What It's Like to Work as the Queen of England

Image credit: Raph_PH/Flickr

Queen Elizabeth II works very hard at her job. In fact, she only takes two days off throughout the year on Good Friday and Christmas Day. That means she has been on the job for 363 days out of 365, since the day she ascended to the throne. And consider the fact that she's already 93 years old, which means she has been working for nearly 70 years and shows no signs of stopping any time soon, that is truly an amazing feat of tenacity and dedication. But then again, that's the job of a royal.

This week Her Majesty presided over the Order of the Garter service. It is a deeply ceremonial occasion that sees senior members of the royal family including Princes Charles and William, along with 24 personally chosen knights don blue velvet capes, blingy gold chains and feathered caps for a sort of noble dress-up day at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

It is a day steeped in pomp and ritual and which dates back to 1348. The service has been held annually since 1948 which means that the Queen has overseen 67 of these feathered, fancy shindigs in her role as Sovereign of the Garter.

Compared to her contemporaries, the queen is probably the most steadfast and unrelenting head of state we have today. She has seen several wars and various events that shook the world, politically, economically, and even culturally. But she has stayed pretty unfazed through them all.

And though one might think that her job only consists of meeting and having tea with dignitaries, diplomats, and other important people, it's not an easy job for one person. To have to sit through every gala, party, or event and make small talk would be draining for anyone but the Queen's resolve is unwavering which makes her all the more admirable. Perhaps, a trait that's not as common in diplomats, officials, or even in heads of state nowadays.

Not only that but the Queen also has to deal with tons of paperwork and to review foreign policies so as to keep abreast with all the latest developments in the world. Not to mention she has to be up to date with everything that's going on in her own country, what with all the Brexit brouhaha and other domestic matters. All in all, the Queen is a powerhouse, one of the last remaining monarchs of a bygone age, yet still able to adapt and cope with the fast-paced movement of the world.

By Jeremiah

The Dancing Galaxies of Stephan's Quintet

Image credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing: Daniel Nobre

Out of the numerous galaxies found in space, Stephan's Quintet shown above is the first cluster of galaxies ever to be discovered. First seen by Edouard Stephan in 1877 at the Marseille Observatory, it features four bright yellowish galaxies and one outlying, faintly bluish galaxy with a reddish core.

It's not visibly apparent but only four of these galaxies have constant interaction with one another causing them to be distorted by their gravitational forces.

The odd galaxy out is easy to spot in this recently reprocessed image by the Hubble Space Telescope -- the interacting galaxies, NGC 7319, 7318B, 7318A, and 7317 (left to right), have a more dominant yellowish cast. They also tend to have distorted loops and tails, grown under the influence of disruptive gravitational tides.

NGC 7320, the bluish galaxy, is actually seven times closer to Earth than the others. The other four namely NGC 7317, 7318A, 7318B, and 7319 actively engage in a cosmic tango of sorts.

Upon closer inspection, scientists are saying that some of these galaxies may have started interacting with each other about a billion years ago. At some point, they also say that the cluster of four, collectively known as the Hickson Compact Group 92, would merge with one another.

Data and modeling indicate that NGC 7318B is a relatively new intruder. A recently-discovered halo of old red stars surrounding Stephan's Quintet indicate that at least some of these galaxies started tangling over a billion years. Stephan's Quintet is visible with a moderate sized-telescope toward the constellation of Winged Horse (Pegasus).

By Jeremiah 

Into Our Neighbor Galaxy: The N11 and the NGC 1763

(Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Josh Lake)

Located at some 200,000 light years from Earth is the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), the Milky Way’s satellite galaxy. In here we can find the N11, the brightest emission nebula of the LMC. As we explore the N11, we can find this emission nebula that looks like cotton candy: the NGC 1763, where there are numerous massive stars and mountains of dust. As you can see in this image, compact globules of dark dust house numerous young stars.

The cosmos will always be a magnificent spectacle. Words alone may not be enough to describe its complexity and beauty. It is amazing how much of the universe is still yet to be seen and discovered.

The image above is taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and is reprocessed artistically by Josh Lake, an amateur who won Hubble’s Hidden Treasures competition — a competition where artists reprocess photos that have been taken by the Hubble and have never been seen by the public.

The N11 is only the second largest emission nebula in the LMC, next to the Tarantula Nebula.


Fun Fact:

A new study of variable stars in the LMC with Hubble has helped to recalibrate the distance scale of the observable universe, but resulted in a slightly different scale than found using the pervasive cosmic microwave background.

