist that the Ministry of health should withdraw from the market homeopathic medicines in public health facilities, and the FAS should deal with the false advertising of homeopathy, which misleads buyers. Despite the fact that the recommendations in the document is not binding, the FAS has supported the Memorandum.

What is homeopathy?
Hahnemann, Christian Friedrich Samuel
Hahnemann, Christian Friedrich Samuel

Homeopathy a form of alternative medicine that involves using highly diluted medicines. The basis of homeopathy is the theory of a German doctor H. C. F. Hahnemann. He believed that large doses of medication that causes the same symptoms as the disease that can harm humans. So Hahnemann in the treatment used highly diluted drugs which, in the opinion of a German doctor, retained their healing properties.

Homeopathy in Russia

In Russia doctors-homeopaths began to appear in the nineteenth century. By the mid-nineteenth century homeopathy has achieved wide distribution throughout the Russian Empire, were translated foreign works on homeopathy, as well as opened the first homeopathic pharmacy.

In the USSR, homeopathy has been condemned by scholars who identified the healing properties of homeopathic remedies. Therefore, in 1968 he published an order prohibiting the to teach homeopathy to publish books on homeopathy and use homeopathic remedies.

Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union homeopathy has once again become available to citizens and was resolved at the legislative level.

What preceded the Memorandum of wounds
Asya Kazantseva
Asya Kazantseva

In October 2016 in the magazine “Around the world” was published the article “Dissolved magic.” Author Asya Kazantsev noted that homeopathy does not carry any benefit for human health and is completely useless academic discipline. “National Council for homeopathy” submitted to the journal to court. The members of the society demanded refutation of the article ASI Kuznetsova, but the court rejected their claim.

In January 2017 the students of the First Moscow state medical University named after Sechenov published the petition, which asked the Minister of health of Russia Veronika Skvortsova be excluded from the curriculum of the discipline “fundamentals of homeopathy.” According to students, the subject discreditied the strongest University in the country, and introduces students astray.

The Commission to combat pseudoscience and falsification of scientific research of the RAS Presidium is working to identify pseudoscience and pseudoscientific publications, which discrediting the scientific community. The Committee consists of doctors of Sciences, academicians and corresponding members of Russian Academy of Sciences. In addition to the Memorandum of homeopathy on the website, you can find another Memorandum about Dermatoglyphic test (determination of person’s predisposition to set of diseases on fingerprints), which refers to the lack of scientific evidence behind this method.

Expert’s Opinion

The head of Department for control over social sphere and trade FAS Timofey Nizhegorodtsev in an interview with TASS:

Timofey Nizhegorodtsev
Timofey Nizhegorodtsev

“We fully support the decision of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Believe it to be correct, precise, long-awaited”

 

Professor, Department of normal physiology First MSMU n. a. I. M. Sechenov Oleg Glazachev, especially for Hit.media:

Oleg Glazachev
Oleg Glazachev

“No proven effects of homeopathic preparations on the basis of these studies, therefore, to understand and accept the possibility of the use of homeopathic globules, besides placebo, you can’t. If you say that homeopathy runs some processes in the body that we need any incentive, financial media, his in homeopathy is not. As for the reaction of the Ministry of health, the initiative for the ban, obviously, is impractical, and a more broad and reasoned public awareness, physicians are not emotionally, but factually it will be useful! And once again need to revise all the lessons learned, including the international”.

 

Professor, national research UNIVERSITY “Higher school of Economics” Vasily Vlasov “Medusa”:

Vasily Vlasov
Vasily Vlasov

“Homeopathy is a pseudoscience: it not only gives noticeable effects, she still cannot give a definition. And now poor people and the rich spend a lot of money on homeopathy. One of the reasons that homeopathy is ideologically successful project: it offers some theoretical scheme, which can be read, to understand, and for people not familiar with science, it all looks very convincing. So people are buying it and give their money. I think homeopathy as a healing option can exist for very long. Big trouble in this, let there be the same as now continue to be other types of magic.”

