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January 31, 2008Messenger's Pictures From Mercury Surprise ScientistsThe Washington Post: The Messenger spacecraft that sped past Mercury on Jan. 14 sent back pictures of a geological formation never seen before in the solar system: a central depression with more than 100 narrow troughs radiating out from it. Device physics: Nanowires' display of potentialNature: The future of the video display is both flexible and transparent. Finding a material for the attendant electronics that is small-scale, bendy and see-through is a tall order — but a promising candidate is emerging. Closing In on Dark Energy?ScienceNow: Is an enigmatic force called dark energy speeding the universe's expansion? An international team of more than 50 astronomers has brought us one step closer to an answer by computing the velocity of thousands of galaxies. Scientists hail the technique as a powerful new tool that can gauge how dark energy opposes gravity. Relative decline of science PhDsBBC: Scientists warn that there has been a fall in the proportion of UK students taking science doctorates. January 30, 2008State of the scienceMSNBC: President Bush's final State of the Union address broke new rhetorical ground on the scientific front, marking the first time he uttered the words "stem cells" and "carbon emissions" in his annual summing-up speech. He also received a standing ovation when he called on Congress to double the funding for basic research – and that applause should come as music to the ears of physicists facing layoffs. Gravity: the 'Holy Grail' of physicsBBC: Isaac Newton wrote down his theory of gravity in 1689, and his equations are used to this day to send space probes to the outer edges of our Solar System. U.K. Nuclear Cleanup Agency Urged to Quantify CostBloomberg: The U.K. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, created in 2005 to clean up atomic sites, should do more to quantify costs after budget estimates rose 18 percent, the National Audit Office said. Research: Asteroids Pose Greater DangerThe Baltimore Examiner: An asteroid that exploded over Siberia a century ago, leaving 800 square miles of scorched or blown down trees, wasn't nearly as large as previously thought, a researcher concludes, suggesting a greater danger for Earth. January 29, 2008U.S. President calls for doubling of physical sciences budgetPhysics Today: President Bush asked Congress to double federal support for basic research in the physical sciences last night in his final state of union address. "To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow," he said. "Last year, Congress passed legislation supporting the American Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our scientific edge." Bush also referred to the "creative genius of American researchers and entrepreneurs" and asked Congress to "empower them to pioneer a new generation of clean energy technology." His request is based on reducing U.S. dependence on oil for national security reasons by investing in "clean coal" technology, renewable energy and nuclear power plants. Bush also asked for further investment into transportation research regarding biofuels and battery technology, and the creation of a new $2 billion international clean technology fund, to help countries such as India and China use energy more efficiently. The speech also mentioned completing an international agreement on greenhouse gases, despite the lack of enthusiasm by other nations at the recent climate talks for the U.S.-led proposal. The full transcript of his science-related remarks is available after the jump. Related News Picks Transcript of remarks from 15:43 minutes into the President's speech. To build a future of energy security, we must trust in the creative genius of American researchers and entrepreneurs and empower them to pioneer a new generation of clean energy technology. (Applause.) Our security, our prosperity, and our environment all require reducing our dependence on oil. Last year, I asked you to pass legislation to reduce oil consumption over the next decade, and you responded. Together we should take the next steps: Let us fund new technologies that can generate coal power while capturing carbon emissions. (Applause.) Let us increase the use of renewable power and emissions-free nuclear power. (Applause.) Let us continue investing in advanced battery technology and renewable fuels to power the cars and trucks of the future. (Applause.) Let us create a new international clean technology fund, which will help developing nations like India and China make greater use of clean energy sources. And let us complete an international agreement that has the potential to slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of greenhouse gases. (Applause.) This agreement will be effective only if it includes commitments by every major economy and gives none a free ride. (Applause.) The United States is committed to strengthening our energy security and confronting global climate change. And the best way to meet these goals is for America to continue leading the way toward the development of cleaner and more energy-efficient