Conscious and subconscious information processing Essay

Cognizant and subliminal data handling - Essay Example Numerous analogies have been made to portray the cognizant psyche. One compelling illustration may be the telescope. Our cognizant psyche glances through it and sees a specific article in center, uninformed of the world outside of that telescope focal point. Along these lines awareness is restricted to a little span, in spite of the fact that it fills its need. Another representation for the cognizant brain would be a chunk of ice. The cognizant psyche is a glimpse of something larger that reaches out of the sea. The cognizant psyche sees the world from data got from the subliminal beneath, and from the physical world around it. Subliminal quality actually implies underneath the limit of awareness, or that piece of the psyche that lies just beneath the degree of cognizant reasoning. In the case of the telescope, while the cognizant brain is glancing through the little opening, the psyche is recording the impressions while additionally scanning memory banks for proving data. The psyche mind goes about as an individual secretary who records cognizant information and who additionally recovers applicable recollections from the oblivious brain. It carries on like the RAM (irregular access memory) in a PC. It channels and holds data to guide it to its vital applications. An exceptionally dynamic psyche mind recognizes examples to foreordain cognizant reasoning and conduct. For instance, when we are first figuring out how to drive a vehicle, our cognizant mindfulness must be incredibly engaged so as to become familiar with the expertise. When we have figured out how to drive, the cognizant brain goes on autopilot, and the inner mind dominates, doing the driving for us. The manner in which the psyche works is far not the same as the manner in which cognizant brain works. While the cognizant psyche is objective, depending on rationale and strict reasoning, the inner mind is abstract, handling the subconscious and representative significance of words and symbolism. Along these lines it is the inner mind that holds emotions and pictures from