Expelled for success?

Европейский университет, лишенный лицензии в декабре, оказался среди лидеров рейтинга Минобрнауки

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European University in Saint-Petersburg took the first place for research activities official monitoring effectiveness of universities in 2016, ahead of Moscow University “Stankin”, MIET, Moscow, MEPhI and Saint Petersburg ITMO. In addition, he was on the first line on financial-economic indicators. Total monitoring of the Ministry of education takes into account 70 criteria.

At the moment the leadership of the European University challenges the decision of the service’s revocation of a license in the Moscow Arbitration court. The court plans to consider the appeal in February 2017.

Recall that the University lost its license for late certification of employees and a shortage of teachers in the faculties of political science and sociology.

What had gone before

Check at the European University started as the result of complaints Vitaly Milonov in the U.S. attorney’s office in July 2016. They talked about the lack in an educational institution infirmary, illegal remodeling of the building, and grants in foreign currency. The University called the complaint about. During the inspection the service found a number of violations, including the lack of sports facilities. Over the next few months the European University were sent reports on their fix, however, was not adopted. 14 Oct Rosobrnadzor decided to stop accepting applicants.

On 13 December, the Moscow Arbitration court has suspended the decision of the service’s revocation of a license. Classes at the University resumed.

The authorities of St.-Petersburg also have a claim to the European University. 23 January, they filed a lawsuit for termination of the lease agreement with the University in connection with violation of order of protection of culture monuments, the University occupies a historic mansion at the address Gagarin street, house 3.

the Facade of the European University
the Facade of the European University

On 12 December at the Paris Sorbonne University rally in support of the European University. It was attended by the graduates and students of the University, as well as professors and other professionals. The participants demanded the return selected license.

a Rally in support of EY in Paris
the Rally in support of EY in Paris
Monitoring the effectiveness of universities

The Ministry of education and science carries out monitoring of the national universities 2012 by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation. The reason was low quality of education mainly in private schools. The results of monitoring underperforming schools Rosobrnadzor checks, which confirms or denies this information. The University has 9 months to improve the performance, in the event of default provisions of his reorganize or close.

Small Europe

European University in Saint-Petersburg was founded in 1994. It is one of the most famous and prestigious Russian universities and was created in contrast to traditional public education. The University was one of the few research universities in the 90-ies and implemented the principle of mixed participation in the governance of the University.

The University is on a private basis without state guardianship. He became the only educational institution included in the top 100 European centers of political science at the London school of Economics.

In the summer of 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed to support European University in the further development.

Not the first victim

European University in Saint-Petersburg is not the only school who was disbarred by decision of the service. The HAZE has also faced problems as a result of actions of the Federal service. At the request of Rosobrnadzor was denied accreditation for the specialty “Economy and management” and “Service and tourism”. Students these areas promised to provide translations in other universities in the same specialty according to the statement. The situation was complicated by the lack of special faculties in the direction of “Service and tourism” at other institutions.

Many students was displeased the sudden decision of the service. They argued that the leadership of the University announced on the withdrawal of accreditation in advance. In addition, students were concerned about the possible loss of the diploma and forced conscription.

Expert’s opinion

The Deputy of Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Boris Vishnevsky in an interview with “Novaya Gazeta”:

“the European University hate as “a hotbed of free thought”. This is the place where I teach people with a point of view, very different from the official”.

 

Rector of the European University Oleg Kharkhordin in an interview with “Kommersant”:

“We do not understand why a routine situation check of the service was extraordinary. We think that it is necessary to return back to its normal boring state.”

 

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What else to read?

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A hybrid of man and pig obtained for the first time

Эмбрионы-«химеры» станут донорами органов для трансплантации

Reading time 6 minutes

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What happened?

