Curiosity’s first year on Mars, in video in two minutes.
Curiosity’s first year on Mars, in video in two minutes.
Curiosity’s first year on Mars, in video in two minutes.
Tag: science
Curiosity’s first year on Mars, in video in two minutes.
New satellite data covering the period from 2000 to 2011 now shows that the atmosphere traps far less heat than predicted by every global warming climate model.
The uncertainty of science: New satellite data covering the period from 2000 to 2011 now shows that the atmosphere traps far less heat than predicted by every global warming climate model.
The models had predicted that the increase in CO2 — which is insufficient on its own to cause a greenhouse effect — would cause feedbacks with water (the atmosphere’s real greenhouse gas) that would increase the amount of atmospheric humidity which would thus trap heat in the atmosphere and raise the global temperature. The new data instead shows the opposite. The atmosphere is not trapping any heat. The greenhouse effect is not occurring as predicted.
The uncertainty of science: New satellite data covering the period from 2000 to 2011 now shows that the atmosphere traps far less heat than predicted by every global warming climate model.
The models had predicted that the increase in CO2 — which is insufficient on its own to cause a greenhouse effect — would cause feedbacks with water (the atmosphere’s real greenhouse gas) that would increase the amount of atmospheric humidity which would thus trap heat in the atmosphere and raise the global temperature. The new data instead shows the opposite. The atmosphere is not trapping any heat. The greenhouse effect is not occurring as predicted.
Many in the astronomy community do not agree with the recent conclusions of one astronomer that Comet ISON is likely a dud.
The uncertainty of science: Many in the astronomy community do not agree with the recent conclusions of one astronomer that Comet ISON is likely to be a dud.
The arguments from both sides are quite interesting. Stay tuned. We will find out in only a few more months.
The uncertainty of science: Many in the astronomy community do not agree with the recent conclusions of one astronomer that Comet ISON is likely to be a dud.
The arguments from both sides are quite interesting. Stay tuned. We will find out in only a few more months.
According to the observations of one Italian astronomer, it appears that Comet ISON will not be the “Comet of the Century,” as hoped.
According to the observations of one Italian astronomer, it appears that Comet ISON will not be the “Comet of the Century,” as hoped.
This fits with other recent reports, all of which suggested that the comet is not brightening as it should.
According to the observations of one Italian astronomer, it appears that Comet ISON will not be the “Comet of the Century,” as hoped.
This fits with other recent reports, all of which suggested that the comet is not brightening as it should.
A supernova has exploded in the galaxy M74, only 30 million light years away.
A supernova has exploded in the galaxy M74, only 30 million light years away.
This is one of the closest supernovae in recent years. Though it is still brightening and has reached 12th magnitude, it is not expected to brighten to naked eye visibility (about 6th magnitude). Astronomers however have spotted the progenitor star in archival Hubble images, which they have identified as a M-type red supergiant that was also particularly bright in the infrared.
A supernova has exploded in the galaxy M74, only 30 million light years away.
This is one of the closest supernovae in recent years. Though it is still brightening and has reached 12th magnitude, it is not expected to brighten to naked eye visibility (about 6th magnitude). Astronomers however have spotted the progenitor star in archival Hubble images, which they have identified as a M-type red supergiant that was also particularly bright in the infrared.
Scientists have finalized their flyby plans of Pluto when New Horizons arrives there in 2015.
Scientists have finalized their flyby plans of Pluto when New Horizons arrives there in 2015.
Scientists have finalized their flyby plans of Pluto when New Horizons arrives there in 2015.
Forty-three peer-reviewed papers by a Japanese researcher are tainted with falsified or fabricated data, according to a Japanese newspaper report today.
Forty-three peer-reviewed papers by a Japanese researcher are tainted with falsified or fabricated data, according to a Japanese newspaper story today.
There really seems to be a lot of this going around, doesn’ t there?
Forty-three peer-reviewed papers by a Japanese researcher are tainted with falsified or fabricated data, according to a Japanese newspaper story today.
There really seems to be a lot of this going around, doesn’ t there?
The new solar space observatory IRIS has taken its first pictures.
The new solar space observatory IRIS has taken its first pictures.
The new solar space observatory IRIS has taken its first pictures.
The effort to bring Kepler back to life does not look good.
The effort to bring Kepler back to life does not look good.