technology. (Applause.) To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow. Last year, Congress passed legislation supporting the American Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our scientific edge. So I ask Congress to double federal support for critical basic research in the physical sciences and ensure America remains the most dynamic nation on Earth. (Applause.) On matters of life and science, we must trust in the innovative spirit of medical researchers and empower them to discover new treatments while respecting moral boundaries. In November, we witnessed a landmark achievement when scientists discovered a way to reprogram adult skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells. This breakthrough has the potential to move us beyond the divisive debates of the past by extending the frontiers of medicine without the destruction of human life. (Applause.) Solving the Carbon-14 MysteryScienceNow: Researchers studying the labyrinthine nature of atomic nuclei say they have answered a question that has puzzled physicists for more than half a century: Why does the radioactive isotope known as carbon-14 decay so slowly? The discovery could lead to a better understanding of the workings of the strong nuclear force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. UK shut out of Gemini telescopeNature: Gemini board rejects bid to continue partial involvement in observatory. Remembering When U.S. Finally (and Really) Joined the Space RaceThe New York Times: If Sputnik 1 was the beep-beep-beep heard round the world, Explorer 1 announced itself 50 years ago this week by the collective sigh of relief from an anxious American public. January 28, 2008Spy satellite enters decay orbit after losing powerThe New York Times: A disabled American spy satellite is rapidly descending and is likely to plunge to Earth by late February or early March, posing a potential danger from its debris, officials said Saturday. see also Experts query Pentagon’s explanation for shooting down spy satellite Fractals in the sandNature: Gas fingers in glass beads confirm fluid-theory prediction. Battlefields will be big test for 'seeing' robotThe Christian SCience Monitor: In the next 18 months, the US is likely to deploy a potentially breakthrough robot-vision system in Iraq and Afghanistan. January 26, 2008Fermilab to Begin Furloughs on FridayPhotonics.com: With federal funding for high energy physics in the US unexpectedly reduced by $94 million for 2008, officials at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) said the lab may have to lay off about 10 percent of its work force next spring(see earlier news picks such as Fermilab to cut 200 jobs, staff forced to take unpaid days off, Budget blow to US science, Federal cuts may doom Fermilab's bid for ILC). The lab also announced this week that rolling furloughs will begin Feb. 1 for all of its nearly 2000 employees. Argonne National Laboratory said the budget shortfall has shut down its neutron-scattering facility and will mean job cuts. Related News Picks Costs of building new nuclear power plants explode
Various: The increasing cost of concrete, steel, copper, labor and impact of the weakening dollar on nuclear technology purchases, is having a knock-on effect on plans to build new nuclear power plants in the US. According to the The Tampa Tribune, the electrical utility Progress Energy Florida, which is planning to build two nuclear reactors in Levy County may see costs approach two to three times their original estimate. Similar costs increases at some of the other sites for building nuclear reactors, may scuttle the so-called nuclear renaissance. In Georgia, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that negotiations between nuclear power plant builder Westinghouse and Georgia Power almost collapsed two weeks ago due to new concern over price increases.
January 25, 2008Dutch universities split over physicist Debye's rehabilitationScience: Allegations that the late Dutch physicist Peter Debye was cozy with the Nazis before and during World War II have produced a split decision among schools who once honored him. Following the advice of an independent committee, Utrecht University last week exonerated the Nobelist by restoring the name of its Debye Institute for NanoMaterials Science. But Maastricht University, in Debye's hometown, rejected the advice and removed his name from a scientific prize permanently. Bits of comet surprise scientistsSan Francisco Chronicle: Tiny samples of a glowing comet, flown back to Earth by a pioneering spacecraft named Stardust, hold remarkably little dust from any ancient far-off stars, but a lot of the stuff that makes up nearby rocky asteroids, Livermore scientists have found to their surprise. Quantum dot 'blinking' problem is solved