Japanese University Kindai an international team of researchers (biologists from Japan, Spain and USA) for the first time in history created an embryo, which is a hybrid of man and pig, reports the Washington Post. The description of this experience published the scientific journal Cell.
In the article scientists call a hybrid “Chimera” in mythology it is the name is the creature with the snake tail, the body of a goat and a lion head. The Washington Post called the most successful experiment of the hybridization of man and animal, as well as a major step to obtaining the embryo of the animal functioning of human organs.

How does it work?

Scientists have introduced human stem cells into the embryos of pigs, in the early stages of development. Four weeks later two thousand hybrids 186 of the embryos developed to chimeras – organisms composed of genetically distinct cells. In these embryos human stem cells turned into cells that precede the formation of different types of tissue, including heart, liver and nerve cells.

Although human cells in the Chimera was extremely small, approximately one in 10 thousand, these cells normally worked in “foreign” body. Embryos-hybrids given the opportunity to develop within 28 days (that’s how long the first trimester of pregnancy in pigs), after which for ethical reasons they were destroyed.

According to lead author of the experiment, Professor Juan-Carlos Belmonte Izpisua, work experience took 4 years.

“We clearly underestimated how much effort will be needed. This is the first important step toward growing human organs in a pig’s body. Now we need to figure out how to make human cells turn into the right bodies to implement our main task is to learn how to grow transplanted organs”

— quotes the words of Juan Belmonte RIA Novosti.

About 15 years ago, experts began to discuss the feasibility of transplanting animal organs into the human body. To do this, make the immune system not reject the foreign organ. The solution was not found yet, but scientists are developing special methods by which it will be possible to make the immune system “ignore” the foreign body.

Belmonte and the team came to the goal on the other hand – by growing human organs for transplant inside the body of the animal by means of the “genome editor” CRISPR/Cas9. This technology is used as a “killer” of some cells of the embryo at the time of the formation of any organ. Then the scientists administered on an empty seat stem cells of another organism, after which these cells begin to develop in the body, the site of which was cleared.

Why?

The main goal of research is growing in the body of the animal organs suitable for transplant to sick people. The body thus grown is more likely to take root in the human body, as initially it has a very close DNA. In addition, the results of the study can be used when testing new drugs.

What is the reaction of the public?

The fact of the creation of chimeras is causing a public outcry and heated debate. For ethical reasons the national institutes of health (NIH) stopped funding such experiments in 2015, and since then experiments are conducted on private money. In August, 2016 NIH promised to lift the moratorium, but still did not.

According to Belmonte, the fear of the Chimera is more concerned with mythology than with the real danger of a strictly controlled scientific experiments. In addition, as mentioned above, a team of researchers gave a new creature – embryo development was interrupted after 4 weeks.

“This is a sufficient period of time to understand how mixed cells of pigs and humans, but not to initiate ethical debate about adults animal chimeras”

– said Juan Belmonte.

What other crossing were implemented in science?

These experiments started about 10 years ago, scientists carried out a crossbreeding mice and rats.

25 January 2016 in the journal Nature published an article describing how the body of the rat was raised by the rat pancreas, which is then transplanted mouse.

However, until now, could not cross a man with a larger animal (e.g., pig or monkey). In particular, this prevents different in the long process of embryo development: a pig’s pregnancy lasts about 4 months, while people – 9.

So it’s safe to say that the team Belmonte made a really significant step of learning how to “settle” the human cells into fetal pigs and mice.

It is noteworthy that the University Kindai in which an experiment was conducted, until being renamed in 2014 was called kinki, in the English language is associated with the meaning “crazy”, “overrun”. Here is crazy!

Test

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What else to read?

Article of Vesti.RU about the benefits and risks of the controversial methods

Why in Russia has become less of universities?

Исследования социологов показали, что от нехватки вузов больше остальных регионов России страдает Северо-Запад

Reading time 4 minutes

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The scientists of the Ural Federal University, analyzed the statistics and came to the conclusion that there is inequality in the field of higher education in the regions and federal districts of the Russian Federation.

