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The Science Delusion, the banned TedTalk

The Science Delusion, the banned TedTalk

By Mike Searle, Animal X

Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of more than 80 scientific papers and ten books. He was among the top 100 Global Thought Leaders for 2013, as ranked by the Duttweiler Institute, Zurich, Switzerland’s leading think tank. He studied natural sciences at Cambridge University, where he was a Scholar of Clare College, took a double first class honours degree and was awarded the University Botany Prize (1963).

He has appeared in a number of Animal X epsiodes. See below.

Sheldrake

Richard Sheldrake TedTalk

On January 12th, 2013, Rupert gave a talk entitled The Science Delusion at TEDxWhitechapel. The theme for the night was Visions for Transition: Challenging existing paradigms and redefining values (for a more beautiful world). In response to protests from two militant materialist bloggers in the US, the talk was later taken down by TED and placed in a special corner of their website. Before it was removed from their main website it had had about 35,000 views. Since it was “banned” it has been seen by at least half a million people.

Dr. Sheldrake says science claims to already know the nature of reality in principle and we just have to fill in the blanks. This is a very wide spread belief system that says ‘I don’t believe in God I believe in science”.

But there’s a conflict in science as a method of inquiry based on reason, evidence, examination and investigation; and science as a belief system and a world view. This world view, he says has come to restrict and inhibit the very essence of science, which is the life blood of scientific investigation.

Since the late 19th century science has been investigated under the world belief system of ‘philosophical materialism’.

Sheldrake says that the sciences are now wholly owned subsidiaries of the materialist world view.

He says there are 10 dogma’s in science that holds the official ‘default worldview’ together. These are embraced by the vast majority of scientists, world governments, National Health Service, Medical Councils et el. But are they solid and unchanging as science would have us believe?

Rupert Sheldrake, author and biologist says these 10 dogmas of science need to be challenged. He says they are not consistent and should be challenged if science isn’t to stagnate. default view of most educated

The ten dogmas are:

  1. We live in a machine world. That the universe is a machine animals are machine, we are machines. Lumbering robots as Richard Dawkins puts it. That our brains are genetically programmed computers.
  2. All matter is unconcious. The universe is made up of unconscious matter.  No consciousness in stars, planets, animals, plants, or even us!
  3. The laws of nature and the constants of nature are fixed. The same now as they were in the beginning (the Big Bang)
  4. The total amount of mater and energy is the same today as it was in the beginning
  5. There is no purpose in nature. Nature is purposeless. Evolution has no purpose or direction.
  6. Bio hereditary is material. Everything you are is in your genes.
  7. Memories are stored in your brain as material traces, modified nerve endings, chemicals and electrical impulses
  8. Your mind is restricted is inside your head. All your consciousness is the activity of your brain. Again chemicals squirting around.
  9. Psychic phenomenon is impossible. Telepathy is impossible. Paranormal activity is impossible. it’s all an illusion.
  10. Mechanistic medicine is all there is. No value or import in alternative forms of medicine.

He’s his TedTalk by the way was eventually banned by TedTalk.


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Here is Rupert Sheldrake talking about Psychic Pets in Animal X. It’s the third story in the episode.




And here about animal psychic abilities in general in Animal Heroes

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Cruel and wicked

Help stop this cruel and wicked festival.

Shut down the Yulin dog meat festival!

Cruel and wicked dog meat festival in China

 

just a few of the dogs destined for the dinner plate

For the Yulin dog meat festival, dogs are stolen from their owners, then beaten or bled to death. They’re hung upside down from hooks, a slit cut from their anus and skin ripped off their bodies, then sold to be eaten.

The suffering must be unbearable — new research shows that in terms of emotion, dogs’ brains are much like ours, something dog owners and lovers understand well. When we see dogs for what they are — living beings with thoughts and feelings — the torture they endure at this ‘festival’ becomes inexcusable.

these poor, terrified dogs

Thousands of Chinese citizens have protested the festival, but authorities won’t act until they see how badly it’s hurting China’s global image, which they’ve been working hard to improve. That’s where we come in. Let’s show the Chinese government that the world is calling on them to stop this puppy slaughter immediately!

