Ball Lightning - possible weapon?

Two hundred years ago this week, the warship HMS Warren Hastings was struck by a weird phenomenon: "Three distinct balls of fire" fell from the heavens, striking the ship and killing two crewmen, leaving behind "a nauseous, sulfurous smell," according to the Times of London.

Ball lightning has been the subject of much scientific scrutiny over the years. And, as with many powerful natural phenomena, the question arises: "Can we turn it into a weapon?" Peculiar as it may seem, that's exactly what some researchers are working on -- even though it hasn't even been properly replicated in the laboratory yet.

The exact cause and nature of ball lighting has yet to be determined; there may be several different types, confusing matters further. But generally it manifests as a grapefruit-sized sphere of light moving slowly through the air which may end by fizzling out or exploding.

In the mid-'60s, the U.S. military started exploring ways that the phenomenon might be weaponized. Take this 1965 Defense Technical Information Center report on Survey of Kugelblitz Theories For Electromagnetic Incendiaries, (Kugelblitz is German for ball lighting). The document summarizes and evaluates the ball lightning theories then prevalent, and recommends "a theoretical and experimental Kugelblitz program... as a means of developing the theory into a weapons application." This led to an Air Force program called Harness Cavalier, which seems to have ended without producing anything conclusive.

However, some years later scientist Dr. Paul Koloc was looking at methods of containing high-temperature plasma during nuclear fusion. There are many schemes for containing plasma in donut-shaped magnetic fields using a device called a Tokomak. Koloc's insight was that, under the right conditions, a donut-shaped mass of moving plasma would generate the required fields for containment itself. No Tokomak would be required for this "plasmoid," which would be completely stable and self-sustaining. It is a very close equivalent of the smoke ring -- another type of dynamic "vortex ring," which remains stable over a period of time, unlike an unstructured cloud of smoke.

Koloc also theorized that if a donut-shaped plasmoid was created accidentally -- say, during a lightning strike -- it would remain stable for a period of seconds of minutes. This he believes is the explanation for ball lightning. He has a lot of competition from other, wildly different theories of ball lightning, though, from nanobatteries to vaporized silicon to black holes. There is no scientific consensus.

In the '80s, Koloc's team succeeded in creating small, short-lived plasmoids from "chicken egg to softball" size in the laboratory. It was a good start, but not enough to convince the world that he's right about ball lightning. Ultimately the work might lead to a means of containing nuclear fusion... but there were some engineering challenges to tackle. Moreover, the scientific mainstream has not bought into the concept. While giant programs to achieve controlled fusion like ITER are sucking up billions, Koloc has found it much harder to attract funding. This is not like cold fusion or bubble fusion which has been challenged on scientific grounds, but it's been very much sidelined in favor of other "confinement concepts" for fusion power.

However, in 2002, Koloc's company, Prometheus II, briefly obtained funding from the Missile Defence Agency. The aim was to create stable 'magnetoplasmoids' a foot in diameter which would last between one and five seconds. In the subsequent phase, the magnetoplasmoid would be compressed and accelerate to two hundred kilometers a second. This "encapsulated EMP bullet" would make an idea anti-missile weapon, generating an intense electromagnetic pulse on impact which would scramble the guidance system and any electronics, as well as causing thermal damage.

Koloc called the weapon "Phased Hyper-Acceleration for Shock, EMP, and Radiation" -- PHASER.

"It can be used for a range of purposes from stunning personnel to destroying the functionality of electronically operated devices, smaller rockets, vehicles and packages that represent an immediate threat to the United States," he wrote. "This dial-able PHASER weapon can be set on 'Stun' or dialed down, selecting a non-lethal level for persons needed for later interrogation... One mundane application for law enforcement would be the disruption of the engine electronics to stop vehicles that would otherwise be the target of a high-speed chase. Dialable versions of the PHASER will be available for use in civilian encounters."

Nothing seems to have resulted after the Phase I contract, so I contacted Koloc to see how his research had progressed. He confirmed that they had successfully formed plasmoids a foot in diameter, but that these could not be made sufficiently stable.

To make it work and overcome the stability problem, they need a device known as a "fast rising parallel plate transmission line." There was not enough funding for this and the company is still trying to raise funds.

"Once the re-engineered formation system becomes operational, we will proceed to form plasmoids of approximately 35 to 45 centimeters in diameter with a stable lifetime of from one to thirty seconds," says Prometheus II Vice President D. M. Cooper. "The plasmoids should be rugged and energetic, and should attain quiescence (thus becoming very stable) within two or three milliseconds of the formation pulse. The plasmoids will be useful for energy applications even if the military applications are not pursued."

