NASA launches climate satellites
Reuters: - NASA on Friday launched two research satellites to help scientists refine computer models that forecast the weather and chart global climate change
April 28, 2006NASA launches climate satellitesReuters: - NASA on Friday launched two research satellites to help scientists refine computer models that forecast the weather and chart global climate change Nuclear power plan getting a boostMiami Herald: A plan to usher in more nuclear power in Florida has been put on the fast track in a sweeping energy bill moving through the Legislature. University Clears Chinese Biophysicist of MisconductScienceNow: The leader of a team hailed for the discovery of an antibiotic peptide has been absolved of wrongdoing by his employer. At a press conference last week, Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, announced that allegations of "scientific fabrication" against Qiu Xiao-Qing are unfounded, according to an investigation by a university expert group. Berkeley scientist wins Fermi Award for energy workInside Bay Area: On Thursday, President Bush named the Berkeley resident, who turns 80 today, as the sole 2005 recipient of the coveted Enrico Fermi Award for ferreting out the kind of huge energy savings since the 1970s that have other scientists calling him the "grandfather of energy efficiency." April 27, 2006Teachers Honor Einstein's Work Aboard NASA's 'Weightless Wonder'Yahoo!News: Six teams of high-school physics teachers will test experiments developed by their students aboard NASA's C-9 aircraft, the "Weightless Wonder," early next month. The experiments will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's discoveries. Crunch time for Bell labsNature: A global merger will put the long-suffering Bell Labs through the wringer yet again. But could joint ownership benefit the world-famous facility in the long run? Kurt Kleiner investigates. Physics in America at Crossroads and in Crisis, Panel SaysThe New York Times: Physics in America is at a crossroads and in crisis, just as humanity stands on the verge of great discoveries about the nature of matter and the universe, a panel from the National Academy of Sciences said yesterday. Yuval Ne'eman Dies at 80ScienceNow: Yuval Ne'eman, one of the most colorful figures of modern science, died today at the age of 80. He was best known for the Eightfold Way classification of elementary particles, developed simultaneously with Murray Gell-Mann in the early 1960s, which helped bring order to the confused world of subatomic physics. April 26, 2006Experts debate hurricane warningsReuters: Weather forecasters need to do a better job of translating their scientific data about threatening hurricanes into better-understood warnings, several experts said at a conference on Tuesday. NASA Chief Says Future Flights Will Force Cutbacks in ScienceThe New York Times: The ability to send humans into space after retiring the space shuttle is such a high priority for NASA that some space science must be sacrificed to help pay for it, the agency's administrator, Michael D. Griffin, said Tuesday. Chernobyl: Hardly the last wordBulletin of Atomic Scientists: The April 26, 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the most catastrophic nuclear accident in history, was not so bad after all--or so claims a recent report produced by an international team of scientists convened by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The team, called the "Chernobyl Forum," included scientists and experts from eight U.N. agencies--including the World Health Organization (WHO), the IAEA, and the U.N. Development Program--as well as officials from Russia, Ukraine (where the accident occurred), and neighboring Belarus. Chernobyl's continuing hazardsBBC: The Chernobyl disaster was not over when the sarcophagus took shape above the ruins of reactor number four in the summer and autumn of 1986. April 25, 2006Report powers push for nuclear energyThe Australian: A study by the West's energy watchdog is expected to show that expanding civil nuclear power offers the best hope of tackling global energy insecurity - a finding that would strengthen the hand of governments looking to build new reactors. Black holes generate ‘green’ energyMSNBC: A new study finds that the supermassive black holes at the hearts of some galaxies are the most fuel-efficient engines in the universe. Physics could be a secret weapon in tennisABC Online, Australia: A US researcher says the number of stupid mistakes made playing on the tennis court can be reduced by applying the laws of physics. University of Massachusetts to get $16m nanomanufacturing research facilityAZoNano.com: The University of Massachusetts Amherst will host one of the nation’s elite nanotechnology centers, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today, awarding $16 million to establish the Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing. Combined with state matching