SYMMARY

Symmary

Topic of issue
Mummies

Mummies found under the Egyptian pyramids and temples along the Nile date back some 5000 years. These are mummifed remains of deceased rulers, distinguished individuals and sacred animals. Outside of Egypt , bodies have been found that have been preserved thanks to different rituals, including in China , South America – in the areas populated by the Incas, in Korea . Along the artifcial mummifcation procedures, there were also in different parts of the world procedures of natural preservation of human bodies: in Greenland in the areas populated by Inuits, in the vicinity of the Andes Mountain tops, in Siberia, Tyrolean Alps, New Hebrides .

In more recent times, a number of distinguished individuals have also been mummifed and, with certain efforts, are being preserved in this state, including: Lenin, Eva Peron, Monk Visarion, etc.

Events
May - the month of mathematics

During the month of May, mathematics was the focus of many events organized across Serbia . Mathematics was the topic talked about in schools and in public squares, in the streets and in theatres, in lecture halls, and along river banks where a number of performances were organized - all of this in order to bring mathematics closer to those who know very little about it. A great number of exhibitions and workshops was organized, lectures and competitions. Many distinguished mathematicians from Europe came to Serbia on this occasion. The event was organized under the auspices of the Centre for Promotion of Science, the Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the German Mathematical Society.

Theories
It there an end of time?

Not so long ago, the US astrophysicist Ben Freywadgel stated that it is possible that the human race could „arrive at the end of time“! The nature of time, our perceptions of time, and the question as to whether „time even exists“ are topics relevant both to physicists and philosophers. Freywad-gel believes that time could end in our universe. If time disappears, we too will disappear. He envisages that it will be around fve billion years before everything about men comes to an end. What is the „fnal piece“ of space time and how to count universes within that piece?

Exhibitions
125 years of the Astronomic Observatory

On 7 April this year the Astronomic Observatory in Belgrade marked exactly 125 years of its existence and work. It is among the most reputable institutions of its kind in South-East Europe , founded in 1887. This year an exhibition will be staged, under the symbolic name „The House on Starry Tracks“, including a great number of old astrological instruments and tools, old manuscripts and books, among them the first issue of the „Canons of Sun Light“ by Milutin Milanković in the German language, published in 1941. The visitors could see the original instruments used for calculations which were the basis of Milanković's astronomical theory of climate change and learn about the future plans of the Observatory.

Astronautics
Old and new lenders

This year will mark 40 years since the launching of the last landing of the cosmic ship „Apollo“ on the Moon. Before that, the soviet probe „Luna 9“ on 3 February 1966 frst landed on the Moon, without a human crew. In the period 1966-68 NASA performed several soft landings on the Moon by „Lunar Surveyor“. In parallel with NASA, the Soviets worked on the program of soft human landing on the Moon on spaceship „Lunij Korablj“ which was later abandoned. The frst probe which made a soft landing on the Mars was the Soviet „Mars 3“ in 1972. American probes „Viking 1 and 2“ did the same in 1976, which was repeated by the „Petfnder“ in 1997. The “ Phoenix ” landed in the vicinity of the northern polar area of Mars in 2008. Possibilities of soft landing are presently tested in Japan , Israel , China , India , ESA, etc. Plans have so far been abandoned for sending lenders to Mercury within the program “Beppi Colombo“.

Energy
Solar power generation plants

There is an increasing number of plants in the developed Western countries transforming solar energy into electricity. One of the frst such plants was built in the USA in 1982, and presently there are hundreds of such plants around the world. Spain has the greatest number of such plants - 24. Construction is currently under way building 55 new solar energy plants around the world which will be fnalised in two years. Once they are fnalised, their total share in the global power generation will be around 1.5 %. There are two main types of solar plants: one working on the principle of concentrated solar radiation and the other using the photo-electric principle of operation. There are plans to build two plants in Serbia in the near future.

Medicine
Holistic testing and treatment

Dr Ivana Petrović, deputy director of the General Hospital Bel Medic in Belgrade , is speaking about the role of general practitioners in this health care institution, and about the concept of holistic treatment of patients and potential for treatment of parallel di-seases.

Dr Petrović is making special emphasis of the signifcance of early diagnostics, benefts of regular systematic check ups, organic changes as signals of onset of disease, and possibilities of treatment in the early stages of the most serious diseases, as well as diseases without symptoms.

Entomology
The mastery of survival

Larvae of insects and butterfies most often lead a covert life and are therefore not easy to spot. In that stage of development they are especially sensitive of predators as they do not have a protective shield, no wings, and their mobility is limited. To be able to survive in this unprotected stage, they have developed different strategies to avoid attack: blending into the surroundings by the colours, mimicking the surrounding leaves and plants, feeding on poisonous plants, growing thorny parts, excreting toxins not harmful to themselves, presenting false body parts, etc.

Lexicography
The Serbian Biographical Dictionary

Within the publishing house “Matica srpska” in Novi Sad , numerous associates are working on research and preparing the biographical entries for the Serbian Biographical Dictionary. The work on this publication started in 1994 and it is planned that the tenth, last volume be published by 2020. The frst volume was published in 2004 and fve volumes have been published so far. Data has been collected for more than 30,000 persons. Thus, the Serbian Biographical Dictionary is the most comprehensive national book of lexicography, including biographies of such persons who have marked the life and history of Serbia and who in different ways are related to this region.