So a ball lightning weapon remains tantalizingly out of reach –- or does it? As I noted in a previous article on military ball lightning, the USAF’s Phillips Laboratory examined a very similar concept in 1993. Again, this involved accelerating a donut-shaped mass of plasma to high speed as an anti-missile weapon in a project called Magnetically Accelerated Ring to Achieve Ultra-high Directed Energy and Radiation, or MARAUDER. Based on the Air Force's awesome Shiva Star power system, experiments spat out plasmoids at ultra-high speed that were expected to reach 3,000 kilometers a second by 1995. But nothing was published after 1993, and MARAUDER was classified, disappearing into the black world of secret programs.

Ball lighting is still mysterious 200 years later… and the next time a warship gets struck by weird fireballs they will probably be as baffled as were the sailors aboard the HMS Warren Hastings.

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New proof of Darwin's theory of evolution

About 150 years ago, the fossil of this "dinobird" was discovered and celebrated as proof of Charles Darwin's new theory of evolution.

Now fast word to a few weeks ago: The famous fossil, the Thermopolis specimen of Archaeopteryx lithographica, made its way by truck from the Wyoming Dinosaur Center to the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource in California, where it was meticulously scanned by one of the world's most powerful X-ray machines, a building-sized device created for physics research.

By looking for traces of specific elements left in the slab of limestone as the bird decomposed, the researchers hope to uncover heretofore-unseen details of the soft tissue that once surrounded the well-preserved bones.

The X-rays, generated by SSRL's high-speed electrons as they race around a 260-foot-diameter ring, cause the elements to glow, revealing the ghost of soft tissue or feathers.

"If you want to find a single fossil which is a missing link in the evolution of dinosaurs into birds, this is it," said University of Manchester paleontologist Phil Manning, a member of the research team. "It's a bird with sharp teeth, claws and a long bony tail. If you were to freeze-frame evolution, you would end up with Archaeopteryx."

"What you normally can't see are the chemical elements from the original organism that might still be present in the fossil," said SSRL scientist Uwe Bergmann. "Using X-ray fluorescence imaging, we can bring these elements to light, getting a better look at the fossil and learning more about the original animal."

"These X-rays work a thousand time better than what you could do with a commercial X-ray machine. Only a synchrotron can do this," Bergmann said. SSRL is part of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, which is operated by Stanford University for the Department of Energy.

In addition to offering a new view of a long-extinct animal, this work may also reveal more about fossilization itself. By understanding how fossilization occurs and what exactly is preserved in the process, researchers will be able to deduce much more about ancient organisms and evolution.

The Archaeopteryx fossil holds a unique place in history. It was brought to London soon after Darwin published his stunning On the Origin of Species in 1859. With perfect timing, the old bones played a major roll in the controversy Darwin had stirred up.

"This fossil was the savior of Darwin," Manning said. "As soon as it arrived in London, all of Darwin's supporters realized that this was an intermediate animal, an evolutionary freak that they needed to study. It was half way between dinosaur and bird. This is the single most important fossil in paleontology for that simple reason.

" It was used to beat the living daylights out of the nonsense which had been put forward as to the reason for why animals were present on this planet. Here, Darwin's theory of descendant with modification was hammered home with this one example of transitionary form, of an animal between dinosaur and bird."

The fossil research is one example of how the SSRL is shining new light on fields as diverse as paleontology, medicine, and the history of mathematics. The SSRL's hair-thin X-ray beam has been used, for example, to make visible the hidden writing in a medieval copy of a mathematical treatise from the Greek mathematician Archimedes. Tuned to specific energies, the X-rays produced images of phosphorus and calcium from the ink used on the papyrus document, which had been covered with paint.

Earlier this year, at the request of Stanford library officials and an academic researcher, the laser-like X-ray beam was used to scan a score by the Italian composer Luigi Cherubini (1760 – 1842). Portions of the work had been covered over with carbon-black ink, but after the scan, "The researcher was able to look right through the ink and read the score," said Mary Miller, a Stanford preservation librarian. "I think he was thrilled."

"This is the very infancy of this new scientific method," said paleontologist Peter Larson of the Black Hills Institute in South Dakota. "We don't even know enough about this to know the right questions to ask yet. All of a sudden, we can look at fossils in a very different and new way."

