Mysterious 'big void' in Great Pyramid revealed by cosmic rays

Author

By science reporter Belinda Smith

Updated Friday at 10:32

First posted Thursday at 20:07

Nearly 5,000 years after construction, the bowels of the Great Pyramid of Giza are being exposed. 

(Getty Images: Bruce Yuanyue Bi)

A cosmic camera that uses high-energy particles from outer space to see through stone has given us a tantalising glimpse of an undiscovered space in the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Key points:

• Great Pyramid of Giza houses an undiscovered void at least 30 metres long
• The "Big Void" was imaged using high-energy particles called muons — a technique first used in Australia in the 1950s
• Next, researchers plan to develop tiny flying robots to explore pyramids further

The work, published in Nature today, harnessed the penetrating power of subatomic particles called muons to give the massive ancient Egyptian structure an X-ray of sorts.

The images showed a 30-metre space dubbed the "big void" — the first major structure to be discovered in the inner pyramid since the 19th century.

But exactly what the space is, or why it was built, remains a mystery.

Tech reveals Egyptian mummies

Twenty-first century technology is being used to tell the stories of six ancient Egyptians, mummified as long as 3,000 years ago.

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza — also known as the Pyramid of Khufu — was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu, who reigned 4,500 years ago

The pyramid is one of the oldest and largest monuments on Earth.

Archaeologists already knew of three chambers: subterranean, King's and Queen's Chambers connected by corridors, the largest of which is the Grand Gallery.

In 2015, the ScanPyramids team, comprising researchers from Japan, France and Egypt, set out to map the pyramid's internal structure in the hope of shedding light on how the pyramid was built.

They found the space sitting between 40 and 50 metres above the floor of the Queen's Chamber.

The researchers aren't sure if the void is horizontal or slightly inclined, consists of one giant space or loads of smaller rooms.

Mehdi Tayoubi from the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute in France and ScanPyramids team member suspects it was a deliberate inclusion by the ancient Egyptian architects.

"When you know the pyramids, and the perfection of the pyramids, it's hard to imagine that it's an accident," Mr Tayoubi said.

A 3-D cutaway of the Great Pyramid showing its chambers, corridors and newly discovered 'big void'. 

(Supplied: ScanPyramids mission)

Long-exposure cosmic camera

To peer in the Great Pyramid's rocky guts, the team used a technique a little like an X-ray you might get at a hospital.

Ancient statue not Ramses II

The discovery of an inscription on an ancient statue pulled from the mud of a Cairo slum reveals the colossus does not depict revered Pharaoh Ramses II as first thought.

Instead of X-rays, which are blocked by bones to produce an image of your skeleton on a film, the team used muons to map patches of high and low density in the pyramid.

Particle physicist Kevin Varvell of Sydney University said these by-products of cosmic rays can travel near the speed of light. Generally, only thick rock and stone will stop an energetic muon's journey; the thicker the stone, the more likely a muon passing through will decay or be absorbed.

The muons are detected by placing a special film under stone.

Only around 1 per cent of muons make it through large, dense buildings such as the Great Pyramid, so it can take months for them to appear on scans.

"It's like a very long-exposure photograph," Professor Varvell explained.

Scientists set up films to image muons in the Queen's Chamber of the Great Pyramid. 

(Supplied: ScanPyramids mission)

He said one of the earliest applications of the technique was used by physicist Eric 'Paul' George to scan a tunnel in the Snowy Mountains in 1954.

"He wanted to measure the thickness of rock, called the overburden, over the Guthega-Munyang tunnel," Professor Varvell said.

YOUTUBE: A video showing how muon imaging uncovered a corridor-like 'big void'.

Then in the mid-60s, American experimental physicist and Nobel prize-winner Luis Alvarez took the concept to pyramids.

He placed muon detectors in a chamber near the centre of the base of Khafre's pyramid, which sits alongside the Great Pyramid in Giza, to uncover any undiscovered voids.

American physicist Luis Alvarez first proposed high-energy particles could be used to explored the pyramids. 

(Wikimedia Commons)

After two years of soaking up muons, he found nothing new.

But he proved the technique, which has since been used to explore caves, volcanoes and the Fukushima nuclear plant, worked.

