December 2020

Details of Anomalocaris briggsi eyes (Image courtesy John Paterson et al.)

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An article published in the journal “Sciences Advances” reports a study on the eyes of Anomalocaris briggsi, a radiodon that lived about 515 million years ago, in the Cambrian period. Fossils discovered in the Emu Bay Shale, Australia, were so well preserved that they retained the their eye structure, which was found to be similar to that of their arthropod cousins and consisted of over 13,000 lenses. A team of researchers led by Dr. John Paterson of the University of New England, New South Wales, Australia, conducted a thorough examination of these fossil eyes. The conclusion is that Anomalocaris briggsi had excellent eyesight and that vision already played a crucial role in that ancient ecosystem.

Ash Ock by Christopher Hinz (Italian edition)

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The novel “Ash Ock” by Christopher Hinz was published for the first time in 1989. It’s the second book of the Paratwa series and follows “Liege-Killer”.

Terrorist attacks are hitting one of the colonies where humans live after the Earth has been rendered uninhabitable. The fear is that the perpetrators are the terrible Paratwa, genetically modified assassins who share a conscience in two bodies. Susan Quint witnesses one of these attacks and, when she exchanges a look with one of the killers, she feels a sense of familiarity, but at the moment she thinks more about running for her life than about that strange feeling. But when two policemen come to interrogate her and try to kill her, Susan runs away and tries to figure out what’s happening to her.

The Costeaus used to be pirates, but over the last few decades, they have begun to integrate into the colonial population. The Lion of the Alexander, the leader of one of their “tribes”, collaborates in the investigation of the attacks, also to try to establish if there are any Paratwa behind them as he saw their ruthlessness when he was a boy. The fact that some sort of malware is destroying important archives is suspicious because the Paratwa are among the very few to have pre-Apocalypse technology. The Lion decides to awaken Nick and Gillian, the Paratwa hunters.

Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) , Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) in The Sanctuary (Image courtesy CBS / Netflix. All rights reserved)

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“The Sanctuary” is the 8th episode of the 3rd season of the TV show “Star Trek: Discovery” and follows “Unification III”.

Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Adira (Blu del Barrio) examine the new data on the Burn and find the first surprises. Book (David Ajala) gets Federation help for his planet, Kwejian, threatened by a species of locust and by Orion leader Osyraa (Janet Kidder), but after 15 years of absence, his relationship with his brother Kyheem (Ache Hernandez) is complicated. Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) takes a few steps forward in his exams of the blackouts experienced by Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) even though the patient isn’t cooperative.

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The writer Ben Bova passed away on Sunday, November 29, 2020. He had contracted Covid-19 and had complications that led to pneumonia aggravated by a stroke.

Ben Bova was eclectic not only as an author, having been president of both the National Space Society and the Science Fiction Writers of America. He lectured at universities and conferences and was also a radio and television commentator, always on topics related to science and science fiction.

With his works, Ben Bova spread for decades ideas related to various scientific and technological advances, and that humanity will expand into space. He will be still appreciated for a long time to come.