The effort to bring Kepler back to life does not look good.
A Norwegian town, sunless for five months of the year, is building a giant array of mirrors to light up its town square.
A Norwegian town, sunless for five months of the year, is building a giant array of mirrors to light up its town square.
Three mirrors with a total surface area of about 538 square feet will sit at an angle to redirect winter sun down into the town, lighting up over 2150 square feet of concentrated space in the town square. A similar idea exists in the Italian village of Viganella, which has used brushed steel to reflect light since 2006.
A Norwegian town, sunless for five months of the year, is building a giant array of mirrors to light up its town square.
Three mirrors with a total surface area of about 538 square feet will sit at an angle to redirect winter sun down into the town, lighting up over 2150 square feet of concentrated space in the town square. A similar idea exists in the Italian village of Viganella, which has used brushed steel to reflect light since 2006.
“Global warming hasn’t stopped, it’s just hiding.”
Observations of Comet ISON have detected strong carbon dioxide emissions escaping from the comet.
Call Al Gore! Observations of Comet ISON have detected strong carbon dioxide emissions escaping from the comet.
Images captured June 13 with Spitzer’s Infrared Array Camera indicate carbon dioxide is slowly and steadily “fizzing” away from the so-called “soda-pop comet,” along with dust, in a tail about 186,400 miles (300,000 kilometers) long. “We estimate ISON is emitting about 2.2 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of what is most likely carbon dioxide gas and about 120 million pounds (54.4 million kilograms) of dust every day,” said Carey Lisse, leader of NASA’s Comet ISON Observation Campaign and a senior research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. “Previous observations made by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission and Deep Impact spacecraft gave us only upper limits for any gas emission from ISON. Thanks to Spitzer, we now know for sure the comet’s distant activity has been powered by gas.”
Call Al Gore! Observations of Comet ISON have detected strong carbon dioxide emissions escaping from the comet.
Images captured June 13 with Spitzer’s Infrared Array Camera indicate carbon dioxide is slowly and steadily “fizzing” away from the so-called “soda-pop comet,” along with dust, in a tail about 186,400 miles (300,000 kilometers) long. “We estimate ISON is emitting about 2.2 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of what is most likely carbon dioxide gas and about 120 million pounds (54.4 million kilograms) of dust every day,” said Carey Lisse, leader of NASA’s Comet ISON Observation Campaign and a senior research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. “Previous observations made by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission and Deep Impact spacecraft gave us only upper limits for any gas emission from ISON. Thanks to Spitzer, we now know for sure the comet’s distant activity has been powered by gas.”
Scientists have found evidence that at least some of the carved river valleys on Mars were partly the result of snowfall.
Scientists have found evidence that at least some of the carved river valleys on Mars were partly the result of snowfall.
Scientists have found evidence that at least some of the carved river valleys on Mars were partly the result of snowfall.
Paleontologists in Mexico have uncovered the complete tail of a dinosaur.
Paleontologists in Mexico have uncovered the complete tail of a dinosaur.
Paleontologists in Mexico have uncovered the complete tail of a dinosaur.
The routine lowering of past climate data to make today’s temperatures seem hotter.
More climate fraud: The routine lowering of past climate data to make today’s temperatures seem hotter.
Almost all past temperatures have been adjusted downward, compared with the temperatures that were actually recorded at the time. During the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s, when many record high temperatures were recorded, the readings have been adjusted downward by, generally speaking, one to one and a half degrees. These adjustments stop abruptly in the late 1990s. The effect of the adjustments is to make the past look cooler in relation to the present.
This kind of manipulation of data, changing the historical record after the fact, is done ALL THE TIME by the climate alarmists who crank out all of the data that are reported on in the newspapers. And the adjustments are always the same: they make the past cooler, so that the present will look warmer, in order to support their power-grabbing climate hysteria agenda. Whenever you hear on the radio that a temperature reading is the “warmest ever” in a particular place, you can reasonably assume that the “warmest ever” title was conferred by falsely reporting temperature readings from past decades.
And as Hinderaker properly concludes, “This is, in my view, the biggest scandal in the history of science. I can’t think of any competitor that could even come close.”
More climate fraud: The routine lowering of past climate data to make today’s temperatures seem hotter.