Racism in America essays

Bigotry in America articles In the event that somebody asked you what it resembles to live in a impeccable world, how might you answer? Numerous individuals may state something like, A spot without and contentions or battling. Others may state A spot where there isn't contamination. However, has anybody one at any point thought to state, A spot without prejudice.? For certain Americans, bigotry has never at any point crossed their minds. For other people, it is something they need to live with ordinary. In certain social orders in America, bigotry isnt even a factor, all residents of the network get along. Be that as it may, in other social orders, prejudice is a case that could be dangerous. Bigotry, in definition, is the conviction that mankind is partitioned into delineated hereditarily various socks called races; as indicated by its disciples racial contrasts make one gathering better than another. (Morals; Walker, Randolph Meade, 722) In the event that you are a supremacist, you have confidence in prejudice. Racists will regularly guarantee that individuals from their own race or minority are intellectually, genuinely, ethically and additionally socially better than those of different races. (The World Book Encyclopedia; Pettigrew, Thomas F., 62) For these reasons, numerous racists think they merit unique rights or benefits. The Bill of Rights was composed a little under 200 years back, yet controlling prejudice in America is as yet an assignment nobody can appear to over take. In South Carolina, a Confederate even banner waves high over the legislative center for the viewing pleasure of anyone passing by. Is the sort of model we need to set for the young people of America? To individuals in Europe, Asia, and on different mainlands, America is a magnificent spot to live. It has been supposed to be one of the best countries on earth. (Nova; Marshall, Christopher) Yet, our battle to control the entirety of our residents is a progressive war that still can't seem to and most likely will never be Servitude is supposed to be one of the best racial tragedi... <! bigotry in america expositions I will not acknowledge the view that humanity is so sadly bound to the black 12 PM of prejudice and war that the splendid sunrise of harmony and fellowship can never turn into a reality.? At the point when Daniel Wolff expressed these strong words he was asking individuals to quit separating and begin tolerating others regardless of what race or religion. In any case, let us be sensible, individuals won't simply wake up and change their sentiments of others, regardless of how uninformed those emotions are. In any case, does that mean we shouldn't attempt? In no way, shape or form! Somebody once said that 'the longest excursion started with a solitary advance.? Society must start that excursion to fraternity with not a solitary advance but rather four stages. The Rotary Four Way Test will lead humankind to the splendid dawn of harmony and fellowship. A tangled trap of falsehoods underpins prejudice and on the off chance that those untruths are cut, at that point bigotry will dive and fraternity is practically around the bend. The initial phase in the Rotary Four-Way Test rotates around coming clean. Bigotry has developed on the grounds that individuals plant the lies in their youngsters and the untruths develop from age to age. Like a weed the lies of bigotry covers the delightful blossom that is harmony and fraternity. In any case, the Four-Way Test will tear out the lies of prejudice, and the foundations of fellowship and harmony will multiply. The RFWT will lead humankind to harmony and fraternity since utilizing the RFWT assembles altruism and better kinships. It was once said that individuals fear what they don't comprehend. Racists make these injuring remarks to additionally separate themselves from different races, yet the RFWT will oblige them to more readily comprehend different races. Thusly the racists and the individuals they exploited will create a companionship and generosity. This companionship will work as a reference point demonstrating the way to fraternity and harmony. Another part of the RFWT is if the choice will be gainful to all concerned. In the event that individuals actualize this ... <! Prejudice In America papers He had a fantasy. At the point when this basic yet ground-breaking proclamation is made most everybody tunes in and has their own interpretation of precisely what comprises prejudice. Bigotry is dispassionately characterized as any act of ethnic segregation or division. Bias is an unfriendly judgment or sentiment shaped previously or without information or assessment of the realities. Bias is believed to be by one way or another progressively repressible. Be that as it may, as the vast majority have seen, bigotry is rarely disregarded. It is a living piece of the numerous Americans every day lives and will be until individuals get down to business and assume liability for their view. Not exclusively do we as Americans need to handle the open bigotry, we have to perceive that there are additionally such things as fierce prejudice and secretive prejudice. Nobody absolutely gets prejudice and so as to cause this fantasy to become reality we as a whole need to have a little exercise on w hat precisely comprises bigotry and a few different ways that is can be over come. I will likewise give you some close to home encounters that I have experienced and talk about a diary article that a lady by the name of Nina Eliasoph composed. It is my fantasy that this paper will make you increasingly mindful of bigotry that is happening ordinarily in America. Bigotry is declared; it is not, at this point glaring. Individuals are hesitant to communicate straightforwardly their abhorrence or the disdain for minorities. Bigotries nearness all through our way of life is stopped apparent and how supremacist sees are passed along from guardians to kids. Oftentimes from the beginning of time the ethnic gathering with the most force has accepted that its race and culture are better than others and assumes a main job recorded as a hard copy the history while the lower races assume a subordinate job. Prejudices roots lie profound inside the establishment of our general public and there are three fundamental kinds of bigotry that should be tended to. The main sort of bigotry that I might want to talk about is what is called open prejudice. Open bigotry communicates opportunity of racial t... <! Bigotry In America papers No American ought to be a bigot. There are such a large number of individuals in the States, such a significant number of individuals with every unique sort of skin hues and everybody ought to acknowledge one another. Everybody is an individual and there is no individual who is second rate compared to another. Numerous individuals likewise believe that prejudice doesnt exist in America. Ideological groups and social gatherings have attempted to accomplish equity among the races in the United States by saying bigotry is an issue from an earlier time which ought to be overlooked, yet prejudice is a perspective and it is hard to changes people groups perspective. Bigotry is the conviction that individuals from at least one races are second rate compared to individuals from different races. For the most part, this disposition likewise includes the conviction that ones own race is better than different races. Individuals are racists, by definition, guarantee that individuals from their own race are better than those of others. Since racists think they are unrivaled they accept they merit unique rights and benefits which they correspondingly prevent to individuals from securing different races. Bigotry is across the board and has messed major up. Numerous individuals doubt or dread others who look or act in an unexpected way. Bigotry in the United States is by all accounts coordinated basically by the white lion's share against racial or ethnic gatherings; such gatherings incorporate Blacks, American-Indians, Mexican-Indians, and so forth. These minorities have been victimized in such territories as lodging, training and business. Bigotry is an inclination that bothers us. It is something that individuals don't generally comprehend. It can come to entanglements. These emotions are persecuting our reality and keeping us away from having an extraordinary planet. Numerous individuals dont acknowledge how much prejudice harms who you are discussing, yet in addition everybody around you. You are viewed as discourteous, rude, a terrible individual, and downright moronic. In the past the Ku Klux Klan have challenged outsiders in the United States. One of these gatherings was the Ku Klux K... <!