According to the head of research of Harold Zborowski, there are only 1-2 high school in many regions of Russia. And even they are under threat of closure. Without their own high schools remained and a few large cities. Such a situation has arisen in the country because of the optimization policy, enlargement and reduction of the number of higher education institutions.

Harold Zborowski
Harold Zborowski, head of research of the problem of inequality in higher education in Russia

For example, the Nizhny Tagil State Social and Pedagogical Academy has recently become a branch of the Russian State Professional and Pedagogical University. Thus Nizhny Tagil, a city with a population of 40 thousand people left without their high school.

graduates of RSVPU
graduates of RSVPU

Over the past few years, many higher education institutions have been found to be ineffective. Among them were the Novosibirsk universities – Ngah and SSGA.

Novosibirsk State Academy of Architecture and Arts
Novosibirsk State Academy of Architecture and Arts

Also, scientists have provided information that at the top of the hierarchical pyramid universities are federal universities, slightly behind their national research universities, followed by supporting regional universities, and in the kontse- other universities.

University students undergoing optimization are extremely dissatisfied with what is happening. Some colleges and universities have increased significantly in the training price.

Olga Vasilyeva
Olga Vasilyeva, Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

The new Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Olga Vasilyeva said it would suspend the process of consolidation of higher education institutions. Develop new approaches to solving the problem of inequality in education – one of the major tasks of sociologists and experts to date.

What has «Progress» come to?

Грузовой космический корабль развалился над Тувой

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What happened?

On the 1st of December in the evening Russian space Agency reported about the problems with Progress MC-04 cargo vessel which had been launched from Baikonur to the International space station. The space vehicle docking with the ISS was scheduled for December 3rd. It turned out that Progress had been destroyed over the Republic of Tyva. Roscosmos reports that most of the fragments had burned in the dense atmosphere. Unburned fragments had fallen near the town of Kyzyl, which is the capital of the Republic.

What was the spacecraft to deliver?

The ship was supposed to deliver to the crew about 2.5 tonnes of cargo: fuel, water, food, medical supplies and scientific equipment. On board there were 705 kg of propellant, 50 kg of oxygen, 420 kg of water and about 1,200 kg of food and other things essential for life in space. Apart from this, the vessel was carrying a new spacesuit produced in Russia, fresh fruit for the Christmas table, the system for water and urine recovery for the Russian module and also a new greenhouse for the cultivation of various crops.

Why did “Progress” crash?

As one of the versions of the falling of the Progress MC-04 space vessel can be considered negligence in the manufacture of the third stage of Soyuz-U carrier rocket , RIA Novosti reports, with a reference to a source in the space industry.

In its turn TASS with a reference to its source reports that the state Commission investigating the crash of Progress MC-04 space vessel considers the RD-0110 engine burnout of the third stage of SoyuzU carrier rocket to be the basic version of the incident . According to the source, this could be caused by foreign particles getting into the engine or poor assembly of the engine. These are versions and the true reason of the accident is unlikely to be identified due to the lack of necessary telemetry data and the wreckage of the rocket, TASS source said.

If identification of the reasons is delayed, the launch of the Russian space vessel Progress scheduled for February 2, 2017 may be postponed, reports TASS referring to an informed source. According to it, the investigation can last for several months.

Are the fallen fragments dangerous?

Evgeny Parfenov, a leading engineer of the Department of gravitational astronomy and astrometry of the Research Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics at Tomsk state University says that the falling debris do not pose a threat to the ecological status of the area, as reported TASS. . The expert pointed out that the space vessel had been lost, not the booster. It “had long been separated and was flying by itself.” So there was not a large amount of fuel in it, only the cargot. “The rest most likely won’t fall down. There is nothing toxic in it.

Also the interlocutor of RIA Novosti noted that the area of the fallen debris was sparsely populated, the area was mountain-woody; in this regard there were no complaints about the destruction or casualties. However, the Siberian regional emergency center was tasked to monitor the situation.