Daily Herald: For about a year, a team of residents, scientists and local government officials has plugged away at a task: helping Fermilab in Batavia figure out what it would take for residents to accept construction of a massive underground tube -- essentially an underground lab to study physics. How the world invests in R&DNature: The changing face of public and private funding. Drought Could Force Nuke-Plant ShutdownsThe Associated Press: Nuclear reactors across the Southeast could be forced to throttle back or temporarily shut down later this year because drought is drying up the rivers and lakes that supply power plants with the awesome amounts of cooling water they need to operate. No cash rescue for UK physics funding crisisGuardian Unlimited: The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) will not receive any funding to plug the £80m shortfall in its budget over the next three years, research council chiefs have confirmed. January 23, 2008UK physics has bright future says science chief; physicists disagreeBBC: The "doom and gloom" being spread about the state of UK physics and the funding of research is unhelpful and paints an inaccurate picture, says Keith Mason. Wind Energy Grows 45% in 2007Environmental News Network: The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reported last week record growth in wind power generation with 5,244 megawatts of capacity installed in 2007 — a 45% increase reflecting $9 billion in investment and 30% of all new power generating capacity in 2007. Compact synchrotron to use simple laserDaily Telegraph: The compact synchrotron could revolutionise physics and medicine, says Roger Highfield Fire Below the IceScienceNow: Researchers have found evidence that a previously undiscovered active volcano, which last erupted about 2300 years ago, could be heating a portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, causing enough melting to nudge the sheet toward the sea. The find is bad news for scientists already worried about the stability of the giant ice sheet as global temperatures climb. January 22, 2008The sound of a bad pennyNature: Acoustic method could quickly catch counterfeit coins. Opinion: Flagging economy needs science investmentsSan Francisco Chronicle: Two years ago, the National Academies published the seminal study on U.S. competitiveness entitled "Rising Above the Gathering Storm." The study identified major shortcomings in U.S. investments in basic scientific research as well as in math and science education for our youngsters. The suggestions contained in this study were immediately picked up by the Democratic House Leadership as their competitiveness strategy and later by President Bush in his State of the Union message under his American Competitiveness Initiative. Legislation in the form of the America Competes Act was passed in the House and Senate in 2007, and it appeared the United States was finally going to move forward after years of neglect to increase investment in math, science and basic research. All parties agreed that our competitiveness in the 21st century was at stake and we needed to act. Nuclear Revival Rekindles Waste ConcernsThe Baltimore Examiner: Thousands of canisters of highly radioactive waste from the world's most nuclear-energized nation lie, silent and deadly, beneath this jutting tip of Normandy. Above ground, cows graze and Atlantic waves crash into heather-covered hills. Old stars give birth to planets againMSNBC: Senior stars might borrow material from neighbors to make new worlds January 21, 2008The true story behind the launch of Explorer 1Los Angeles Times: On the night of Jan. 31, 1958 -- less than 90 days after JPL was given the go-ahead -- Explorer 1 lifted off the pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida. The story of JPL's 90-day miracle became the stuff of scientific legend. "It's an attractive story," JPL historian Erik Conway told Los Angeles Times reporter John Johnson Jr. "The problem is, it's not true." Volcano, Not Global Warming Effects, May be Melting an Antarctic GlacierENN: Scientists have discovered a layer of volcanic ash and glass shards in Antarctica, evidence of an old eruption by a still active volcano that researchers believe may be contributing to the thinning of Antarctic glacial ice. Hugh F.J. Corr and David G. Vaughan, two scientists with the British Antarctic Survey, recently published their discovery of the volcanic layer in the journal Nature Geoscience. The discovery is unique according to Dr. Vaughan. He said “This is the first time we have seen a volcano beneath the ice sheet punch a hole through the ice sheet.” January 20, 2008NASA's moon rocket design looking shakyUSA Today: NASA is wrestling with a potentially dangerous problem in a spacecraft, this time in a moon rocket that hasn't even been built yet. Engineers are concerned that the new rocket meant to replace the space shuttle and send astronauts on their way to the moon could shake violently during the first few minutes of flight, possibly destroying the entire vehicle. "They know it's a real problem," said Carnegie Mellon University engineering professor Paul Fischbeck, who has consulted on risk issues with NASA in the past. "This thing is going to shake apart the whole structure, and they've got to solve it." Quality of U.S. Nuclear Devices Questioned
San Francisco Chronicle: The Project on Government Oversight says it was told by some Los Alamos scientists that a newly manufactured plutonium trigger used in the W88 warhead on top of the Trident ICBM needed 72 waivers from the specifications used for the original triggers, including 53 engineering-related changes.