When our numbers are great enough, Avaaz will take out ads, work with influential celebrities, run the first independent national poll on dog-eating in China, and put this issue on front pages everywhere until Chinese authorities act. Add your name and tell everyone.

Sign the petition to stop this cruel and wicked festival.

Click here to go to the petition website and sign. 




Warning sickening pictures follow

former family pets stolen for the festival

 

Outrageous

 

These people are cruel and wicked monsters and must be stopped please sign the petition.

Click here

Animal X Files coming soon

Animal X Files coming soon.


Animal X is the first and premier TV series that looks at cryptozoology, paranormal, supernatural, aliens and UFO.

Its files go back to last century. As well as having files that are full of stories from today.

At last Animal X is opening its files for the first time to the public.

In Animal X Files

For the first time interviews with eyewitnesses, scientists, experts and others are going to be made available UN CUT right here on AnimalX.net, the official website of the TV series.

el Chupacabra

For the first time you will be able to see un-cut interviews with people who have been attacked by el Chupacabra. People who have seen and had a close encounter with Bigfoot.

People who have been abducted by aliens and people who seen lake and sea and river monsters.

People who have seen ghosts and much more.

Also interviews with scientists who try to explain what is going on.

People who believe we are in the ‘End Times’.

Experts who have also investigated these phenomena and have no explanation.

All Un-Cut.

Monsters

Animal X Files will also have uncut actuality from expeditions and hunts for these creatures.

Here’s the 2 trailers that will give you some idea of what you can expect.

Want to know more? want to be informed when these new videos are released?

Sign up on the left to be notified by email every time a new Animal X clip is uploaded.

Click on the RSS feed button.

Or sign up and become a member of Animal X. It’s free.


 

Animal X From the Cutting Room Floor trailer 1 – Looking for Mothman

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Emotional Horses



Emotional Horses.

Do animals have emotions. Is there such a thing as emotional horses?

That’s something scientist have been debating for years and for just as long arguing with animal owners and lovers.

If you ask anyone who has a dog, cat, bird, or horse for that matter they will tell you yes their pets do have emotions; and a lot more going on in their tiny brains.

But scientists being scientists want empirical proof of such claims. Well as far as horses are concerned one group of scientist have done just that proven that horses have emotions and in fact can read our emotions.

Here’s a short story about Sussex University who have been experimenting with photographs of angry and happy faces and believe they have proven that horses do have emotions.

What about other animals

If after watching that story there’s another video that looks at the wider question of other animals emotions, like dogs cats and primates.





Maggie the dog made honorary primary school teacher



 

Maggie the dog made honorary primary school teacher

From the BBC

A dog has become so successful in helping children to read, that she’ has become an honorary member of staff at a school in the British West Midlands.

The idea of getting pupils to read to dogs in order to improve their literacy (the pupils that is) was first tried out in the UK five years ago, but Maggie, a 10-year-old Shih Tzu, has become so successful that she now has her own staff badge at Earls High school in Halesowen.

Phil Mackie went along to meet Maggie, and Grace, another Shih Tzu, who’ is training to take over when Maggie retires.

Teaching Assistant Toni Gregory spoke on behalf of the two literary pups.

However, Maggie won’t start work until after she shares a bacon sandwich with the schools librarian.

Here’s another story about a dog. This time it’s a Silky Terrier. And this dog is a bit of a hero. It saved it’s owner from one of the world’s most deadliest snakes. An Australian brown snake.

World’s first IVF puppies born to surrogate mother dog




World’s first IVF puppies born to surrogate mother dog

By Helen Briggs
BBC News

World’s first surrogate puppy

The world’s first “test tube” puppies have been born after years of attempts, say scientists in the US.
The in-vitro fertilisation success paves the way for conserving endangered breeds and could help in the fight against human and animal diseases, say researchers at Cornell University.

The seven beagle and cross-bred beagle-spaniel puppies were born to a surrogate mother.

