The larva was stimulated to secrete defence droplets (marked by white circles) containing the two cyanogenic glucosides linamarin and lotaustralin. Scale bar, ~2 cm. Image credit: NPG, doi:10.1038/ncomms1271 This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Convergent evolution describes how two unrelated species acquire the same biological trait. In this case, Jensen discusses the cyanide-making abilities of both the plant and the caterpillars. While the poison in both is identical, as is the process they are made, both species abilities evolved separately, though using a similar trinity of genes.The burnet moth is able to eat the cyanide leaves of the trefoil and scientists believed that this was how the caterpillar was able to store and use cyanide. However, raising these caterpillars on non-cyanide producing plants, they learned that the caterpillars were making their own.Both the caterpillar and the plant create two cyanides, linamarin and lotaustralin, that are created from the same amino acids, valine and isoleucine. They knew that the trefoil used three genes to convert the amino acids into the cyanides and when they examined the skin of the caterpillars for similar genes, they discovered that the caterpillar utilizes a similar genetic trinity, though the DNA in both the plants’ and the caterpillars’ genes look nothing like the other.Jensen also discovered that both species produce similar shaped proteins even though the genes are of different sequence. The genes of the caterpillar are more closely related to those found in the silkworm, while the genes within the trefoil are close to that of mustard cress. While this is not the first example of convergent evolution across kingdoms, previous findings have found all others reaching that point via different chemical reactions, this discovery of the trefoil and caterpillar creating cyanide from amino acids using the identical chemical reactions is a first. Alien caterpillars found on Oahu (PhysOrg.com) — With an amazing example of convergent evolution, Niels Bjerg Jensen of the University of Copenhagen published a report in Nature Communications discussing the bird’s-foot trefoil plant and the burnet moth and their ability to produce cyanide. © 2010 PhysOrg.com Explore further More information: Convergent evolution in biosynthesis of cyanogenic defence compounds in plants and insects, Nature Communications 2, Article number: 273 doi:10.1038/ncomms1271 Citation: Plants and caterpillars make the same cyanide (2011, April 13) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2011-04-caterpillars-cyanide.html
Explore further Berkeley robot uses tiny, spiny toes to climb cloth More information: via IEEE Spectrum (Phys.org) — As any gathering of scientists working with robots will suggest, attempts toward perfecting techniques and outcomes of grasping and maneuvering are key issues for researchers working on climbing robots. At this week’s IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the robotics community got to see what a Chinese team has achieved in its presentation of Clothbot. This is a climbing robot that easily climbs up your pants or shirt. The Clothbot is small and lightweight, which did not deter from bloggers’ reactions that the device was “creepy.” System and Design of Clothbot: a Robot for Flexible Clothes Climbing, by Yuanyuan Liu, Xinyu Wu, Huihuan Qian, Duan Zheng, Jianquan Sun and Yangsheng Xu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, was presented Tuesday at the IEEE event. They have come up with a climbing robot with special features that they say include high maneuverability on “flexible” clothes. Clothbot has an omni-directional tail of two DOFs, say the authors, so that it can change its center of gravity to control the moving direction on complex clothes. Consequently, Clothbot can access most positions by moving straight and turning around, with only four motors. The other feature they point to is Clothbot’s gripper design, consisting of two parallel wheels that can grip continuously and stably on various kinds of clothes. Clothbot’s gripping mechanism creates cloth wrinkles and then proceeds up the wrinkle. Those who watched the Cloithbot video concluded that all the robots need are wrinkles to really get going; the robots use the wrinkles to move along, inspiring, for the researchers anyway, ideas for end applications such as electronic toys or very upwardly mobile phones for users at times when they need to be hands-free.The Clothbot will not leave a lot of marks as a result of its movements; only slight folds remain. The authors suggest besides an application as a tiny pet device climbing on human bodies or a climbing phone that the Clothbot can be applied for body inspection. Clothbot is but one of many design and development efforts toward creating climbing robots that can be used in civilian and military applications. Observers say that progress has been made but the technology of climbing and walking robots still represents a challenging research area. © 2012 Phys.Org Citation: Wrinkle-traveling Clothbot makes its IEEE debut (w/ Video) (2012, May 19) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2012-05-wrinkle-traveling-clothbot-ieee-debut-video.