In the latest attempt, the ScanPyramids crew laid muon-detecting films in the Queen's Chamber and a corridor next door and replaced them every couple of months.

The developed films showed patches corresponding to the King's Chamber and Grand Gallery — as well as an "unexpected muon excess region", the researchers wrote.

To triple check, the team enlisted the help of two other muon-detection methods. These corroborated the film images.

Flying robots to explore pyramids

The Great Pyramid's story is far from over, according to the ScanPyramids team.

Jean-Baptiste Mouret, a roboticist from the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation, is developing a robot to explore the Great Pyramid.

"So far, we aim to have a robot that can fit in a 3-centimetre hole and explore very large structures," Dr Mouret said.

"Basically we're working on flying robots that could fly inside."

Meanwhile, the muon imaging work will continue, with the project extended for another year.

"This is not the end of the project," Mr Tayoubi said. "This is only one step of countless to come."

For further information log on website :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-11-02/great-pyramid-giza-hidden-void-discovered-muons-cosmic-rays/9104608?section=science

New species of frizzy-haired orangutan discovered in Indonesian forest, critically endangered

Author

By science reporter Belinda Smith

Bone and genetic analysis confirm the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is a new species, but it's critically endangered. 

(Supplied: Maxime Aliaga)

The bearded and frizzy-haired Tapanuli orangutan is the latest addition to our great ape family tree, but it might not be around for too long.

Key points:

• Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is the newest species of great ape
• It's critically endangered: fewer than 800 remain in the wild
• Habitat is threatened by illegal logging, hunting and construction

The newly discovered species is critically endangered, with fewer than 800 of the cinnamon-coloured creatures left in the wild.

An international team of scientists classified the new species of great ape after comparing its skeleton and genomes with other orangutan species.

They called it Pongo tapanuliensis after the districts on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in which the few hundred remaining individuals reside.

This population is under threat from hunting and a new hydroelectric project which could take out vast swathes of the Tapanuli orangutan's already-dwindling habitat, the researchers said.

Eighth great ape

Biologists have recognised seven living species of great ape: humans, eastern and western gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and Sumatran and Bornean orangutans.

Now, according to a paper published in Current Biology today, biologists can add another orangutan species to the list.

The Tapanuli orangutan has frizzier body hair than its cousins. 

(Supplied: Maxime Aliaga)

So how did the some of the world's largest tree-climbing mammals remain under the radar for so long?

Orangutans are notoriously shy. Finding them, particularly in dense forests, is tricky — as Erik Meijaard, a forest and conservation scientist now at the Australian National University, discovered when he spent three years in the 1990s mapping where orangutans lived in Borneo.

"I sailed up and down every single river, went inland, but learnt quickly that actively looking for orangutans is not going to work," he said.

"So I relied a lot on talking to people and looking mostly for nests."

After he mapped the Bornean orangutans, Dr Meijaards travelled to Sumatra. There, he read accounts penned by Dutch explorers in the early 1900s.

"Because the entire colonial literature is in Dutch — I'm Dutch myself — I've always been keen on accessing these old stories from the 1920s and '30s," he said.

He noticed repeated mention of an orangutan population in the Tapanuli districts, far south of the Sumatran orangutans' habitat. His interest piqued, Dr Meijaard travelled there.

There are fewer than 800 Tapanuli orangutans left in the wild.

(Supplied: Maxime Aliaga)

Local people confirmed orangutans did indeed live in the area, following the seasonal ripening of fruit such as durians and rambutans. Some had trophies taken from dead orangutans.

When Dr Meijaard ventured into the forests, he didn't see any live orangutans, but found plenty of nests. "That kickstarted the whole thing," he said.

Bones and DNA evidence

"It really turned into a massive project," Michael Kruetzen, a population geneticist at the University of Zurich and co-author of the study, said.

Finally, live orangutans were spotted in the forest.

They had frizzier body hair than their Sumatran and Bornean counterparts, and the females could grow a beard.

The project had a tragic breakthrough in November 2013, when an adult male orangutan in the Tapanuli forest was attacked and killed by villagers.

Seeing a silver lining, the researchers got hold of its skeleton and compared it to those of 33 Sumatran and Bornean orangutans.

The newly killed orangutan's skull was smaller, its face flatter and its canine teeth wider than those from Sumatran and Bornean orangutans.