By Franzified

Titan: One of The Most Intriguing Objects in the Solar System

(Image Credit: NASA, ESA, JPL, SSI, Cassini Imaging Team)

The black circular object that you see in the middle of this picture is Saturn’s largest moon: Titan. This moon is bigger than our Moon here on Earth, and it’s also bigger than the planet Mercury. It is one of the most interesting objects in the entire Solar System. It is the only moon in the entire Solar System with a dense atmosphere, and, like Earth, it has “standing bodies of liquid, including rivers, lakes and seas, on its surface”. Titan’s atmosphere is like Earth as well, which is primarily nitrogen (with a small amount of methane).

It is the sole other place in the solar system known to have an earthlike cycle of liquids raining from clouds, flowing across its surface, filling lakes and seas, and evaporating back into the sky (akin to Earth’s water cycle). Titan is also thought to have a subsurface ocean of water.

At first glance, this looks like a solar eclipse, but this really isn’t. The bright ring that wraps around the dark circular object (which is Titan), is Titan’s own double haze. It is interesting to note that most moons don’t have haze layer, but Titan gets two of those, to add to its own thick atmosphere. This fact makes this moon really intriguing.

The small circular object found near Titan’s haze is Enceladus, another moon of Saturn. Finally, the thick line in front of Titan is the well-known rings of Saturn.

By Franzified

Computer Programmer Develops Chatbot to Reply to Girlfriend’s Texts

Image credit: Li Kaixiang via Oddity Central

There are times when you just have too much on your plate that you are unable to attend to other people’s needs but you wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings by seemingly ignoring them. That’s why Li Kaixiang, a software developer in China, decided to create an instant messaging bot which would reply automatically to all of his girlfriend’s text messages. And apparently, it worked.

He even posted some screenshots of the chatbot’s conversation with his girlfriend on WeChat, and it definitely looks like the software did pretty good. He also mentioned that on the first day that the chatbot went online, it exchanged around 300 texts with his girlfriend, which kind of explains why he created it in the first place.

After he posted it on social media, it immediately blew up and went viral. Some praised his ingenuity while others criticized him for supposedly being “too busy” but still having the time to create the bot. To be fair, he is a software developer so that should be a cinch for him. Though arguments for simply replying to his girlfriend’s texts himself are also valid since he should most likely be able to come with up with sufficient replies. But it is also possible that the nature of his work or company culture prevents him from doing anything not related to work.

In any case, he showed the actual program to his girlfriend after she started to suspect how he was able to reply so quickly and it appears that she wasn’t too upset about it. There was a point though when she began to think something was odd about his replies. The bot isn’t far from perfect. Apart from responding almost immediately, which the bot was smart enough to dodge, one of the bot’s other replies included a weather update.

…in another conversation, it wrote “Baby, this is the 618th day we’ve been together. Wish your mood is brighter than the sun,” which is sweet, only it was followed by information about the weather (“Temperature: 18.0° – 34.0° C… Wind: Level 3… Air quality: 42.0”) which it probably scraped from somewhere.

Despite its glitches, a lot of people still thought that the program was very useful and they were asking for the source code. However, just after the post received so much attention, Li took down his account. He probably didn’t want the attention or he just wanted to keep the code to himself.

By Jeremiah

The Etiquette of Petting a Dog: Doing It the Right Way

Photo by Simone Dalmeri on Unsplash

One might be tempted to get cozy with a stranger’s dog especially when they’re so cute and fluffy. But aside from getting the owner’s permission, there are social rules to keep in mind when interacting with other dogs you don’t know.

Just like humans, dogs have different personalities. Some tend to be more wary when interacting with strangers and either keep their distance or start barking at them right away. Others have more friendly dispositions and wouldn’t mind cuddling with a person they just met the first time. Depending on the type of personality the dog has, one should always respect a dog’s space and approach them in the least threatening way possible. In order to do that, veterinarians suggest to let them sniff your hands first.

“Dogs live through their olfactory sense much more than their visual one,” Dr. Uri Burstyn, a veterinarian from Vancouver who also educates pet owners on YouTube, tells Mental Floss. Be sure to keep your hands curled, as if you were chopping vegetables, just in case the dog feels threatened and lunges to bite your fingers.

Afterward, when the dog seems willing to get to know you, the best area to pet them would be under their chin as patting them on their head would be taken as an aggressive move. Certainly, my dog didn’t allow me to pat her on the head until she warmed up to me, which probably took several bites and scratches before reaching that point.

Burstyn also cautions to stay away from sensitive parts of the dog’s body namely the paws and the hind. She also mentions that the stomach may also be a gray area as some dogs may only show that area when they feel intimidated. Some other cues to look out for would be the tail and the body language.