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Citation: Study suggests genetic basis for same-sex sexual behavior offers evolutionary advantage (2015, May 27) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2015-05-genetic-basis-same-sex-sexual-behavior.html Drosophila sp fly. Credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim / Wikipedia. GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 Explore further (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers with the University of St. Andrews in the U.K. has found what appears to be an evolutionary advantage for same-sex sexual behavior in fruit flies. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Jessica Hoskins, Michael Ritchie and Nathan Bailey describe their research with the flies and what they found by doing so. Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Scientists have insisted for years that despite the seeming paradox, there must be an evolutionary advantage for same-sex sexual behavior (SSB)—if there weren’t, the behavior would disappear due to natural selection, but thus far, they haven’t been able to find it. In this new effort, the researchers describe experiments they carried out with fruit flies that led to evidence of just such an advantage.In their study, the team began with the assumption that prior research has suggested that a possible evolutional advantage might be related to over-dominance and sexual antagonism—they carried out 2,320 behavioral trials, which consisted of putting flies together in a container and watching how they behaved with one another, most specifically recording instances of licking, singing and abdomen curling (attempts at mounting) of both opposite gender and same gender male flies under a variety of conditions, such as changes in temperature, degree of inbreeding in a line, etc.In analyzing all the data they had amassed, the team noted one factor that stood out, males passing on a genetic factor to females resulting in increased fecundity (rate of producing healthy offspring). More specifically, they found that males with a family tree full of males exhibiting SSB tendencies tended to cause an increase in fertility rates when they mated with females. The team did not search for the genes they believe are responsible for the genetic factor, but insist their study suggests that a genetic mechanism exists that allows for the maintenance of persistent (and low) levels of SSB in the fruit flies they studied. They also suggest their work highlights the need for more research on SSB in other creatures besides humans—they noted that they were able to find just one other study that had looked into finding a genetic reason for SSB persistence in any other species. © 2015 Phys.org Researchers find evolutionary reasons for homosexual behavior in beetles More information: A test of genetic models for the evolutionary maintenance of same-sex sexual behaviour, Published 27 May 2015. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0429 This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
© 2019 Science X Network Supernovae (SNe) are energetic stellar explosions basically classified as Type I and Type II, depending on their light curves and nature of their spectra. Type I SNe are divided into three subclasses: Ia, Ib and Ic. Type Ia SNe are believed to be the result of the explosion of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf in a binary as it goes over the so-called Chandrasehkar limit (1.4 solar masses), either due to accretion from a donor or mergers.First spotted on May 4, 2018, SN 2018byg (also known as ZTF 18aaqeasu or ATLAS 18pqq) is one of many interesting Type Ia SNe. A team of astronomers led by Kishalay De of California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has carried out an observational campaign of this supernova using various ground-based telescopes and spacecraft. These observations provided important insights on the origin of this stellar explosion.”In this paper, we present observations of ZTF 18aaqeasu, a peculiar Type I SN that exhibits remarkable similarities to expected signatures of a He-shell double detonation on a white dwarf,” the researchers wrote in the paper.As noted in the study, De and colleagues assume that in the case of SN 2018byg, the explosion was most likely triggered by a detonation of a helium-shell on a white dwarf. In particular, observations show that the outer layers of the ejecta are unusually rich in iron (Fe) group elements. This, according to the astronomers, could indicate a decay of radioactive elements in the outermost ejecta for an explosion powered by a helium-shell detonation.Furthermore, the study found that photometric and nucleosynthetic properties of SN 2018byg are several similarities to sub-luminous Type Ia SNe. However, its peak photospheric spectra have extremely strong line blanketing features and red colors, what