Tag: science
A telescope to go where no telescope has gone before
A new kind of metal in the deep Earth
Former astronaut John Grunsfeld is to take over NASA’s science post from Ed Weiler
Excellent choice: Former astronaut John Grunsfeld has been picked to take over NASA’s chief science post from Ed Weiler.
Not only is Grunsfeld an excellent choice, his experience as an astronaut repairing Hubble will help improve relations between the science and manned space programs. In the past, scientists have often argued against manned space, trying to get that money for their unmanned research probes. Instead, when manned space got cut, so did science, and no one won. Grunsfeld’s leadership I think will forestall these short-sighted complaints.
Excellent choice: Former astronaut John Grunsfeld has been picked to take over NASA’s chief science post from Ed Weiler.
Not only is Grunsfeld an excellent choice, his experience as an astronaut repairing Hubble will help improve relations between the science and manned space programs. In the past, scientists have often argued against manned space, trying to get that money for their unmanned research probes. Instead, when manned space got cut, so did science, and no one won. Grunsfeld’s leadership I think will forestall these short-sighted complaints.
The bar at the center of the Milky Way
The bar at the center of the Milky Way.
The bar at the center of the Milky Way.
Seven predictions for the year 2011 from 1931
Seven predictions made in 1931 for the year 2011.
Seven predictions made in 1931 for the year 2011.
A Christmas Miracle.
Using the spacecraft’s last drops of fuel, engineers are attempting to aim Deep Impact toward a rendezvous with near Earth asteroid 2002 GT.
Using the spacecraft’s last drops of fuel, engineers are attempting to aim Deep Impact to a 2020 rendezvous with near Earth asteroid 2002 GT.
Using the spacecraft’s last drops of fuel, engineers are attempting to aim Deep Impact to a 2020 rendezvous with near Earth asteroid 2002 GT.
The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog, now online
The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog, now online.
The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog, now online.
Budget deal cuts EPA by three percent
Another science budget update from Nature states that the budget deal will cut EPA by three percent.
This cut reduces EPA’s budget from its 2011 numbers by about $400 million. However, the agency’s total 2012 budget of $8.4 billion is still $1 billion more than it got in 2008, hardly what I’d call a draconian cut.
Once again, the inability of Congress to seriously face the deficit issue threatens to eventually destroy the U.S.’s ability to do any science. A bankrupt nation can’t do much but feed itself, as the scientists in the Soviet Union learned back in the 1990s.
Another science budget update from Nature states that the budget deal will cut EPA by three percent.
This cut reduces EPA’s budget from its 2011 numbers by about $400 million. However, the agency’s total 2012 budget of $8.4 billion is still $1 billion more than it got in 2008, hardly what I’d call a draconian cut.
Once again, the inability of Congress to seriously face the deficit issue threatens to eventually destroy the U.S.’s ability to do any science. A bankrupt nation can’t do much but feed itself, as the scientists in the Soviet Union learned back in the 1990s.
The Fukushima nuclear reactor has reached the state of cold shutdown
Good news: The Fukushima nuclear reactor has reached the state of cold shutdown.
This means that the reactor core has cooled enough that there is no need to recirculate the water to keep the fuel cool. However, because the reactor continues to leak that water recirculation is still necessary, and will be for years.
As is typical of many modern journalists, the article above is also an unstated editorial both hostile to nuclear energy as well as private enterprise, best shown by the article’s concluding paragraph:
Meanwhile, the Japanese public and many of its politicians remained deeply mistrustful of the situation at Fukushima. In this week’s issue of Nature, two members of the Japanese parliament call for nationalization of the Fukushima Plant, to allow scientists and engineers to investigate exactly what happened inside the reactors, and to reassure the public that the decommissioning will be done with their interests at heart. Regardless of whether you agree with the authors, nationalization seems almost inevitable. The lengthy decommissioning process that will follow this cold shutdown, and the enormous cost involved, make it a job for a government, not a corporation. [emphasis mine]
First, he has no idea what the Japanese public thinks of this situation. Second, there is no evidence that the government could do this job better than the company that runs the reactor. Both conclusions are mere opinion, inserted inappropriately in a news article without any supporting proofs.
Good news: The Fukushima nuclear reactor has reached the state of cold shutdown.
This means that the reactor core has cooled enough that there is no need to recirculate the water to keep the fuel cool. However, because the reactor continues to leak that water recirculation is still necessary, and will be for years.
