An ancient wind-powered iron smelting technology in Sri Lanka
Article Abstract:
The discovery and excavation of an old furnace type for iron smelting at Samanalawewa in Sri Lanka provides evidence for the existence of a very old smelting technology in South Asia. Experiments with a replica of the furnace indicate that the technology involves the use of a wind-based air-supply principle for producing steel. The gas buoyancy in natural-draught furnaces stimulates a draught that is capable of propelling the smelting process but inefficiently compared to either the wind or forced-draught furnaces.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Uncertainty in ancient phylogenies
Article Abstract:
Results obtained from ancient ribonuclease sequences are highly uncertain especially at position 38 at all levels of evolutionary enzyme catalytic activity of artiodactyl ribonuclease as revealed by the analysis of these techniques using maximum-likelihood method. The possible drawback of the technique may be due to the assumption that rates of evolution are constant all over the tree. Importance of distributional analysis of uncertainties in findings in studies of history of ancient molecules is discussed.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Database of ancient sequences
Article Abstract:
Statistics indicate that the proteins in vertebrates, invertebrates, yeast and bacteria may comprise of ancient conserved regions (ACRs) which are contiguous amino-acid sequence segments predating the coelomate radiation 500-600 million years ago. Many new protein domains or molips emerging from sequencing yeast or nematade are restricted to these phyla. Seven comprehensive subsets of protein sequences isolated from eubacteria, plants, fungi, slime mould, vertebrates, arthropods and nematodes are compared.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1993
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: A canine distemper virus epidemic in Serengeti lions (Panthera leo). To boldly go
- Abstracts: An unprincipled Universe? Weighing the Universe
- Abstracts: Genetics and elephant conservation. Remembering elephants at CITES
- Abstracts: A new species of living bovid from Vietnam. For the living there is hope. The arrangement of the three cone classes in the living human eye
- Abstracts: Photoisomerization in dendrimers by harvesting of low-energy photons. Half-tax on US energy