is unusual for Type Ia SNe.In order to explain these properties of SN 2018byg, the researchers compared the data to various models. They found that the most plausible hypothesis explaining SN 2018byg’s peculiarity is the detonation of a massive (around 0.15 solar masses) helium-shell on a white dwarf with a mass of about 0.75 solar masses.”We show that the peculiar properties of ZTF 18aaqeasu are consistent with the detonation of a massive (≈ 0.15 M) helium shell on a sub-Chandrasekhar mass (≈ 0.75 M) white dwarf after including mixing of ≈ 0.2 M of material in the outer ejecta,” the authors of the paper concluded.The researchers added that the properties and origin of SN 2018byg make this supernova one of its kind. Their study suggests that helium-shell double detonations must be intrinsically rare in the population of thermonuclear supernovae. Citation: Supernova SN 2018byg triggered by a helium-shell double detonation, study finds (2019, January 14) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2019-01-supernova-sn-2018byg-triggered-helium-shell.html Simulations uncover why some supernova explosions produce so much manganese and nickel Detection field and host galaxy of ZTF 18aaqeasu. The top panel is an archival SDSS image of the region while the lower panel shows an image taken with WASP on P200. The location of the transient is marked with the white circle – it is at a projected offset of ≈ 17.2” corresponding to a physical projected distance of 21.9 kpc at the host galaxy redshift. Credit: De et al., 2019. Astronomers have recently conducted photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2018byg, a peculiar Type Ia supernova. Results of these observations, presented in a paper published January 3 on the arXiv pre-print server, suggest that this cosmic explosion was caused by double detonation of a massive helium shell. Explore further More information: Kishalay De et al. ZTF 18aaqeasu (SN 2018byg): A Massive Helium-shell Double Detonation on a Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass White Dwarf. arXiv:1901.00874 [astro-ph.HE]. arxiv.org/abs/1901.00874 This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
An art exhibition inspired by the fairy tale characters Cinderella and Snow White, and the Indian god, Ganesha, will be on display here 28-30 June.Artist Seema Chaudhary’s Chromophore series showcases love, longing, patient waiting and happiness.’I have been inspired by the fairy tales Cinderella and Snow White. These stories are part of every girl’s fantasy, and through the paintings, I express childlike and innocent feelings in a simple manner,’ Chaudhary said. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’Using multiple layers and rich textures in acrylic and oil pastels, Chaudhary has essayed the expression in the eyes of a woman waiting for her lover to return to her. Nitin Chaudhary’s inspiration is Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity, in various forms. Using vibrant colours in the background, and geometric and self-textured patterns in black and white, Nitin has tried to create balance between forms, lines and colours.This one’s for the art lovers – head over!
Kolkata: The Sealdah Court awarded ten years of imprisonment to one Santosh Thakur on charges of sexual assault on a minor hailing from Cossipore area in north Kolkata. The accused was also directed to pay Rs 3 lakh as compensation to the victim.Santosh, a resident of Bihar, who was living at her relative’s house in Kolkata had fled with the 14-year-old girl who was his neighbour on September 12, 2017. He allegedly raped him inside a train bound for Danapur.
The top judge’s reported demand has triggered a face-off with the Maithripala Sirisena government and drawn rebukes from the judiciary. Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Upul Jayasuriya said Peiris has made a diplomatic posting to the UK, Brazil or Italy the condition of his resignation.“The Bar does not want a Chief Justice who begs for diplomatic postings,” Jayasuriya told Daily FT.Jayasuriya told the daily that the association would meet tomorrow to decide if lawyers would continue to work under Peiris.“We will take whatever action we can take. We don’t want to serve under this kind of beggar Chief Justice,” he said.The tussle between the new government and the Chief Justice came to the fore on Wednesday after ministers of the ruling party said Peiris had agreed to step down, while the Chief Justice insisted he has not resigned.Peiris is under pressure to step down because of his controversial appointment as the head of the judiciary and his alleged presence at the Temple Trees on January 9, when an alleged attempt to trigger a coup was made by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.Peiris, who was appointed 44th Chief Justice by Rajapaksa after the impeachmenet of Shirani Bandaranayake, is one of the suspects in the investigation into the alleged coup attempt.Media reports in Sri Lanka suggested that Bandaranayake could be to be reinstated after Peiris demits office.
