Scientists Going Mad

SCIENTISTS GOING MAD (!) OVER MYANMAR AMBER

TEXT: MARY BANFIELD

Can palaeontologists get luckier? A dinosaur’s head stuck in amber, an exti nct 3-D goblinspider; creatures that dominated Myanmar’s marshes 100 million years ago and are sti ll preserved today in clear amber. That’s twice the age of amber from the Balti cs, and fi ve ti mes Mexico’s Amber.

“Myanmar amber is driving Scienti sts mad!”, said Roger Long, Curator, Myanmar Amber Museum. “Nowhere in the world is amber found that’s so unique. No palaeontology believed that a head of a dinosaur, ok a small dinosaur, could be captured in resin. Yet here in Myanmar that’s exactly what’s happened.”

99 million years ago, Myanmar was nothing more than a series of warm wet islands, an environmental embryo of developing animal life.

The whole world back then was a hothouse where thick luscious vegetation covered the land. In the pristine jungle environment conifers thrived, huge trees with trunks 6 meters wide, around the size of a large bedroom, and stretched into the sky up to 100 meters, around 130 human steps.

The world was very different back then, with 50% more oxygen in the air than we breathe now.

It wasn’t always peaceful as cyclones ravaged the low-lying islands, with 200 kilometer winds exploding through the trees.

It was times like this that huge branches that stretched from the conifer trunk would thud onto the ground.

In the stillness of time resin oozed from the tree to the damaged branch. Resin is tree blood that seals the exposed wood, providing protection from aggressive insects, ants or even bacteria. As resin dries over millions of years it becomes amber, and sometimes preserving unusual creatures.

“My favourite amber is a leech that I named ‘Donald’,” said Long.

A leech in a tree?

Donald may have sucked the blood of a Microraptor, a winged dinosaur.

The ancient dinosaur could have landed on a conifer branch, pulling Donald off with its beak and sticking him into the sap, never to suck blood again.

Or maybe a branch fell to the earth leaking sap into the mud.

For Donald to survive 99 million years, conditions over time must be just right. Amber is not like diamonds or sapphires, it’s soft and can be crushed or easily disintegrate if exposed to harsh weather.

Amber needs a deep muddy marsh to be preserved. Above the mud no heavy earth must accumulate or the amber is squashed.

Trees die, fall to the ground and in time and give life to new conifers. Over millions of years some forests become coal, hiding deep underneath is a treasure chest of golden amber and it’s captured animals.

Myanmar millions of years ago was a series of islands in the Tethys ocean.

350 million-years ago, there was only one continent on earth, Pangaea. About 175 million years ago it started to break apart with continental drift.

40 million-years-ago India drifted striking the islands and oceans, twisting, squeezing up the land. Today that mountain range stretches from

the Himalayas through Myanmar.

History Of The Amber Museum’s

In 2016, with buckets full of resin, Long committed to sharing his passion for amber, it’s history and beauty. The Myanmar Amber Museum provided sanctuary for children, families, anyone to get lost in an old exciting world.

Over the years he’s sourced his collections from the BOGYOKE Markets with the most remarkable pieces sourced from the Hukawng Valley.

Miners find amber 100 meters deep into the ground, and sometimes on the surface.

“Every piece of amber you touch has the potential for a new discovery,” said Long.

Out of the ground amber looks rough and cloudy. As you rub the surface an aroma is released of 99-million-year-old pine resin.

As the surface thins there is tension, anticipation; an incompatible high to see secrets exposed. “I’m simply addicted to amber.”

Oh, all the scientific thrills this is the best. “Jurassic Park” the movie cloned DNA found in amber.

It seems that this is not science fiction, “From Myanmar amber amino acid, the essential building blocks of proteins found in bones, has been extracted from the wing of a bird,” so exciting!

The Myanmar Amber Museum is currently closed but will be reopening in a new location, even bigger and better. Look for the announcement in the near future.

Sources: ● www.nature.com ● www.sciencealert.com ● www.nytimes.com ● www.csmonitor.com

A DENTIST’S DREAM: MYANMAR, ASIA’S NEXT DENTAL TOURISM HUB?