When the tail is wagging, don’t take it as a sign of being friendly. I have noticed that when a dog wags its tail vigorously from side to side, that means they are in an excited state and are willing to play with you. Watch out for their body language, whether it’s relaxed or stiff which could mean they feel threatened. One other thing to observe is their fur. I find that when our dog is super tense and hostile, the hairs on her back would stand on end.

Once you’re on good terms with a dog, try petting areas that are generally considered “good spots,” like the lower back and chest. This will vary depending on the dog, so pay attention to the subtle body cues they're sending you.

Do you have any tips or observations when petting a dog?

The Art of the Cosmos: Beholding the Universe through Illustrations

(Image credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Wikimedia Commons)

The universe is a canvas of indescribable beauty. Yet we can’t fully understand the feeling of seeing it in its raw form since we don’t have the capability to venture out into space. We can only rely on the data that our equipment and instruments capture and send back to us. Even then, we haven’t been able to scratch the surface of how wonderful the universe is. For now, we have to be content with the depictions artists create showing us what space looks like. Still, if the photos and drawings are beautiful in themselves, imagine the real thing.

Some may think that science and art don’t work well together. The rigidity of scientific methods contrasts that of art’s free-flowing nature. But in reality, they complement each other. Many scientific concepts are too difficult or too abstract for us to understand. If you think about it, even the concept of a black hole was up in the air until recently when photos taken by the Event Horizon Telescope revealed the first actual image of a black hole. Before that, we had to rely on how astronomers described them as well as how artists visualized and illustrated them.

In his time, Galileo Galilei had to draw sketches of the stars, the moon, and all the celestial objects he saw through his telescope in order to make records of his observations. These illustrations enabled him to make accurate measurements and descriptions for further study.

Galileo drew on art techniques like perspective and chiaroscuro — a manner of depicting light and shadows that was relatively new at the time — to show the lofty mountains and craters on the moon’s imperfect surface. Using geometry and his drawings as a measuring stick, he was even able to measure their heights with astonishing precision. Two years later, Lodovico Cardi, also known as Cigoli, a prominent Florentine painter, immortalized Galileo’s sketches of the moon in a fresco that still stands in the Santa Maria Maggiore, a Basilica in Rome.

Today, with the help of more powerful instruments like the Hubble Telescope, we are able to gather enough data to produce pictures of space like the one above, the Pillars of Creation which show the process of stars being born amidst the interstellar gas. Other space missions also seek to capture images in order to use them to study the surface of planets, the atmospheric condition, and even the possibility of extraterrestrial signs of life.

By Jeremiah

The math problem that would bring the world at wits’ end

Photo by Anna Dziubinska on Unsplash

Not everybody likes math, but the fact is we often face math problems in our everyday lives. From budgeting wages to managing our time, we are surrounded by issues which we could solve by applying a little bit of math. However, there is one math problem which proves to be so difficult to solve that even computers are having a hard time finding the best solution. They are called dynamic resource allocation problems.

The reason for their immense difficulty and almost sheer improbability of being solved is that there are infinitely many situations that need to be considered. Due to an exponentially growing number of possibilities and the constantly changing nature of the parameters, one would be hard-pressed to come up with the right solution as new information becomes available. That is to say, we cannot predict all the possible outcomes therefore, we cannot develop a model or algorithm that would take all scenarios into account and come up with one right answer.

Whether you’re waiting for a taxi or a next-day delivery, the list of dynamic resource allocation problems and their everyday applications is “almost endless” according to Warren Powell, an engineer at Princeton University who has been investigating these problems since the 1980s.

But dynamic resource allocation problems are not just concerned with giving humans what they want, when they want it. They will also be essential for tackling some of the world’s most fundamental and complex issues, including climate change, as they help us allocate our planet’s often scarce and depleted resources in the most efficient ways possible.

In the simplified illustration of trying to cook dinner for one’s family, unexpected events, such as having friends over or family members coming home late, can alter how one must manage to feed everybody. These individual decisions within the system and extraneous factors could affect both demand and supply making it difficult to allocate resources.

Many business processes and operations involve dynamic resource allocation problems. Logistics and supply chain management always work under time constraints among other things. Especially since these processes are caught in the middle, they require real-time updates on information which would help them to find the most efficient route to their destination. But it doesn’t end there. So many other scenarios could happen en route such as road blockages, heavy traffic due to accidents, or other force majeure. Which is why, in the midst of all this chaos, it’s extremely difficult to solve these problems.