Put your dancing shoes on as there’s going to be a ‘dance explosion’ in the Capital. Urshilla Dance Company is organising a dance competition called Dance Explosion…B Fab. It is an initiative to promote excellent young talent that usually goes unrecognised.Entry to all college students based on their ID cards are free. 475 dancers including 25 groups have registered till now. The entire competition will be divided into four categories – solo and duet, performances by NGO dance teams, choreography teams of Delhi university, and free style dance. Some underprivileged children will also be participating in the competition. The whole focus is to wipe the status bar and develop mutual respect and appreciation for artists whether he is from an affluent family or from a humble background. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’Leading dance company Sadhya – Unit of Performing Arts and an internationally acclaimed dancer Rahul Goswami will also be performing. The judges are dance director Mandeep Raikhy, Chhau artist Brandy Leary and Amith Kumar from. Internationally acclaimed choreographer SAntosh Nair will be holding a talk discussing different issues. Dance company Brooklyn Academy of dance and arts will also take the stage. Dance Explosion is an initiative to help youth feel empowered. It aims to help youth feel a sense of direction and motivation towards the performing arts, specially for the NGO’ dancers and the soloists out of whom some come from very poor backgrounds. Most of these youth manage to save funds to build on their competition out of their own initiative. The whole incentive of this event is to bring a change in the mindsets of people towards dance as a career. And to also broaden the horizon of dance in India.When: April 2Where: LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg Timing: 9.30 am onwards
Children who are hesitant to try new food even during their adolescence may have a poor diet and also suffer from low self-esteem and anxiety problems, suggests new research.However, forcing them to try such foods at the dining table against their will may also backfire, the researchers warned. To avoid this problem it is important that there exists a strong parental bond with the child, said researcher Edurne Maiz from University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in Spain. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’She also recommended, “Having a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere at meal times, that the children should participate in preparing the food and doing the shopping, using positive reinforcements and, finally, being a good model”.The behaviour involving
A single sunbeam can wash away all the darkness. Make sure your house is well-ventilated with a lot of sunlight making its way indoors and also decorate your abode with plants to improve air quality where you live, says an expert. Here are a few tips which can ensure a healthy indoor air quality:* Regularly keep a watch on indoor humidity: Too much humidity can cause mould, increase allergens and potential illness. So, strategically place temperature and humidity sensors in all the rooms, as well as in the basement.* Minimise use of chemical pollutants in homes: Minimise the use of harsh cleaners, solvent-based cleaners or cleaners with strong fragrances in homes.* Maintain cleanliness: Wash pillows, bed-sheets and the comforters on weekly basis to reduce the risk of allergens, including dust mites.* Ensure proper ventilation: Make sure that fireplaces, heaters and exhaust fans and other appliances are vented to the outside well away from the windows. It is also important to ensure that all the mechanical filters fit well and that they are changed periodically.* Grow indoor plants: Indoor plants can serve as natural air purifiers, helping you breathe easier.* Use air purifiers: Use an air purifier that kills all harmful substances like pollen dust, allergens, virus, mould, gases and foul smell not just from the air but also from the surface of things kept indoors which helps in creating a neutral and fresh environment to breathe easy and safe air.
Love to wear designer perfumes? Be careful, as certain molecules produced in these man-made fragrances act as potential contaminants of the environment, and may also impact our ecosystem in the long run, said a study conducted in the canals of Venice, also known as the city without sewers.Investigating the canals of Venice, the researchers looked for traces of molecules referred to as “perfumes” in the ingredients of products such as soaps, detergents, shampoos and many other personal hygiene products that we use daily. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfThe findings showed traces of “scented” molecules, including those more distant from inhabited areas, though concentrations were up to 500 times higher in the inner city canals.Samples collected during conditions of low tide showed concentrations comparable to those of untreated waste water, the study revealed. “The study confirms that fragrances are released continuously into the canals of Venice, both during high and low tide and in the historic centre and the lagoon,” said Marco Vecchiato, post-doctoral student at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in Italy. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveOne of the most frequently found compounds in the waters of the lagoon was benzyl salicylate – a chemical compound used in cosmetics as a fragrance additive or UV light absorbed and also known to cause dermal irritation.Thus, Venice’s existing system of treating wastewater through biological tanks which then flows directly into the canals, seems an insufficient method of lowering the concentration of these molecules, the study said.However, according to the data, the concentrations seem to be below the threshold for acute toxicity to marine organisms. “But, we do not know the consequences of prolonged exposure to low doses of these substances,” Vecchiato said.For the study, the scientists repeatedly collected water samples from 22 places between the inner canals in the historic centre of Venice, the island of Burano and at two points in the far-north lagoon, between April and December 2015.They were looking for the presence of 17 fragrances among the most used and chemically stable, between the thousands available to the cosmetics industry.