Dr. Sai Aom Kham is a dentist with a dream. He envisions Myanmar as the next dental tourism destination in Asia. Nay Thiha talks with him about the potential of the local dental industry.

Let us know what you do as a dentist first.

I’m the founder and CEO of the Aung Mingalar Dental Clinic Group. In my early days, I practised general dentistry and performed mostly basic dental work. But later, I have focused more on aesthetic dentistry, utilising mainly invisalign treatments and dental veneers. My interest in aesthetic dentistry is motivated by seeing how a healthy and beautiful smile can change a patient’s life positively. Therefore, my patients commonly know me as a smile designer because I basically create new smiles for them.

How does your clinic stand out?

Our clinics offer all basic dental procedures as well as orthodontic treatment, implants and other aesthetic treatments. My clinic is popular among patients especially for implants and veneers. We also do the invisalign treatment which is realigning the teeth without using braces. If the patients want to see the treatment’s outcome before the procedure begins, we can show it through digital simulation.

We use panoramic X-ray in all our clinics to ensure the right diagnosis for every patient. The consultation fee is around of USD10 to 15 only. But if you receive any of our treatments, it will be free of charge. We run our clinics with 17 dentists and specialists. We have a treatment room for children, a comfortable and quiet waiting room and a spacious parking lot at The Grand Aung Mingalar Clinic.

If you are afraid of getting hypersensitive or anxious during the cleansing treatment, our clinics have EMS airflow which is painless and reliable for patients with dental fears. Moreover, our clinics have 3D intraoral scanners that can give a more precise model for your teeth.

In sterilization, we use Class B autoclave which can kill all the bacteria and spores. Our staff carefully clean the instruments and immerse them in the antiseptic chemicals before putting them into autoclaves. Safety is our first priority.

Cosmetic dentistry has grown popular. What should oneknow before receiving an aesthetic treatment?

I’ve seen some people receive whitening treatments frequently in a year. It will only result in hypersensitivity and gingivitis. Another thing is fake veneers using acrylic. If it is not done by professional dentists, it can cause food traps and gingivitis and finally tooth decay.

Ortho treatment, it’s quite popular these days. You will need much effort in dental hygiene to do it. The food tends to get trapped between the teeth and the braces, so you’ll be more prone to gingivitis and tooth decay. Moreover, women shouldn’t receive ortho treatment during pregnancy. Hormone changes can stimulate gingivitis. Braces are for under-40s. Middleaged people have poorer gums and dental bones. We have to use force to move the teeth. If the bone is weak, the tooth will fall out. The ideal age for ortho treatment is between 8 and 12 years. The jaw bone is easy to modify in the growing period.

The important note here is not to use one-size-fits-all braces you find online. Orthodontic treatments need precise measurements of teeth since people have different jaw sizes.

What are the bad things people do to their teeth without realising?

Many people brush their teeth with whitening toothpaste which has more abrasive ingredients than normal

toothpaste. Brushing the teeth with whitening toothpaste using excessive force can erode the enamel on the teeth. This practice can lead to hypersensitivity. Use the toothpaste and brushing methods your dentist recommends.

What else do you want to say about dentistry? Any advice for students and young professionals?

I would not be where I am today without a constant study. Dentistry is improved by doctors sharing dental health knowledge with the public. It’s our duty as professionals to provide the patients with better and more cost-efficient solutions using safe methods and advanced technology.

Let’s talk about dental tourism. You are really excited about it, right?

Myanmar’s potential to become Asia’s next dental tourism hub is really exciting. Currently, Thailand and Vietnam have similar markets. So, I thought why not Myanmar.

In most countries, dental procedures are very expensive. Say, an implant costs generally around US$3,000 in Singapore. We can do it here at just $1,000 and the quality is the same. So, do the math. Instead of spending $3,000 alone on an implant, spend it on visiting Myanmar while also receiving the treatment.

We have been cooperating with Ibis Hotel in Yangon and hotels in Bagan. We’re also looking for partnering with tour agencies. This can also earn tourist revenue for our country and develop the tourism industry.