How To Find Free Essay Samples To Read

How To Find Free Essay Samples To ReadAre you looking for some free essay samples to read on the internet? Or do you know someone who has done so and is looking for ways to brush up on their essay writing skills? It's easy. We have some great resources for you to check out.To get started, you can go on-line and find websites where you can find samples and sample essays. There are websites dedicated to just that. There are also other websites where you can look at essay samples and find some strategies that you can use to write your own essay in a more concise manner. Many of these websites will also give you advice on where to look for a good writer.You may also be interested in websites that will give you access to some of the best free material on essay writing. The free resources include eBooks, audio files, templates, lists of words and phrases and reference materials. There are even some websites where you can get some essay help and you can contact a counselor or writer. These sites have been designed to give you all the resources you need.There are many places online where you can find free essay samples. You can go to some of the most popular article websites like EzineArticles.com, to get sample essays. You can also find a large number of sample essays on many of the popular free writing sites like Awkward.com, for example.However, there are also some free materials that you should not use. You should not simply take their samples and start writing a thesis essay. While they may be a good start, you should also follow the tips for writing a paper. Make sure to use the right grammar and spellings, and to write a coherent piece of work.What you should also do is to make a written outline of your project before you start writing your essay. This is essential because it allows you to come up with an idea of what kind of project you are writing about. The reason being is that if you don't know what you are going to write about, you might end up falling into the same traps that many of the amateur writers fall into. Your topic will probably be too general, and you will be putting a lot of information in too short a time frame.Another thing that you should do is to make notes. As you are reviewing the free material you have, make notes of any mistakes you notice and try to make them a point to change them later. Of course, this does not mean that you should throw away the whole thing. This will help you become better.Finally, make sure to get good references. The last thing you want to do is to waste your money on something that turns out to be ineffective. Make sure that you use them as sources when it comes to giving your research credibility.

Tragic Heroes, Joe and Chris Keller, Portrayed in All My Sons

A tragic hero can be defined by several different factors; the hero usually has a major flaw that prevents him from seeing the truth that lies in front of him, which contributes to the character’s peripeteia due to mistaken judgement. This mistake then leads to achieving anagnorisis, usually at the end of the play, but is too late to change anything, and results in death. Both Joe and Chris Keller constitute as being tragic characters of All My Sons because they both make very tragic mistakes and are driven by the disastrous events that begin before the play. Joe Keller can be described as being tragic because his whole life was dedicated to his family and their well being but all his plans were undone by one fatally flawed†¦show more content†¦In contrast to Joe, a key theme of Chris’ mistake was guilt, as he felt a ‘responsibility’ when he returned from the war alive, which led him to want to believe the best in Joe. Arthur Miller chooses to use ‘killed’ when Chris tells Ann about his ‘men’, because it creates the idea that it was meant to be, and was the ultimate example of altruism, which reflects Chris’ feelings of guilt when he returns home. Joe’s peripeteia is linked with the swift arrival of George, who infiltrates the certainty of the ‘holy family’, that Steve was entirely at fault for the cylinder heads. George imminently wants to confront Joe, and this indicates that Joe’s fortune may be shifting, which is shown through Joe’s sudden mood change to ‘hopeless fury’ when he hears of George’s arrival. Joe’s fortune is altered by Kate’s slip-up when talking to George about Joe; ‘He hasn’t been laid up in fifteen years’, this then prompts George to raise questions, leading to Joe’s downfall. George is also a factor in Chris’ peripeteia, which leads to Chris conforming to a realistic out look on life, rather than the idealistic. Joe’s reversal of fortune guides the path for Chris’ realisation that his father was responsible for the death of twenty one pilots, and his brother, Larry, which ultimately leads to the breakdown of the Keller family, and almost destroys Chris’ relationship with Ann. Whilst Chris’ peripeteiaShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagessources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2011, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1998 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any

The Skillful Teacher Acknowledging, Communicating Value,...