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Quetzalcoatl - ancient American Dragon

When Shannon McCabe (President of HPI) went to Chichen Itza, he was walking through history. A find that may have it's roots in East Asia, India, Crete and with an extraterrestrial alliance. Quetzalcoatl was described as a white god with pale skin and blue eyes. Quetzalcoatl and his away team all wore black coarse robes and traveled in foreign ships with swan wings. The hulls of the ships glowed so brightly, that it was hard to look upon by the Indians of these indigenous cultures. Quetzalcoatl was known by several names. The Toltecs and Aztecs refer him as Quetzalcoatl. The people of the Incas called him Viracocha. The Mayans called him Kukulcan. The Chibchas called him Bochica. The Aymara from Peru called him Hyustus. It appears that Quetzalcoatl must have had a fast flying vehicle that could take him from Mexico to Central America to South America. What kind of ship could transport a fair skinned god around the country like that?

Quetzalcoatl even became the fifth king of the Toltecs during AD 977 to 999. Even though he was a king of the Toltecs, he was busy visiting other tribes of Indians. He brought the Toltecs laws and science. He set down laws that there was to be no more killing of animals and that the Toltecs would feast off vegetables and fruits. There would also be no more human sacrifice. At some point of time, Quetzalcoatl was tempted by sin and fell into disgrace. The disgrace that he faced, brought him shame and he decided to leave in his ship. He promised all of the tribes that he will one day return.

Who was Quetzalcoatl and where did he actually come from? Examining the Mayan script, it is very similar to Cretan symbols and script. Could Quetzalcoatl came from Crete? If you look at the Maize god of Copan, you will notice that this sculpture has an East Asian and Mediterranean influence. It is also interesting to note that the Jaguar men of the Olmecs were good at working with jade, so were the Cretans.

Then things get a bit confusing, because the Warrior Temple at Chichen Itza with all of its columns and thousands of pillars is somewhat reminiscent of Egypt. Now we have an Egyptian influence. Shannon and I, remember walking in between these pillars and were amazed at the accuracy and precision they were built and how they were placed in alignment around the Mayan pyramid.

What is also interesting is that there is a reptilian influence. Representations of reptiles like serpents are seen with the cultures I mentioned above. The reptilian influence is saturated throughout Egypt, East Asian, India and the list goes on and on.

I believe the reptilian influence represents ancient astronauts that resembled reptiles. The reptile influence can even be found in our own bible as it was the serpent that influenced Eve to bite from the forbidden fruit. The lotus motif seen at the Mayan Jaguar Temple has an eerie resemblance to the water-lily ornament found at the temple town of Amaravati, which is located on the East coast of Southern India.
But, we talk about a white god. There are not too many people with fair complexions in India, Egypt or even Crete. But most of the gods that are described in ancient times have a fair complexion or are reptilian in nature. Looking at the ancient scripts of India, there is talk of Vimanas, flying machines that can take the gods from city to city, country to country and planet to planet. Yes, there are 3 type of Vimanas. The Vimanas that took the gods from city to city or country to country almost appear to be airplanes, while the Vimana that can take a god from planet to planet appears to be a starship.

Could it be that ancient astronauts back long ago were living amongst our advanced cultures like the Phoenicians, Egyptians and bringing their knowledge of science, math and astronomy to cultures like the Olmecs, Toltecs and Mayans?
As the pieces of the puzzle come together, it appears that Erich Anton Paul von Daniken may have been right all along...

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Prague, Czech Republic

The Czech Republic's capital and international showpiece, Prague is one of the most popular destinations in Eastern Europe. Its attraction lies in the physical beauty of the city with 600 years of architecture amazingly untouched by war. The centre has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it demands to be explored on foot, an entire outdoor museum of history and a haphazard mixture of splendid architecture.
In the 14th century Prague enjoyed a reputation of being one of the most important cities in Europe, but after the Second World War it disappeared completely behind the Iron Curtain. Since the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the end of Communism, Prague has thrown off the years of repression with alacrity and is returning to its earlier grandeur, enticing tourists with its fairytale quality and romantic atmosphere. In recent years Prague has also become a popular weekend destination for stag and hen party groups, attracted by the lively nightlife, world-famous beer and low prices.
The historical centre of the city is compact and its attractions are all within easy reach. The core comprises the Castle District (Hradèany) west of the River Vltava, and the Old and New town (Staré Mesto and Nové Mesto) to the east, joined by the famous Charles Bridge. The Castle District situated on the hill overlooking the city incorporates the main attractions, including the Castle itself and the Cathedral. The Old Town is a maze of alleyways, cobbled streets and passages winding their way towards the beautiful Old Town Square, Staromestské NámestÃ. Josefov Ghetto, the old Jewish Quarter, is enclosed within the old town. The New Town, in contrast, is modern and has been laid out in wide boulevards, most famously Wenceslas Square, the fashionable shopping boulevard leading up to the foot of the grand National Gallery.
The city's cultural scene also features high on the list of things to do in Prague, with classical music concerts, opera and ballet, as well as the many art galleries around the city. It is constantly adding small new museums to its summertime list, often strange but curiously interesting. This beautiful city, a 'symphony in stone', built along the river and on the surrounding hills, has never ceased to capture the hearts and imagination of visitors, painters, photographers and poets.


