The dying stars that look like jellyfish
The dying stars that look like jellyfish.
The dying stars that look like jellyfish.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
The dying stars that look like jellyfish
Scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter for the first time
For the first time scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter. Key quote:
The team know the trap worked because they made about 10 million antihydrogen atoms which promptly obliterated themselves. Then they turned off their new trap and saw 38 more obliterations — meaning those 38 antihydrogens stuck in the trap.
For the first time scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter. Key quote:
The team know the trap worked because they made about 10 million antihydrogen atoms which promptly obliterated themselves. Then they turned off their new trap and saw 38 more obliterations — meaning those 38 antihydrogens stuck in the trap.
Hailstorm in Oklahoma, May 16, 2010
Sea Life Flourishes in the Gulf
Despite the howls of panic over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill this past summer, sea life is flourishing in the gulf. Key quote:
A comprehensive new study says that in some of the most heavily fished areas of the Gulf of Mexico, various forms of sea life, from shrimp to sharks, have seen their populations triple since before the spill. Some species, including shrimp and croaker, did even better. [emphasis mine]
Despite the howls of panic over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill this past summer, sea life is flourishing in the gulf. Key quote:
A comprehensive new study says that in some of the most heavily fished areas of the Gulf of Mexico, various forms of sea life, from shrimp to sharks, have seen their populations triple since before the spill. Some species, including shrimp and croaker, did even better. [emphasis mine]
European Budget Snafu Could Delay Progress on Fusion Reactor
Government marches on! Budget disagreements in the EU could delay construction of an experimental fusion reactor.
Government marches on! Budget disagreements in the EU could delay construction of an experimental fusion reactor.
Senate hearing on NASA’s future postponed
The space war delayed: The Senate has postponed its hearing on NASA’s future until December 1.
The space war delayed: The Senate has postponed its hearing on NASA’s future until December 1.
Man shoots TV over Bristol Palin appearance
Feel the hate: A man shot his television in outrage over Bristol Palin’s success on Dancing with the Stars, then held off the police for fifteen hours.
Feel the hate: A man shot his television in outrage over Bristol Palin’s success on Dancing with the Stars, then held off the police for fifteen hours.
Don’t be terrorized
Analyzing the actual and very minimal risks of terrors. And as I like to say: Live in fear, die in tyranny.
Analyzing the actual and very minimal risks of terrors. And as I like to say: Live in fear, die in tyranny.
Climategate’s one year anniversary
What a difference a year makes! Tomorrow will the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails.
What a difference a year makes! Tomorrow will the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails.
Lawsuits filed against TSA
the problems of human waste management in space
Sometimes going is hard: The engineering challenge of human waste management in space.
Sometimes going is hard: The engineering challenge of human waste management in space.
Kazakhstan security summit forces astronauts to return early from ISS
More security madness: A security summit in Kazakhstan is demanding the Russians bring home three astronauts from ISS a week early so as to keep the air space clear during the conference.
More security madness: A security summit in Kazakhstan is demanding the Russians bring home three astronauts from ISS a week early so as to keep the air space clear during the conference.
Penn at airport threatens to press charges against TSA for assault
A blow for freedom! Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) called the cops and threatened to press charges against a TSA security agent for assault during his airport screening. Fun quote:
I tell the cop the story, in a very funny way. The cop, the voice of sanity says, “What’s wrong with you people? You can’t just grab a guy’s crank without his permission.” I tell him that my genitals weren’t grabbed and the cop says, “I don’t care, you can’t do that to people. That’s assault and battery in my book.”
The story gets even crazier afterward, when a pr gal from the TSA calls Penn and tries to placate him. This quote is especially telling:
“If you give me your itinerary every time you fly, I’ll be at the airport with you and we can make sure it’s very pleasant for you.”
Update: I just realized that this event occurred in 2002, so it isn’t part of the recent TSA craziness, only past TSA craziness that is as unacceptable as the new TSA craziness.
A blow for freedom! Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) called the cops and threatened to press charges against a TSA security agent for assault during his airport screening. Fun quote:
I tell the cop the story, in a very funny way. The cop, the voice of sanity says, “What’s wrong with you people? You can’t just grab a guy’s crank without his permission.” I tell him that my genitals weren’t grabbed and the cop says, “I don’t care, you can’t do that to people. That’s assault and battery in my book.”
The story gets even crazier afterward, when a pr gal from the TSA calls Penn and tries to placate him. This quote is especially telling:
“If you give me your itinerary every time you fly, I’ll be at the airport with you and we can make sure it’s very pleasant for you.”
Update: I just realized that this event occurred in 2002, so it isn’t part of the recent TSA craziness, only past TSA craziness that is as unacceptable as the new TSA craziness.
Stars merging
Astronomers have identified a dozen new binary star systems, where the two stars are tiny white dwarfs. Of even more interest is that a half dozen are spiraling into each other and will eventually merge, the ensuing collision likely producing a supernova explorsion.
Astronomers have identified a dozen new binary star systems, where the two stars are tiny white dwarfs. Of even more interest is that a half dozen are spiraling into each other and will eventually merge, the ensuing collision likely producing a supernova explorsion.
Is the TSA backing down?
Is the TSA backing down?
Is the TSA backing down?