They were from the same litter but have three sets of parents.

Frozen embryos were implanted in a female dog using techniques similar to those used in human fertility clinics.
Problems with freezing embryos have caused difficulties in the past, but the group say they have perfected this and other techniques.

Rare breeds

Lead researcher Dr Alex Travis, from Cornell’s college of veterinary medicine, said: “We have seven normal happy healthy puppies.”

He added: “Since the mid-1970s, people have been trying to do this in a dog and have been unsuccessful.
“Now we can use this technique to conserve the genetics of endangered species.”

Surrogate puppies

The researchers say IVF is a powerful tool to help endangered species of dog such as the African wild dog.
It could also be used in the study of inherited human and dog diseases.

Dogs share many similar diseases with humans – almost twice as many as for any other species.

Dr Travis said the work was an important milestone.

“In vitro fertilisation is a really powerful tool to help preserve endangered species of dog,” he told the BBC.
“IVF is also important for the health of our pets because it opens up the possibility that we could identify certain genes that cause disease and then fix those.”

Secret birth

The puppies were born in the summer.

Their existence was kept secret until the findings were formally announced to the scientific world this week.
They have reportedly been named Ivy, Cannon, Beaker, Buddy, Nelly, Red and Green, and all but one has gone to a new home.

The research, published in the journal PLoS One, has been described as a “major step forward” in medicine.

Prof David Argyle, head of the school of veterinary medicine at the University of Edinburgh, which was not part of the study, said the new techniques would help understanding of inherited diseases in both dogs and people.

“Importantly, it is becoming apparent that dogs and humans share many common biology, diseases and syndromes, and it is likely that these new techniques could have significant benefit for the study of human diseases as well as canine diseases,” he added.

 


 

Please help WOLF MATES from being HOMELESS!




Timber Wolves

Please help WOLF MATES from being HOMELESS!

Saved as puppies from being fur coats or captive prey for trophy hunters, wolves Timber and Aurora were raised to be in wildlife films and now face homelessness. Please contribute so they can keep having a safe life and playing roles in educational media.

Conservationist, environmentalist and filmmaker Matthew Todd is striving to save these two timber wolves.

These wolves are in trouble and need your help immediately please!

We have always loved nature and supported environmental causes. We have even made wildlife films to share our views and hopefully inspire others. But we realized it was not enough. We wanted to take direct action. In this case we adopted two wolf pups that were heading for certain death. They were being bred to be fur coats or prey for canned trophy hunting farms (places tourists pay to kill wildlife in enclosed areas) in Saskatchewan. We decided to raise the pups in captivity in the best natural way possible and to socialize them just enough to get used to being around humans. We are happy they are still alive and healthy but it has been at great sacrifice…

We first got female pup Aurora and a year later male pup Timber. From the beginning it has been difficult: enclosures, cages, insurance, veterinarians, keepers and food costs. We have forsaken our social life as have had to live in isolated places where people are not disturbed by our having wolves, we had to move a few times (including a huge government approved enclosure) and there is endless bureaucracy dealing with tightening government regulations. Now, after 7 hard years the wolves are losing their present home and we are determined to make sure they do not end up homeless.

We need to raise us much money as possible immediately to ensure these wolves have a safe home to live out their lives. The funds will be used for housing, insurance, veterinarians, food, travel, and plans for long term care.

Please HELP wolves Timber and Aurora secure a well deserved home! We will do everything in our power to promote the wolves in the media as a symbol for all wildlife. By your helping to save them now will allow them to be in more films in future and continue to educate people of all ages to cherish and respect nature. We need support to keep them from homelessness…

Please help Matt. Here’s a link to his fund raising page

Here’s a short clip of the wolves in question.


Egypt pyramids scan finds mystery heat spots

 

 

The discovery was made two weeks into the thermal scanning project

Egypt pyramids scan finds mystery heat spots

From the BBC

An international team of architects and scientists have observed “thermal anomalies” in the pyramids of Giza, Egyptian antiquities officials say.

