Why has Cassini detected no waves on the lakes of Titan?
Why has Cassini detected no waves on the lakes of Titan?
Tag: 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.
“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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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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.
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!
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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.
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered another moon orbiting Neptune.
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered another moon orbiting Neptune.
A blue exoplanet the size of Jupiter where glass rains sideways.
A blue exoplanet the size of Jupiter where glass rains sideways.
Got $125? You can do an experiment in space.
Got $125? You can do an experiment in space.
Engineers will attempt one more try this month to revive one of Kepler’s reaction wheels so that the telescope can resume observations.
Engineers will attempt one more try this month to revive one of Kepler’s reaction wheels so that the telescope can resume observations.
They admit that the odds are not good that the attempt will work, but they are going to give it chance anyway.
Want to land on an asteroid? Watch out, a gentle touchdown might cause avalanches everywhere!
Want to land on an asteroid? Watch out, a gentle touchdown might cause avalanches everywhere!
After more than eleven years, the sea-level tracking satellite Jason-1 has finally shut down.
After more than eleven years, the sea-level tracking satellite Jason-1 has finally shut down.