Within the six traits of building relationship described in The Skillful Teacher: Acknowledging, Communicating Value, Respect, Demonstrate Fairness, Exhibit Realness, Humor and Fun are all traits that I have practice before with CoaH students. I think the three have used to build my strongest student relationships are Communicating value , respect and exhibit realness. One very strong student relationship that I had during my first two years here at CoaH was with one of my tutorial student Laury Alexandre. When I first met Laury in September of 2013 we did not start off on a great foot. She and the rest of her group had a lot of push back. They really tested me in the beginning to year. Laury went afar as giving me the silent treatment for 3 weeks. I think the one situation that really brought us to an understanding of each other was after progress reports for first quarter when Laury got a B in one of her classes. She was very upset crying hard it was afterschool I went to comfort h er and took her aside listened to her issues and comforted her. The next day she sent me an email thanking me for trying to make her feel better even though she was being very unpleasant towards me in tutorial. She write that it must have been hard to care about some else’s feeling when they treats you so badly and that I must really be very good person. I write back to her that was not difficult at all and that I had nothing to put aside to help her that I enjoyed her very much as a student even

An Infectious Disease Outbreak - 1243 Words

An infectious disease outbreak is happening in New York City. No one knows why or how these diseases are suddenly popping up. An endemic spreading rampantly in America’s biggest city. This type of Science fiction story can only be written by one man. That man is Robin Cook, who’s a renowned author of science fiction books. Cook’s books have sold over 400 million copies worldwide and many of them have been New York Time’s Bestsellers. Not only is Robin Cook an author, he is also a physician. This title gives him a unique perspective in writing science fiction books. Not only is he an established writer but he can also use the knowledge he has attained as a physician to give credibility to the books that he writes. Cook s medical thrillers are designed, in part, to keep the public aware of both the technological possibilities of modern medicine and the ensuing socio-ethical problems which come along with it. The best example of one of his books that fit that description is the book, Contagion. Contagion deals with various infectious diseases and the suspicious outbreak of these diseases in a New York hospital. I choose this specific book because I enjoy when you can blend a sense of realism with a sense of science fiction. Cook’s background enables him to tell an interesting story that isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility of actually happening. A science fiction story is always more interesting if there’s even the slimmest of possibilities of the story coming toShow MoreRelatedThe Presence And Outbreak Of An Infectious Disease1176 Words   |  5 PagesPhilip Jason Callimanis Professor Henshaw POLS 170 12/17/15 The presence and outbreak of an infectious disease can have global consequences. Such consequences include the deaths of many people due to an inability to contain the disease. When an infectious disease spreads to, and affects, different populations, this is known as a pandemic. One pandemic that has had far reaching consequences is that of HIV (human immunodeficiency)/AIDS (acquired immune deficiency symptoms), which officially beganRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Infectious Disease911 Words   |  4 Pagespreventing infectious diseases from spreading throughout the human population. However, despite their attempts new and emerging viruses such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola and sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have continued to develop and cause a drastic impact on society worldwide . As the development of new diseases continues to emerge worldwide there has been an increase in concerns regarding the importance of acquiring new methods to detect and help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. With thisRead MoreIn Making The Case For Securitisation, Scholars Establish1351 Words   |  6 Pagesthe substantial security risks of an outbreak which makes a security-based approach more appropriate, and highlight