Losing up to 50-100 strands of hair a day is normal but anything more is a cause for concern. Harsh chemicals in shampoos and other haircare products do more damage than repair your hair hence don’t forget to oil your hair once a week, suggest experts. Take a look at some of the natural ways to save your hair:Oiling your hair is a must. It should be done at least once a week. Coconut oil is the best to use on your hair. The oil penetrates well within the hair shaft and prevents hair from losing moisture by acting as a sealant. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfIt further helps in the protein loss; as a result, hair is less likely to suffer damage and stays dense as well as healthy. It also has anti–bacterial properties which protects your hair from bacterial and fungal infections.Rosemary Lavender hair oil is another effective oil that has proven efficacy in controlling hair fall and gradually building it back to healthy growth. It has an organic formulation of coconut, amla, olive, jojoba, castor and lavender oil that stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveIt strengthens weak hair roots, repairs split ends, and nurtures thin frizzy hair back to health. Say no to chemical shampoo. Opt for a shampoo with organic active ingredients. Ingredients like beetroot extract, tamarind seeds or Kunai grass roots extract cleanses your scalp effectively without harming them.A conditioner not only enhances the shine but also strengthens the lock and makes it look healthy and smooth. Select a conditioner that suits your hair, else you will be disappointed with the results. Use conditioner having ingredients like Aqua, Beetroot extract, Keratin protein and Pro vitamin B5 which provide a protective layer resulting in enrichment of hair.Use only lukewarm water to wash your hair. Hot water can cause severe damage to your scalp, weakening hair follicles leading to hair fall. Be mindful of what you eat. Bad food habits coupled with stress will result in hair loss. Eat a balanced diet. A protein enriched diet helps curb hair loss.If you are experiencing severe hair fall, you can use a hair pack made with aloe vera, aamla, shikakai and neem powder in equal amounts. Apply this once a week and then wash your hair with lukewarm water. This will soothe your scalp, provide deep nourishment and prevent hair loss and breakage.Heat in any form is bad for hair. Avoid using hair dryers or other styling tools or use heat protection spray/cream before using them.
Kolkata: A young club cricketer died after collapsing on the field during a friendly match on Wednesday. 22-year-old Sonu Yadav, who plays for Ballygunge Sporting Club in Cricket Association of Bengal’s second division league was playing a match at the Bata Club ground. According to those present at the ground, the wicketkeeper-batsman was going back to the tent after finishing his batting and suddenly collapsed. He was quickly rushed to the SSKM hospital where he was declared brought dead. Also Read – Bose & Gandhi: More similar than apart, says Sugata Bose A few years back, another junior Bengal player Aniket Sharma had lost his life collapsing on the field while playing at the Paikpara ground. Ballygunge SC official Shyamal Banerjee said:”I cannot believe that Sonu is no more. Sonu was a very talented cricketer. I heard the news in the afternoon. Heard Sonu was playing with his friends because our club did not have any match. I pray to Almighty so that it gives strength to his family to deal with this loss.”
Kolkata: An exhibition of Mexican photographer Adalberto Rios Szalay’s images depicting his country’s Unesco World Heritage sites and practices opened for the public at the Academy of Fine Arts here on Wednesday, after a show in Delhi. “Mexico in the World Heritage” offers a glimpse into the natural spaces as well as the rich art, architecture and culture of the country, through a collection of 44 photographs. The exhibition also depicts Mexican gastronomy and Mariachi music, which are listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by Unesco, organiser Mexican Embassy said in a statement. Also Read – Rs 13,000 crore investment to provide 2 lakh jobs: Mamata Szalay’s work, dedicated to documenting the biodiversity and plural cultural heritage of Latin America, has won him Unesco’s Award for Excellence in Photography. The Embassy called the exhibition a “touristic” opportunity to showcase Mexican cultural wealth in order to stimulate an Indo-Mexican exchange on heritage conservation and restoration. With an astounding diversity of natural and cultural heritage, Mexico was home to 35 World Heritage Sites in 2018. The South American country was ranked 7th in the world in the number of heritage sites, just after India which had 37 sites listed.
With connecting to people is becoming more easier than ever due to the mushrooming online platforms, experts have warned that they should be careful about who they become friends with as despair and distress can spread through close social networks, up to “three degrees of separation” – or a friend of a friend of a friend. Doctors, therefore, should consider “social prescribing” – where patients who present with depression are helped to engage with positive activities within their networks. Also Read – Add new books to your shelf”The major implication is that instead of only resorting to medication, or individual psychological treatment, clinicians should also look to immediate social networks and wider social context including the influences of friends and family and wellbeing at work,” said the researchers. Therapeutic interventions can include analysing “depression clusters” and developing more positive and healthy social networks – from relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbours to joining a sporting club or hobby group to expand the social network, the researchers said in a letter published in the journal The Lancet. “More now than ever, we have ways to connect to other people online. Our diary can be full and our lives busy, but are we connecting in a meaningful or harmful way via these online and offline social networks?,” researchers asked. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsive”Clinicians may need to look beyond an individual’s psychology and look at the individual’s wider social network and the negative or positive impacts it has.” In a hyperconnected world, traditional social networks – face-to-face contacts of daily life – are unravelling with the loss of social supports which is associated with increasing “deaths of despair” related to alcohol, opiate overdose and suicide “becoming more prevalent than ever”, the psychiatrists warned.
