Eleven ancient buildings built on a cliff’s edge.
Eleven ancient buildings built on a cliff’s edge.
Eleven ancient buildings built on a cliff’s edge.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Eleven ancient buildings built on a cliff’s edge.
Senate panel proposes major NASA/NOAA budget changes
A Senate panel today proposed shifting the responsibility for building weather satellites from NOAA to NASA.
It is very unclear from this article why the Senate panel proposed this shift. They claim it will save money but I don’t see how.
What I can guess is that there is probably a turf war going on in Congress over this money. For example, shifting these weather satellites to NASA almost certainly means that the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland will get more money, which is almost certainly why Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) is for it.
One thought however: NASA generally focuses on individual missions, not long term operational stuff like weather. I suspect it probably is not a good idea to give this work to NASA.
The same article above also outlined the panel’s proposals for other areas of NASA’s budget. To me, the key issue is the budget for commercial space. The White House requested $830 million. The Senate panel has instead proposed $525 million.
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Puffer fish chases laser
A mathematical journal has retracted a paper because “the article contains no scientific content.”
You can’t make this stuff up: A mathematical journal has retracted a paper because “the article contains no scientific content.”
You can’t make this stuff up: A mathematical journal has retracted a paper because “the article contains no scientific content.”
Mexico has raised their volcano alert level in response to increased activity of Popocatepetl volcano, southeast of Mexico City.
Mexico has raised its volcano alert level in response to increased activity of Popocatepetl volcano, southeast of Mexico City.
Mexico has raised its volcano alert level in response to increased activity of Popocatepetl volcano, southeast of Mexico City.
New government regulations will likely end the ability of teenagers to get summer jobs on farms.
We’re here to help you: New government regulations will likely end the ability of teenagers to get summer jobs on farms.
We’re here to help you: New government regulations will likely end the ability of teenagers to get summer jobs on farms.
New simulations suggest that the magnitude of tsunamis predicted to hit Japan have previously been underestimated.
New simulations suggest that the magnitude of tsunamis predicted to hit Japan have been significantly underestimated.
The difficulty here is that these predicted giant tsunamis are still expected to be very rare events. It is thus unclear what is more practical, to build things at great cost so that they can survive these rare events, or to live with the risk and rebuild each time after disaster strikes.
New simulations suggest that the magnitude of tsunamis predicted to hit Japan have been significantly underestimated.
The difficulty here is that these predicted giant tsunamis are still expected to be very rare events. It is thus unclear what is more practical, to build things at great cost so that they can survive these rare events, or to live with the risk and rebuild each time after disaster strikes.
Coming and going
There are really only two important stories today concerning space exploration. The story that is getting the most coverage is the big news that the space shuttle Discovery is making its last flight, flying over Washington, DC, as it is delivered to the Smithsonian for permanent display.
- CBS: Space shuttle Discovery viewing guide: Final flight Tuesday over DC.
- WTOP: Space shuttle Discovery salutes nation’s capital.
- Washington Times: Space shuttle Discovery ready for final flyover.
- Associated Press: Space shuttle Discovery ready for voyage to museum.
- Space.com: Space shuttle Discovery to take last-ever flight today.
- Discovery News: Shuttle Discovery begins new life as museum piece.
Of these stories, only Irene Klotz of Discovery News seems to really get it. This is not an event to celebrate or get excited about. It is the end of an American achievement, brought to a close probably three to five years prematurely so that the United States now cannot even send its own astronauts to its own space station.
The other news, actually far more important, has gotten far less coverage, and includes three different stories all really about the same thing.
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The trial of an ex-JPL computer specialist who claims he was fired for his Christian beliefs ended today.
The trial of an ex-JPL computer specialist who claims he was fired for his Christian beliefs ended today.
Closing arguments ended Monday after a five-week trial. The case will be decided by Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige, who must first review written arguments from both sides and could take months before announcing a verdict. Both sides agreed to forgo a jury.
