As hinted last week, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has some new results conclusively showing that dark matter is a real, physical thing. This is big news, because the previous evidence for dark matter was all indirect, and based on inferring the mass distribution of galaxies and clusters of galaxies from looking at their motion. These… Continue reading In the Dark No More
Category: In the News
Hair Gel and an iPod
As the “binary liquid explosive” plot sounds a little implausible, and the usual lack of, you know, hard evidence regarding the plot begins to become clear, the question has to be asked: what was really up with the terror plot that has banned an entire phase of matter? Wondermark has the answer. (Register link via… Continue reading Hair Gel and an iPod
The Poincare Conjecture
There’s an interesting article in the Times today about Grisha Perelman and the Poincare conjecture: Three years ago, a Russian mathematician by the name of Grigory Perelman, a k a Grisha, in St. Petersburg, announced that he had solved a famous and intractable mathematical problem, known as the Poincaré conjecture, about the nature of space.… Continue reading The Poincare Conjecture
Physics News
I had a bunch of students over for dinner last night, and while I was busy with that, stuff happened in the world. I hate that. Of course, there’s been a lot of energy expended on trivia like primary elections, but that’s not what I’m talking about. The important news all has to do with… Continue reading Physics News
Sunday Times Round-Up
Miscellaneous stories that caught my eye in today’s New York Times: First, on the science sdie of things, a long article about how people are living longer, not to mention bigger and healthier, than their ancestors. It compares medical records for Civil War veterans with people of similar age today, and finds amazing reductions in… Continue reading Sunday Times Round-Up
New Vacation Destination
So, you’ve finally achieved (through a combination of hard work and inheritance) a livable monthly income, and are looking for a way to cut loose and splurge a little? Well, for just $35 million, you can both visit the Space Station and walk in space ($20 million to get there, $15 million for the spacewalk).… Continue reading New Vacation Destination
Astronomy and Literature
Via James Nicoll, there’s a new press release from the Cassini mission talking about new radar maps of a region on the surface of Titan that’s been dubbed “Xanadu.” The topography looks very Earth-like, with rivers and lakes and oceans of methane, providing Dr. Jonathan Lunine an opportunity to show off the benefits of a… Continue reading Astronomy and Literature
Nuclear Power and Security
Scientific Curmudgeon John Horgan reads calls for more nuclear power and offers a slightly different objection to nuclear power than most people: Five years ago, I might have considered climbing aboard this bandwagon, even though Indian Point has an imperfect safety record, but not any more. In fact, I want to whack the neo-nukers and… Continue reading Nuclear Power and Security
It’s a Bird-Plane!
Via See You at Enceladus, a Canadian team has succeeded in making a flapping-wing airplane: Yesterday Dr. James DeLaurier, an aeronautical engineer and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Aerospace Studies, fulfilled a lifelong dream, seeing his manned mechanical flapping-wing airplane, or ornithopter, fly ? a dream first imagined by Leonardo da… Continue reading It’s a Bird-Plane!
Terraforming the Earth
There was an interesting article in the Times today about the possibility of “geoengineering”: In the past few decades, a handful of scientists have come up with big, futuristic ways to fight global warming: Build sunshades in orbit to cool the planet. Tinker with clouds to make them reflect more sunlight back into space. Trick… Continue reading Terraforming the Earth