Barbara Jane Mackle led a charmed life. The 20-year-old was pretty and popular, the daughter of Robert F. Mackle, a Miami-based millionaire who, with his two brothers, owned the Deltona Corporation, one of the biggest home-building companies in the U.S., and was a good friend of President Richard Nixon. But a knock on the door, almost 50 years ago, led to one of the most shocking and horrific crimes in U.S. history. It started eight days before Christmas, in 1968. Barbara, a student at Emory University in Atlanta, came down with a bad case of the flu. The school’s infirmary was full, so her mother, Jane, drove from the family’s home in Coral Gables to care for her at a nearby motel.Late at night there was a knock on the hotel door. On the other side, a male voice said that Barbara’s boyfriend (and future husband), Stewart Woodward, had been involved in a car accident. Joan Mackle opened the door and came face to face with a man holding a shotgun and female accomplice in a ski mask: Garry Steven Krist, 23, and Ruth Eisemann-Schier, 26. The two knocked Jane out with chloroform and bound her up with cord, then seized Barbara and shoved her into a blue car.This is a view (made December 21st) of the grave-like hole in which Emory University co-ed Barbara Jane Mackle, 20, daughter of a wealthy Florida real estate developer, was buried alive after ransom of $500,000 was pail. She lost ten pounds during the 80 hours she was ‘buried alive’ on a sloping red clay hill near Norcross. A suspect was captured late December 21st., and most of the money was recovered. Getty ImagesThey drove about 20 miles to a remote wooded area. Then Krist forced Mackle into an open hole which contained an elaborately-outfitted fiberglass-reinforced box (3 ft x 3 1/2 ft x 7 ft). Krist told the hysterical girl that she had food, water, a blanket, a battery-operated light and ventilating fan, and a pump to get rid of water should it rain. The supplies and batteries would last a week, if used sparingly. Krist began hammering screws into the lid and encasing the coffin-like box in dirt, burying the screaming girl alive. Barbara pounded frantically on the lid, but her pleas were in vain. Krist’s final words: “Don’t be such a baby.”Later that morning, the telephone rang at the Mackle’s home. Robert and Jane Mackle were told that their daughter was buried in a box and would suffocate unless they paid a ransom of $500,000. Two additional demands: The ransom was to be put in a single suitcase and Robert was to come alone. If Robert Mackle agreed to the terms, he was to put a classified ad in the Miami Herald. He did. It read: LOVED ONE. Please come home. We will pay all expenses and meet you anywhere at any time. Those casually reading the message would never suspect the heart-breaking story behind it.Two days later, Mackle received another call telling him to drive to a designated spot at Biscayne Bay, leave the ransom, and drive off. He complied, but the drop-off didn’t go as planned: A neighbor, hearing noises and thinking it might be burglars, alerted police. The officers—in the dark about the drop-off—spotted two people coming out of the woods and gave chase. Krist and his accomplice dropped the suitcase filled with ransom money and ran off.A boat and an abandoned blue Volvo were found nearby. In the car, police found a Polaroid of Barbara Mackle, dressed in the red and white flannel nightgown she had been wearing when as was abducted. She was holding a sign: KIDNAPPED.Meanwhile, the girl in the photograph was trying to hold it together by thinking happy thoughts: singing Christmas carols aloud and off-key, thinking about decorating the family tree, remembering a day of ice-skating with her boyfriend.But she couldn’t stop the gruesome thoughts from creeping into her head. In a 1971 book about the ordeal, 83 Hours Till Dawn, Barbara recalled: “I said to myself, ‘This is where I am going to die.’ Three or four times I thought this is going to be my casket. When I got morbid, I would think of who would find me. Who and whL- Gary Steven Krist sits dejectedly in an FBI car after being brought out of Lee Memorial Hospital where he stayed since his capture in a marsh late 12/21 near Punta Gorda. Krist is being charged with the kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle of Miami 12/17 in Atlanta, GA. Krist was put under $500,000 bond, the same amount he allegedly demanded and got from the parents of Barbara Jane. Getty Imagesen and how. Maybe it would be a farmer. Or someone building something. In ten years? Twenty years? … I was cold and I was wet, and I ached.” Things would get even worse. Eventually, her tiny light ceased to work and the cramped space descended into total darkness.Robert Mackle, meanwhile, was trying desperately to bring his only daughter home. Devastated that he may have lost his only chance to rescue her, he issued a press release addressed to the kidnappers, assuring them he had nothing to do with the botched pickup. It