As is typical of many modern journalists, the article above is also an unstated editorial both hostile to nuclear energy as well as private enterprise, best shown by the article’s concluding paragraph:
Meanwhile, the Japanese public and many of its politicians remained deeply mistrustful of the situation at Fukushima. In this week’s issue of Nature, two members of the Japanese parliament call for nationalization of the Fukushima Plant, to allow scientists and engineers to investigate exactly what happened inside the reactors, and to reassure the public that the decommissioning will be done with their interests at heart. Regardless of whether you agree with the authors, nationalization seems almost inevitable. The lengthy decommissioning process that will follow this cold shutdown, and the enormous cost involved, make it a job for a government, not a corporation. [emphasis mine]
First, he has no idea what the Japanese public thinks of this situation. Second, there is no evidence that the government could do this job better than the company that runs the reactor. Both conclusions are mere opinion, inserted inappropriately in a news article without any supporting proofs.
NIH and DOE in the proposed budget deal
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the science office in the Department of Energy (DOE) appear to avoid serious cuts in the proposed budget deal.
Actually, NIH’s budget remains almost identical to what it got in 2012, $30.6 billion. However, this amount is $1.4 billion more than it got in 2008, and $1.7 billion more than it got in 2007. As for DOE’s Office of Science, the $4.889 billion for 2012 is still $700 million more than the office got in 2008.
In other words, considering the budget deficits the federal government faces, these 2012 budget numbers hardly seem to be a reasonable attack on the problem. Simply bringing those budget numbers back down to 2008 numbers would hardly damage the work these government agencies are doing, and it would surely do more to reduce the deficit.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the science office in the Department of Energy (DOE) appear to avoid serious cuts in the proposed budget deal.
Actually, NIH’s budget remains almost identical to what it got in 2012, $30.6 billion. However, this amount is $1.4 billion more than it got in 2008, and $1.7 billion more than it got in 2007. As for DOE’s Office of Science, the $4.889 billion for 2012 is still $700 million more than the office got in 2008.
In other words, considering the budget deficits the federal government faces, these 2012 budget numbers hardly seem to be a reasonable attack on the problem. Simply bringing those budget numbers back down to 2008 numbers would hardly damage the work these government agencies are doing, and it would surely do more to reduce the deficit.
Scientists have found microbes inside a lava tube that can thrive in the freezing cold and low oxygen environment of Mars.
Scientists have found microbes inside a lava tube that can thrive in the freezing cold and low oxygen environment of Mars.
In a laboratory setting at room temperature and with normal oxygen levels, the scientists demonstrated that the microbes can consume organic material (sugar). But when the researchers removed the organic material, reduced the temperature to near-freezing, and lowered the oxygen levels, the microbes began to use the iron within olivine – a common silicate material found in volcanic rocks on Earth and on Mars – as its energy source.
Scientists have found microbes inside a lava tube that can thrive in the freezing cold and low oxygen environment of Mars.
In a laboratory setting at room temperature and with normal oxygen levels, the scientists demonstrated that the microbes can consume organic material (sugar). But when the researchers removed the organic material, reduced the temperature to near-freezing, and lowered the oxygen levels, the microbes began to use the iron within olivine – a common silicate material found in volcanic rocks on Earth and on Mars – as its energy source.
Rider on the Storm
At approximately 6:00 pm, Lt Col Rankin concluded that his aircraft was unrecoverable and pulled hard on his eject handles. An explosive charge propelled him from the cockpit into the atmosphere with sufficient force to rip his left glove from his hand, scattering his canopy, pilot seat, and other plane-related debris into the sky. Bill Rankin had spent a fair amount of time skydiving in his career—both premeditated and otherwise—but this particular dive would be unlike any that he or any living person had experienced before.
Or since.
At approximately 6:00 pm, Lt Col Rankin concluded that his aircraft was unrecoverable and pulled hard on his eject handles. An explosive charge propelled him from the cockpit into the atmosphere with sufficient force to rip his left glove from his hand, scattering his canopy, pilot seat, and other plane-related debris into the sky. Bill Rankin had spent a fair amount of time skydiving in his career—both premeditated and otherwise—but this particular dive would be unlike any that he or any living person had experienced before.
Or since.
A Russian scientist has found large amounts of methane being released in the atmosphere in the Arctic
A Russian scientist has found large amounts of methane being released into the atmosphere in the Arctic, far more than previously predicted.
It is speculated that these releases are the result of the Earth’s warming climate during the past several hundred years. And because methane is a far more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, its release will feed into that warming.
A Russian scientist has found large amounts of methane being released into the atmosphere in the Arctic, far more than previously predicted.
It is speculated that these releases are the result of the Earth’s warming climate during the past several hundred years. And because methane is a far more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, its release will feed into that warming.
UK police seize computers of skeptic blogger in England
Attacking the messenger? The UK police have seized several computers belonging to the first blogger in England to break the story of climategate 2.
Attacking the messenger? The UK police have seized several computers belonging to the first blogger in England to break the story of climategate 2.
Walking through the new American Amundsen Scott South Pole station
An evening pause: In honor of the 100th anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s arrival at the South Pole on this date, 1911, lets take a tour through the recently completed new Amundsen Scott South Pole station.