Thermal cameras detected higher temperatures in three adjacent stones at the bottom of the Great Pyramid.

Officials said possible causes included the existence of empty areas inside the pyramid, internal air currents, or the use of different building materials.

It comes as experts search for hidden chambers within the pyramids.

The tombs of the pharaohs Khufu (Kheops), Khafre (Khephren) and Menkaure (Mycerinus) were built in the Fourth Dynasty, about 2613-2494BC.

‘Impressive’ anomaly

A team of architects and scientists from Egypt, France, Canada and Japan used infrared thermography to survey the pyramids during sunrise, as the sun heats the limestone structures from the outside, as well as at sunset when they cool down.

Cameras detected higher temperatures in three stones at the bottom of the Great Pyramid

In a statement, the Egyptian antiquities ministry said the experts had “concluded the existence of several thermal anomalies that were observed on all monuments during the heating-up or the cooling-down phases”.

“To explain such anomalies, a lot of hypotheses and possibilities could be drawn up: presence of voids behind the surface, internal air currents,” it added.

An “particularly impressive” anomaly was found at ground level on the eastern side of the Great Pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, the statement said.

Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damati (left) presented the findings on Monday

“The first row of the pyramid’s stones are all uniform, then we come here and find that there’s a difference in the formation,” Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damati said as he showed reporters the three stones showing higher temperatures.

Other thermal anomalies were detected in the upper half of the Great Pyramid.

The structure will be the subject of further investigation during the Operation Scan Pyramids project, which began on 25 October and is expected to last until the end of 2016.

Animal X knows that there are some ancient and scary cults in Egypt. There’s the ancient Cat cult and the scary creature known as the Salaawa, a werewolf type creature.

Here’s the Egyptian Cat Cult story.




Here’s the Salaawa story

 

 

Balancing rocks trace history of ‘jumping’ earthquakes

Balancing rocks trace history of ‘jumping’ earthquakes

The researchers spent 10 years collecting measurements of balancing rocks

US scientists say they have solved the riddle of why a collection of balancing rocks near the San Andreas fault has never been toppled by earthquakes.

Their decade-long study concludes that quakes can stop or “jump” due to interactions between the San Andreas and the neighbouring San Jacinto fault.

Models show that these interactions sent the biggest vibrations around the rock stacks, leaving them intact.

But the connected nature of the faults has implications for quake planning.

The study of precariously balanced rocks was begun in the 1990s by Jim Brune, now an emeritus professor at the University of Nevada and a co-author of the new paper.

“He realised that [these rocks] could be a check on seismic hazard maps, and give long-term indications of ground shaking,” said the study’s lead author Prof Lisa Grant Ludwig, from the University of California, Irvine.

“They are kind of natural seismoscopes – but you have to read them indirectly.

“They don’t tell you an earthquake happened, they tell you ‘an earthquake strong enough to knock me down did not happen’.”

Tipping point

Generally, balancing rocks are not seen within 15km of major faults. But 10 years ago Prof Brune and his colleagues found two sizeable collections of such stones just 7-10km from the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults, in the San Bernardino mountains of California.

The teetering rocks sit less than 10km from two major faults

In the new study, due to be published in the journal Seismological Research Letters, these rocks were carefully catalogued and measured.

Importantly, the team calculated how much force it would take to tip each of the rocks over.

“There are two methods of doing that, one of which is actually trying to tip the thing,” Prof Ludwig said. This meant some nerve-wracking fieldwork, gently pushing the rocks until there was some movement, but not actually tipping them over.

“If my mother had known I was doing that, she would not have been happy,” Prof Ludwig confessed. “You never want to be on the downhill side when you tip it.”

The second method, for rocks too dangerous or difficult to tip, was “photomodelling”: using views from multiple angles to build a 3D model of the balanced stone and calculate its centre of gravity, mass, and so on.

Both these methods, along with some “shake table” simulation experiments, showed that the rocks should have fallen over during quakes as recent as 1812 and 1857.

