M.J. Rose

A worthy challenge isn’t it? What IS sleep? And can you describe it in one sentence?…

www.lonerwolf.com

From Van Winkles,
23 Experts Try to Explain ‘Sleep’ in One Sentence Or Less
By Theresa Fisher

“Sleep is a mystery.

Scientists acknowledge certain objective features of sleep, but, beyond that, differ in what they see as its essential elements. In defining it, would they emphasize the biological nature of the activity, its purpose or its benefits? Would “sleep” encompass those squishy states of semi-consciousness between sleeping and wakefulness? What about alcohol black-outs and comas, or when you zone out during slide 51 of a coworker’s scintillating presentation on growth tactics? And we haven’t even broached the philosophical side of things.

So we asked a variety of experts to answer the question “What is sleep?” in one sentence or less. Some definitions are specific to certain functions; others are wonderfully vague. All of them offer perspective on the universal act of rest.

1. “Sleep is the nightlife of the brain that functions to sustain and nourish our waking lives.”

— John Peever, Professor Professor of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto

2. “Sleep is a fascinating scientific mystery — and a great personal blessing.”

— Hank Greely, Professor of Law and Genetics, Stanford University

3. “The promise that never stops promising.”

—RM Vaughan, Essayist

4. “Having your brain almost completely disconnected from the outside world but still living an internal life singular to you, while your body rests, lying down.”

— Célyne Bastien, Psychologist, Laval University, Québec, Canada…”

For the rest, click here.

So fascinating! The colors are spellbinding.

MJ posted a link to this show on her Facebook, and wrote:

I can’t wait to see this show at the Met! I ran away from home when I was 8… to the Egyptian wing… it’s been my home way from home ever since. (Don’t worry, it was only 1 block away from where we lived. Only one block to cross.)

Temple of Dendur’s Lost Colors Brought to Life at the Met
By JOSHUA BARONE

“As depicted in popular culture, ancient Egypt is awash with the color beige. A trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art would seem to reflect that notion: The Temple of Dendur, with its weatherworn sandstone, could fit in naturally with the earth tones of “Aida” or “The Mummy.”

But Egyptologists know that this temple, like many others of the ancient world, was painted with vivid colors and patterns. In “Color the Temple,” a marriage of research and projection-mapping technology, visitors to the Met can now glimpse what the Temple of Dendur may have looked like in its original, polychromatic form more than 2,000 years ago.

The Met’s MediaLab has installed a projector that fills in the temple’s carvings with color. Through March 19, one section of the structure’s south side is on view: a scene of the Roman emperor Augustus, dressed as a pharaoh and making an offering to the deities Hathor and Horus. Because the sun would wash out the projector’s light (the gallery has floor-to-ceiling windows), the scene is illuminated on Friday and Saturday evenings, when the Met offers extended hours…”

For the rest, click here to go to the NYTimes.

The moon!

China Just Released True Color HD Photos Of The Moon
by Emily Calandrelli (@TheSpaceGal)

“This month, the China National Space Administration released all of the images from their recent moon landing to the public. There are now hundreds and hundreds of never-before-seen true color, high definition photos of the lunar surface available for download.

The images were taken a few years ago by cameras on the Chang’e 3 lander and Yutu rover. In December of 2013, China joined the ranks of Russia and the United States when they successfully soft-landed on the lunar surface, becoming the third country ever to accomplish this feat.

What made China’s mission especially remarkable was that it was the first soft-landing on the moon in 37 years, since the Russians landed their Luna 24 probe back in 1976…”

For the rest, and more photos, click here to go to Techcrunch.com