ISSUE TOPIC

Atlantis
Submerged or fictional?

The story of Atlantis, a country full of virtues and almost unreal in a world of constant upheavals and tensions, tickles the imagination of people for more than twenty-three centuries. Did this country ever exist? Where was located? How it disappeared?
It started with Plato and his philosophical dialogues "Timaeus" and "Critias". The dialogues talk aboutthe wisely and justly established country of Atlantis, which is somewhere, across Gibraltar, in the vicinity, south or north, in the Caucasus or in the middle of the Sahara, close to the eyes and the realization of the human need for good.
The number of assumptions and legends has increased over the centuries, the story has spread from one end of the world to the other. But none of the contemporaries or the latter convinced the world that Atlantis is a reality! No one testified! And then Atlantis "disappeared" in the onset of a natural disaster - and remained the ideal of human community for thousands of years that followed.
Modern thinkers have also dealt with Atlantis. Numerous books have been written, by the many wise heads of this world. Studies have been done on the possibilities of the existence of Atlantis, and the braver ones have even tried to find it, to descend to the bottom of the ocean and look for the remains of this famous land there. Many things were brought to the surface - but nothing was convincing enough for the world to believe that the "missing country" once existed somewhere!

MEDICINE

Laryngoscopies and laryngomicroscopy
Both examination and surgical therapy

Thanks to microscopic laryngeal surgery, a minimally invasive endoscopic ENT procedure performed on an outpatient basis, in short-term endotracheal general anesthesia, pathological changes in the larynx and vocal cords can be reliably diagnosed, and in most cases surgically removed - without incision, pain or bleeding. Bel Medic consultant, ne of our greatest experts in micro laryngoscopy and contact micro endoscopy prof. Dr. Milan Jovanovic, a lecturer at the Department of ENT at the Medical Faculty of the University of Belgrade, talks about this method.
This sensitive device is very often exposed to numerous and chronic stimuli that can damage it, starting from the effects of tobacco smoke and alcohol, or stomach acid, to the abuse of the voice. If the tissues in the larynx are exposed to harmful habits, neglected reflux disease or other risk factors for a long time, they are subject to pathological changes, especially on the vocal cords, where they are usually manifested by hoarseness. This often-overlooked symptom can be a consequence of the appearance of papilloma, polyps and other benign growths on the vocal cords, as well as edema or thickening of the vocal cords, but often precancerous changes develop that can develop into laryngeal cancers.
 

COSMONAUTICS

Six decades of "vastok 1"

Throughout its history, humanity has continuously conquered new spaces on Earth, so that the intensive development of science and technology from the beginning of the 20th century led to the conquest of Earth's airspace. Aviation and missile technology developed rapidly, then primarily for war purposes. Increasing speeds and heights were achieved and the limit of thermal endurance of the structure and the possibility of maintaining aerodynamic buoyancy in a rare atmosphere was reached.
During the fifties of the last century, sudden progress was made with the so-called rocket achievement. the first cosmic speed of 8 km/sec. Thus, a penetration into outer space was achieved, and "Sputnik 1" became the first artificial satellite of the Earth. Larger and heavier satellites with dogs were launched, which were initially destroyed and later successfully returned to Earth. The technique was perfected with each experimental flight of the "satellite ship" ("vastok" with dogs and a cosmonaut doll), it became safer and it was only a matter of time before the first man's flight into space followed. Finally, on April 12, 1961, the news was published that "vastok 1" with cosmonaut Yuri Alexeyevich Gagarin had been launched into orbit around the Earth. An hour later, it was announced that he had successfully landed on Earth.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

"Viral" ideas

The world of science also has its epidemics, which, unlike epidemics of infectious diseases, take place in the shadow of social events. Scientific epidemics are caused by the uncontrolled acceptance of "viral" ideas.
The field of artificial intelligence has been infected for several decades with the idea that human intelligence is essentially based on statistical abilities. In a 1996 scientific publication, Steven Abney pointed to the dramatic rise in popularity of statistical methods in computational linguistics: virtually unknown methods became, over a period of ten years, fundamental tools of computational linguistics.
Abney points out, not without some satisfaction, that anyone who does not know how to convincingly use the terminology characteristic of statistical methods runs the risk of being confused with kitchen support staff at the Computing Linguistics Association banquet.