January 18, 2008Satellite Company Offers Earth-Observing Researchers a RideScience: Satellite communications company Iridium is offering space on its next-generation fleet of 66 satellites for researchers to do earth observation. But the $1.6 billion price tag could prove a bit too steep. Funding edict for mission has NASA over a barrelNature: Planet-hunting telescope cost could hold back other space projects. Why is Finland Europe's technology leader? The prime minister explainsCNET: Although it's on the fringe of Europe geographically, Finland has for years been at the center of the continent's tech industry. The country gave birth to cell phone leader Nokia and has emerged as a place where multinationals like to recruit and erect labs. The government and local entrepreneurs are now moving into clean technology. A tenfold improvement in battery life?CNET: Stanford University researchers have made a discovery that could signal the arrival of laptop batteries that last more than a day on a single charge. January 17, 2008Google CEO says NASA should become more 'open source'Physics Today: Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt gave the first NASA 50th anniversary lecture of 2008 at the Newseum in Washington D.C. earlier today. In his 40 minute speech he urged NASA and other space agencies to consider public-private partnerships and open data standards to drive the next stage of space innovation. Schmidt pointed out how Google Earth, a easy-to-use product that maps the entire planet, relies on satellite photos, topology measurements by a 2000 space shuttle flight, and software from google to develop a new tool that can be used by the general public or research to discover meteor craters, iron-age Celtic hill fortifications in France. "We don't anticipate all this," he said. "We just put the information out there, and people use it." Schmidt touched on programs such as Google's $30 million X-prize lunar challenge to send a probe to the Moon, survive a landing and move on the surface. "Groups will spend millions of dollars more than the value of the prize to win." he said "Why would we do this?... Because it's fun." He questioned the high cost of developing mission specific probes, arguing instead for standardized spacecraft platforms that could be adapted to different mission Schmidt also asked why a probe in orbit around a planet couldn't talk to another probe in the same vicinity. There are lots of reasons why you might want them to communicate he said, including making it easier to transmit data back to Earth. "Isn't it obvious that spacecraft should have Internet on them, too?" he said. To build a "interplanetary internet" has a number of technical issues that would best be solved by opening up the specifications to the public using licenses similar to that of open source software development. Schmidt closed his speech by commenting that astronaut Alan Bean told him that the one thing astronauts loved to do in space, was to look at the Earth through a porthole. Not everyone is going to get to go to space said Schmidt, but by making NASA's resources available to the public, and adapted by companies such as google, perhaps we can inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators by providing them the same view as astronauts he said. The talk will be broadcast on NASA TV later today. Climate Talk’s Cancellation Splits a TownThe New York Times: School authorities’ cancellation of a talk that a Nobel laureate climate researcher was to have given to high school students has deeply divided this small farming and ranching town at the base of the east side of the Rocky Mountains. 'Darkest ever' material createdBBC: The "darkest ever" substance known to science has been made in a US laboratory. Mercury amazes scientistsThe Baltimore Sun: Md.-built spacecraft sends sharp close-up images, mountain of data Can Pac-Man Save Us From Radioactive Waste?ScienceNow: If chemicals were people, uranium dioxide would be the guy standing alone with his drink at a party. The world's most commonly used radioactive substance--and its heaviest natural element--clutches its two oxygen atoms so tightly, it almost never reacts with other compounds. Now researchers report finding a way to pry one oxygen atom loose, potentially opening up safer ways to handle and dispose of this nuclear antisocialite. January 16, 2008Global Advances Challenge U.S. Dominance in ScienceThe New York Times: The United States remains the world leader in scientific and technological innovation, but its dominance is threatened by economic development elsewhere, particularly in Asia, the National Science Board said Tuesday in its biennial report on science and engineering. See also State of US science report shows disturbing trends; challenges, Network World. Raymond Orbach Responds to DOE Budget CrisisScienceNow: These have been trying times for Raymond Orbach, the undersecretary for science at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)--and for the U.S. physical scientists who depend on funding from his department. SOFIA to open door on new era of astronomySan Jose Mercury News: On Monday, what NASA calls the "world's largest airborne observatory" flew into the Bay Area and caught the eye of Peninsula residents - some of whom wondered if perhaps the president were on board. He wasn't - but a 44,100-pound telescope was, and officials at the NASA/Ames Research Center in Mountain View enthusiastically showed off the massive aircraft they hope will one day help them discover the origin of life. UK sets education plans in place for nuclear reactor expansionGuardian Unlimited: The government's white paper on expanding nuclear energy is generating power for the higher education sector, finds Anthea Lipsett January 15, 2008Antarctic ice loss speeding upNature: Shrinking continent is losing ice faster today than a decade ago. Big Brain Theory: Have Cosmologists Lost Theirs?The New York Times: A bizarre scenario takes theories of modern cosmology to the limit. Japanese Taking Up Part |