Star dimming for 100 years with irregular dips in brightness consistent with Dyson swarm construction and orbiting of partial Dyson Swarm

The star KIC8462852 (TYC 3162-665-1) is apparently a perfectly normal star, with no spectral peculiarities, appearing in the original Cygnus/Lyra field studied with the Kepler spacecraft. But then, the Planet Hunters project discovered in the Kepler light curve that KIC8462852 displays a unique series of aperiodic dips in brightness. There is a collection of ≈500,000 …

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Researchers see promising results in treating age-related decline in muscle mass and power

A proof-of-concept, phase 2 trial by an international research team has found promising results for a myostatin antibody in treating the decline in muscle mass and power associated with aging. “Myostatin is a natural protein produced within the body that inhibits muscle growth,” said Stuart Warden, a member of the research team who is also …

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US Air Force denies plans for new F-16s and says it is F-35s all the way

The US Air Force has denied any plans to purchase another tranche of Lockheed Martin F-16 or Boeing F-15 combat jets following reports it could seek bids for up to 72 new aircraft. According to comments attributed to a senior US Air Combat Command official at an international fighter conference in London last week, the …

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US Army seaks to Unleash brainpower for cognitive dominance using virtual reality and machine augmentation

“Human performance will be as important, if not more important, than technology in 2030,” predicted a high-level Army intelligence expert. The reason is that “we’ve seen an erosion in our technological advantage to overmatch adversaries,” a trend that will continue, said Thomas Greco, G-2 for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Greco and Dr. …

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Four out of Eight Yuan Class Submarines will be built in Pakistan

Pakistan will build four of the eight submarines it plans to purchase from China, potentially speeding up the timeframe for delivery of the class to the Pakistan Navy, according to Rana Tanveer Hussain, minister for defence production. The minister did not specify when the construction would begin, but said it would be happening soon. A …

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Israeli team SpacIL plans 2017 robotic lunar mission as leading Google LunarX Prize contender

A team from Israel called SpaceIL has signed a contract to launch its robotic lunar lander toward the moon aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the second half of 2017. SpaceIL is therefore a strong contender to win the $20 million top prize in the Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP), contest organizers said. The …

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Taiwan military intelligence confirms China building two new aircraft carriers

China is building two aircraft carriers that will be the same size as its sole carrier, a 60,000-tonne refurbished Soviet-era ship, according to a new Taiwanese Defence Ministry report on the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Little is known about China’s aircraft carrier program, which is a state secret, although Chinese state media …

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Directed energy combat lasers and microwave weapons brings the dawn of an entirely new era in defense

Lasers, microwaves and other directed energy weapons will be used more widely by the U.S. military. U.S. military, top armed forces officials described weapons that are in various stages of development and testing by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army, but said more work was needed to develop tactics for their use …

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China shows large amphibious hovercrafts and a new 50 ton seaplane will support South China Sea operations

A new Chinese-built seaplane could help seal Beijing’s control over its claims in the South China Sea (SCS), say military specialists on China. The Jiaolong (Water Dragon) AG600, under construction by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA), will be China’s largest operational seaplane. The aircraft is powered by four turboprop WJ-6 engines and has a …

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Star Trek Axanar has an indiegogo fundraiser and a 3-4 minute teaser with a new Vulcan scene

Axanar is the first fully-professional, independent Star Trek film. While some may call it a “fan film” as we are not licensed by CBS, Axanar has professionals working in front and behind the camera, with a fully-professional crew–many of whom have worked on Star Trek itself–who ensure Axanar will be the quality of Star Trek …

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