At one point right after walking through the cafeteria the cameraman points the camera out a window where you can see several flagpoles. That is where the actual South Pole is located. The camera than looks out a second window at a partly buried dome, which is the old station, no longer in use.
This video astonishes at what humans can accomplish in the most hostile environments.
Archaeologists announced yesterday that they have dug to the very core of Mexico’s tallest pyramid and found what may be the original ceremonial offering placed on the site prior to construction
Archaeologists announced yesterday that they have dug to the very core of Mexico’s tallest pyramid and found what may be the original ceremonial offering placed on the site prior to construction.
Archaeologists announced yesterday that they have dug to the very core of Mexico’s tallest pyramid and found what may be the original ceremonial offering placed on the site prior to construction.
Climategate: the failure of scientific integrity in climate science
Scientists have discovered how hummingbirds manage to fly like insects despite the limitations of their bird skeletons.
A twist of the wrist: Scientists have discovered how hummingbirds manage to fly like insects, despite the limitations of their bird skeletons.
A twist of the wrist: Scientists have discovered how hummingbirds manage to fly like insects, despite the limitations of their bird skeletons.
Astronomers have discovered a gas cloud on a collision course with the galaxy’s central black hole
Astronomers have discovered a gas cloud on a collision course with the Milky Way galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, set for impact in the summer of 2013.
Astronomers have discovered a gas cloud on a collision course with the Milky Way galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, set for impact in the summer of 2013.
Russian space designer Boris Chertok dies at 99
R.I.P.: Russian space engineer Boris Chertok has died at 99.
R.I.P.: Russian space engineer Boris Chertok has died at 99.
Scientists have built the world’s smallest steam engine, only a few thousandths of a millimeter wide.
Scientists have built the world’s smallest steam engine, only a few thousandths of a millimeter wide.
Scientists have built the world’s smallest steam engine, only a few thousandths of a millimeter wide.
Walking through a doorway does make you forget what you were doing
Scientists have found that walking through a doorway does make you forget what you were doing.
Though the research seems robust for proving the power of doors to make us forget, their theories as to why this happens strike me as nothing more than guesses.
Scientists have found that walking through a doorway does make you forget what you were doing.
Though the research seems robust for proving the power of doors to make us forget, their theories as to why this happens strike me as nothing more than guesses.
The European Space Agency will make two more attempts to contact Phobos-Grunt
The European Space Agency will make two more attempts to contact Phobos-Grunt.
The European Space Agency will make two more attempts to contact Phobos-Grunt.
Hurricane predictors admit they can’t predict hurricanes
Now they tell us: Hurricane predictors admit they can’t predict hurricanes.
We are discontinuing our early December quantitative hurricane forecast for the next year … Our early December Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts of the last 20 years have not shown real-time forecast skill even though the hindcast studies on which they were based had considerable skill.
Now they tell us: Hurricane predictors admit they can’t predict hurricanes.
We are discontinuing our early December quantitative hurricane forecast for the next year … Our early December Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts of the last 20 years have not shown real-time forecast skill even though the hindcast studies on which they were based had considerable skill.
CERN announces an update on the search for the Higgs Boson
Not there yet: CERN announces an update on the search for the Higgs Boson.
The main conclusion is that the Standard Model Higgs boson, if it exists, is most likely to have a mass constrained to the range 116-130 GeV by the ATLAS experiment, and 115-127 GeV by CMS. Tantalising hints have been seen by both experiments in this mass region, but these are not yet strong enough to claim a discovery.
Not there yet: CERN announces an update on the search for the Higgs Boson.
The main conclusion is that the Standard Model Higgs boson, if it exists, is most likely to have a mass constrained to the range 116-130 GeV by the ATLAS experiment, and 115-127 GeV by CMS. Tantalising hints have been seen by both experiments in this mass region, but these are not yet strong enough to claim a discovery.
Dawn has now lowered its orbit to 130 miles above the asteroid Vesta
Dawn has now lowered its orbit to an average elevation of 130 miles above the asteroid Vesta.
Expect lots of close-up images in the weeks to come.
Dawn has now lowered its orbit to an average elevation of 130 miles above the asteroid Vesta.
Expect lots of close-up images in the weeks to come.
The enormous bones of what is believed to be the biggest dinosaur in the U.S. have been unveiled by university researchers.
The enormous bones of what is believed to be the biggest dinosaur in the U.S. were unveiled by paleontologists this week.
The enormous bones of what is believed to be the biggest dinosaur in the U.S. were unveiled by paleontologists this week.
Panning for gold on the streets of New York
Phobos-Grunt now predicted to fall back to Earth in early January
Phobos-Grunt is now predicted to fall back to Earth in early January.
Phobos-Grunt is now predicted to fall back to Earth in early January.