worked: Mackle received a telephone call instructing him to drive to a dirt road west of Miami, and leave the suitcase of money. Mackle did as instructed and waited by the phone with his wife and members of the FBI.At 3 P.M., the call came. Krist gave directions to Barbara’s location, but they were sketchy. More than a hundred FBI agents raced to the area and began searching. After what seemed like an eternity, one man finally heard a faint knock. Frantically the men began digging into the earth with their bare hands.Twelve minutes later, Barbara Mackle—weak but unharmed—was lifted out of her grave. As one of the FBI agents carried her to an awaiting car, she managed to display an unexpected sense of humor, telling him, with a small smile, “You are the handsomest man I’ve ever seen.” Then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover broke the happy news to her parents.J. Edgar HooverKrist was found near the Florida coast after law enforcement tracked down a speedboat he had purchased with most of the ransom money. Eisemann-Schier evaded capture for 79 days. (She had the dubious honor of being the first woman to be on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list.) Krist was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1969, but was released on parole 10 years later.Unfortunately, he squandered his second chance at freedom. He went on to study at medical schools in Grenada and Dominica, and eventually found work as a general practitioner in Indiana, but in 2003 his license was revoked. Three years later, he found trouble yet again—this time, for chartering a boat to South America and bringing cocaine and illegal aliens into the country. Krist was arrested in Alabama, sentenced to five years in prison, and was released in 2010. In 2012, a U.S. District judge revoked his release for violating his probation (he had left the country without permission) and he was sentenced to a further 40 months behind bars. Today, Krist reportedly lives in Auburn, Georgia. Eisemann-Schier was deported to her to her native Honduras after serving four years in prison.Related story from us: Blanche Monnier was imprisoned in a tiny room for 25 years because her mother hated her choice of husbandBarbara Mackle, now Barbara Woodward, is married with four children, and lives in Florida. Her memories of those three-and-a-half days in December are her own. She has refused interviews over the many years.Barbara Stepko is a New Jersey-based freelance editor and writer who has contributed to AARP magazine and the Wall Street Journal.
King Tut is in the news again. Egyptian government officials say they will file a civil suit over the recent $6 million sale of a Tutankhamun bust that took place in spite of the country’s protests that the artifact was stolen from Egypt in the 1970s. It is a 3,000-year-old brown quartzite head depicting Pharoah Tutankhamen as the god Amun, the most important deity of the New Kingdom. Egypt’s ambassador to the UK, Tarek Adel, had asked Christie’s in London to delay the auction, saying that further investigation was needed “regarding the legality of trading in these items, the authenticity of their documents, and evidence of its legal exportation from Egypt.”But Christie’s went ahead with the sale regardless, saying that all necessary checks were made over the bust’s provenance, and that its sale was legal and valid. “It stated that Germany’s Prince Wilhelm von Thurn und Taxis reputedly had it in his collection by the 1960s, and that it was acquired by an Austrian dealer in 1973-4,” according to the BBC.Brown quartzite head of the Egyptian god Amun with features of Tutankhamen. (around 1333–1323 BC) Photo courtesy Christie’s.Egyptian officials strongly disagree, calling on Interpol to investigate the provenance of the bust, claiming it was stolen from an archaeological site in Luxor.Brown quartzite head of the Egyptian god Amun with features of Tutankhamen. (around 1333–1323 BC) Photo courtesy Christie’s.Tutankhamun became king at age 9 in 1333 BCE and ruled Egypt through 1323 BCE. Christie’s said the bust’s distinctive crown, which would have been surmounted by tall double feathers, is part of the god’s iconography. “The facial features – the full mouth with slightly drooping lower lips, and almond-shaped, slanted eyes, with a deep depression between the eyes and eyebrows – are those of Tutankhamen,” says the auction house. “Similar representations of the God Amen, also with facial features of the young king, were carved for the temple of Karnak in Upper Egypt, as part of the royal restoration program.”Mask on Tutankhamun’s innermost coffinChristie’s statement continued: “The young pharaoh comes to life thanks to the particularly naturalistic depiction of the face inherited from the Amarna Period, which appeared during the reign of his father Akhenaton. This piece exudes strength and serenity, a testament to the craftmanship of Amarna sculptors.”Golden Mask of Tutankhamun in the