funds, the investment will accelerate research and production of ultra-tiny devices, creating new manufacturing opportunities and stimulating economic development. The announcement was made at a State House news conference. April 24, 2006Bold idea for energy woes: global cooperationThe Christian Science Monitor: Some analysts envision an alliance of consumer countries to boost energy security and stabilize supplies. Nokia Opens MIT Research CenterPC Magazine: Wireless handset maker Nokia is hoping to speed the process of product innovation through a new research and development effort launched in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Paint-On lasersScienceNow: To most people, a laser means eyeball-scorching rays of light shooting out of a bulky box or a pointer pen. But a new type of laser can literally be painted onto any surface, including silicon chips. The development could help save the multibillion-dollar computer chip industry from a looming crisis: the point when microchips can't get any faster. Scientist shuts out baseball mythsMSNBC: Perception plays a huge role on the mound and in the field April 21, 2006Key date in icing over of Antarctica is establishedGuardian Unlimited: The moment the Pacific and Atlantic oceans linked up, ultimately leading to the freezing of Antarctica, has been traced to 41m years ago, according to a study of the seabed off the tip of South America. Chinese PM admits sandstorms are sign of 'ecological destruction'The Independent: Beijingers unfurled their face-scarves and wiped the coating of yellow dust off their homes yesterday after days of sandstorms which deposited on to the capital 300,000 tons of sand from the Gobi desert and dust from the thousands of building sites around the city. A universal constant on the moveNature: Is the proton losing weight, or has the fabric of the Universe changed? Progress on Hiring Women Science Faculty Members Stalls at MITScience: The number of women faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge has declined or remained flat in five of its six science departments since 2000, whereas the number of women in other areas, such as engineering and architecture, increased significantly during the same period, according to a report released last week. The findings, say academics researching the issue, underscore the difficulty in removing obstacles for female scientists, despite high-level attention by some deans and administrators. April 20, 2006More Satellites to Explore Clouds' Most Intimate SecretsThe New York Times: The practice of staring at clouds will take on new dimensions with the impending launching of two satellites designed to make the first global survey of cloud properties that affect weather and climate, scientists said Wednesday. The zenith of Islamic scienceNature: An exhibition in Britain explores a rich scientific heritage. Sterile surface of moon may contain clues to life on EarthGuardian Unlimited: A return mission to the moon offers the best hope of understanding life on Earth and discovering whether alien life lurks in distant corners of the universe, according to a British scientist. Act Now on Climate Change, Scientists Urge CanadaEnvironmental News Network: Unless Canada's new government moves quickly to tackle global warming the country's economy and quality of life will increasingly suffer in decades to come, 90 top environmental experts told Prime Minister Stephen Harper in an open letter. April 19, 2006Charting a Black Hole CrashScienceNow: Computer simulation catches cosmic waves from universe's biggest bang-up Will Sacramento be the next city underwater?The New York Times: Jeffrey Mount says the common denominator between Sacramento and New Orleans is concentrated urban development in the shadow of flooding and levees. Should oldest US nuke plant stay on line?The Christian Science Monitor: New Jersey says the plant is too vulnerable to terrorist attack to have its license renewed. Gore's campaign on Global WarmingEnvironmental News Network: Al Gore has a major campaign under way -- to change policies on global warming. The 2000 Democratic presidential nominee has hired longtime political associate Roy Neel to aid in his effort to raise awareness about global warming, a problem Gore calls "a planetary emergency." April 18, 2006Who Killed the Lindbergh Baby?Wired: New handwriting analysis technology could reveal who wrote the ransom notes sent after the infamous kidnapping. It could also turn the fuzzy art of studying scribble into a science. U.S. Weighs How Best to Defend Against Nuclear ThreatsThe Washington Post: Beset by delays, cost overruns and technical problems, the U.S. government's quest to defend the nation against a smuggled nuclear weapon or radiological "dirty" bomb is approaching a crossroads. Microsoft Word's Hidden Tags Reveal Once-Anonymous Peer ReviewersThe Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required): The peer-review process at many academic