Prague has a cheap and efficient public transport system consisting of an integrated network of buses, trams, metro and a funicular on Petrin Hill. The historic centre is compact and pedestrian-only, but trams offer an inexpensive way of seeing the rest of the city and there are plenty of metro stations in the centre. Tram lines criss-cross the centre and are the best way to get around, after the metro. Buses need rarely be used, as they tend to operate outside the centre and are more irregular. After midnight night trams and buses offer a limited service, usually every hour. Tickets are valid on all modes of public transport, but must be bought in advance and validated before each journey. A number of travel passes are also available; these are the best way to avoid the hassle of different single tickets and need only be stamped once at the start. Prague is inundated with dishonest, unregistered taxi drivers who attempt to rip off tourists. It's best to book taxis over the phone and demand a receipt for the fare before setting out. ProfiTaxi or AAA Taxi are the most reputable companies. A car is unnecessary since much of the city is pedestrianised, parking is a major problem and vehicle crime is rife. Car rental is also expensive.


When Franz Kafka wrote that his home city had ‘claws' that prevented him leaving, he was not paying nefarious Prague a compliment. These days Prague has a similarly magnetic, though much more positive, appeal for the soaring numbers of tourists and business travellers who flock to the Czech capital every year.
Prague is quite simply one of the most stunning cities in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage listed gem, eulogised as the ‘City of a Thousand Spires'. Prague has become the archetypal post-communist city success story with seemingly not a month going by without another city being hailed as the ‘New Prague'.
This is a city where just ambling around the impressively well-preserved historic core, stopping off for a fortifying glass of one of the excellent local beers, popping into boutique shops or one of the many museums is the real pleasure.
Prague's story goes back to the distant days of the Celtic tribes, as early as 400BC. The city's real golden age commenced when Charles IV of Bohemia was elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1346. The ambitious gothic building programme, including St Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, the University, and the New Town, centred on Wenceslas Square and transformed the city into one of the greatest and most powerful in Europe.
The 20th century brought massive trauma for Czechoslovakia and Prague as the country was occupied by the Nazis during WWII and then spent the best part of five decades subjugated under Soviet communist rule, with all attempts to win greater democracy in 1968's ‘Prague Spring' brutally crushed under the weight of Russian tanks.
The Czech spirit remained undaunted and in 1989, as the Berlin Wall tumbled, the Czechs finally broke free of communism during the ‘Velvet Revolution', which was quickly followed by the ‘Velvet Divorce' as the Slovak portion of the old Czechoslovakia chose to go its own way.
With poet and president Vaclav Havel at the helm, Prague became the hub of the post-communist eastern European revival with expats flocking to the city in the 1990s, quickly developing a buzz that brought comparisons with 1920s Paris.
This post Velvet Revolution buzz has faded to some extent and these days there are as many foreign as Czech voices on the streets with the city massively popular as a tourist destination and as a business hub. In 2004, the Czech Republic joined the European Union, further cementing the city's importance and popularity.
Part of Prague's charm is that it is a rewarding place to visit at any time of year. Winters can be long, harsh and dark, but spring and autumn are often idyllic with summer bringing some very warm central European temperatures.
Whether easing under Charles Bridge on a rowing boat on a balmy summer evening, or trudging across the crisp snow of the Old Town Square and enjoying a glass of mulled wine at the Christmas Market, this slick, but still deeply characterful Czech capital seldom disappoints.