Almost all past temperatures have been adjusted downward, compared with the temperatures that were actually recorded at the time. During the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s, when many record high temperatures were recorded, the readings have been adjusted downward by, generally speaking, one to one and a half degrees. These adjustments stop abruptly in the late 1990s. The effect of the adjustments is to make the past look cooler in relation to the present.
This kind of manipulation of data, changing the historical record after the fact, is done ALL THE TIME by the climate alarmists who crank out all of the data that are reported on in the newspapers. And the adjustments are always the same: they make the past cooler, so that the present will look warmer, in order to support their power-grabbing climate hysteria agenda. Whenever you hear on the radio that a temperature reading is the “warmest ever” in a particular place, you can reasonably assume that the “warmest ever” title was conferred by falsely reporting temperature readings from past decades.
And as Hinderaker properly concludes, “This is, in my view, the biggest scandal in the history of science. I can’t think of any competitor that could even come close.”
The double planet, rocky and wet with a big moon, as seen from Saturn.
The double planet, rocky and wet with a big moon, as seen from Saturn.
The double planet, rocky and wet with a big moon, as seen from Saturn.
Why has Cassini detected no waves on the lakes of Titan?
Why has Cassini detected no waves on the lakes of Titan?
Why has Cassini detected no waves on the lakes of Titan?
Pro-global warming climate scientists, called to testify to Congress by Barbara Boxer (D-California), admitted yesterday that the global temperature has not risen for the past 10 to 15 years.
The uncertainty of science: Pro-global warming climate scientists, called to testify to Congress by Barbara Boxer (D-California), admitted yesterday that the global temperature has not risen for the past 10 to 15 years.
The uncertainty of science: Pro-global warming climate scientists, called to testify to Congress by Barbara Boxer (D-California), admitted yesterday that the global temperature has not risen for the past 10 to 15 years.
“Killer salt and other ‘scientific’ disasters.”
The continuing technical troubles of the James Webb Space Telescope.
The continuing technical troubles of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Though it appears they are keeping within their latest budget and scheduling margins (which is almost nine times the original budget and almost a decade behind the original schedule), the number of issues described in this article is quite worrisome.
The continuing technical troubles of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Though it appears they are keeping within their latest budget and scheduling margins (which is almost nine times the original budget and almost a decade behind the original schedule), the number of issues described in this article is quite worrisome.
“Comet of the Century”? We’ll soon find out.
“‘Comet of the Century’? We’ll soon find out.”
This article, as well as a bunch of others published this week about Comet ISON, suggest to me that the comet is going to be a dud. These articles all are suggesting that we won’t know if the comet will be as bright as hoped until after it flies around the sun. This is absolutely wrong. As the comet drops down towards the sun it should heat up and begin brightening, producing a tail. This is what all comets do. If it doesn’t brighten on its journey in, then it won’t be bright on its journey out.
That the authors of these articles don’t know that, or are hiding it, is simply bad journalism. Moreover, this effort to spin the comet’s dimness now suggests that the comet is now far dimmer than hoped, which strongly suggests it will remain that way.
“‘Comet of the Century’? We’ll soon find out.”
This article, as well as a bunch of others published this week about Comet ISON, suggest to me that the comet is going to be a dud. These articles all are suggesting that we won’t know if the comet will be as bright as hoped until after it flies around the sun. This is absolutely wrong. As the comet drops down towards the sun it should heat up and begin brightening, producing a tail. This is what all comets do. If it doesn’t brighten on its journey in, then it won’t be bright on its journey out.
That the authors of these articles don’t know that, or are hiding it, is simply bad journalism. Moreover, this effort to spin the comet’s dimness now suggests that the comet is now far dimmer than hoped, which strongly suggests it will remain that way.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the launch of Opportunity, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took its photograph.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the launch of Opportunity, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took its photograph.
The image was not merely for PR. It also provides the scientists operating Opportunity some good information about the region the rover is exploring, thus helping them plan out its further adventures on the surface of Mars.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the launch of Opportunity, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took its photograph.
The image was not merely for PR. It also provides the scientists operating Opportunity some good information about the region the rover is exploring, thus helping them plan out its further adventures on the surface of Mars.
The Private Plan to Put a Telescope on the Moon
The private plan to put a telescope on the Moon.
The private plan to put a telescope on the Moon.