journals is intended to be blind, meaning that authors do not know who is reviewing their work. But a little-known setting in Microsoft Word has led to the unmasking of some peer reviewers, compromising the anonymity of the process. Retracing the Path of the 1906 EarthquakeNPR: On April 18, 1906, the mighty San Andreas Fault -- which slices along 800 miles of coastal California --slipped, creating a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, one of the strongest ever recorded in the continental United States. Its effects, which were most pronounced in San Francisco, were felt as far north as Oregon and as far east as Nevada. April 17, 2006NASA says mishap report on DART mission too sensitive to releaseSan Jose Mercury News: Citing sensitive information, NASA said Friday it will not publicly release its official report on the failure of a spacecraft during a mission to rendezvous with a Pentagon satellite without human help. South Africa Invests in Nuclear PowerNPR: South Africa has suffered crippling electricity blackouts and is looking to nuclear energy to solve its power problems. Currently South Africa has the only nuclear power plant on the continent of Africa. It is planning to build a second plant. Quakes: Can't See 'Em ComingWired: The monster earthquake that turned San Francisco into smoky rubble a century ago also gave rise to seismology, but scientists still can't predict when the next Big One will pop. New Worry Rises After Iran Claims Nuclear StepsThe New York Times: Of all the claims that Iran made last week about its nuclear program, a one-sentence assertion by its president has provoked such surprise and concern among international nuclear inspectors they are planning to confront Tehran about it this week. April 14, 2006New tremors errupt over scale of 1906 San Francisco quakeReuters: At every corner, the San Francisco area is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the April 18, 1906, earthquake that marked one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. DOE Asked to Fill in the Blanks on Fuel Recycling Research PlanScience: The Bush Administration's plans for a research program aimed at eventually recycling nuclear waste aren't ready for prime time, legislators said last week. But they seem willing to support at least most of the $250 million price tag for next year. Forget Computers. Here Comes the SunThe New York Times: The fledgling solar-cell industry uses just about as many silicon wafers as the chip industry does, but the resemblance ends there. How to Lose the Brain RaceThe New York Times: Other industrial democracies are reshaping their immigration policies to invite the skilled immigrants that the US turns away. April 13, 2006Vega whirls at high speedNature: Vega is a fundamental reference star for astronomers. But it seems that our perceptions of it have been misconceived — rather than spinning slowly, the star is a rapid rotator seen pole-on. Russia wins Computing Olympics, US Finishes 7thThe Chronicle of Higher Education: Saratov State University, an institution of over 28,000 students nestled along Russia's Volga River, earned top honors Wednesday in an annual event that could fairly be called the Olympics of undergraduate computer science. Tectonic Plates Slowly MovingThe Washington Post: Using hand-me-down technology from the Cold War, scientists have discovered that the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest is a jumping kind of place, with thousands of small, swarming earthquakes and tectonic plates that are slowly rearranging themselves. Natural light to reinvent bulbsBBC : A natural light source that could put the traditional light bulb in the shade has been invented by US scientists. April 12, 2006Harvard's new telescope to boost search for alien lifeThe Boston Globe: Will scan heavens for flashes of light Transistor Laser Moves Closer to CommercializationAZoM: The transistor laser, invented by scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been full of surprises. Researchers recently coaxed the device to reveal fundamental properties of the transistor, and of the transistor laser, moving it a step closer to commercialization. U.S.-China Cooperation: The Great Space DebateSpace.com: China is stepping up its space program, preparing to launch dozens upon dozens of Earth orbiting satellites over the next five to eight years. Also being readied are several space science missions, fielding a new heavy-lift booster, as well as strengthening its human spaceflight program to include an Earth-circling space lab and initiating a multi-step program of robotic lunar exploration. Secret Meeting Builds Korean Science TiesScienceNow: Researchers from North, South plan joint projects during unprecedented gathering. April 11, 2006Probe makes encounter with VenusBBC: Europe's Venus Express probe has gone into orbit around our nearest planetary neighbour after a five-month journey. Better prosthetics for wounded soldiers |