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Florida

Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with visitors heading to ‘The Sunshine State’ in search of fun, sun and thrills. Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom Park and Busch Gardens are just a few of the man-made attractions for which the State is famed. Orlando is the face of Florida that most people recognize, with its enormous number of theme parks, movie studios, water parks and entertainment facilities.
But there is more to Florida than Mickey Mouse and white-knuckle rides. Winding waterways, freshwater lakes, hills, forests, exciting cities, 13,560km (8426 miles) of coast, countless bays, inlets and islands, and a legendary climate make this one of the most popular States in the USA.

Florida is divided into eight geographical regions: Northwest; North Central; Northeast; Central West; Central; Central East; Southwest; and Southeast Florida & the Keys. Situated on the southeastern tip, Miami and Miami Beach have long been a haunt of the rich and famous, and star-spotting is a popular pastime here. Palm Beach scores equally highly in the glamour stakes. Fort Lauderdale is a popular spot for families, offering a wide assortment of sports and recreational activities. To the south, the Florida Keys offers a tropical climate, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters.

The capital of Florida, Tallahassee, is geographically closer to Atlanta than Miami and is strictly Southern in tone. It was chosen as the State capital in 1823, as a compromise between Pensacola and St Augustine, which had both been vying for the honor. Today, it is often described as ‘The Other Florida’ with its rolling hills, oak forests, cool climate and distinctly Southern feel.
Tampa and St Petersburg are the main cities in the Central West region. Sarasota is the cultural capital of the region, thanks to John Ringling and his wife who amassed an impressive art collection, which is today displayed in their restored mansion. The southwestern region is home to Naples, a popular seaside retreat. Just off the mainland, Marco Island stands as a model of ecological preservation.

In the northeastern corner of Florida stands Jacksonville, named after General Andrew Jackson. Nearby St Augustine is known as ‘America’s Oldest City’ and is home to more than 60 historic sites. Amelia Island, often called the ‘Isle of Eight Flags’, is the only site in the country to have been governed by eight different countries during its history. At its heart lies Fernandina Beach, the nation’s second-oldest city. Daytona is located in the slender Central East region. The beach is the city’s main attraction, with a 510m (1700ft) boardwalk brimming with amusements, rides and snack bars.

Everglades

S Florida, USA; swampy, subtropical region, length c.160 km/100 mi, width 80–120 km/50–75 mi, area c.12 950 km²/5000 sq mi; covers most of the Florida peninsula S of L Okeechobee; consists of saw grass savannahs and water dotted by clumps of reeds; in an area of heavy rainfall only a few metres above sea-level; drainage and reclamation schemes have made a large amount of land productive, mostly in citrus fruits and sugar; Seminole Indians fled to the area in 1842, during the Seminole War; Everglades National Park (area 5668 km²/2188 sq mi) in the S includes much of Florida Bay, with its many keys; a world heritage site.
The Florida Everglades are subtropical marshlands located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, specifically in parts of Monroe, Collier, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward counties. Although much modified by agricultural development in central and southern Florida, the Everglades is the southern half of a large watershed arising in the vicinity of Orlando known as the Kissimmee River system. Water leaving Lake Okeechobee in the wet season forms the Everglades, a shallow, slow-moving flood at one time 40 miles wide and over 100 miles long moving southward across a nearly flat, limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state.

The Everglades extends from Lake Okeechobee on the north to Florida Bay on the south and was once bordered by Big Cypress Swamp on the west and the Atlantic Coastal Ridge on the east.
Some 50 percent of the original Everglades has been lost to agriculture. Water from the Everglades is still used as a water supply for major cities in the area, such as Miami. The Everglades is crossed from west to east by a toll road called "Alligator Alley", now part of Interstate 75.
There are several small outlets, such as the Miami River and the New River on the east and the Shark River on the southwest.

Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 27.3% of the original area. There have been recent expansions to the park's tourist facilities to bring in more money to Florida's economy such as a massive extension to the visiting center, many outposts along the bridges that span the Everglades that teach people about the many birds and other wildlife native to the Everglades and also a small petting zoo.

The Everglades also face an ongoing threat from the melaleuca tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia). Sprinkled from airplanes using salt and pepper shakers, the tiny seeds of the thirsty tree were intended to suck up the water and make the "land" of the Everglades suitable for development.
Brazilian Pepper (Florida Holly) has also wreaked havoc on the Everglades, exhibiting a tendency to spread rapidly and crowd out native species. The Brazilian Pepper problem is not exclusive to the Everglades;
Native to southern Asia, the Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus is a relatively new invasive species in the Everlgades. The Everglades habitat is perfect for bivittatus, and this species is said to be reproducing rapidly.

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