Despite the odds, researchers are still trying to find solutions such as making use of deep learning algorithms which would accumulate as much data and information as possible through interaction with the system and come up with solutions to existing problems. It would need a large database and as mentioned, in an ever-changing environment, one must be able to make decisions as soon as the information is available. The one hope we have is that when we develop a solution for these math problems, we would be one step closer to solving system-wide issues which might save humanity and the world as we know it.

By Jeremiah

Saving Schrodinger’s Cat

Photo by George Bonev on Unsplash

Is the cat dead or alive? The famous thought experiment that Erwin Schrodinger came up with in 1935 tries to present the quantum mechanics conundrum which he saw regarding the popular Copenhagen interpretation and its application.

According to the illustration, when we put a cat in a cage with a radioactive substance which, if an atom decays, would spring a hammer that would shatter a flask filled with poison, we wouldn’t know whether the cat is alive or not and the only way to find out is for us to open the box and observe for ourselves the state in which the cat exists.

We might even go so far as to use this illustration in a metaphysical sense to say that due to variables beyond our control, in a certain situation, one or more outcomes would be equally likely to occur but the value for such outcome will only be determined once we directly observe it. Now, scientists have conducted an experiment showing that the quantum shifts occurring at the point of observation may not necessarily instantaneous, rather it just happens very quickly, which means that there is a chance for us to save Schrodinger’s cat.

Dr. Zlatko Minev, first author of the research from Yale University, said: “When you open the box – in other words, when you begin your observation – usually in that time [the transition] appears abrupt and instantaneous.” But looking on a shorter timescale, it seems the situation is very different.

In other words, once the box is opened there is a process in which the cat keels over or not, with an early warning sign of when that process kicks off. Crucially it also seems the “jump” can be reversed midway through the transition, meaning Schrödinger’s cat might be brought back from the brink.

Since we’re looking at the experiment from a larger scale, the time during which the quantum shift happens in a moment’s notice however, if we scale it down to the minute quantum realms, the research suggests that the quantum “jump” occurs gradually and appears more like a “glide”. Within that moment researchers say, we can catch the transition midway and even reverse the outcome.

By Jeremiah

The NICER Navigates and Traces The X-Ray Sky

(Image Credit: NASA, NICER)

This is a map of the entire night sky as recorded by the payload on board the International Space Station, NASA’s Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER). 

As the International Space Station orbits the Earth every 93 minutes, the NICER tracks cosmic sources of X-rays.  As the sun sets and the night falls upon the orbital outpost, the NICER team keeps the X-ray detectors on and active. 

As the payload turns from target to target, “bright arcs and loops are traced across this all-sky map.” 

This map is made from 22 months of data gathered by NICER.

The arcs tend to converge on prominent bright spots, pulsars in the X-ray sky that NICER regularly targets and monitors. The pulsars are spinning neutron stars that emit clock-like pulses of X-rays. Their timing is so precise it can be used for navigation, determining spacecraft speed and position.

Via NASA


By Franzified

How Does Sunset Look From Space?

(Image Credit: Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay)

Watching the sunset is one of the most fulfilling and calming activity I have ever done, and I believe you would say the same as well. You look at the sun with awe as its red-orange rays shine upon you, as if to congratulate you for making through the day.

Have you ever wondered how a sunset looks when viewed from space? Check out this breathtaking photos taken by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst. This stunning image is shot from the International Space Station.

(Image Credit: Alexander Gerst/ Twitter)

By Franzified

Alpacas With Their Hair Cut Short: How Do They Look Like?

(Image Credit: Pixel-mixer/ Pixabay)

Alpacas are adorable animals with fluffy fur. But what happens when they have their fur cut? Here’s what Iwana no Sato, a hot spring resort in Japan, shares to us.


The [Iwana] no Sato staff recently gave their alpacas an early-summer haircut to keep them cool as the temperature starts to rise, and the post-shearing photos, shared from Iwana no Sato’s official Twitter account (@nonbirialpaca) have been shocking Japanese social media users who never stopped to consider what an alpaca’s actual physical dimensions are.

One word: they look…. weird. Some look like giraffes with the head of a lion, while some look like donkeys with very long necks! They still look adorable and cute, though.

Via Sora News 24

(Image Credit: @nonbirialpaca/ Twitter)

(Image Credit: @nonbirialpaca/ Twitter)

By Franzified

The Unnecessary Inventions of Matt Benedetto

Want sunglasses that have an automatic wiping system so that you won’t need to take them off at rainy days?