The trial of an ex-JPL computer specialist who claims he was fired for his Christian beliefs ended today.
Closing arguments ended Monday after a five-week trial. The case will be decided by Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige, who must first review written arguments from both sides and could take months before announcing a verdict. Both sides agreed to forgo a jury.
Strange Charm: A Song about Quarks
Last week’s 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Mexico apparently caused a miniature tsunami in a spring pool near Las Vegas, 1,700 miles away.
Last week’s 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Mexico apparently caused a miniature tsunami in a spring pool near Las Vegas, 1,700 miles away. With video.
Last week’s 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Mexico apparently caused a miniature tsunami in a spring pool near Las Vegas, 1,700 miles away. With video.
More video proof from Project Veritas that voter fraud in Washington DC is easy to do.
More video proof from Project Veritas that voter fraud in Washington DC is easy to do.
His new video shows Project Veritas going into poll locations in DC on April 3, being offered ballots for Ben Jealous, President & CEO of the NAACP; one Bill Maher; and David Brock (Project Veritas says they could not verify whether the David Brock for which they were offered a ballot was the same David Brock as the Media Matters president). Hilariously, Project Veritas also shows that you can’t get into Media Matters without showing ID. The video also depicts Project Veritas going to a polling place and asking about Alicia Menendez, daughter of New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez (D) and political commentator on MSNBC; a poll worker asks to see ID, preventing Project Veritas from being offered Menendez’s ballot.
The failure to obtain a ballot for Menendez was directly because ID was required, which is the whole point that Project Veritas is trying to make.
And of course, the Democratically controlled Board of Elections in DC is right on the case, announcing that it has started an investigation of Project Veritas.
More video proof from Project Veritas that voter fraud in Washington DC is easy to do.
His new video shows Project Veritas going into poll locations in DC on April 3, being offered ballots for Ben Jealous, President & CEO of the NAACP; one Bill Maher; and David Brock (Project Veritas says they could not verify whether the David Brock for which they were offered a ballot was the same David Brock as the Media Matters president). Hilariously, Project Veritas also shows that you can’t get into Media Matters without showing ID. The video also depicts Project Veritas going to a polling place and asking about Alicia Menendez, daughter of New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez (D) and political commentator on MSNBC; a poll worker asks to see ID, preventing Project Veritas from being offered Menendez’s ballot.
The failure to obtain a ballot for Menendez was directly because ID was required, which is the whole point that Project Veritas is trying to make.
And of course, the Democratically controlled Board of Elections in DC is right on the case, announcing that it has started an investigation of Project Veritas.
Indian scientists, using data from their lunar probe Chandrayaan-1, have found evidence for past volcanic activity on the central peak of the crater Tycho.
Indian scientists, using data from their lunar probe Chandrayaan-1, have found evidence for past volcanic activity on the central peak of the crater Tycho.
Indian scientists, using data from their lunar probe Chandrayaan-1, have found evidence for past volcanic activity on the central peak of the crater Tycho.
The uncertainty of science: Scientists have found a large region in Tibet where glaciers are growing.
The uncertainty of science: Scientists have found a large region in the Himalayas where glaciers are growing, not shrinking as expected.
The uncertainty of science: Scientists have found a large region in the Himalayas where glaciers are growing, not shrinking as expected.
Rod McKuen – Jean
An evening pause: This Rod McKuen song, “Jean,” performed here live by him on the Johnny Cash Show on February 4, 1970, was originally the title song for the wonderful movie The Prime of the Miss Jean Brodie (1969), starring Maggie Smith.
George Washington has been declared the greatest military foe Great Britain ever faced.
George Washington has been declared the greatest military foe Great Britain ever faced.
George Washington has been declared the greatest military foe Great Britain ever faced.
A new record for the longest Rube Goldberg machine
An evening pause: The Purdue Society of Professional Engineers team set a new record last week for longest ever Rube Goldberg machine, taking 300 steps to flawlessly blow up and then pop a balloon.