What will happen to the ISS?

It’s all right. Roskosmos said that the loss of the cargo ship will not affect the usual operations of the ISS and the life of members of the crew. NASA holds the same opinion. Commonly, the station crew has enough food and everything necessary to safely live for three months if the delivery fails.

“Our astronauts and the Russian astronauts are safe aboard the station. Resources aboard the station are at a sufficient level,” as says in a NASA blog. NASA also noted that the lost goods can be replaced by a Japanese cargo spacecraft HTV-6 starting to the 9th of Dec to the ISS.

Did it happen with Progress before?

The previous accident occurred during the launch of Progress on 28th of April 2015. Then the ship ceased to transmit telemetry and moved to the uncontrolled rotation. On the 8th of May uncontrollably de-orbited and burned in the dense atmosphere, fragments of the ship falling into the Pacific Ocean.

The reason for the accident was abnormal separation of the third stage of the carrier rocket and spacecraft. Defective assembly of RD-0110 was the cause of the fall of Progress M- 12M in August 2011. It was the first crash of Progress. The reason was the blockage of fuel feed line. This manufacturing defect was declared accidental.

On 25th of June 1997 while the redocking of Progress M-34 it crashed into Spektr module of Mir space station, which led to damage to the solar panels and depressurizing of the module. Progresses in various versions have been flying to the ISS since 2000, they have been launched more than 60 times.

Read more
    • Lost fourth “truck” for the ISS in two years. The astronauts run out of food? – article “Meduza”.

he returned To Russia – Who is to blame for the fall of “Progress” and why this is an indictment of the space industry – article “Lenta.ru”.

 

Abnormally High Temperatures Can Become the Norm

В дальнейшем повышение температуры на десятки градусов сделает жизнь на Земле невозможной

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Paleontological evidence indicates that Earth’s climate has never been stable. The annual average temperature on Earth is growing and it is predicted that this will occur in the future. The main reason for this growth is the work of man: to provide the needs for energy and food. Oil, expansion of agricultural land, livestock growth cattle generate extra emissions of greenhouse gases.

The scientific work of scientists found that less affected regional areas that is caused by minor emissions of greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse catastrophe – the unwanted scenario of global warming. The temperature is likely to rise to tens or hundreds of degrees, making life on Earth impossible.

“If immediate measures are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, abnormally high temperature, probably not will be the” new normal, “- said the Australian climatologist Sophie Lewis (Sophie Lewis).

There are two main methods to combat global warming: a radical reduction in emissions and geo-engineering technologies. Today is absolutely clear that more than actually do: reduce emissions or accelerate the development of bioengineering methods.

Recall that in 2015 in Paris at the World Climate Conference adopted a new agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Countries participating in the signing of the contract, undertake as far as possible to invest in the study of this problem, as well as adjust their own economy and people’s lives to the inevitably changing climate.

The world will know about dangerous asteroid 5 days before his fall.

Новая система наблюдения за астероидами

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NASA has created a system alerts “asteroid attack.”

According to the newspaper Universe Today, it can detect any threat object five days before his fall to the Earth.

In 2011, the event dedicated to the presentation of the catalog of NEOWISE, NASA officials said today it is known only about five thousand asteroids with a size of approximately one hundred meters. However, the total number of large and medium-sized asteroid of a few tens of thousands. The number of small meteorites reaching the million.

Asteroides in the space
Asteroides in the space

Many asteroids already discovered by the astronomers, however, ground-based telescopes is insufficient to detect and identify other heavenly bodies.

Cometa in the night sky
Cometa in the night sky

Researchers are not immediately able to notice the Chelyabinsk meteorite, because at that time (winter of 2013) was almost impossible to detect a celestial body in advance of approaching the Earth.

That is why NASA, Russia’s Roscosmos and major space organizations and other countries are working to create systems of detection of asteroids to their dangerous proximity to Earth and plan to create a “space of defense”.