The famous San Andreas fault stretches 1,300km across California

But various measures can tell us exactly how long the stones have perched in their places – and it is millennia, not centuries.

“One of my former postdocs did an age study of one of the rocks. And it’d been in that position about 18,000 years,” said Prof Ludwig.

So how did these precarious rocks withstand the tens or hundreds of earthquakes that shook the region during that time?

Network of fractures

“The inescapable conclusion was that the ground motions had to be lower than you would expect from typical earthquakes on the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults,” Prof Ludwig explained.

The team’s best explanation for that surprisingly small ground movement – and one supported by computer modelling of big earthquakes – is an interaction between the two faults.

Precarious rocks, like this one in Nevada, can act as natural measures of earthquake strength over time

Precarious rocks, like this one in Nevada, can act as natural measures of earthquake strength over time
“The San Andreas and San Jacinto faults come very close together; they’re only about 2km apart. And it’s been well established, through other earthquakes and modelling studies, that a rupture can jump across [a gap like that]. It’s what’s called a stepover.

“What if the rupture jumped across, or alternatively, stopped at this junction, or started at this junction? All three of those cases would produce lower ground shaking in the area where we found the rocks.”

It is crucial to consider the faults together, Prof Ludwig said – not just to explain the baffling, balancing rocks, but also in order to plan safely for future earthquakes.

“These are really networks of fractures in the earth. Just because we give them different names doesn’t mean that they behave independently.”

Shaky scenario

Dr Lucy Jones is a long-serving seismologist and a science adviser for risk reduction at the US Geological Survey. She said the paper would have “pretty significant implications” for earthquake planning in California.

In particular, Dr Jones said the findings might impact the “ShakeOut scenario” – in which she and others modelled a major San Andreas quake, to support safety drills and procedures.

“I think that this study actually makes the particular ShakeOut scenario less likely, but I’m not sure it means that we’re definitely going to get less ground motion,” Dr Jones told the BBC.

“It isn’t a clear-cut answer as to whether we’ll be better off or worse off. We’re going to need time to look at the permutations.”

Looking beyond individual quakes, Dr Jones said the new study fits into a “pretty well accepted picture” that in the long-term, seismic activity is gradually shifting from the southern stretch of the San Andreas fault across to the younger San Jacinto fault.

“This study is a really cool piece of evidence that maybe the jump is a little further along than we assumed,” she said.

Did you know that pets can often detect ear quakes before they happen? Here’s a story from Animal X about some such pets.


Heroic Police Dog Bosun Dies

Retired police dog Bosun, who helped nab the gunman who murdered a detective, has died aged 9. AAP

A Gold Coast police dog who played a key role in the arrest of a gunman who murdered Detective Damian Leeding in 2011 has died.

Retired, heroic police dog Bosun died in the arms of his handler Senior Constable Wayne Algie on Monday.

The German shepherd was nine.

Sen Const Algie described the loyal pooch as a good mate and colleague, adding that he had a great work ethic and would be missed.

“Bosun was much loved by his family at home as well as his QPS family,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

The police dog had a distinguished career and was well-known for his work helping in the arrest of offenders.

Both Bosun and his handler played a key role in the arrest of the gunman who shot and killed Gold Coast Detective Leeding in May 2011.

The detective was shot in the face after being called to an armed robbery at the Pacific Pines Tavern.
Sen Const Algie and Bosun tracked gunman Phillip Graeme Abell across an exposed paddock and into pitch black bushland where he was arrested.

Abell is serving a life sentence for murder, while his accomplices are also in jail.

In 2012 Bosun spent weeks recovering after being mauled by two dogs during an arrest at Upper Coomera.

That same year he helped officers nab a man, wanted on a string of weapons and theft offences, who ran from police after a pursuit at Pacific Pines.

The famed dog also gave up the bulk of his coat when he was “clipped for a cure” as part of the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave fundraiser in 2012.

Bosun, who was awarded the Australian Defence Force Service Medal, had lived with Sen Const Algie since his retirement last year.

Here’s a story from Animal X about other heroic dogs:


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