Researchers have found that they cannot reproduce the results of 89 percent of 53 “landmark” cancer research papers.
More bad news for peer-reviewed science: Researchers have found that they cannot reproduce the results for almost ninety percent of the fifty-three “landmark” cancer research papers they reviewed.
It is worse than you think. Consider this quote:
Part way through his project to reproduce promising studies, Begley met for breakfast at a cancer conference with the lead scientist of one of the problematic studies. “We went through the paper line by line, figure by figure,” said Begley. “I explained that we re-did their experiment 50 times and never got their result. He said they’d done it six times and got this result once, but put it in the paper because it made the best story. It’s very disillusioning.”
More bad news for peer-reviewed science: Researchers have found that they cannot reproduce the results for almost ninety percent of the fifty-three “landmark” cancer research papers they reviewed.
It is worse than you think. Consider this quote:
Part way through his project to reproduce promising studies, Begley met for breakfast at a cancer conference with the lead scientist of one of the problematic studies. “We went through the paper line by line, figure by figure,” said Begley. “I explained that we re-did their experiment 50 times and never got their result. He said they’d done it six times and got this result once, but put it in the paper because it made the best story. It’s very disillusioning.”
The bodies in Ben Franklin’s basement
The bodies found in Ben Franklin’s basement.
The bodies found in Ben Franklin’s basement.
ULA, NASA’s prime contractor for operating the space shuttle, on Friday laid off nine percent of its work force.
USA, NASA’s prime contractor for operating the space shuttle, on Friday laid off nine percent of its work force.
I honestly have to ask: why did it take so long? The last shuttle flight was in July of last year. It couldn’t possibly have required that many people to prepare these spacecraft for display in museums.
Update: Typo corrected. Thank you Erik.
USA, NASA’s prime contractor for operating the space shuttle, on Friday laid off nine percent of its work force.
I honestly have to ask: why did it take so long? The last shuttle flight was in July of last year. It couldn’t possibly have required that many people to prepare these spacecraft for display in museums.
Update: Typo corrected. Thank you Erik.
Some wisdom from Pravda: “Humans explore space only for profit.”
Some wisdom from Pravda: “Humans explore space only for profit.”
And then there’s this, from the U.N., not surprisingly published at MSNBC: “Private property in outer space: The other side of the argument.” To quote the U.N. expert: “More rules are needed, but I am also of the opinion that you do not need to create property rights [in space].”
It is a sad world when support for capitalism, private property rights, and competition comes from Pravda, while in the U.S. such ideas get slapped down.
Some wisdom from Pravda: “Humans explore space only for profit.”
And then there’s this, from the U.N., not surprisingly published at MSNBC: “Private property in outer space: The other side of the argument.” To quote the U.N. expert: “More rules are needed, but I am also of the opinion that you do not need to create property rights [in space].”
It is a sad world when support for capitalism, private property rights, and competition comes from Pravda, while in the U.S. such ideas get slapped down.
Satellite photos have revealed that there are twice as many emperor penguins in Antarctica than scientists had predicted.
The uncertainty of science: Satellite photos have revealed that there are twice as many emperor penguins in Antarctica than scientists had predicted.
Not surprising in this era of spin-generated science, every article I’ve seen on this story (here’s another) has felt obliged to say how this news means the poor penguins will start off stronger when global warming arrives to decimate their population. However, wasn’t global warming already happening? And wasn’t that warming supposed to have decimated their population already?
The truth is we really don’t know. This new data could actually mean that emperor penguins like global warming. It could suggest that global warming hasn’t started yet. It could even be evidence that the climate isn’t warming at all.
But no, let’s just spin it in one direction: global warming is happening, and it will kill penguins. No matter how many penguins we find.
The uncertainty of science: Satellite photos have revealed that there are twice as many emperor penguins in Antarctica than scientists had predicted.