The skull of the Tapanuli orangutan is significantly smaller than other orangutan species. 

(Supplied)

The researchers also analysed blood samples taken by vets from two other orangutans born in the Tapanuli districts.

Combined with mathematical modelling, the DNA suggested Tapanuli orangutans split from their Sumatran and Bornean neighbours about 3.4 million years ago.

This collection of evidence was enough to designate the Tapanuli orangutan a new species.

While their description of Tapanuli orangutans mostly rests on one skeleton and two genomes, the researchers said more differences between the orangutan species may emerge as more specimens were found.

Dr Meijaard acknowledges the genetic analyses showed some crossbreeding occurred between the Tapanuli and Sumatran orangutans up to about 10,000 years ago, but is confident the Tapanuli orangutan is morphologically distinct enough to be classified its own species.

"I'm sure it's going to be controversial, and there will be people that disagree, but that's fine — we can argue about that," he said.

Southern Cross University ornithologist Les Christidis, who specialises in the evolution and classification of birds, is one scientist who is not convinced.

"The morphological data is based on one individual and shows that that individual is a bit different on some skull and teeth, though the teeth are worn down in the only specimen of the 'new' species," Professor Christidis said.

"Are these few differences in measurements sufficient for a new species, especially as the DNA data is ambiguous at best?"

Threats: hunting, fragmented forests

The population of fewer than 800 orangutans roams a patch of only 1,000 square kilometres — and that relatively small area is under threat.

Construction of a hydropower plant, earmarked for completion in 2022, could flood up to 8 per cent of the Tapanuli orangutan's habitat.

It could also cut off forest corridors used by orangutans to move between populations, leading to more isolation and inbreeding.

But the immediate problem for the Tapanuli orangutans is hunting.

Any drop in numbers takes years to regain. Females usually give birth to one baby every six years or so.

"Reproduction rates are low," Professor Kruetzen said. "They don't breed like rabbits."

"If even eight out of 800 animals were killed each year, on top of the normal background death rate, the species will disappear," Dr Meijaard warned.

For further information log on website :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-11-03/new-species-orangutan-discovered-indonesia-sumatra-endangered/9099082?section=science

Open House Perth: 10 years of back-breaking work sees carpenter's grand design come to life

Author

By Emma Wynne

PHOTO: Pat Gaffney in front of his house, which is angled around a sewer line. (ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne)

Mr Gaffney has a background as a carpenter.Ten years, a broken back and a sewer running through the main living area would not, and could not, stop Pat Gaffney from building his very own "grand design" in Perth's South Fremantle.

He said he had always wanted to build a modern house, and settled on the perfect place — a block of land next door to the historic house where he had lived with his family for decades.

"We had lived next door for 30 years and really like the community, so there was no point in moving," Mr Gaffney said.

The 320-square-metre plot had been the family's garden for 20 years.

"We had the land, so it made sense to do it here," he said.

Mr Gaffney worked with architect Dimitri Kapetas to draw up the plans, but he was determined to build the house himself.

PHOTO: Pat Gaffney spent years building his dream house by himself. (ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne)

Sewer line impacted house shape

Even in the design stages, the project — a three-bedroom, double storey family home — proved complex.

A main sewer runs underground diagonally across the block, from front to back.

"The sewer is buried underground but you can't actually build over it, you have to build around it," Mr Gaffney said.

"So we had to design around that, and that's what has created the interesting shapes in the house."

Most of the rooms sit diagonally on either side of the sewer, but the house is not divided into two buildings.

"We have a tunnel through the house that is a room, but it is virtually demountable," he said.

PHOTO: The 'demountable' section runs through the centre of the house and can be accessed by the water corporation if necessary. (ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne)

The design satisfies access requirements, but Mr Gaffney admitted there was a "slim possibility" one day his central living area could be dug up for sewer maintenance.

"I'm confident that they will never have to do it," he added, smiling.

Got something to say about Mr Gaffney's 10-year effort to build his dream house? Join the discussion in the comments.

Making it up along the way

The plans alone took five years to draw up, then Mr Gaffney began building.

"Dimitri drew the plans to a stage where I could build it, and a lot of the interior detail I have just done myself as I went along," he said.