The first such invention was the Scout engineering system from NASA, designed and already tested this fall. With her help was able to detect the asteroid 2015 UR36 five days before his approach to Land, calculate the size, compute the distance at which he can approach.

Five days is a short time, but scientists previously discovered asteroids only a few hours before their fall. Five days to really take security measures, to predict consequences, develop a plan to prevent the fall of a celestial body.

By 2018, NASA plans to launch several micro-satellites NEA Scout, which should help researchers to fill the gaps in the predictions relative to the asteroids. If a celestial body approaching the planet, one of the probes will fly up to him, make images of the surface and analyze chemical composition.

Recall that recently the Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences space was sent to Roskosmos list of promising research projects. Among them was a project to monitor asteroids.

In Russia there is a similar invention that allows to predict the approaching asteroids that threaten the planet: “SODA”. Using this system it is possible to detect flying from the Sun asteroids larger than ten meters.
The fall of the Chelyabinsk meteorite was sudden for the reason that it could not see any one ground-based telescope before the entry of a meteorite in Earth’s orbit. He flew in the direction from the Sun and fell in the daytime, so it was impossible to see due to the light that “kills” the image. To see the celestial body, it was necessary to place the telescope between the sun and the Earth towards the planet.

Chelyabinsk's meteorite in the museum
Chelyabinsk’s meteorite in the museum

Why Today We don’t Drink “Caffè”, Meet «Deadlines» and Ask “Wut is This?”

Филолог Юлия Кувшинская разрушает три мифа о русском языке

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Myth one: the Russian language is being simplified

– Yes, it is getting more democratic in the sense that it has become normal to use colloquial language even on television. But the vocabulary has not been simplified or more limited. Conversely, we have got more terms and borrowings. Such words as background, feedback and deadline now are clear to every student; they are widely used and have become a part of our lives.

Julia Kuvshinskaya, philologist, associate Professor, HSE
Julia Kuvshinskaya, philologist, associate Professor, HSE

In general, any language cannot live without borrowings. In Russian there are a lot of Turkish and Tatar borrowings from the Tatar language, they have become completely habitual. Many people believe that sarafan (pinafore dress), baraban (drum) and kaftan (a kind of tunic) are native Russian words. If a word has entered the Russian language, it is bound to be Russified, which involves an aesthetic factor. For example, coffee is masculine and associated with the drink which aristocrats “ate” in the 19thcentury. This moment is aesthetic, social, indicating a certain status but in no way linguistic. We do say moskovskoye metro (in the neutral gender), not moskovski metro (in the masculine gender), though the word metropolitan (undergroung), of which metro is an abbreviation, is masculine. It is essential to follow natural laws of the language.

Myth two: the Internet distorts the Russian language

– There used to be such a negative influence, but now there is a downtrend. It has become clear that to be understood it is necessary to speak good Russian, although elliptical sentences and abbreviations are still used to save time. Sometimes one can come across phonetic spelling. For example, wut instead of what, but there are not many such words. Now a lot of young people have mastered the art of “linguistic transformation”. At work, for example, they use elegant Russian, professional, which is formal and rich enough. And in the informal communication they speak like a totally different person, talking in youth slang, which is widely perceived as aggressive and almost flash language.

Myth three: obscenities and non-literary language are the same

In the fight for the “language purity ” some would go to extremes. Some “grammar-nationalists” even proclaimed themselves overseers who drive away all the “impure” from their “pure language”, which is an absolutely fascist stance. Linguists never do this, as they are interested in new phenomena and they are aware that language is very complex and diverse. In some cases, of course, it is necessary to make corrections. For example, obscenities are offensive others, and I would stop the person who uses it. But sometimes a grandmother would speak in a touching vernacular language. Why should it be corrected, because it is such a wonderful old-style speech. It sounds incorrect and non-literary but in everyday life this vernacular is appropriate not offensive. The choice of linguistic means should depend on the situation.

Interviewed By Maria Timoshenkov