TESLA

Worldwide wireless transmission system

By 1900, Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was already considered the most prominent American electrical engineer, who overshadowed the world with his revolutionary inventions and triumph over Thomas Edison in the "war of electricity". That is when he started his most ambitious project - the construction of a tower and a laboratory on the Warden cliff estate, on Long Island, about 110 kilometers away from New York. Built between 1901 and 1902, the facility is based on another of Tesla's revolutionary ideas: Tesla planned to use the tower as he had created what the scientific community had previously considered impossible - a global wireless communications system. He envisioned the tower as a prototype system that could broadcast music, news, stock market reports, provide military communications, and even send images around the world, using the Earth itself as a conduit. It was an incredible visionary attempt to create a telecommunications infrastructure, like what the Internet or mobile telephony offers us today.
 

GEOHERITAGE

The vaults of our planet

Geological materials have been used since the first humans made tools and weapons out of stone. Today, modern society could not survive without geological resources. It is enough to give an example of their use in the construction of smartphones. This is just one example of how society benefits from the geological diversity of the planet, and how it has learned to appreciate the material world. The benefits of mineral resources, topographical diversity, the beauty of the landscape, physical processes, and the way in which geological finds reveal the history of the planet and the evolution of life on it show that we are closely connected with nature - the living and non-living world.
Knowledge about the processes of global warming and rising sea levels due to melting glaciers, uncontrolled development of harmful industries, sudden climate changes caused by the emission of harmful gases have led to more and more questions about the survival of the planet Earth and its inhabitants. Field experiences show that some geological sites have lost quality due to lack of geoconservation

ANTHROPOLOGY

Great mound in Pilatovici

During the period of the Old Iron Age (VI and V century BC), an interesting cultural phenomenon occurred, which is reflected in the burial of the elite with a magnificent treasure under monumental earthen or stone mounds. This phenomenon spread throughout Europe, and it is about princely graves. One such, exceptional prince's tomb was discovered in Pilatovici, near Pozega in 1977-78.
The name "prince's tomb" was first used in 1957 due to the monumentality of the mound and the rich content of the finds. Rich finds from the monumental princely tombs in the Balkans, in Atenica and Novi Pazar, in Pilatovici, Ararevagromila, Trebeniste and the like, provide evidence of that culture and strengthening of the warrior class and enrichment of the tribal aristocracy, funeral practice, change of material culture. The manner of burial depended on the social position buried person had during his life, reputation, wealth, and authority. The appearance of princely tombs in the central Balkans is significant in that it provides numerous and scientifically very relevant archaeological data for appropriate complex and systematic studies of the Early Iron Age in this area.

FLYING BALLOONS

Up, towards the silences

In the French town of Anone, the brothers Joseph and Etienne Mongolfier made the first balloon in Europe in 1783. That same year, a hydrogen-filled balloon appeared. It was constructed by the physicist Jacques Alexander Charles. He was released high above the Field of Mars, in Paris. In two hours, he flew 40 km. In the same year, the balloon of the Mongolfier brothers took the first passengers to the heights: Professor Pilar de Rozier and the Marquis D’Arland. In 25 minutes, they flew 8 km and rose to a height of about 1000 m. The balloon hovered over the French capital for about 25 minutes, and the passengers in the basket lit a fire and thus kept the balloon in the air. At the beginning of 1800, Andre Jacques Garneren flew in a balloon during the night and flew 395 km.
Ballooning gained more momentum at the end of the 19th century, when its use began in the armies of Russia, Italy and Japan. Today, in addition to being used for scientific research, sport flying and for tourist purposes, balloon flights fulfill a long-standing human desire to fly lightly in silence. The first hot air balloon of the modern age took a large number of people into the sky on October 10, 1960, in Bruning, Nebraska (USA). That day is considered the official date of birth of commercial hot air ballooning.