"I didn't really know at the start what I wanted.

PHOTO: The living areas of the Silver Street house open to the outdoors. (ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne)

"Money was probably the main thing," he said of deciding to do it himself rather than employing a builder.

"And I just wanted to do it.

"I'd be the worst client. I think I'd be too fussy."

Broken back did not stop determined builder

Mr Gaffney also runs a catering business that mainly operates on weekends.

He said that business, and the fact he lived next door to the building site, had given him the flexibility and time to build the house to his standard over the past five years.

Despite the long haul, he said he never got tired of the project.

"I've maintained my energy and didn't lose interest," he said.

"I had a bit of disaster one year in. I fell off the top storey and broke my back. Also broke my kneecap. That set me back for a bit. I was in hospital for about 10 days.

"Everything's fine now. My back is 100 per cent better. My knee is still a bit sore but I can still get on and do most things."

PHOTO: Mr Gaffney did not start with a clear idea of the interior, but developed the design as he went along. (ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne)

Walls make the house a giant esky

The finished house is a modern, angular mix of concrete flooring and highly crafted timber detail.

The walls are made from a material called R9, which is fairly lightweight but highly insulated.

"R9 is polystyrene and CFC sheeting, and it's about 200mm thick, making the house like an esky," Mr Gaffney said.

"It has double glazed windows and Bondor roofing, which is a sandwich panel of metal and foam.

"It's a self-supporting roof so the whole structure upstairs is really cool in summer and warm in winter."

PHOTO: Former carpenter Mr Gaffney used plywood, concrete and highly insulated panels to construct the house. (ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne)

Having finally finished the house, Mr Gaffney is now opening it up to the public as a part of the Open House Perth festival on Sunday, November 12.

"I'm really satisfied with it," he said of the finished product.

"Just going through the process, it was really difficult at times, working out how to do things, so to get to a stage where you have achieved all your goals and gotten through it is really satisfying."

For further information log on website :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-07/open-house-perth-grand-design-realised-amid-sewerage-line/9122378

SORTING WOOD

Before it can actually be recovered, and after it is collected by wood recycling specialists, it is essential that waste of this type is sorted in a factory. Let’s look at the various steps involved.

Manual sorting

When the waste wood has been collected, and the contents of the various skips have been checked on arrival at a wood recycling company, the separation of materials begins. Or continues in some cases, because the skips sorted at source contain only wood and are immediately directed to the sorting line.

The contents of the others, i.e. those that contain mixed waste, are tipped on to the floor of the wood recycling factory. A manual sort is then carried out by qualified operatives, who might also use a mechanical digger to separate the various materials and place them in specific cells. Some cells are only for class A wood, while others store only class AB woods (i.e. a mix of the two main categories of recyclable wood). 

Optical waste sorting

In some cases and at some wood recycling factories, an optical sorting line is used to separate wood from other mixed waste.

Once the materials containing paper, cardboard and plastics are removed manually, all that remains on the belt is a mixture of wood, glass and rubble. These materials are then automatically channelled to a flotation pond, where the lightest fraction of the waste can be recovered (the materials that float, unlike rubble and the heaviest pieces of glass).

The optical sorter proper then begins its work, identifying the remaining fragments of scrap paper or cardboard and keeping only the wood. The second phase of wood recycling, grinding, can then start.

Grinding

The grinding step – crucial in any wood recycling factory – is itself broken down into two phases.

The sorted waste is first placed in a slow grinder equipped with magnets in order to remove metallic parts (like the nails, hinges and screws frequently found in waste from bulky waste collections). Then the materials processed at the 200 mm setting are sieved through rotary screens, to complete the sorting process. Remember that recycling wood is also about making it easier for conversion firms to upcycle it in the future. Remember too that while these machines do not work as quickly as automatic refiners, they do prevent excessive production of dust, and therefore limit the associated pollution.

After this two-step grinding process, the materials are again directed to specific cells, pending transportation to their various processing points, where they will be upcycled or used to generate energy. This is the logical next step in the wood recycling process.


Read more about wood recycling :

• Recycling wood

• Waste wood collection

• Future uses for wood waste

For further information log on website :
https://www.paprec.com/en/understanding-recycling/recycling-wood/sorting-wood