Not surprising in this era of spin-generated science, every article I’ve seen on this story (here’s another) has felt obliged to say how this news means the poor penguins will start off stronger when global warming arrives to decimate their population. However, wasn’t global warming already happening? And wasn’t that warming supposed to have decimated their population already?
The truth is we really don’t know. This new data could actually mean that emperor penguins like global warming. It could suggest that global warming hasn’t started yet. It could even be evidence that the climate isn’t warming at all.
But no, let’s just spin it in one direction: global warming is happening, and it will kill penguins. No matter how many penguins we find.
Want to own a cave? Now you can buy one, and even move it and install it wherever you want!
Want to own a cave? Now you can buy one, and even move it and install it wherever you want!
Want to own a cave? Now you can buy one, and even move it and install it wherever you want!
Piff the Magic Dragon
ISS’s robot arm has now been moved into position in preparation for the Dragon berthing flight, scheduled for April 30.
ISS’s robot arm has now been moved into position in preparation for the Dragon berthing flight, scheduled for April 30.
The article also gives a nice outline of the entire Falcon 9/Dragon test flight.
ISS’s robot arm has now been moved into position in preparation for the Dragon berthing flight, scheduled for April 30.
The article also gives a nice outline of the entire Falcon 9/Dragon test flight.
The world’s biggest atlas: Yours for only $100K.
The world’s biggest atlas: Yours for only $100K.
The world’s biggest atlas: Yours for only $100K.
Europe’s primary Earth-observation satellite has gone silent.
Europe’s primary Earth-observation satellite, Envisat, has gone silent.
Launched in 2002, the satellite is billed as the most sophisticated environmental monitor in orbit, with ten instruments providing streams of valuable data on everything from ozone, clouds and greenhouse gases to land-use trends and sea-surface temperatures — data that have figured in more than 2,000 scientific publications, ESA says. Over the years, Envisat has also offered a unique vantage point on major environmental disasters such as the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami in southeast Asia and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Now, scientists fear that the satellite’s decade-long run has come to an abrupt end.
Problems began on 8 April when the satellite’s signal cut out as it was passing over a ground station in Sweden. ESA has been working with a team of scientists and engineers to diagnose the problem and to re-establish contact, but the outlook remains unclear.
Europe’s primary Earth-observation satellite, Envisat, has gone silent.
Launched in 2002, the satellite is billed as the most sophisticated environmental monitor in orbit, with ten instruments providing streams of valuable data on everything from ozone, clouds and greenhouse gases to land-use trends and sea-surface temperatures — data that have figured in more than 2,000 scientific publications, ESA says. Over the years, Envisat has also offered a unique vantage point on major environmental disasters such as the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami in southeast Asia and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Now, scientists fear that the satellite’s decade-long run has come to an abrupt end.
Problems began on 8 April when the satellite’s signal cut out as it was passing over a ground station in Sweden. ESA has been working with a team of scientists and engineers to diagnose the problem and to re-establish contact, but the outlook remains unclear.
North Korea’s attempt to put its first satellite into orbit today was a failure, breaking up less than two minutes after liftoff.
North Korea’s attempt to put its first satellite into orbit today was a failure, breaking up less than two minutes after liftoff.
North Korea’s attempt to put its first satellite into orbit today was a failure, breaking up less than two minutes after liftoff.
Russian flash mob – Putting on the Ritz
An evening pause: From frigid Russia, some Russians put on the Ritz.
A new study suggests that building wind turbines is a far greater problem to birds than actually operating them.
Good news for wind power: A new study suggests that building wind turbines is a far greater problem to birds than actually operating them.
The uncertainty of science, however: the study also showed a wide range of effects, depending on bird species.
Good news for wind power: A new study suggests that building wind turbines is a far greater problem to birds than actually operating them.
The uncertainty of science, however: the study also showed a wide range of effects, depending on bird species.