the substantial amount of resources and awareness that flows from, and is justified by, the securitisation process. On the first contention, It is argued that national borders are weakened by globalisation, allowing infectious diseases to spread at an alarming rate around the world, as demonstrated by the 2003 SARS pandemic. This allows diseases to have the capacity to detrimentallyRead MoreIntroduction To The Accomplishment Of GHSA890 Words   |  4 Pagesinternational organizations and non-governmental sectors are vital to the prevent, detect and respond framework. The support of GHSA has contributed to JEE tool under the IHR, helping to identify the most urgent needs of countries in high risk of infectious disease outbreaks and strengthening their potential for health security surveillance. The GHSA initiation should continue past the five-year roadmap to invest in the needed capacity of infrastructures, personnel and equipment’s and also focused in the ONERead MoreThe Epidemic Of Ebola And Hiv / Aids Essay1363 Words   |  6 Pagesthroughout history, humans have had to contend with the spread of infectious diseases. One of the greatest concerns in today’s society is the constant fear of a potential outbreak of an infectious disease. A disease for which society does not have a cure or vaccine available, thereby obliterating the human race if it were to spread. Notable cases include the emergence of HIV/AIDS in the 1970s and 1980s, and the more recent 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa. Examining the distinctions betweenRead MoreInfectious Diseases And The Epidemic Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesInfectious diseases according to the Mariam Webster Dictionary, is â€Å"a disease caused by the entrance into the body of organisms (as bacteria, protozoa ns, fungi, or viruses) which grow and multiply there†. Infectious diseases has been one of the biggest issues facing mankind since the beginning of time. Particularly due to the fact that we will never truly get rid of infectious diseases as a new one seems to appear every few years. From diseases such as the great plague, the H1N1 influenza and moreRead MoreEssay about assignment 11195 Words   |  5 Pagesparameters (i.e., person, time, place, ethnicity, and gender) used in the compilation of data into the information summative. An outbreak of E-coli has occurred in Good Health Hospital, this has become a major problem since the outbreak occurred in Ward 10 on the second floor. It appears that there are six (6) cases of the disease associated with the E-Coli outbreak. The administrator of Good Health Hospital need to be in constant communication with the CDC to help determine what protocol(s) weRead MoreTask 21251 Words   |  6 Pagesthose that became infected. Measles has been around for centuries. The first published, written account of the disease was in the ninth century by a Persian doctor. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website on measles, it was not until 1757 that a Scottish physician, named Francis Home, proved that something infectious in the blood was causing the disease. By the early 1900’s, the United States began requiring every healthcare provider and laboratory to report allRead MoreDiseases Are Bodily Disorders Caused By Organisms Like Bac teria, Viruses And Protozoans ( Pruthi ) Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Diseases are bodily disorders caused by organisms like bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoans (Pruthi, 2016). The human body is full of organisms like such and countless others. For the majority of cases, they are not harmful, but can actually be beneficial when housed on or in a person. However, some such organisms have the possibility of causing disease. The passing of infectious disease can come from a number of channels. Some pass from person to person, others are transmitted throughRead MoreImmunization Program And Its Effect On Children1107 Words   |  5 Pagesvaccines for numerous infectious diseases and implementation of immunization program in early childhood have reduced number of infectious disease such as rubella, polio, and small pox. Public health effort in providing vaccination to public has contributed greatly in diminishing the number of infectious disease. Hence, vaccination program of measles has been effective and less than 150 cases were reported annually (T hompson, 2015). However, recent measles (Rubeola) outbreak in California and New