Why a hypersonic test vehicle disappeared last April
DARPA has completed its investigation on why a hypersonic test vehicle (HTV), launched on April 22, disappeared about 9 minutes into its flight. Key quote: “The HTV wobbled too much. Rather than risking an out-of-control flight, the bot self-destructed.”
DARPA has completed its investigation on why a hypersonic test vehicle (HTV), launched on April 22, disappeared about 9 minutes into its flight. Key quote: “The HTV wobbled too much. Rather than risking an out-of-control flight, the bot self-destructed.”
A ten foot wide asteroid will zip by the Earth tonight
At 10:44 pm (Eastern) tonight a ten foot wide asteroid will zip by the Earth at a distance of only 24,000 miles.
At 10:44 pm (Eastern) tonight a ten foot wide asteroid will zip by the Earth at a distance of only 24,000 miles.
Paul Zerdin ventriloquist
TSA Now Putting Hands Down Fliers’ Pants
I thought I was joking in my post earlier today, but the TSA actually is requiring agents to put their hands down fliers’s pants!
I thought I was joking in my post earlier today, but the TSA actually is requiring agents to put their hands down fliers’s pants!
Allan Sandage, 1926-2010
TSA to investigate man who refused body scan
Freedom of speech alert! The TSA, not content to stick its hands in our pants, is going to investigate the man who refused a body scan and recorded the whole event.
Freedom of speech alert! The TSA, not content to stick its hands in our pants, is going to investigate the man who refused a body scan and recorded the whole event.
Go to sleep for science and space exploration
Go to sleep for science and space exploration.
Go to sleep for science and space exploration.
Hayabusa captured asteroid dust
The first asteroid sample return! Japanese scientists announced today that their probe Hayabusa did capture asteroid dust in its visit to the asteroid Itokawa.
The first asteroid sample return! Japanese scientists announced today that their probe Hayabusa did capture asteroid dust in its visit to the asteroid Itokawa.
Chinese female astronaut identified
Chinese female astronaut identified.
Chinese female astronaut identified.
Shades of foam and failed o-rings?
A fourth crack has been found on Discovery’s external tank. How this will affect Discovery’s November 30 launch remains unknown. There will a briefing on Monday to discuss the status of the schedule. This quote however gives me the willies:
External tank crack repairs are not unusual. Some 29 stringer cracks were found in 18 previous tanks, according to an official familiar with their history. Four have now been found in Discovery’s tank, ET-137, and three were found in a tank scheduled for use by the shuttle Atlantis next summer, ET-138. Doublers were used in 23 repairs.
There is a saying that we always fight the last war. After the Challenger accident NASA made great effort to prevent another o-ring failure in the solid rocket boosters, and ignored the foam falling from the external tank. After the Columbia accident, NASA then made great effort to prevent another piece of foam from hitting an orbiter.
Unfortunately, it appears that NASA may now be ignoring this crack problem. Even though they have been able to repair past cracks, for this many cracks to occur this often should cause alarm bells to ring throughout the agency, forcing a look at the problem in toto. Instead, it appears management has been making catch-as-catch-can repairs.
What makes this situation even more difficult is the factory that makes the external tanks has shut down. No new tanks are available. Thus, there are not many options for flying these last few shuttle missions except by using the already existing tanks, and repairing them as needed.
Like I said, this is beginning to give me the willies.
Russians complete spacewalk
Except for the failure to install a video camers, two Russian astronauts successfully completed a six hour spacewalk on ISS today, doing a variety of construction tasks on the station’s exterior.
Except for the failure to install a video camers, two Russian astronauts successfully completed a six hour spacewalk on ISS today, doing a variety of construction tasks on the station’s exterior.
Oklahoma-Many a new day
An evening pause: “Many a New Day” from Oklahoma (1955). It is the dance choreography here that is surprising and original.
National Opt-Out day suggests wearing kilts as well
National Opt-Out day at the airports is November 24. One commentator is suggesting that men wear kilts, just to drive the TSA even more crazy.
National Opt-Out day at the airports is November 24. One commentator is suggesting that men wear kilts, just to drive the TSA even more crazy.
Continuing resolution likely into 2011
The space war returns! The lame duck session of Congress is now expected to pass a continuing resolution that extends into next year, leaving the final decisions about the budget to the next Congress. This is very bad news for NASA and what’s left of the government space program.
Update: I should add that I’m not bothered in the slightest that this might happen. The money that the present Congress proposed giving to NASA will not make the exploration of the solar system possible, and in fact might hinder that exploration significantly under the weight of government regulation. It is time to cut the cord, and stop depending on the damn government to conquer the stars.
The space war returns! The lame duck session of Congress is now expected to pass a continuing resolution that extends into next year, leaving the final decisions about the budget to the next Congress. This is very bad news for NASA and what’s left of the government space program.
Update: I should add that I’m not bothered in the slightest that this might happen. The money that the present Congress proposed giving to NASA will not make the exploration of the solar system possible, and in fact might hinder that exploration significantly under the weight of government regulation. It is time to cut the cord, and stop depending on the damn government to conquer the stars.
New Castle councilman calls cops on boys’ cupcake sale
Fire him! Local councilman calls the cops on two 13-year-old boys, because they are selling cupcake illegally!
Fire him! Local councilman calls the cops on two 13-year-old boys, because they are selling cupcake illegally!