How about some ear cones that will greatly improve your hearing ability you’ll never have to ask anyone to repeat what they said to you?

These are just some of the Unnecessary Inventions made by entrepreneur and product designer Matt Benedetto. His goal with these inventions is pretty simple: “solving the world’s problems that don’t exist,” which, I think, is a pretty noble goal.

Despite being unnecessary, I don’t find these creations totally useless. In a way, they still are masterpieces that celebrate the creativity of the human mind.

Check out the Instagram account of Unnecessary Inventions here! 

Also, check Matt’s account by clicking here!



(Image Credit: Unnecessary Inventions/ Matt Benedetto)

"ComeAgain™️ What did you say to me? Never miss a single conversation with this sleek way to amplify the sound directly into your ears. Whether someone is right in front of you or if you leave the room, you will never have ask for something to be repeated."

"iDangle™️ Stop dropping your phone on that precious face of yours in bed! Suspend and dangle your phone hands-free just inches from your face to binge that new season on Netflix. The NASA grade suction cup grips the back of your phone - while the Army ballistic paracord hangs all the way down from the ceiling. The Lazy Sunday has a new standard."

The Hoverbrella™️ Enjoy a rainy day without the hassle of having to carry an umbrella. Go hands free and a tay completely dry as it follows you around wherever you need to go! 

By Franzified

How Do You Make Stunning Photographs?

When we see amazing photographs on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, we look at them with marvel and admiration. But have you wondered how in the world did they make such perfect photographs?

Most of the time, these stunning photographs that we see take a bit of deception and some Photoshop, while others consider timing (and probably took a lot of tries to perfect.)

Nevertheless, these photographs sure took a lot of time to prepare and conceptualize, and this indeed took a lot of effort to pull off.

Check out the compilations of Behind the Scenes Photos over at 9GAG.

Here are some of the photos from the compilation.

 (Image Credit: omahi_ / 9GAG)

Now this one's difficult to pull off.

Thought it was a window, didn't you?

These guys literally set the umbrella on fire. The effort for this photo is astonishing!

How many takes did this photo have? I wonder.

By Franzified

Early schooling could lead to better labor market outcomes

Photo by Megan Soule on Unsplash

Education is the key to success, or so the old adage says. But the measures for success or how we define it may not be the same across the board. Though it is true that education improves our quality of life in the long run, we have to consider that there are numerous factors involved in determining a person’s success in life. However, there might be some evidence suggesting that children who enter primary school earlier than their peers could have better labor market outcomes.

In a recent study, researchers Daniel Duque from the Institute of Economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Pedro Cavalcante from the Department of Economics at the Federal Fluminense University found that an additional year of schooling could positively impact the probability of attaining a college degree and getting higher wages once those children enter the labor force.

Brazil has implemented a policy that allows children to enter primary school one year earlier for those who were born before March 31, the usual enrollment date. Children are required to attend school when they hit the age of six but with this policy, schools can admit children who are up to one year younger than the obligatory age as long as their birthdate falls before the March 31 threshold. This means that these children will receive an extra year of schooling.

The researchers wanted to measure the effects that this school entry rule has on children’s future educational attainments as well as employment opportunities. They conducted a survey on people between ages 16 and 34 who lived in state capitals or urban areas when they turned 15. From this survey, they gathered the respondents’ date of birth, educational attainment, and current employment situation.

After analyzing the data using regression discontinuity, they found that these individuals who started schooling before the mandatory age were 9% more likely to receive a college degree while those who lived in urban areas were 9.6% more likely. Results also showed that people who received more education earned 25.8% higher than their peers.

There are limitations on this research and we should probably be wary about the numbers being presented as well. As I mentioned, there are several factors that could affect an individual’s ability for success, which in this case is measured by wage level and educational attainment. Though it is possible that people who went through more years in school might have received more training and instruction, this does not determine the level of their knowledge, skill, productivity, or potential.

Furthermore, there have been other studies which argue that children who enter school one year later, as opposed to one year earlier, have better aptitude scores than their counterparts. One can only surmise that this might be due to being slightly more developed than their peers but there might be other reasons as well. Further research on the subject would be necessary.

As it stands, there is no doubt that receiving proper instruction and rigorous training would help individuals gain the necessary skills and knowledge they would need to be more productive in the work force. This, however, does not solely determine one’s ability to earn or to become successful in their career or life in general. An individual’s connections, opportunities, circumstances, level of effort exerted in their endeavors, and tenacity can also affect one’s success.

(Note: The study did not consider the federal law amending the obligatory age from six years old to four.)

By Jeremiah