Pliocene Epoch free essay sample

During this time the world became much more like it is today, with ice caps, modern mammals, relatively modern geography, and the evolution of prehistoric man (ape man) ( see figure 1). â€Å"The Pliocene was a time of global cooling after the warmer Miocene. The cooling and drying of the global environment may have contributed to the enormous spread of grasslands and savannas during this time. The change in vegetation undoubtedly was a major factor in the rise of long-legged grazers who came to live in these areas. Additionally, the Panamanian land-bridge between North and South America appeared during the Pliocene, allowing migrations of plants and animals into new habitats. Of even greater impact was the accumulation of ice at the poles, which would lead to the extinction of most species living there, as well as the advance of glaciers and ice ages of the Late Pliocene and the following Pleistocene. † (Palmer 1999) The world was approaching that of today, and continents had taken up their present-day positions. We will write a custom essay sample on Pliocene Epoch or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During this time, India collided with Asia and gave rise to the Himalayan Mountains, the Himalayan uplift triggering a great global cooling (or accelerating the already unfolding cooling process) The Pliocene saw the continuation of the climatic cooling that had began in the Miocene, with subtropical regions retreating equatorially, the beginning of the large ice caps, especially in Antarctica, and the northern hemisphere lands and ocean cooling likewise. Antarctica was not yet completely frozen. In the northern hemisphere there is a gradual southward migration of marine invertebrates. Reflecting the cooling trend, Arctic species appear in Britain, and later, in the Mediterranean. So much so that the horizon of a normal marine bed can be determined by the percentage of species that (a) are extinct, (b) survive in more northern latitudes, and (c) are today found in more southern latitudes. ( Todd 2002) The Pliocene saw an almost complete turnover of molluscan species in numerous locations. (See figure 2) This is not to say that extinction rates approached 100% on the species level. In many cases, species ranges simply flowed back and forth with shifting climate. This is particularly noticeable in regions with long north-south coastlines, as in North America. Some of the Zanclean Pacific coast species simply relocated to the Gulf of California in the Gelasian, since the Gulf remained semitropical throughout the Pliocene. Pliocene vegetation was very like todays. Grasslands replaced forests, so grazing mammals spread at the expense of browsers. Cattle, sheep, antelopes, gazelles, and other bovids reached their peak. North American mammals included horses, camels, deer, pronghoms, peccaries, mastodons, beavers, weasels, dogs, and saber-toothed cats. Rhinoceroses and protoceratids died out in North America. The one-toed horse appears for the first time. The Pliocene period is regarded by many zoologists as the climax of the Age of Mammals. This epoch is characterized by the appearance of all of the presently existing orders and families, and many of the existing genera of mammals. The Pliocene was a time of great migration, owing to the appearance of new land bridges. The North American three-toed Hipparion horse crossed the Bering Straits land bridge and entered Asia and Europe, while mastodons entered the Americas from Asia. During the late Pliocene, about 3 million years ago, the isthmus of Panama ended South Americas isolation. The armadillo, ground sloth, opossums, and phorusrhacid birds were among the animals that migrated north from South America. And dogs, cats, bears, horses, mastodons, and others animals invaded South America from the north. This was catastrophic for some of the local animals, especially the big marsupial carnivores. Even today more than half the genera of South American mammals are descended from northern species. Australia, still isolated, saw rodents rafting in on mats of vegetation drifting south from Indonesia. (Serrano 1999) Primate evolution during the Pliocene is characterized by two major developments. Monkeys, which were relatively few and geographically restricted in the Miocene, spread throughout the Old World. The other event is the evolution of bipedal apes, or the first hominines (early humans). As many as eight different species of bipedal apes evolved during the Pliocene, all from a common ancestor that lived in Africa at least 4. 5 million years ago. The emerging avanna grasslands and retreating forests caused some apes to come down from the trees and take up life in the open, where they co-existed with early elephants, antelopes, and other types of animals. An erect posture was necessary for these vulnerable creatures to watch for predators, which also freed the hands for the use of makeshift tools (sticks etc). Two anthropologists, Donald Johansson and Tim White discovered a nd named Australopithecus afarensis better known as â€Å"Lucy† in 1974. The location she was found in was Hadar, Ethiopia in the Afar region, in mid-November. She was named Australopithecus afarensis after the Afar region that she was found in. For millions of years Lucy’s bones were buried where she had died, and erosion brought them back to the surface where there were discovered. Around midday, Johansson discovered several fossilized bones. After several hours of excavating and uncovering these bones, Johansson’s team had discovered about 40% of a small, bipedal, female skeleton. The specimen was 3. 5 million years old and is the oldest, most complete, and best-preserved skeleton ever found of Australopithecus. Later on in the night to celebrate, the team played some tunes, and after listening to the popular Beatles Song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, named the specimen Lucy. From Lucy’s skeleton we can infer many physical traits she possessed. Lucy’s thighbone suggests that she was three feet, seven inches in height. She had long arms and short legs as well as an ape like chest. Lucy also had a V shaped jaw. Her pelvis and lower limbs show all the adaptation necessary for an upright stance. The state of her bone growth and the presence of her wisdom teeth suggest that she died in her mid-twenties. See figure 3) Supernovas near Earth are rare today, but during the Pliocene era of Australopithecus supernovas happened more often. Their source was an interstellar cloud called Sco-Cen that was slowly gliding by the solar system. ( See figure 4) Within it, dense knots coalesced to form short-lived massive stars, which exploded like popcorn. Researchers estimate (with considerable uncertainty) that a supernova less than 25 light years away would extinguish much of the life on Earth. The blast neednt incinerate our planet. All it would take is enough cosmic rays to damage the ozone layer and let through lethal doses of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Our ancestors survived the Pliocene blasts only because the supernovas werent quite so close. We know because we can still see the cloud today. It is 450 light years from Earth and receding in the direction of the constellations Scorpius and Centaurus (hence the clouds name, Sco-Cen). Astronomer Jesus Maiz-Apellaniz of Johns Hopkins University recently backtracked Sco-Cens motion and measured its closest approach: 130 light years away about 5 million years ago.