Which Exoplanet to Visit?
Which exoplanet should we go to first?
Tag: science
The bigotry among social psychologists
The bigotry among social psychologists. Key quote:
Dr. Haidt (pronounced height) told the audience [at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s conference] that he had been corresponding with a couple of non-liberal graduate students in social psychology whose experiences reminded him of closeted gay students in the 1980s. He quoted — anonymously — from their e-mails describing how they hid their feelings when colleagues made political small talk and jokes predicated on the assumption that everyone was a liberal.
“I consider myself very middle-of-the-road politically: a social liberal but fiscal conservative. Nonetheless, I avoid the topic of politics around work,” one student wrote. “Given what I’ve read of the literature, I am certain any research I conducted in political psychology would provide contrary findings and, therefore, go unpublished. Although I think I could make a substantial contribution to the knowledge base, and would be excited to do so, I will not.”
Japanese Volcano Filled to the Brim
The caldara of the erupting Japanese volcano Mount Shinmoe now appears to be filled to the brim. More photos here.
Effort to drill into ancient lake under Antarctica icecap fall short
Wait ’til next year! The Russian effort to drill into Lake Vostok buried under the Antarctica icecap has fallen short by only a hundred feet, stopped by the end of summer.
The first 360 degree view of the sun
Very Small Asteroid Makes record close Earth Approach on February 4, 2011
On February 4 a very small asteroid, about a yard in diameter, zipped past the Earth at a distance of only 3,400 miles, closer than any previously recorded asteroid.
Scientists discover treasure trove of fossils in limestone layer in China
Scientists have discovered a treasure trove of 250-million-year-old fossils in limestone layer in China. Key quote:
The 50-foot-thick (16 meters) layer of limestone that held these fossils dates back to when south China was a large island just north of the equator with a tropical climate. A smattering of fossil land plants suggest this marine community lived near a conifer forest. The fossils are exceptionally well-preserved, with more than half of them completely intact, including soft tissues. Apparently they were protected across the ages by mats of microbes that rapidly sealed their bodies off from decay after death.
Evidence of significant changes to northern martian sand dunes
Scientists have discovered significant seasonal changes to the northern martian sand dunes, including a number of large avalanches.
Half the Earth covered in snow
Snowball Earth! Or at least, half a snowball: NOAA satellite images show almost the entire northern hemisphere covered in snow.
Kepler finds 68 Earthsized planets
Exoplanets galore! The Kepler team announced today the discovery of 68 Earth-sized planets, five in the habitable zone. Key quote:
The discoveries are part of several hundred new planet candidates identified in new Kepler mission science data, released on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The findings increase the number of planet candidates identified by Kepler to-date to 1,235. Of these, 68 are approximately Earth-size; 288 are super-Earth-size; 662 are Neptune-size; 165 are the size of Jupiter and 19 are larger than Jupiter. Of the 54 new planet candidates found in the habitable zone, five are near Earth-sized. The remaining 49 habitable zone candidates range from super-Earth size — up to twice the size of Earth — to larger than Jupiter.
Japan’s Mount Shinmoe erupts again
Japan’s Mount Shinmoe volcano erupted again today.
Stardust refines its flight path towards comet Tempel
On Monday Stardust did a final mid-course correction in anticipation of its February 14 fly-by of of Comet Tempel 1.