Egyptian Museum. Photo by Carsten Frenzl CC BY 2.0In July 2019, shortly before the sale, a group of 20 activists protested outside Christie’s auction house in London. “Save Tutankhamen Head. Egyptian History is Not for Sale,” they cried. Egyptian authorities are insistent about repatriating the statue. “We will leave no stone unturned until we repatriate the Tutankhamun bust and the other 32 pieces sold by Christie’s,” Egypt’s Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Enany told the BBC. “This is human heritage that should be on public display in its country of origin.”Under Egyptian law, any artifacts excavated after 1983 belong to the state, as does anything discovered before then that lacks legitimate title.Related Video:“The circumstances of the head’s discovery are unknown, but the current owner, the Resandro Collection, a private German collection of Egyptian art, acquired it from Munich art dealer Heinz Herzer in 1985,” said Artnet. Before that, it was in the hands of an Austrian dealer Joseph Messina, who is said to have bought it around 1973–74 from Prinz Wilhelm von Thurn und Taxis.Both the buyer and seller of the King Tut statue are anonymous. “The buyer chose to remain anonymous on this occasion,” a spokesperson for Christie’s told Live Science. However, Live Science had investigated the history of the bust, saying that Wilhelm’s son and niece denied that he ever owned it; documents uncovered by Live Science also suggested Wilhelm never owned the statue.Related Article: Tomb of King Tut Finally Reopened after a Decade Spent Repairing Tourist DamageFollowing the sale, Egyptian National Committee for Antiquities Repatriation has expressed its “deep discontent of the unprofessional way in which the Egyptian artifacts were sold without the provision of the ownership documents and proof that that the artifacts left Egypt in a legitimate manner.”Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, and InStyle, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. Her new book, The Blue, is a spy story set in the 18th-century porcelain world. For more information, go to www.nancybilyeau.com
The Arizona Wildcats are located in the heart of spring training country, and recently took advantage by paying homage to one of the best baseball movies of all time, 1989’s Major League.The Wildcat players and coaches were cast as characters from the movie, and made an almost identical shot-of-shot remake of the scene from the movie where Ricky Vaughn, Willie Mays Hays and the other castoffs report to Hi Corbett Field for spring training to start their eventual march to the pennant.The attention to detail is on-point with appropriate modifications to give it a Wildcat flavor.Arizona is only ranked 15th in the preseason coaches poll, but don’t be shocked if they win the national title on a bunt by a feisty fifth-year senior senior catcher after he calls his shot. Here’s the original scene from the movie, featuring a young Wesley Snipes and pre-tiger blood Charlie Sheen.
Rumors began circulating last night that the Knicks were considering moving on from team president Phil Jackson. Today, the team released a statement making it official.The statement presents the decision as a mutual “parting of ways,” and includes a quote from Jackson thanking Knicks owner James Dolan for the opportunity. It goes on to say that team general manager Steve Mills will oversee day-to-day operations of the team until a replacement for Jackson is found.Ding, dong, Knick fans. The Triangle is dead.Full statement:#Knicks statement on @PhilJackson11 pic.twitter.com/kVjqZztdz9— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) June 28, 2017
Advertisement Teodosic won’t be able to replace Chris Paul’s production, but he’ll be an entertaining watch. Even though he looks like Vlade Divac, he passes like Magic Johnson. The 30-year old won’t be great on the defensive end, but he’ll be a regular on the NBA plays of the week.Check out Serbian Chocolate:Teodosic will be an offensive delight in the NBA. As creative of a passer as you’ll find. Fresh off a career-best 10.2 AST per 40 @ age 30. pic.twitter.com/sb54F6wsQ5— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) July 6, 2017 Here’s Teodosic more than holding his own against Team USA in Rio: The Clippers have agreed to terms with Serbian point guard, and European legend Milos Teodosic on a 2-year, $12.4 million dollar contract. Teodosic is well known in the European basketball circles as a generationally gifted passer, and last played for CSKA Moscow last season.In L.A. Teodosic will be reunited with Patrick Beverley, with whom he played in Greece. Beverley had high praise for the Euro. He also said he had been using Teodosic’s name as an alias on road trips, so he can’t do that anymore.Patrick Beverley on Teodosic: “He might be the best passer in the NBA right now.” PBev needs to change hotel alias: “I used Milos Teodosic!”— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2017