Own two of a certain object in the home will almost guarantee your kids will do well in school. Can you guess what it is?
Own two of a certain object in your home and you will almost guarantee your kids will do well in school. Can you guess what that object is?
Own two of a certain object in your home and you will almost guarantee your kids will do well in school. Can you guess what that object is?
Engineers have announced that their last ditch efforts to repair the reaction wheels on Kepler will begin today.
Engineers have announced that their last ditch efforts to repair the reaction wheels on Kepler will begin today.
I remain skeptical they will succeed, but am very glad they are trying.
Engineers have announced that their last ditch efforts to repair the reaction wheels on Kepler will begin today.
I remain skeptical they will succeed, but am very glad they are trying.
One of the world’s longest running experiments, now 69 years old, has finally captured on camera the fall of a drop of tar pitch.
One of the world’s longest running experiments, now 69 years old, has finally captured on camera the fall of a drop of tar pitch.
The Dublin pitch-drop experiment was set up in 1944 at Trinity College Dublin to demonstrate the high viscosity or low fluidity of pitch — also known as bitumen or asphalt — a material that appears to be solid at room temperature, but is in fact flowing, albeit extremely slowly.
Video below the fold.
» Read more
One of the world’s longest running experiments, now 69 years old, has finally captured on camera the fall of a drop of tar pitch.
The Dublin pitch-drop experiment was set up in 1944 at Trinity College Dublin to demonstrate the high viscosity or low fluidity of pitch — also known as bitumen or asphalt — a material that appears to be solid at room temperature, but is in fact flowing, albeit extremely slowly.
Video below the fold.
» Read more
Astronomers have found evidence which suggests that most of the universe’s gold was created during the collision and merger of two neutron stars.
Astronomers have found evidence which suggests that most of the universe’s gold was created during the collision and merger of two neutron stars.
A binary of two neutron stars will eventually spiral into each other. When they do, scientists believe that their violent merger produces short gamma ray bursts (GRB). Observations of a short GRB burst in June found a lot of spectroscopic evidence of gold.
[T]he explosion had been responsible for the creation of a whole menagerie of heavy elements. They estimated that an equivalent of 1% of the sun’s matter was being flung out from the collision in a tail, and about 10 parts per million of that tail was made of gold.
Astronomers have found evidence which suggests that most of the universe’s gold was created during the collision and merger of two neutron stars.
A binary of two neutron stars will eventually spiral into each other. When they do, scientists believe that their violent merger produces short gamma ray bursts (GRB). Observations of a short GRB burst in June found a lot of spectroscopic evidence of gold.
[T]he explosion had been responsible for the creation of a whole menagerie of heavy elements. They estimated that an equivalent of 1% of the sun’s matter was being flung out from the collision in a tail, and about 10 parts per million of that tail was made of gold.
The Sun has a maximum and no one notices
On July 8 NOAA released its monthly update of the Sun’s sunspot cycle, covering the period of June 2013. As I do every month, this graph is posted below, with annotations to give it context.
After a brief period of renewed but weak activity during the last three months, the Sun’s sunspot production has once again plunged, dropping back to the levels generally seen for most of 2012.
As predicted by some solar scientists, the Sun seems to have produced a double-peaked maximum, though the second peak appears at this time to have been remarkably wimpy and brief. It is still possible, however, that this second peak is not over and that we might see another burst of renewed activity in the next month or so, based on the Sun’s past behavior during the ending stages of the previous solar maximum in 2001 and 2002. Nonetheless, from all appearances it looks like the Sun has shot its load and is in the process of winding down from a solar maximum peak that occurred back late 2011.
What is especially fascinating about this is that when that peak occurred in 2011, no one noticed!
» Read more
After thirty years, someone has finally won the Sikorsky Prize for creating a human-powered helicopter that can fly for at least a minute.
After thirty years, someone has finally won the Sikorsky Prize for creating a human-powered helicopter that can fly for at least a minute.
After thirty years, someone has finally won the Sikorsky Prize for creating a human-powered helicopter that can fly for at least a minute.
Scientists have developed a technique for using GPS signals to precisely measure the wind speeds inside hurricanes.
Scientists have developed a technique for using GPS signals to precisely measure the wind speeds inside hurricanes.
Scientists have developed a technique for using GPS signals to precisely measure the wind speeds inside hurricanes.